Reborn in 2000: I'm the Boss's Driver

It was 11 p.m. on the 25th day of the first lunar month.

A luxury villa on Sentosa Island, France.

Chen Zhiqiang, wearing a bathrobe, sat on the balcony, a glass of whiskey in his hand. In the distance was the dark sea, with only a few scattered navigation lights flashing.

He has been in France for seven days.

During those seven days, he changed residences three times, used two fake identities, and hardly went out. All his daily necessities were delivered to his door.

But fear still lingers.

He watches the news every day, keeping up with domestic developments. From the initial "special rectification campaign in the medical system," to the later "investigation of multiple hospital officials," and then to yesterday's "Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee studies and deploys anti-corruption work"...

He knew a storm was approaching.

My phone rang; it was an encrypted number.

Chen Zhiqiang hesitated for a few seconds before answering the call.

"Mr. Chen, the situation is not good." A deep voice came from the other end of the phone. "I just received news that your uncle stated at the Standing Committee meeting that he will 'pursue you according to the law and punish you severely according to the law.'"

Chen Zhiqiang's hand trembled, and the wine glass almost fell to the ground.

"He...he really said that?"

"It's absolutely true. The province has already formed a joint fugitive pursuit team, and they'll be in France soon. You'd better think of something quickly."

"What can I do?" Chen Zhiqiang smiled bitterly. "The money has been transferred almost all, but I can't escape. France and China have an extradition treaty. If they formally request it, I will be sent back sooner or later."

"Then don't let them find you," the other person said. "I know a smuggler who specializes in human trafficking. He can take you from France to South America. Some of those countries don't have extradition treaties with China."

"How much?"

"500,000 US dollars per person, all-inclusive."

Chen Zhiqiang thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll go. When can we make arrangements?"

"The earliest is the day after tomorrow night. Prepare the cash and wait for my message."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Zhiqiang slumped into his chair.

Five hundred thousand US dollars was nothing to him. But he knew that once he left, he might never return. His parents, wife and children, his businesses back home... he would have to give them all up.

But what can we do if we don't leave?

Going back would mean certain death. Those things I did were enough to warrant execution several times over.

He picked up his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The strong liquor burned my throat, but it couldn't extinguish the fear in my heart.

At the same time, in the provincial capital, at the joint fugitive pursuit team command center.

Director Li Weiguo is presiding over the meeting. In addition to personnel from the Public Security Bureau, there are also comrades from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office.

"We just received a notification from the French Central Bureau of Interpol," Li Weiguo said, pointing to the map, "that Chen Zhiqiang was last seen at this villa on Sand Island. But by the time the French police arrived, he had already disappeared."

"They ran away?" Xiao Wang from the Discipline Inspection Commission frowned.

"They must have heard something," Li Weiguo said. "However, the French police reviewed the surveillance footage and found that Chen Zhiqiang left the villa in a black Mercedes. The license plate number was found, and the owner was a car rental company. The person renting the car used a fake passport, but the surveillance footage captured the driver's face."

A blurry photo appeared on the big screen.

He was a middle-aged man with an Asian face, wearing sunglasses.

"We've located this person," said an investigator from the Public Security Bureau. "His name is Ah Long, a Malaysian national with a prior conviction for organized crime. He specializes in human smuggling. We believe Chen Zhiqiang is likely planning to illegally leave the country."

"Where is the destination?" Li Weiguo asked.

"It's uncertain. But judging from Aaron's travel history, he frequently travels between France, Singapore, and Indonesia. He might have gone to Indonesia first, and then traveled to South America or Africa."

"We can't let him get away." Li Weiguo slammed his fist on the table. "Contact the French police and request their assistance in setting up a surveillance operation. At the same time, our people should depart immediately for France. If necessary, we can ask the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate and activate the cross-border fugitive pursuit mechanism."

"yes!"

After the meeting, Li Weiguo called Zhou Wenyuan to report.

Zhou Wenyuan was reviewing the medical reform plan in his office when he received the call. He immediately said, "Old Li, we must bring Chen Zhiqiang back. He's the key to this case. If he talks, many problems can be solved."

"Understood. I have already dispatched my best investigators there."

"Also," Zhou Wenyuan added, "be careful. Chen Zhiqiang might have someone backing him; they won't let him speak easily."

This statement is quite profound.

Li Weiguo's heart skipped a beat: "You mean...?"

"I didn't say anything," Zhou Wenyuan said as he hung up the phone.

But Li Weiguo understood.

