115: Chapter 115 Public Slap in the Face

After the interview, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu specifically walked up to Su Yun: "Reporter Su, I heard you have a good relationship with County Magistrate Xiao? It's a pity he was confused for a moment... But the law will provide a just verdict."

Su Yun squeezed out a professional smile: "County Magistrate Xuan is right; the truth will always come to light."

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's smile deepened. She leaned close to Su Yun's ear and said in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Smart people know what should be touched and what should not. Your boyfriend's situation... depends on many factors."

A chill ran up Su Yun's spine, but she did not back down: "Thank you for your concern, County Magistrate Xuan. I will keep your teachings in mind."

That evening, Xiao Bei was released on bail. Mayor Qin personally arrived on the scene and stated to the media: "I believe in the character of Comrade Xiao Bei, but his duties are suspended during the investigation."

Xiao Bei listened to all of this expressionlessly. His gaze swept over the crowd and briefly met with Team Leader Zhang Yining in the distance. The latter nodded imperceptibly.

Returning to his temporary residence, Xiao Bei just closed the door. The quiet environment plunged him into endless thought. Whose side was Mayor Qin really on? Had she been coerced and corrupted by dark forces during these days... Had Team Leader Zhang Yining already seen the contents of the USB drive? And at this moment, what was County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu planning?

He walked to the window; the lights of the County Government building in the distance were still bright. This game of chess had just entered its most dangerous stage.

Three days before the awards ceremony, in a small conference room of the Jinhe County County Government, the curtains were drawn tight.

Xiao Bei's fingers tapped gently on the table. On the laptop screen in front of him was a detailed schedule of the ceremony. Since being suspended for investigation, his range of movement had been strictly restricted, but the special pass provided secretly by Mayor Qin allowed him to participate in this key operation.

"Tomorrow at 3:00 PM, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu will receive the 'Education Quality Balance Pioneer' award at the Municipal Cultural Center."

Team Leader Zhang Yining lowered her voice and pushed a document toward Xiao Bei: "This is the floor plan of the venue."

Xiao Bei took the drawing, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Has the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection confirmed it?"

"Director Zhao Ming has secretly returned to Jinhe and is staying at the hotel opposite the Cultural Center."

Su Yun took a small device out of her bag: "This is a micro signal jammer; it can block all external communications at the critical moment. I borrowed it from a friend at the television station's technical department."

Xiao Bei's gaze swept over the three of them and finally rested on Team Leader Zhang Yining: "Are all the materials on the USB drive organized?"

Team Leader Zhang Yining nodded, her eyes flashing with determined light: "Not only are there records of capital flow between County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu and Rainbow Group executives, but her cousin, the legal representative, also took a lot of money. There is also evidence of her accepting bribes from the deputy director of the Education Bureau and three officials from the Finance Bureau. The school uniform quality inspection report that Factory Director Li Lei took before he died is also included—those school uniforms had formaldehyde levels six times over the limit; they simply couldn't be worn."

"What about Mayor Qin?" Bureau Chief Lin Liqiang asked with some unease.

Xiao Bei's mouth curled up slightly: "She will 'happen' to be late for the ceremony, leaving us fifteen minutes of operation time."

He closed his laptop: "Once the evidence starts playing, immediately control County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu and the others. Director Zhao Ming's people will take over the scene."

After the meeting, Xiao Bei stood alone by the window, looking toward the County Government building. He hadn't shaved for three days, and a patch of stubble had already appeared on his chin. He touched the hidden pocket on his shirt cuff—it now contained another USB drive, which Mayor Qin had secretly given him last night. Inside was evidence of County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's dealings with the former Municipal Party Secretary.

"This time, it must be a fatal blow," he whispered to himself.

---

On the day of the awards ceremony, the Municipal Cultural Center was bustling with people.

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu was wearing a well-tailored navy blue suit, and the pearl necklace on her chest shone brilliantly under the flashlights. She stood in front of the signature wall, facing the camera with her signature elegant smile.

"County Magistrate Xuan, what does this award mean for the educational development of Jinhe County?" a reporter asked loudly.

"This is the best affirmation of our adherence to the philosophy of educational fairness and quality first."

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's voice was sweet and powerful: "Especially the standardization reform of school uniforms, which allowed students across the county to wear safe and comfortable uniform clothing, eliminating inter-school differences..."

Su Yun, standing in the crowd of reporters, fought back the urge to retch and quietly looked at her watch—2:45 PM, fifteen minutes until the plan was executed. Team Leader Zhang Yining's voice came through her earpiece: "In position, Plan A."

Meanwhile, in the equipment control room on the third floor of the Cultural Center, two "technicians" in work uniforms were operating computers quickly. The actual control room staff had been taken to the room next door by Bureau Chief Lin Liqiang on the pretext of a "security check."

"The video file has been uploaded and can be played at any time," one of them said into a headset.

Xiao Bei was currently sitting in the last row of the auditorium, wearing a duckbill cap and a mask. His gaze was locked on Chairman Qian Weiguo, who was seated in the front row—this Chairman of Rainbow Group had specially worn a formal suit today and was whispering to the Education Bureau officials beside him from time to time.

2:55, the host announced that the ceremony was about to begin. According to the schedule, Mayor Qin should have been present to deliver a speech, but her seat was still empty.

"Distinguished leaders, distinguished guests, due to an emergency meeting for Mayor Qin, the awards segment will be adjusted slightly..." The host received instructions in the earpiece and announced, looking slightly embarrassed.

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu frowned; this change was not in her expectations. She subconsciously touched the phone in her handbag, but thinking about the meeting's requirement for silence, she put her hand down.

At 3:00 sharp, the lights in the venue suddenly dimmed.

"What's going on?"

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu turned to ask the staff, but saw the big screen light up. What appeared was not the scheduled promotional video, but a clear surveillance video—in the picture, she was handing a stack of documents to Chairman Qian Weiguo, and the latter was handing her a thick envelope.

The venue was instantly in an uproar.

"This is fake! Turn it off!" County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu stood up abruptly, her face deathly pale.

But the video continued to play, switching to bank transaction records, showing that over the past two years, multiple associated accounts had transferred a total of more than eight million yuan to County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's overseas accounts.

The screen then switched to the real text message content that Factory Director Li Lei sent to Xiao Bei before jumping off the building: [County Magistrate Xiao, I have mastered the school uniform quality inspection report and evidence of County Magistrate Xuan receiving kickbacks, hidden in...]

Finally, the recording of the call between Factory Director Li Lei and County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's assistant was played.

"No! These are all forged!"

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu screamed and rushed toward the console, but her path was blocked by two plainclothes officers who had appeared suddenly.

Just at this moment, the side door of the venue opened, and Team Leader Zhang Yining and Director Zhao Ming of the Third Supervision Office of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection walked in with a team of people...