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

The flight bound for Haishi landed smoothly two hours later.

There were no police escorts, no long welcoming processions. Liu Ming, accompanied only by Tank, pushed a simple suitcase and walked out of the airport terminal like an ordinary business traveler.

The only person who came to pick him up was a deputy director from the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee Office, who arrived in an inconspicuous black Audi A6.

The deputy director was a middle-aged man in his forties with his hair neatly combed. The moment he saw Liu Ming, a hint of undisguised surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly put on an impeccable professional smile and strode over to greet her.

"Secretary Liu, hello. I am Chen Feng from the General Office of the Municipal Party Committee. Mayor Zhao originally wanted to come and pick you up in person, but there was an urgent economic meeting in the city and he couldn't get away. He specifically asked me to come and apologize to you."

Liu Ming smiled faintly as she looked at Chen Feng's seemingly respectful but actually perfunctory attitude.

Emergency meeting?

A new top official is parachuted in, but the second-in-command avoids meeting him under the pretext of a meeting. In officialdom, this is not a good sign. It's clearly telling him who truly calls the shots in this area.

"It's alright, work is more important." Liu Ming handed the luggage to Tank and opened the car door first, getting in.

The car smoothly entered the city, and the scenery outside the window gradually transitioned from the desolation of the suburbs to a dazzling and bustling cityscape.

Shanghai, an international metropolis known as the "Pearl of the Orient." Towering skyscrapers resemble a steel forest, while giant LED signs shimmer with a mesmerizing glow in the night.

This is the absolute heart of China's economy; the money flowing through it every second is enough to buy an entire city in those remote provinces.

But Liu Ming knew that beneath these dazzling neon lights lay a darkness a hundred times more complex than that of Ningzhou back then.

"Director Chen, the night view of Shanghai is indeed very beautiful." Liu Ming looked out the window, her tone casual as if she were chatting.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Chen Feng turned his head and smiled ingratiatingly: "Yes, Secretary Liu. Under Mayor Zhao's leadership, Shanghai's economic growth rate has consistently led the country in recent years. The financial district over there on the Bund is incredibly valuable."

"Oh?" Liu Ming withdrew her gaze, looking at Chen Feng with a half-smile. "Your economic growth rate is leading the country, but I heard that Shanghai's housing price increase also led the country last year? Ordinary people can't even afford a basic home. Whose pocket is this GDP going into?"

Chen Feng's smile suddenly froze.

He didn't expect that this young new secretary would not play by the rules and would go straight to the point from the very first word.

"Well... Secretary Liu, Shanghai is an international metropolis after all, with a large influx of population, so rising housing prices are... just market forces," Chen Feng explained dryly, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Market rules?" Liu Ming scoffed. "I think it's some people's 'unspoken rules'."

The atmosphere inside the carriage instantly plummeted to freezing point. Chen Feng awkwardly turned his head away, not daring to utter another word.

The car finally stopped at the entrance of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee compound.

The members of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee, who had been waiting for a long time, stood in unison on the steps to greet him, led by Zhao Dehan.

"Secretary Liu, you must be tired from your journey!" Zhao Dehan strode forward, beaming, and extended both hands to firmly grasp Liu Ming's hands. "The cadres and people of Haishi have been eagerly awaiting your arrival, and we've finally got you here!"

Liu Ming looked at this "local tyrant" who had been deeply rooted in Haishi for twenty years. In his calculating eyes, there was an undisguised probing.

"Mayor Zhao, you're too kind." Liu Ming withdrew his hand calmly, his tone indifferent. "I'm new here, and I'll need Mayor Zhao and my colleagues' support for my work in Haishi in the future."

After some pleasantries, Liu Ming was ushered into a spacious conference room for his first Standing Committee meeting since taking office.

Seated around the conference table were the true power core of Haishi. Some were drinking tea with their heads down, while others were taking notes, seemingly respectful, but from the occasional exchange of glances between them, Liu Ming sensed an unspoken understanding and a sense of exclusion.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I won't go on and on." Liu Ming placed his hands on the table, his gaze sweeping across the room like a hawk's. "The central government sent me to Hai City not to enjoy myself, but to get things done. I've looked at Hai City's financial statements over the past few years, and its economic size is indeed very large. But the problems are equally significant."

He paused, his tone becoming unusually sharp.

"The industrial sector is severely hollowed out, with a large amount of capital flowing away from the real economy and into speculative real estate trading. A few so-called local giants have not only monopolized the market but have also begun to interfere in municipal planning. This is not an international metropolis; it's clearly a private domain for certain individuals!"

The meeting room fell silent upon hearing this.

Everyone stared at Liu Ming in shock.

A new broom sweeps clean, that's the custom. But how can one start by directly setting a fire in a powder keg?

Zhao Dehan's face darkened. He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said slowly, "Secretary Liu, you've just arrived, so you may not be very familiar with the actual situation in Haishi."

Shanghai has its own unique characteristics, and our development model has been tested and proven over many years. Some problems may just be growing pains during development, which can be gradually adjusted. Taking too big a step can easily lead to trouble.

"Labor pains?" Liu Ming sat bolt upright, his eyes icy as he stared at Zhao Dehan. "Ordinary people can't afford houses, can't afford medical care, and local high-tech companies are being suppressed by foreign capital and compradors. Is this what you call labor pains? This is called cutting off a piece of flesh!"

He stopped looking at Zhao Dehan and instead surveyed the entire room, speaking slowly and deliberately.

"I don't care how you did things before. From today onwards, the rules of Haishi need to be changed."

After the meeting, Zhao Dehan walked back to his office with a livid face.

"Mayor, this Liu fellow is too arrogant!" a trusted aide said through gritted teeth as he followed in. "Does he really think he's some kind of imperial envoy? He actually dared to call you out by name directly at the Standing Committee meeting!"

"Arrogant?" Zhao Dehan sneered, slamming his teacup heavily on the table. "Young man, he doesn't know his place! Does he think this is the city, with Old Lin backing him up? On the Panlong River, if he's a dragon, he has to coil up; if he's a tiger, he has to lie low!"

He walked to the window, looking down at the Hongqi sedan that had just driven out of the municipal party committee compound, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes.

"Tell Lao Li and the others to behave themselves lately. Also, for tomorrow night's welcome banquet, invite all the bigwigs of Hai City. I want to show them who really owns Hai City!"

At that moment, the Hongqi sedan was driving along the riverside avenue of the Bund.

A night breeze rippled across the river, making the water sparkle. On the opposite bank stood the financial center tower, a symbol of Shanghai's economic pinnacle.

Tank was driving when he looked at Liu Ming, who was resting with her eyes closed, in the rearview mirror.

"Boss, these bastards are clearly conspiring to make things difficult for you."

Liu Ming slowly opened her eyes, gazing at the dazzling night view outside the window. Beneath those glittering neon lights, who knows how many sordid transactions and corrupt dealings involving power and money were hidden.

He took a deep breath, a bloodthirsty smile curving his lips.

"Tank, do you know why I like mirages?"

Why?

Liu Ming looked at the huge luxury cruise ship on the river, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of a hunter seeing his top prey.

"Because the tougher the bone, the more I like it."