If there is indeed a bigger figure behind Chen Zhiqiang, then that person certainly does not want Chen Zhiqiang to be arrested, and even less does he want him to speak.

Therefore, during the pursuit, there may not only be resistance from Chen Zhiqiang, but also obstruction from the shadows.

It was 4 a.m. on the 26th day of the first lunar month.

At the French airport, three investigators from the joint fugitive pursuit team received an urgent notification from the French police as soon as they disembarked from the plane.

"Ah Long's car was found at the pier leading to Ba Island," the French police officer said in English. "But there was only Ah Long in the car, not Chen Zhiqiang."

Where is Chen Zhiqiang?

"I don't know. Ah Long said that Chen Zhiqiang changed his mind at the last minute and didn't want to get off the ship. But he wouldn't say where Chen Zhiqiang went."

The three investigators exchanged glances.

This is like a cicada shedding its shell.

Chen Zhiqiang is definitely still in France, just hiding in a different place.

"Check Ah Long's communication records," said Old Chen, the head of the investigation team. "Also, check all the ships that left France in the last two days, especially private yachts and fishing boats."

French police were very cooperative and immediately launched an investigation.

At 10 a.m., a discovery was made.

"Ah Long received a call yesterday afternoon from a yacht called 'Poseidon'," the French police officer said. "'Poseidon' is registered in Panama, and the owner is an American. But according to dock records, the yacht was chartered two days ago by a Chinese man for a week, with the destination being a 'sailing around the Strait of Malacca'."

"Where is the yacht now?"

"It left Port France at 8 pm last night, heading towards Malacca. But the last AIS signal showed that it turned off its positioning system near the inner islands."

"That's it," Old Chen deduced. "Chen Zhiqiang is most likely on the 'Poseidon.' He turned off location tracking to avoid being tracked."

"What do we do now?" another investigator asked. "The yacht has entered international waters; we have no right to intercept it."

Old Chen thought for a moment and said, "Report to the Ministry of Public Security and ask them to coordinate with the Navy or Coast Guard to intercept them in international waters."

This is a race against time.

If the "Poseidon" enters another country's territorial waters, it will be difficult to capture people there.

Noon, Beijing, Ministry of Public Security.

In the office of the transnational fugitive repatriation coordination center, the phone kept ringing.

"The situation in France has been reported," said Lao Zhao, the center's director. "The ministry leadership has instructed us to coordinate with the South China Sea Fleet to dispatch ships to intercept them. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to inform all parties and request permission for our ships to enter the exclusive economic zone for law enforcement."

"Is there enough time?"

"The South China Sea Fleet already has a frigate training in the nearby waters. It will take about three days to get there at full speed. The 'Poseidon' is not fast; it should be able to catch up."

"Okay, I'll contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs right away."

At 2 p.m., a frigate of the South China Sea Fleet received orders to change course and sail at full speed toward the Strait of Malacca.

The captain, looking at the nautical chart in the bridge, reported: "Target vessel, speed 15 knots, heading southwest. We are 1200 nautical miles away, speed 28 knots, and are expected to intercept it in forty hours."

"Captain," the political commissar approached, "this mission is very special. The target ship may be armed, and once it enters Indonesian territorial waters, we can't pursue it."

"Understood," the captain said. "So we need to stop it before it enters territorial waters. Notify the special forces to prepare for boarding."

The next day at 4 PM, the "Poseidon" yacht.

Chen Zhiqiang stood on the deck, looking at the boundless sea.

In twenty hours, the yacht will enter Indonesian territorial waters. At that point, he will be safe—at least temporarily.

The captain, a British man in his fifties, came over and handed him a glass of juice.

"Mr. Chen, we'll be there soon. Will your friend be picking you up at the pier?"

"Yes, I will." Chen Zhiqiang took the juice. "I will pay the balance in one lump sum when we arrive."

"That's good." The captain smiled. "But I must remind you that the Indonesian coast guard has been cracking down hard lately. If you encounter an inspection, you'll have to hide in a dark cabin."

"clear."

Chen Zhiqiang returned to his cabin, lay down on the sofa, and closed his eyes.

He's barely slept these past few days; every time he closes his eyes, he's plagued by nightmares. He dreams of being handcuffed, of being sentenced in court, of being executed…

He sat up abruptly, drenched in cold sweat.

I can't go back, I'd rather die than go back.

Even living in anonymity in a foreign land for the rest of one's life is better than going back to jail or being executed.

He took out his phone, intending to call home, but remembered the captain's warning—his phone signal might be being tracked—and put it down again.

Now, all he can do is wait.

