"Director Pan, although Zhang Guodong was a victim, all eight bandits are dead, four of them shot. There are still many questions surrounding this, most importantly, where did the gun come from?" Lei Xiangdong was very surprised when he received Pan Youliang's call inquiring about Zhang Guodong. The two weren't particularly close, and they had only come to Yangling District together by chance. Pan Youliang, as the executive deputy head of the investigation team, had the authority to know about this matter, so he didn't intend to hide it. Lei Xiangdong suspected that this matter might be connected to the Yangling case.
"Director Lei, have we collected enough evidence at the scene to prove that Zhang Guodong illegally possessed firearms?" Pan Youliang asked, his heart sinking.
Illegal possession of firearms, if it gets involved in Yang Ling's case, will inevitably turn the gray area into the black one. Now that the case is closed, everyone is frantically searching for a scapegoat, because without enough scapegoats, the case can't be closed, and they can't explain it to their superiors.
"Not yet. But there are eight guns at the scene; we'll have to collect them and examine the fingerprints first—" Lei Xiangdong frowned and said in a low voice. "Director Pan, who is this Zhang Guodong?"
"To be honest, Director Lei, it's a college classmate of a leader's child. However, since it's directly related to the attack, we must find out the truth, otherwise we won't be able to explain it to the Provincial Party Committee!"
Friendship is friendship, but when it comes to such a significant event, one must be extremely careful. Although Pan Youliang promised Fatty to ask and seemed inclined to resolve the issue, how could Pan Youliang, who held the position of Public Security Bureau Chief in the provincial capital, not have his own opinions? If necessary, sacrificing Zhang Guodong is not out of the question.
The leader's child's college classmate—it sounded like someone with connections. However, Lei Xiangdong had the same idea: proceed with the formalities first. Although initial evidence suggested there should be nine guns, only eight were found. Where was the last one? A thorough search didn't yield the ninth!
But it doesn't matter. We can verify the fingerprints with the gun, and we also need to retrieve the highway surveillance footage. We should be able to find some clues there.
"Director Pan is right. No matter who it is, once a crime is committed, there will be no leniency!" Lei Xiangdong said menacingly. He was also pondering. Which leader's child was it? Judging from Pan Youliang's tone, he clearly didn't dare to directly protect this person. Fine, let's go straight to the proper procedures and handle this officially.
Not far away, all the police officers were busy, not letting any information slip by, and they also blocked off Gao Road and requested the forensic doctor to come quickly.
After all, forensic doctors excel at meticulous examinations. Additionally, they also retrieved the surveillance footage from that section of Gaolu Road.
Lei Xiangdong originally wanted to talk to Zhang Guodong; he was very curious how one person could fight eight armed thugs bare-handed. But Yang Xiong insisted on staying with him, so he had to give up for the time being. Because Zhang Guodong was too dangerous. He had actually knocked one person away with his bare hands and even shattered a steel pipe; the fragments could even kill someone! This was simply unheard of.
"The on-site investigation results are correct? Are you sure Zhang Guodong killed four people instantly?" Lei Xiangdong returned to the car, and Yang Xiong came to report the situation. He was still surprised when he heard the preliminary results.
“Director, one person suffered a severe blow; his chest is caved in, and his sternum is fractured—it’s a fatal wound! There are eyewitnesses who saw it. Their testimonies are consistent; it was definitely a fist! The other four have at least dozens of minor wounds on their bodies. There are many metal fragments left at the scene, likely fragments of steel pipes. Preliminary assessment is that the steel pipe fragments pierced through the other three, causing their immediate death!” Yang Xiong said bitterly, his eyes filled with deep fear.
"In addition, many witnesses heard gunshots later, and there were many bullet holes left on the taxi. It should have been a firefight, but it is unknown how Zhang Guodong managed to dodge them. The taxi driver recalled that Zhang Guodong also felt that the deaths of the four people were inexplicable and suspected that someone had come to their aid, but no one else appeared!"
"Oh? You suspect someone is trying to kill you to silence you?" Lei Xiangdong was taken aback.
