Chapter 665: Attitude
Deputy Director Chen smiled apologetically and said, "Director Li, I’m not in charge of this matter, so I’m not too clear on the specifics. Why don’t you wait a moment while I go ask the colleague handling the case?"
Li Mingyuan waved his hand. "No need to ask, I’ll just say it straight. I believe Wang Haidong is innocent. The Inspection Department can go through the necessary procedures and conduct your investigations, but you can’t detain him indefinitely. If you can’t find any concrete evidence in the end, then release him early. Don’t delay his business."
Deputy Director Chen’s smile stiffened slightly. "Director Li, this..."
Li Mingyuan looked at him, a trace of mild amusement in his eyes. "Director Chen, I know the Inspection Department has its rules. But rules are rigid, while people are flexible.
"Wang Haidong has some business dealings with the Celestial Swallow Battle Group. If something happens to him, it’ll cause trouble for us as well. As the Deputy Director, I have to consider the Battle Group’s interests."
He paused, then added, "Of course, I won’t make things difficult for you. Go through the necessary procedures and investigate thoroughly. But as long as the evidence is insufficient, he must be released. That’s not an unreasonable request, is it?"
Deputy Director Chen fell silent for a few seconds before nodding. "I understand, Director Li. I’ll go speak with the colleagues handling the case right now."
Li Mingyuan smiled in satisfaction and stood up. "Then I’ll leave it in your hands, Director Chen. Next time you have some free time, come visit Celestial Swallow Province. I’ll buy you a drink."
With that, he straightened his clothes and strode out of the reception room.
After seeing Li Mingyuan off, Deputy Director Chen stood in place, silent for a long time. He knew very well that Li Mingyuan hadn’t come today to negotiate, but to give an order. His words had been polite, but the underlying meaning was crystal clear: he was protecting Wang Haidong. The Inspection Department could investigate all they wanted, but the man had to be released. Furthermore, Li Mingyuan was smart. He didn’t directly demand the release, but instead stipulated that as long as the evidence was insufficient, he had to be let go.
It sounded reasonable and lawful, but in reality, how could the evidence against a sly old fox like Wang Haidong ever be sufficient?
Deputy Director Chen sighed and turned, heading down toward the seventh basement level.
***
Half an hour later, the atmosphere in the Fourth Squad’s office area turned heavy.
Deputy Director Chen recounted Li Mingyuan’s words verbatim, then looked at Xu Wuyi. "Captain Meng, you know Li Mingyuan’s identity. He’s a Level Forty-Nine Quasi-Grandmaster, the Deputy Director of the Celestial Swallow Battle Group, and he has the Li Family backing him. He personally came to demand someone’s release. You should understand the weight of that."
Xu Wuyi sat at the round table, listening to Deputy Director Chen without a trace of emotion on his face. Zhou Bin and the others, however, looked grim. They had long expected someone to step up for Wang Haidong, but they never imagined it would happen this quickly—nor did they expect it to be Li Mingyuan himself. With a Quasi-Grandmaster Level Deputy Director personally demanding someone’s release, even the Inspection Department’s headquarters would have to give him some face.
Fang Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth. "Director Chen, the evidence in Wang Haidong’s case is irrefutable. Those military-grade materials and High-Energy Weapons were all discovered in his warehouse. Why should we let him go just because he says so?"
Deputy Director Chen sighed. "Fang Xiaoxiao, I know everything you’re saying. But conclusive evidence is just that—can it actually be pinned on Wang Haidong?
"That evidence only points to Zhang Yuhuai. Wang Haidong can claim complete ignorance from start to finish. Under these circumstances, even without Li Mingyuan stepping in, wouldn’t we ultimately have to release him anyway?"
Fang Xiaoxiao opened her mouth but found herself speechless. Deputy Director Chen was right. If the evidence was insufficient, even without anyone backing him, Wang Haidong would merely be detained a little longer before eventually being released. The room to maneuver in this situation was entirely dependent on a power struggle between the Inspection Department and Wang Haidong’s backers.
Zhou Bin asked in a deep voice, "Director Chen, are you saying we have to let him go?"
Deputy Director Chen didn’t answer directly. Instead, he looked at Xu Wuyi. "Captain Meng, you’re handling the case. What’s your opinion?"
Xu Wuyi was silent for a few seconds before speaking. "We’re not releasing him."
𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
His words were spoken very lightly, yet they crashed like a boulder into a placid lake. Deputy Director Chen froze, thinking he had misheard. "What did you say?"
"We’re not releasing him," Xu Wuyi repeated. "We made the arrest, and we are handling the case.
"Although the current evidence only points to Zhang Yuhuai, the investigation isn’t over yet. As long as Wang Haidong is in our custody, there’s a chance we’ll find new evidence."
Deputy Director Chen frowned. "Captain Meng, you might not fully grasp the situation. Li Mingyuan isn’t an ordinary man. He’s a Level Forty-Nine Quasi-Grandmaster and the Deputy Director of the Celestial Swallow Battle Group. He personally came to demand a release. If we stubbornly refuse, the consequences..."
"What consequences?" Xu Wuyi interrupted.
Deputy Director Chen opened his mouth, suddenly unsure of how to answer. What consequences? If Li Mingyuan was denied face, he absolutely wouldn’t let the matter drop. He might pressure them through the higher-ups, utilize the Li Family’s network, or throw obstacles in the Inspection Department’s path in other ways. But he couldn’t say these things in front of so many people.
Xu Wuyi looked at Deputy Director Chen, his tone remaining calm. "Director Chen, I know Li Mingyuan’s identity and who stands behind him. But a case is a case. We made the arrest, and we found the evidence. Until the case is closed, no one can make us release him, no matter who they are."
He paused before continuing, "As for Li Mingyuan, if he has a problem with it, tell him to come find me."
Deputy Director Chen stared blankly at Xu Wuyi, unable to speak for a long time. He had seen plenty of tough captains, but he had never met someone this uncompromising. This was Li Mingyuan! He was a Level Forty-Nine Quasi-Grandmaster whose words held more weight in Celestial Swallow Province than the governor’s. He had personally come to demand a release, yet this masked Captain Meng actually dared to say ’we’re not releasing him’ and told Li Mingyuan to come find him? Where did he get such incredible audacity?
Deputy Director Chen opened his mouth to offer a few words of advice, but seeing Xu Wuyi’s terrifyingly calm demeanor, he swallowed them back down. He certainly knew that this newly appointed Captain Meng was also a Quasi-Grandmaster with a mysterious identity. However, anyone who ended up in a place like the Inspection Department was highly unlikely to come from a major Noble Family and likely possessed very little backing.
He remained silent for a few seconds before finally saying, "Captain Meng, this matter is out of my hands, but I will accurately report your stance to the higher-ups. As for how they decide to proceed, that will be their business."
With that, he turned and left.
***
After Deputy Director Chen left, the Fourth Squad’s office area fell into a dead silence. Zhou Bin and the others exchanged glances, their eyes filled with complex emotions.
Fang Xiaoxiao was the first to speak, her voice trembling with barely suppressed shock. "Captain Meng, were you serious just now? We’re really not releasing him?"
Xu Wuyi nodded. "We’re not releasing him."