BPIFC -Volume 1 – Chapter 29 Yang Shuji’s Backer

As if performing a magic trick, Shen La produced a scroll sealed with black wax and handed it to Sun Desheng. With a bitter smile, he said:

“Dasheng, I’ve really learned all the bad habits from you. But seriously, is Che Qianzi’s background really that— What are you doing?!”

Before Shen La could finish speaking, Sun Fatty had already pulled out a bottle of premium lighter fluid from beneath the desk. He poured it over the scroll and set it on fire.

The scroll was not fireproof to begin with. Made of a silk-like material, it ignited almost instantly.

This was something Shen La had gone through tremendous trouble to obtain from the Underworld. He simply could not watch it be destroyed.

Immediately reaching out to grab the still-burning scroll, he shouted:

“Dasheng, what are you doing?! I risked so much to get that back, and you’re just going to burn it?”

“Lazi, this thing is better off burned…” Sun Fatty blocked him from the flames. With a bitter smile, he continued, “You’ve got to trust me. If what’s inside gets exposed, nothing good will come of it.”

Shen La was no fool. He immediately understood there was more to the matter.

Looking at Sun Desheng, he asked: “Dasheng, you know who Che Qianzi really is? His parents…”

Before he could finish, Sun Fatty interrupted: “Don’t say another word, Lazi. His identity isn’t something that can be revealed right now. If it could have been made public, Chief Gao would have done it ten years ago.”

As he spoke, Sun Fatty turned on his computer and played the video Wang Lu had given him—the segment concerning Gao Liang.

After watching half of the video, Shen La frowned.

“But this doesn’t explain Che Qianzi’s background. Going by what Chief Gao said, he could just as easily be Gao Liang’s son. Dasheng, tell me honestly—do you already know who his parents are? You’ve always been the kind of person who digs into whatever people tell you not to investigate. Now the truth was right in front of you, and you burned it?”

“Have I ever cheated you?” Sun Fatty replied.

By then, the scroll had burned completely. He scattered the ashes into a flowerpot before continuing: “Just listen to me on this one. It won’t hurt you.”

The two had been brothers for over ten years. There was enough trust between them.

Acting as though nothing had happened, Shen La changed the subject.

“By the way, I ran into Huang Ran at the airport a few days ago. He mentioned you. He said once you’re back in the country, he wants to bring Meng Qiqi and Zhang Zhiyan and get together for a meal.”

“Sure…” Sun Fatty nodded with a smile.

“But maybe not. These past two years I’ve been tied up with the Dark Night matter. I haven’t seen them in almost two years either.

Then again, maybe it’s better not to meet.

Back when I talked Huang Ran into shutting down the Religious Affairs Committee, I figured the Bureau would stay in our hands. Now that the Polling Bureau is operating again, there’s almost no chance his committee can be revived.

Meeting again would just be awkward. We might even end up arguing.”

Before he could finish speaking, his phone rang.

After glancing at the caller ID, Sun Fatty answered:

“Secretary Yang? We just got back and you’re already calling.

What? Did the higher-ups finally approve your retirement and decide to let this young comrade take over? You ought to finish your final shift properly…

What?

A meeting in the main conference room? All investigators from Investigation Room Two must attend?

Something big happened again?”

Yang Shuji did not explain much over the phone.

Sun Desheng and Shen La immediately headed to the large conference room.

The room was already packed with investigators from Room Two.

Most of them were injured.

After all, Che Qianzi had single-handedly swept through the entire Investigation Room Two the day before.

Che Qianzi and Hao Wenming were seated together in a corner.

Sun Fatty quickly brought Shen La over.

“Chief Hao, why are you and my little brother here? Brother… not to mention you’ve been running around nonstop for days. You should be resting. And besides, you’re still basically a probationary investigator. You don’t need to attend meetings like this.”

“Why not?”

A voice suddenly answered.

“As long as he’s an investigator of Room Two, he follows Room Two’s rules.”

