Special forces soldier demobilization: Starting from the county government compound, a meteoric rise

Liu Ming's efficiency is outrageously fast.

At 10 a.m., he had just come out of Qian Wanli's office.

At noon, an encrypted email containing all the details of the "Smart Ningzhou" project appeared in the email inbox of Zhou Wen, director of the High-Tech Industry Division of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission.

Zhou Wen's efficiency did not disappoint him either.

3 PM.

While Qian Wanli was still restless in his office, fantasizing that Liu Ming was just bluffing, he couldn't help but call Ouyang Feng for help.

An urgent official document bearing the bright red seal of the "Jiangnan Provincial Development and Reform Commission" was sent directly to the desks of the Ningzhou Municipal Party Committee and Government through the internal confidential system!

The document's title is simple and direct, yet it exudes an unquestionable authority!

—**Approval Regarding the Inclusion of the "Smart Ningzhou" Big Data Center Project in the 2010 Provincial Key Construction Projects**!

The document content is simpler!

There are only three in total!

First, the Provincial Development and Reform Commission has decided to formally approve the establishment of the Nangong Group's "Smart Ningzhou" project.

Secondly, as an important component of the "Digital Jiangnan" strategy, this project enjoys all the preferential policies and "green channel" treatment of provincial key projects.

Third, the Ningzhou Municipal Party Committee and Government are instructed to attach great importance to this matter and fully cooperate to ensure the project commences smoothly within the year! No unit or individual may, for any reason, shirk responsibility, pass the buck, or delay!

White paper! Black text! Red seal!

Every word was like a resounding slap across the face of the Ningzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission and Qian Wanli's fat face!

……

The release of this document caused an uproar throughout the Ningzhou Municipal Party Committee and Government!

"What's going on? How did a project in the city get involved with the Provincial Development and Reform Commission? And why was it directly listed as a key provincial project?"

"I heard that the Municipal Development and Reform Commission has been holding back the approval. Nangong Group had no choice but to take it to the provincial level!"

"The Municipal Development and Reform Commission? That idiot Qian Wanli? Has he lost his mind? He dares to block a project from the Nangong Group? Especially such a landmark project that could bring huge political achievements to the city?"

"Who knows what he was thinking? He probably took some bribes, right? Now look what he's done! He tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead! He's made a fool of himself in front of the whole province!"

……

In Mayor Lu Chen's office.

The atmosphere was so oppressive it was almost palpable.

Lu Chen, the mayor who was always known for his elegance and composure, was now holding that official document and trembling with anger!

Standing in front of him was Qian Wanli, the "culprit" whom he had just summoned from the National Development and Reform Commission.

At this moment, Qian Wanli had completely lost his usual arrogant demeanor as a "God of Wealth".

He kept his head down and his back hunched over, his entire body trembling uncontrollably. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead like rain, and he didn't even dare to wipe it away.

"Qian Wanli!"

Lu Chen slammed the document hard into Qian Wanli's face! Paper fluttered everywhere, like snowflakes!

"Explain yourself!"

"What the hell is going on?"

Lu Chen was truly enraged!

Since taking office in Ningzhou, he has been committed to improving the business environment and vigorously attracting high-tech industries. This "Smart Ningzhou" project was personally overseen by him and was finally secured after much effort!

This is not only a project that can bring huge economic benefits, but also a sharp knife that he, the "reformist" mayor, uses to break the conservative situation in Ningzhou!

Now look what's happened!

Before the sword was even drawn, it was broken in half by his own incompetent teammate.

And the way it was done was so ugly! So embarrassing!

The provincial government should issue a direct document criticizing them by name!

This is an absolute disgrace!

"Mayor... I... I..." Qian Wanli stammered, unable to utter a complete sentence.

How can he explain this?

Could it be that he was instructed by Ouyang Feng to deliberately make things difficult for the Nangong Group?