Waiting for the ship to dock, waiting to begin a new life.

At 5:40 p.m., the frigate's radar detected the target.

"The 'Poseidon' is 15 nautical miles away, and its course remains unchanged," the radar operator reported.

The captain picked up his binoculars and could already see the small white dot in the distance.

"Send a signal to request that the ship stop for inspection."

The signalman signaled with flags and simultaneously called out on the maritime radio: "'Poseidon,' this is a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy vessel. Please stop immediately for inspection. Repeat, please stop immediately for inspection."

The Poseidon did not react; instead, it accelerated.

"He's trying to run," the captain sneered. "Chase after him, get close to him."

The frigate sped forward, rapidly closing the distance to the "Poseidon".

Ten minutes later, the two boats were side by side.

"Special Forces, prepare to board!"

Eight special forces soldiers boarded a small boat and quickly approached the "Poseidon". The crew on the yacht tried to resist, but when they saw the guns in the hands of the special forces soldiers, they all became docile.

Hearing the commotion outside, Chen Zhiqiang knew it was all over.

He tried to hide in the dark compartment, but as soon as the door opened, he was held down by two special forces soldiers.

"Chen Zhiqiang, you're under arrest."

When the cold handcuffs were put on his wrists, Chen Zhiqiang's legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground.

It's over, it's over.

The news reached the provincial capital at 8 p.m. that evening.

"We caught him!" Li Weiguo excitedly called Zhou Wenyuan. "We caught him on the high seas, and he's already on his way back to China."

"Great!" Zhou Wenyuan was also excited. "When will you arrive?"

"We'll arrange a private plane to pick you up as early as tomorrow afternoon."

"Keep this confidential. Do not announce Chen Zhiqiang's arrest to the public for the time being."

"clear."

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Wenyuan immediately summoned Lin Fan to his office.

"Xiao Fan, Chen Zhiqiang has been caught. This is a major breakthrough. Prepare an interrogation plan immediately; I want to interrogate him personally."

"You're personally conducting the trial?" Lin Fan asked in surprise.

"Yes." Zhou Wenyuan's gaze was sharp. "This case involves too many things. I must get the information as soon as possible. In addition, the interrogation location must be kept absolutely confidential, and the personnel involved must be absolutely reliable."

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away."

It was 3 PM on the 29th day of the first lunar month.

A secret investigation site in the suburbs of the provincial capital.

Chen Zhiqiang was escorted here and locked in a special interrogation room.

The room was small, with only a table and three chairs. A banner on the wall read, "Confess and you will be treated leniently; resist and you will be punished severely," and a security camera flashed red in the corner.

Chen Zhiqiang sat in the chair, still in handcuffs and shackles, his face deathly pale.

The door opened, and Zhou Wenyuan walked in, followed by Lin Fan and a recorder.

"Chen Zhiqiang, do you know me?" Zhou Wenyuan sat down and asked calmly.

Chen Zhiqiang looked up for a moment, then looked down again: "I know...Governor Zhou."

"Do you know why we arrested you?"

"I know about... organ trafficking."

"Good to know." Zhou Wenyuan opened the file in front of him. "Starting three years ago, you used the 'Light of Life Charity Foundation' as a platform to collude with multiple hospitals to illegally perform 58 organ transplant surgeries, illegally profiting over 50 million yuan. Do you admit to these things?"

Chen Zhiqiang remained silent.

"Not going to talk?" Zhou Wenyuan smiled. "If you don't talk, others will. Zhang Mingyuan, Li Zhenhua, Wang Zhiguo... they've all confessed. And your company's CFO and sales manager have also confessed. Now, we have bank statements, surgical records, and ledgers. We can convict you even without a confession."

Chen Zhiqiang's body began to tremble.

"However," Zhou Wenyuan changed the subject, "I'm not here today to hear you recount what we already know. What I want to know is—who else is behind you?"

Chen Zhiqiang suddenly looked up.

"What...what's behind?"

"Stop pretending." Zhou Wenyuan stared at him. "What makes you think you can operate organ trafficking in multiple hospitals across the province? What makes so many doctors listen to you? What makes someone tip you off every time there's a hint of trouble? There must be someone behind you."

"No...no..."

"Chen Zhiqiang," Zhou Wenyuan's voice turned cold, "I'm reminding you, what you've done is punishable by death. But if you cooperate with the investigation, expose others, and make significant contributions, you might be spared. The choice is yours."

The choice between life and death is before us.

Chen Zhiqiang's psychological defenses are crumbling little by little.

