Urban Martial Saint

If Ye Qing were here to hear this, he’d definitely be even more shaken.

Three deputy directors of the Capital City Police Department resigned over Su Kaicheng’s sister being hit by a car. What does this signify?

It’s hard to measure the stature of a deputy director in the Capital City Police Department. Perhaps their title is similar to that of a deputy director in the Eastern Province City or Shenchuan City Police Department. However, their actual power and status are worlds apart. After all, the Capital is the seat of power, while Dongzhou and Shenchuan are merely peripheral cities. In ancient times, the ”Capital” signified being under the direct oversight of the emperor himself. Understandably, the standing of the police department there is far superior to its counterparts in other regions.

It can be stated with full certainty that the status of a deputy director in the Capital City Police Department is almost comparable to that of a deputy director of a Provincial Police Department.

And for three deputy directors to resign over Su Kaicheng’s sister’s incident, the magnitude of influence required to achieve this is beyond imagination. Without a doubt, Su Kaicheng’s family background is astonishing—even in the Capital, they are a force to be reckoned with.

”It’s always like this! Whenever something happens, they just randomly find a few scapegoats to take the fall, but the real issues are never handled!” Su Nuoyan said angrily. ”The key is to address the root cause of these street racing gangs. Otherwise, the danger will persist unchecked forever!”

Su Kaicheng replied, ”That’s true, but none of these street racing gang members comes from a simple background. Forget about the Capital City Police Department being unable to rein them in—even if they could, who would dare? Any one of them plucked at random likely has family power influential enough to crush the police department. Who would willingly go consume their own career for this? These racers, at most they’re detained for fifteen days. But for the police who offend them? Their lives might be ruined forever. Who would take that risk?”

”So, just let them continue causing chaos?” Su Nuoyan countered. ”Let them keep racing unchecked? This time they hit our little sister; next time it could be someone else’s daughter—aren’t they worried about that?”

Su Kaicheng fell silent for a moment and then said, ”Dad’s already spoken to a few friends about this; there may soon be a solution. But things can’t be rushed in this matter—it involves too many people and families. The biggest worry right now is if little sister remains in a coma like this. If that happens... the chances of her ever waking up will be slim.”

Su Nuoyan sighed deeply. She was very worried about her little sister’s situation but felt powerless to do anything. The best doctors in all of Huaxia were concentrated in the Capital; if they couldn’t help her little sister, there might truly be no hope.

”Alright, stop stressing about this now!” Su Kaicheng started the car and said, ”Dad wanted me to handle affairs here in the Eastern Province first, so I’ll go visit Uncle now.”

”You haven’t met with Uncle yet?” Su Nuoyan asked curiously.

”I arrived late, and as soon as I got here, you called me to meet Ye Qing. I just haven’t had time to go see Uncle,” Su Kaicheng explained. ”But this works out—I can also mention the orphanage issue to him. Let’s hold off on the previous resolutions here in the Eastern Province for now and wait for the decisions from the Capital before proceeding with anything else.”

Su Kaicheng drove, with Su Nuoyan in tow, straight to see their Uncle. In the restaurant, Ye Qing sat numbly for quite a while. Everything that had just happened felt like a dream to him. However, the stinging pain he felt when he pinched his leg assured him it wasn’t a dream but an undeniable reality, stirring excitement within his heart.

Ye Qing didn’t linger long in the restaurant. He left immediately and headed straight for the Provincial Police Department to meet Liu Changping.

Liu Changping was still occupied with the investigation into last night’s hotel explosion. Ordinarily, a case like this wouldn’t require a department head to handle personally, but this time the situation was particularly complicated. Firstly, one of the deceased was Huang Boxiong—son of Huang Jianan, nephew of Huang Jianbin—someone with a significant background. Secondly, the case involved a group of mercenaries, making it somewhat akin to a terrorist attack—a matter of grave severity. Thirdly, the incident was indirectly connected to Ye Qing himself, so Liu Changping felt he needed to oversee it personally.

Seeing Ye Qing arrive, Liu Changping put down the file in his hand, gave Ye Qing a questioning look, and said, ”Weren’t you planning to head back to Shenchuan City this afternoon? Why haven’t you left? Still worried about last night’s incident? You don’t need to be; those two mercenaries have already confessed. They admitted they planted the bomb—it has nothing to do with you.”

”Of course it doesn’t have anything to do with me—I was a victim too!” Ye Qing replied.

”Yeah, right.” Liu Changping scoffed, ”You were a victim, yet you weren’t even scratched in the slightest?”

”Well, maybe I just have good fortune and a lucky streak!” Ye Qing joked.

”Enough, stop with the nonsense.” Liu Changping looked at Ye Qing and asked, ”You didn’t come all the way here just to see the case’s outcome, did you?”

