Special Forces Medic-Chapter 731 - 698 High-Elastic Meeting (Part 1)

Yan Fengying's arrest was not something that Yao Zheng found particularly joyous; however, sitting comfortably in the center of the conference room, he appeared at ease. Today's gathering wasn't the usual political-economic meeting; instead, a few individuals sat at the excessively long other end, leaving one to wonder what was going through Yao Zheng's mind when designing this room. The tiered meeting style allowed him to retain a superior position, looking down on the others, much like the dragon sculpture inside the government building—perhaps an illusion of an emperor's dream, aiming in this era for that particular goal: the supreme leader, orchestrating the entire nation.

Yao Zheng was, in terms of history, quite uninformed. Although a university graduate, thus having brushed through history books, the sheer number of historical figures with failed ambitions for royalty left little impression except for the prominent Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who unified the six states—a figure dramatized in countless television adaptations. Other emperors, subsequent generations, merely signified continuous propagation under his unification of the nation.

Thus, when emulating historical admirers in modern society, the approach and methods too shift. Yao Zheng admired Emperor Qin Shi Huang, with the latter's cruelty and brutality being subtly concealed, maintaining the façade of a cultured addict. Occupying a high position, as if an earthly emperor, looking ahead, the five individuals across him seemed to pose little threat.

"In today's meeting, I want to inform you of the current North District crisis, hoping you can mentally prepare. Those willing to follow me, I guarantee your safety, and that of your families." Yao Zheng paused here, despite not minding Yan Fengying as a woman, subconsciously pairing her with Yan Juanjuan. "Of course, you also have the right to choose otherwise. Opting for self-preservation is acceptable as well. I, Yao Zheng, won't hold it against you."

At the opposite end, across four empty seats, everyone wore more or less the same expression: none. Yao Zheng indifferently accepted their silence. They were, respectively, Investigation Department Director Ji Weihua, Tax Bureau Director Xie Tianfang, Financial Director Yu Shuang, Planning Department Minister Shen Yixing, and lastly, Qi Sheng, a rather peculiar figure—a private contractor somewhat associated with the city government, whose presence in such meetings naturally sparked no objections. Someone didn't show up as expected, but another, surprisingly present, was among them—whom Yao Zheng discreetly scanned, taking a sip of his coffee.

Truthfully, it wasn't the time to demand any declarations; gathering them here served a singular purpose: Yao Zheng's intentions, clearly understood by the five below. Verbal commitments were inadequate for someone so deeply skeptical; even tangible demonstrations of loyalty would scarcely suffice for genuine credibility.

Yao Zheng was an exacting master, trusting no one but himself. Even those initially joining his alliance slowly transitioned into subordinates. The shift from wielding absolute power to watching it diminish seemed an organic progression, yet it inadvertently signaled a resonant internal alarm within Yao Zheng.

"The Municipal Party's first action was targeting the North Palace, with Yan Fengying now in their hands—a significant threat to us," Yao Zheng said from his leather chair. "Our immediate priority should be to outline any potential occurrences and then identify corresponding solutions."

"Regarding the discovery of corpses in the North Palace, I think we're overreacting a bit." The silence was broken by Qi Sheng, his hands on chair armrests, fingers interlocked—a signature gesture when speaking or pondering. Beneath his thick, dark hair, his lashes concealed his eyes, matching the color and texture of his hair. Yet, his temperament was surprisingly genial, contrary to the axiom associating hard hair with violent temper, which Qi Sheng subverted.

As he spoke, eyes turned towards him, awaiting his elaboration. "I surmise that the anxiety stems from disposing of certain things we shouldn't have, creating this self-induced fright. Yet, as I understand, the Party folks only retrieved fragments too indistinct for real threats. Even with advanced tech, reassembling those bones would take appreciable time. We have sufficient time; finding substitutes isn't impossible, especially with peripheral individuals abound, and finances hardly a concern."

Qi Sheng's view that financial issues are solvable simply with money indeed resonated, endearing him to Yao Zheng's wavelength—thus alleviating a third of his apprehension upon hearing Qi Sheng's breakdown of the North Palace corpse case.

"Those from the so-called Huaban haven't confronted District Chief Yao directly, proving they lack substantial evidence. Ji Weihua should have enough resources—death row inmates and fugitives abound. Such individuals typically dote on their parents. Soothing them should easily yield scapegoats, right?"

"Such methods have precedence, but these individuals are extremely devious. Dissatisfaction incites backlash—worsening the situation," Ji Weihua admitted, detecting Yao Zheng's tacit approval of Qi Sheng's suggestion, yet hesitant about ramifications. Internally anxious, succeeding was ideal, yet failure meant his own head would roll first. Qi Sheng pushing him to the guillotine—an investigation department head like him taking the brunt.

"The dead can't come after you for cash, right?" Qi Sheng chuckled. Praised as good-natured, few realized his heart was darker than most.

Ji Weihua glaring internally cursed himself—how could he have forgotten this flesh-eater. "They exist, yet your unfamiliarity with such individuals betrays their ruthlessness and fickleness. More critically, these people lack credibility. The North District Police Chief remains undecided—any case handled must be reported to the City Police Department for a final decision, my end merely processes it."(To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote, your support is my greatest motivation.)