Please, mature women, have some self-respect. I just want a raise and a promotion.

"Unconventional methods?"

Li Zhengang was slightly taken aback, then took out another cigarette and lit it.

"So, what do you suggest we do?"

After taking a few puffs of his cigarette, Li Zhengang asked.

"Li Guoshan is a member of Qiu Ruiming's circle. Given Qiu Ruiming's character, he's definitely not a good person either."

"What I mean is to get dirt on him and then set a trap for him."

"It would be best if we could use this God of Wealth; if not, we should destroy him. We must not let him become an obstacle in our path."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhengang nodded.

"Alright, I'll send someone to investigate right now."

"This needs to be done quickly; it's related to our future development."

After discussing the construction site, Li Zhengang brought up Wang Jianguo's matter again.

If the project is completed within fifteen days, Yang Wanshan will be able to take office with his achievements, and they will be in a passive position.

Li Zhengang's idea is that it's best to take action now.

Before Yang Wanshan took office, he caused Wang Jianguo to fall out with him.

Once Yang Wanshan takes office, he will naturally settle accounts with Wang Jianguo.

After thinking about it for a moment, Lin Zheng also felt that what Li Zhengang said made sense.

The two discussed it for more than an hour and decided to take a two-pronged approach.

On Wang Jianguo's side, Li Zhengang was responsible for whispering in his ear.

On Yang Wanshan's side, it was Lin Zheng who instigated the conflict.

After leaving Li Zhengang's side, Lin Zheng lit a cigarette and took a few puffs to calm his mind.

Sowing discord between Wang Jianguo and Yang Wanshan could be a big or small matter.

If those two old foxes find out, he really won't be able to stay in Dianhai Town.

This can't be rushed; we have to proceed steadily and surely.

After finishing a cigarette, Lin Zheng took out his phone and dialed Yang Wanshan's number.

"Mayor Yang, there's already some trouble at the sand quarry."

"And here at the construction site, the workers are also going on strike one after another."

Lin Zheng exaggerated the matter as soon as he opened his mouth, putting Yang Wanshan in a very difficult position.

At this point, he needed to make Yang Wanshan feel a sense of crisis so that he could act efficiently.

If the town government doesn't provide the funds, Yang Wanshan can forget about getting any political achievements.

Yang Wanshan was seething with anger on the other end of the phone, but he couldn't find Li Guoshan and there was nothing he could do.

After receiving Lin Zheng's call yesterday, he immediately dialed Li Guoshan's number.

But Li Guoshan's phone has been switched off, and he is more anxious than anyone else now.

The project was crucial to his ability to take over Qiu Ruiming's position, and he absolutely could not allow anything to go wrong.

"Don't worry, Manager Lin. If Li Guoshan still holds the card tomorrow, I will personally handle the procedures."

Hearing Yang Wanshan's words, Lin Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the old fox was truly anxious.

"Mayor Yang, there's one more thing."

"It seems like something's going on with Mayor Wang."

"I heard from someone that he's been secretly going to the district lately."

Running towards the district?

After hearing Lin Zheng's words, Yang Wanshan's eyes darted around, and his expression immediately changed.

"Manager Lin, who told you that?"

"A friend in my district told me this."

"Okay, I understand."

After hanging up the phone, Yang Wanshan took out a cigarette, nodded, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

At this crucial stage, Wang Jianguo went to the district. What did he want to do?

If it's not about causing him trouble, then it's about competing with him for the top position.

Based on his seniority, Wang Jianguo is fully qualified to compete with him.

Upon thinking this, Yang Wanshan's face immediately darkened.

On the other side, Lin Zheng put down his phone, a smile playing on his lips.

Given Yang Wanshan's suspicious and cautious nature, his words just now would surely have made Yang Wanshan wary of Wang Jianguo, and might even have prompted him to prepare for an attack.

That's how it's always been in officialdom; once it involves one's future and interests, it's either you die or I live.

Now that Yang Wanshan has already set things up, it's up to Li Zhengang to take over.

...............

The next morning at 8:30, Lin Zheng and Deng Hong pushed open the glass door of the finance office again.

The lobby was quieter than yesterday afternoon, with only two windows having people handling business.

Lin Zheng walked to the front desk, where he was greeted by the same woman with black-rimmed glasses.

She was tidying up the documents on her desk when she heard footsteps. She looked up and glanced at the two of them.

Deng Hong stepped forward and said in a calm tone, "Hello, we are from Zhuangdong Village Committee. We came yesterday afternoon to submit our application for funding."

"We'd like to confirm with Director Li in person whether the materials are complete."

The woman looked down at the file rack on the table, pulled out a stack of documents, glanced at the label on the cover, and put them back.

"Director Li hasn't arrived yet. Why don't you leave the materials here for now?"

"Not here yet?"

"It's almost nine o'clock now. What time does Director Li usually start work?"

"I don't know about that. I'm just a clerk; it's not my place to inquire about my supervisor's whereabouts."

The woman's tone was just the right amount of politeness, neither warm nor cold, like a standard answer that had been rehearsed many times.

Lin Zheng didn't interrupt. He stood half a step behind Deng Hong, his gaze passing over the front desk and looking at a half-closed door deep in the corridor.

The sign on the door read "Director's Office," and light shone through the crack in the door.

He didn't speak, looked away, and pushed the document back onto the table.

"Then please forward it again."

The woman reached out and took it, then casually placed it on the top shelf of the file rack without registering it or opening it to check.

Lin Zheng saw this but said nothing. He patted Deng Hong's arm, signaling her to go first.

The two walked out of the finance office and stood on the steps at the entrance. Deng Hong turned her head and lowered her voice: "She didn't hand in the materials at all. Look where she put them, exactly the same as yesterday."

"Li Guoshan is in his office today; there's a light shining through the crack in the door. He's deliberately avoiding us."

Deng Hong bit her lip: "So what do you plan to do?"

"Go back first, I have a way to get him to come out on his own."

Lin Zheng didn't go far. He stood on the steps in front of the finance office, lit a cigarette, and slowly smoked it.

Deng Hong stood beside him without urging him, watching the smoke he exhaled dissipate in the morning light and disappear into the wind.

A while later, Deng Hong's phone rang.

She glanced at the screen; it was Yang Wanshan calling.

Deng Hong answered, saying, "Mayor Yang, I was just about to call you."

"At the finance office, the receptionist said he hadn't arrived yet, but his office light was on when we arrived..."

Yang Wanshan's voice was filled with anger: "Where are you now?"

"At the entrance of the finance office."

"Wait, I'll give him a call."

"I'd like to see what this bastard is up to."

Deng Hong hung up the phone and glanced at Lin Zheng.

Lin Zheng stubbed out his cigarette on the trash can at the edge of the steps, patted the ash off his fingers, and pushed open the glass door of the finance office again.

This time, he didn't go to the front desk, but went straight through the lobby to the half-closed door at the end of the corridor.

The office door was ajar, and the sound of a phone call could be heard coming from inside.

Lin Zheng raised his hand and knocked twice, the door panel making a dull sound.

The sounds inside paused for a moment, then came the sound of a chair being pushed back, footsteps approaching, and the door opening a crack.

Li Guoshan stood behind the door crack, holding his cell phone in his hand. The screen was lit up, showing that the call had ended.

He glanced at Lin Zheng, frowned slightly, then relaxed his brow and stepped aside to give him half a body length.

"Manager Lin, please come in. I just finished a conference call."