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

Xiao Yuhan immediately seized the opportunity, picked up the microphone again, and spoke each word with great emphasis:

"Attracting investment is not about harboring corruption! The municipal government has zero tolerance for those who hoard resources without fulfilling their duties or even engage in illegal profiteering!"

"Today's turmoil precisely proves the necessity and urgency of our reforms!"

Thunderous applause suddenly erupted.

This time, it was genuine applause.

Zhao Defu slumped in his chair, his face ashen.

Ma Jianguo stared at him with a gloomy face, saying nothing.

The meeting ended with enthusiastic applause, but everyone understood that the real trouble was just beginning.

……

Back in the car, Xiao Yuhan locked the door, her face showing no sign of happiness.

She took a black USB drive from a hidden compartment in her bag and handed it to Chen Pingfang, her voice very low:

"You've offended them today, and some of them might not be able to sit still."

"These are things left behind by the former director of the investment promotion bureau before he died in a car accident. I haven't dared to look at them."

"Now... I can only trust you."

Chen Ping took the black USB drive; it felt cool to the touch.

"The former director of the investment promotion bureau was surnamed Lin, named Lin Weiguo." Xiao Yuhan looked out the car window, her voice very soft.

"On the day of the car accident, he had just returned from a meeting in the provincial capital. His car went out of control on the highway and plunged off the road, killing him instantly."

"The traffic police concluded that it was due to fatigue driving."

Chen Ping gripped the USB drive tightly in his hand, and some things from his past life came to mind again.

Lin Weiguo's car accident caused quite a stir back then, but it was never resolved.

"Mayor Xiao doesn't think this was an accident?"

"He had arranged to meet me three days before the accident."

Xiao Yuhan looked at Chen Pingfang and continued.

"He said he had something that could help me gain a foothold in Yunzhou, but before he could give it to me, he was gone."

"His secretary secretly gave me this USB drive later."

As they were talking, the car drove into the municipal government compound, and Chen Ping followed Xiao Yuhan up to the fourth floor.

The office lights were still on.

Xiao Yuhan closed the doors and windows and drew the curtains.

Chen Ping plugged the USB drive into the computer, and an encrypted interface popped up on the screen, requiring a 16-digit password.

"I tried his birthday, employee number, and ID number, but none of them were correct."

Xiao Yuhan stood to the side, frowning. "The system will automatically delete the contents of the USB drive after five incorrect password attempts."

Chen Ping looked at the prompt box on the screen, his mind racing.

He had heard about Lin Weiguo's affairs in his previous life, but he hadn't paid much attention to them, so he didn't remember many of the details clearly.

I only remember that an internal report mentioned that Lin Weiguo wrote a string of numbers in his diary before his accident.

Nobody took it seriously at the time; everyone assumed it was just something they jotted down randomly.

But now that I think about it...

"Mayor Xiao, when did Director Lin's father pass away?"

Xiao Yuhan paused for a moment, "It seems to be the end of July, but I don't know the exact date."

"What about his wedding anniversary?"

"I attended his wedding anniversary party on June 15th."

Chen Ping took a deep breath, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.

The red text on the screen was very noticeable: "Number of attempts remaining: 2."

Xiao Yuhan pressed down on his wrist: "Forget it, we can't take the risk."

"Give me three more minutes." Chen Ping closed his eyes, trying hard to recall the contents of the report.

He suddenly opened his eyes, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he typed a string of numbers—

0728-1949-0615.

Press Enter.

The screen flashed twice, and then the encrypted interface disappeared.

Xiao Yuhan turned her head, looking at him with disbelief.

How did you know?

"Just a guess." Chen Ping wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"The anniversary of Director Lin's father's death, the year of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and his wedding anniversary."

"I guess I was lucky."

The contents of the USB drive are very simple; it contains only one audio file.

The document is titled "Last Insurance".

Chen Ping glanced at Xiao Yuhan and clicked play.

The loudspeaker emitted a din of food, sounding like it was coming from a private room in a restaurant.

"I'll need your help with this environmental impact assessment..." a middle-aged man's voice rang out, his tone very respectful.

Xiao Yuhan's expression changed instantly.

"It's a small matter," another, more composed voice chimed in. "But Zhao Defu's behavior is too unseemly. Tell him to tone it down and not let it affect the overall situation."

Chen Pingfang and Xiao Yuhan exchanged a glance.

That voice belongs to Wang Jianzhong!

The recording is still ongoing.

"Mayor Wang, don't worry, I'll pass on the message. By the way, about that sum of money we talked about last time..."

"Take the money from Defu Group's overseas companies in three separate transactions, leaving no trace."

"I understand, I understand. You've thought of everything very well."

"Get the paperwork done for that piece of land in Jinshui Bay as soon as possible. I've already spoken to the provincial authorities."

The recording mentions specific project names, kickback amounts, and even details how to evade audits.

Xiao Yuhan gripped the chair armrests tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Finally, a very tired voice came through.

"Old Wang, I really can't take this anymore." It was Lin Weiguo's voice. "I didn't take a single penny of this money, but you're making me take the blame..."

"Take the blame?" Wang Jianzhong sneered. "You're paid by the city, so you should work for the city. This matter ends here, don't think about it anymore."

The sound of a chair being moved.

The recording stopped here.

Chen Ping looked at the file properties; the recording time was three days before Lin Weiguo's car accident.

Xiao Yuhan suddenly stood up, her hands on the table, her whole body trembling.

"This is silencing them!" Her voice trembled. "Chen Pingfang, do you know what this means? Wang Jianzhong has been operating in Yunzhou for fifteen years. His men are everywhere. We simply..."

"That's why Director Lin left this to you," Chen Pingfang interrupted her, his tone calm. "He knows that only you would dare to touch this matter."

The office lights were glaring, and the clock on the wall pointed to 10 p.m.

Chen Ping unplugged the USB drive, took out a new USB drive, and copied the audio onto it.

"Mayor Xiao, there are two copies of this now." He handed the original USB drive back. "Keep one copy safe, and I'll keep the other. If something happens to us, at least we'll have a backup to expose it."

Xiao Yuhan stared at him, her gaze complex: "Aren't you afraid of death?"

"I'm afraid." Chen Ping smiled and put the backup USB drive into his pocket. "But I'm even more afraid of wasting my life again."

Xiao Yuhan was about to speak—

My phone suddenly vibrated.

It was an anonymous text message.

"I heard Mayor Xiao is investigating old cases recently? I advise you not to meddle. The waters of Yunzhou run deeper than you think."

The message was sent five minutes after they finished playing the recording.

The two of them looked up at the window at the same time.

Behind a window of the building across the street, a figure is holding binoculars and pointing them this way.