Nominal: Hou Liangping blocking the door? He was slapped away!

Li Dakang's body froze completely.

Qi Tongwei's whispered words, close to his ear, were like an icicle, piercing through all the defenses he had built with anger.

Bright Peak.

Those three words instantly overshadowed all the trouble caused by the insult to the martyrs.

One is damage to political reputation.

The other is an abyss of no return.

He didn't need to think; he made the choice instinctively.

The resoluteness and murderous intent in his eyes vanished, replaced by a colder, more somber look.

It was the look in someone's eyes who had been forced to the edge of a cliff and had no choice but to make a deal with the devil.

Seeing the change in his expression, Qi Tongwei quietly took half a step back and returned to his original position.

There was no further communication between the two, yet they had reached a sordid consensus.

The person must never be handed over!

Li Dakang slowly turned around and faced Shen Zhong again.

His aura underwent a dramatic transformation.

It was no longer the outburst of anger triggered by the video, but a firm and unquestionable stance befitting a municipal party secretary.

"Comrade Shen Zhong."

He spoke, his voice hoarse, yet each word clear.

"The issue is a matter of degree, a matter of Party discipline and national law. Our local government will handle it fairly."

"But now, this is Jingzhou, not your military camp."

"I order you to immediately lead your men and evacuate the scene!"

Qi Tongwei added a timely comment from the side.

"Please cooperate with our work, Secretary Shen, and do not escalate the situation, otherwise you will bear the consequences."

Their attitude has returned to its initial hardline stance.

It was as if the video that had just humiliated them had never been played.

Just then, outside the branch office compound, the sharp sound of police sirens grew louder and louder, as dense as a metallic storm.

The red and blue police lights shone through the glass doors and windows of the hall, casting flickering light on everyone's faces.

Qi Tongwei turned his head and looked out the window.

More than a dozen black SWAT personnel carriers, like ferocious beasts in the night, lined up in a long queue, blocking the entire street outside the police station.

The car doors opened in unison.

One by one, special police officers dressed in black combat uniforms, wearing Kevlar helmets, and carrying Type 95 automatic rifles filed out of the vehicle.

Their movements were swift and professional; they quickly seized all the high points and key intersections of the surrounding buildings, following the pre-arranged tactical plan.

The red laser sights, like will-o'-the-wisps, swept back and forth across the exterior walls of the branch office building and behind the windows where the soldiers were hiding.

A somber atmosphere filled the air.

This is the provincial public security department's elite anti-terrorism task force.

It is the sharpest knife in Qi Tongwei's hand.

He picked up the walkie-talkie, and the clear reports from the various squad leaders came through the channel.

"Team One in position, point A under control."

"Team Two in position, snipers have locked onto all visible targets."

"Three teams are in position; the outer perimeter has been sealed off."

Listening to these reports, Qi Tongwei's face showed an expression of complete control.

Li Dakang stood beside him, looking out the window at the dense mass of police officers.

His body, which had been tense due to nervousness, gradually relaxed.

His back straightened again.

The city bureau chief, Zhao Donglai, quickly ran to his side, lowered his voice, and spoke with excitement.

"Secretary Dakang, all the comrades from the provincial department have arrived."

"We have over three hundred police officers present, which is more than three times the number of soldiers in the precinct!"

three times.

This number acted like a shot of adrenaline, injecting energy into Li Dakang's body.

He straightened the collar of his wrinkled shirt, as if this action could help him regain the dignity of the municipal party secretary.

He turned and looked at the figure still sitting on the sofa drinking tea in the center of the hall.

This time, his eyes were full of confidence.

Qi Tongwei nodded slightly at him.

That nod conveyed a clear signal.

The outer perimeter has been encircled by an impenetrable barrier.

Today, not even a fly can escape from here.

Even lying on the ground, he could hear the commotion outside and see the reinforcements that were pouring in.

His body, which had been limp as mud, regained a sliver of strength.

In those dim eyes, the light of "hope" was rekindled.

He struggled to get up from the ground.

The atmosphere in the hall was tense, as if swords were about to be drawn.

Outside the hall, danger lurks everywhere.

However, Shen Zhong, who was at the center of the storm, seemed to be detached from it all.

He put down his teacup, raised his wrist, and glanced at the time on his watch.

His movements were unhurried, and his expression was calm.

Zhou Weiguo walked to his side, leaned forward slightly, and quickly reported in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

"Boss, the outer perimeter police force has been deployed."

"A total of 327 people, equipped with Type 95 automatic rifles, Type 79 submachine guns, and four snipers, were positioned at the southeast and northwest corners of the opposite building's rooftop."

Shen Zhong listened without any change in expression.

He simply gestured to Zhou Weiguo to ignore it.

"Stay vigilant."

Zhou Weiguo nodded, took a step back, and placed his hand on the gun handle at his waist again.

Li Dakang could no longer contain himself.

He strode up to Shen Zhong and pointed to the large convoy of special police officers outside the window.

His voice, because of its strong tone, sounded particularly loud.

"Shen Zhong, I'll repeat it one more time!"

"In order to maintain social stability in Gyeongju and to avoid causing even worse social consequences."

"Relinquish control of the branch office, release all detained personnel, and evacuate with your men!"

Qi Tongwei also came up and stood beside Li Dakang.

His police superintendent's uniform contrasted sharply with the combat uniforms of the special police officers outside, creating a powerful sense of official oppression.

"Secretary Shen, if you refuse to cooperate..."

"Our police force will have to take coercive measures to restore order at the scene."

"At that time, you and the provincial military region behind you will bear all the consequences."

Threat.

A naked threat.

This was the final ultimatum issued by Li Dakang and Qi Tongwei after confirming that they held an overwhelming military advantage.

Shen Zhong did not immediately respond to their threats.

He didn't even glance at them again.

He took a clean white gun cleaning cloth out of his pocket.

Then, he bent down and picked up the Type 92 pistol he had used before from under the table.

"Click".

He skillfully removed the magazine and set it aside.

He pulled back the slide and checked the chamber.

The only sound in the entire hall was the crisp metallic clanging of his guns as he handled them.

Li Dakang and Qi Tongwei's words seemed to sink into the sea without causing a ripple.

This feeling of being completely ignored made Li Dakang's face turn very ugly.

Shen Zhong took the white cloth and slowly began to wipe every part of the gun.

From the barrel to the slide and then to the grip.

His movements were focused and slow, with an almost artistic composure.

The air in the hall became increasingly oppressive because of his silence and this action.

Time passed by, second by second.

Li Dakang's patience is being worn down little by little.

at last.

Shen Zhong finished wiping the last area.

He reassembled the pistol and cocked it.

Finally, he carefully holstered the pistol back into its holster at his waist.

Only after he had done all this did he slowly raise his head.

Those calm eyes swept over the faces of Li Dakang and Qi Tongwei, which were distorted by tension and anger.

He spoke.

The sound wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Secretary Dakang, Director Qi."

"With so many people, it really does look spectacular."

He paused for a moment.

"But sometimes, the number of people is just a useless number."