69: Chapter 69 Lan Tianxing's Eager Statement

The night was deep, and the lights in County Magistrate Lan Tianxing's home were still on.

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing sat on the sofa, holding a cup of tea, but the tea had already gone cold.

Sitting opposite him was a young man in his early thirties, plump and fair-skinned, wearing a designer down jacket, currently sobbing and wiping away snot and tears as he poured out his grievances.

"Second Uncle, you have to stand up for me! That man surnamed Xu is being completely disrespectful to you!"

"He raided my place just like that, dozens of SWAT officers stormed in, and all my customers were taken away! How am I supposed to run my Huangcheng KTV from now on?"

This young man was named Lan Bin, County Magistrate Lan Tianxing's nephew and the behind-the-scenes owner of Huangcheng KTV.

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing looked at him, his gaze as calm as a stagnant pool of water.

"Is the person alright?"

Lan Bin was stunned and asked, "Person? What person?"

"Xu Weidong."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing asked, "Was he injured?"

Lan Bin was completely dumbfounded; he had come to his Second Uncle to complain, wanting him to vent his anger for him.

Yet, his Second Uncle's first sentence was asking if that man surnamed Xu was injured?

"He… how could anything happen to him?"

Lan Bin stammered, "He brought dozens of SWAT officers, looking extremely imposing; not a single hair on him was harmed."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing nodded and set down his teacup.

"That's good."

Lan Bin got anxious and said, "Second Uncle! Why are you siding with outsiders?"

"That man surnamed Xu raided my place and made me lose all face in front of both the underworld and the legitimate circles of the entire county!"

"You are the County Magistrate, and he is just a Deputy Bureau Chief. On what grounds is he not giving you face?"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing looked at him, his eyes filled with a hint of pity.

Was this kid truly stupid, or was he just pretending?

"Lan Bin, do you know who Xu Weidong is?"

Lan Bin was stunned and said, "Who? Isn't he just a Deputy Bureau Chief?"

"Even an Executive Deputy Bureau Chief is still a Deputy Bureau Chief. Can he be greater than you?"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing smiled, a smile filled with helplessness.

"His father lives in the heavens."

Lan Bin's mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg.

"The heavens?"

"Yes, he lives in the heavens."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to him.

"The head of the Knife Handle."

"His son came to my county to be a Deputy Bureau Chief; I'm scrambling to curry favor with him, and you want me to stand up for you?"

Lan Bin was completely stunned. Recalling what he had just said, his legs began to go weak.

"Second Uncle… then… what should I do? My Huangcheng KTV…"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing turned around and looked at him, his gaze filled with complex emotions.

"Lan Bin, you are my nephew, and I haven't neglected you over the years. You know well who allowed Huangcheng KTV to operate in Changyuan County for so many years."

Lan Bin nodded repeatedly and said, "I know, I know, it's all thanks to Second Uncle looking out for me."

"Then do you know why I look out for you?"

Lan Bin was stunned.

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing walked back to the sofa and sat down, his tone as calm as if he were chatting about daily life.

"Because you are obedient."

"Whatever I tell you to do, you do."

"The things I tell you not to touch, you never touch."

"Although you run a KTV, you don't touch drugs, and you don't force good women into prostitution; that is the bottom line I drew for you."

"You kept to it, so I protected you."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing paused, his tone becoming a bit colder.

"But today's matter is different."

Lan Bin's heart sank suddenly.

"Second Uncle…"

"That Xu Weidong is someone you cannot afford to provoke, and neither can I."

"He raided your place; that is his duty."

"You ran to me to complain; do you want me to stand up for you? To go against the higher-ups?"

Lan Bin's face turned pale.

"Second Uncle, that's not what I meant…"

"I know that's not what you meant; you're just simply a bit stupid."

Lan Bin hung his head, not daring to speak.

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing was silent for a moment, then sighed.

"Alright, go back. Lay low for a few days; close down if you need to, reorganize if you need to. We'll talk after the heat dies down."

Lan Bin, feeling as if he had been granted amnesty, nodded repeatedly and said, "Thank you, Second Uncle, thank you, Second Uncle!"

He stood up and walked out.

As he reached the door, he heard County Magistrate Lan Tianxing say from behind him.

"Lan Bin, come see me less often in the future. Call if there's anything."

Lan Bin's footsteps paused, but he didn't turn back; he pushed the door open and left.

The moment the door closed, County Magistrate Lan Tianxing leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and let out a long sigh.

This idiot almost got him killed.

Secretary Chen Tianci could abandon President Cheng Xin, and he, County Magistrate Lan Tianxing, could abandon Lan Bin.

In this position, anyone can be an abandoned pawn.

He opened his eyes, picked up the phone, and dialed a number.

"Old Sun, come over to my place."

Ten minutes later, a middle-aged man in his fifties knocked on the door and entered.

His name was Sun Dehai, County Magistrate Lan Tianxing's trusted aide, who worked as a Deputy Director in the County Government office, specifically handling matters that were inconvenient for him to address personally.

"County Head Lan."