The speaker was Xiong Wanyi, wrapped in bandages from head to toe.

Behind him were Old Mo and Ximen Lian, both carrying injuries of their own.

The three Room Two directors took their seats at the front podium according to protocol.

When Xiong Wanyi noticed Shen La, Vice Director of Room Six, and Hao Wenming, Director of Room One, he frowned.

“Director Hao, Vice Director Shen, neither of you belongs to Room Two. We’re about to hold an internal departmental meeting. It’s not appropriate for you to stay. When your departments hold meetings, nobody from Room Two comes to sit in, right?”

At that moment, Yang Shuji entered carrying a teacup.

Hearing Xiong Wanyi’s words, he nodded.

“Little Xiong has a point. Director Hao, Vice Director Shen, every department has its own rules. It would be best if you avoided this meeting. Comrade Sun Desheng, you’re here as well. Good. Let me take this opportunity to announce something.”

He paused before continuing:

“After deliberation by the higher authorities, Sun Desheng will no longer hold a leadership position within the Bureau. Effective immediately, he is reassigned to Investigation Room Two as an investigator. Also, please hand over the keys to the Director-General’s office later. In a few days, higher authorities will appoint a new Director-General. The office must be prepared for its new occupant.”

At first, many members of Room Two looked pleased to hear that Sun Desheng had been removed from office.

But when Yang Shuji announced that a new Director-General would be appointed, even Xiong Wanyi, Old Mo, and Ximen Lian looked stunned.

In their minds, there had only ever been two true chiefs of the Polling Bureau.

The first was the late Gao Liang.

The second was Sun Desheng.

The idea of some outsider becoming Director-General was almost unimaginable.

At the doorway, Shen La and Hao Wenming stopped in their tracks.

Both frowned and turned back to watch Sun Fatty’s reaction.

To everyone’s surprise, Sun Desheng simply grinned.

Making a goofy face at Shen La and Hao Wenming, he pulled the office keys from his pocket and tossed them onto the table in front of Yang Shuji.

Chuckling, he said:

“From the bottom of my heart, I welcome the new Director-General appointed by the higher-ups. We should hold a welcome party, shouldn’t we?”

Seeing Sun Desheng react this way, Xiong Wanyi frowned.

Turning toward Yang Shuji, he asked:

“Wasn’t Sun Fatty only supposed to be under temporary review for a few days? Why are they appointing a new Director-General? Secretary Yang, that’s not what you told us before.”

“This is the decision of the higher authorities,” Yang Shuji replied with a troubled expression.

“I only received the notice myself. Still, I’ll report our concerns to them. Given the special nature of our work, it really isn’t suitable for an outsider with no experience to handle administrative leadership here.”

Xiong Wanyi was about to continue arguing on Sun Desheng’s behalf, but the man himself interrupted.

“Weren’t we supposed to have a meeting? Get on with it. My little brother is attending one of these for the first time. Xiong Wanyi, explain everything carefully.”

Hearing himself mentioned, Che Qianzi shot Sun Fatty a sideways glance.

“How is your heart so big? You’re not the Director-General anymore. You’re not even an official now. What if your wife runs off with somebody else? What if your daughter starts calling another man ‘Dad’? Are you still going to call him your sworn brother-in-law? What are you going to do? Come become a monk with me? You’ve got me worried to death.”

As he spoke, Che Qianzi jumped onto the conference table and pointed at Yang Shuji.

“Bastard! Who gave you the guts to bully Sun Fat—”

Before he could start cursing, another white-haired man appeared at the conference room entrance.

Standing in the doorway, he said only one word:

“I…”

The moment this white-haired man appeared, Yang Shuji visibly relaxed.

He immediately hurried to the entrance with a flattering smile.

“Director Wu, why did you come personally?”

Only then did everyone finally understand.

Yang Shuji had managed to persuade several key figures within the Bureau and seize control away from Sun Desheng.

And the powerful backer standing behind him was none other than Wu Rendi himself.