"Elder Zhang, you really don't need to be angry. The reason I said that was out of desperation. You know, my position in the officialdom is worlds away from yours. Before I even spoke, you told me to get lost. In my helplessness, I could only resort to this approach. However, I swear, I never intended to set you up. If I had that intention, the photos would have appeared where they were supposed to long ago."
Chen Feng continued to explain.
"Stop with your rambling. Hurry up and tell me, what do you want this time by bringing the photos?"
"As I said just now, I want you to put in a good word for Xiang Wentian and Wang Hai when you inspect Jiangcheng. Of course, I won't let you do it for nothing."
Chen Feng said meaningfully.
"Are you genuinely foolish, or are you pretending to be? Do I care about your little money?"
Zhang Tao glared fiercely at Chen Feng.
"Elder Zhang, I know you don't care about money. However, I can satisfy what you desire most..."
Chen Feng trailed off.
"Chen Feng, Chen Feng, I realize you are not only outrageously bold but also conceited. Just you, an ordinary official, being able to satisfy my greatest desire? Even a practical joke wouldn't dare to be this absurd."
Zhang Tao said dismissively.
"Elder Zhang, if I'm not mistaken, what you want most isn't to steal things, but to steal people..."
Chen Feng continued, leaving his words hanging.
"Continue."
Zhang Tao's interest was immediately piqued.
It had to be said, Chen Feng understood him very well; he had hit the most sensitive spot in his heart.
He had power and money, and he didn't lack women.
However, these women came too easily. Even if they were as beautiful as celestial beings, they evoked no feeling.
The thrill of sleeping with another man's woman was incredibly stimulating.
The more unattainable a woman was, the more exciting it was to sleep with her.
"You know about the Wang family in the capital, don't you?"
Chen Feng said calmly.
"Of course, I do. You mean you'll help me steal a woman from a Wang family man?"
Zhang Tao was extremely excited.
The Wang family in the capital was the foremost of the four major families.
If he could secretly sleep with a woman belonging to a Wang family man, it would be incredibly joyful and stimulating.
This kind of joy and stimulation couldn't be bought with any amount of money.
"Elder Zhang, the Wang family in the capital is too terrifyingly powerful. Helping you steal a Wang family man's wife is absolutely impossible and shouldn't be attempted. Discovery would mean certain death. However, I can help you steal a Wang family man's mistress; I have a way."
Chen Feng replied calmly.
Wang Zihao and Wang Zishan had always been at odds with him, so a little prank wouldn't be a big issue.
It was the principle of reciprocity.
"That can be arranged."
Zhang Tao replied excitedly.
Only stealing a Wang family man's mistress, not his wife.
It was both stimulating and not too dangerous, which was quite good.
"Since you agree, Elder Zhang, I'll go make arrangements."
Chen Feng said with a smile.
"Wait a moment. You must tell me how you plan to do it. Otherwise, how will I know if you're just trying to amuse me?"
Zhang Tao pressed.
"Elder Zhang, to be frank, I know Wang Zihao and Wang Zishan's sister, Wang Ziwei. Wang Zihao and Wang Zishan look down on my humble status, so they often try to trick me. Over time, I've gotten to know them. You are a person of power and wealth, and so are Wang Zihao and Wang Zishan. You should know that they are very fond of women. Even when they are married, they still like to play around. As far as I know, both of them are currently infatuated with a super internet celebrity in China, Meng Ge. They often anonymously rank as Meng Ge's top two biggest patrons. Meng Ge is a female internet celebrity, and anyone can sleep with her if they have enough money. Of course, Wang Zishan and Wang Zihao, to prevent others from sleeping with Meng Ge, forced the short video company to modify the program in Meng Ge's live stream room. Except for them, no one else can get Meng Ge's contact information. I, being a computer science graduate, can get Meng Ge's contact information with a little effort. Of course, you'll have to pay. I'm just an ordinary official; even if I had the money, I couldn't afford to spend it on a top-tier internet celebrity like Meng Ge."
Chen Feng deliberately played the pauper.
It wasn't that he was unwilling to spend the money, but rather that having Zhang Tao spend the money himself would enhance his sense of stimulation.
"I have plenty of money. You just need to give me Meng Ge's contact information."
Zhang Tao said excitedly.
"Understood, Elder Zhang. I can give you Meng Ge's contact information this afternoon."
Chen Feng said with determination.
Without further ado, Zhang Tao urged Chen Feng to proceed quickly.
Chen Feng immediately booked a hotel room, as deciphering the special program of the live stream required a quiet environment.
After more than an hour, Chen Feng was dumbfounded.
The special program of Meng Ge's live stream room was impenetrable. It seemed that Wang Zihao and Wang Zishan, in their pursuit of women, had gone to great lengths, even having the short video company activate the highest level of program encryption.
Highest level program encryption is generally uncrackable by ordinary programmers.
Helpless, Chen Feng had to abandon his plan to crack the program himself.
Now, trouble arose. If he couldn't crack the program of Meng Ge's live stream room, he wouldn't be able to get her contact information. Going directly to the short video company to ask for Meng Ge's contact information was also impossible.
In the capital, no one dared to openly defy the Wang family in the capital.
This wouldn't work, and that wouldn't work either; the situation was clearly at a standstill.
After much contemplation, Chen Feng could not come up with a good solution.
Finally, Chen Feng resorted to a plan that was not really a plan: to go to Meng Ge's studio in person to find Meng Ge.
No sooner said than done, Chen Feng immediately headed to Meng Ge's studio.
Upon arrival, Chen Feng was once again dumbfounded.
Meng Ge's studio was heavily guarded by internal security from all sides.
People involved in officialdom knew that important departments of the officialdom would arrange internal security.
For example, military factories, mints, sanatoriums for retired cadres, provincial governments...
However, Meng Ge's studio, by any measure, was not an important department of the officialdom.
It had to be said that the Wang family in the capital wielded immense power, capable of turning the world upside down with a mere flip of their hands.
To the Wang family in the capital, the solemn profession of internal security was akin to a security company; they could deploy them wherever they pleased.
Chen Feng hid in the shadows and observed, finding that the internal security personnel rigorously checked everyone entering Meng Ge's studio. Strangers were simply not allowed in.
This meant that the third plan had also failed.
With three consecutive plans failing, Chen Feng understood one thing.
The power of the officialdom in the capital was beyond imagination.
Describing them as doing as they pleased was by no means an exaggeration.
It seemed he had been truly careless this time.
He had thought that with his innate talent for the officialdom, a little cleverness would suffice to complete Elder Zhang's matter with ease.
The reality was that it was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
The question arose: should he give up, or should he continue to face the challenge?
After a brief thought, Chen Feng decided to press on.
If the matter of the inspection team this time was not resolved, he would have completely offended Xiang Wentian, the top leader of the province, and Wang Hai, the second-in-command. He would have no future in Mingshan District.
Just as Chen Feng was at a loss, he suddenly thought of someone.
Perhaps this person could help him overcome the most critical challenge of his career in the officialdom...