The atmosphere inside the black sedan was tense.
In the passenger seat, a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a crisp suit—clearly the Secretary—leaned toward the back seat to deliver his report, a neatly organized file in hand.
"Leader, our first stop is Wushui County. Up ahead is Wushui No. 2 High School, one of the county’s key institutions. Though it’s currently on break, I’ve heard that this year, eighteen students scored over 600 points, five more than last year, and the overall college admission rate has improved significantly..."
The Secretary elaborated on the school’s achievements, and the driver cooperatively slowed the car as they passed the school’s entrance. Though they didn’t stop, the Leader in the back seat had ample time to observe the campus through the window.
A middle-aged man in a dark administrative jacket nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the school buildings and playground. A faint look of approval crossed his face.
"Hmm, the school’s environment and academic performance seem quite decent. It appears Wushui County has put real effort into education."
Noticing the Leader’s reaction, the Secretary quickly agreed, "Yes, Leader. Wushui County has indeed invested heavily in education over the past few years, especially in No. 2 High School, which has been recognized as a municipal exemplary school for three consecutive years."
The car rolled past the school and turned left, heading toward Chengguan Town, an older district yet to undergo redevelopment.
One of the Leader’s former students hailed from there, and they planned to stay for a few nights to gain deeper insight into local conditions.
The Secretary continued his report. "Further ahead is Wushui County’s commercial street. Though it has plenty of KTVs and bars, its public safety record is the best among the three counties. This year, Wushui even earned the title of ‘Peaceful County,’ with the lowest crime rates in the region..."
But just as the Secretary praised the county’s safety record, the driver abruptly slowed down.
Sensing something amiss, the Secretary turned to check—only to see the Leader’s expression darken.
Following the Leader’s gaze out the window, he spotted several tricycles barreling recklessly through the intersection, ignoring traffic lights entirely.
One nearly collided with their car, forcing the driver to slam on the brakes.
The chaotic scene gave the impression of desperate flight.
"What’s wrong with these people? Don’t they follow basic traffic rules? It’s like they’re being chased by gangsters..."
Then he saw them—a swarm of yellow-haired youths gathered outside a KTV called "Caesar," surrounding another group of troublemakers.
Though no blows had been exchanged yet, the sheer size of the standoff was enough to sour the Leader’s mood.
The Secretary swallowed the rest of his words, mentally kicking himself.
Damn it, is being a Secretary this hard?
Just as the Leader begins an incognito inspection, this happens? Talk about a slap in the face!
The information he’d gathered earlier came from official reports, online sources, and insider contacts—all synthesized for the Leader’s briefing.
But reality was proving far messier than the paperwork.
His heart nearly stopped when he saw the two groups on the verge of an all-out brawl.
If things escalated—or worse, if someone died—today’s incident would spiral out of control, ruining the Leader’s undercover inspection.
The whole point of avoiding official vehicles and hotels was to see the unfiltered truth.
Now, they’d gotten more truth than they bargained for.
He had to salvage this.
"Leader, I don’t think they’re actually fighting. Look, none of them are armed—"
Before he could finish, the crowd pulled out steel pipes, baseball bats, and collapsible batons from their sleeves and jackets, rhythmically tapping them against the ground like some twisted percussion ensemble.
"Leader, perhaps they’re just... using the weapons as musical instruments? Listen to that beat! Wushui’s held the ‘Peaceful County’ title for two years straight. These thugs are probably just posturing—they wouldn’t dare actually—"
No sooner had he spoken than a dozen men were suddenly knocked to the ground, howling in pain.
Secretary: "???"
Seriously? Did you have to prove me wrong that fast?
"Leader, I think... Leader, maybe I should call for backup."
He was out of excuses.
The middle-aged man replied calmly, "Find a payphone and report this to the police."
The Secretary hurriedly complied. "Yes, Leader."
He wasn’t stupid—he immediately stepped out to make the call.
Nearby, another car had parked unnoticed. Even as a young man emerged from it, the hundred-strong crowd outside the KTV paid no attention, their focus locked on the brewing gang war.
Except for Liu Yutong.
Her eyes lingered on the car, her brow furrowing slightly.
In her past life as a lawyer, she’d dealt with enough officials to recognize one. Though she hadn’t identified the car at first, the moment the Secretary stepped out, fragmented memories clicked into place.
This was an undercover inspection by a high-ranking official.
She checked the date on her phone—it aligned with her past-life recollections.
Back then, the downfall of Niu Ben, the local crime boss who’d entrenched himself for years, had been tied to this very official.
Though news reports only mentioned the outcome, rumors suggested the Leader had cut his inspection short in anger, as if deeply offended.
Months later, Niu Ben’s empire was dismantled.
Meanwhile, Ma Da had arranged for seven or eight "victims" to stage an attack near Crazy Dog Brother’s crew, feigning injury to justify retaliation.
Just as their act reached its peak, Liu Yutong called it off.
"Let them go!"
Ma Da was baffled. They’d already drawn their weapons—why stop now?
But he gritted his teeth and signaled. "Stand down!"
The "injured" men promptly stood up, unharmed.
Crazy Dog Brother: "???"
What the hell just happened?
One second they’re collapsing, the next they’re fine?
For a moment, he wondered if his sheer dominance had mentally broken them, making them impale themselves on his men’s weapons.
Still, this worked in his favor. At least he could leave mostly unscathed—well, less scathed.
Between the beatdown from the suited buzzcut guy inside the KTV and the bottle smashed over his head by that woman, an actual fight might’ve landed him in a hospital bed. Or worse, a coffin.
"This isn’t over!" Crazy Dog Brother spat before limping away, his crew slinking off behind him.
Ma Da watched their retreating figures, still somewhat unwilling to let it go: "Miss Liu, are we really just letting them leave like this?"
"What Miss Liu did was right, Brother Ma. If you had acted recklessly, even if the police arrived, the outcome wouldn’t have been any better," Zhao Tianyi's voice came from behind.
He had somehow arrived at the scene unnoticed, holding a book with a red cover in his hand.
"Tianyi, we did everything you told us to. They threw the first punch, and we fought back. Isn’t that self-defense?" Ma Da turned around, a hint of confusion in his tone.
"That alone isn’t enough."
Zhao Tianyi shook his head, then raised his hand and pointed toward the upper left corner. "For example, take a look at that spot over there."
Ma Da immediately turned and saw a surveillance camera aimed directly at them.
"Now look over at the intersection," Zhao Tianyi pointed in another direction.
Ma Da followed his finger and spotted yet another camera positioned at the corner.
"Look at yourselves—so careless in your actions, and you still dare to call it self-defense?"
Ma Da and the others lowered their heads, feeling a pang of guilt.
They had thought they’d covered all their bases, only to realize they’d overlooked such a crucial detail.
Liu Yutong spoke up at the right moment: "Alright, let me say it again—we follow the rules, we obey the law. We don’t engage in illegal activities. Even if we establish a company in the future, remember this: we operate legitimately!"
"And one more thing—there must be a line you don’t cross. As long as you stay within bounds, I won’t interfere with what you do. But if anyone crosses that line, don’t blame me for being harsh!"
"Yes, Miss Liu!" Ma Da and the others responded in unison.
But what puzzled Ma Da was how often Miss Liu emphasized this "line." What exactly was it?
Though he had been learning from Zhao Tianyi how to deal with adversaries within legal limits, he still wasn’t entirely clear on what this line specifically meant—or where it lay.
Just as he racked his brain for an answer, his eyes suddenly fell on the red-covered book in Zhao Tianyi’s hand.
A light seemed to dawn in his mind, and everything became clear.
