318: Chapter 318 Li Bing's Deceptive Substitution

Hearing the sudden System notification, Qin Yi felt a surge of joy, and a smug smile unconsciously curled at the corners of his mouth.

Teasing Shen Jianan had just been a whim, but he hadn't expected to complete the task of increasing her favorability so easily.

He was secretly proud, but he suppressed the urge to immediately draw a prize. Stepping quickly to a corner, he pulled out a chair and sat down with a bold, commanding posture, a faint trace of hidden cunning on his face.

Seeing that Qin Yi had no intention of paying attention to her, Shen Jianan couldn't help but feel a small pang of disappointment.

She pursed her lips, a flash of mock reproach in her eyes, and whispered a complaint to him, "Qin Yi, don't you know how to pull out a chair for me? Honestly, you're not a gentleman at all." As she spoke, she deliberately stomped her foot to show her dissatisfaction.

Qin Yi's heart skipped a beat as he thought to himself that this was bad.

Now that the System task was complete, Qin Yi didn't dare to provoke Shen Jianan further. After all, she was the goddess in his brother Ye Ziming's heart. If he really "pushed" her, how could he face Ye Ziming?

At this thought, Qin Yi immediately returned to his previous nonchalant attitude toward Shen Jianan. He gave a helpless smile and shrugged, responding, "Officer Shen, this isn't a dinner date; why talk about gentlemanly manners? Besides, Officer Shen has always been someone who doesn't sweat the small stuff. Since when did you develop such a 'girly' temperament?"

“Hmph~” Shen Jianan was so angry her cheeks puffed out. She gave Qin Yi a sharp, annoyed glare, let out a huff, and then angrily pulled out the chair herself. She sat opposite Qin Yi, her eyes filled with a bit of a sulky mood.

Seeing this, Qin Yi was secretly amused but kept a straight face. He glanced around and, seeing that no one was paying attention to them, cleared his throat and got straight to the point. "Officer Shen, tell me about Captain Ye's next plan. We have serious business to attend to."

At the mention of the case, Shen Jianan's expression immediately turned serious. She set her small emotions aside and said solemnly, "It's like this: after Captain Ye returned to the Security Bureau last night..."

She then gave Qin Yi a brief and clear account of the situation after Ye Qingcheng returned to the Safe House, as well as their investigation at Hongtai Construction today.

...

At the same time, Ye Qingcheng was steadily driving toward the Security Bureau Modu Branch.

Professor Chen Qingjun sat in the passenger seat, gripping a mobile phone tightly. His eyes were glued to the video on the screen, his expression intensely focused.

As the face in the video gradually became clear, Professor Chen Qingjun's heart jolted, and a look of unbelievable shock instantly appeared on his face. He recognized the man in the video; it was the head of the Security Bureau Modu Branch, Director Li Bing.

Professor Chen Qingjun quickly turned his head toward Ye Qingcheng and asked, "Captain Ye, may I ask if this Li Bing has done something illegal or violated discipline?"

Ye Qingcheng hadn't expected Professor Chen Qingjun to actually know Li Bing.

She was slightly stunned for a moment, then pressed the hazard lights, lightly stepped on the brakes, and slowly pulled the car over to the side of the road. She then turned to look at Professor Chen Qingjun and asked in return, "Professor Chen, you know Director Li Bing?"

Professor Chen Qingjun nodded with a complex expression and explained, "Li Bing and I are alumni; I was a few years ahead of him. After starting work, we've had some interactions. Of course, Captain Ye, don't misunderstand—I'm just curious why you're investigating Li Bing. If it's inconvenient to say, just act like I didn't ask."

Ye Qingcheng nodded and replied, "Professor Chen, I'm truly sorry, but the case is currently in a confidential stage. According to organizational principles, it is indeed inconvenient for me to reveal too much. I hope you can understand."

Hearing this, Professor Chen Qingjun didn't press further. Instead, he turned back, his gaze falling once more on the mobile video. He pondered for a moment and then asked, "Captain Ye, do you have a pen and paper?"

"I have them," Ye Qingcheng said, reaching into the center console to take out a pen and paper and handing them to Professor Chen Qingjun. At the same time, she asked with concern, "Professor Chen, is the video clear enough? Should I have the technicians enlarge the lip details before you analyze it?"

Professor Chen Qingjun waved it off, saying, "No need for that much trouble; this video is enough. Give me fifteen minutes." After saying that, he began to watch the video frame by frame, his hand holding the pen moving continuously as he scribbled on the paper.

Seeing this, Ye Qingcheng stopped interrupting and sat quietly by his side, waiting for Professor Chen Qingjun's final results.

...

Meanwhile, the personnel who went to search Huang Hansheng's home also returned to the Modu Branch.

The male officer leading the team held a stack of top-secret documents and the bank card found in the suitcase lining with both hands, carefully placing them on Li Bing's desk.

