blogombal Chapter 169 The Power Vacuum
Chapter 169 The Power Vacuum
The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, swept across the ravaged Luzhou Port wharf.
The pale dawn on the eastern horizon was gradually replaced by the golden-red sunrise, which, like a sharp sword, cleaved through the gloom that had shrouded the province of Handong for twenty years. But the light could not penetrate the musty, bloody smell emanating from the hold of the Poseidon cargo ship; instead, it made the patches of dark red on the deck, which had not yet dried, appear even more glaring.
The sirens, no longer piercing, merged into a deep, suppressed roar, as dozens of police cars, their red and blue flashing lights intertwining in the dawn light, carried the corpses of mercenaries who had crawled out of hell in an orderly fashion, the sound of zippers being pulled up echoing throughout, like black periods marking the end of this sinful night.
Qi Tongwei sat on a mooring bollard at the dock.
His police uniform was no longer recognizable as its original color, a chilling blackish-red hue formed by the mixture of seawater, blood, and engine oil. The cuffs were torn, revealing arms wrapped with several makeshift tourniquets—strips of cloth Ye Cunxin had just torn from her skirt. Blood seeped out, staining the white fabric red, dripping from his fingertips onto the oil-stained cement floor.
But he sat very upright.
The spine was like a javelin planted on the coastline, unbent despite being covered in wounds. His eyes were fixed on the children being carried off stretchers in the distance, his gaze as calm as a bottomless lake, devoid of the ecstatic joy of revenge, only a sense of relief after completing a mission.
Ye Cunxin stood beside him.
This young princess of the Ye family in the capital, without her usual exquisite makeup, was breathtakingly beautiful. Her men's police shirt, damp from the sea breeze overnight, clung to her body. Without a lining, the fabric, swaying in the sea wind, outlined the striking curves of her upper body, her full breasts and slender waist forming a wild silhouette in the morning light.
The legs of her expensive haute couture trousers were rolled up above her knees, revealing two sections of her fair calves covered in bruises and abrasions. She was barefoot, her bare feet treading on the rough cement floor, her ankles stained with a little black grease, yet unable to conceal the original delicate luster of her skin.
She held a half-empty bottle of mineral water in her hand, carefully wiping a bloodstain on Qi Tongwei's cheek with a wet wipe. Her movements were so gentle, unlike the ruthless female demon who had just killed people without blinking an eye in the cabin.
"If it hurts, just yell it out. No one will laugh at you." Ye Cunxin pouted, her tone carrying her usual arrogance, but her beautiful peach blossom eyes were full of unconcealed heartache.
"I'm used to it," Qi Tongwei replied casually, his voice hoarse as if it had been sanded on sandpaper.
Just then, a series of hurried yet steady footsteps sounded.
Accompanied by Zhao Donglai and Tian Guofu, Sha Ruijin strode across the police cordon. The top official of Handong Province was now ashen-faced and had puffy eyes, clearly having not slept all night. But the way he looked at Qi Tongwei had completely changed.
It's no longer about looking at a subordinate, or even a "meritorious official".
That's about watching a game-changer.
A ruthless person who dares to create a hole in the sky and then patch it up.
"Comrade Tongwei." Sha Ruijin walked up to Qi Tongwei without putting on airs, and even extended his hands.
Qi Tongwei tried to stand up and salute, but Sha Ruijin grabbed his shoulder.
"Sit down! That's an order!" Sha Ruijin's voice trembled slightly. He turned to look at the huge cargo ship behind him, then at the children being carried into ambulances like a flowing stream. "Handong owes you an apology, and it owes these children justice."
Qi Tongwei didn't make a fuss. He sat down again and took out a USB flash drive wrapped in layers of waterproof bags from his pocket.
The movement was slow, which aggravated his wound, causing him to frown slightly.
"Secretary Sha, all the illegal fund flows of the Zhao Lichun family over the past twenty years, their overseas money laundering network, and the list of 128 officials at or above the division level involved are here." Qi Tongwei handed over the USB drive. "And the 128 children in the lower deck are the Zhao family's live organ bank, which they are preparing to sell overseas."
Sha Ruijin took the still-warm USB drive.
The tiny piece of plastic felt incredibly heavy in his hands.
At that moment, the surrounding air seemed to freeze. Zhao Donglai stood to the side, staring at the USB drive, his Adam's apple bobbing violently. Tian Guofu, on the other hand, pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses sharp as a knife, already calculating where the next storm of the Discipline Inspection Commission should begin.
"Good...good!" Sha Ruijin said "good" twice, his fingers gripping the USB drive so tightly they turned white. "With this, even if it's the King of Heaven himself, I'll bring him down!"
He turned around and yelled at his secretary behind him, "Where's the medical team? Why haven't they arrived yet! Didn't they see how much blood Director Qi has lost? Tell them to send a helicopter over!"
