108: Chapter 108 Su Qinghan feigns unconsciousness, Qishan Provincial Party Committee reports.

Zhu Wenhao pushed open the door to the intensive care unit.

Inside, there was only the rhythmic ticking of instruments.

Su Qinghan, on the hospital bed, had already opened her eyes.

Her face was pale, but her eyes were clear and penetrating, showing no trace of the confusion of someone who had just woken up.

Seeing Zhu Wenhao approach, she did not speak, but lifted her hand very lightly, placing her index finger against her pale lips.

Silence.

Zhu Wenhao understood.

A nurse daring to commit poisoning right under the nose of the heavily guarded Municipal Public Security Bureau meant the waters in this hospital were unfathomably deep.

Who knew how many pairs of eyes were watching this ward on this floor?

Su Qinghan feigning unconsciousness was both for self-preservation and a counter-strategy.

She extended her right hand.

Zhu Wenhao stepped forward and placed his broad palm against hers.

Her warm fingertips traced across his palm.

Stroke by stroke, the pressure was weak but clear and methodical.

After finishing, she looked at him quietly.

Zhu Wenhao took out his phone, opened the memo app, and typed the characters she had just traced onto the screen; it was an account number and password.

He turned the screen towards her.

Su Qinghan saw the text clearly and nodded imperceptibly.

Zhu Wenhao put away his phone and gave her an "OK" gesture.

Su Qinghan lowered her eyelashes, closed her eyes, and her breathing gradually became long and even, as she merged back into the illusion of being in a deep coma.

Knowing how to show weakness and feign ignorance is far more lethal than being sharp and exposed.

A knock sounded at the door, very light, only twice.

Police Chief Zhao Gang pushed the door open and walked in.

He stepped very lightly, afraid of disturbing the person on the hospital bed.

"Zhu Wenhao." Police Chief Zhao Gang walked up close, "That nurse named Nurse Li Yan didn't make it. She's gone."

Zhu Wenhao was not surprised by this.

Once cyanide is ingested, not even a god could save her.

"Deputy Captain Zhang Lin just went to the nurses' station to investigate," Police Chief Zhao Gang continued his report, speaking very quickly, "This Nurse Li Yan's family situation is terrible. She has a younger brother in his third year of high school, and her father suffers from uremia, requiring dialysis year-round, which is a bottomless pit. Deputy Captain Zhang checked her father's medical account; the day before the incident, a large sum of money was suddenly deposited into the account, enough to cover the dialysis and kidney transplant costs for Nurse Li Yan's father."

"There is another situation. According to news from Director Li, Nurse Li Yan's younger brother has been followed and stalked by a group of hooligans for the past two days," Police Chief Zhao Gang said.

"Can you pull the surveillance footage of the payment?" Zhu Wenhao asked.

"It has already been retrieved," Police Chief Zhao Gang replied, "The surveillance camera is old and in disrepair, the image is very blurry, and the person's face cannot be seen clearly. It can only be confirmed that it was a man in his thirties. However, the staff at the payment counter provided a key detail."

"Speak."

"The man used bundles of cash to pay. Because it was all cash, the staff counted it for a long time. She had a very deep impression of the man, saying that he had a very eye-catching scorpion tattoo on the web of his right hand."

"Scorpion tattoo." Zhu Wenhao repeated these four words.

"Take this clue directly to Director Li and exchange it to see if there is such a person among the social idlers registered in the bureau," Zhu Wenhao instructed.

"Okay, I'll go do that right now."

"Wait." Zhu Wenhao called him back.

He took a bank card out of his inner pocket and handed it over.

The six-digit password was written on the back of the card.

"Help me prepare a laptop and a Huahua brand mobile phone."

Police Chief Zhao Gang looked at the card and waved his hands repeatedly, "Zhu Wenhao, this won't do. Last time you helped me with such a big favor, how can I take your money."

"Take it." Zhu Wenhao's tone was not loud, but it brooked no refusal, "You have elderly parents and young children, and the household expenses are high. By the way, how is the admission for your son to the key middle school this year going with Section Chief Li at the Education Bureau? There have been too many things going on recently, and I haven't had time to ask."

Mentioning his son, Police Chief Zhao Gang's tough-guy face softened slightly.

"The day after we last gathered, Section Chief Li personally called me. In less than a week, the enrollment procedures were handled perfectly, and he was even assigned to a key class. My whole family is grateful for your kindness regarding this matter."

"As long as it didn't delay the child's future, that's good." Zhu Wenhao stuffed the bank card into Police Chief Zhao Gang's pocket, "When Su Qinghan's health improves, I will host. You bring your wife and child, call San Qiang and Old Chen. I will also call out a few old colleagues from the Organization Department, and we can sit down and have a good gathering."

He glanced at the hospital bed, "Speaking of which, you are Su Qinghan's savior. If it weren't for you leading the team to support in time, the consequences would be unpredictable."

Police Chief Zhao Gang rubbed his hands, still wanting to decline.

