Chapter 80: Investigate! Don't Investigate

Du Long fell silent, his gaze sweeping over every corner of the office. Suddenly, he walked to the desk, picked up the landline receiver, and after a careful inspection, a sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth. He swiftly pulled out a police dagger with a reverse grip and pried open the receiver in two swift movements. A miniature listening device, common in spy movies, appeared before Ma Guangming.

Ma Guangming's eyebrows twitched, his face turning red. He was truly angry. Du Long restored the receiver and winked at Ma Guangming, complaining, "Since the provincial authorities have already made a decision, what can we do? We can only follow it. Uncle Ma, you should have told me the provincial authorities' intentions earlier. I was so eager to make a contribution that I followed a special forces soldier. To return alive is a miracle."

Ma Guangming suppressed his anger with a bitter smile, "Why did you hang up so quickly? You've gotten used to hanging up on me. Don't do it again in the future. It's like you have no organization, no government, no leadership, no law, and no order!"

Du Long fell silent for a moment and said, "No matter what, Xia Hongjun didn't kill me. I owe him a favor. He said he didn't kill anyone, so I need to investigate and find out the true cause of death. It's just a small matter involving a minor character. Can you help me, Uncle Ma?"

Ma Guangming frowned, "How do you plan to investigate?"

Du Long replied, "The scene at the Lanhé Coal Mine must have been completely destroyed. I can only look for clues on the body. Where is the body? I'll go and take a look."

Ma Guangming said, "It seems to be in the morgue of the county people's hospital. Let me call and confirm."

Ma Guangming picked up the phone and dialed, while Du Long secretly dialed a number on his mobile phone.

After a while, Ma Guangming put down the receiver and said, "It's too late. They said the body was cremated five minutes ago."

Du Long angrily said, "How could it be so fast! It seems the body really had issues."

Ma Guangming smiled bitterly, "Without the body, even if there were problems, we can't investigate further. Du Long, I think we should let it go. Xia Hongjun is a stranger to you. At most, I can call the court and get a lighter sentence for him."

Du Long was silent for a long time before finally saying, "Uncle Ma, I really can't let it go..."

Ma Guangming consoled him, "Du Long, you're young, and you have many opportunities. Don't be too concerned about short-term gains and losses..."

Ma Guangming gave a long lecture and then said to Du Long, "I'm a bit tired. Let's take a walk outside."

Du Long nodded and left the office with Ma Guangming. The ledger that Du Long had worked hard to retrieve was accidentally left on the desk.

Behind the government building was a small garden with a pond, a pleasant environment. It was now late at night, and the garden was quiet. Ma Guangming refused the secretary's company and walked hand in hand with Du Long in the small garden.

Du Long casually glanced around and then whispered, "Uncle Ma, we can talk now."

Ma Guangming sighed, "These people really go to any lengths. They even used a listening device."

Du Long said, "Uncle Ma, you won't just give in, right? Is the provincial authorities' opinion really so unified? You always tell me to look at the big picture. How far can you see?"

Ma Guangming looked at him in surprise and said, "The ashtray was thrown to show the outsiders. While scolding you for being reckless, I was also venting my frustration. I didn't expect them to be listening. If I had known, I wouldn't have put in so much effort."

Du Long laughed, and Ma Guangming said, "You're still laughing. You ask how far I can see. How far can you see?"

Du Long said, "I can't see very far, but I know that upholding justice is what every person with a sense of justice hopes for, including the provincial leaders. Some may be blinded by short-term interests, but they are not all like that. Uncle Ma, you are a party member. This is the time to demonstrate your party spirit and principles. If you stick to your principles, you might offend some higher-ups and make your career less smooth. But more people will see and remember what you do. They will know that you are a responsible official who stands up for the people!"

Ma Guangming was not fooled by Du Long's low-level flattery. He said sternly, "Du Long, do you know the price you will have to pay for this?"

Du Long laughed, "Of course I do. But if an official doesn't stand up for the people, they might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes. What do you think, Uncle Ma? This matter is full of risks, but it also holds great opportunities. You need to hold on, Uncle Ma!"

Ma Guangming laughed and said, "You also need to hold on. If things go wrong, I might throw you out as a scapegoat... Sigh, it's too early to say anything. The entire Wuxi County is like a solid block. Even if I pry open the county party secretary and the public security bureau chief, it won't help. We worked all night and didn't get as much information as you did. When I was on the phone, did you also make a call? Now that the body is gone, where can you start your investigation? We can't investigate through official channels anymore. Perhaps your unconventional methods might still be useful."

Du Long laughed, "This isn't an unconventional method. It has more than just a little use. Uncle Ma, do you really think the body was burned? How could it be so fast? We were just about to perform an autopsy, and they burned the body five minutes ago... The call I made was to Xia Hongjun. He didn't escape into the mountains; he returned to Wuxi County earlier than I did. The body should be on its way to the county government now."

As Du Long finished speaking, the sound of an ambulance approached, breaking the silence of the night, and indeed stopped at the government building.

The ambulance was quickly controlled, and the driver was brought to Ma Guangming. It wasn't Xia Hongjun but the driver from the county people's hospital. In front of Ma Guangming, the young driver spilled the beans. He had just received an order from the deputy director to take the three bodies from the coal mine fight to the crematorium. Unexpectedly, just as he left the morgue, a hooded person appeared, threatening him with a knife to drive the car to the county government. When he stopped the car, the person had disappeared.

That person was naturally Xia Hongjun. Ma Guangming let the driver go, who knew nothing, and urgently dispatched two forensic experts from Yuming City, one of whom was the forensic expert from the Xishan District of Yuming City, recommended by Du Long, Geng Weidong.

By the time it was almost dawn, Du Long had already taken a lemon bath and changed into new clothes provided by Wuxi County. He was relaxed and held his private autopsy report to meet Ma Guangming.

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