74: Chapter 74: What a beautiful young woman!

When Zhang Qingshan appeared at the entrance of the meeting hall, the originally noisy hall instantly fell silent. Over thirty core members sat upright in their seats with solemn expressions.

Zhang Qingshan took the center seat and looked around at the crowd. He felt the atmosphere was somewhat unusual; aside from his daughter Zhang Jingque and his wife Guan Zhi, no one else showed a hint of joy.

Once Ye Xin, Zhao Gang, and the others were seated beside Zhang Qingshan, the acceptance meeting officially began.

Ye Xin spoke into the microphone, "First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Secretary Qingshan for taking the time out of his busy schedule to attend our Special Investigation Team's acceptance meeting. Nearly five days have passed since the task force was established. With the strong support of the Municipal Committee and Municipal Government, we have been brave in our struggle, forging ahead with determination and active progress..."

Ye Xin spoke a lot of official jargon, clichés, and flowery words into the microphone, thinking of dragging out and consuming as much time as possible. He even hoped Secretary Zhang Qingshan might have a sudden emergency and leave! This was because he realized he wasn't fully prepared to be criticized.

Having been immersed in officialdom for decades, he was long familiar with a set of survival rules: praise doesn't necessarily lead to promotion, but criticism and disciplinary action certainly prevent it.

[At this point, I hope readers remember our domain name. For Taiwan novels, look for the super reliable ones.]

He was already 55 years old this year and had served in the position of Vice Mayor and Director of the Public Security Bureau for five years. This year was his most hopeful year for promotion, and Case 607 was his best springboard, with Secretary Zhang Qingshan being his best recommender.

But now, Case 607 had not only failed to become his springboard but was about to become his stumbling block. If he missed this year, the hope of taking a step further would be slim to none.

As long as Zhang Qingshan said the phrase "pending observation" at a Provincial Committee Standing Committee meeting, he could be pinned down in his current position until retirement.

Hearing Ye Xin's long-winded talk of trivialities, Zhang Qingshan turned his head and unceremoniously interrupted him, "Get to the point, Comrade Ye Xin. I came here because I wanted to hear everyone report on the Special Investigation Team's achievements over these five days."

"..."

Ye Xin's voice stopped abruptly.

"Alright, okay, Secretary."

What must come will come; there is no hiding from it. He would just accept it as fate!

Ye Xin gritted his teeth and accepted his lot. He looked up at Wen Zhengping, who was not far below the stage.

After Wen Zhengping understood the signal, he brought the collected self-criticism letters to the rostrum.

When Ye Xin took these dozens of self-criticism letters, his hands couldn't help but tremble twice. Seeing this, Zhang Qingshan immediately asked with concern, "Comrade Ye Xin, are you alright?"

Seeing this, the people below the stage couldn't help but fall into deep self-reproach.

The mission wasn't completed. Mayor Ye Xin would scold them, and the Secretary would scold the Mayor. In the end, this rolling thunder of fury would have to be caught by Mayor Ye.

"I'm fine, Secretary."

Ye Xin gave a bitter smile. After organizing the self-criticism letters in his hand, he placed his own on top and stood up to hand them to Zhang Qingshan.

"What is this?"

Zhang Qingshan didn't take them immediately, instead looking up and asking curiously.

"It's..."

"It's,"

"It is!"

His gaze suddenly became fervent, his gloomy face instantly grew excited, and his body began to shake with agitation. He hurriedly pulled back the self-criticism letters in his hand and shouted, "It's the work notes!"

In the next second, everyone below the stage was stunned.

"Work notes?"

"I clearly wrote a self-criticism letter!"

"I guarantee what I wrote was also a self-criticism letter, and it was copied from the internet!"

"Me too!"

"Then why would Mayor Ye say they are work notes? Could it be that the stress went to his head and broke his brain?"

"..."

Before Secretary Zhang Qingshan could react, Ye Xin immediately gave the self-criticism letters back to Wen Zhengping, his eyes staring at one spot with incomparable excitement.

Zhang Qingshan, who was startled by the other's erratic behavior, was about to speak when the figures of three young men suddenly appeared at the entrance of the meeting room.

Everyone looked over in unison.

One of the young men gave a military salute toward the stage and shouted loudly, "Lincheng Third-Class Police Sergeant Qi Dongwei!"

In the next second, the other young man beside him also gave a military salute and shouted, "Yu City Level 7 Assistant Police Officer Yang Tian!"

Next.

The two of them reported in perfect unison, "Suspect Zhang Zhixiang of Case 607 has been brought to justice. Awaiting instructions from the leadership!"

Three sentences, simple and powerful, yet like a nuclear bomb exploding directly in the hall, causing a violent shock and an uproar.

Everyone on and off the stage was astonished.

"My god, the two of them caught the suspect?"

"This... how is this possible? Just the two of them, working alone, could beat dozens of us?"

"Impossible, absolutely impossible. A Third-Class Police Sergeant and a Level 7 Assistant Police Officer—on what basis could they do it?"

When Wang Hao saw the suspect's youthful appearance, he suddenly jumped up from his seat and shouted with a mix of excitement and frustration, "I told you it was a student, why didn't you listen!"

The people around him rolled their eyes at him.

At this moment, Ye Xin looked at Yang Tian and Qi Dongwei as if he were looking at God—no, as if he were looking at the Jade Emperor or the Buddha.

At his most critical and urgent moment, they had delivered exactly what he wanted most.

He was so excited that he jumped straight off the rostrum and enthusiastically hugged and embraced Yang Tian and Qi Dongwei.

Five days of silence, and on the last day, they gave him a winning hand. This result made him happier than winning ten million in the lottery.

"Good lads!"

"I never expected that in just five short days, you really did it!"

"You are excellent!"

After Ye Xin finished speaking excitedly, he immediately called two Police Officers to take the suspect down. He then invited Yang Tian and Qi Dongwei onto the rostrum. Standing solemnly before Zhang Qingshan, he gave a military salute and reported loudly, "Comrade Secretary!"

Zhang Qingshan stood up from his seat, but his gaze remained fixed on Yang Tian.

"The Qianzhou City Public Security Bureau was ordered to investigate Case 607. Suspect Zhang Zhixiang has been arrested and brought to justice. Please give your instructions!"

Zhang Qingshan waved his hand, "Proceed according to the original plan."

"Yes!"

Zhang Qingshan sat down, but his expression couldn't help but become a bit surprised.

Just these two had actually caught the suspect? And one of them was actually Xiaoque's boyfriend, that Level 7 Assistant Police Officer?

Seeing the Secretary's surprised look, Ye Xin happily let Qi Dongwei and Yang Tian stay on the rostrum, sitting in a row with him, Zhang Qingshan, and Zhao Gang.

Such treatment was something even Wen Zhengping, a deputy division-level cadre, could not enjoy.

Below the stage.

Zhang Jingque excitedly pointed at Yang Tian on the stage and signaled to her mother, Guan Zhi, "He's the Level 7 Assistant Police Officer you mentioned."

Guan Zhi's gaze instantly shifted to the young man.

Exquisite features, sharp jawline, resolute eyes, a sturdy build...

[Hmm, his physical appearance is indeed good, but this status as an Assistant Police Officer is truly too unsatisfactory!] — From Guan Zhi's inner thoughts.

"Hmm?"

An inexplicable inner voice reached his ears. Yang Tian, sitting on the stage, was stunned for a moment. He looked around and finally locked his gaze on the woman beside Zhang Jingque below the stage.

Whoa! What a stunning young woman!