Handong: Sha Li wants political achievements? I'll shut down the entire province.

Jingzhou International Airport, dispatch hall.

Airport manager Wang Hai was sweating profusely, wandering around the room like a headless fly.

His custom-made white shirt was completely soaked with sweat on the back.

A cold wind seeped in through the cracks in the half-open window, sending chills down his spine.

"Xiao Liu! Forget about the procedures!" Wang Hai snatched the walkie-talkie from the dispatch console.

He strained his voice, which trembled like a broken gong in the cold wind.

"Immediately move all five of those staff shuttle buses from the airport to the VIP parking area!"

Dispatcher Xiao Liu looked dejected as he pointed to the shift schedule on the wall.

"Mr. Wang, we can't open it. Ten minutes ago, someone from the outsourced auto repair shop came over with the order form."

Xiao Liu swallowed hard, his eyes filled with terror.

"They said the master brake cylinders on the buses had reached their service life, so they took all five buses away for mandatory maintenance!"

"What? Maintenance!" Wang Hai's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

He slammed his hand on the control panel, so hard that the mouse flew out of his hand.

"Why did you have to do it now of all times? This is killing me!"

On the tarmac outside stood a special investigation team from Beijing.

If those ruthless devils keep blowing the northwest wind, he, the airport manager, will be packing his bags and leaving tomorrow.

"Where are the city buses? Call the city's main bus station!"

Wang Hai, as if grasping at a last straw, frantically reached into his pocket for his phone.

"Get a few King Long buses over here, and I'll offer them three times the price! No, five times!"

At the same time, in the courtyard of Jingzhou Bus Terminal.

Hundreds of brand-new luxury buses were neatly lined up in several square formations.

With all the engines off, the usually noisy parking lot was so quiet today that only the sound of the wind could be heard.

Under an old locust tree in the corner of the courtyard, there are two worn-out square tables.

A dozen or so bus drivers in uniform were gathered together, eating sunflower seeds and playing cards.

"Three plus one! Anyone else want it?"

Experienced driver Li Jianguo slammed the four cards heavily on the table, then casually picked up his thermos and took a sip of strong tea.

He had his legs propped up on the plastic stool next to him, looking incredibly relaxed.

"Old Li, are you sure we're okay just sitting here like this?"

A young driver peered out cautiously, clearly a little uneasy.

"It's Monday today. We'd usually be driving back and forth on the highway by now."

Li Jianguo rolled his eyes and spat out a piece of sunflower seed shell.

"What's there to be afraid of? Even if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up."

He tapped the corner of the table with his rough fingers.

"These are the instructions from General Manager Chu. We'll follow the rules; who dares to complain?"

Just then, the station manager, Fatty Zhao, came running over, panting.

He was covered in sweat, and his tie was askew behind his neck.

"Old Li! You bunch of old men, what are you doing still playing cards here!"

Old Zhao was so anxious that he stamped his feet and shouted at the door.

"Mr. Wang from the airport called me, urgently requesting ten buses to the VIP tarmac!"

He grabbed Li Jianguo's arm and said, "Hurry up, get the brothers in the car and start the engine!"

Li Jianguo's buttocks seemed glued to the stool, remaining completely still.

He slowly pulled his hand away from Lao Zhao and started shuffling the cards again.

"Station Chief Zhao, stop giving orders here. We can't get this train out today."

"Can't get out? Are you trying to rebel?" Old Zhao was so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged.

"This is to pick up a high-ranking leader from Beijing! If you delay this important matter, I'll dock your perfect attendance bonus!"

"Take as much as you like."

Li Jianguo sneered, pulled a red-headed document from his jacket pocket, and slammed it onto the playing cards.

"Take a look for yourself. This is a nationwide announcement posted by Lingxiao Logistics and Passenger Transport Company ten minutes ago."

Old Zhao looked down and saw a bright red official seal on it.

"In response to the national call for traffic safety, we must prevent people from driving while ill."

"Effective immediately, all passenger buses and public buses owned by Lingxiao Holdings in the province will be suspended from operation for legal annual safety inspections."

Li Jianguo raised an eyebrow, his tone exuding a confident and assertive air.

"Station Master Zhao, 70% of the passenger buses in Handong are owned by the Lingxiao family."

"President Chu has given the order for us to take three days of mandatory rest and undergo the annual vehicle inspection with pay."

"You dare ask me to drive?"

Old Li pointed to the traffic police post outside the compound.

"This is a violation of the Labor Law, and even more so a violation of the traffic police department's mandatory annual inspection regulations."

