Chapter 45

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After carefully considering the risks, Yang Jie followed Xiao Wu's suggestion, quietly walked out of the interrogation room, and closed the door of Interrogation Room No. 1. He then pretended nothing had happened and walked out the way he had come in.

Since he was not handcuffed and looked presentable, the police officers in the station thought Yang Jie was there on business and paid no attention to him. Taking advantage of Zhang Liye and Xiao Tang's absence, Yang Jie quickly left the police station.

Regaining his freedom, Yang Jie thought of Deng Xiaoyue, who was still in the interrogation room with an unknown fate. He looked at his watch; it was already 2:30 PM. At this time, the county office was open. Yang Jie walked to a small convenience store next to the police station, picked up the public phone on the counter, and called Chen Yuan.

"Director, it's me, Yang Jie." After the phone rang seven or eight times, Yang Jie thought Chen Yuan wasn't in the office and was about to hang up when he heard the call connect.

"Xiao Yang, what's the matter?" Chen Yuan had just returned from Secretary Zhou's office and heard the phone ringing non-stop outside. When she picked up, she found it was Yang Jie.

"Director, I was arrested by the Chengguan Police Station. They accused me of hitting a friend of Secretary Liao's son. Without any investigation, they locked me in the interrogation room and were about to torture me. I knocked out the officer who was interrogating me and escaped to call you." Yang Jie had prepared his words in advance and calmly and concisely explained his situation to Chen Yuan.

"What!" Chen Yuan's face changed immediately upon hearing Yang Jie's words. "Where are you now? I'll call Chief Yang right away."

"I'm at a convenience store near the Chengguan Police Station. A friend of mine who works as a receptionist at the Wuhe Hotel was also arrested to prove I didn't hit anyone. She is still in the interrogation room, and I'm very worried about her safety. After all, those people don't care about the means they use." Yang Jie told Chen Yuan his location and also mentioned Deng Xiaoyue's situation.

"Wait there. I'll have Chief Yang come to you right away. Secretary Zhou was just saying that the police department needs to be reformed urgently. I didn't expect the Chengguan Police Station to arrest a county office cadre without any investigation. This is truly lawless!" Chen Yuan comforted Yang Jie a few times before hanging up.

Yang Jie was a county office cadre, one of Chen Yuan's subordinates. Even if he had no special relationship with Secretary Zhou, the police station couldn't arrest a county office cadre without informing her, the director of the county office. The Chengguan Police Station's actions were a direct affront to her.

Chen Yuan was known for protecting her subordinates. She was highly respected in the county office, not only because Secretary Zhou trusted and supported her but also because she stood up for her subordinates and wouldn't let them be wronged.

"Chief Yang, this is Chen Yuan. Yang Jie from the county office was arrested by the Chengguan Police Station without any reason. They were about to torture him. He knocked out the officer interrogating him and escaped to call me. Go to the convenience store near the Chengguan Police Station to pick him up, then wait at the Chengguan Police Station for further orders. I'll report this to the secretary immediately." Chen Yuan called Yang Hua's office and gave him direct orders.

Chen Yuan was a member of the county party committee and the director of the county office, a true county leader. Her words largely represented Secretary Zhou. When Yang Hua received the call, he was startled and stood up straight. "Yes! Please rest assured, I will complete the task."

Yang Hua had just taken over the police department and had even invited Yang Jie for dinner. However, he didn't expect the Chengguan Police Station to arrest Yang Jie. The chief of the Chengguan Police Station, Wen Peng, was Luo Song's man. Yang Hua had not yet had time to reorganize Luo Song's loyalists. He didn't expect that just a day after Luo Song was placed under investigation, the Chengguan Police Station would run into trouble.

The county police station was not far from the Chengguan Police Station. It took less than five minutes to drive there. After hanging up, Yang Hua picked up his police cap from his desk and quickly left his office.

...

In Zhou Dalong's office, Luo Yuancheng, Lei Shuping, and the propaganda minister Sun Jiayun were sitting on either side of Zhou Dalong, discussing the location of the new economic development zone in Wuhe County, as well as the issues of infrastructure and publicity. Chen Yuan hurriedly knocked on the door and entered the office, her face dark and stormy.

"Secretary, Yang Jie just called me. He said that Secretary Liao's son accused him of hitting his friend. The Chengguan Police Station didn't investigate and directly arrested him. They were about to torture him to force a confession. Yang Jie knocked out the officer interrogating him and escaped to call me for help. I've already sent Chief Yang to the Chengguan Police Station to pick him up. Yang Jie has a friend who works as a receptionist at the Wuhe Hotel. She was also arrested for providing an alibi for Yang Jie, and she is still being interrogated. I'm worried that someone is trying to cause trouble..." Chen Yuan's words instantly ignited a powder keg.

