On the surface in Shangjing, though it appeared peaceful, in reality, undercurrents were brewing. The Shangjing General Bureau, represented by Lin Qianqian, gave him the feeling of playing a grand strategy. Despite possessing precise intelligence capabilities, they repeatedly turned a blind eye to the matters concerning the Qing Gang.
Whether it was the incidents involving Qiao Sen or Chi Biao, they all ended inconclusively, not even garnering public attention.
It was known that both cases resulted in fatalities, especially Qiao Sen's, where many people died. The scene at the coffee shop back then was no less than hell on earth for ordinary people.
Yet, the outcome was handled with extreme discretion, so much so that even the neighbors were unaware of what had transpired, mistaking it for a common brawl.
Undoubtedly, the Shangjing General Bureau was making a concerted effort to conceal something.
And the concealed matter was clearly related to Shangjing's underground forces.
Compared to the superficial calm in the open, the underground forces of Shangjing were already turbulent. Li Meixia's eagerness for talent, and Qiao Sen and Chi Biao's open defiance, these signs of unrest had clearly emerged.
Initially, Li Zhonglou assumed it was a turf war among Shangjing's underground factions, or that the Shangjing General Bureau intended to use the Qing Gang to sweep away the gray areas.
Only upon learning of the existence of Yuanjing Group did he realize that everything was ultimately for its sake.
Therefore, in times like these, acting rashly was the worst approach. Li Zhonglou only had one chance to make a move. If he missed this opportunity, it was highly probable he would never find another.
Moreover, this opportunity had to be seized at a moment that was favorable in terms of time and place.
Li Zhonglou already had a clear plan in mind regarding these matters.
Thus, he could not rush; he had to plan meticulously.
However, he did not anticipate that Lin Qianqian's idea of "planning meticulously" was entirely different from his own.
Brushing away the disappointment in her eyes, Lin Qianqian silently put away the documents, placing them aside. With a blank expression, she stated, "This matter must be absolutely confidential. Otherwise, you know the consequences."
It was then that Li Zhonglou noticed Lin Qianqian's somewhat strange demeanor and asked, "What's wrong?"
Lin Qianqian did not answer directly but instead said, "You can go back now. I'll notify you if there's any news."
"I can go back?" Li Zhonglou was stunned.
This time, Lin Qianqian merely nodded and remained silent.
Looking at the woman who, just a few minutes ago, was so animated, but now appeared cold and distant, Li Zhonglou felt utterly bewildered.
However, being able to leave early was for the best. After all, he had achieved his purpose for the day. As a return gift to his senior brother He Wei, he had already conveyed his stance.
It was a matter of reciprocity.
Thus, Li Zhonglou said no more. After bidding farewell to Lin Qianqian, he left the police station.
No sooner had he left than He Wei entered Lin Qianqian's office.
"Senior Brother? What are you doing here?"
He Wei's gaze immediately fell upon the documents concerning Yuanjing Group on the desk.
"Junior Sister, you actually showed top-secret national classified information to an outsider?"
He Wei erupted in anger.
Lin Qianqian frowned and said, "He's not exactly an outsider, is he? He's from the Eagle Special Operations Team."
"Eagle Special Operations Team? He's also from the Qing Gang! Don't you know the current situation of the Qing Gang?"
He Wei shouted, leaving Lin Qianqian speechless. Indeed, she regretted her actions. As soon as she realized Li Zhonglou's reluctance regarding the Yuanjing Group matter, she regretted it.
Lin Qianqian admitted that she had been misled by Li Zhonglou's charisma, which had compromised her composure. However, since the matter had already transpired, dwelling on it was meaningless.
Lin Qianqian candidly stated, "This time, my judgment was indeed lacking. I apologize, Senior Brother."
He Wei's expression softened slightly, a glint flashing in his eyes. "Fortunately, I had already anticipated this. Junior Sister, as punishment, you are not to interfere with this matter anymore."
After speaking, He Wei turned and left, leaving Lin Qianqian stunned on the spot.
What did her Senior Brother mean by that? Wasn't she always in charge of the Yuanjing Group's affairs? Or had the higher authorities already transferred the mission to him?
Three question marks instantly flashed in Lin Qianqian's mind, but another thought quickly occupied it.
"No, Senior Brother wasn't talking about the Yuanjing Group! Could he…?"
Her body instantly stiffened as she grasped the implication of He Wei's words.
However, she soon slumped down as if relieved of a burden.
"Forget it. Let's pretend I never saw it. After all, if this matter were to get out, he might not even have his freedom."
Lin Qianqian murmured, closing her eyes. For the first time in her life, she experienced an extremely complex emotion.
Meanwhile, not long after leaving the police station, Li Zhonglou received news that made his face turn grim.
Zhou Tong had been arrested.
After hanging up the call from the lawyer, Li Zhonglou immediately drove to the police station in Panjiayuan. At the same time, he called Lin Qianqian.
As soon as the call connected, before he could speak, he heard Lin Qianqian's cold voice: "You don't need to look for me anymore. I've completely resolved the Chi Biao matter for you. From now on, you and I are strangers."
The call was cut off immediately after she spoke. Li Zhonglou's brows furrowed deeply.
Baffling! This sudden change was completely unexpected, and he couldn't fathom the reason.
How much time had passed? She had completely changed, as if her previous actions were merely a test. But what was she testing, and for what fundamental reason, remained elusive.
"What exactly happened…"
Li Zhonglou narrowed his eyes, and He Wei's figure appeared in his mind.
Only he could cause such a change in Lin Qianqian's attitude. Moreover, the matter of Zhou Tong was also likely related to him!
However, there was no time to ponder further. Li Zhonglou could only focus on finding Zhou Tong first.
By the time he arrived at the detention center where Zhou Tong was held, it was already past midnight. Naturally, he couldn't see anyone at this hour, but Zhou Tong's lawyer was waiting for him.
"Mr. Li Zhonglou, correct? Mr. Zhou asked me to relay some words to you."
The lawyer relayed everything Zhou Tong had instructed, then left after handing over an envelope.
The envelope was also left by Zhou Tong.
Li Zhonglou directly opened it and examined its contents. Combining it with what the lawyer had told him, it was indeed all He Wei's doing!
Having been in this line of work for so many years, Zhou Tong had his share of questionable dealings. While it was fine when no one investigated him closely, if someone were to delve into his affairs, it was naturally easy for trouble to arise.
He himself was aware of this, so he had prepared a letter beforehand, containing information on how he could be exonerated. However, this required a reliable and trustworthy person to handle, so he had not given it directly to the lawyer but asked the lawyer to pass it on to Li Zhonglou.