319: Chapter 319 Ye Qingcheng's Countermeasures: Luring the Enemy into a Trap (Part 1)

"Director Xu, look, since Li Bing wants to interrogate Huang Hansheng, let him. We'll just beat him at his own game and follow this lead. Maybe we can even root out Boss Lei's hiding place." A playful smile curled at the corner of Ye Qingcheng's mouth.

Xu Anguo replied, "I was thinking the same thing. However, are you sure that old fellow Huang Hansheng won't flip on us again?"

Ye Qingcheng smiled confidently and shook her head. "Don't worry, Director Xu. Huang Hansheng is concerned about his wife and son. He saw what happened to Chen Mo and Zhang Min, and he's worried Boss Lei will target his own son. Therefore, his only choice is to cooperate with our plan."

Xu Anguo pondered for a moment before responding, "Alright. We'll do as you say. However, I must remind you of a few things. Li Bing is a meticulous man. You shouldn't overact when releasing Huang Hansheng, lest you arouse his suspicion."

"Don't worry, Director Xu, I know what to do." Having said that, Ye Qingcheng changed the subject and asked, "By the way, Director Xu, regarding the lip-reading expert Director Shen Zhendong found, Professor Chen Qingjun—you know him, right?"

"Oh, Professor Chen? Of course I know him. Speaking of which, many of our comrades in the Security Bureau graduated from Modu Public Security University. If there's a chance in the future, we should invite Professor Chen to give us some lectures to improve the hard power of our Security Bureau team."

"Yes, Professor Chen certainly has real skill. To be able to read what was said just from Li Bing's lip movements is truly impressive."

"Indeed. Is Professor Chen still with you? He's done us such a big favor; we really should thank him properly."

"Professor Chen has already left. I offered to see him off, but he insisted otherwise. By the way, Director Xu, how much do you know about Professor Chen's family background?"

Xu Anguo laughed heartily. "It seems you already know that Professor Chen is from the Taiji Chen Family in the Capital?"

Ye Qingcheng was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "Director, you knew all along?"

"Yes, members of these Ancient Martial Arts Families are all registered. Every birth and death is recorded. If I remember correctly, Professor Chen should be a Late-stage Anjin Martial Artist. However, he cut ties with the Taiji Chen Family years ago; he's considered a branch of the Chen family in Modu."

"Oh, Professor Chen did mention it briefly, but he didn't go into the details of the hidden circumstances."

"Well, I'm not very clear on the specifics either. However, I heard that when Professor Chen left the Chen family back then, it wasn't on very pleasant terms with the clan. There should be records within the Security Bureau. But after all, this is the Chen family's private business; unless necessary, it's best we don't go poking around on our own initiative."

"Yes, I understand." Although Ye Qingcheng was curious about why Chen Qingjun left the Chen family, she didn't intend to pry. Thus, she proactively shifted the topic to Qin Yi, continuing, "By the way, Director, there's one more thing. Today, Professor Chen and Qin Yi had a match at the Modu University stadium. I've discovered that kid Qin Yi is hiding quite a few secrets..."

Subsequently, Ye Qingcheng gave a detailed report to Xu Anguo about the battle between Qin Yi and Chen Qingjun.

After listening, Xu Anguo's eyes were full of joy and curiosity. "Divine Movement Hundred Changes... Basic Body Forging Art... and even fighting to a standstill with Professor Chen, who is in Late-stage Anjin. Just how many secrets is this kid hiding?"

Sensing the approval in Director Xu's tone, Ye Qingcheng also replied with a smile, "Yes. Qin Yi always seems to give us some surprises. Also, from what I gathered from Qin Yi today, the Basic Body Forging Art he created should be something anyone can practice. Moreover, from my observation, he has no intention of keeping it to himself. I'm thinking that after he returns from the Southwest, we should arrange for some people to learn this Basic Body Forging Art from him."

"That's fine. As long as Qin Yi is willing." Saying that, Xu Anguo checked the time and proactively ended the conversation with Ye Qingcheng. "Alright, it's about time; I should return Li Bing's call. Remember to remind Huang Hansheng again not to let anything slip."

"Alright, Director Xu. Goodbye then." After saying that, Ye Qingcheng hung up the phone.

After ending the call with Ye Qingcheng, Xu Anguo immediately dialed Li Bing's number.

Li Bing sat in his car, staring at his phone screen with a nervous heart. As soon as the phone rang, he answered it almost as a reflex.

Before Xu Anguo could even speak, Li Bing impatiently inquired, "Director Xu, did Captain Ye agree?"

On the other end of the line, Xu Anguo feigned displeasure and said in a deep voice, "Old Li, look at how old you are, yet you're still so impatient."

Hearing Xu Anguo's tone, Li Bing's heart skipped a beat. He thought to himself: This Ye Qingcheng is truly capable, even daring to offend Director Xu. He replied with a forced smile, "Oh, Director Xu, please don't be angry. I'm just concerned about the case. Is it that Captain Ye isn't cooperating?"

