Pu Jian and Ding Si entered the underground tunnel with the cooperation of Dingli Construction workers and came out shortly after. Pu Jian’s judgment was correct; below was a thief’s tunnel. The collapsed section was exactly the weakest part of the thief’s tunnel, and the discovery of the hot springs, followed by successive construction, caused the collapse, exposing the thief’s tunnel below. The thief’s tunnel led inward to the ancient cellar pool and extended outward to the outside of the distillery.

This evidence suggests that the thieves excavated from the outside, digging all the way to the bottom of the distillery’s ancient cellar pool. This tunnel is roughly more than forty meters long and has certainly existed for quite some time. The person who dug the tunnel was someone else.

They went outside to take a look. Based on the approximate direction, they judged that the starting point of the thief’s tunnel was the previous Yushu Restaurant, which is now flattened to the ground.

Xu Chunliang recalled when he first came to Weishan Island, there was a gas explosion at Yushu Restaurant. At that time, the chef Liu Haiyu was buried under the ruins and later narrowly escaped after many rescue efforts.

Later it was proven that Liu Haiyu had always used a fake identity and that the gas explosion incident was no accident but a retaliatory action carried out by two criminals from Da Hu Recycling Company of Weishan Island.

Xu Chunliang remembered that Liu Haiyu’s real name was Liu Manyi, and the two criminals were nicknamed Lao San and One-eyed Dragon. Both claimed that Liu Haiyu swallowed their treasure. Could the treasure have been excavated from beneath the distillery?

Combining the previous incidents, the whole narrative began to become clear.

Chen Qianfan initially targeted the distillery because of the things beneath it, estimating that this guy ought to know exactly what was down there.

The exposure of this tunnel was very timely. Although Xu Chunliang didn’t excavate the underground treasure, he could make something out of this incident.

That afternoon, Wei Hongquan, Section Chief of the Law Enforcement Supervision Division of Dongzhou’s Natural Resources Administration Bureau, hurried to Weishan Island.

This incident was related to the Natural Resources Administration Bureau, but all those arrested were from the Ecological Environment Construction Investment Group. Their boss He Xingjian is also a figure with deep background in Dongzhou. He Xingjian is extremely concerned about his reputation and will not sit idly by.

After arriving at Weishan Island, Wei Hongquan first went to the Hu Shan Town Police Station. By the time he arrived, eleven staff members had already finished their statements.

Yan Fangming’s group, of course, would not admit they were looting ancient relics under the guise of exploration. No one is a fool. Everyone knows that looting ancient relics is a criminal act.

Initially, Yan Fangming thought Hu Shan Town wouldn’t dare touch them. After being taken to the police station, all their communication tools were confiscated, and the officers questioned them one by one, only then realizing the situation had become somewhat serious.

The unluckiest was that Yan Fangming, who usually enjoyed collecting ancient jade, happened to be wearing two pieces of jade with unclear origins, which were also confiscated as stolen goods. The police station was thorough, not missing any possibilities, seizing all trinkets and accessories from the exploration team members with a simple reason: who knows whether these items were dug up from underground?

Nonetheless, Yan Fangming still believed the matter could be resolved quickly. When Wei Hongquan came to see him, Yan Fangming felt like he had met his savior, "Brother Wei, you finally came. Get us out of here. These people are too barbaric and completely unreasonable."

Wei Hongquan gave him a slight nod, as there were still police officers present. After consulting with the police station, they refused to let them meet privately, citing that Yan Fangming’s group was currently suspected of looting ancient relics. Under the supervision of police station instructor Zhao Hong, Wei Hongquan understood the entire incident from Yan Fangming.

Yan Fangming was very frustrated, believing this whole affair was a trap orchestrated by Xu Chunliang. From the beginning to end, they knew nothing about any ancient relics underground, and the accusation of looting was a baseless slander.

Wei Hongquan originally intended to bail them out first, but the police station indicated it was not possible. The matter had already been reported, and the city bureau had sent over personnel. Until the matter was investigated, they could not release Yan Fangming’s group.

Wei Hongquan could see that the police station had no real power, so taking advantage of the fact that they weren’t off duty yet, he hurried to the Hu Shan Town Government. According to Yan Fangming, the entire situation was caused by Deputy Town Mayor Xu Chunliang. He wanted to see the guy who dared to openly oppose the Natural Resources Administration Bureau and figure out where he came from.

The news that Xu Chunliang had led the Comprehensive Law Enforcement Office and the police station to enforce the law at the distillery and apprehended the exploration project personnel had reached Secretary Qin Zhengyang’s ears. Qin Zhengyang was mentally prepared for Xu Chunliang to stir up trouble, but he didn’t expect him to go this far at the start, linking it to looting ancient relics, which was a serious accusation. Legitimate citizens could not afford such a charge. This guy was really daring.

Qin Zhengyang sensed a storm approaching Weishan Island and now felt it was too late to retract his decision. It was he who handed the matter over to Xu Chunliang, and Xu Chunliang’s destructive power surpassed his imagination.