“That’s one possibility. After all, no one saw Zhang Guodong with a gun, and there were no extra guns around. It’s obviously unlikely, unless Zhang Guodong didn’t have a gun at all. But it’s still just speculation for now. We’ll have to wait for the forensic examination!” Yang Xiong reported.
Lei Xiangdong nodded slightly.
"Check out Zhang Guodong's information, I'm very curious about his fighting skills!"
"Yes, Director!" Yang Xiong saluted, and seeing that Lei Xiangdong had no further instructions, he immediately went to another car to check the documents. Having a laptop with wireless internet access was so convenient for handling cases.
Yang Xiong easily found the address Zhang Guodong had provided. Indeed, the address matched, meaning Zhang Guodong hadn't lied or concealed his identity.
There wasn't much information available about Zhang Guodong; after all, he was just an ordinary person, so it was impossible for him to have a lot of information. But one school in particular caught Yang Xiong's eye; it seemed he could investigate Zhang Guodong's alma mater indirectly.
"Captain, the forensic team has arrived!" an officer interrupted his thoughts.
Despite the road being blocked, the forensic team's vehicle had unimpeded access and quickly arrived at the scene to begin collecting evidence. The provincial Party committee and the provincial public security department had invested heavily in this effort; the forensic doctors were all top experts in the field with extensive experience.
After about an hour, the data collection work was temporarily completed, and the cleanup work began. Additionally, the personnel sent out to retrieve surveillance footage of the section of Gaolu went smoothly, but news came back that the footage did not show Zhang Guodong holding a firearm, nor did it show him discarding anything.
What does this mean? It means there was likely a third party involved, who killed the four to cover their tracks. However, one of them wasn't fatally shot. The slight pause in Zhang Guodong's movement on the video suggests the presence of a third party. After three of them fell, only one of the robbers remained standing.
Zhang Guodong is incredibly skilled; he charged straight at the man.
Then Zhang Guodong didn't hide the details, and everyone knows them now.
Zhang Guodong's decision to let the man bleed to death angered the police officers handling the case.
"To watch someone bleed to death without offering any help is tantamount to murder!" the tiger sneered from the side.
Zhang Guodong glanced at him, his gaze as if he were looking at an idiot.
"Why would I save him?" Zhang Guodong scoffed. "My moral character isn't as high as some people's. If someone wants to kill me, would I save them? That's impossible!"
"Ahem, do you know why they wanted to kill you? Also, what did you and that bandit say? Why did he yell at you at the end? I hope you can answer truthfully!" Yang Xiong ignored Tiger. Zhang Guodong had just humiliated Tiger, and Tiger was very vengeful. Besides, Tiger's questioning was indeed sometimes fair. However, that didn't mean he believed Zhang Guodong was innocent.
Zhang Guodong sneered inwardly. He had heard everything clearly when the police were taking the witness's statement. The captain was lying!
“I don’t know them! It’s simple. If someone wants to kill me, I naturally want to find out who it is. But the other party said that I saved him and that’s why he told me. Humph, how could I believe him?” Zhang Guodong said calmly.
“You’re lying!” the tiger sneered.
Zhang Guodong got angry too. He glared at him and said, "Kid, don't think you can slander people just because you're a cop. If you keep trying to pin names on me, believe me, I'll beat you up again! What the hell is this!"
"You!" The glare was quite imposing, and the tiger instinctively took a step back. But then it realized it had lost its composure and had actually been frightened by Zhang Guodong's words; its eyes were filled with shame and anger that could kill.
"Very well, if there are no problems, sign here!" Yang Xiong was also helpless; Zhang Guodong was no ordinary person. Seeing that this couldn't continue, he immediately ended the interrogation. Nothing gained! Combining his actions with those on the video, Zhang Guodong's answers were perfectly reasonable. Flawless!
Is Zhang Guodong really innocent?
"Director Lei, should we detain him for forty-eight hours?" Yang Xiong asked. The evidence collection and analysis would take some time; forty-eight hours was plenty of time for everyone to finish. He was extremely unwilling to give up until he found something.
