After breaking up with my boyfriend, I made a fortune and rose rapidly in my career.

The next morning, the corridors of the city government building were quiet, but something was off.

As soon as Chen Ping entered the office, he noticed that his colleagues were giving him strange looks—some huddled together and whispered, some wanted to say something but didn't, and others simply lowered their heads and walked away quickly.

Guo Xiaojun rushed in, shoving his phone screen almost into Chen Ping's face: "Brother Chen! Something terrible has happened!"

The screen displayed the headline of Yunzhou Morning Post, the largest local media outlet in Yunzhou, with a jarring title: "Public Officials Knowingly Break the Law? City Government Office Secretary Leads Violent Rampage Against Private Company Gate!"

Chen Ping took the phone and squinted.

The video in the news was clearly edited—the footage of the police car crashing into the gate of Golden Bay was zoomed in and slowed down, and the footage of the security guards "helplessly" trying to stop them was accompanied by sad music, but the key footage of the security guards spraying the car with a water gun and burning things inside was all gone.

The comments section is already in an uproar:

"Is this what they call law enforcement? How is it any different from urban management officers beating people?"

"It's too hard for private entrepreneurs; the government can target whomever it wants."

"How can Xiao Yuhan be a vice mayor? He can't even control his subordinates?"

Liu Tiemian and Zhang Zheng also came over, their faces darkening.

"Someone is deliberately stirring up trouble online to smear us." Zhang Zheng pointed to the comments section. "Look at these accounts, they were all registered very recently, they're obviously paid trolls."

Liu Tiemian clenched his fists: "They're trying to kill us."

The office door was pushed open, and Sun Zhigang walked in carrying an official document and a stack of letters, his face beaming with undisguised joy.

"Secretary Chen, Mayor Xiao wants you to go to her office." He paused, a cold smile creeping onto his lips. "Relevant departments from the province have already called to inquire. This incident has had a very negative impact."

……

The atmosphere in Xiao Yuhan's office was heavy.

The red phone on the table had just been hung up when it rang again. Xiao Yuhan answered the phone, her expression growing increasingly grim.

"Yes, I understand... I will give you an explanation as soon as possible..."

After hanging up the phone, she looked at Sun Zhigang standing at the door: "Speak, what does Consultant Wang mean?"

Sun Zhigang cleared his throat and unfolded the documents in his hand: "Advisor Wang instructed that because the Jinshui Bay collision incident has caused a very bad social impact, the relevant responsible persons should be suspended from their duties for investigation."

He looked at Chen Pingfang, his tone tinged with anticipation: "Furthermore, the company demands that Mayor Xiao issue a public apology and provide an explanation."

Guo Xiaojun trembled with anger: "Why should we apologize? We're arresting criminals!"

"Arresting criminals must be done according to the rules," Sun Zhigang said in a sarcastic tone. "Now everyone online is criticizing us for using excessive force, and the province has taken notice. Who will take responsibility for this?"

He looked at Xiao Yuhan, his words carrying a hidden meaning: "Of course, if Mayor Xiao is willing to cooperate with the investigation and hand over the person in charge, there is still room for negotiation."

Zhang Zheng suddenly stood up: "What do you mean?"

"My meaning is very clear." Sun Zhigang pointed at Chen Pingfang, "Who suggested breaking down the door? Who gave the order? As long as you hand over the person, Mayor Xiao might still be able to keep his position."

The office was deathly silent.

Liu Tiemian clenched his fists. Guo Xiaojun bit his lip, his eyes reddening.

Just then, Chen Pingfang suddenly laughed.

"Section Chief Sun." He took out a thick document from his backpack. "You care whether the gate is broken or not, but the common people care about whether they still have their lives."

He threw the document on his desk; the cover was stamped with a bright red seal: "Urgent Testing Report on Heavy Metal Pollution in Soil and Groundwater of Jinshuiwan Site".

Sun Zhigang's smile froze.

Xiao Yuhan picked up the report and quickly flipped through it, her eyes widening in surprise.

"The soil contains heavy metals at levels 400 times higher than the standard..." Her voice trembled slightly, "It contains Group 1 carcinogens... and it has already leaked into the groundwater within a two-kilometer radius..."

Chen Pingfang looked at Sun Zhigang and said coldly, "You say there's a lot of public pressure? Then let the whole city see what Jinshui Bay is hiding."

He turned to Xiao Yuhan: "Mayor Xiao, I suggest we immediately hold a 'Jinshui Bay Environmental Pollution Situation Briefing' and contact the city's television station to broadcast it live."

Xiao Yuhan stared at the data on the report, paused for a few seconds, then suddenly looked up: "Approved."

She picked up the phone and called the director of the city TV station directly: "Old Li, give me an emergency news report... Yes, right now, stop everything else."

Sun Zhigang's face turned pale instantly.

……

An hour later, in the municipal government press conference hall.

All sorts of camera lenses were pointed at the podium, and the press section was full of people—including several reporters who had been arranged by Wang Jianzhong to ask questions and find fault.

Chen Ping stood on the podium, and the screen behind him lit up.

"Dear media friends and citizens," his voice echoed through the hall via microphone, "the purpose of this meeting is to explain the true situation of the Jinshuiwan project."

He pressed the remote control, and the large screen began playing the complete video taken by the drone.

The video shows thick smoke billowing and flames burning very high.

Several shirtless men frantically loaded bags onto the truck, while barrels of highly toxic chemicals printed with skulls and crossbones were carelessly dumped on the ground.

As the camera zooms in, the red hazard warning sign on the metal drum is clearly visible.

A collective gasp filled the press conference room.

"These images were taken at 7 p.m. last night." Chen Pingfang's voice was cold. "At that time, account books and computers were being burned in Jinshui Bay to destroy evidence of the crime."

He switched to the next slide, which was filled with densely packed test data.

"The results of the overnight testing by the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau showed that the heavy metal content in the soil of the Jinshuiwan plot exceeded the standard by 400 times, and contained benzo[a]pyrene and hexavalent chromium, which are Group 1 carcinogens, and had already leaked into the groundwater within a two-kilometer radius."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over all the reporters present.

"The water intake of Yunzhou City's Third Water Plant is only three kilometers away from the Jinshuiwan pollution area."

The press conference room erupted in chaos.

"What?!"

"The water we drink..."

"How many people will this kill?!"

A reporter arranged by Wang Jianzhong stood up, looking for trouble: "But your act of ramming the door..."

Chen Ping interrupted him: "We broke down the door to salvage the evidence that was being burned, to prevent the poison from spreading further!"

He pointed at the camera and said, word by word, "If we hadn't broken down that door, the drinking water source for hundreds of thousands of people in Yunzhou would have been completely destroyed!"

The large screen switched to the last photo—a torn page of an account book salvaged from the fire, clearly stating "Waste disposal fees, settled monthly," with Zhao Defu's signature next to it.

"This is what Zhao Defu meant when he said he didn't know the situation," Chen Ping sneered. "Not only did he know, but he was also the organizer of the whole thing."

The press conference room was deathly silent; everyone was stunned by the evidence.

The live stream chat instantly shifted from criticizing the government to a screen full of "Severely punish the murderer" and "Thank you Secretary Chen for saving our lives."

The reporter who had been looking for trouble turned pale and silently sat back down.