"No need." Qi Tongwei waved his hand, interrupting Sha Ruijin's arrangements. "Leave the helicopter for the seriously injured children. Just arrange an ambulance for me; I need to go to the Provincial People's Hospital."
"But your injury..." Zhao Donglai couldn't help but interject.
"I won't die." Qi Tongwei braced himself on his knees and stood up this time. He swayed slightly, but Ye Cunxin, who was beside him, reacted quickly and caught him by the waist.
Her arms were strong, and the taut muscles bulged slightly under her shirt, shifting most of Qi Tongwei's weight onto herself.
"Let's go, great hero." Ye Cunxin rolled her eyes at him, her tone tinged with reproach, "You just had to be so stubborn."
Qi Tongwei turned to look at Sha Ruijin, his eyes regaining their lone wolf-like coldness: "Secretary Sha, although Zhao Lichun has been arrested, his 20-year-old network is still intact. There's probably more to come at the hospital."
Sha Ruijin's gaze sharpened: "You mean..."
"Some people don't want those children to live, because those children are proof that they're alive." Qi Tongwei's lips curled into a mocking smile. "I have to go and watch over them, otherwise I won't feel at ease."
After saying that, with Ye Cunxin's help, he walked step by step toward the ambulance parked by the roadside.
The silhouettes stretched long in the setting sun.
A white ambulance sped out of the harbor, its siren shattering the morning's tranquility.
Zhao Donglai personally drove the lead car, with four special police armored vehicles forming a diamond pattern around the ambulance. This level of escort had only occurred once before in the history of Handong Province, twenty years ago when a high-ranking leader made an inspection visit.
Inside the ambulance.
The space was cramped and filled with the mixed smells of disinfectant and blood.
Qi Tongwei lay on the stretcher, his shirt cut open to reveal his strong, scarred upper body. The accompanying medic was treating the penetrating wound in his arm, using tweezers to probe the wound and remove any remaining metal fragments.
There was no anesthetic.
Qi Tongwei kept his eyes closed, and only when the doctor removed the fragments did the veins on his neck throb slightly.
Ye Cunxin sat opposite him, her long legs crossed. The hem of her shirt couldn't cover the top of her thighs, and with the bumps of the vehicle, glimpses of her fair skin occasionally appeared, sparking all sorts of fantasies. But she didn't care at all about the exposure; her beautiful eyes were fixed on the doctor's hands.
"Be gentle! Are you embroidering or butchering a pig?" Ye Cunxin couldn't help but yell at the doctor, seeing the cold sweat beading on Qi Tongwei's forehead.
The young doctor's hand trembled, nearly causing him to misjudge the forceps. He was sweating profusely, both from nervousness and intimidated by the woman's aura. Despite being a beautiful woman in disheveled clothes, her eyes were fiercer than a tiger's.
"No... there's nothing I can do. We don't have any anesthetics here, so I can only..." the doctor stammered as he explained.
"Alright, stop scaring her." Qi Tongwei opened his eyes and reached out to grab Ye Cunxin's hand, which was resting on her knee.
Her hands were cold, and her palms were covered in cold sweat.
Ye Cunxin grabbed his large hand in return, her nails digging fiercely into his palm, as if this could help him share the pain.
"You're a madwoman." Ye Cunxin bit her lip, her eyes a little red. "Just now on the boat, you could have dodged it, but you insisted on taking the hit. Were you in such a hurry to die?"
"If I hadn't taken that hit, you'd have a hole in your head now." Qi Tongwei looked at her, forcing a smile. "If you were disfigured, what if you couldn't get married and started blaming me? My salary can't support Miss Ye."
"Then I'll stick with you!" Ye Cunxin said viciously, leaning forward until her delicate face was almost touching Qi Tongwei's nose. "I'll call my grandfather right now and have him send over my dowry—tens of billions. Is that enough to support you?"
At that moment, the vehicle suddenly made a turn.
Ye Cunxin lost her balance and fell onto Qi Tongwei.
A soft, warm touch instantly enveloped him. Her full breasts, pressed against Qi Tongwei's bare chest through his thin shirt, brought an astonishing elasticity and heat. Strands of hair fell, brushing against Qi Tongwei's neck, carrying a sea breeze and her unique body fragrance.
Qi Tongwei groaned, not because of the eroticism, but because the pressure hit the bruises on his ribs.
"I...I'm sorry!" Ye Cunxin hurriedly propped herself up, two red clouds rising to her cheeks. That moment of shyness transformed her from a female assassin back into a timid woman who could also blush.
She straightened her disheveled shirt collar, turned her head to look at the scenery rushing past the window, trying to hide her panic.
"Zhao Lichun is finished." Qi Tongwei looked at her profile and suddenly said, "We've won this game by half a point."
"Hmm." Ye Cunxin responded softly, "Grandpa just sent me a message. They've already taken action in Kyoto; all of the Zhao family's related accounts were frozen five minutes ago. Zhao Lichun's old subordinates are probably writing their self-criticisms right now."
