official career

Chapter 2998 You are the key

"I still don't understand, why would they live if I were eliminated? Yes, I am the mayor of Shazhou City, but in the grand scheme of Ganliang Province, I am just a pawn, a pawn that charges across the river alone. Do you think eliminating me, this pawn, will turn the tide?" Qin Feng still didn't believe it.

"They're not trying to turn the tables, they just want to save their lives. We need a foothold to crack down on the local interest groups in Ganliang Province, right? And the core of this interest group is the Yang family. If we want to completely eliminate this interest group, we can only start with the Yang family. As long as we can take down the Yang family, we can eliminate the entire local interest group in Ganliang Province. So for us, the key is the Yang family, and for them, as long as they protect the Yang family, they can save their lives."

"So the Yang family is the key, just as your Shazhou is the key, and you, Qin Feng, are naturally the key among the key."

"The Yang family has been operating in Shazhou for many years, making it as impenetrable as an iron barrel. It is impossible for outside forces to penetrate it. The only way to deal with the Yang family is to find a way from within Shazhou. It's like attacking a city. If you can't get in from the outside, then you have to find a way from the inside. That's why we sent Qi Yaqiu and you to Shazhou one after another."

“That’s clear. They all saw it clearly. That’s why Qi Yaqiu died on the sandbar, and why you’ve been in constant danger ever since you entered the sandbar.”

"And the situation remains the same now. Even if Comrade Pei Qinglin comes to Ganliang and the situation in the province changes, he can only provide strong support to you at the provincial level. The person who will actually take action against the Yang family is still you."

“As for the Yang family and the local interest groups in Gansu and Liangzhou, as long as you are eliminated, they will lose the knife that is being used to penetrate Shazhou. Even if we are powerful in the province, we can't do anything to them. So, wouldn't you say you are the key? Your only way out for them is to break the deadlock,” Zhao Hongjian said slowly.

Qin Feng suddenly realized the truth and understood the intricacies of the matter.

"You've dealt with Yang Guoqiang several times. What kind of person do you think he is?" Zhao Hongjian got up to pour tea for Qin Feng.

Qin Feng didn't stand on ceremony; he had no reason to be polite to Zhao Hongjian.

"Extremely dangerous. He's incredibly cunning, ruthless, and shrewd. He's the most dangerous person I've ever met. These last few times, we almost capsized because of him." Qin Feng spoke highly of Yang Guoqiang.

"Yes, so you think he can't see the key to breaking this deadlock? They have no choice. Before, they were protected by the provincial government, so they wouldn't take such a dangerous step. Now that Feng Li'an is definitely leaving, that protective umbrella is gone. The only way for him to survive is to cut off the knife that we're sticking into the sandbar to take his life."

"So Qin Feng, I can conclude that from the moment the Yang family received the confirmation from above that Feng Li'an was to be transferred, they would begin to plan how to get rid of you. Perhaps... given Yang Guoqiang's cunning, he had already figured out how to get rid of you and was just waiting for the news of Feng Li'an's transfer to come down from above."

"Qin Feng, this is why I insisted that you come to see me tonight. I know your personality; you're fearless and never take danger seriously. If I were to tell you these things over the phone, firstly, I wouldn't be able to explain them clearly, and secondly, you wouldn't take them seriously anyway. So I have to tell you in person."

"You must protect yourself. You must understand that the tide is on our side now. As long as you don't cause any problems, just wait patiently for Comrade Pei Qinglin to take office. With the Shazhou public security system under your control and my support in the political and legal system, the Yang family is doomed. This is the trend, and no one can stop it."

“But if something happens to you, everything will be over. All the hard work we, especially Vice Minister Hong and the others have put into this scheme in Ganliang will be for nothing. What you need to protect now is not just yourself, but also the hard work of so many of us, the overall situation in Ganliang, and the future of the people of Shazhou.” Zhao Hongjian’s words became more and more serious.

After listening to Zhao Hongjian's words, Qin Feng felt very heavy-hearted. He knew that Zhao Hongjian's words were not an exaggeration. Based on his understanding of the Yang family, especially Yang Guoqiang, if he were desperate, he would not hesitate to do so.

Although Yang Zhijie and Yang Zhihao were responsible for Qi Yaqiu's death, was Yang Guoqiang truly unaware of it? Qin Feng had always been skeptical.

Even if Qi Yaqiu wasn't killed by Yang Guoqiang, Shao Hongli was 100% killed on Yang Guoqiang's orders.

If they could kill Qi Yaqiu and Shao Hongli, they wouldn't care about killing Qin Feng as well. Besides, the Yang family's current crisis is much more critical than when they killed Qi Yaqiu and Shao Hongli.

Qin Feng took deep drags on his cigarette, knowing that the most dangerous moment had indeed arrived.

"But you don't need to worry too much. They definitely won't take this desperate step until the very last resort. Everyone has a bit of wishful thinking. They'll only make a move against you after Comrade Pei Qinglin takes office, when they're sure there's no other hope left," Zhao Hongjian said with a smile, noticing the heaviness in Qin Feng's mind.

"Didn't you say they had no other way out?" Qin Feng understood the implication in Zhao Hongjian's words.

"Yes, but in my opinion it's an impossible path. But at this point, even knowing that the chances of success are slim, they will still take it."

"What road?" Qin Feng asked.

“You’re so smart, you must have figured it out. I’ve already said it, Shazhou is just a smaller version of Ganliang. What Shazhou is like is basically what the province is like.” Zhao Hongjian hinted to Qin Feng.

Qin Feng continued smoking, following Zhao Hongjian's train of thought.

“If I were Yang Guoqiang, and I knew that the higher-ups had confirmed that Feng Li'an was to be transferred away and Pei Qinglin to be transferred in, my only option at that moment would be… to find Jiang Longjun, because in Shazhou, only Jiang Longjun can suppress me, stop me, and only Jiang Longjun can protect him,” Qin Feng said, looking at Zhao Hongjian.

“Yes, that makes sense. If that’s the case in Shazhou City, then the local forces in Gansu and Liangzhou behind the Yang family will naturally go after Cao Fanyi, because only Cao Fanyi can protect them.” Zhao Hongjian nodded.

"If Jiang Longjun really wants to protect the Yang family, I'm not sure I can actually do anything to them; it would at least cause a lot of trouble," Qin Feng frowned.

"Do you think Jiang Longjun will protect the Yang family?" Zhao Hongjian asked.

"I don't know, but based on my understanding of Jiang Longjun, he would use the Yang family to deal with me, just like the fire at the sports center last time, to make the Yang family cause me trouble so he could reap the benefits. But it's absolutely impossible for him to take such a big risk to protect the Yang family. Especially after the higher-ups confirmed the transfer of Feng Li'an and the transfer of Comrade Pei Qinglin, it's even less likely that Jiang Longjun would do something so risky," Qin Feng analyzed.