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

"Director Chen, something terrible has happened!" Zhou Weiguo's voice had changed on the phone. "Over a hundred companies from the Jinshan Chemical Industrial Park have signed a petition and blocked the city government gate!"

Chen Ping stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, phone in hand. He had just completed the personnel adjustments and taken control of the entire Department of Industry and Information Technology when Zhou Weiguo called.

But Chen Ping's face remained expressionless, and even his breathing was steady.

"Who's the leader?" Chen Ping asked, his voice clear but cold.

Zhou Weiguo on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback; he hadn't expected Chen Pingfang to ask so directly.

"It's...it's Ge Hengshan from Hongye Chemical. He just took over as chairman not long ago," Zhou Weiguo quickly replied. "He organized some kind of 'Entrepreneurs' Rights Protection Alliance,' saying that our previous environmental rectification was a one-size-fits-all approach that cut off their livelihood. He demanded that we immediately stop the rectification and compensate them for their losses."

Ge Hengshan.

Qian Bo's brother-in-law.

Chen Ping immediately connected the dots in his mind. Zhang Jingru's case was still under investigation, and none of the companies that had defrauded subsidies could escape.

These people felt they were about to die and were making a last-ditch effort, trying to drag everyone down with them.

"I understand." Chen Pingfang replied calmly. "Mayor Zhou, listen carefully. You personally go and tell them that the province takes this very seriously and has already sent me over to handle it. First, calm them down and tell them to give me a week, and I guarantee I will give them a satisfactory solution."

"A week? Director Chen, they're very agitated right now, I'm afraid..."

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Chen Ping interrupted him. "Just relay my words verbatim. What they want is a show of force. If you bring up the provincial government and my connections, they won't dare to escalate the situation. They're just testing the waters."

Zhou Weiguo remained silent on the other end of the line. Chen Pingfang's unyielding tone calmed his chaotic mind considerably.

"Okay, I'll get right on it!"

After hanging up the phone, Chen Ping immediately dialed Su Qingwan's number.

"Qingwan, help me look up someone."

"Who?" Su Qingwan's voice was still as capable as ever.

"Ge Hengshan, the new chairman of Hongye Chemical, Qian Bo's brother-in-law." Chen Pingfang spoke quickly, "I need all his recent cash flow records, especially the activity of his overseas accounts. Also, who he's met with recently, especially people from financial institutions outside the province and overseas. Investigate him thoroughly."

"I understand, he can't sit still anymore." Su Qingwan immediately understood.

"Yes, a cornered dog will do anything. I need to know where he's going to run."

For his third call, Chen Pingfang made a call to the office of the director of the Provincial Environmental Protection Department.

"Director Wu, I am Chen Pingfang from the Department of Industry and Information Technology."

"Director Pingfang, you're a rare guest." The other person's tone was very official.

"There's an emergency that requires your support," Chen Pingfang said politely. "The Provincial Party Committee is very concerned about the environmental issues at Jinshan Chemical Industrial Park. To ensure rectification, I suggest that the Provincial Department immediately launch the highest-level environmental inspection of Jinshan Chemical Industrial Park. All the wastewater discharge outlets of all enterprises should be put on online monitoring, and monitored 24 hours a day. All historical environmental data should be re-examined."

Director Wu on the other end of the phone gasped. The highest level of inspection meant the inspection team could appear at any factory at any time without prior notice. This was fatal for those polluting companies.

"Putting the director flat, isn't this a bit too much of a move? There might be a strong backlash from Guangling."

"If there's a backlash, I'll take responsibility." Chen Ping's tone remained unchanged. "Director Wu, this is a matter personally overseen by Governor Liu. If something goes wrong, no one can afford to take the blame."

He directly brought up the provincial governor.

"I understand!" Director Wu immediately changed his tune. "I'll make the arrangements right away. The first inspection team will depart this afternoon!"

His last call was to a deputy director of the provincial local financial regulatory bureau, a deputy director who had previously worked under his father.

"Uncle Wang, it's me, lie flat."

"Put it flat, what brings you to call Uncle Wang?" The other person's tone immediately became friendly.

"There's something I'd like to ask for your help with. I'll have my secretary send you a list of companies shortly. Could you coordinate with several major banks in the province to immediately initiate loan risk reassessments for the companies on that list?"

Deputy Director Wang on the other end of the phone was silent for a moment, then immediately understood the gravity of the matter. Environmental inspections were digging into past issues, while banks withdrawing loans was cutting off any future avenues for recovery. This was a combination of attacks, each one potentially fatal.

"Lie it flat, what are you doing...?"

"Uncle Wang, these are all follow-ups to the Zhang Jingru case, cases that Secretary Deshan is keeping an eye on. I'm just clearing away some obstacles." Chen Pingfang didn't say much more.

"I understand. Don't worry, send me the list, and I'll personally coordinate it. I guarantee there will be results by tonight."

After doing all this, Chen Ping sat back down in his chair, picked up the now-cold tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

He wasn't in a hurry to go to Guangling; he was waiting. Waiting for the measures he had arranged to take effect.

He wanted to make those troublesome entrepreneurs experience real suffering before they even met him.

Two days later, Su Qingwan sent a message.

The content is brief: Ge Hengshan had two meetings with a private equity fund called "Far East Capital" in Hong Kong last week. This fund has a history of helping people transfer assets overseas. Meanwhile, a distant relative of Ge Hengshan has 50 million in funds in their account, which are being prepared to be transferred out through underground money changers.

After reading the message, Chen Ping deleted the record.

It seems the opponent has already revealed their hand.

He stood up and picked up his coat.

"Director Cai, prepare the car, let's go to Guangling."

When Chen Ping's convoy arrived in Guangling City, it was already evening. He didn't go to the municipal government or meet with Zhou Weiguo; the convoy drove directly into the management committee building of the Jinshan Chemical Industrial Park.

The largest conference room of the management committee was brightly lit.

The room was packed with the owners of over a hundred chemical companies. They had been there for two days, and their initial arrogance had long since vanished, replaced by growing unease.

An inspection team from the provincial environmental protection department suddenly appeared, sealed off the sewage outlets of seven or eight factories, and issued huge fines.

The bank kept calling, informing them that the loan application needed to be reviewed again and that the loan might not be approved.

Everyone felt the pressure.

The meeting room door was pushed open.

Chen Ping walked in, followed only by Zheng Xian.

He wore a black trench coat, walked steadily, and had no expression on his face. Chen Ping walked straight to the head seat, his gaze sweeping across the entire room.

The previously noisy conference room fell silent the moment he entered. All eyes were on the young provincial department director.

Ge Hengshan stood at the front of the crowd, bracing himself to meet Chen Pingfang's gaze.

Chen Ping didn't sit down; instead, he placed his hands on the conference table and leaned slightly forward. An aura of pressure made everyone in the room feel breathless. He looked at those whose faces held resentment, fear, or feigned strength, and then spoke.

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly penetrated everyone's ears.

"Today, everyone here, do you want to leave with dignity, or do you want to end up like Qian Bo and Zhang Jingru? The choice is yours."

Chen Ping paused, then looked at Ge Hengshan with a cold gaze.

"I'll give you ten minutes to consider."

The entire conference room fell completely silent instantly.