Sun Dehai sat opposite him. County Magistrate Lan Tianxing looked at him and said straightforwardly, "You know about the matter with Huangcheng KTV, right?"

Sun Dehai nodded and said, "I've heard about it."

"Xu Weidong led the raid and arrested dozens of people."

"Lan Bin just came to see me."

"He was crying and complaining, asking me to stand up for him."

Sun Dehai's heart tightened, and he tentatively asked, "Then what is your intention…"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing waved his hand and said, "I told him to lay low."

He paused, his gaze becoming deep.

"But just laying low is not enough."

"Old Sun, go find Lan Bin and settle all the accounts between him and me over these years."

"For the matters handled in the past, wipe clean what needs to be wiped clean, and make a clean break with what needs to be broken."

Sun Dehai was shocked; this meant he was cutting ties.

"County Head Lan, will Lan Bin… have any resentment?"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing sneered, "Resentment? What right does he have to be resentful? How much money has he made relying on me all these years?"

"It's enough for him to spend for several lifetimes."

"If he doesn't know what's good for him… hmph."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing paused and didn't continue.

But Sun Dehai understood; if he didn't know what was good for him, it wouldn't be as simple as just cutting ties.

"I understand."

"I will go find him tomorrow."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing nodded and said, "Go."

Sun Dehai walked to the door, then turned back and asked, "County Head Lan, do you have any instructions for tomorrow's Crackdown on Organized Crime special meeting?"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Hold it as it should be held."

"Specifically commend Comrade Weidong for leading from the front and going to the front lines."

"Emphasize that we must strike hard against organized crime forces, root them out, and eliminate all evil."

Sun Dehai nodded and pushed the door open to leave.

In this position, if you want to survive, you must be more ruthless than anyone else.

The next morning at nine o'clock, the Changyuan County Government held a special meeting on the Crackdown on Organized Crime.

The meeting was chaired by County Magistrate Lan Tianxing, and the meeting room was filled with deputy county magistrates, bureau chiefs, and heads of various towns and townships.

Xu Weidong sat in the third row with a notebook in front of him.

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing's opening remarks were brief but carried great weight.

"The Crackdown on Organized Crime is a decision and deployment of the Central Committee, a requirement of the Provincial Party Committee and the Municipal Party Committee, and even more so, one of the most important tasks for our Changyuan County at present."

"Today's meeting is to further unify our thinking, clarify tasks, and press down responsibilities."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing paused and swept his gaze across those present.

"Recently, the County Public Security Bureau has been fast in its actions, strong in its efforts, and has achieved significant results in the Crackdown on Organized Crime."

"Especially the operation last night, which wiped out two organized crime groups preparing for a gang fight in one fell swoop, establishing our prestige and momentum."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing looked at Xu Weidong, his tone filled with undisguised appreciation, and said, "Xu Weidong, as the Deputy Bureau Chief in charge, you led from the front, went to the front lines, and led the team personally. This spirit is worthy of learning by all cadres in the county."

A round of applause broke out in the meeting room. Xu Weidong stood up, bowed slightly, and with a proper smile on his face, said, "County Head, you overpraise me; this is my duty."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing waved his hand, signaling him to sit down.

"Xu Weidong is too modest."

"But what I have to say today is not just praise."

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing's tone became serious, "The Crackdown on Organized Crime is not a passing fad, nor is it just going through the motions."

"What we want is to root them out and eliminate all evil!"

"No matter who is involved, no matter what background they have, and no matter what contributions they have made in the past!"

"As long as they are involved in organized crime, they must be investigated to the end, and we will never tolerate it!"

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing paused and continued, "Some people think that if they have a protective umbrella, they can do whatever they want."

"I tell you, in this county, there is no one who cannot be touched."

The meeting room was deathly silent. Xu Weidong lowered his head, writing something in his notebook, with no expression on his face.

But he knew clearly in his heart who County Magistrate Lan Tianxing was saying these words to.

After the meeting ended, Xu Weidong walked out of the meeting room, and Secretary Liu Qingfeng chased after him from behind.

"Comrade Weidong, County Head Lan's attitude today is quite interesting."

Xu Weidong nodded and said, "It is quite interesting."

Secretary Liu Qingfeng lowered his voice and said, "You know about the matter with Lan Bin, right?"

"I know."

"The owner of Huangcheng KTV, heard he is County Magistrate Lan Tianxing's nephew."

Secretary Liu Qingfeng looked at him and asked, "Do you think County Head Lan's words today were a statement of position?"

Xu Weidong smiled and then said, "I feel it is both a statement of position and a cutting of ties."

Secretary Liu Qingfeng was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized.

"You mean…"

Xu Weidong didn't answer, just patted his shoulder and walked towards the parking lot.

Even though Secretary Liu Qingfeng is the head of the Public Security Bureau, who doesn't know who should be calling the shots for big and small matters in the County Public Security Bureau?

After all, Secretary Liu Qingfeng still wants to pursue advancement; after all, whose father, Young Master Xu, has already reached the top of their industry?