Era of Magic and Martial Arts-Chapter 347 - 331: Cover-Up
Afternoon, nearing evening.
Inside the Executive Government office building.
Lou Duan sat on the sofa, watching a news interview being broadcast on the television.
On the TV, the young Chief Constable looked grim and spoke with conviction:
"...Based on the clues I have gathered, Gong Lao certainly did not die by suicide, but was murdered. I suspect that Feng Mu, a prison guard at the Second Prison, is a key suspect!"
His voice carried an undeniable firmness, with an air of irreconcilable enmity against evil:
"I request that the Second Prison actively cooperates and sends the suspect Feng Mu to the Patrol Office for detailed investigation and questioning.
Any form of cover-up is intolerable. We must pursue the truth, give the deceased the truth they deserve, and uphold the fairness and justice of the law!"
Lou Duan stared at the determined young face on the TV, his lips slowly curling into a complex arc, part appreciation, part mockery:
"Young people really aren’t afraid of death, daring to wade into any muddy waters. Very well, I’ll give you a chance then."
After a brief contemplation, Lou Duan picked up the phone on his desk and dialed an internal line to Chief Warden Liu Bo:
"Chief Warden, the issues at the Second Prison have turned into quite a storm, and the Patrol Office has even issued an announcement on the case. We can’t just do nothing; the impact is too severe."
On the other end, Chief Warden Liu Bo pondered for a moment:
"Concluding the Second Prison riot is premature, after all, Qian Huan is indignant. When I called him this morning, he rudely hung up on me."
Lou Duan squinted his eyes, letting out a cold snort:
"Hundreds of prison guards died, and he still dared to hang up on you. Is he unaware of the severity, or is he fearless with backing?"
Liu Bo did not answer Lou Duan’s question. He could tell that there was something very wrong with the Second Prison riot; he didn’t want to be caught up in it, which was why he disliked Qian Huan’s attitude but was hesitant to act.
For many years, Liu Bo had managed to maintain his position as the head of the prison system through his steadiness.
Without understanding the layout of this chessboard and without seeing clearly who the players were, Liu Bo would not easily make a move or choose a side.
Even though Qian Huan seemed precarious, Liu Bo had witnessed how influential figures could change the game with a flip of the hand.
To many people, Liu Bo was an influential figure, but he still tread carefully, knowing the truth that there are always more powerful people and greater powers.
The Second Prison incident was like a complex chess game.
On the surface, it seemed like a battle between the prison system and Celestial Light Capital, but deeper underneath, it was a contest between the Executive Government and Bright Group.
Liu Bo could smell a whiff of unusual danger from it.
Liu Bo was unsure if Lou Duan was implicated in it. He didn’t want to ask, but out of old subordinates’ camaraderie, he subtly reminded:
"Whether or not Qian Huan has backing is unimportant.
What matters is that the Executive Government has yet to make a statement today, and as a subordinate department of the Executive Government, in principle, we need to stay in step with them."
Lou Duan’s brows furrowed slightly, and his mood grew heavy. He understood the warning in the Chief Warden’s words.
He took a deep breath, and a wave of unwillingness surged in his heart. Then, in a probing tone, he asked:
"Why isn’t the Executive Government making a statement? The cries of the victims’ families downstairs are piercing even through the windows. It shouldn’t be like this. What are the MPs thinking, letting things ferment like this?"
A complex expression flashed across Liu Bo’s face. He didn’t know the MPs’ calculations and could only sigh helplessly:
"Lou Duan, you must understand a truth: those below fight to the death over a piece of meat, and many die, but those above will still sit at the same table. The dead are merely spices added during cooking."
Liu Bo paused, he was actually considered a good leader, he didn’t want Lou Duan to get too deeply involved in this chess game. He was considering Lou Duan’s situation and his own as well.
But he couldn’t speak too plainly; saying it plainly could implicate him, so he could only hint:
"Cooking requires spices. The more spices needed, the more delicious the dish on the table is, and the better the dish, the more patient the guests are!"
After saying the final word, Liu Bo hung up the phone, giving Lou Duan no chance to pursue the matter further.
Lou Duan listened to the dial tone in the phone, then looked at the young, determined face on the TV screen. His expression changed unpredictably, and then he slowly placed the phone back in its place.
"The old guy didn’t finish his sentence. Following his train of thought, it should be, the more patient the guest, the more prestigious they are, and the more prestigious the guest, the more they devour without leaving bones."
Lou Duan’s mind raced. He was certainly reluctant to give up the juicy Second Prison, but he was even more unwilling to become the seasoning:
"The old guy is a bit cowardly, but he’s lived long. He must have smelled something. Perhaps I should listen to him?"
After a moment’s consideration, Lou Duan suddenly opened his email and looked at the two testaments he received one after another.
Indeed, Gong Lao’s testament was sent to him, which was a carefully laid move by Zhao Xing. Yet, what Zhao Xing did not anticipate was that after receiving these two testaments, Lou Duan took no action.
Lou Duan neither brought the testaments to a meeting for discussion nor leaked a hint to the outside world.
This caution stemmed from Lou Duan’s initial plan to utilize Zhou Hu and Zhao Xing and then discard them. He only wanted to enjoy the benefits without getting stained with the blood of dozens of lives.
Moreover, with two testaments sent in succession, there was clearly an air of strangeness.
Lou Duan moved the mouse gently towards the delete key and paused just as his finger was about to press it.
"Let’s try, do a cautious probe to see if the Second Prison is really served on the big figures’ tables. If it is, I’ll withdraw; if it isn’t..."
Lou Duan still felt unwilling, not entirely giving up:
"Conveniently, there’s a ready informant, a piece of chess delivered to my door. No reason not to use it."
"I’ll just do a slight probe!"
"And I won’t target Qian Huan; I’m only focusing on a small prison guard under him. It shouldn’t be a big issue, right?"
Two hours later.
Two hours later, the prison system’s official website released a remarkable "announcement."
The content of the announcement was lengthy, spanning several hundred words, and the main message was:
The prison system has firm confidence in Feng Mu’s innocence. Meanwhile, to cooperate with the Patrol Office’s investigation, it has instructed Feng Mu to voluntarily go to the Patrol Office to "turn himself in."
The announcement expressed trust in the Patrol Office, hoping they can swiftly uncover the truth, clear Feng Mu of grievances, and restore his good name.
...
