Chapter 43 Chapter 042: Five Million Dollars

"Ye... Ye Chen!" Zhang Yantong's face turned as white as a sheet, terror gripping her soul. She swallowed hard, feeling for the first time how close she was to death, as if she had just brushed past the gates of hell.

"Heh heh!" Ye Chen chuckled, saying, "Next time, don’t chase so hard!"

"Captain!" Fang Qin immediately ran after him.

"Fang Qin, take your men and capture Zhang Bold at once. Under no circumstances can anyone be allowed to escape!" Zhang Yantong’s order was firm. This time, no matter what, she had to make an example and strike hard at the dark forces plaguing Jianghuai City. She was determined to give the city back its clear blue sky.

"Yes!" Fang Qin nodded and led over a dozen policemen in hot pursuit.

Zhang Yantong let out a long sigh of relief and cast Ye Chen a grateful look. "Thank you for saving my life just now. If it weren't for you, I might no longer be in this world."

"Ha ha, what are you saying?" To her surprise, Ye Chen actually blushed.

"I really mean it," said Zhang Yantong earnestly, locking eyes with him. "Just now, I thought I was going to die, but you rescued me at the most critical moment. So I want to offer you my sincerest thanks!"

"Do you really want to thank me?" Ye Chen was momentarily taken aback.

"Yes," Zhang Yantong nodded.

"Heh heh... Well, if you insist, you know, I’m already in my twenties and still don’t have a wife. How about... you just marry me? It’d be best if you could give me a chubby son... and carry on the Ye family line..." As Ye Chen indulged in his daydreams, he even began to drool.

Zhang Yantong’s face instantly turned deathly pale, a black line appearing on her forehead as fury rose within her. She gritted her teeth, glaring daggers at Ye Chen, but he seemed oblivious, still mumbling on. Finally, unable to contain her rage, she burst out, "Ye Chen, you scoundrel, I’ll kill you!"

And so, a scene unfolded on the wharf—Zhang Yantong chasing after Ye Chen, cradling a submachine gun, while Ye Chen fled for his life in utter disarray.

This raid was an overwhelming success. Zhang Bold, along with dozens of his underlings, was captured alive. The news sent shockwaves through Jianghuai City, drawing immediate attention from every major criminal syndicate. From petty thugs to well-established gangs, all eyes were on what had happened. Zhang Bold’s downfall became a barometer for the city’s ongoing anti-crime campaign, clearly demonstrating the authorities' limits of tolerance toward organized crime.

The city authorities congratulated the police on both the operation and its results, and called for Zhang Yantong to be commended. Jiang Zhonggen, the city’s Party Secretary, delivered a speech, vowing to eradicate Jianghuai’s criminal elements and return a clean sky to the populace. This speech won him widespread public approval.

"What a good secretary! This is the leader we need!"

"Yes, having such a secretary in Jianghuai is a blessing for us!"

"Absolutely, I suggest we all sign a petition praising him!"

Public sentiment toward Jiang Zhonggen soared, sparking a wave of positive discussion.

City Party Committee, Jiang Zhonggen’s Office.

"Secretary, it seems this was the right move," Secretary Liu said with a chuckle.

"You still have much to learn, Xiao Liu," Jiang Zhonggen replied, smiling. "Now that the matter's been exposed, we might as well go with the flow. As for whether Zhang Bold lives or dies, that’s not our concern. He’s a small fry, not worth worrying about. But this serves as a warning to others."

"Hmm? If Zhang Bold is the chicken, who’s the monkey?" Liu asked, puzzled.

"Well," Jiang Zhonggen grinned, crossing his legs, "the monkey should be calling me any moment now."

Sure enough, within minutes, the phone on his desk rang. Jiang Zhonggen signaled to Secretary Liu, who immediately understood and picked up the call.

"Hello, is this...?" The voice on the other end was that of a middle-aged man.

"This is Xiao Liu, the secretary. May I ask who’s calling?"

"Ah, Secretary Liu! I’ve heard so much about you. This is Yan Buer, General Manager of Honghai Building Materials Company." Outwardly, Yan Buer was just a business executive, but in reality, he was the leader of the Yanlong Gang, monopolizing Jianghuai’s building materials market and extending his reach to surrounding cities as well.

