Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 22 Wu Zhiyuan Wins the Full Trust of the Municipal Party Secretary

Wu Zhiyuan stared intently at the group of blond-haired youths.

Unlike ordinary villagers who were anxious and angry, they were restless and ready to act.

"District Chief Zhao! Over there, there are a few blond-haired guys who don't look like law-abiding villagers!" Wu Zhiyuan said in a low voice to Zhao Qiang and Qian Kai, the deputy district chief and director of the Public Security Bureau of Longdong District.

Zhao Qiang and Qian Kai looked in the direction Wu Zhiyuan pointed, and their expressions also became serious.

Qian Kai immediately deployed police forces via walkie-talkie.

However, the situation changed abruptly.

A blond-haired man mingling in the crowd shouted, "Not a single official is any good! They say one thing and do another, fooling us ordinary people! Let's beat these bastards to death!"

This shout was like a spark thrown into an oil depot.

Several other people who were clearly accomplices also joined in the clamor:

"Charge over there! Demand an explanation from the officials!"

"They wouldn't dare do anything to us; there are so many of us, they won't punish us!"

"Kill those damn officials!"

Bricks, clods of dirt, and mineral water bottles flew towards the direction where Xu Youwei and the others were standing.

The crowd was thrown into chaos by this sudden incitement. People in front were pushed and shoved by those behind, and they surged forward involuntarily, instantly creating a gap in the cordon.

Police officers and staff tried to form a human wall to stop the spread of the virus, but the situation was already out of control.

A police car was overturned.

A brick flew straight at Xu Youwei's face. Wu Zhiyuan rushed forward without hesitation, grabbed Xu Youwei's arm with his left hand and pulled him behind him, while swinging his right arm to deflect the flying brick.

"Bang!" Wu Zhiyuan felt a sharp pain in his forearm.

"Secretary Xu, bow your head!" Wu Zhiyuan shouted, shielding Xu Youwei between his chest and the mound of earth, his back to the chaotic crowd.

More stones and mineral water bottles were thrown at his back and shoulders.

"Don't panic! Protect the people! Prevent a stampede!" Although Xu Youwei was protected by Wu Zhiyuan, his voice remained calm as he tried to control the situation.

However, in the chaos, several young men with blond hair broke through the first line of defense, their eyes flashing with malice, and rushed straight at Xu Youwei.

Two blond-haired men attacked from the left and right, the one on the left wielding a short stick, and the one on the right brandishing a gleaming dagger.

"Zhiyuan, watch out!" Xu Youwei shouted as he saw the dagger.

Wu Zhiyuan tightly protected Xu Youwei behind him.

Faced with the sweeping attack wielding a stick, he didn't retreat but advanced, crouching down and delivering a low sweeping kick to the back of the opponent's knee joint.

With a piercing scream, the blond-haired man collapsed to the ground.

Wu Zhiyuan's kick was merciless, using a deadly move in Sanda that could cripple someone. In this critical moment, he couldn't care less about anything else.

Almost at the same time, the blond guy with the dagger on the right suddenly attacked.

Wu Zhiyuan's left hand shot out like lightning, precisely grabbing the wrist of the other man holding the dagger and forcefully twisting it in the opposite direction.

At the same time, he slammed his right elbow hard into the opponent's face.

The blond-haired man screamed in agony as the dagger slipped from his hand, blood and teeth flying everywhere.

All of this happened in just over ten seconds.

Wu Zhiyuan acted ruthlessly and decisively, instantly taking down two assailants and intimidating the others who wanted to rush forward.

"Get them under control!" Qian Kai ordered the police to subdue the blond-haired man who was lying on the ground groaning, as well as several other blond-haired men who were leading the disturbance.

More police officers were deployed, and the out-of-control situation was finally brought under control.

"Zhiyuan! You're injured!" Xu Youwei's face was full of concern when he saw Wu Zhiyuan's swollen arm.

"It's nothing, just a superficial injury," Wu Zhiyuan said casually.

Xu Youwei spoke sternly to Zhao Qiang and Qian Kai: "There are rioters mixed in with the crowd! We must investigate thoroughly—who are these people, and who is instigating them?"

Zhao Qiang quickly replied, "Yes! Secretary Xu, we will definitely investigate and deal with this seriously! We will not tolerate it!"

Song Leyi has not arrived yet.

Xu Youwei, with a stern face, asked Zhao Qiang, "Where is Song Leyi?"

Zhao Qiang looked troubled.

