Nominal: Hou Liangping blocking the door? He was slapped away!

After those words were spoken, even the sound of turning over papers in the conference room quieted down.

Lu Yike walked to the end of the long table and rested her hands on the edge of the table.

"I'm holding back so I can uncover the whole conspiracy. If you want the evidence, I'll show you the irrefutable proof."

She looked at the veteran detective who had asked the first question.

"Senior, do you still think it's against the rules?"

The veteran criminal investigator stared at the screen for a long time.

Then, he picked up his pen and wrote two words in the meeting minutes book.

agree.

After he finished writing, he pushed the notebook aside.

"Director Lu, you continue commanding."

Upon hearing this, some nodded in agreement, some opened their case files, and some picked up their phones, ready to mobilize personnel as soon as the order came down.

Lin Huahua leaned back in her chair and couldn't help but chuckle.

A technician nearby leaned over and said, "Director Lin, Director Lu is being a bit ruthless today."

Lin Huahua glanced at him sideways.

"Speak less, and learn from this."

On the screen, the nurse took a step forward.

"Chief Qi, it's been ten minutes."

Qi Tongwei didn't even look at her.

"Five more minutes."

The nurse said expressionlessly, "Director Lu instructed that if you dare to exceed the time limit, I will disconnect you immediately."

Several people in the venue almost lost their composure.

Lu Yike also glanced at the screen.

"Director Qi, the nurse is right."

Qi Tongwei remained silent for two seconds.

"You're quite good at leveraging trends now."

Lu Yike closed the file. "I learned it from you."

Qi Tongwei had no choice but to rest his right hand on the bedside table.

Lu Yike put away all the projected data, leaving only the action deployment map.

"All groups, stand by."

The criminal investigators, technical investigators, and inspectors all looked up at the same time.

She looked at the big screen.

"Director Qi, please provide instructions on the next steps."

In the hospital room footage, Qi Tongwei looks up.

The nurse, holding the logbook, was about to remind him of the time, but seeing his expression, she swallowed her words.

Qi Tongwei tapped the bedside table one last time with his right hand.

"The printer in the executive deputy director's room has completed its mission. Immediately move in and arrest the confidential clerk!"

The Provincial Party Committee compound, the Secretary's office.

Four o'clock in the afternoon.

When Secretary Bai pushed open the door, her steps were three times lighter than usual.

Sha Ruijin was standing by the window, his back to the door, his dark gray suit making his back look somewhat stiff.

"Secretary, the provincial department... has closed in."

Sha Ruijin didn't turn around; he just looked at the old camphor tree outside the window.

"Which one?"

"The executive deputy director's confidential clerk outside," Secretary Bai said in a low voice. "The person was taken into custody by Lu Yike's team, and the investigation process was carried out directly, without going through the deputy director in charge."

The office was so quiet you could hear the faint hum of the air conditioner vents.

"Was this authority granted by Qi Tongwei?"

"Yes," Secretary Bai added. "It was an online meeting, and Qi Tongwei gave the order from his hospital ward in the military region. Veterans from the criminal investigation and technical investigation departments all participated, and no one objected."

Sha Ruijin slowly turned around, his face revealing no emotion, but the habitual composure in his eyes was gone.

He walked behind his desk and sat down, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the surface.

"Qi Tongwei... he's trying to trade one arm for the sky in Handong."

Secretary Bai dared not respond.

He knew perfectly well what it meant to have caught that lead. Above the confidential clerk was the executive deputy director, and above that was the shadow hidden in the old Haizhou case.

"Draft a document," Sha Ruijin began, speaking much faster than usual.

Secretary Bai immediately picked up a pen.

"Document title: Supplementary Explanation Regarding Serious Overstepping of Boundaries in Joint Military-Civilian Case Handling Procedures in Handong Province"

Secretary Bai paused writing for a moment, then looked up at Sha Ruijin.

Ignoring his hesitation, Sha Ruijin continued dictating: "The document must clearly state three points. First, Comrade Qi Tongwei is still recovering from serious injuries, and it is necessary to reassess whether his mental state and decision-making ability are suitable for continuing to preside over major cases."

