<h4>Chapter 1202: Chapter 1209: The Elder General in Critical Condition (1)</h4>


    Under the pressure of Qiao Zhen’s influence, the police chief ultimately chose the former option. As Qiao Zhen said, although he had retired, his influence remained, and dealing with a police chief was a trivial matter for him.


    "Very good." Qiao Zhen was pleased with the decision and nodded, "This time solving a major case will greatly benefit your career. You should seize this opportunity. If you handle this matter well, you might rise even further."


    Hearing this, a glimmer of hope shed in the police chief’s eyes. Having been in the system for so long, he naturally understood the implication behind Qiao Zhen’s words. Initially thinking he was finished, Qiao Zhen had closed one door for him but opened a window. If he did well and got Qiao Zhen to maneuver for him, his chances of promotion would increase greatly. As for Hong Wei... he was just a small figure, forced into it this time; presumably, Hong Wei wouldn’t hold it against him.


    Thinking of this, he immediately arranged for someone to notify the media and prepare for a news conference.


    ng!


    With a sharp sound, a ss goblet shattered into pieces.


    In a luxurious vi, Hong Wei sat on the sofa, watching the news conference broadcast on TV, his face stern and eyes filled with barely concealed anger.


    "Mr. Hong," the butler standing behind the sofa asked, "Is there anything I need to do?"


    Hong Wei took a deep breath, gradually calming his furious emotions. He nced at the maid beside him and pointed to the wine ss on the table. Thetter understood, refilled a ss of wine and handed it to Hong Wei. Taking the wine ss, Hong Wei swirled it gently, watching the red wine ripple, his tone indifferent as he said, "This time, it’s my fault. I underestimated Ling Chen."


    "What does sir n to do?"


    Hong Wei took a sip of red wine, watching the images on the TV, and said, "Do nothing. Since this encounter is lost, there’s no need to continue shing hard; it’s not worth it. Butler, tell Yang Xun to take the fall for this. I’ll take care of his family. If he dares to reveal anything about me, he knows the consequences."


    "Yes, I know what to do."


    "Also..." Hong Wei pointed at an elderly man in military uniform on the TV and asked, "You’re most familiar with the major figures in Beijing, do you know who he is? I’ve never seen him before."


    "His name is Qiao Zhen, a recently retired General from the military who now holds a nominal post, living out his retirement in the military districtpound."


    "Retirement? Hmph! At such an age yet still stirring trouble. He’s tired of living, I see." Pausing, Hong Wei pondered for a while and then spoke, "Do you know his background?"


    "I’m not very sure, there’s not much information about him. I suspect he was in charge of a secret department, only such people wouldn’t have too many records in the files. And although he’s retired, his high military rank indicates his important status. Mr. Hong, I believe we shouldn’t provoke him; after all, he’s a veteran of the military, and our rtions with the military aren’t very strong. Once the linits are crossed, the military people definitely won’t stand idly by."


    Hong Wei nodded, agreeing, "You analyze well. Indeed, we cannot offend the military. But, if this old man using his influence in the military insists on bothering me, what should I do? Must I let him bully me?"


    "I think we don’t need to worry too much. Though Qiao Zhen is military personnel, this matter should be handled by the police. Qiao Zhen has already overstepped, and I believe the military will step in to stop him to avoid tension between the military and the police."


    "You mean... let him off and not bother with him?" Hong Wei sneered, "Butler, you’ve been with me for so many years. Do you still not understand my character?" Then, with his eyes narrowed, seeming to have made up his mind, Hong Wei said, "Get me in touch with Mr. Zhu."


    Hearing Hong Wei mention ’Mr. Zhu,’ the butler’s expression slightly changed, asking, "Mr. Hong, are you sure you want to do this?"


    "They’ve bullied me beyond tolerance. If I do nothing, people in Beijing will think I’m scared. Just as well, I’ll take this opportunity to show everyone that I’m not easy to mess with. Remember, make it clean and tidy, preferably as an ident. I don’t want it to trace back to me. Understand?"


    "Yes, I know what to do." The butler nodded and turned to leave the living room.


    In a rented room, Ling Chen, Tang Guolun, and others sat in front of the TV, watching the police’s news conference, a faint smile in their eyes.


    "Well done," Tang Guolun said with augh, "Hong Wei has stumbled so badly; I bet he’s fuming right now."


    "It was fortunate the old General arrived in time, or we would have been in serious trouble," Ling Chen responded. Beijing, as a political center, is troublesome to operate in with many restrictions unless you have strong enough backing; otherwise, it’s hard to move an inch.


    Moreover, this incident made Ling Chen aware of his weaknesses. Before, the old General had power, and the backing wasrge enough that even if something went wrong, there was little worry. But things are different now; the old General is retired and has moved from a position of power to a nominal position. Although Pang Jiulin, who seeded Lonely Wolf, had a good rtionship with him, Pang Jiulin’s standing in the military was too weak. Being only a colonel, he didn’t have much say and had to consult superiors for everything. So, his presence was far from Qiao Zhen’s while he was in power.


    Therefore, in Beijing, his actions must be low-key, as low-key as possible, avoiding making a big scene which would be difficult to control.


    Qiao Zhen knew this better than anyone. That’s why he forced the counterpart to hold a press conference immediately, making the crimes discovered at the nightclub public. In doing so, even if someone wanted to cover it up, they couldn’t. Had it not been for Qiao Zhen’s strong stance, this matter might have been suppressed, disappearing silently.


    Even Qiao Zhen had to leverage the media for exposure, indicating that he was also at times rendered powerless.


    "Ling Chen, what’s our next step?" Tang Guolun asked, "The nightclub incident has been taken on by someone else. Hong Wei is smart; he never directly involves himself in illegal acts but lets others handle them. This way, even if something goes wrong, someone else takes the fall, and he’s not implicated. If we want to bring down Hong Wei, we must find evidence directly linking him."