Actually, he knew why Song Leyi hadn't arrived yet.

Based on Song Leyi's daily routine, he might not be up yet.

Unless there are special arrangements such as research visits by higher-level leaders or city meetings, Song Leyi sleeps until 10 a.m., plays cards and has dinner with his boss in the afternoon, and only starts reviewing documents and arranging work after 10 p.m.

Working at night not only makes things difficult for his subordinates, but also leads unsuspecting people to mistakenly believe that he is diligent and works overtime.

His work-rest schedule is strikingly similar to that of Zhan Shunzhou, the former secretary of the Dunhuang Municipal Party Committee.

Wu Zhiyuan then said to Zhao Qiang, "Call Song Leyi's cell phone!"

The phone was on, but no one answered.

No one knew that Song Leyi had a second tryst with his lover last night, and then again this morning. He was now sleeping with his lover, who was nearly thirty years younger than him, and his phone was on silent.

The chaotic situation was brought under control, and seven or eight thugs mixed in with the crowd were apprehended. Xu Youwei spoke into the megaphone: "Fellow villagers! You all saw the chaos just now. Someone was deliberately creating trouble!"

They are not genuinely advocating for people's rights; they just want to escalate the situation and turn the situation from one of being in the right to one of being in the wrong!

Now, I urge everyone to elect five representatives so we can sit down and have a proper talk.

However, there was silence in the crowd.

Everyone looked at each other, but no one was willing to step forward.

Xu Youwei was confused. At this moment, a middle-aged man stood up and said, "If your government departments have no integrity, who dares to be a representative?"

Last time, when parents protested over school district issues, the leaders said the same thing and nominated five representatives.

As a result, all five representatives were arrested. We've learned this "capture the king first" trick many times before!

Xu Youwei was utterly shocked.

I never imagined the government could be so dishonest!

Indeed, as representatives elected by the masses, they generally have high prestige and are leaders in safeguarding rights. The government arrests them as a warning to others.

Xu Youwei declared loudly, "In my capacity as the Party Secretary of the Municipal Committee, I assure you all that I will personally take responsibility for the safety of the delegates, and there will absolutely be no repercussions later!"

He paused, then his voice became even more forceful: "If I can't even keep this promise, then I, the Party Secretary of the Municipal Committee, am not worthy of sitting in this position!"

After a brief silence, several people finally stepped forward and selected five representatives.

The negotiations continued until 12:30 p.m., and several consensuses were reached: the demolition was immediately suspended, the compensation standards were recalculated, the perpetrators were severely punished, and the medical expenses were to be paid in advance by the developer.

On the way back, Xu Youwei inquired about Wu Zhiyuan's injuries again.

Wu Zhiyuan smiled faintly: "Secretary Xu, it's just a superficial injury, nothing serious. I'm tough and have a strong body."

Xu Youwei said sincerely, "Zhiyuan, you performed very well today. I am very satisfied."

If it weren't for you, I would definitely be hurt. Thank you.

Wu Zhiyuan quickly said, "Secretary Xu, please don't say that. Protecting you is my duty."

"Duty is duty, but risking one's life to protect someone is a matter of friendship," Xu Youwei said meaningfully. "I didn't expect you to have such good skills."

Wu Zhiyuan explained with a smile, "I practiced Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) for a few years in college, just for self-defense. It came in handy today."

Xu Youwei laughed heartily, "Zhiyuan, it seems you are both scholarly and martial! Your written materials are excellent, and you also have such good skills. You are brave and resourceful, and you remain calm in the face of danger. With you by my side, I feel very at ease."

This statement undoubtedly represents a high level of recognition for Wu Zhiyuan.

Wu Zhiyuan knew that after this life-or-death test, his position in Xu Youwei's heart was no longer just that of a secretary, but a "one of his own" whom he could entrust with his trust.

He suppressed his excitement and said, "Secretary Xu, you flatter me. As your secretary, it is my duty to protect your safety."

If it weren't for your composure under pressure, your sincerity, and your persuasive reasoning, I, with my meager skills, would never have been able to resolve such a huge crisis.

It was through your prestige, courage, and strategy that you successfully resolved a major mass incident and rebuilt public trust in the government.

Today, seeing you standing at the forefront, disregarding your personal safety, and patiently listening to the people's demands, I was deeply moved.

This further convinces me that it is an honor to work under a leader like you.

Xu Youwei gently patted Wu Zhiyuan on the shoulder; this gesture carried more weight than any praise.