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

"Director Cheng," Zhao Dehan's voice suddenly turned serious, "do you know what kind of illegal act it is to wiretap leading cadres?"

Cheng Du suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with panic.

"You're not listening to just anyone," Zhao Dehan said, emphasizing each word. "It's Li Dakang, a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee and Secretary of the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee."

These words struck Cheng Du like a hammer blow to his chest.

His mind was buzzing, his vision was going black, and the whole world seemed to be spinning.

His hands were shaking violently, and even his knees began to tremble uncontrollably.

It’s over.

It's completely over.

He had only one thought in his mind.

In his nearly twenty-year career in public security, he climbed step by step from a grassroots police officer to the position of branch bureau chief.

He put in so much effort, endured so much hardship, and suffered so much injustice before finally reaching the position of deputy director.

Although he often felt stifled, this position is a height that many people can never reach in their entire lives.

He'll go to jail. He'll go to jail.

Not only will he go to jail, but everything he has now will collapse in an instant.

His supposedly top-secret wiretapping operation had actually been known to others long ago!

The fact that someone secretly installed listening devices in the office of the top municipal party committee leader is an earth-shattering event!

It is a serious crime of disregarding Party discipline and national laws, and showing contempt for superiors!

At that moment, he was overwhelmed by endless fear, which made him feel cold all over, his breathing rapid, and his heartbeat almost stopped.

"Director Cheng, you are the director of the Public Security Bureau. As law enforcers, you know the law best."

"Are you aware that unauthorized wiretapping of Party and government leaders is a serious violation of discipline and the law?"

"And you know better than anyone else that this is no ordinary grassroots cadre."

"This is Li Dakang, member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee!"

"He is a core high-ranking official in the political arena of Handong, and the top leader of the entire Jingzhou!"

"Monitoring provincial standing committee members and municipal party committee leaders."

"Do you know what kind of problem this is? Do you know how serious the consequences will be?"

Every word Zhao Dehan uttered struck Cheng Du's heart like a heavy hammer.

Of course it's serious. If someone keeps pursuing it, it's not just a matter of violating discipline and the law.

If investigated further, it could even be classified as a serious political incident.

His condition completely collapsed; his psychological defenses crumbled.

Overwhelmed by immense panic and despair, he dared not conceal anything any longer.

He quickly raised his head, his voice trembling and incoherent as he hurriedly explained, "Secretary Zhao! I was wrong! I confess! I admit my guilt!"

"This...this wasn't my intention! I wouldn't dare to be so bold!"

"It was Zhao Ruilong! Zhao Ruilong forced me! He ordered me to do it!"

"Zhao Ruilong contacted me personally, I didn't dare refuse!"

"The Zhao family wields too much power in Handong; I'm just a lowly branch bureau chief."

"I dared not disobey his orders; I was forced into this situation, Secretary Zhao!"

......

At this point, Du Fu was already in complete disarray.

He just wanted to confess as soon as possible, hoping for leniency, and shifted all the blame onto Zhao Ruilong, attempting to buy himself a chance at survival.

He spoke rapidly, his voice filled with fear and despair, when suddenly he realized something was wrong.

Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of Zhao Dehan across from him.

There was no trace of anger or disappointment on his face, nor was his expression as serious as before; instead, there was a faint, almost imperceptible, teasing look.

The smile on his face even carried a hint of mockery.

In an instant, his chaotic thoughts suddenly stopped, and his panic instantly froze.

Cheng Du's mind suddenly cleared.

If Zhao Dehan truly possesses conclusive evidence.

They are truly here to investigate and hold those responsible accountable, and their attitude towards accountability will undoubtedly be serious.

It would never be this nonchalant, jesting, and composed demeanor.

A terrifying thought suddenly flashed into Cheng Du's mind—he's bluffing me!

His body reacted faster than his brain; he jerked his head up.

His eyes were fixed on Zhao Dehan, his voice trembling: "Secretary Zhao, are you bluffing me?"

"Forced? Zhao Ruilong? So, it's true?" Zhao Dehan's cold expression vanished.

He smiled and put the phone into his pocket with great interest.

Cheng Du realized at this moment that Zhao Dehan had been bluffing him.

In comparison, his performance as the head of the public security bureau just now was like that of a green recruit.

From the photos of the equipment just now to the probing question about the listening devices in Li Dakang's office, everything was a carefully designed trap by Zhao Dehan!

The other party had no solid evidence at all; they were just testing and leading him step by step to break down his psychological defenses.

Force yourself to tell the truth and confess your crimes!

The moment he understood all of this, Cheng Du's pupils contracted sharply, his face turned even more ashen, and endless regret and panic welled up in his heart.

I was so flustered just now that I actually confessed to the crime!

Just as Cheng Du was deeply shocked and filled with remorse.

He watched as Zhao Dehan slowly took something out of his pocket and placed it on the coffee table.

It was a voice recorder, small and exquisite, with a flashing red indicator light showing that it was still working.

Du Cheng's brain exploded with a buzzing sound.

Cheng Du stared blankly at the voice recorder on the coffee table, its red indicator light flashing like a mocking eye.

His body felt completely drained; he slumped back onto the sofa, looking like a lump of mud.

Zhao Dehan picked up the recorder and fiddled with it in his hand, speaking in a relaxed tone as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"Director Cheng, this voice recorder was a gift from a friend a couple of days ago."

"I don't know how I put it in my pocket, I forgot to take it out."

"I was so engrossed in our conversation that I completely forgot about this."

He glanced at Cheng Du, a slight smile playing on his lips: "You don't mind, do you?"

Cheng Du mechanically shook his head.

What could he say?

He's already said the most dangerous things; it's too late to say anything now.

As long as Zhao Dehan hands over the recording pen to the Discipline Inspection Commission, or to the Municipal Bureau, or to Li Dakang.

His reputation will be ruined in an instant; being dismissed from his post, investigated, or expelled from public office would be the least of his worries.

If Li Dakang persists, he will surely be imprisoned and his life will be completely ruined.

Years of hard work, half a lifetime of political career, all his future prospects were in the hands of this seemingly honest new Party Secretary.

Cheng Du took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the raging storm in his heart.

Looking at Zhao Dehan with a complex expression, his voice was hoarse and low, filled with utter helplessness and resignation: "Secretary Zhao... what exactly do you want?"

Zhao Dehan put the recorder back in his pocket, stood up, and walked to the window.

With my back to Chengdu, I noticed a light rain starting to fall outside the window, pattering softly as if to match the scene.

"Director Cheng, get up." Zhao Dehan's voice came from the window, flat and emotionless. "Remember you're still a policeman."

Cheng Du slowly sat up straight on the sofa, staring blankly ahead.

His mind had ceased its chaotic thinking; a profound despair welled up from the depths of his heart, engulfing him entirely.

Zhao Dehan turned around and looked at Cheng Du.

He sighed and walked to the sofa, sitting down again.

At this moment, Zhao Dehan once again appeared honest and simple.

His tone softened considerably: "Director Cheng, I'm not here today to ruin you."