Cui Zhonghua's brows furrowed tightly.
He could feel something wasn't simple about this.
Today, He Kui was completely unlike the man he knew. The He Kui who never got involved in anyone's business.
Far too abnormal.
When Cui Zhonghua received the call from District Chief Pan Youguang, he had come immediately.
Originally, his plan was to take the offenders straight back to the police station for questioning. Exam cheating during the college entrance exams was an unprecedented major crime.
By all logic, someone like He Kui should have been on his side in this matter.
So why was he stepping forward to block it?
Had sitting on the sidelines too long frozen his brain?
Pan Youguang urged impatiently, "Chief Cui, what are you standing there for? Hurry and take them away for interrogation! This is a serious case, we can't afford to take it lightly!"
He Kui immediately objected, "District Chief Pan! I believe these two individuals are of great importance. I still hope Chief Cui can explain how he plans to handle them, so we don't leave room for rumors."
He Kui was still blocking him?
His speech was clear and steady, he didn't look like someone who had lost his mind.
That made Cui Zhonghua hesitate.
He looked at He Kui's eyes, red with anger, and then at Pan Youguang's urgent, anxious expression.
Having rolled around in officialdom for years, Cui Zhonghua immediately smelled something off.
This exam fraud case must have something to do with these two.
Both of them were giving him completely opposite instructions, which could only mean that one of them was trying to drag him down with them.
For him, the question wasn't who to help, but who this case was connected to.
He had no intention of getting himself caught up in a mess that could cost him his job.
Cui Zhonghua was an old hand, he'd been a police official in the district even before the establishment of the Safe Zone.
After the Cataclysm, because he had done an outstanding job organizing evacuations, he'd been appointed as the police chief of District 14121.
Since then, with no more major achievements and no powerful backers to promote him, he had sat in that chair for eight years.
Eight years had made Cui Zhonghua content with the status quo.
He couldn't rise any higher, but as long as he didn't make mistakes, no one could push him out either.
Now, all he wanted was to retire peacefully.
If this college exam cheating case had happened four or five years ago, he might've seen it as an opportunity.
Now, it was nothing but a hot potato.
He didn't seek merit anymore, only to avoid fault.
What mattered most now was figuring out whether this case was tied to Pan Youguang or to He Kui.
Although Cui Zhonghua also disliked that stubborn "stinking rock" of a man, He Kui…
He had to admit, in every respect, image, reputation, record, and character, He Kui was the more trustworthy of the two.
"District Chief Pan, I think Director He's words make sense. This case is too serious. Our police bureau probably can't handle it alone, we should proceed with caution."
Pan Youguang, seeing that Cui Zhonghua wouldn't follow his lead, became even angrier, "What do you mean by that? If not the police bureau's responsibility, then what, the health department's? The pricing bureau's?"
"Hard to say," Cui replied evenly, "But our police bureau alone shouldn't shoulder this. District Chief Pan, I suggest we report this matter to Mayor Chen."
"No need!", Pan Youguang waved his hand sharply, "This is my district's affair, reporting it to Mayor Chen would only show that you and I can't do our jobs!"
With just that, Cui Zhonghua understood perfectly, those two teachers must have ties to Pan Youguang.
No need to think further. If he had taken them away as ordered, Pan would've surely arranged something afterward.
If he hadn't seen through things in time, he might've really been dragged into the mess.
Shock and anger filled Cui Zhonghua's heart.
He was shocked that Pan Youguang dared to meddle with the college entrance exam at all, and furious that Pan had tried to use him as a pawn.
Without another word, Cui quietly moved to stand beside He Kui, making his stance clear.
He Kui glanced at Cui, and their eyes met, a silent understanding passed between them.
Their starting points were different, but their goal was the same.
And so, a strange scene unfolded.
District Chief Pan Youguang, a district chief, was being jointly defied by two of his own bureau directors.
Such blatant insubordination, in the entire United Government, was nothing short of explosive.
Everyone around was dumbstruck, their eyes darting back and forth. No one had expected to witness such a spectacle today.
Amid his fury, Pan Youguang also felt a trace of confusion.
He had served as the district chief of Area 14121 for seven years, managing everything smoothly. How had it all come to this?
Did it start when he failed to deal with Qin Siyang?
Or when his staunch ally, Management Bureau Director Feng Shouben, died unexpectedly?
Or… did it start today?
No matter.
As long as no other forces interfered, he was still the district chief, the highest authority in this office.
Eventually, his voice would prevail.
No one could stay here forever, wasting time with two rebellious subordinates.
Just then—
Tap! Tap!
The sharp rhythm of leather shoes striking the floor echoed from outside.
And then, a figure appeared. One that made everyone instinctively lower their heads.
The Mayor of City 141, Chen Zhongming.
At last, amid the stalemate, Chen Zhongming arrived.
Rushing nonstop, what should've been a three-hour drive had taken less than two.
Covered in dust, Chen stepped into the room where everyone stood and, spotting He Kui guarding the door, finally felt the weight in his chest lift.
"Mayor Chen."
"Mayor Chen, you're here."
"Mayor Chen…"
Everyone greeted him, though their tones revealed vastly different emotions.
The last shred of hope in Pan Youguang's heart evaporated completely with Chen's arrival.
There was no longer any doubt, He Kui was clearly Chen's man.
Chen spoke first, stating his purpose plainly, "I received word that in District 14121, a very serious college exam violation occurred, so I came to inspect the situation personally."
"Who can brief me on what's going on here?"
Cui Zhonghua was about to step forward, but Chen's gaze fell on He Kui instead.
"He Kui, why don't you explain?"
The step Cui had started to take froze midair, and he quietly pulled back.
Inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Looks like he had chosen the right side after all.
'Phew! A near escape from disaster!'
"Yes, sir."
He Kui recounted, in full detail, everything that had happened after receiving Mayor Chen's call.
"So, these two examiners were found with a completely filled-out test paper, ready to swap it in?"
"That's right."
He Kui adjusted his black-framed glasses.
"Leaking exam questions and cheating in the exam hall are extremely serious violations. As the Director of Education for this district, I bear inescapable responsibility."
"Let's not talk about accountability just yet."
Chen pointed at the two suspects, "Chief Cui, have your police take these two to the City Police Headquarters. I'll have Chief Hu set up a special investigation team to handle this case."
"Yes, sir."
Following orders, Cui signaled for several officers to step forward, handcuff the two examiners, and prepare to take them away.
The two, who had stayed silent until now, finally panicked upon seeing Pan Youguang losing his influence.
They struggled and cried out toward him in desperation—
"District Chief Pan, we're innocent!"
"District Chief Pan, we don't want to go to the city bureau!"