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

The fire that the new broom ignited burned more fiercely than anyone had anticipated.

The news that Wang Zhiqiang and Li Haiyuan had been taken away on the spot by the disciplinary inspection team stationed at the Provincial Development and Reform Commission spread like wildfire throughout every corner of the Commission. Everyone realized that this young deputy director was not there just to gain experience, but rather to undergo a thorough and painful process, carrying a sharp sword of authority.

But there are always some self-important people who have powerful backers and think they are an exception.

For example, Zhou Haitao, the director of the General Affairs Department.

Zhou Haitao is a distant relative of Wenrenmu, the executive vice governor, and also Wenrenmu's most capable lieutenant in the National Development and Reform Commission. Relying on this relationship, he has always acted arrogantly in the commission, and even the top director sometimes has to give him some leeway.

Liu Ming's ruthless methods not only failed to scare him away, but instead provoked his rebellious nature.

He felt that Liu Ming was just a new official trying to establish his authority, and was only targeting those two unlucky guys with no connections. He thought that if Liu Ming really wanted to mess with him, he wouldn't dare.

So, at the department head's office meeting the next morning, Zhou Haitao launched his attack.

"Deputy Director Liu, regarding your proposed 'Reform Plan for Streamlining and Enhancing Transparency of Project Approval Processes at the Provincial Development and Reform Commission,' I personally believe that the steps are too ambitious."

Zhou Haitao sat at the conference table, twirling a Montblanc pen in his hand, his tone carrying a condescending, lecturing tone.

"Streamlining processes is a good thing, but delegating or making all approval authority public will greatly increase the burden on grassroots staff and easily breed new corruption. Moreover, as the hub for coordinating all parties, if our General Affairs Department loses its 'gatekeeping power' over key projects, how will we carry out our work in the future? I suggest that this plan be shelved for now, and a decision be made after everyone has fully discussed it."

These words sounded very dignified and respectable.

In reality, this was an open resistance to Liu Ming's reforms in order to maintain the power in their own hands.

The so-called "gatekeeping power" is actually the power to restrict access and reap benefits.

The atmosphere in the meeting room instantly became tense. The other department heads all lowered their heads, pretending to look at documents, and no one dared to utter a sound. Everyone was waiting to see how this newly arrived deputy director would handle the person in charge of the executive vice governor.

Should we back down and compromise, or stand firm and fight to the end?

Liu Ming sat in the main seat without speaking immediately.

He picked up his teacup, gently blew on the floating leaves, and took a sip. Then, he put down the teacup and looked calmly at Zhou Haitao.

"Does Director Zhou think that making the approval authority public would easily breed corruption?"

"Isn't that right?" Zhou Haitao retorted confidently. "Once power is delegated, supervision becomes even more difficult. Only when it is concentrated in the hands of experienced and strategically minded departments like ours can we ensure the quality and safety of projects."

"Experienced? Has a good grasp of the big picture?"

Liu Ming smiled.

That smile was cold, so cold it chilled you to the bone.

He stopped arguing with Zhou Haitao and instead took a thick stack of documents from his briefcase and threw them in the center of the conference table.

"Bang!"

The file slammed onto the table with a dull thud.

"Since Director Zhou has such a broad perspective, why don't you explain to everyone what's going on with the items on this list?"

Zhou Haitao's eyelids twitched, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart. He forced himself to remain calm, picked up the top document, and glanced at it.

Just one glance.

His face, which had been filled with arrogance, turned deathly pale in an instant!

It was a "Summary of Approval Records for Major Projects in Jiangnan Province in the Past Three Years". And behind those key projects marked in red, without exception, they all had the same name - "Jiangnan Huitong Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd".

"This 'Jiangnan Huitong' is a well-known 'red-hat intermediary' in the province. Any project that has been 'packaged' by them will always get the green light in your comprehensive department, and you can get the approval in as little as three days."

Liu Ming leaned back in her chair, her voice soft, yet every word was piercing.

"And those companies that didn't consult with them, even with complete materials, were shut out by you for various reasons. To my knowledge, the longest project you held up was for two whole years, practically dragging a promising private enterprise into bankruptcy!"

"Director Zhou, is this what you call 'gatekeeping'?"

"You're talking nonsense! This is a frame-up!" Zhou Haitao suddenly stood up, pointing at Liu Ming and shouting angrily, "I have never received a single penny from this company! This is retaliation!"

Whether or not money was received is not up to you to decide.

Liu Ming ignored his roar, took out a USB drive from her briefcase, and plugged it into the projector next to her.

Soon, clear bank transfer records and several audio recordings appeared on the screen.

"The legal representative of Jiangnan Huitong is your wife's younger brother."

"You did not collect the money directly, but instead used the so-called 'consulting fees' to launder the huge sums of money that these companies were forced to pay into your family's overseas accounts."

"In recent years, the amount of funds embezzled through this method alone has reached 130 million!"

Liu Ming pointed at the shocking numbers on the screen, her eyes like sharp swords piercing Zhou Haitao's heart.

"The evidence is conclusive. Zhou Haitao, what else do you have to say?"

"I……"

Zhou Haitao's legs went weak, and he slumped into a chair.

He stared at the blacklist on the screen, which he thought was flawlessly executed, and his mind went blank.

How is that possible?

These accounts and relationships were so well hidden that even if the provincial discipline inspection commission came to investigate, it would take several months to figure them out.

This Liu Ming has only been here for one day!

One day!

How could he possibly have obtained this fatal evidence?

Of course, he didn't know that behind Liu Ming was a top hacker known as "Ghost Hand," who could uncover any secret as long as there was internet access.

"Is Director Zhou trying to establish his authority?"

Liu Ming stood up, walked up to Zhou Haitao, looked down at him, and spoke with a tone full of pity and sarcasm.

"I think you're thinking of retiring."

"And you'll spend the rest of your life in prison."

Liu Ming turned her head and looked at the conference room door.

"Come in."

The door was pushed open.

Two stern-faced discipline inspection team members walked in, each holding a notice of assistance in the investigation stamped with a red seal.

"Comrade Zhou Haitao, please cooperate with our investigation."

When the cold handcuffs snapped onto Zhou Haitao's wrists, the once arrogant head of the General Affairs Department completely broke down.

He collapsed to the ground like a lump of mud, too weak to even stand up, and was forcibly dragged out of the meeting room by two discipline inspection cadres.

The whole process took less than ten minutes.

The conference room fell into a deathly silence once again.

If the downfall of Wang Zhiqiang and Li Haiyuan yesterday led some to believe that Liu Ming was making an example of them to deter others, and that they were simply hoping to get away with it, then this was a misconception.

So today.

In front of everyone, the executive vice governor's confidant was swiftly and decisively sent to prison.

This is no longer just a simple "show of force".

This is a massacre.

It was a ruthless massacre of all vested interests who dared to obstruct his reform efforts.

The entire Provincial Development and Reform Commission finally realized a terrifying truth.

This newly arrived young deputy director is by no means an easy target.

He is a... living Yama.

Who dares to block his way?

Whoever does it must die.