”Of course not.” Ye Qing replied, ”I wanted to ask you about someone.”

”Who?” Liu Changping asked curiously.

”Su Nuoyan. Have you heard this name before?” Ye Qing asked.

”Su Nuoyan?” Liu Changping looked puzzled—it was clear he had no idea who this person was.

”You haven’t heard of her?” Ye Qing was surprised. Since Su Nuoyan was in Dongzhou, if she had a powerful background, Liu Changping should have at least heard of her name.

”Never heard of her.” Liu Changping shook his head and looked at Ye Qing curiously. ”Why? What’s your interest in her? Should I help you look into it?”

”No need.” Ye Qing quickly waved his hand. ”What about Su Kaicheng, then? Have you heard of him?”

”Why all the Su’s?” Liu Changping shook his head again. ”Haven’t heard of him either.”

”What?” Ye Qing widened his eyes, staring in shock at Liu Changping. He had assumed Su Nuoyan and Su Kaicheng weren’t ordinary people—and logically, someone with Liu Changping’s connections would know of them. However, judging by Liu Changping’s expression, he knew neither of them, making Ye Qing doubt their identities.

”What’s going on?” Liu Changping asked, puzzled.

Ye Qing hesitated before sharing everything that had happened with Su Nuoyan and Su Kaicheng. Knowing Liu Changping’s character, Ye Qing didn’t hold back—he repeated every word Su Nuoyan and Su Kaicheng had said verbatim.

After hearing Ye Qing, Liu Changping was stunned, his face showing evident surprise and shock.

”Uncle Liu, do you think... could these two people be frauds?” Ye Qing asked.

Liu Changping ignored Ye Qing’s question and instead asked, ”You’re saying that last time, Su Nuoyan reported the orphanage issue before the committee meeting even started?”

”Yes!” Ye Qing nodded.

”How’s that possible?” Liu Changping was incredulous. ”During such a sensitive time, how could the TV station possibly air something like that? Who exactly is this Su Nuoyan?”

Ye Qing stood opposite, watching Liu Changping closely, hoping to get some useful clues from him.

After a long moment of contemplation, Liu Changping’s eyes suddenly gleamed with realization. Excited, he said, ”I’ve figured it out! I’ve figured it out!”

”What did you figure out?” Ye Qing asked eagerly, waiting for the answer.

Liu Changping glanced at Ye Qing and smiled. ”There aren’t any prominent figures with the surname Su here in the Eastern Province. But there are a few prominent figures whose wives bear the surname Su.”

”That’s right! Earlier, Su Kaicheng mentioned his Uncle—they must be referring to someone from the Eastern Province!” Ye Qing interjected. ”His uncle may not have the surname Su, but his aunt definitely does. Uncle Liu, can you guess who their Uncle might be?”

Liu Changping replied, ”If my guess is correct, their Uncle is none other than Old Chang!”

”Old Chang?” Ye Qing asked, surprised. ”Which Old Chang?”

”The Governor of the Eastern Province…” Liu Changping said with a faint smile. ”Chang Zhiguo.”

Ye Qing’s eyes widened instantly. The Governor of the Eastern Province—he was effectively the second most powerful figure in the entire province. If he were truly Su Nuoyan’s uncle, it would explain why she was able to get the orphanage issue reported during such a sensitive time. With a Governor as an uncle, broadcasting content was no difficult feat!

”Are you sure?” Ye Qing’s voice wavered slightly. The stronger Su Nuoyan and Su Kaicheng’s backgrounds were, the brighter the prospects for his orphanage.

”Close enough!” Liu Changping nodded. ”The TV station head is Xu Xiangyang’s subordinate—the head of propaganda. Xu Xiangyang is known for being arrogant; in the Eastern Province, he only gives respect to two individuals. One is Provincial Secretary Gu Hongchou, and the other is Governor Chang Zhiguo. During such a sensitive time, the orphanage issue could only have been pushed through by either Gu Hongchou or Chang Zhiguo. And between the two, only Chang Zhiguo’s wife happens to have the surname Su!”

”I see!” Ye Qing said, enlightened. He had finally understood whose influence Su Nuoyan had relied on to report the orphanage story.

”So, does that mean my orphanage… it has hope now?” Ye Qing said excitedly.

”Of course!” Liu Changping shot Ye Qing a glance. ”If their Uncle is truly Chang Zhiguo, then do you know who Su Kaicheng’s father might be?”

”Who would that be?” Ye Qing asked hurriedly, his curiosity piqued.

Liu Changping took a deep breath and said, ”If my guess is right, Su Kaicheng’s father is the only vice-national-level figure in the Capital with the surname Su!”