Xu Chunliang had already reported the distillery situation to the Dongzhou Cultural Relics Bureau. Leaders from the city cultural relics bureau took their discovery seriously and had arranged for experts and scholars to come for an inspection, reminding Xu Chunliang to ensure the protection of the relics site.

Led by Lv Aihe, the Director of the Comprehensive Office of Party and Government Affairs, to Xu Chunliang’s office, Wei Hongquan arrived as Xu Chunliang finished a phone call.

Lv Aihe introduced Wei Hongquan’s identity to him. Xu Chunliang had no intention of standing up, simply nodding at Wei Hongquan as a greeting: "Section Chief Wei, have a seat."

In his mind, Wei Hongquan thought this young man was quite arrogant. Although I’m a section-level cadre, I am still one level higher than an assistant section-level official, right? You won’t even stand up to greet me? The smaller the place, the more severe the bureaucracy.

Wei Hongquan sat down as Lv Aihe poured him a cup of water using a disposable cup.

Xu Chunliang asked, "Section Chief Wei, what’s the matter?"

Wei Hongquan said, "It’s like this. I heard that Town Mayor Xu went to the distillery hot spring exploration site to enforce the law today, detained our eleven staff members, and confiscated all their exploration tools."

Xu Chunliang said, "So those eleven suspects are your people."

Wei Hongquan froze for a moment, "What do you mean by that?"

Xu Chunliang said, "Haven’t you looked into the situation? Those eleven people are now suspected of using exploration as a front to loot ancient relics."

Wei Hongquan asked, "Town Mayor Xu, what evidence do you have to say they are looting ancient relics?"

Xu Chunliang said, "First, tell me whether they are from the Natural Resources Administration Bureau?"

Wei Hongquan blinked. This was a bit tricky to answer. Xu Chunliang firmly alleged that all eleven people were suspects. If he said yes, it would implicate the Natural Resources Administration Bureau. After some consideration, he replied, "Their workplace is the Ecological Environment Construction Investment Group, but their current exploration is approved by our Natural Resources Administration Bureau..."

Xu Chunliang unceremoniously interrupted him, "So, they aren’t your department’s personnel. In that case, I advise you not to get involved. These people are no good, likely engaging in illegal activities under your banner. Of course, I believe you were definitely deceived and should be unaware of their illegal activities."

Wei Hongquan was somewhat at a loss over whether to cry or laugh. How could they possibly not know? He sighed and said, "Town Mayor Xu, I think you’ve got it wrong. They couldn’t be looting relics; it’s purely a case of them coincidentally being on-site."

"Are you willing to guarantee for them? Can you take responsibility for this matter?"

Wei Hongquan was stumped by Xu Chunliang’s question. There’s always the possibility of a slight chance. He didn’t want to be responsible and neither did he have the qualification to be responsible. In the Natural Resources Administration Bureau, he was just a small section-level cadre, and today he was just exploring the situation.

Xu Chunliang said, "An underground tunnel was found at their exploration site, leading to beneath the distillery’s ancient cellar pool. The relics there have been completely looted. Experts from the Cultural Relics Bureau are on their way, and forensic experts from the city bureau have also been dispatched. This could very well turn out to be the largest relic looting case in Dongzhou in recent years. Section Chief Wei, for the sake of the Natural Resources Administration Bureau’s reputation, I suggest you don’t get involved.

Wei Hongquan hadn’t expected the nature of this matter to be so serious. Just as he was about to ask more, the task force personnel sent by the city bureau arrived.

This time it was Lu Qi and Li Zhong who came. Their involvement was due to the fact that the two criminals apprehended in last year’s Da Hu Recycling Company case might be related to this incident. And the previous case was handled by them, all attributed to the efforts of Xu Chunliang, the unsung hero behind the scenes.

Although they were friends, they conducted official duties when at work.

Xu Chunliang rose with a friendly smile to greet them: "Officer Lu, Officer Li, what brings you here?"

Wei Hongquan hadn’t left yet. Sitting there, he observed Xu Chunliang’s welcoming demeanor, silently cursing, "Look at him, all smiles for them. Why is he so cold toward me? Is our Natural Resources Administration Bureau inferior to the Public Security Bureau by a notch? But indeed, their department holds little presence before the Public Security Bureau."

Lu Qi said, "Town Mayor Xu, we came specifically to understand the situation."

Xu Chunliang said, "We’re also clueless. So, upon discovering criminal activities, we reported them to the city bureau at the first opportunity. The crime scene is currently secured, and all suspects have been apprehended, temporarily held at the town police station."

Li Zhong said, "Our bureau sent us to handle this case. We suspect that it might be linked to last year’s relic smuggling case."

Xu Chunliang said, "You came at the right time. This is Wei Hongquan, Section Chief of the Law Enforcement Supervision Division of the Natural Resources Administration Bureau. He came here to demand the immediate release of the eleven suspects."