He recalled his uncle Chen Jianguo's statement at the Standing Committee meeting—"Pursue fugitives according to law, and punish them severely according to law." That was a public declaration of distancing himself from the law.

He thought of those leaders who used to be his brothers, but now they all avoided him like the plague.

He thought of his parents, wife, and children, what if they knew he had been sentenced to death…

"I...I'll talk..." Chen Zhiqiang finally spoke, his voice hoarse, "but I have one condition."

"explain."

"Guarantee the safety of my family. And... if I cooperate, could I avoid the death penalty?"

Zhou Wenyuan exchanged a glance with the disciplinary committee member next to him.

"If you confess truthfully and make significant contributions, the court will take that into consideration when sentencing. As for your family, as long as they are not involved in the case, we will not make things difficult for them."

"Okay... I'll talk." Chen Zhiqiang took a deep breath. "The foundation... isn't just mine. There are two other partners."

"Who?"

"Liu Zhentao, former deputy director of the Provincial Health Department. Wang Jianjun, former director of the Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau."

Upon hearing these two names, both Zhou Wenyuan and Lin Fan felt a chill run down their spines.

The deputy director of the health department and the director of the medical insurance bureau are powerful figures in the medical system.

No wonder Chen Zhiqiang was able to get through so many stages.

"Go on."

"Liu Zhentao is responsible for coordinating with the hospital, and Wang Jianjun is responsible for medical insurance reimbursement. For each surgery, the foundation receives one million yuan, of which 300,000 yuan goes to the hospital, 100,000 yuan to the surgical team, 100,000 yuan to Liu Zhentao and Wang Jianjun, and the remaining 500,000 yuan goes to me."

"It's that simple?"

"And...there's more." Chen Zhiqiang hesitated for a moment, "There are some special clients who require extra favors. For example, that former leader, his son came to me, offering 1.8 million yuan for a matching liver. I contacted experts in Beijing through Liu Zhentao, and also bribed a director in the Ministry of Health before I finally got it done."

"The director of the Ministry of Health? What's his name?"

"His surname is Zhang, and his given name is Zhang... Zhang Mingde. I don't remember his exact name, but Liu Zhentao has a record of it."

Zhou Wenyuan quickly wrote it down.

"Is there anything else?"

"And...and Secretary Chen..."

The air in the interrogation room froze instantly.

"Secretary Chen?" Zhou Wenyuan stared at him. "Explain yourself."

"I wasn't talking about my uncle," Chen Zhiqiang quickly explained. "It's...it's Secretary Yang, Secretary Chen's secretary. He...he helped me make connections a few times, introducing me to several clients. Each time, I gave him a 5% referral fee."

"Which Secretary Yang?"

Yang Zhi from the General Office of the Provincial Party Committee.

Zhou Wenyuan's hand trembled slightly.

Yang Zhi, secretary to Chen Jianguo, the provincial party secretary!

If even he is involved, then Chen Jianguo...

"Does Secretary Chen himself know about these things?" Zhou Wenyuan asked the most crucial question.

Chen Zhiqiang remained silent for a long time.

"I...I don't know if he knows. But my uncle...he must have sensed something. Once, he told me privately to 'behave yourself and not cause him trouble.' But he didn't say anything specific."

This answer is quite subtle.

Chen Jianguo may not know the details, but he knows that Chen Zhiqiang is doing something that "may cause trouble".

As the provincial party secretary, he did not investigate further, but only offered a reminder.

Is this dereliction of duty or condoning?

"Do you have any evidence for what you're saying?" Zhou Wenyuan asked.

"Yes," Chen Zhiqiang said. "I have a habit of recording all important transactions. The recording pen is in my Hong Kong bank safe deposit box, and the key is with my wife. There are also electronic copies of the ledgers and customer lists, which are on an encrypted USB drive. The USB drive is hidden in the third compartment of the set of 'Zizhi Tongjian' in my study."

This evidence is crucial.

"Besides these, is there anything else you want to explain?"

Chen Zhiqiang thought for a moment: "There's something else... About half a year ago, Liu Zhentao told me that a high-ranking official in Beijing needed an organ transplant and was offering five million yuan. But they hadn't found a suitable donor. Later... later, Zhang Hao, a student from Yong'an Experimental Middle School, had an accident, and his blood type matched that high-ranking official's. So Liu Zhentao arranged for someone to..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Zhang Hao's death was not an accident, it was murder!

It was to obtain his organs!

Zhou Wenyuan suddenly stood up, his fists clenched.

Although he had suspected it beforehand, hearing it with his own ears still enraged him.