"Second, during the evidence collection process, the provincial department's special task force bypassed the normal command system and obtained internal information beyond its authorized level, resulting in significant procedural flaws in the chain of evidence obtained."

"Third, to ensure the fairness and seriousness of the case, the Provincial Public Security Department is required to immediately suspend the existing internal investigation and submit all original files, including Qin Erhao's interrogation records, relevant physical evidence from the evidence room, and materials related to the confidential staff, to the Provincial Party Committee Office for unified review and verification."

Secretary Bai's pen left heavy marks on the paper.

If this document were to be released, it would be tantamount to the provincial party secretary and the entire local judicial system of Handong openly breaking ties.

"Secretary, this..."

"Send it." Sha Ruijin interrupted him. "Draft it immediately and send it directly to the Provincial Procuratorate and the Provincial Public Security Department in the name of the Provincial Party Committee General Office."

"Yes." Secretary Bai didn't dare to ask any more questions, and quickly retreated with the notebook in hand.

The office door closed.

Sha Ruijin leaned back in his chair, took out an unopened pack of cigarettes from the drawer, tore it open, and shook out one.

He rarely smokes in the office.

He held the cigarette between his fingers but didn't look for a lighter for a long time.

Less than an hour.

A strongly worded official document was delivered to the desk of Ji Changming, the chief prosecutor of the provincial procuratorate.

Ji Changming, wearing his reading glasses, read through the document from beginning to end without much emotion on his face.

He put the documents aside and picked up the red microphone on the table.

"Xiao Lu? This is Ji Changming."

Lu Yike's efficient voice came from the other end of the phone: "Inspector Ji, what are your instructions?"

"The provincial party committee wants you to submit your case files, and the document has been sent to me."

Lu Yike remained silent for two seconds.

Ji Changming continued slowly and deliberately, "Tell Director Qi to focus on recovering. The sky isn't falling down."

"clear."

"In addition, have Lin Huahua encrypt all the electronic files of the core evidence again and physically isolate them. All original documents should be stored in a warehouse and sealed through a dual military-civilian process."

"It's already done."

"Okay." Ji Changming was satisfied. "Then everything is fine."

After hanging up the phone, he called his secretary in.

"Write it as I said, and reply to the General Office of the Provincial Party Committee."

The secretary spread out the papers.

"Letter to the General Office of the Provincial Party Committee: In view of the series of cases such as the Qin No. 2 case and the Haizhou old case, which involve top-secret military intelligence, all core evidence has been sealed with double sealing wax by the Provincial Procuratorate and the Handong Intelligence Division of the Third Department of the General Staff, in accordance with the highest level of military-civilian confidentiality procedures."

Ji Changming picked up his teacup, blew on it to cool it down, and continued.

"According to the confidentiality regulations, without a written order jointly issued by the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the General Staff Department, no individual or unit has the right to access or review the documents."

After the secretary finished writing, she looked up at him.

Ji Changming put down his teacup, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather.

"Just like that, stamp it with the official seal of the Provincial Procuratorate, and send it over."

Office of the Provincial Party Secretary.

When the reply from the provincial procuratorate was placed in front of Sha Ruijin, all the color drained from his face.

"Sealed with sealing wax... Dual military and civilian tracks..."

He gripped the paper tightly, and it became deformed from his squeeze.

The bold text that read "No one or any organization has the right to access this information" struck him like a resounding slap across the face.

He tried to intimidate people with his program, but Ji Changming brought out a higher-level program that he could never access.

It’s over.

The path to administrative counterattack has been blocked.

Secretary Bai stood to the side, even her breathing became soft.

Sha Ruijin crumpled the reply into a ball and slammed it into the trash can.

He stood up and paced back and forth in the office, his leather shoes making a dull thud on the floor.

Finally, he stopped in front of his desk, as if he had made up his mind.

"Get out," he said to Secretary Bai. "Lock the door. Don't see anyone this afternoon."