"Ordinary methods definitely won't work. It's like reporting to the provincial police station; it's completely useless. With such a massive fundraising fraud case, resolving this within the country is incredibly difficult." Chen Feng frowned.
"You mean, go abroad?" Cheng Lu tentatively asked.
"Yes, go abroad. Of course, it's not that we go abroad, but that we expose the massive Tian'anbao factoring fundraising case on the foreign internet. Once it blows up online, it will be impossible for Jiangcheng and the provincial capital to turn a blind eye and cover for the bank president." Chen Feng said calmly.
"Chen Feng, this method is good. But the problem is, how do you access the foreign internet? I usually can't even get online to watch short videos of Hollywood stars applying makeup." Cheng Lu asked curiously.
"You don't understand networks, so of course you can't get on. I studied computer science in university, so I'm familiar with this. It's true that most people can't access the foreign internet; you need to 'climb the wall'."
"Climb the wall?"
"Yes, climb the wall. Most people don't know how, but I do. Of course, I don't usually climb the wall to browse the foreign internet. It's mostly filled with negative content. Of course, there's positive content too, just less of it. This time, exposing the massive Tian'anbao factoring fraud case is a positive act." Chen Feng explained.
"If that's the case, then we shouldn't delay." Cheng Lu urged excitedly.
Chen Feng didn't hesitate. He spent the entire night meticulously detailing the entire Tian'anbao factoring case in Jiangcheng on a foreign internet forum. He chose to write it late at night because it was harder to "climb the wall" during the day.
As Chen Feng had predicted, once the post went up on the foreign forum, it instantly became front-page news. The provincial and Jiangcheng authorities, as well as those in the capital, were informed immediately. It turned out that the provincial capital, Jiangcheng, and even the national capital maintained strict surveillance of the foreign internet, collecting and responding to valuable intelligence as soon as it appeared.
"Cui Zhong, you need to run."
That evening, President Cui Zhong was in a hotel having a good time with a female internet celebrity when he suddenly received a call from a powerful figure in the provincial capital.
"Elder Sun, what is it?" Cui Zhong asked, feigning respect. Inwardly, he was furious with this provincial big shot. His enjoyable time with the internet celebrity had been interrupted by a phone call.
"The Tian'anbao factoring project has been exposed. If you don't run now, you'll be in prison for life," the provincial big shot replied sternly.
"Elder Sun, did you hear something wrong? I've invested heavily in Jiangcheng, the provincial capital, and even the national capital. How could it be exposed?" Cui Zhong asked, pretending disbelief.
"The problem didn't originate in Jiangcheng or the provincial capital, but on the foreign internet. Someone has leaked the Tian'anbao factoring case overseas, and it's front-page news. Jiangcheng, the provincial capital, and even the national capital all monitor foreign internet public opinion. Small matters might be ignored, but when it becomes front-page news, people pay attention. This is a case of defrauding tens of billions. Run before the authorities have time to act."
"Elder Sun, if I run now, I won't be able to take a single penny with me," Cui Zhong replied with great frustration.
"There's nothing that can be done. Do you want money or your life? Choose," Elder Sun replied decisively.
"Elder Sun, I choose my life. I'll run now. But before I go, I want to know who betrayed me on the foreign internet?" Cui Zhong asked, grinding his teeth.
"Ask yourself that question; don't ask me. You know who you've offended recently; I don't. You know yourself." With that, Elder Sun hung up the phone. There was no need to waste more words on Cui Zhong. If this fellow didn't flee within the stipulated time, then, unfortunately, someone would have to kill him. This guy possessed evidence of wrongdoing involving many powerful figures in Jiangcheng and the provincial capital. If he didn't run, he would die.
After hanging up the phone, Cui Zhong immediately boarded a plane and fled. Upon arriving abroad, Cui Zhong still hadn't figured out who had destroyed his fraud empire. He considered Chen Feng, but quickly dismissed the idea. Chen Feng was just the deputy town mayor of Lianhua Town; he absolutely wouldn't have the brains for this.
"Chen Feng, do you know? Cui Zhong has fled, he left overnight," Cheng Lu said excitedly to Chen Feng.
"I expected this outcome. With such a huge stir on the foreign internet, the authorities were bound to investigate, and Cui Zhong isn't an idiot; he would naturally flee immediately," Chen Feng replied calmly.
"Ah, what a shame! We were just a little bit short of sending that scoundrel Cui Zhong to prison," Cheng Lu sighed.
"There's nothing to regret. This outcome was inevitable and is the best possible result," Chen Feng continued calmly.
"Chen Feng, I don't understand what you mean. With that scoundrel Cui Zhong getting away with it, how is this the best outcome?" Cheng Lu retorted.
"Miss Cheng, think about it. Cui Zhong holds evidence of crimes committed by many powerful figures in Jiangcheng and the provincial capital. If Cui Zhong were arrested, he would surely expose them all. This would undoubtedly cause a political earthquake in Jiangcheng and the provincial capital."
"Isn't it a good thing that corrupt officials in Jiangcheng and the provincial capital are all going to jail?" Cheng Lu asked, bewildered.
"Miss Cheng, power dynamics are very complex and cannot be simply measured by good officials and bad officials. According to your logic, most of the powerful figures in China would go to prison. The question is, if they all go to prison, who will manage the government?" Chen Feng explained earnestly.
"Chen Feng, do you mean that corrupt officials can be let off the hook?" Cheng Lu asked, astonished.
"Miss Cheng, I know this fact is difficult for you to accept. But facts are facts. Simply put, if a corrupt official embezzles tens of millions but generates billions for Jiangcheng and the provincial capital, the higher-ups will likely turn a blind eye. This is also their helplessness. Some powerful figures are indeed not greedy for money, but their management is a mess. In such cases, Jiangcheng and the provincial capital not only don't make money but also lose money. In this situation, the higher-ups can only let the money-grabbing official take charge. Of course, such blatant protection of bad people exists, but it's not very common!"
"Chen Feng, with your explanation, I understand. Before, people told me not to dig too deep into politics, as it would reveal heart-shattering things. Today, I've truly witnessed it." Cheng Lu sighed.
"Miss Cheng, don't be too disheartened. In fact, such incidents have become increasingly rare over the years. As the economy develops, the political arena becomes more standardized." Chen Feng comforted Cheng Lu.
"Chen Feng, you're not just saying that to cheer me up, are you?" Cheng Lu asked tentatively.
"Miss Cheng, you've been in politics for quite some time; you should be able to understand some things. For example, in economically underdeveloped areas like Lianhua Town, political corruption and trivial matters are rampant. Not to mention anything else, most staff in Lianhua Town got their positions through connections. However, Jiangcheng, being an economically developed city, has much better conditions. Although some people still get in through connections, most enter through the civil service examination. Why is this? It's because the more economically developed a place is, the more standardized its operations become. So, don't overthink it; let things take their natural course." Chen Feng's explanation convinced Cheng Lu.
"By the way, Chen Feng, that interest-free loan has been disbursed to Lianhua Town. Does this mean the Lianhua Town Science and Hardware City project has succeeded?" Cheng Lu asked excitedly.
"Theoretically, yes. But in reality, there's still one problem to be solved. If this small problem isn't resolved, the Lianhua Town Science and Hardware City project could very well fail halfway." Chen Feng said with a grave expression.
"What problem is so serious?" Cheng Lu became anxious.