Lei Xiangdong, however, had other thoughts. Zhang Guodong was, after all, a victim. If the victim were detained for forty-eight hours, and if investigated, Lei Xiangdong would bear considerable responsibility. After all, Pan Youliang had just revealed that this person had a close relationship with the child of a leader. He also needed to be mindful of the impact.
“If there’s no evidence that Zhang Guodong is a suspect, then release him! Although he is a suspect, he is also a victim! Tell him not to leave the provincial capital and to cooperate with us at any time!” Lei Xiangdong made his decision after a moment’s consideration. Since there was a traceable trail of this man, there was no fear of him escaping.
"Yes, Director!"
Zhang Guodong was surprised to escape unscathed. Of course, it was best to leave as soon as possible. He wasn't afraid of dealing with the police, but it wasn't a good omen. Just like how officials and disciplinary committee members rarely wanted to associate with each other. Although Zhang Guodong wasn't superstitious, he did act according to his mood.
The taxi was dilapidated and frightening to drive in the city center; it was beyond repair, and the driver looked utterly dejected. In desperation, the police dispatched another vehicle to take him to the provincial capital. Before leaving, Zhang Guodong gave the driver 10,000 yuan as a token of his relief, which the driver initially declined but eventually accepted.
"Thanks, Fatty!" After arriving in the provincial capital, Zhang Guodong got out of the police car, made a phone call to Fatty, and said a few words.
The fat man breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Zhang Guodong's voice.
"***, you scared me to death! But could those people have mistaken me for someone else? Why would they stop a car and kill someone on the mountain?" the fat man asked, puzzled.
Even if Zhang Guodong did it, he wouldn't let Fatty know, so Zhang Guodong said irritably, "How would I know? My first time in Yangling and I run into this mess! Alright, I'm not going to waste my breath on you, I'm going to the hospital!"
After hanging up the phone, Zhang Guodong rushed to the hospital where Ye Yun and her son were. He learned from the phone call that his son's high fever had subsided and he was fine, but he was still very anxious.
Upstairs in the inpatient building of the provincial People's Hospital branch. In a special care ward, Ye Yun gazed longingly at her sleeping son by the bedside. His rosy little face was adorable; his nose and lips resembled Zhang Guodong's, while his eyes were somewhat like Ye Yun's. The little guy would definitely grow up to be a handsome man, perhaps even more handsome than his father, Zhang Guodong.
Xiao Zhanghao was Ye Yun's only hope. When she had a high fever, she was at a loss. Fortunately, Zhang Guodong comforted her over the phone, and the hospital arrived in time, preventing a serious mistake.
A regular ward would have been sufficient, but Ye Yun opted for a VIP ward. Although it cost more, she would rather have nothing than her son. For the hospital, as long as you have the money, getting VIP treatment is no problem.
At this moment, the door to the special care ward was pushed open, and Ye Yun saw Zhang Guodong rushing around, her eyes immediately reddening.
Zhang Guodong quickly put his arm around her and whispered, "It's alright, it's nothing!"
"Mmm!" Ye Yun finally felt safe and secure in Zhang Guodong's arms. "The doctor said that Hao Hao's constitution is inherently weak, so he's prone to illness—"
"Really?" Zhang Guodong exclaimed in surprise. The little guy has only had this one cold so far; he's usually very healthy and lively. How could he be born with a weak constitution? "But it's alright, once we get home, I'll find a way to help him recover!"
He hadn't paid much attention to it. He had originally planned to wait until Xiao Zhanghao was a little older before getting him some treatment. But now it seemed he might have to do it sooner.
Xiao Zhanghao woke up in the afternoon and was lively again. The doctor checked him again and found that he was fine, so they decided to discharge him. Zhang Guodong and Ye Yun then took him home.
