101: Chapter 101

It was Secretary Yang Wei from the County Party Committee!

"Comrade Weidong, have you seen the video online?"

Secretary Yang Wei's voice was low, yet carried a sense of gravity.

Xu Weidong's heart sank, and he asked, "Secretary Yang, what video?"

"Open it and see for yourself."

"It's seventh on the trending list: 'Men beat up a woman at a barbecue restaurant.' The video has been edited; the footage of your final appearance is gone, leaving only the clips of those men hitting her."

"The comments section has exploded; everyone is cursing men from the Northeast and accusing the local Public Security Bureau of inaction."

Xu Weidong hung up the phone and immediately opened...

Seventh on the trending list. He clicked on it, and the video already had over five million views.

The video was only forty seconds long. The camera shook violently, but one could clearly see five men surrounding a woman, punching and kicking her. The woman's screams and the men's cursing were mixed together.

The barrage comments were dense, all asking: 'Are all men from the Northeast trash?' 'What is the Public Security Bureau doing?' 'Is there anyone in charge in a place like this?'

The comments section was even more appalling...

Some more radical ones even said: 'Changyuan County? Looked it up, it's in the Northeast, not surprised.'

'Where is the Public Security Bureau? Are they all drunk?'

Xu Weidong's hands trembled slightly; he was clearly furious to the extreme.

The scene he witnessed with his own eyes, the police he personally called, the girl he saved with his own hands... all of it had been cut out.

What remained was only violence, anger, and deliberately amplified regional labels.

His phone rang again; this time it was Secretary Wei Kuan.

"Comrade Weidong, I just received a call from the city."

Secretary Wei Kuan's voice was also heavy as he said, "That video online, you've seen it, right?"

"I have."

"The city is asking for the situation, and I have already reported it."

Secretary Wei Kuan paused and said, "But you know how public opinion is; it cannot be suppressed just by reporting. Someone is manipulating the narrative, and the methods are very professional."

Xu Weidong was silent for two seconds before saying, "Secretary Wei Kuan, I understand. I will handle this matter."

Hanging up the phone, he sat in his chair, his mind racing.

Who did this?

Those five people were already locked up. Chen Zhi was Deputy Mayor Zhang Fusheng's brother-in-law, but even if Deputy Mayor Zhang Fusheng wanted to bail them out, he wouldn't go to such lengths.

This method of public opinion warfare was too professional!

Editing the video, triggering topics, inciting flame wars, creating division.

Who was this aimed at?

Was it aimed at him, Xu Weidong?

Or was it aimed at Changyuan County?

Or was it aimed at...

He suddenly remembered something: after the storm last year, many people were jealous of his father Xu Tianhua's position.

There were too many people eyeing this position.

If someone knew his identity and used this incident to make a fuss...

Xu Weidong took a deep breath, picked up his phone, and dialed a number.

It rang less than twice before it was picked up.

"Comrade Weidong?"

Xu Tianhua's voice was steady as usual.

"Dad, something has happened."

Xu Weidong did not beat around the bush and recounted the barbecue restaurant incident from beginning to end, including the edited video, the fermentation of public opinion, the inquiries from the city, and his own speculations.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds. Xu Weidong knew his father was thinking, so he did not interrupt.

"Your analysis is correct."

Xu Tianhua spoke, his voice still steady.

"This is not a simple public opinion incident; someone is using it as a pretext. The Crackdown on Organized Crime has just achieved phased results, and you have just been commended. For such a video to break out at this time, the timing is too coincidental."

"That's what I think too."

Xu Weidong said, "Furthermore, the video editing method is very professional, and there are clearly internet water armies in the comments section manipulating the narrative, specifically trying to incite gender conflict and regional discrimination. This kind of tactic isn't something ordinary people can pull off."

Xu Tianhua gave a grunt and asked, "Who do you suspect?"

Xu Weidong hesitated for a moment, "Dad, I dare not guess blindly."

"The only thing I know currently is that Chen Zhi is Deputy Mayor Zhang Fusheng's brother-in-law, and Deputy Mayor Zhang Fusheng is the Vice Mayor of Lüjiang City in charge of political and legal affairs."

"If Deputy Mayor Zhang Fusheng wanted to bail them out, he would have the motive, but he might not have the guts to make such a big scene."

Xu Tianhua sneered, "What a clever tactic. I can only foresee that as public opinion continues to ferment, the identities of these five people will be gradually dug up and then further evolved into a tool for public opinion attacks."

"If Deputy Mayor Zhang Fusheng is also found to have some issues with breaking the law or violating discipline, certain people will be even happier."

Xu Tianhua paused and added, "There are two things that are most urgent for you right now."

"First, clarify the facts as soon as possible through the propaganda system."

"Retrieve the complete surveillance footage, release the footage of your response to the call, and let the public see the truth."

"Second, the case itself must be handled strictly and severely."

"As for those who did the beating, sentence them as they deserve. You must not let public opinion think that you are indulging them."

"Understood."

"Also."

"I will personally send letters to the Fengtian Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the Provincial People's Procuratorate, the Provincial People's Court, and the Provincial Public Security Department, asking them to focus on following up on this case."

"It is not to back you up, but to shut the mouths of those with ulterior motives."

"The more firmly the case is handled, the less room public opinion will have to operate."

Xu Weidong felt a warmth in his heart and said, "Dad, thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?"

"You are a Director of the Public Security Bureau, and I am also in Public Security. We are on the same front."

"Alright, go get busy. Call me anytime if anything comes up."