"Go get busy. Some things, we have long days ahead to discuss slowly," Zhu Wenhao directly cut off his words, "Deputy Captain Qiao An of the Municipal Public Security Bureau Criminal Investigation Detachment has been arrested, and the position of deputy captain is vacant. If you handle this case beautifully, I will find an opportunity to mention it to Director Li, and your chances of moving up are very high."

Police Chief Zhao Gang had been grinding at the grassroots level for over a decade; a real-power deputy section-level position was a threshold that many people could not reach even if they waited forever.

He did not say another word of polite nonsense, clenched the card tightly in his palm, nodded heavily, turned around, and strode out of the ward.

The scene shifts to the Jiangnan Provincial Party Committee Compound.

Office Number One.

Secretary Lao Liguo sat behind a large desk, holding a pen, making instructions on an economic indicator analysis report.

Two rhythmic knocks came from outside the door.

"Come in." Secretary Lao Liguo did not even lift his head.

Director Qi Shan pushed the door and entered, his posture upright.

Secretary Lao Liguo put away his pen and closed the file, "You're here. Early this morning, my secretary briefed me, saying that you, the Director of the Anti-Gang Office, had an extremely urgent matter to find me about. Sit."

Director Qi Shan pulled out a chair and sat in the reporting seat opposite the desk.

"Secretary Lao, the anti-gang storm in Linjiang City has already entered a stage of intense confrontation," Director Qi Shan did not make polite small talk and went straight to the topic, "At three o'clock this morning, some gang-related personnel bribed an insider to sneak into the intensive care unit of the Municipal First People's Hospital, attempting to assassinate a staff member of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection!"

The peace on Secretary Lao Liguo's face disappeared instantly, and he slapped the table heavily, causing the teacup lid to clatter.

"Too rampant!"

"Simply lawless! To lay a vicious hand on a comrade in the discipline inspection front, this is completely disregarding the Party discipline and national laws!"

Secretary Lao Liguo raised his hand to stop Director Qi Shan from continuing.

He picked up the red phone on the desk and skillfully dialed a number.

"Comrade Secretary Chen, I am Secretary Lao Liguo of the Provincial Party Committee. Put down your work for now and come to my office. There is an emergency situation regarding your discipline inspection front that I need to brief you on."

After a few instructions, Secretary Lao Liguo hung up the phone.

He looked at Director Qi Shan, signaling him to continue.

"Secretary Lao, in addition to the assassination incident at Linjiang Hospital. The gang-related case of Jiangnan Red Star Machinery Factory, which our Provincial Public Security Department has upgraded for investigation, has also made breakthrough progress."

Director Qi Shan pulled a copy of the interrogation record from his briefcase and handed it over.

"Lei Zhenzi, the son of Secretary Lei Zhen of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission, has had his psychological defenses completely collapse after several rounds of interrogation. He has confessed everything."

"According to his confession, it was because during the Party School selection period, Secretary Zhu Tianhe sent Liu Xiaolei into the Discipline Inspection Commission, and he held a grudge. Thus, he used the social idlers in his hands, attempting to carry out personal retaliation against Zhu Wenhao."

"As for the asset loss case behind the Red Star Machinery Factory. The actual operator, Lei Dong, is currently on the run. However, the Provincial Public Security Department's Economic Crime Investigation Corps has already issued a seizure order for the shell company, Shengyuan Holdings, which acquired the Red Star Machinery Factory, and the accounts are being comprehensively audited."

Director Qi Shan summarized the progress of all fronts into a large net, "Currently, this case has attracted high attention from all parties. Under the coordination of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission and the Provincial Anti-Gang Office, relevant comrades from the Provincial Procuratorate and the Provincial High Court have already intervened in advance to ensure that the case is impregnable in judicial procedures."

With the Public Security, Procuratorate, and Court all intervening in advance, this was intended to make the case an ironclad, undeniable case.

Secretary Lao Liguo flipped through the interrogation records, his eyes lingering on the three characters "Lei Zhenzi" for a moment.

Secretary Lei Zhen's own son was actually involved in a major gang-related case; this was equivalent to delivering the handle on the Secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission directly into the hands of him, the top leader of the Provincial Party Committee.

"Well done." Secretary Lao Liguo closed the file and gave a very high evaluation, "To eliminate gangs and evil, one must have this kind of swift and decisive style. Continue to dig deep, do not be afraid of pulling up the radish and bringing out the mud. Follow the capital trail and the protective umbrella trail, and investigate to the end for me!"

He picked up his teacup and blew away the foam.

"If during the investigation process, anyone puts pressure on you, or comes to you under various banners to greet you or plead for mercy," Secretary Lao Liguo's gaze was sharp, "You don't need to pay attention, just come directly to me. The Provincial Party Committee is your solid backup."

With these words, Director Qi Shan had no more worries.

As the two were talking, the office door was pushed open.

Secretary Chen, the Secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, walked in hurriedly.

He glanced at Director Qi Shan and sensed that the atmosphere in the room was unusual.