Not long after returning home, Xiaodie also came back. Now, Xiaodie was dressed in a professional manager's outfit, her demeanor completely changed; she had lost some of her naivety and gained a mature charm, her figure slender and her back view alluring. However, the look she gave Zhang Guodong was somewhat unfriendly. If Ye Yun hadn't told her to tell the hospital that things were manageable at the hotel, she would have returned long ago. In her eyes, Zhang Guodong was a truly irresponsible father!
"Sister, is Zhang Hao alright?" Xiao Die asked while playing with little Zhang Hao.
"I'm fine now, but the doctor said I need to rest and recuperate!" Ye Yun said with a smile, though she looked slightly tired.
Zhang Guodong came out of the bedroom and overheard the conversation. He said, "Leave the son's health care to me. I know a highly skilled traditional Chinese medicine doctor. I'll go ask him now—"
"You just got back and you're going out again?"
"I'll be back before dinner, Xiaodie, you stay home with your sister for now!" Zhang Guodong said with a gentle smile to Xiaodie.
"Hmph!" Xiaodie snorted. She usually lived here and naturally wouldn't leave after get off work. Zhang Guodong didn't care about her attitude. Ye Yun wouldn't be too lonely with such a god-sister.
Xiao Zhanghao spotted Zhang Guodong immediately, turned around, and crawled towards him, drooling and giggling.
"Hey son, you see your dad smiling so happily? Come on, call me Dad!" Zhang Guodong quickly went over and picked him up.
He's only a few months old, so naturally he can't cry yet. But that doesn't stop him from doing other things; his tender little hands are actually scratching Zhang Guodong's face, as if he's getting revenge for his mother. Perhaps in his eyes, Zhang Guodong, his father, is just a new toy.
"How old is he? In a few months, he'll be a year old, and maybe he'll start babbling!" Xiaodie rolled her eyes at Zhang Guodong's rudeness.
Zhang Guodong spent some time playing with Xiao Zhanghao at home before leaving.
Seeking a renowned traditional Chinese medicine doctor is out of the question. While Elder Yi's medical skills and experience are indeed abundant, Zhang Guodong possesses even more miraculous elixirs. However, is the potency of these elixirs too great for an infant? That's a question for Xuan Qingxuan.
——
Fatty is back. As soon as he got back to the provincial capital, he called Zhang Guodong. Several business owners were also there to assess the investment environment in Zhangba Township. Clearly, they were extremely envious of the testing and certification report on the star grass.
This was the first time they had ever seen such a highly effective medicinal herb. Bai Zhongsheng made a request to the fat man: he wanted to keep the remaining portion of the herb for research. The fat man agreed without hesitation, but also made a verbal condition: Zhang Guodong would own half of the rights to any subsequent varieties of this star grass developed through research.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Guodong smiled and said, "It doesn't matter!"
He knew that the Star Grass's remarkable effects were likely closely related to its growing environment. Otherwise, it wouldn't take ten years to mature. Scientific and technological improvements might work for ordinary crops, but for this special medicinal herb, while they could shorten the maturation period, the efficacy would be significantly reduced. A rich spiritual energy environment was irreplaceable.
The improvements are not worth the losses and do not pose a threat to the medicinal herb cultivation advantages of Zhangba Township.
"Guodong, General Manager Yang and General Manager Luo have arrived in the village. Are you coming?" The fat man was a little puzzled when he heard Zhang Guodong say it didn't matter. However, Zhang Guodong had mentioned before that these medicinal herbs were not easy to imitate in cultivation, and the maturation cycle was extremely long. Now that he thought about it, he felt more at ease.
“I won’t be coming. I’m not interested in getting involved in the follow-up matters. I’ll just provide the medicinal herb seeds. I have other things to do, so let’s leave it at that for now!” Zhang Guodong declined the offer and took a taxi back to Taoyuan Xiaozhu.
Surprisingly, Xuan Qingxuan, Qingzhu, Li Yun, and Qin Lina were together, playing mahjong in the courtyard, having a great time. This left Zhang Guodong dumbfounded.
"Honey's back? Make your own dinner!" Li Yun was so caught up in her winnings that she didn't even care about Zhang Guodong. She kept shouting "Pong, Eat, Kong," it seemed like she was having a really good run of luck.
