Li Xinjian encouraged him, "Complete the mission, and I'll recommend you for a promotion later this year."
"I might not survive until then," Strong Min said as he buttoned his pants and walked out. "I need to get back. Lu Hui will return soon."
Li Xinjian stood up and peered through the gaps in the bathroom wall. He saw Strong Min return, and shortly after, Lu Hui appeared. Quickly, Li Xinjian pulled out a camera with a telephoto lens and began snapping pictures of Lu Hui.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jin and Guo Xiaopeng strolled across the golf course, clubs in hand. Mayor Jin glanced at the setting sun and then at his watch, asking, "How big is this course?"
"About 6000 meters long, covering roughly 60 hectares," Guo Xiaopeng replied.
Mayor Jin sighed, "We won't finish all eighteen holes today."
"We'll play as many as you want," Guo Xiaopeng said.
Mayor Jin waved his club. "Let's just finish this last hole."
Guo Xiaopeng nodded, "Alright. How about we place a bet?"
"As a government official, I never gamble," Mayor Jin said sternly.
"Then let's rephrase it. If you win, I'll give you this set of golf clubs. If I win, you treat me to seafood."
Mayor Jin was intrigued. "That sounds fair." He swung his club, sending the ball in a beautiful arc, landing near the hole.
Guo Xiaopeng's shot, however, landed in a deliberately designed bunker. He knelt down, trying to maneuver the ball out, but eventually gave up. "Even Tiger Woods couldn't get this out in fewer than three strokes. I concede."
Mayor Jin smiled. "You didn't do that on purpose, did you?"
Guo Xiaopeng pointed to the tee-off spot. "If I could intentionally land a ball from that far into this bunker, I'd be competing in the British Open, not serving as chairman here."
Both men laughed as they handed their clubs to the caddies and walked back, relaxed.
"I have something to discuss with you," Guo Xiaopeng said as they walked.
Mayor Jin chuckled. "Anything labeled 'by the way' is usually quite important."
"Please attend the opening ceremony of the new drug rehabilitation center," Guo Xiaopeng said earnestly.
"Of course. It's a significant public service," Mayor Jin replied, eyeing Guo Xiaopeng. "Is that all?"
Guo Xiaopeng continued, "Could the city government lend me some money?"
Mayor Jin's demeanor changed. "What do you mean?"
"Don't worry," Guo Xiaopeng said with a smile. "Just a temporary loan of a few million. I'll pay it back quickly."
Mayor Jin was puzzled. "Why do that? To launder money?"
"No," Guo Xiaopeng explained. "It's to show government support. If the government lends me money for a charitable cause, other departments will back off."
Mayor Jin, always principled, found the idea distasteful. "That term, 'harassment,' is inappropriate."
Guo Xiaopeng corrected himself, "It's an exaggeration, but with all the red tape, we'd never get anything done in time."
Mayor Jin finally agreed. "Submit a report to my secretary. I'll approve it for the bank."
Guo Xiaopeng nodded quickly. "I'll get right on it."
As the sun set, Guo Xiaopeng and his entourage saw Mayor Jin off at the club entrance, standing by his Red Flag car. "Mayor Jin, there's a chef from Hong Kong at Donghai Hotel who makes excellent shark fin soup," Guo Xiaopeng offered.
Mayor Jin paused. "I'm fifty-seven. As Lao She said, 'Now that I have peanuts, I have no teeth.' Unless it's a formal occasion, I prefer my wife's homemade noodles."
Guo Xiaopeng didn't press further, gesturing for Duan Hai to load a set of imported golf clubs into the car. Mayor Jin noticed and stopped him. "I won the game, but I can't accept the clubs."
Guo Xiaopeng downplayed it, "They're just sports equipment, not worth much."
Mayor Jin, knowing their value, insisted, "You know exactly how much they're worth."
Guo Xiaopeng laughed, telling Duan Hai, "If the Mayor doesn't want them, that's fine. Integrity in office is important."
Mayor Jin smiled. "If you want me to land safely, please understand my caution."
The Red Flag car slowly drove away, with Guo Xiaopeng's group waving farewell.
Li Xinjian burst into Director Zhang Xiaohua's office, almost colliding with him as he was about to leave. "You're getting more unruly. No knocking or saluting!" Zhang Xiaohua scolded.
Li Xinjian smiled apologetically. "Urgent business."
Zhang Xiaohua returned to his desk. "Everything with you is urgent."
Li Xinjian laid out a map of Haizhou City, pointing to the location of the underground factory. "This is a black market factory refining ephedrine, a key ingredient for meth."
Zhang Xiaohua, not looking up, said, "I was the chemistry rep in high school."
Li Xinjian handed him a photo of Lu Hui. "This is Lu Hui, taken secretly."
Zhang Xiaohua examined the blurry image. "The shady contractor?"
"Yes," Li Xinjian said. "Strong Min reports that Lu Hui's boss is a young, attractive woman, likely Liu Mei!" He pounded the desk. "Give the order, and I'll dismantle the factory and arrest Liu and Lu, exposing this major drug ring!"
Zhang Xiaohua shook his head. "It's not that simple. Rushing in could ruin everything. The Haizhou drug case has deep connections, possibly involving overseas syndicates. We need a careful approach. Even if Liu Mei is involved, she's just a front. The real kingpins are hidden. You must gather concrete evidence and wait for the right moment. Understand?"
Li Xinjian nodded. "I understand your caution. I'm best suited for this job. Don't replace me yet."
Zhang Xiaohua, smiling briefly, turned serious again. "You're smart but too impatient."
"I'll closely monitor Lu Hui, Liu Mei, and their associates..." He waited for Zhang Xiaohua's reaction, then asked, "Any other instructions?"
"Focus on Lu Hui. Once we have enough evidence, we can act and break the outer ring," Zhang Xiaohua said decisively.
Li Xinjian saluted formally. "Yes, sir!"
Zhang Xiaohua punched him playfully. "Stop pretending. Get to work."
Liu Mei exited Haizhou Building, jumped into her red Ferrari, and sped off. Yang Chun, hidden in a taxi, ordered the driver to follow. Li Xinjian, in a Mitsubishi SUV, followed closely.
The Ferrari quickly accelerated on the wide, flat road, leaving the taxi and SUV far behind.
Liu Mei, driving, answered her phone. "What? Got it. I won't rush to HQ. A chance to race is too good to miss!" She hung up, saw the following cars in the rearview mirror, smiled mischievously, and sped towards the outskirts.
On the empty, high-speed road outside the city, the Ferrari became a red streak, quickly disappearing into the darkness.
Yang Chun urged the taxi driver, "Hurry, keep up!"
The driver complained, "Do you know what we're chasing? That's a Ferrari! It has eight cylinders, almost like an airplane. Its tires are worth more than this cab. Those tires run best at 160 km/h. This old Santana barely hits that. To go 200, we'd have to fall off a cliff."