Xu Anguo sighed and said slowly, "I've already communicated your request to Qingcheng. In principle, she disagrees. You have to understand her difficulties. The organization seconded Qingcheng from the army to the Security Bureau and specifically established the Special Operations Department for her to lead. I don't think I need to say more about what that signifies, right? Now, such a major incident has occurred in the Modu Branch under your jurisdiction. If it isn't handled well, it will be a stain on Comrade Ye Qingcheng's record."

Hearing this, Li Bing nodded repeatedly and replied insincerely, "Yes, yes, Director Xu, I understand. It's just that the responsibility for these consequences might not necessarily lie with Deputy Director Huang. If we don't investigate the truth clearly, how can we convince the public? We can't just wrong our own comrade and let Comrade Huang Hansheng take the fall because we're afraid of her Ye family, can we?"

Xu Anguo's voice suddenly rose a few notches. "What are you saying, Li Bing?! When did I ever say I'd let Huang Hansheng take the fall?!"

"Director Xu, please don't be angry. I was being loose-lipped. It's just that I also ask you to understand my difficulties. As the Director and top leader of the Modu Branch, when something goes wrong with my subordinates, I can't even secure the right to investigate. How am I supposed to lead my troops in the future? If that's really the case, then what's the point of me being Director? I might as well vacate the position early to make way for young comrades like Ye Qingcheng."

Xu Anguo naturally knew what Li Bing meant by those words. Seeing that the timing was about right, he took a deep breath and, looking like he was weary, replied, "Enough! Stop complaining to me. Ye Qingcheng has already agreed to your request to interrogate Comrade Huang Hansheng. However, she also has requirements: comrades from the Special Operations Department must accompany the process throughout, and during the cooperation with the investigation, Comrade Huang Hansheng's duties are suspended, and he is not allowed to leave the Modu Branch. This is the best result I could get for you. If you don't agree, then find a way yourself!"

Upon hearing this, Li Bing was overjoyed. The gloom on his face vanished instantly, and he hurriedly replied, "No, no, I agree. How could I not? Director Xu, don't worry, I guarantee I will find out the truth and never let our own comrade shed blood and sweat only to shed tears as well!"

"Enough! No need for platitudes. Report to me whether Comrade Huang Hansheng was framed once you have the investigation results! I only have one requirement: the investigation results must be solid; do not report any ambiguous results! Understand?"

"Understood, Director Xu, don't worry. I'll handle this case personally and make sure the investigation results are solid!" Li Bing promised solemnly.

"Fine! You can coordinate the specifics with Ye Qingcheng yourself. That's all. None of you are making things easy..." After saying that, without waiting for Li Bing to say anything else, Xu Anguo hung up the phone.

Li Bing took the phone away from his ear, the smile on his face growing wider. Now that he had settled Ye Qingcheng, only the matter of that bank card remained. He calculated that as long as he handled the transaction details for that bank card, Huang Hansheng's matter would be completely resolved. His position as the Director of the Modu Branch would then be secure.

Thinking this way, Li Bing took a deep breath and was about to dial that mysterious number again when, unexpectedly, the phone screen lit up. The mysterious caller had beaten him to it.

Once the call connected, Li Bing lowered his voice and said, "I was just about to call you. How is the bank card matter going?"

Zhang Yu replied, "The higher-ups have already spoken with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Authorization will not be provided to the Dragon Country. However, the transaction history can be given to you. Don't worry, the transaction history has been processed; there won't be a single clue of Deputy Director Huang's illegal or disciplinary violations."

The heavy stone in Li Bing's heart finally fell. "That's good. That way, there shouldn't be any major problems on Huang Hansheng's end. We can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

Zhang Yu, however, was not so relaxed. His voice turned grim. "Hurry up; the higher-ups don't have much patience. Time is tight, and the higher-ups won't wait much longer. Whether Zhang Min is dead or not, how she died, and whether she leaked anything before she died—Huang Hansheng must explain all of this clearly! Also, tell him that if he wants his son to be safe and sound in Australia, he'd better think carefully before he speaks—know what can be said and what cannot!"

"I understand. Don't worry, I'll convey the words exactly as they were. There won't be any mistakes."

"Good. Let's leave it at that for now. Contact me when there's progress." After Zhang Yu finished speaking, he hung up the phone decisively without waiting for Li Bing's response.

With everything settled, Li Bing also relaxed. As for calling Ye Qingcheng, there was no rush. After all, the evidence regarding Huang Hansheng had already been replaced by him; he figured Ye Qingcheng wouldn't be able to make any waves. Thus, after slightly composing himself, Li Bing opened the car door, stepped out, and walked toward the office building.

...

Meanwhile, Ye Qingcheng drove slowly into the underground Safe House, her headlights carving a bright trail in the dim passage. She was mentally calculating that before "releasing" Huang Hansheng back to the Modu Branch, there were some key words she had to make clear to him.

