Urban Romantic Divine Doctor

Chapter 601: Chapter 600, The Indelible Suspicion

Qin Chu Nian stood up with a smile, warmly inviting Wang Jun to sit, and then personally lifted the kettle to pour him a cup of tea, ”Vice Mayor Wang, how long have we known each other?”

”Almost twenty years, I suppose!” Wang Jun recalled, ”I remember when we met, I was serving as the director of the Bureau of Culture, and you were the head of the Public Security Bureau’s household registration division.”

At this point, a hint of bitterness welled up in his heart.

To last long and move smoothly within the system, you really need solid relationships.

Like the kind Qin Chu Nian had.

Qin Chu Nian sighed, ”Yes, in the blink of an eye, it’s been almost twenty years!”

Saying this, he picked up the decanter, poured two glasses of wine, and said with a smile, ”Come on, let’s drink this cup, a toast to our lost youth.”

”Cheers!”

The two raised their glasses and drank, then began to savor the dishes at Tianhai Residence.

Though the dishes were perfect in color, aroma, and taste,

Wang Jun had no interest in tasting them. He put down his chopsticks and said calmly, ”Director Qin, we’re not strangers here, let’s get straight to the point if there’s anything to say!”

Qin Chu Nian put down his chopsticks, picked up a napkin and wiped the oil from the corner of his mouth, ”Vice Mayor Wang, you must know about the incident of the deputy director of the Urban Planning Bureau’s car being doused with manure, right?”

Wang Jun nodded slightly, ”I saw that news piece this afternoon.”

Qin Chu Nian: ”Secretary Wu and Mayor Sun may have gone to the provincial capital for a meeting, but before that, both leaders called. They were extremely dissatisfied with this matter and ordered me to find the culprit within twenty-four hours.”

”Otherwise, I’ll be rolling up my mat and leaving.”

Wang Jun was taken aback, then bitterly smiled, ”If that’s the case, why did you invite me for a meal? Investigating the case is the pressing matter!”

”Time is tight, and the task is heavy. Isn’t this why I’m anxious and thought to find a friend to chat with?” Qin Chu Nian laughed heartily.

Then he changed the subject, ”Vice Mayor Wang, regarding the newly appointed deputy director of the Urban Planning Bureau, whose car was splashed with manure, what is your view on this matter?”

But he kept a close watch on Wang Jun’s facial expressions.

As an experienced criminal investigator, his skill was evident, able to detect deceit from slight facial cues.

Wang Jun gave his view, ”This case adversely affects and directly relates to our Haicheng officialdom’s reputation.”

Qin Chu Nian: ”Indeed, a newly arrived colleague had his car splashed with manure. If word spreads, someone will definitely say our Haicheng officialdom bullies newcomers.”

”If that truly becomes the case, our Haicheng officials will find it difficult to venture out in the future!”

”By the way.”

”Vice Mayor Wang, you said Xu Wendong has just taken up his post and doesn’t even know colleagues from the Urban Planning Bureau. How could someone splash his car with manure?”

”Did he offend an enemy?”

”Or perhaps did he impede others’ interests?”

”Otherwise, why would someone use this method to disgust him?”

Vice Mayor Wang squinted slightly, showing a faint, intriguing smile, ”Director Qin, you have some loaded words there!”

At this moment, he realized that today’s banquet, though delicious,

Might be a Hongmen Banquet!*

It helplessly frustrated him.

Because many knew he once went to the provincial capital, trying to secure that position for his nephew.

Although he failed,

He didn’t hold a grudge against Xu Wendong for it.

But now...

He felt a deep sense of powerlessness,

Feeling like he, an outsider, had been drawn into it,

Bearing suspicions he couldn’t easily wash away.

Otherwise, Qin Chu Nian wouldn’t have invited him for a meal without reason.

However,

He felt no fear,

For the innocent are innocent.

Qin Chu Nian sighed, ”I’ve been a police officer for most of my life, handling countless cases. Without exception, every case has a motive.”

Wang Jun offered his perspective, ”Director Qin, do you think this could be a coincidence? For instance, a vehicle carrying manure passing by happened to spill on the Hongqi car?”

Qin Chu Nian: ”Investigating requires bold guesses and reasonable analysis. What Vice Mayor Wang mentioned is not impossible.”

”However...”

”If this were just a coincidence, then why did the furniture city’s surveillance malfunction?”

”Of course, civilian surveillance malfunctioning can also be considered a coincidence.”

”But...”

”Our Sky Net System’s surveillance was invisibly deleted. Believing all this is purely coincidental, do you?”

The pupils of Vice Mayor Wang suddenly trembled, ”The Sky Net System’s surveillance was also erased?”

Qin Chu Nian: ”Yes, I sought to check surveillance at major intersections near the furniture city to track down suspect vehicles based on timing, but all videos around that time were deleted.”

”The IT department called the perpetrator a highly skilled hacker, who quietly breached thirty-two firewalls, erasing the video without the IT department noticing.”

”It wasn’t until they reviewed the surveillance that they realized a hacker visited.”

Wang Jun grabbed a cup and took a sip of water, his face somewhat solemn, ”So it seems, the culprit should be an information expert.”

Qin Chu Nian casually said, ”Vice Mayor Wang, in your opinion, how does this information expert compare to the one you found to help us tackle the 619 information fraud case?”

Wang Jun’s pupils quaked,

A profound sense of powerlessness surged within.

Though he was heavily suspected in this case,

He believed the innocent are innocent and felt no guilt.

But after hearing Qin Chu Nian’s words, he didn’t know how to refute.

For even he felt, it seemed like he did it.

”Director Qin, are you suspecting me?” Wang Jun smiled bitterly.

”Not at all!” Qin Chu Nian helplessly said, ”We’re just having a private meal, chatting and casually discussing the case. It’s unrelated to official business.”

Wang Jun drank a cup alone, then lamented in frustration, ”True, I did think of getting that position for my nephew. I also aspired to advance.”

”But within the system, some things are beyond our control.”

”Nevertheless, after striving, I have no regrets.”

”As for Xu Wendong...”

”I admit I’m jealous, but it’s only jealousy. I, Wang Jun, may not be very capable, but wouldn’t brazenly offend a twenty-four-year-old deputy division-level cadre.”

”Unless I’m willing to risk my career!”

”But what’s my purpose for doing this?”

”Just to disgust him?”

”It’s not worth it!”

”Indeed, it’s really not worth it!”

Qin Chu Nian poured him a cup of wine and said softly, ”Doing so is indeed not worth it, but the current situation is extremely disadvantageous for you!”

”Thank you, Director Qin, for today’s hospitality. I toast to you!” Wang Jun forced a smile, raised his glass, and drank in one go.

Unsure whether it was intense anger or the spiciness of Maotai,

His expression turned ferociously grim,

Appearing like a frenzied beast, frightening to behold.

Even Qin Chu Nian, upon seeing it, shuddered internally, feeling a nameless fear!

*Note: Hongmen Banquet refers to a banquet defining treachery or plotting in ancient Chinese history.