"Please hold on." Secretary Liu covered the receiver and glanced at Jiang Zhonggen, who nodded. Liu then respectfully handed over the phone. Jiang Zhonggen deliberately paused for over ten seconds before finally speaking, "Hello, this is Jiang Zhonggen."

"Ha ha, Secretary, how are you these days?" Yan Buer laughed. "I was wondering if you were free tomorrow evening. I’d like to invite you to dinner. You’ve been working so hard lately—you deserve a break!"

"Well... I’m afraid that might not be possible," Jiang Zhonggen hesitated.

"Oh come now, Secretary. You work so tirelessly for the people; you deserve a little relaxation. I’m just an ordinary citizen and have nothing else to offer but a simple meal. Please, accept my invitation."

"Alright, but just a simple meal, understand?" Jiang Zhonggen replied with a laugh.

"Rest assured, just a home-cooked meal." Jiang Zhonggen nodded in agreement.

...

Jianghuai Television, Evening News.

The anchor solemnly condemned the criminal organizations exploiting illegal and malicious means for profit, disregarding public welfare, and resorting to violence, threats, extortion, market manipulation, and organized brawls—severely disrupting the economic and social order.

The station also broadcasted a segment of Jiang Zhonggen’s speech, urging the police to intensify their crackdown on organized crime and calling on all departments to cooperate.

Finally, the station aired an interview with Zhang Yantong, the face of the city’s police force and the heroine of the recent operation. The host smiled warmly at her, "Captain Zhang, we heard that the transaction involved up to five million U.S. dollars—is that correct?"

"Yes, the criminals purchased a large quantity and variety of drugs. And it was a significant weight," Zhang Yantong replied with a nod.

"And that night, there were reportedly dozens of gang members, all armed with submachine guns—is that true?" The host’s expression was one of astonishment.

"Yes, they were equipped with four Soviet rifles—very powerful. But our police quickly subdued them," Zhang Yantong replied, a shy smile on her lips. Facing the camera, a rare hint of bashfulness appeared, instantly captivating every man watching at home.

In particular, the petty gangsters having late-night snacks at the night market—grilling skewers and sipping chilled beer—were left dumbstruck when they saw Zhang Yantong on TV.

"Whoa, when did we get such a beautiful policewoman?"

"Yeah, just for her, I’d almost want to get caught!"

"No kidding, tonight’s the night to make a move!"

Ironically, Zhang Yantong’s television appearance led to a short-term spike in petty crime throughout Jianghuai City. Every time a small-time crook was caught, he’d invariably ask, "Where’s your criminal police captain? Why didn’t she come to arrest me?"

As a result, Zhang Yantong was quite troubled—she hadn’t expected her presence to inadvertently cause a crime wave. For a time, she was deeply vexed. Fang Qin hurried to console her, "Don’t be upset, Captain Zhang. This isn’t your fault!"

"I know," Zhang Yantong sighed. "Last night alone, theft and robbery cases increased by thirty percent. It’s unbelievable!"

"What can you do?" Fang Qin forced a smile, wanting to mention the detention center was already full, but ultimately kept silent.

...

On the other side, Ye Chen was already leading more than a dozen men, ready for action. Li Ruo, dressed in a sleek white business suit, descended the stairs with Lin Ziwen.

A black Lincoln was parked downstairs, flanked by two BMWs in front and a Mercedes in the rear. Over a dozen bodyguards in black suits, earpieces hooked to low-frequency communicators, stood alertly under Ye Chen’s stern gaze, their eyes scanning the surroundings with razor-sharp focus.

Ye Chen dutifully stepped forward to open the car door for Li Ruo.

She glanced at him coolly before slipping inside. Lin Ziwen gave Ye Chen a playful wink and a smile before following. Ye Chen paused at her smile, then closed the door.

"Everyone, get in the cars," Ye Chen ordered.

With a rustle, everyone climbed in—the BMWs led the way, the Lincoln started up in the center, and Ye Chen took his position in the rear Mercedes, overseeing the entire operation.

Today’s opening event was no trivial matter—it marked the pivotal transformation of the Tianya Group, their first step into real estate. No one knew what consequences might unfold, nor what devious tricks their rivals might attempt.