Zhang Guodong has three black lines on his forehead.
"Qingxuan—" Zhang Guodong called out, forcing himself to be polite. He immediately felt a chill emanating from Xuan Qingxuan, making him shiver. The way she addressed him was far too intimate. "I have something I'd like to ask you!"
Xuan Qingxuan glanced at Zhang Guodong, snorted, and got up to walk towards her room.
"Don't steal cards!" Qingzhu shouted immediately.
Zhang Guodong was frustrated. This place was turning into a women's paradise. Did he feel like the male owner of the house?
After the two entered the room, Xuan Qingxuan asked coldly, "What is it?"
He seemed a little impatient.
"So, can infants use elixirs to regulate their bodies? And how should they be treated to avoid harm?" Zhang Guodong hurriedly asked this question, eagerly awaiting an answer.
Xuan Qingxuan was clearly taken aback for a moment, then frowned and said, "A small portion is fine, but most is not. Even the medicinal power and spiritual energy of some low-level pills can explode very quickly, and an infant's body cannot withstand it!"
"What about the inferior quality pills of the primary quality pills? For example, these two—" Zhang Guodong took out one inferior quality pill each of the 'Health Pill' and 'Longevity Pill'.
Generally speaking, the medicinal and spiritual power of a substandard pill is less than one percent of that of a standard pill. Of course, some have side effects, and some don't. These two substandard pills, however, have no side effects, which is quite rare.
"How did you get these pills?" To her surprise, Xuan Qingxuan's eyes sharpened immediately upon seeing the two pills. Her grandfather had given her these pills before she left home; their effects were incredibly precious and unique. But how could Zhang Guodong have them?
"Why can't I have it? This is a pill formula that was originally leaked from my hands. The Grand Elder gave it to me as a reward. Senior Sister, don't be surprised!" Zhang Guodong said proudly.
"Oh?" Xuan Qingxuan was quite surprised. She hadn't expected that the pill formula had actually slipped through Zhang Guodong's fingers and ended up with her grandfather. Now she understood why her grandfather had given Zhang Guodong the intermediate-level storage bag and other rewards. She couldn't help but look at Zhang Guodong in a slightly different light.
For an ordinary person to possess such a formula for alchemy clearly demonstrates an exceptionally high talent for the craft. Alchemists are typically highly sought after and respected.
Xuan Qingxuan calmed down and said, "These two inferior pills can be given to the infant. If they can be catalyzed with life-giving demonic power, they will be even safer!"
Upon finally hearing the news, Zhang Guodong was overjoyed. With the help of Pin Dan to improve his health, his son and daughter's growth would definitely be greatly benefited.
After thanking Xuan Qingxuan, Zhang Guodong went up to the second floor of the small building. Once inside, he didn't care about anything else and went straight into Peach Blossom Spring. He wanted to take out a few more, but his eyes immediately fell on the two large wooden boxes.
Is this what they call munitions? I wonder what weapons are inside!
No rush! Let's see what's inside first.
The wooden crate was nailed shut, but for Zhang Guodong, this seal wasn't fast enough; he quickly removed the top cover. A dark gleam shone out—it contained brand-new pistols, all of them handguns. Then, boxes of gleaming yellow bullets were laid out inside.
"The guns and bullets are actually stored together! This pistol must be the latest model, nine-round magazine, at least a hundred of them, and hundreds of thousands of bullets—so many?!" Zhang Guodong was startled after a quick glance. Normally, guns and bullets are stored separately. But here they were all together.
What kind of weapon was in the other box? Zhang Guodong became interested. If it was a sniper rifle, it would be perfect for collecting. But that was impossible.
Buying a sniper rifle is incredibly difficult, practically impossible. And even if you manage to buy one, most people simply can't handle it.
After quickly dismantling the second wooden crate, Zhang Guodong found it tightly wrapped inside, with a layer of waterproofing and fireproofing. When the last layer was removed, Zhang Guodong was taken aback by what he found.
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