She turned her head, her eyes becoming somewhat complicated: "Qi Tongwei, have you thought about the future? After this battle, you will be the target of everyone's hatred. Although the Zhao family has fallen, there are still many people eyeing that position. You've cut too hard, tearing away the fig leaf of officialdom. In the future, many people will fear you, and many people will hate you."
"Then let them hate." Qi Tongwei closed his eyes, the faces of the children locked in cages appearing in his mind. "As long as I'm in this position, they'll have to keep their tails between their legs."
At that moment, the cold, mechanical voice echoed in Qi Tongwei's mind.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the main quest: Severing the Zhao family bloodline.]
[Mission Rating: S-Rank (Perfect)]
[Rewards being processed...]
[Core Reward Obtained: Absolute Power Will (Passive Aura). When wearing this aura, the host automatically suppresses the opponent with their aura when facing officials of any rank, greatly enhancing the deterrent effect of interrogation, negotiation, and command.]
[Gain special skill: Medical Insight (Master Level). Able to see through feigned illness and the truth behind medical malpractice at a glance, specializing in dealing with all kinds of "faking illness" and "medical shirking."]
Qi Tongwei's heart stirred slightly.
Medical insight techniques?
The system's rewards are as "timely" as ever.
The convoy entered the city.
Although it was early morning, the road leading to the Provincial People's Hospital was already completely blocked. Not only were there media reporters, but also countless citizens who had come after hearing the news. They held banners and chanted slogans, wanting to catch a glimpse of the rescued children, and also wanting to see the legendary director who had single-handedly stormed through Luzhou Port.
Zhao Donglai's lead car had to sound its siren and forcibly disperse the crowd to open a passage.
"Looks like you've become a celebrity." Ye Cunxin looked at the frenzied crowd outside through the one-way glass. "This scene is even more exciting than when my grandfather inspected the troops."
"This is not a good thing." Qi Tongwei frowned.
In this circle, having too much fame often means becoming a bigger target. Especially in situations like this where "public opinion is boiling," it's most likely to arouse the suspicion of certain people at higher levels.
The ambulance finally stopped in front of the emergency building.
The moment the car door opened, countless flashes illuminated the scene, turning it into daylight.
Medical staff rushed up with a stretcher, and Ye Cunxin stood in front of them like a mother lioness protecting her cubs, pushing away several reporters who tried to shove microphones in.
"Get out of the way! Can't you see there are wounded?" Her angry voice, tinged with a Beijing accent, was extremely penetrating. Coupled with her disheveled yet still elegant attire, she completely stunned the reporters.
Qi Tongwei was pushed into the emergency access lane.
Just then, a middle-aged man in a white coat and gold-rimmed glasses, accompanied by several security guards, blocked the entrance to the passageway. His nameplate read: Vice Dean.
"Wait a minute!" The middle-aged man reached out and stopped the stretcher, his face bearing that professional, cold smile. "This is a special passage, only for patients in the intensive care unit. Secretary Zhao is resting up there and needs quiet. These... wounded people, please use the regular passage through the side door."
Ye Cunxin suddenly stopped in her tracks.
She glanced at the vice president, then at Qi Tongwei on the stretcher, his brows furrowed, and a layer of frost instantly settled in her peach blossom eyes.
"What did you say?" Ye Cunxin's voice was soft, yet it carried a chilling coldness that sent shivers down one's spine. "Who are you letting use the side door?"
The vice president clearly didn't recognize the eldest daughter of the Ye family, assuming she was just an ordinary family member. His tone was impatient: "Madam, please cooperate with hospital regulations. A senior provincial leader is staying upstairs; the security level is very high. If so many people covered in blood rush up there and disturb the leader's rest, can you take responsibility?"
On the stretcher, Qi Tongwei slowly opened his eyes.
The [Medical Insight] skill, which the system had just rewarded, was activated instantly.
In his view, this vice dean didn't have a "dutiful and responsible" label above his head; instead, a line of glaring red words floated above him:
[Liu Wei, Deputy Director of the Provincial Health Department and Deputy Director of the Provincial Hospital. A peripheral member of the Zhao family. Currently carrying out Zhao Lichun's orders: delay treatment and create a medical accident.]
Qi Tongwei smiled.
His smile was somewhat sinister.
He didn't need Ye Cunxin's help; he supported himself on the edge of the stretcher with one hand and sat up directly. His wound reopened, and blood stained the gauze, but he was completely unaware.
"Would that disturb the leader's rest?"
Qi Tongwei stared at the vice dean, his voice not loud, but it clearly carried throughout the entire hall.
"That old bastard Zhao Lichun is no longer a leader; he's a criminal."
He raised his hand and pointed at the vice dean's nose.
"And I am here to see him off in his final moments."
"Get out of my way, or I'll take you with me."
The air froze instantly.
The noise in the lobby seemed to have been muted.
A new storm silently began in the hospital's emergency room.