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

Secretary Bai's voice echoed in the deathly silent tiered conference room.

"The people jointly petitioned the provincial party committee to relinquish power... and allow the Lingxiao Consortium to take full control of Handong's economy."

Upon hearing this, hundreds of officials in the room felt their scalps tingle and their breath caught in their throats.

On the large screen in the center of the rostrum.

The red line representing Handong's quarterly GDP is plummeting downwards as if it were about to plunge off a cliff.

A despairing "deep V".

"Ten years..."

Li Dakang stared intently at the screen, his eyes vacant.

"Half a month of messing around has destroyed the foundation that Handong built up over ten years."

Sha Ruijin held the cold teacup, his hands trembling so much that the lid clicked and rattled.

What do you call this? You call this a complete and utter defeat!

"What's the reaction from the other provinces?" Sha Ruijin gritted his teeth and squeezed out the question.

Secretary Bai swallowed hard and quickly turned to the next page of the report, her hands trembling.

"Ma Tengyun from Jiangnan Province has regarded our events over the past two weeks as a classic case of business warfare."

"He is leading the group's senior executives in a late-night review, saying that anyone who dares to mess with Yan Qingfeng in the future will be fired immediately."

"The surrounding provinces are all watching Handong make a fool of itself."

Secretary Bai's voice grew softer and softer, and she didn't dare to look at Sha Ruijin's ashen face.

"Where's the only bright spot? Is there one?!" Li Dakang slammed his hand on the table.

"The only bright spot..." Secretary Bai shrank back.

"After the Lingxiao Consortium took over Guangming Peak again, the valuation of their more than 300 companies surged by 300% against the trend!"

The pen in Li Dakang's hand fell to the ground with a "thud" and rolled under the table.

They've won so many times they're numb.

Yan Qingfeng not only regained the franchise rights, but also took the opportunity to thoroughly raid Handong!

"Bang!"

A police officer from the municipal bureau burst in, sweating profusely, his police hat askew.

"Secretary Sha, the situation outside is completely out of control!"

"The Jingzhou Chamber of Commerce united 800 private enterprises across the province and displayed dozens of red banners on the main road outside the municipal party committee."

Sha Ruijin suddenly stood up, walked a few steps to the window, and glanced down.

Just from that one glance, he felt a sweet taste in his throat and almost fell off the building.

The glaring red background with white lettering fluttered in the cold wind of early winter.

"We implore the Lingxiao Consortium to regain control of Handong!"

"Handong can do without a mayor, but it absolutely cannot do without Master Yan!"

This slogan is so vicious; it's like tearing the official's face off and stomping on it.

"That old bastard Li Dakang does nothing right! He's not as honest as Master Yan!"

"Exactly! As soon as Master Yan came back, my son immediately received a text message saying he was back to work, and his bonus was doubled!"

Several middle-aged women who were buying groceries pushed past the police line and, with great fanfare, stuffed banners into the guardhouse.

The banner was embroidered with eight large, gleaming gold characters: "Saving people from suffering and distress, a gift from Lord Yan."

This isn't a gift for the government; it's a slap in the face to the municipal party committee compound!

"The common people are pointing fingers at us behind our backs."

Li Dakang slumped in his chair, forcing a bitter smile that was more like a grimace.

"In their eyes, we are not even as good as a single hair of Yan Qingfeng."

Sha Ruijin stood frozen in front of the window, his hands gripping the windowsill so tightly that his fingernails almost split.

"Boom—boom boom!"

A deafening roar of motorcycles suddenly came from the end of Jingzhou Avenue, tearing apart the gloomy sky.

"They're here! Master Yan's convoy is here!"

Someone on the street suddenly yelled at the top of their lungs.

The crowd that had been protesting outside the municipal party committee building instantly receded to both sides like a tide.

The entire main road was spontaneously cleared by the local people, creating a wide passage.

Leading the way were thirty pure black Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

The knights, all dressed in black leather, formed two sharp-angled columns, like geese in flight.

The engine roared, clearing a path with overwhelming force, causing the road surface to vibrate and hum.

Following closely behind was the bulletproof Maybach with consecutive black license plates.

The carriage was moving slowly, like a king who had just won a battle and was inspecting his territory.

The spacious back seat of the Maybach was filled with the gentle fragrance of sandalwood.

The old butler, Afu, sat in the passenger seat, looking at the enthusiastic crowd outside the car window, his eyes crinkling into chrysanthemums with laughter.

"Young master, these common people have discerning eyes; they know who the real benefactors are."

Yan Qingfeng crossed his legs, leaned back in the leather chair, and didn't say a word.

Lin Yubing, who was sitting next to him, pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and opened the black folder in his hand.

"Master Yan, Sha Ruijin and Li Dakang are already waiting at the entrance of the Municipal Party Committee, and they're behaving very humbly."

Yan Qingfeng fiddled with the custom-made lighter in his hand and lit the cigar with a "click".

"With bones broken, one's posture naturally becomes humble."

"Master Yan!"

"Thank you, Master Yan, for giving us this opportunity!"

Outside the car, tens of thousands of people from Jingzhou lined the streets and cheered, their shouts rising in waves and nearly shattering the windows of the municipal party committee building.

There were no special police blocking the roads, and no loudspeakers clearing the area.

But this spectacle was a hundred times more impressive than when a top official from Beijing came down to inspect the city!

In the conference room on the second floor.

"Secretary Sha, the higher-ups have given a direct order."

Secretary Bai whispered a reminder from the side, her voice trembling like a leaf.

"Lingxiao has fully resumed work today, so we...we need to go down and make a statement, to accept it."

Sha Ruijin closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

In that breath of cold air, he swallowed all the pride and arrogance of his life.

"Dakang, let's go."

Sha Ruijin turned around, his steps faltering, and said, "Go and welcome the true Yama of Handong."

Five minutes later.

On the high white marble steps of the municipal party committee compound.

Sha Ruijin and Li Dakang, along with dozens of provincial party committee officials, stood in two neat rows.

The cold wind blew through their wrinkled suits, making them look particularly comical and disheveled.

Everyone held their breath, not daring to even breathe loudly.

The Maybach came to a steady stop at the bottom of the step, its tires making a muffled thud as they rolled over the speed bump.

Sha Ruijin gritted his teeth and forced a smile that looked worse than a grimace.

He took the lead, raising both hands and slapping them down forcefully.

"Slap, slap, slap."

Sparse applause broke out, and Li Dakang lowered his head, mechanically clapping along.

At this moment, the authority of the Handong government was utterly trampled into the mud.

The dark privacy windows in the back of the Maybach slowly rolled down halfway.

Yan Qingfeng leaned back in the leather seat, holding a half-smoked Gaussbah cigar between his two slender fingers.

He didn't get out of the car, and he didn't even take off the sunglasses on his nose.

Those deep, indifferent eyes, through their lenses, casually swept over the two high-ranking officials on the steps.

It was like they were sizing up two new lobby managers.

The entire venue was deathly silent; everyone's heart was in their throat.

Yan Qingfeng brought the cigar to his lips and took a deep drag.

Then, he tilted his head slightly and slowly exhaled a thick white smoke ring.

The smoke dispersed in the cold wind, hitting Sha Ruijin's stiff face directly.

"Secretary Sha, Mayor Li, your hands must have been cold clapping for me standing in the wind, right?"

Yan Qingfeng flicked his cigarette ash, a cold, domineering smile curling at the corner of his lips.

"Open the door wider. From now on, the rules of Handong will have to be rewritten according to my own whims."