If he dares to say that, he guarantees that his corpse will appear in the moat tomorrow!

"What do you mean, 'what are you talking about'?" Lu Chen slammed his hand on the table, pointing his finger at his nose and yelling, "Didn't you tell me that the materials from Nangong Group were substandard? Didn't you say there was a major risk?"

"Experts from the Provincial Development and Reform Commission now believe it to be at an 'internationally leading level'! It is a strategic pillar of 'Digital Jiangnan'!"

"Qian Wanli! Tell me! Are you really more professional than the experts in the province?"

"Or is it that you simply don't have a brain?"

"I...I...I made a mistake at work...I apologize...Mayor..." Qian Wanli almost knelt down before Lu Chen with a "plop," his voice trembling with tears.

"A self-criticism?!" Lu Chen laughed angrily. "Do you think a simple self-criticism can salvage the reputation the municipal government has lost?"

"Do you know what's being spread outside right now?"

"They say our Ningzhou City has a terrible investment environment! They say our government departments are inactive and act arbitrarily! They say we're a bunch of good-for-nothings who only know how to fight amongst ourselves and can't get anything done!"

"Qian Wanli! You rotten apple, you're ruining everything in Ningzhou!"

Lu Chen grew angrier as he spoke, grabbed the teacup on the table, and wanted to smash it onto Qian Wanli's shiny bald head.

But in the end, he held back.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and sat back down in his chair, exhausted.

He knew that now was not the time to assign blame.

The most urgent task is to quickly take remedial action.

"Alright, stop crying in front of me."

Lu Chen waved his hand impatiently.

"Now, immediately, right now! You personally lead a team to the Nangong Group! Go there and apologize to me!"

"Tell President Nangong that it was all a misunderstanding! It was our subordinates who were unfamiliar with the business and misunderstood the policy!"

"All approval processes for this project must proceed smoothly! Get all the official seals affixed and delivered to my office today!"

"Did you understand?"

"I...I understand..." Qian Wanli felt as if he had been granted a pardon and tried to run away as fast as he could.

"stop!"

Lu Chen called out to him again.

Qian Wanli's body suddenly stiffened.

Lu Chen looked at his cowardly appearance, like a mouse seeing a cat, and his eyes became somewhat complicated.

He remained silent for a moment, and finally asked the question that had been puzzling him.

"I heard... that Liu Ming from the Municipal Youth League Committee came to see you this morning?"

"Yes...yes..." Qian Wanli's legs began to go weak again.

What did he say to you?

"He...he..." Qian Wanli stammered, not daring to tell the truth.

He couldn't very well say that the young man, right in front of him, made a phone call and summoned the director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, who was also his senior colleague, could he?

If he were to say those words aloud, he would be utterly humiliated.

"He...he just came to talk to me about the project...and then...and then he left..."

"Yeah?"

Lu Chen looked at him, a glint of all-knowing insight flashing in his deep eyes.

He didn't ask any further questions.

But he already had the answer in his heart.

It's that kid again.

That junior brother whom he regarded as a "genius".

It seems that throwing him into the "clean" department of the Youth League Committee did not smooth out his rough edges.

On the contrary, this made him, this fierce tiger, even more unpredictable and even more... dangerous.

"Alright, get lost."

Lu-Chen waved his hand impatiently.

Qian Wanli, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, scrambled away from the office that made him feel suffocated.

He looked at the official document in his hand, stamped with the provincial seal, and then thought about the young man in his office, calmly making a phone call.

He suddenly felt like a clown.

A pathetic clown who thinks he holds great power but is easily crushed by someone using power from a higher dimension.

He lost.

They lost badly, utterly and completely.

They lost and were left speechless.

He lost so badly that he didn't even fully understand how he lost.

He could only swallow his pride and bear it.

"Liu Ming..."

He murmured the name, his eyes filled with boundless fear.

He knew that from today onwards...

This name will become a nightmare that he will never be able to shake off for the rest of his life.