He Kui exchanged a glance with the two examiners, and immediately, both of them lowered their heads in guilt.
With years of experience under his belt, He Kui instantly understood, they were absolutely hiding something.
Chen Zhongming hadn't lied to him.
Someone really dared to do something illegal in the college entrance exam.
He Kui ordered, "Check this room's test papers, and also search the personal belongings of these two examiners. Remember, everything must follow regulations and the law. Best to do it under the classroom surveillance cameras, we don't need any trouble for ourselves."
"Yes, sir."
Just as He Kui was about to have the two examiners searched thoroughly, he suddenly noticed another convoy arriving quickly at the exam site.
The person coming didn't get out of the car, still sitting inside the sedan.
But throughout the entire 14121 district, there was only one government official with an assigned car.
The District Chief, Pan Youguang.
"Why is he here?"
Pan Youguang stepped out of the black sedan.
The staff member guarding the exam gate felt his heart tighten.
First the Director comes, and now the District Chief?
Even if there wasn't a problem, now there definitely was.
He silently cursed his bad luck for being in charge of this particular exam center.
Hopefully, he could walk away from this intact.
He greeted with a forced smile, "District Chief Pan, are you here for an inspection?"
"Where's Education Director He Kui?"
"Director He sealed off the exam site and went to inspect each exam room."
Pan Youguang's expression darkened, his brows furrowing sharply, "Sealed off the exam site? Who gave him the order to do that?"
"Uh…", The exam coordinator had no choice but to call He Kui.
"Director He, maybe you should come explain to District Chief Pan?"
"I'll be right there."
He Kui's brows knitted tightly. He ordered his staff to keep watching the two examiners and the test papers, then went himself to meet Pan Youguang.
"District Chief Pan, what brings you here?"
Pan Youguang's face was dark, "Director He, I heard you're not doing your proper inspection rounds but instead interfering with what's happening inside the testing process. Is that true?"
He Kui had never been on the same side as Pan Youguang, so his tone was firm and even, "District Chief Pan, I received a reliable report saying that examiners in this site have been swapping exam papers. Such behavior is strictly forbidden under the United Government's regulations and must be handled seriously."
"So, I brought my team here immediately to take care of it."
"Reliable report?", Pan Youguang snorted coldly, "How reliable? What proof do you have?"
"The evidence is being investigated."
"If you have no evidence, on what grounds do you seal the exam site? Do you realize how much psychological pressure that puts on the students? Director He, I'm ordering you to lift the lockdown immediately! Don't interfere with their college exams!"
Although He Kui didn't yet have hard proof, his trust in Chen Zhongming, and what he'd seen himself, was enough for him to be certain something was off.
Besides, the very fact that Pan Youguang showed up in person basically gave himself away.
He Kui narrowed his eyes, "We'll have the evidence soon, District Chief Pan. Please wait a moment."
"Ridiculous! Even a seven-year-old knows you can't punish without proof! On what basis are you sealing the exam hall with no evidence? Can you take responsibility if anything goes wrong?"
Then he jabbed a finger toward the other education bureau staff, "Your director's gone rogue, and you're just standing there? Lift the lockdown immediately!"
Rank crushes authority.
Faced with the District Chief's scolding, the rest of the bureau staff had no choice but to comply, preparing to leave.
After all, the Education Director, and a newly appointed one at that, couldn't possibly outweigh the authority of the District Chief.
Just as they were about to go, He Kui suddenly barked —
"No one leaves!"
He Kui kicked the office door shut, blocking the entrance entirely, "This matter can't just be brushed aside like nothing happened! Examiners cheating affects the entire college exam! It affects the students' faith in fairness! District Chief Pan, are you trying to shield the two criminals in this exam room?"
Pan Youguang's brows knotted together, "Director He, are you accusing me? When did I ever say I was protecting them? I've been asking you from the start, where's your evidence? As long as you can produce it, I'll give you my full support!"
"I said, we'll have the evidence soon!"
"And I said, before that, you have no authority to lock down the exam site! If something goes wrong, can you bear the consequences?"
He Kui adjusted his black-rimmed glasses, his sharp eyes glinting, "I'll bear all the consequences myself. If I have to go to prison, I'll go. If I have to be demoted, so be it."
"But today, this exam hall stays sealed!"
"Since the beginning of the post-apocalyptic era, no such scandal as swapped exam papers has ever occurred in the college exams! I will not allow this kind of outrage to happen under my watch!"
Pan Youguang pointed at him furiously, his eyes blazing, "He Kui! What do you think you're doing?"
"Doing nothing, just standing up for millions of students!"
"Standing up for them? Justice is standing right there, who asked for you to be the one defending it?"
"Whether it's justice or not, District Chief Pan, you don't get to decide that."
He Kui grabbed the door handle, and twisted hard.
Crack!
The metal handle bent and jammed deep into the wall, locking the door completely.
In an instant, everyone in the cramped office was trapped.
Pan Youguang sucked in a sharp breath and shouted in shock,
"You! You're using a sequence ability inside a Safe Zone without authorization? You know that's illegal, don't you?"
He Kui let out two cold laughs, "I'm a [Warrior] sequence, my strength's naturally above average. I didn't use any sequence ability. Is that a problem, District Chief Pan?"
"The Safe Zone forbids unauthorized sequence ability use. I'd like to see, if I'm blocking this door and you can't use yours, how exactly do you plan to get out?"
Then, in front of everyone, He Kui calmly pulled out his phone and made a call.
"Hello? Make sure everything you do is within the rules and the law, thoroughly investigate the two teachers from Exam Room 39. Remember, everything must be properly recorded. If anything happens to a student's paper, you'll be held responsible."
["Yes, District Chief Pan has already approved it! Report to me immediately if you find anything."]
He Kui hung up, then continued standing guard at the door, scanning the room.
He looked every bit like a lone warrior holding off an army.
At this point, even a fool could tell that Pan Youguang was somehow involved in the cheating scandal He Kui had mentioned.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have rushed here so angrily.
But Pan Youguang had deep political backing, while He Kui was personally appointed by Mayor Chen, a true clash of titans.
It had turned into an all-out power struggle between the District Chief and the Bureau Director.
Anyone foolish enough to get involved would likely end up shattered to pieces.
So everyone else just silently watched.
Pan Youguang clenched his teeth and shouted again in fury,
"He Kui! You're holding us hostage, what's your intention?"
"I just want to make sure none of us interfere with the investigation of fairness and justice. District Chief Pan, there's no need to say more, just wait a few minutes."
"If they find nothing wrong, I'll resign on the spot. You can have the Management Bureau arrest me for dereliction of duty."
"But if they do find those two examiners guilty of breaking the law—"
He Kui sneered coldly at Pan Youguang.
"Then, District Chief Pan..."
"We'll have a very interesting conversation."