For money and to curry favor with the powerful, these people will even prey on children!

brute! What a bunch of beasts!

"Who is that big leader?" Zhou Wenyuan asked, enunciating each word clearly.

"I...I don't know his real name. I only know that his surname is Xu, and that he's in the military, and he's a high-ranking officer. Liu Zhentao said that as long as this matter can be accomplished, I'll have someone protecting me in Beijing from now on."

His surname is Xu, he's in the military, and he's a very high-ranking officer.

Zhou Wenyuan had a few candidates in mind, but he wasn't sure.

"Okay, that's all for today." Zhou Wenyuan calmed himself down. "Think carefully about anything you might have forgotten. If you remember anything, report it immediately."

"Governor Zhou," Chen Zhiqiang pleaded, "I...I really know I was wrong. Could you...could you give me a chance?"

"You have to earn your own opportunities," Zhou Wenyuan said. "Write down what you just said, sign it, and put your fingerprint on it. Also, cooperate with us in retrieving that evidence. If your confession is true and you have made a significant contribution, the court will consider it."

"Okay, okay, I'll write, I'll write anything."

Zhou Wenyuan looked very grim as he left the interrogation room.

"Xiao Fan, you heard everything."

"I heard that." Lin Fan's mood was also heavy. "I didn't expect it to involve such a deep level."

"That's not all," Zhou Wenyuan said. "What Chen Zhiqiang confessed may only be the tip of the iceberg. There may be others behind Liu Zhentao, Wang Jianjun, Yang Zhi...

"So, what's our next step...?"

"Act immediately," Zhou Wenyuan said decisively. "You take some men to Chen Zhiqiang's house to retrieve the USB drive. I'll coordinate with the Discipline Inspection Commission to detain Liu Zhentao and Wang Jianjun. As for Yang Zhi..."

He paused for a moment: "He is Secretary Chen's secretary. We must be careful when dealing with him. I will report to Secretary Chen first."

Will Secretary Chen agree?

"I don't know." Zhou Wenyuan smiled bitterly, "But now that things have come to this, we have no choice but to agree. This case can no longer be covered up."

That evening, a secret arrest operation was launched across the province.

Liu Zhentao, the former deputy director of the provincial health department, was arrested at his mistress's home while he was counting money; there was 500,000 yuan in cash piled up on the bedside table.

Wang Jianjun, the former director of the provincial medical insurance bureau, was arrested in the airport VIP lounge. He was preparing to fly to Hainan for a "vacation". In addition to a change of clothes, his suitcase also contained three passports and 200,000 US dollars.

Lin Fan arrived at Chen Zhiqiang's house with a search warrant.

Chen Zhiqiang's wife opened the door in tears, and was completely stunned when she saw the search warrant.

"I...I don't know anything...it was all Chen Zhiqiang's doing..."

"We are conducting a lawful search; please cooperate." Lin Fan showed his identification.

Sure enough, an encrypted USB drive was found in the interlayer of the third volume of "Zizhi Tongjian" in the study.

I plugged it into the computer, entered the password Chen Zhiqiang had given me, and the folder opened.

Inside were densely packed accounts, audio recordings, photos, and contracts.

Lin Fan glanced at it briefly, and the contents were shocking.

Not only are there records of organ trafficking, but also drug kickbacks, equipment procurement, medical insurance fraud... involving hundreds of hospitals and hundreds of medical staff across the province.

The case spanned five years and involved hundreds of millions of yuan.

More importantly, there is a folder titled "Network".

Inside is a hand-drawn relationship diagram, with Chen Zhiqiang at the center, radiating outwards to connect the Health Department, the Medical Insurance Bureau, major hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and so on.

On the outermost layer, several names were circled in red.

Lin Fan recognized two of them—Liu Zhentao and Wang Jianjun.

There was another name that made Lin Fan's heart race.

杨志

Next to Yang Zhi's name, an arrow was drawn pointing to another name.

That name was blacked out and couldn't be seen.

But Lin Fan had a vague feeling that it might be an even more terrifying existence.

"Director Lin, the search is complete," the investigator reported.

"Alright, that's it." Lin Fan carefully placed the USB drive into the evidence bag. "Notify the technical department to immediately conduct data recovery and analysis. Especially that name that was blacked out, try to recover it."

"Yes."

On the way back, Lin Fan looked out the window at the night view.

The city lights shone brightly, and a peaceful atmosphere prevailed.

But how much darkness lies hidden beneath this peaceful facade?

What they need to do now is to tear through the darkness and let the sunlight in.

Whatever this sunlight may illuminate.