118: Chapter 118 Shortcuts to Power and Sex

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's breathing grew increasingly rapid, her fingers twisting together nervously: "Last year... Chen Zhihao discovered problems with the school uniforms at his mother's workplace and prepared to report it... To think a mere child would dare try to interfere in our affairs!"

She paused: "Then, after Party Secretary Wang found out... he forcibly kept me overnight... and took many photos and videos of me."

Her voice grew quieter: "Party Secretary Wang said this was a warning... telling me to keep my mouth shut... I had no choice but to find someone to stir up trouble between Factory Director Li Lei's son, Li Dong, and Chen Zhihao. Li Dong is clearly an insecure child; a few words were enough to make him resent Chen Zhihao. My original intention was just for the students to have a scuffle and teach him a lesson, but I didn't expect... it would result in a death... It's all his fault! All his fault! Couldn't he just go to school properly? Why did he have to be a meddler..."

Just then, Director Zhao Ming's phone rang. After answering:

"News from the hospital: Secretary Wang Chunlin remains unconscious. Preliminary diagnosis is acute myocardial infarction induced by excessive heart strain from long-term use of male enhancement drugs, combined with emotional agitation."

Hearing this from the side, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu suddenly burst into hysterical laughter: "Hahaha... Old bastard... Serves him right! So he was relying on drugs all along... Hahaha..."

Her laughter stopped abruptly, turning into an eerie calmness: "Xiao Bei, do you think it's over just because you caught me and Secretary Wang Chunlin?"

She struggled to crawl up, swaying as she stood straight. Despite being in a disheveled state, she still attempted to maintain a shred of dignity: "The money Chairman Qian Weiguo sends to the higher-ups every year is enough to buy half of Jinhe County. Who do you think has been protecting Rainbow Group all these years?"

Xiao Bei remained calm: "Who?"

The corner of County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu's mouth curled into an eerie smile: "Darkness is everywhere..."

She suddenly lowered her voice: "Why do you think Mayor Qin was able to become mayor? Do you think she..."

"County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu!" Director Zhao Ming interrupted sternly: "Mind your language!"

County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu acted as if she hadn't heard him, continuing to stare at Xiao Bei: "I don't believe a woman as sexy and beautiful as her could climb to the position of mayor cleanly! Why don't you investigate her..."

"Enough!" Xiao Bei suddenly raised his voice: "Do you think everyone is as dirty and despicable as you? Do you think everyone is as greedy as you?"

Two female police officers immediately stepped forward to restrain County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu. Before being led out of the detention room, she looked back at Xiao Bei one last time, her eyes filled with a mixture of hatred, fear, and a strange sense of relief:

"You will regret this, Xiao Bei... Without me, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu, there will be thousands upon thousands more like me..."

The hallway returned to silence. Team Leader Zhang Yining let out a long sigh, only then realizing her palms were covered in cold sweat:

"What she said... could it be true? About Mayor Qin..."

Xiao Bei did not answer immediately, instead walking to the window and looking towards the direction of the Municipal Government building in the distance. The sunset's afterglow plated the glass curtain wall in a blood-red hue.

"Director Zhao Ming," he said suddenly, "After Secretary Wang Chunlin is out of danger, we need to immediately assign personnel to guard him 24/7. At the same time..."

He turned to Team Leader Zhang Yining: "Even though the case is confidential, the commotion is too great and the public knows a lot, especially since everyone is angry about the death of the top student Chen Zhihao. Go ask Secretary Ma Wendong if we can contact Su Yun and have her prepare an in-depth report on the connection between the Chen Zhihao case and the school uniform corruption case."

Team Leader Zhang Yining suddenly remembered something: "Oh, right, Mayor Qin just sent a message saying she wants to see you."

Xiao Bei's mouth curled into an inscrutable smile: "Tell her I'll be there later."

He touched the hidden pocket on his shirt cuff—it was now empty, all evidence having been safely transferred.

The lights of the Municipal Government building were exceptionally bright in the night. Xiao Bei stood before the door of the mayor's office, straightened his tie, and his knuckles gently knocked on the heavy mahogany door.

"Come in." Mayor Qin Ruoxi's cold voice came from inside.

Pushing the door open and entering, Mayor Qin Ruoxi was standing before the floor-to-ceiling window, her back as straight as a pine. She turned around, and the moonlight outlined her delicate facial profile, though a trace of fatigue lingered between her brows.

"Sit." She pointed to the sofa, while she walked to the desk and took out a kraft paper envelope from the drawer: "This is what you wanted."

Xiao Bei took the paper envelope, his fingertips touching the USB drive and several photos inside. He looked up at Mayor Qin Ruoxi: "This is?"

Mayor Qin Ruoxi's mouth curled slightly upward, but there was no smile in her eyes: "Who do you think petitioned the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection to pay special attention to this case? Who supported the investigation team in the Standing Committee against all opposition? How do you think a county-level cadre like you could become the team leader?"

She walked over and sat on the sofa opposite Xiao Bei, her black suit skirt wrapping around her long legs: "County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu was right; darkness is everywhere. But so is light."

Xiao Bei flipped through the photos; they were pictures of Secretary Wang Chunlin with several provincial leaders, with dates and locations noted on the back of each. His pupils constricted slightly—Secretary Wang Chunlin should not have been present at these occasions.

"Power is like a drug; once you've tasted it, you can never quit."

Mayor Qin Ruoxi's voice was very soft, yet every word was clear: "After retiring, Secretary Wang Chunlin couldn't bear to be lonely and used his network of former subordinates to manipulate local personnel and rake in quite a lot of money. County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu was just the most obedient one among his many chess pieces."

Xiao Bei looked up: "How much... do you know?"

"Enough, but still not enough." Mayor Qin Ruoxi picked up a teacup from the coffee table, her fingertips gently rubbing the rim of the cup: "Six years ago, when I was working at the Jinhe County Government, I discovered major problems with the procurement in the education system. But every investigation would inexplicably be interrupted, evidence would disappear, witnesses would change their testimony... Not long after, I was transferred..."

She set down the teacup and looked directly at Xiao Bei: "Until you appeared."

The office fell into a brief silence. Outside the window, the fountain in the municipal square changed colors under the illumination of the neon lights, water droplets splashing onto the granite floor, making a faint, fragmented sound.

"County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu hates me," Mayor Qin Ruoxi said suddenly, "Because she thinks I'm the same kind of person as her, using my body to climb the ladder."

She sneered: "In her eyes, a beautiful woman cannot possibly reach this position through ability."

Xiao Bei did not respond. He knew too well the bias of officialdom against women—either a vase, a plaything, or a scheming femme fatale.

Suddenly, Xiao Bei's phone vibrated; it was Director Zhao Ming: "County Magistrate Xiao, County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu is causing a scene again; she insists on seeing you."

Director Zhao Ming's voice sounded exhausted: "She says she has important things to say, and will only say them to you."

The Detention Center lights were pale and blinding. County Magistrate Xuan Lingyu sat in the interrogation room, her hands handcuffed to the tabletop, her hair disheveled. Seeing Xiao Bei enter, she raised her head, a flash of morbid light crossing her eyes: "You've come."

Her voice was hoarse: "I knew you would come."