147: Chapter 147 Turning the Tide

Xiao Bei gasped—this was clearly AI-generated!

No wonder Mu Xiaomao had been fiddling with his phone without a sound just now; to think he had the nerve to let Secretary Hao Fanren present something with such shoddy technology!

But before he could open his mouth to defend himself, Liu Fuzhi's face had already darkened:

"Comrade Xiao Bei, the leaders of our Provincial Inspection Team haven't left yet, so please, explain yourself."

With that, the two comrades from the Discipline Inspection Commission behind Liu Fuzhi pinned Xiao Bei down.

"Liu Fuzhi! This is nothing but a frame-up! You have some nerve!"

Xiao Bei forcefully broke free from the Discipline Inspection Commission officers and pointed a finger fiercely at Liu Fuzhi.

"Hahaha... these are all my people, Deputy County Magistrate Xiao, and they are all witnesses! Save your explanations for the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection!"

Just at this critical moment, the shop door was pushed open again. A dignified voice rang out:

"Explain what?"

Everyone turned around to see Mayor Qin striding in with her secretary, followed by an anxious-looking Team Leader Zhang Yining.

"Mayor... Mayor Qin!"

Liu Fuzhi's expression changed instantly.

Mayor Qin scanned the room, her gaze finally landing on Xiao Bei: "Xiao Bei, are you alright?"

This single sentence completely shattered Secretary Hao Fanren's frame-up. Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua turned ashen, and Liu Fuzhi's smile froze on his face.

"I'm fine."

The moment Mayor Qin stepped into the breakfast shop, the entire space seemed to have been hit with a pause button. Officers from the Municipal Public Security Bureau quickly surrounded the small shop, leaving no way out, while the blue and red police lights cast shifting shadows across everyone's faces through the glass windows.

The muscles on Liu Fuzhi's face twitched unnaturally, and he instinctively took half a step back, his leather shoe heel knocking against an overturned stool with a harsh sound.

"Ma... Mayor Qin, why have you come in person? This trivial matter..."

"Trivial matter?"

Mayor Qin gently interrupted him, her voice as light as if she were discussing the weather today: "Does Deputy County Magistrate Liu think that grassroots officials colluding with organized crime to extort money and fabricating evidence to frame colleagues are all trivial matters?"

Secretary Hao Fanren's legs began to tremble uncontrollably; he gripped the edge of the dining table so hard his knuckles turned white. Mu Xiaomao looked even worse, his face deathly pale, and a dark stain had already seeped through his crotch, a pungent odor quickly filling the confined space.

Mayor Qin didn't even glance at them, walking straight up to Xiao Bei and reaching out to straighten his rumpled collar: "You've been wronged."

These simple three words made Xiao Bei's throat tighten.

He noticed that hidden within Mayor Qin's seemingly calm eyes was suppressed anger—this leader, known for her composure and calmness, was like a volcano about to erupt beneath her calm surface.

"Mayor Qin!" Liu Fuzhi suddenly raised his voice, "There is a misunderstanding here! We received a report saying someone was impersonating a county leader..."

"Liu Fuzhi." Mayor Qin turned around, a smile even playing on her lips, "Do you think I am so blind and dim-witted that I cannot even recognize a cadre I personally promoted? Or is it that—"

She stepped forward slowly, each step seemingly landing on Liu Fuzhi's heart, "You are simply calling a deer a horse?"

Sweat beads on Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua's forehead rolled into his eyes, the stinging sensation making him blink incessantly. He wanted to speak in his defense, but found his voice stuck in his throat. Officers from the Municipal Public Security Bureau had already quietly blocked all exits.

"Comrade Xiao Bei." Mayor Qin suddenly called out, "Show everyone the evidence you collected."

Xiao Bei understood, took out his phone, and pulled up the video he had secretly recorded earlier. Mu Xiaomao's arrogant voice was clearly audible in the footage: "In this Hongxiang Town, I do whatever I want! And what I collect isn't protection money, it's called a market management service fee! It's all in black and white with an official seal!"

As the video played, Secretary Hao Fanren's body began to tremble like chaff. When the footage turned to the segment where he himself was threatening Xiao Bei, he finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell to his knees with a thud: "Mayor Qin! I've been wronged! This was all directed by Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua!"

"Secretary Hao Fanren!" Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua shouted sternly, his face livid.

Mayor Qin raised her hand slightly, and everyone immediately fell silent. She walked up to Mu Xiaomao; this punk, who had been so arrogant just a moment ago, was now limp as mud, a puddle of urine beneath him reflecting the light.

"I hear you are the law of the land here?"

Mayor Qin's tone was as gentle as if she were coaxing a child.

Mu Xiaomao's lips trembled, his face smeared with snot and tears: "I, I was wrong... It was all my brother-in-law..."

"Oh?" Mayor Qin turned to the ashen-faced Secretary Hao Fanren, "It seems your family is quite skilled at making the law."

Liu Fuzhi suddenly rushed forward: "Mayor Qin! This matter will definitely be handled seriously by our County Party Committee! I will immediately..."

"Deputy County Magistrate Liu." Mayor Qin was still smiling, but her eyes were as cold as ice, "The comrades from the Provincial Inspection Team should be very interested in why the livestream poverty alleviation data of a township could alarm the Executive Deputy County Magistrate into coming forward to cover it up?"

This sentence hit Liu Fuzhi like a thunderclap. He opened his mouth, but in the end, not a single word came out.

Mayor Qin scanned the whole room, her gaze lingering on each person's face for a moment. When she looked at the couple who owned the shop, her tone finally softened: "Old brother, I've given you quite a scare. I assure you that from today on, such things will never happen in Hongxiang Town again."

Old Chen's wife suddenly covered her face and sobbed aloud; on her calloused hands, red marks from where Mu Xiaomao had whipped her with a towel were still visible.

"Take them all away." Mayor Qin instructed softly, and the officers from the Municipal Public Security Bureau immediately stepped forward to take control of Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua, Secretary Hao Fanren, and the others. When the cold handcuffs clicked onto his wrists, Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua suddenly struggled: "Mayor Qin! You can't do this! I am..."

"What are you?" Mayor Qin leaned in slightly and whispered in his ear, "A distant relative of Fu Chuanyi?"

Watching Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua's instantly pale face, she straightened up and patted his shoulder: "Don't worry, you'll see him soon... Take them away; whatever needs to be handed over to the Discipline Inspection Commission, hand it over."

Xiao Bei noticed that when Mayor Qin said this, Liu Fuzhi's pupils contracted violently.

The sound of police sirens gradually faded into the distance, leaving only a few Municipal Public Security Bureau officers in the breakfast shop finishing up their final work. Mayor Qin Ruoxi stood by the window, her silhouette appearing exceptionally sharp against the backlight. Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting a golden rim on her shoulders, but it could not shine into her deep eyes.

Xiao Bei stood three steps behind her, a sense of distance he had cultivated over his many years in officialdom—respectful enough, yet not appearing distant.

"Mayor Qin, thanks to you for arriving in time this time." Xiao Bei's voice carried sincere gratitude.

Mayor Qin Ruoxi did not turn around; her gaze remained fixed on the police car carrying Liu Fuzhi away outside the window: "When Team Leader Zhang Yining called me, I was conducting research nearby."

She paused, "However... you've been keeping quite a few things from me lately."