"If this car gets into an accident, will you, Old Zhao, be responsible, or will we brothers risk our lives?"

Li Jianguo's few words all crossed the line of the law and regulations.

Old Zhao was rendered speechless, his mouth agape but unable to utter a single word.

They have a valid reason and evidence, and their actions are legal and compliant.

You think you can use your official power to intimidate people? Sorry, it won't work here.

Lingxiao Logistics Center on the outskirts of the city.

Chu Yunfei was dressed in a smart navy blue Tang suit, and was holding two shiny walnuts in his hands.

The clicking sound echoed in the spacious and bright office.

"Mr. Chu, the phone at the airport is practically smoking from all the calls."

The assistant respectfully placed a freshly brewed cup of Pu'er tea on the table.

"It looks like that investigation team from Beijing got frozen on the tarmac."

Chu Yunfei picked up the teacup and blew away the tea leaves floating on top.

"It's good to be cold; a little cold will clear your mind."

He took a sip of tea, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

"Master Yan said that these people are used to being high and mighty, and they always think that they can command the world just by holding a piece of paper in their hands."

Chu Yunfei slammed the teacup down on the table with a loud thud.

"Today I'll teach them who decides the fate of the cartwheel in this land of Handong."

"Without my order to leave, even if they had wings, they'd have to walk to the provincial party committee compound!"

Chu Yunfei was playing with walnuts, leaning back in his chair.

A traffic disruption without the smoke of gunfire so easily strangled the special investigation team.

Airport, VIP waiting room.

The heating in the room was on full blast, but the atmosphere was as cold as an icebox.

Team Leader Qi was wrapped in a black cashmere coat, his face so gloomy it looked like ink could be wrung out.

He sat on the expensive leather sofa, staring at the cup of tea in front of him that had long since gone cold.

Secretary Xiao Zhang stood to the side, not daring to utter a sound.

The investigators rubbed their hands together, exchanging helpless glances.

"Bang!"

The solid wood door to the waiting room was pushed open.

Airport manager Wang Hai walked in tremblingly, like a quail that had made a mistake.

He walked up to Team Leader Qi, his legs trembling.

"Mr. Qi... I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting."

Wang Hai kept his head down, his voice so weak it sounded like a mosquito's buzz.

Team Leader Qi didn't look up, coldly uttering two words.

"Where's the car?"

Wang Hai swallowed hard, cold sweat trickling down his spine.

"The bus... we can't get a bus coming either."

He closed his eyes, steeled himself, and blurted out what had been said at the bus station.

"Lingxiao Passenger Transport Company issued a notice that all buses in the province will undergo mandatory annual inspections."

"The drivers invoked the Labor Law and refused to violate the regulations by driving their vehicles."

"Now, not to mention buses, even most of the public buses at the train station are out of service."

As soon as he finished speaking, the waiting room fell into a deathly silence.

"absurd!"

Team Leader Qi suddenly stood up and grabbed the white porcelain teacup on the table.

It slammed hard onto the polished marble floor.

"Crack!"

The fine teacup shattered, and the remaining tea splashed all over Wang Hai's trouser leg.

Wang Hai trembled with fear and retreated repeatedly.

"A legal annual inspection? Are you trying to pressure me with the Labor Law?"

Team Leader Qi laughed, his chest heaving violently.

In all his years of handling cases, he had never suffered such humiliation.

I just got my face ripped off by brake pad repairs, and now I'm being held back by the legal annual vehicle inspection.

Yan Qingfeng wasn't withdrawing investment at all; he was clearly using the law to humiliate these imperial envoys!

"Excellent! The Lingxiao Consortium is truly remarkable! And Yan Qingfeng is equally impressive!"

Team Leader Qi gritted his teeth, a raging fire burning in his eyes.

He grabbed his briefcase from the sofa and strode towards the door.

"Does the lack of a vehicle mean we won't investigate the case?"

He suddenly turned his head and stared intently at his secretary, Xiao Zhang.

"Tell everyone to grab their things and head to the provincial party committee compound now!"

Xiao Zhang was stunned for a moment, his face full of confusion.

"But Elder Qi, the provincial party committee compound is more than 30 kilometers away from here."

"We don't have a car, how are we going to get there? Are we really going to have to walk?"

Team Leader Qi stopped in his tracks, his lips twitching slightly.

As an imperial envoy from the capital, if he were to walk dozens of kilometers on the street, where would he put his face?

Seeing that his boss was in an awkward position, Xiao Zhang quickly took out his phone and whispered a tentative message.

"Mr. Qi, how about... we try calling a ride-hailing service using our phones?"