Just as she stepped into the Safe House, Han Hao's figure sprang up, and he quickly reported to her, "Captain Ye, while you were away, Director Li Bing secretly returned to his car and made two or three phone calls. I've already carefully processed the surveillance footage. Would you like to take a look first?"

Ye Qingcheng's eyebrows twitched slightly, and a flash of approval showed in her eyes. She walked quickly to Han Hao's side, glanced through the surveillance footage, then patted Han Hao's shoulder with a tone of affirmation and encouragement. "Good job, Little Han. Send the video to me first; I'll take a close look. I've already had the previous video analyzed by a lip-reading expert. This Li Bing indeed has major problems and likely has significant ties to Hongmen."

"Yes, Captain Ye, I'll send it to you right away." As Han Hao spoke, his hands didn't stop moving, and soon, two processed videos were sent to Ye Qingcheng.

"Received. Continue to keep an eye on the Modu Branch, especially Li Bing's every move. Report any unusual activity to me immediately."

"Yes, Captain Ye."

Subsequently, Ye Qingcheng turned and walked with firm steps toward the detention room where Huang Hansheng was being held.

The door to the detention room creaked open from the outside. Huang Hansheng stood up immediately as if launched by a spring, looking at the newcomer with tension and alertness, a flash of unease in his eyes.

"Deputy Director Huang, don't be so nervous. It's me, Ye Qingcheng." Ye Qingcheng walked in casually with a relaxed smile on her face.

Huang Hansheng breathed a secret sigh of relief, but his tone was still somewhat apprehensive. "Captain Ye, what's the situation? What's the state of things outside?"

"The branch already sent people to your house. Your wife didn't have time to leave. However, there are now specialized personnel with her, so there's no need to worry about her safety." Ye Qingcheng's tone was calm, which helped ease Huang Hansheng's tension.

"That's good, that's good." Huang Hansheng sighed softly, his brow relaxing slightly, but the worry in his eyes did not completely dissipate.

"However, there's something I must tell you. The branch searched your house and found some materials marked as top secret, as well as a bank card. These things should be in Director Li's hands by now."

Upon hearing this, Huang Hansheng's eyes dimmed slightly, but he didn't seem too surprised. He had already confessed these things to Ye Qingcheng before; he just didn't know why she was bringing them up again now.

Seeing that Huang Hansheng didn't respond, Ye Qingcheng tapped on her phone, pulled up the previous video, and handed it to Huang Hansheng. "Look at this. Director Li still thinks very highly of you as his subordinate. He's made quite a few calls for your sake..."

Huang Hansheng looked at the video and then at Ye Qingcheng, his gaze full of incomprehension. He asked in confusion, "Captain Ye, what does this mean?"

Ye Qingcheng took back the phone, her gaze turning solemn. "I've already had an expert who understands lip reading look at this video. Director Li is under heavy suspicion. If I'm not mistaken, he should have also been corrupted by Hongmen."

"What? Director Li? This... this is impossible, right?" Huang Hansheng's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. Li Bing was the top leader of the Modu Branch, a Class III Police Commissioner! No matter how capable Hongmen was, they couldn't easily corrupt a department-level official.

"You certainly trust Director Li Bing's character. However, whether he has been corrupted and is working for Hongmen will become clear once you see him."

"Uh, Captain Ye, do you mean I can leave?"

Ye Qingcheng nodded and explained, "Exactly. Just as I expected, there's someone in the Modu Branch who doesn't want you in the hands of the Special Operations Department. And that person, in all probability, is Li Bing."

Knowing the gravity of the matter, Huang Hansheng pondered for a moment before nodding in response. "I... I know what to do."

"Good."

Subsequently, Ye Qingcheng briefed Huang Hansheng on some matters to watch out for next.

...

Meanwhile, in a corner of the Modu University library, Shen Jianan and Qin Yi sat opposite each other. Shen Jianan lowered her voice and explained Ye Qingcheng's entire plan to Qin Yi.

After listening, Qin Yi frowned slightly and responded noncommittally, "The plan is quite thorough. But even if the traitor hidden in the Security Bureau is found, it doesn't necessarily mean we can follow the trail to find where that Boss Lei is hiding. Moreover, what if Huang Hansheng flips? Wouldn't it all be for nothing?"

"Mm," Shen Jianan nodded gently upon hearing this. She also understood that Qin Yi's concerns were not unfounded. But at the thought that this was Ye Qingcheng's plan, a firm light flashed in her eyes. "You're right, those risks do exist. However, since Sister Qingcheng decided this, she must have her reasons. I think we should trust Sister Qingcheng."

Qin Yi looked at the firm gaze in Shen Jianan's eyes and couldn't help but smile, teasing, "You certainly trust her; you're practically becoming her 'little fangirl.'"

Shen Jianan was amused by Qin Yi's words. She blinked playfully and replied, "Of course! Sister Qingcheng is my idol. Do you know? She's done so many earth-shattering things in the past. Let me tell you..." Saying that, Shen Jianan simply began to tell Qin Yi about Ye Qingcheng's past experiences as she knew them, adding a bit of flair to the stories.