"What, is his problem very serious?" Huang Xianzheng asked gently.

Ning Zhiheng carefully considered his words before speaking: "This Bao Hong is indeed a headache for me. He has repeatedly made trouble behind the scenes. To be honest, if he were just greedy for money, I would spare his life for your sake. After all, too much purity leaves no room for fish, and I understand that principle. I wouldn't hold it against him too much. However, this man is audacious and reckless. He actually sells arms and even sells high-quality weapons to local forces, right here in Yubei, in the heart of the Beijing area. This matter is far too sensitive. If nothing happens, it's fine, but if something does happen, it will implicate our entire Second Division. I don't want the same thing that happened to Wang Hongcai to happen to us. I have no choice but to do this!"

"What? This bastard would dare to do such a thing?"

Huang Xianzheng's expression changed immediately. He only knew that Bao Hong was greedy for money, accepted bribes, and did a lot of shady things, but he did not expect that he would be so bold as to collude with local forces in Sichuan.

In Huang Xianzheng's mind, selling arms was not a big deal. He, the deputy director, had done this kind of thing many times before. But the premise was that one had to use one's brain. Bao Hong sold arms to local forces in Chongqing. Needless to say, these guns would eventually end up in the hands of local warlords.

It is important to understand that the situation in Chongqing is extremely complex. It took Chiang Kai-shek a huge amount of effort and every means to force the Sichuan army leader to cede the territory. However, the local forces in Sichuan have always been a target of the central government's deliberate suppression and control, and Chongqing is a key area under strict control. This Bao Hong is so reckless as to do something so taboo, which will indeed have endless consequences.

Huang Xianzheng asked solemnly, "Is the situation true?"

Ning Zhiheng took out a document bag and placed it in front of Huang Xianzheng, confirming again: "Take a look. This Bao Hong is simply a troublemaker. I think we should deal with him as soon as possible. The fewer people who know about this, the better."

Huang Xianzheng opened the document bag, took out the investigation documents inside, and carefully read through them. Soon, his expression became increasingly grim.

The investigation materials here are very detailed, listing the illegal and disorderly conduct, embezzlement and fraud of Bao Hong and others, especially the illegal sale of arms and the pursuit of huge profits. Each item is recorded very clearly. There are also some witnesses who are subordinates known to Huang Xianzheng. It is clear that the evidence is conclusive and true.

"Smack!"

Huang Xianzheng slammed the document on the table. He hadn't expected Bao Hong and his gang to be so ruthless and unscrupulous. According to the contents of the document, killing him ten times over would be enough.

Huang Xian pounded his knuckles on the table, unable to hold back his sigh, "This is truly raising a tiger to cause trouble! How dare they..."

Ning Zhiheng continued, "Director, as the saying goes, 'family scandals should not be aired in public.' Bao Hong's matter should be handled discreetly. I think we should use the pretext of embezzlement to quickly deal with them, lest things get complicated!"

Huang Xianzheng had no intention of pleading for mercy at this point. He was a veteran agent who had been around for many years, and he was not a pushover. He would consider the situation before he could be sentimental. Once the interests of the Baoding faction were threatened, he would not hesitate to kill without hesitation.

He nodded heavily and said, "You're right. These people can't be allowed to live, and the people who handled them must also be eliminated, as well as that guy who bought the weapons."

Ning Zhiheng chuckled lightly and said nonchalantly, "Don't worry, Director. I'll have my senior brother handle this. He'll stage an accident, keep it low-key, and what can a bandit do?"

"Then let's get started as soon as possible." Huang Xianzheng breathed a sigh of relief.

After a long silence, he said again, "Deal with Bao Hong and the others according to military law. Do it immediately. I'll go through the procedures afterwards. By the way, there are so many vacancies in the Third Operations Section. What are your plans here?"

Huang Xianzheng, a seasoned official and worldly-wise man, was well aware that Ning Zhiheng's insistence on eliminating Bao Hong was likely premeditated, and he needed to find out the truth.

Ning Zhiheng didn't stand on ceremony. He came here to clarify this matter with Huang Xianzheng. Some things are better discussed openly. He was afraid that keeping things hidden would only breed suspicion.

"Director, when I came back this time, I felt completely unfamiliar with the place and the people, and I was hesitant to do things properly. So I was thinking of promoting some capable people. After careful consideration, I think Nie Tianming is very suitable to serve as the head of the Third Section. What do you think?"

"Nie Tianming?" Huang Xianzheng pondered for a moment.

"Director, you are familiar with Nie Tianming. He is also a graduate of Whampoa Military Academy and joined the Military Intelligence Bureau. When I was the leader of the action team, I asked you for help because we were short of manpower. It was you who recommended Huo Yueze and Nie Tianming to me. In a sense, he is your old subordinate. Moreover, he is shrewd and capable with outstanding abilities. This time, the team that went to Yichang to capture Song Shi performed very well. Therefore, I think that promoting him to the position of head of the Third Section is the most suitable candidate."

In fact, Ning Zhiheng's best choice was Zhao Jiang. Compared to Nie Tianming, Sun Jiacheng and Zhao Jiang were his most trusted confidants. They were people he had promoted step by step from ordinary action team members and were absolutely loyal to him.

However, the situation is beyond our control now. Sun Jiacheng is tied to Tan Jinhui and cannot be used. Zhao Jiang's starting point is too low. He was just a common soldier and did not graduate from Whampoa Military Academy. This means that his career will not be as smooth as Nie Tianming's.

The main reason is that the Second Operations Division is Huang Xianzheng's direct superior, and the candidates to be promoted must be approved by Huang Xianzheng. Nie Tianming was also considered one of Huang Xianzheng's men before, so it was easier for Huang Xianzheng to accept him on this point.

Sure enough, after much deliberation, Huang Xianzheng also felt that Nie Tianming was a good choice. He was both one of his old subordinates and Ning Zhiheng's protégé, and both sides agreed with him. Wouldn't such an outcome be a happy one for everyone?

Huang Xianzheng then waved his hand, made the decision, and nodded, saying, "Good, I think it's very good. As for the other positions, they are not important. You can arrange them yourself, and you don't need to inform me. Just make sure they are suitable for the job."

After the two had discussed everything and had no more doubts, it was naturally a win-win situation. So Huang Xianzheng pulled Ning Zhiheng aside to appreciate the antiques he had brought, and they chatted happily for a while.

The next morning, in the interrogation room, Wei Jiamu, accompanied by several of his men, arrived at Bao Hong's cell door and opened it with a key.

"Old Wei!" Bao Hong inside quickly stood up.

With a wave of his hand, Wei Jiamu's interrogators brought over a food box and placed several exquisite dishes inside on the table.

"What...what does this mean..."

Bao Hong was immediately stunned. He pointed at the food and stared at Wei Jiamu, stammering and unable to speak.

Wei Jiamu sighed softly and said slowly, "Old Bao, according to the rules, when dealing with military personnel who violate discipline, we should send you on your way. We were colleagues, and this is just a small token of my appreciation."

"How is this possible?"

Bao Hong could hardly believe his ears.