Nominal: The Handong Game, the Energy System's Counterattack

Hou Liangping knew that Zhao Dehan definitely had a problem.

The letter of complaint he received was delivered by someone sent by his father-in-law.

Moreover, based on his preliminary investigation, he was certain that the embezzled funds Zhao Dehan had hidden in this villa.

The search of Zhao Dehan's home and office was merely to put pressure on him.

First, make the other party believe that they cannot find any evidence of the other party's corruption, and then come to the Imperial Garden to find the stolen money.

Break through the opponent's psychological defenses step by step until they break down.

This is what Hou Liangping likes to do most. He is very happy whenever he sees corrupt officials collapse in front of him.

But why?

Why can't I find anything in the villa?

He slumped onto the sofa, looking at his colleagues who had come with him.

Hou Liangping could sense the frustration and despair emanating from those people.

"Director Hou, I'm going back now. Tomorrow when I come to work, I will confess to my supervisor and report my problems."

A young prosecutor stood up and staggered toward the door.

Soon, the people who came with Hou Liangping walked out one by one.

Their steps were noticeably heavier than when they went in.

Some people had their heads down, while others had their hands on their hips, seemingly wanting to say something but unsure how to begin.

Hou Liangping remained silent, sitting alone on the sofa.

His face displayed a range of emotions—shock, confusion, anger, and an unprecedented, profound sense of defeat.

My father-in-law's information couldn't be wrong, and they wouldn't harm me.

He is the son-in-law of the Zhong family. As long as evidence of Zhao Dehan's corruption can be found, the so-called procedural violations are minor issues.

The problem now is that he can't find any evidence.

Forget about a whole wall of cash, you can't even find a single hundred-yuan bill.

The villa was spotless, just like any normal, legal private residence.

What does this mean for Hou Liangping?

This means that all his actions tonight have lost their legitimacy.

He carried three search warrants and searched Zhao Dehan's home and workplace, working all night long. What did he finally find?

It's a savings account with over 100,000 yuan—this amount, without even looking, must be Zhao Dehan's salary.

More importantly, he found nothing at the Imperial View Villa, the stop he was most confident about.

Without any embezzled funds, how can Zhao Dehan be convicted based solely on a tip-off letter?

Now, the nature of the case is completely different.

No, there's still a chance.

The letter of complaint he received was against Zhao Dehan.

However, it mentions that Ding Yizhen, the deputy mayor of Jingzhou City in Handong Province, has bribed Zhao Dehan with tens of millions of yuan over the years.

Therefore, when Hou Liangping obtained the search warrant, he had already called Chen Hai, the director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Handong Provincial Procuratorate.

Chen Hai was his bunkmate at Handong University, and the two were very close.

He has already ordered Chen Hai to arrest Ding Yizhen.

By acting together from both sides, there is absolutely no chance of failure.

Zhao Dehan hasn't obtained any evidence yet, but if Ding Yizhen is caught, it might be a breakthrough.

Hou Liangping took out his phone and made a call.

"What? Ding Yizhen ran away? What kind of work are you doing?"

"Didn't I tell you to arrest Ding Yizhen?"

"Chen Hai, is this how you handle things?"

"How could they have let them get away?"

"Report, report, they've all arrived in America!!"

Hou Liangping stood up abruptly and hysterically yelled into his phone.

......

That's it, it's really all over now.

Hou Liangping walked to the door, looking dejected. A gust of cold wind blew, and he shivered.

When I turned back, all the lights in the villa were off.

Suddenly, he saw several flashing red dots in the darkness.

This instantly calmed his chaotic thoughts, and he turned around and turned on the living room light again.

Looking towards the spot where the red light had just emanated, his face turned deathly pale.

Those are surveillance cameras?! Operating surveillance cameras?

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead; he knew he was in trouble.

Hou Liangping quickly turned off the light; he needed to go home to find Xiao Ai...

While Hou Liangping was filled with anxiety, Zhou Chuyi had already gone home from get off work.

The next day, as soon as he arrived at work, Xiaolin placed a USB drive in front of him.

"Sir, this was sent by Minister Shen."

"Huh?" Zhou Chuyi looked up. "What's this?"

"The surveillance cameras at Imperial Garden were installed by you after that day."

"You told me to send someone to keep an eye on them. After Hou Liangping and his group left yesterday, they went straight to Dijingyuan."

"After they left, our people retrieved the surveillance footage."

Xiao Lin said to Zhou Chuyi with a smile.

"Oh? What a pleasant surprise."

Zhou Chuyi took the USB drive and plugged it into the computer.

There was nothing inside, just a video and some photos.

Zhou Chuyi became interested.

The photos show Hou Liangping and his group entering the Dijingyuan residential complex, as well as photos of the villa in front of it.

The faces of Hou Liangping and his comrades are clearly visible in the photo.

The video showed surveillance footage from the entrance of the villa in Dijingyuan.

A black sedan slowly drove into the frame and stopped in the driveway in front of the villa.

Zhou Chuyi's pupils contracted slightly, and he leaned forward, staring at the screen.

The car lights went out, and several figures emerged from the car.

Although the image was not very clear, Zhou Chuyi still recognized Hou Liangping, who was leading the group.

Zhou Chuyi looked at the screen, a very faint smile curving his lips.

This arc contains an expected certainty, as well as a hint of inexplicable emotion.

Hou Liangping was exactly as he had predicted—brave, decisive, and ruthless.

This personality trait might be an advantage on the battlefield, but in a system where rules and procedures are paramount, it is a double-edged sword.

It hurts others, and it hurts yourself.

On the screen, Hou Liangping leads his men toward the villa gate.

Someone fiddled with the door lock for a while, and the door opened.

Zhou Chuyi didn't know how they opened the door; perhaps they contacted the property management, or perhaps they had some other way.

But none of that matters anymore; what matters is that they got in.

An invalid search warrant was issued, allowing unauthorized entry into a private residence for a search without the person in question present or any witnesses present.

This is legally known as unlawful intrusion into a residence, and in serious cases, criminal liability can be pursued.

Moreover, Dijingyuan is not an ordinary residential community.

It was a high-end villa area, inhabited by many prominent figures.

Hou Liangping's impulsive entry with his men would cause quite a stir.

If someone films this process and uploads it online, how will public opinion react?

Now, the photos and videos are in his possession, aren't they?

Zhou Chuyi tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.

He thought about something even further ahead: Hou Liangping was a division chief in the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and his actions represented the Anti-Corruption Bureau as a whole.

If he were to forcibly search a private residence without legal procedures, how would the Anti-Corruption Bureau react?

Should they stand up for their own cadres, or quickly sever ties to preserve the organization?

The political maneuvering involved is far more complex than it appears on the surface.