Then, with a solemn expression, he reported, "Director Li, regarding Deputy Director Huang Hansheng's wife, we've already arranged for people to watch her 24 hours a day. However, without Deputy Director Huang Hansheng's confession, it's difficult for us to proceed with the next step of our work. What do you think we should do?"

Li Bing's brow furrowed, a flash of anxiety in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "I understand. Leave these materials with me for now. When Captain Ye returns, I'll communicate with her first. If she still won't release him, then we'll have to go to Director Xu at the General Bureau."

"Then Director Li, I'll take my leave first," the male officer said respectfully, turning to leave.

"Mm, good work," Li Bing nodded, then suddenly changed the subject. "By the way, how much of these documents did you read?"

The male officer's back went cold, and cold sweat broke out as he hurriedly explained, "Uh, not much. As soon as I saw the 'Top Secret' label on them, I didn't dare look any deeper."

"That's good. You may go." Li Bing nodded slightly, indicating he could leave. The male officer breathed a secret sigh of relief and hurriedly left Li Bing's office.

After the officer left, Li Bing stood up, walked quickly to the door, and locked it. He opened his desk drawer and took out a stack of documents he had prepared long ago, replacing the top-secret materials in the file bag. Of course, he didn't replace everything; he kept two insignificant files on officials at the front and back as a cover.

After completing the swap, Li Bing quickly scanned the top-secret documents, learning just how much Huang Hansheng had done behind the scenes for Hongmen over the years. Then, without hesitation, he fed all those top-secret documents into the shredder, watching them turn into scraps.

Having done all this, Li Bing's gaze fell on the bank card. He rubbed his temples, his brow tightly knit, looking quite troubled. This bank card was undoubtedly an important clue, but how to handle it was proving to be a bit tricky.

After a moment of thought, Li Bing picked up the phone on his desk and dialed the number for the technical department. The call went through quickly, and he immediately asked, "How is the investigation into that bank card going?"

On the other end, the head of the technical department responded immediately, "Reporting to Director Li, it has been confirmed that the bank card belongs to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and the account holder is Huang Qiang, the son of Deputy Director Huang Hansheng. However, the transaction details require authorization from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. We have already contacted them and are waiting for their review and reply."

"Good. I understand. Keep following up," Li Bing instructed.

"Yes, Director Li," the head of the technical department replied.

Li Bing hung up the phone and locked the file folder in his drawer. Then, he took the bank card, left his office, and walked quickly toward the branch courtyard, calculating his next step in his mind.

After getting into his car, Li Bing immediately dialed that mysterious number.

The call was connected almost instantly, and Zhang Yu's voice came through low and powerful: "Director Li, how is progress?"

Li Bing took a deep breath and responded steadily, "I've already handled those documents, leaving two unimportant ones inside. Otherwise, that girl Ye Qingcheng would definitely be suspicious."

"Very good. Director Li's efficiency is as high as ever," Zhang Yu's voice carried a hint of praise.

Li Bing, however, frowned slightly, his tone carrying a bit of helplessness: "However, you notified me a bit late about the bank card investigation. The technical department has already started looking into it. If we want to stop it, I'm afraid you guys will have to step in."

Hearing this, Zhang Yu's brow furrowed as he asked in a deep voice, "Tell me, what do you need me to do?"

Li Bing pondered for a moment and said slowly, "To check the bank card's transaction details, they need authorization from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. You guys need to find a way to intervene and interfere. You just need to make the transaction details look reasonable, enough to clear Huang Hansheng of the suspicion of taking bribes. But you have to move fast; once the technical department gets the transaction details, Huang Hansheng will be truly finished."

"Fine, I understand. I'll report to the higher-ups as soon as possible and find a way to handle this." With that, Zhang Yu hung up the phone directly.

Holding his phone, Li Bing felt a mix of emotions. He hesitated for a while, feeling very conflicted, unsure if it was appropriate to call Xu Anguo at the General Bureau at this time. After all, this matter involved too many sensitive things; one wrong move could drag him down too.

However, at the thought that Huang Hansheng was still in Ye Qingcheng's hands, which meant more danger for himself, Li Bing decided to take the risk. He took a deep breath and dialed Xu Anguo's number.

...

However, at this moment, Xu Anguo was on the phone with Ye Qingcheng.

Listening to Ye Qingcheng's report, Xu Anguo's brow had already furrowed into a deep frown, his face full of displeasure. He said in a deep voice, "I really didn't expect Hongmen's reach to be so long. Not just Huang Hansheng, but even Li Bing, the main director, has been corrupted!"

Ye Qingcheng, however, responded calmly, "Director Xu, I suggest not moving against Li Bing for the time being. Li Bing is the top leader of the Modu Branch. Since Hongmen has already contacted Li Bing, it shows they have no other options. If we cut off the line to Li Bing, following up further might be very troublesome."

Hearing Ye Qingcheng's suggestion, Xu Anguo's brow relaxed slightly. He nodded and continued, "You're right. I just don't know who is contacting Li Bing. Can Han Hao find out anything over there?"