After hanging up, Xu Weidong sat in his chair for a few seconds, then stood up and strode out of the office.

"Old Liu, go to the County Party Committee Propaganda Department."

At 3:00 PM, in the conference room of the County Party Committee Propaganda Department.

Department Head Zhou Min was a woman in her forties, capable and efficient.

After hearing Xu Weidong's purpose for coming, she immediately understood the seriousness of the matter.

"Comrade Weidong, rest assured."

"We have already retrieved the complete surveillance video, including the part where you responded to the scene. The footage is very clear. I will immediately arrange for someone to edit it and release it together with a statement of the situation."

"Be careful when editing."

"Do not just cut the footage of me responding to the scene; release the entire process."

"From them beating people, to someone calling the police, to the police arriving, to the arrests, to the ambulance rescuing people—not a single link can be missing."

"We must let the public see that our Public Security Bureau is not inactive, but acted at the first opportunity."

Department Head Zhou Min nodded and said, "Understood, I will supervise it personally."

"Also, that girl who was beaten, what is her name?"

Department Head Zhou Min flipped through the materials and said, "Her surname is Lin, Lin Xiaoyu, twenty-two years old, working in the county town."

"Contact her and her family. If they are willing, let them give an interview to talk about the situation at that time and talk about how the Public Security Bureau saved them."

"A real voice is more persuasive than any official statement."

Department Head Zhou Min's eyes lit up, "That's a great idea. I will immediately arrange for someone to contact them."

At 5:00 PM, Changyuan County officially released a long post, accompanied by a ten-minute complete surveillance video.

The video started from the four men harassing Lin Xiaoyu, to her being surrounded and beaten, to two companions stepping forward to help and being kicked down, to someone quietly calling the police, to Xu Weidong stepping forward to stop them, and to the police arriving at the scene to make arrests.

The entire process, not a single frame cut; thus, the direction of the comments section began to change.

"So someone actually called the police? Was that young man in the video a police officer?"

"Was he an undercover officer? Damn, one person going up to stop five drunk men; that's too much courage."

"He's not an undercover officer, he's the Director of the Public Security Bureau! I recognize him, Xu Weidong, Director of the Changyuan County Public Security Bureau!"

"The Director personally responded to the scene? Awesome."

"Wait, so that edited video deliberately cut out the footage of the Director saving people?"

"It's confirmed that someone is manipulating the narrative."

But there were still people manipulating the narrative, saying, "So what if he's the Director? Can the Director cover up the fact that men from the Northeast beat a woman?"

"Even if the Director responded to the scene, weren't those men still from the Northeast? Men from the Northeast are just trash."

"Stop trying to whitewash it, it can't be washed clean."

Xu Weidong looked at these comments, his brows knitted tightly.

The internet water armies were still there...

At 7:00 PM, his phone rang again.

It was a call from the Director of the Provincial Public Security Department.

"Comrade Weidong, I have received instructions from Commander-in-Chief Xu."

"The Provincial Department will pay close attention to this case. Your County Public Security Bureau should feel free to handle it, and if you need support from the Provincial Department, ask at any time."

Xu Weidong felt assured and said, "Thank you, Director."

After hanging up, there were calls from the Provincial People's Procuratorate, the Provincial People's Court... one after another.

At 9:00 PM, Lin Xiaoyu and her parents were interviewed by the county's integrated media.

Lin Xiaoyu still had gauze wrapped around her face, and her eye corner had eight stitches. Her lips were trembling when she spoke, but she spoke very clearly.

"I thought I was going to be beaten to death at the time... Later, a big brother stood up, stopped them, and told them, 'I am the Director of the Public Security Bureau, stop!' Those men were still cursing him, saying they wanted to hit him... Then the police arrived..."

Her mother was crying so hard she couldn't speak, and her father, with red eyes, said to the camera, "Thank you, Director Xu, thank you to the Public Security Bureau, and thank you to everyone who helped us."

"If it weren't for them, my daughter would have…"

After this interview was released, the comments section completely exploded.

"Damn, this brought me to tears."

"The Director went up alone to stop five drunk men; this is a real police officer."

"Those men even cursed the Director? They even said they wanted to hit him? The Director is human too, he could get beaten, but he still went up."

"Stop saying men from the Northeast are trash; this Director is from the Northeast!"

"Where are the regional discrimination water armies? Come out and show yourselves?"

The direction of public opinion completely reversed. Xu Weidong leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

But the sense of vigilance in his heart had not dissipated.

Who edited the video? Who hired the water armies? Who is the person behind this? What do they want to do?

These questions still had no answers.

His phone rang again; it was Mu Ruxue.

"Brother Weidong, are you okay?"

Xu Weidong smiled and said, "I'm okay."

"I saw the video."

"Brother Weidong, do you know? People online are saying you are a hero."

Xu Weidong smiled, "What hero? I'm just someone who does the work."

"You are."

Mu Ruxue said earnestly, "In my heart, you are."

Xu Weidong felt a warmth in his heart and was about to say something when his phone rang again.

It was an incoming call notification, another unfamiliar number, with the last four digits being 8888.

He took a look and said to Mu Ruxue, "Ruxue, let me take a call."

"Okay, rest early after you finish your work."

Hanging up the phone, Xu Weidong answered the unfamiliar number.

"Is this Comrade Weidong?"

On the other end was the voice of a middle-aged man, very unfamiliar.

"I am from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, and I have a situation I would like to verify with you..."

Xu Weidong's eyes narrowed. The Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection?

Why was it the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection?

He steadied his mind and said in a calm tone, "Please go ahead."