112: Chapter 112

Xiao Bei stood by the window, watching Principal Liu Jianjun being escorted into the Disciplinary Committee's vehicle below.

That burnt photograph was perhaps the key to uncovering the entire dark secret—was there a secret connection between high-ranking police officials and County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu? Who were the other men?

Perhaps they had no direct connection to Chen Zhihao's death or the school bullying, but they were certainly involved in some way. And then there was Wang Sufen's cry in court: "Why did only my son have to die!"

Why was Factory Director Li Lei so strapped for cash when the school uniforms under the Rainbow Group were so expensive?

After thinking about all this, Xiao Bei took a deep breath and dialed Mayor Qin Ruoxi's number to report.

Xiao Bei hung up the phone and clenched his fist, slamming it hard against the window frame. Outside, the Disciplinary Committee's car had already driven away with Principal Liu Jianjun, leaving behind only a faint trail of exhaust.

"Mayor Qin wants us to return to the Municipal Government immediately to report."

He turned to Team Leader Zhang Yining and said, his voice suppressing a certain emotion.

Su Yun keenly caught the anomaly in Xiao Bei's expression: "She doesn't agree with continuing the investigation into County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu?"

"She said there is insufficient evidence, and also..."

Xiao Bei paused, "Cases involving minors are inherently difficult to sentence to death; she told us not to blame ourselves too much."

Team Leader Zhang Yining couldn't help but interject: "The law is rigid, but people are flexible. Why can't the Procuratorate..."

"Let's return to the city first."

Xiao Bei interrupted Team Leader Zhang Yining and continued, "Su Yun, I'll contact you when I get back."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

...

The corridors of the Municipal Government were always blindingly bright. Xiao Bei walked in front, his leather shoes clicking crisply against the marble floor, a sound identical to the footsteps of County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu as she left the Rainbow Group an hour ago.

The door to Mayor Qin Ruoxi's office was slightly ajar. Xiao Bei knocked, and a familiar voice came from inside: "Come in."

Mayor Qin Ruoxi stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, her back turned to them, the lines of her shoulders looking exceptionally upright under her well-tailored suit.

She turned around, her face wearing the smile Xiao Bei was familiar with—one he hadn't seen in a long time—and many memories of working together flooded into his mind...

"You've worked hard."

She gestured for everyone to sit down, "How did the interrogation of Principal Liu Jianjun go?"

Xiao Bei placed the black notebook and the evidence bag on the coffee table: "He confessed to deleting the surveillance footage and accepting a bribe of 3.8 million, but he is clearly lying about the parts concerning County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu."

Mayor Qin Ruoxi's fingertips tapped lightly on the cover of the notebook: "3.8 million... that's enough for him to spend the rest of his life in prison."

She looked up, "This case can be closed."

"Not yet."

Xiao Bei looked directly into her eyes, "We found charred photo fragments at the scene, which we initially judge to be pictures of County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu with several men in uniform... there may be high-ranking political officials involved."

The air in the office seemed to freeze for a second. Mayor Qin Ruoxi's smile faded slightly: "Can you identify who exactly is in the photos?"

"The technical department is working on it."

Bureau Chief Lin Liqiang added, "But based on the style of the shoulder insignia on one of them, it belongs to the public security department, but it is definitely not an ordinary police officer."

Mayor Qin Ruoxi walked over to her desk and picked up a document: "Xiao Bei, you know that the city is currently applying for the National High-Quality and Balanced Education Demonstration Zone, right? Comrade County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu is the main person in charge of this work."

Xiao Bei frowned: "What does this have to do with the case?"

"It has a lot to do with it."

Mayor Qin Ruoxi's voice turned cold, "The provincial inspection team arrived this afternoon, and they will start inspecting the high-quality and balanced situation in county-level schools tomorrow... Currently, only if the county qualifies can the city obtain the high-quality and balanced title. County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu... has reported to me, and she will fully cooperate with the investigation and also ensure that Jinhe County achieves the high-quality and balanced county status..."

Xiao Bei's fingers tightened unconsciously on his knees—this was County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's counterattack, using a political achievement project as a shield.

"Mayor Qin,"

Xiao Bei tried to keep his voice steady, "Wang Sufen's son is dead. And behind a deliberately burnt photograph, there is likely a much larger corruption network hidden."

Mayor Qin Ruoxi sighed, walked over to Xiao Bei, and suddenly reached out to straighten his crooked tie. This overly intimate gesture made Xiao Bei stiffen all over.

"Xiao Bei,"

Her voice suddenly softened, "Do you know why I have always promoted and favored you? It's because I value this tenacity of yours—never giving up until you reach your goal. But sometimes..."

She pressed gently on his tie knot, "We need to learn to assess the situation."

Xiao Bei stepped back half a step without leaving a trace: "What do you mean?"

"Principal Liu Jianjun has already pleaded guilty, the Chen Zhihao school bullying case can be brought to a satisfactory conclusion, and the comrades at the Procuratorate have truly done their best; a nine-year sentence for a minor is not insignificant. As for the photos..."

Mayor Qin Ruoxi turned and took a document from the drawer, "This is the compensation plan from the city for Wang Sufen, 500,000 in cash plus a school district apartment..."

"Have you met Wang Sufen?" Xiao Bei asked suddenly.

Mayor Qin Ruoxi was stunned for a moment: "What?"

"That mother who lost her only son."

Xiao Bei's voice was very soft, yet as sharp as a knife, "She sleeps holding her son's school uniform every day, and it is still stained with blood."

The office fell into a terrifying silence. For the first time, a crack appeared in Mayor Qin Ruoxi's expression: "Xiao Bei, you are being too emotional."

"I am only performing my duty."

Xiao Bei picked up the evidence bag, "We will continue the investigation until we find all the truth."

He turned and walked toward the door, but as he grasped the door handle, he heard Mayor Qin Ruoxi's final words: "Before the photo identification results come out, do not act rashly. This is an order! We need to wait for the right moment."

Under the corridor lights, the lines of Xiao Bei's profile were tense. Team Leader Zhang Yining asked in a low voice: "What do we do now?"

Xiao Bei looked out the window at the darkening sky: "Let's go meet that County Magistrate Xuan who is busy chasing 'high-quality and balanced' status."

Bureau Chief Lin Liqiang went to follow up on the photo identification work, while Team Leader Zhang Yining followed Xiao Bei to the school.

On the playground of Jinhe County No. 1 Middle School, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu stood on the podium, the sunlight casting a golden rim on her meticulously styled hair.

She held a megaphone, her voice as crisp as a freshly picked peach.

"Teachers, there are 48 hours left until the provincial inspection team arrives!"

She scanned the exhausted teachers below the stage, "We must meet the inspection in the most perfect state! Apart from the floors, windowsills, and doors, there must be no dust anywhere visible to the naked eye! Air conditioners, fans, and chandeliers must all be wiped down! I will be wearing white gloves to inspect! There cannot be a single withered leaf in the garden, and there is no dust allowed on the leaves either! There cannot be dust in the brick crevices of all functional rooms!"

Xiao Bei stood under the plane tree at the edge of the playground, watching this farce with cold eyes. Team Leader Zhang Yining beside him couldn't help but mutter: "She certainly has energy; she just finished throwing a tantrum and destroying evidence at the Rainbow Group, and turned right around to come to the school to throw her weight around."