Ye Qingcheng shook her head and said, "No leads yet. However, I suspect it's very likely Zhang Yu! Now, of the Hongmen Darknet Four, only Zhang Yu remains missing. The only person Boss Lei can still remotely command is Zhang Yu."

Xu Anguo also nodded in agreement with Ye Qingcheng's analysis. However, just as he was about to speak, his phone started beeping. He brought it to his face and saw it was actually Li Bing calling.

"Speak of the devil. Li Bing is calling me."

The corners of Ye Qingcheng's mouth turned up in a sly smile as she replied, "It seems Director Li can't sit still anymore."

Xu Anguo smiled and said, "I'll see what kind of tricks he's trying to pull first, then we'll talk." With that, he hung up his call with Ye Qingcheng and answered Li Bing's call.

"Director Xu, are you busy?" As soon as the call connected, Li Bing's voice came through, sounding exceptionally eager to please.

Xu Anguo's face darkened, and his tone carried a hint of displeasure as he responded, "Director Li! You've finally remembered to call me. Tell me, what exactly is going on with Huang Hansheng? What is his relationship with Hongmen?"

Li Bing naturally heard Xu Anguo's displeasure. The smile on his face froze, looking slightly awkward as he hurried to explain, "Uh, Director Xu, this case is still under investigation. There's no evidence yet to show that Comrade Huang Hansheng was bought off by Hongmen. Have you received some kind of news?"

"Stop beating around the bush with me!" Xu Anguo let out a cold snort and continued, "Qingcheng already reported everything from last night to me. As a deputy director, Huang Hansheng bypassed the special operations team and went to the underground Safe House privately; that itself is against the rules. Moreover, he forcibly met with the suspect, leading to the suspect's death. And you're still here telling me there's no evidence?"

Hearing this, Li Bing hurriedly continued to explain, "Director, listen to me. What you're saying is all Captain Ye's side of the story; there's no solid proof. I've also seen the autopsy report. Comrade Huang Hansheng met with the criminal suspect in the early morning, but the suspect's time of death was in the morning, nearly four or five hours later. We can't say Deputy Director Huang killed the person just because he saw the suspect before they died, right?"

Xu Anguo raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean? Are you saying Qingcheng's judgment is wrong?"

"Director, Captain Ye is a rare talent in our Security Bureau; naturally, I'm not questioning her. It's just that Deputy Director Huang Hansheng is also a veteran of our Security Bureau. If we wrong Deputy Director Huang without hard evidence and other comrades in the bureau find out, wouldn't it be disheartening?"

Xu Anguo pondered for a moment, his tone softening slightly as he continued to ask, "So? What do you plan to do?"

Li Bing took the opportunity to say, "Director, it's like this. I've already arranged for a search of Deputy Director Huang's home and found some things. However, some situations still need to be verified with Deputy Director Huang, but he's currently still being held in the Safe House by Captain Ye. This seriously affects our follow-up investigation work. So, I'd like to ask you to step in, Director, and hand the investigation of Deputy Director Huang over to our Modu Branch."

Hearing this, a cold smile curled on Xu Anguo's lips as he said, "Old Li, I'm afraid I can't help you with this. Setting aside whether Comrade Huang Hansheng has problems or not, the suspect's death is a fact, right? Only Comrade Huang Hansheng went to see her before she died. Even if there's no direct evidence, his suspicion is not small. Furthermore, you probably know Ye Qingcheng's temper by now. Unless you can produce evidence, I can't help you with this."

Li Bing, hearing this, feigned helplessness and said, "Director, if you're unwilling to help, then I can't continue with Deputy Director Huang's case. Otherwise, you might as well remove me from my post."

Xu Anguo snorted and said angrily, "Li Bing! Are you trying to checkmate me?"

Li Bing hurriedly denied it, his tone carrying a hint of complaint and helplessness: "Oh, my dear Director, how would I dare to checkmate you? It's truly a case of trying to cook without rice. Captain Ye is so forceful she won't even let us see Deputy Director Huang. Tell me, how are we supposed to investigate the case like this?"

Hearing Li Bing say this, a playful smile appeared at the corners of Xu Anguo's mouth. He pretended to be conflicted and responded, "Fine! Stop complaining. After all, the incident happened at your Modu Branch. I'll help you communicate with Qingcheng, but you must hurry with the investigation. You know the Ye family's background; if she gets annoyed over Comrade Huang Hansheng's matter and brings Elder Ye over, neither you nor I will have any peace."

Hearing this, Li Bing hurriedly said gratefully, "Yes, yes, yes, Director Xu, please rest assured. Thank you for your support of our Modu Branch's work. I will definitely hurry with the investigation!"

"Alright, wait for my call." With that, Xu Anguo hung up the phone.

Having received the promise, Li Bing's originally tense mood relaxed a bit. At least, from the call with Director Xu just now, it sounded like while Director Xu was very dissatisfied with his work, he hadn't yet reached the point of suspecting him.

And while Li Bing was secretly rejoicing, Xu Anguo and Ye Qingcheng also reached a consensus over the phone.