hotmtlnovel Chapter 636 Secret Contact
Chapter 636 Secret Contact
Zhang Chuan looked up at him, his gaze calm yet unwavering: "Director Jiang, I am Professor Zhao Ci's bodyguard. Wherever he goes, I must go. This is my duty, and it is also the rule you set when you invited me here."
Jiang Hu wanted to say something more, but remembering the ruthlessness Zhang Chuan had displayed yesterday—few punches and kicks were enough to leave his five men groaning on the ground—he swallowed his words. He knew his men were no match for Zhang Chuan, and trying to stop him would only humiliate them. He gave a resentful "humph" and turned to leave: "Fine, come along if you want, but don't touch anything in the mine. I won't be responsible if anything happens."
Zhang Chuan followed closely behind Zhao Ci as they walked out, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over the guards along the way—he memorized which post had two guards, which had only one, and whether they carried sticks or pitchforks. He also noticed the equipment parts piled up in the corners, silently counting their quantity and model. Protecting Zhao Ci was paramount, but using this opportunity to ascertain the mine's defenses and equipment was also a crucial part of the plan.
On the other side, Zhao Lei stood under the old locust tree at the street corner, watching Zhang Chuan and Zhao Ci's figures disappear into the shadows of the mine entrance before turning to the two comrades beside him, dressed in coarse cloth and wearing straw hats, and said, "You've worked hard. Hang in there for two more days. Once Zhang Chuan has figured out the exact location of the evidence, someone will come to relieve you. Take a good rest."
The two men nodded, their hats pulled low, obscuring most of their faces, their voices showing no sign of slackening: "Don't worry, Captain, we understand the importance of this matter. We won't even blink an eye, and we won't let anything go wrong."
When Zhao Lei returned to the police station, he had just reached the second-floor corridor when he saw Ma Xin coming out of He Feng's office, holding a document in her hand and looking down at it. He paused, swallowing back the report that was about to come out of his mouth, and stood there waiting for her to leave first.
He Feng sat behind his desk, his fingertips tapping lightly on the surface. Seeing Zhao Lei standing at the door, looking hesitant, he already understood. He looked at Ma Xin and said calmly, "Ma Xin, regarding the safety inspection around the mining area, proceed according to the plan you just mentioned. Go and prepare. We'll have a meeting this afternoon to refine it further."
Ma Xin nodded, and as she left, she caught a glimpse of Zhao Lei's tense jawline and clenched fists, vaguely guessing what was going on—it must be related to the coal mine bureau's case. But she wisely refrained from asking further questions, simply nodding to Zhao Lei before quietly closing the door and leaving.
Just as Zhao Lei was about to speak, He Feng suddenly coughed, got up and walked to the door. He looked through the crack in the door at the empty corridor outside, where there wasn't even a cleaning staff member sweeping the floor, before closing the door behind him and locking it with a "click".
Ma Xin, standing outside the door, wanted to linger a little longer to listen to what was happening inside. After all, she had participated in the preliminary investigation of the coal mine bureau case and had been on tenterhooks ever since. But upon hearing the sound of the lock clicking shut, she knew that He Feng and Zhao Lei were about to discuss confidential matters, so she tactfully turned and left, her footsteps very light.
In the office, He Feng walked up to Zhao Lei, his previously calm gaze instantly turning sharp, like two drawn swords: "Captain Zhao, have you made contact with Zhang Chuan? How is the situation?"
Zhao Lei nodded quickly and recounted his meeting with Zhang Chuan at the teahouse in detail. Finally, he took out the topographical map from his pocket and handed it over with both hands: "Chief, this is a map drawn by Zhang Chuan. It's very detailed. Our men are already in position outside, and the weapons are ready. We're just waiting for his signal to take action at any time."
He Feng took the yellowed blueprint and carefully spread it out on his desk, his fingertips tracing the creases along the edges. He frowned, his sharp gaze sweeping over the dense markings, finally settling on the words "Warehouse Area." He tapped the paper heavily with his fingertip, the force almost piercing it: "It seems the key lies here."
He looked up at Zhao Lei standing opposite him, his tone heavy and firm: "Tell the brothers to stay calm these next few days. Those who need to patrol, patrol; those who need to stake out, stake out. On the surface, everything should appear normal. Without my orders, no one is allowed to make any rash moves. Once Zhang Chuan has confirmed the exact location of the evidence, we will coordinate from the inside and outside to strike decisively and give them no time to destroy the evidence."
Zhao Lei straightened his back and nodded vigorously: "Yes, Chief! I'll go and relay the order right away, and make sure the brothers keep their mouths shut!"
He Feng shook his head, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table: "Don't rush to talk about this. After get off work, find a secluded place and explain it to the core brothers alone."
Zhao Lei was taken aback for a moment, then realized what he meant and looked at He Feng, asking, "Director, do you have any other plans? Such as deploying manpower or setting up control routes?"
He Feng leaned back in his chair and slowly shook his head: "It's not that there are other arrangements, it's just that the scope of this matter must be narrowed down. For now, only the two of us can know the core plan. No one else in the Public Security Bureau should be told a word for the time being, understand?"
Zhao Lei didn't quite understand at first, but after a couple of seconds of stunned silence, he suddenly realized—the director was afraid of leaks! The relationships in this mine were incredibly complex, and there was bound to be a mole within. He quickly assured him, "Director, don't worry! Apart from the core brothers who are carrying out the mission, no one else has even gotten close to this. I'll use code words to give instructions, and I won't let a third person notice anything amiss."
He Feng nodded, his eyes filled with unwavering seriousness: "That's for the best. Remember, before we have the evidence and the truth comes out, we can't reveal a single word to even our closest friends. This is not only for the case, but also for the safety of our brothers."
"Understood!" Zhao Lei replied emphatically, then turned and tiptoed out. When preparing to carry out other tasks, he was more cautious than usual.
He Feng was the only one left in the office. He turned his gaze back to the blueprints, his finger circling around the "warehouse area." The tea on the table had long since gone cold, but he was oblivious. A feeling lingered in his mind that this wasn't so simple—the recent rumors of "ghosts" circulating in the mine claimed strange noises and shadowy figures in the warehouse area at night. There were no ghosts or spirits involved! Clearly, someone was playing tricks behind the scenes, trying to cover something up with superstition. If this wasn't thoroughly investigated, even more trouble would likely arise. He took a deep breath, his knuckles turning white from the pressure: whoever was behind it all, this time he had to uproot them completely.
It's important to know that coal mine production is crucial, and no one is allowed to do anything wrong here, so He Feng is determined to find out the truth.