After hearing Chen Yuan's words, Zhou Dalong's eyes widened, his fists clenched, and the veins on his arms bulged. A tangible aura of killing intent radiated from him. Zhou Dalong, a veteran of war, fully unleashed his iron-blooded military demeanor in that moment.

"What is Liao Guojin trying to do! Is Wuhe County still under the leadership of the Party? Without any investigation, they arrested an excellent young cadre based on one person's accusation and were about to torture him to force a confession. How can the Party and the people trust their lives and property to such a bunch of scoundrels!" Zhou Dalong's brows furrowed, his eyes flashing with cold light, and his furious expression not only frightened Chen Yuan but also the three other members of the county party committee.

"Secretary, Yang Jie was with Zhang Yun and Zhou Dequan at the Wuhe Hotel, receiving a delegation from Luosang County led by County Chief Xiao. How could he have gone to hit someone? Moreover, what kind of person is Liao Kai, and what kind of character does he have? I'm sure everyone here has heard something about him. Saying that Yang Jie would hit his friend sounds like a fairy tale." Chen Yuan was also furious. Liao Kai's reputation in Wuhe County was very bad, but because he didn't commit major crimes, only minor ones, no one would take action against him out of respect for Liao Guojin.

But now Liao Kai dared to reach into the county office and had the Chengguan Police Station arrest Yang Jie. This was too much, and Chen Yuan, as the director of the county office, could not help but be enraged.

"Secretary, this situation is too serious. I think the most urgent task is to have Chief Yang and his team go to the police station to investigate and see if there is any intentional instigation behind this. At the same time, I believe that Secretary Liao has serious problems in educating his children. If necessary, we should have Yang Hua and his team investigate Liao Kai. If Liao Kai has committed serious crimes, Secretary Liao cannot escape responsibility." Luo Yuancheng, the party secretary for mass work and the third-ranking official in Wuhe County, spoke with more weight than Chen Yuan.

Luo Yuancheng's meaning was that if this incident was orchestrated by Liao Guojin, they should use Liao Kai as a breakthrough to target Liao Guojin. If handled properly, toppling Liao Guojin would not be difficult, and the Zhang Daxian faction would lose another key member.

"Let's go to the Chengguan Police Station. I want to see for myself why the Chengguan Police Station would listen to Liao Kai." Zhou Dalong's eyes were filled with killing intent, and he looked like a prehistoric beast, unstoppable.

As Zhou Dalong moved, Luo Yuancheng, Lei Shuping, Sun Jiayun, and Chen Yuan followed him out of the secretary's office. The five members of the county party committee put aside their work and went out together, their faces dark, quickly drawing the attention of the county office staff, who began to speculate.

Yang Jie stood at the entrance of the convenience store and waited for less than four minutes. He saw three police cars speeding towards him. Knowing that Chief Yang and his team must have arrived, he quickly walked to the roadside and waved at the cars.

The leading Santana police car quickly stopped beside Yang Jie. The window on the back seat rolled down, and Chief Yang, wearing a police cap, looked at Yang Jie seriously and said, "Comrade Yang Jie, our work was inadequate, and you have been wronged. Get in the car first! We'll go to the police station to rescue your friend."

Yang Jie nodded quickly and opened the car door to get into the Santana. After Yang Jie got in, Chief Yang said to the driver, "Drive, go directly to the police station."

The Santana stopped by the roadside for a moment, picked up Yang Jie, and then quickly headed towards the nearby police station, followed by a Jetta and a Jeep, which drove directly into the Chengguan Police Station.

After the cars stopped, Chief Yang opened the door and got out of the Santana. Ten armed police officers, including the head of the public security bureau, Chen Yinglong, and his deputy, Zhang Wei, also got out of the other two cars. It seemed that these were all Chief Yang's loyal subordinates, as they followed him to the police station.

"Chief Yang, my friend is still being interrogated in Interrogation Room No. 2. Let's rescue her first!" Yang Jie got out of the car and saw Chief Yang, who looked stern, giving orders to the police officers. He quickly approached and said to Chief Yang.

"Chen Yinglong, take some people with Comrade Yang Jie to rescue her. Zhang Wei, take some people into the police station and disarm everyone. I want to see if the Chengguan Police Station is a den of tigers and dragons." As soon as Chief Yang gave the order, everyone sprang into action.

At this moment, the police station also heard the commotion outside. As soon as a police officer stepped out of the door, he was disarmed by Zhang Wei and his team. Seeing Chief Yang's stern and serious face, the officer was silent and did not resist, obediently standing on the parking lot in front of the police station.