Chapter 350: 350: Defiance (First update to celebrate the league leader's wife downstairs)

Just as everyone was observing, someone finally asked the question, “Is there a dash cam installed?”

Zhang Hongfei did not install such a device, because he is a police officer, and there was no need for one.

Even if there was one installed, the shattered windshield of the car’s front face might not have recorded anything clearly.

Regardless, Director Zhang had been attacked, unharmed personally, but his car had sustained significant damage.

There’s no point in talking about the losses; if money can solve it, then it’s not a problem, and he probably won’t need to spend much.

It’s not about the insurance company compensating. When Director Zhang gets the car fixed, who wouldn’t show him some face?

Even in a regular repair shop, as long as a proper invoice is issued, he won’t have trouble finding a place to claim the expenses.

Right now, the problem boils down to two points.

The first point is, who did this? The second point is, how was the hole in the front created?

Without a dash cam and no surveillance on the stretch of road where the incident occurred, all Director Zhang could do was orally describe the assailant’s appearance.

He was a middle-aged man in black clothing, with a square face and short eyebrows, looking very fierce.

Zhang Hongfei was almost certain who was responsible. He had offended many in the past, but recently, he had only provoked the owner of that barren hill, Feng Jun.

Having been a police officer for so many years, Director Zhang had seen his share of fiercely wicked individuals and interacted with countless small-time thieves, but it was rare for someone to resort to such violent methods.

Considering that Feng Jun owned a jade mine, it wasn’t surprising he had such means.

As for why he would target Director Zhang, one might ask? Well, because Zhang was there to deliver a notice.

To the oblivious, it might seem he had no choice but to accompany the district officials as a witness, so he could testify later if any disputes arose to prove the district had performed its notification duties.

But those who knew better understood what his police identity meant: it signified the state’s force.

Especially that day, when he also verbally warned the two gatekeepers, his intentions became transparently clear.

As long as Boss Feng’s IQ was average, he would understand that Zhang would not give up on targeting the estate again.

That’s why Zhang Hongfei was clear that if he were in Feng Jun’s shoes, he would also prioritize dealing with the pressure coming from the police force.

Of course, these were just Director Zhang’s speculations, without any evidence, based on intuition, but he was certain that the truth behind the incident was definitely this.

Now that he had found the main suspect, Zhang Hongfei couldn’t resist the urge to confront the culprit. He had never met such an audacious person in his years of police service—damn it, did they really think the state’s machinery was just for show?

But if he were to act on this impulse, he had to face a problem: he only had his intuition; he lacked evidence.

Despite his strong desire to arrest Feng immediately and use various means to vent his anger, he had to admit that the man in black who attacked him that day was definitely not Feng Jun.

The height didn’t match, nor did the facial features. He hadn’t met Feng Jun in person, but he had seen his photo.

Most crucially, the assailant was a bona fide billionaire. Even if he was an unfounded outsider, attacking such a person required at least some evidence—or at least approval from higher authorities.

As Zhang Hongfei was considering these things, the onlookers around him were still discussing the hole—what could have caused such damage?

Director Zhang didn’t care about such threats; if they didn’t dare to directly harm him, it only proved they intended to intimidate, showing a fear of the state apparatus.

However, upon closer inspection of the hole, his expression darkened. The unknowable nature of the method used and its shockingly damaging effect cast a shadow over his heart.

In any case, with such an incident occurring, calling the police was definitely necessary, despite being an officer himself. One must follow due process, and after that, he could openly begin an investigation targeting certain individuals.

After calling the police, his colleagues asked him who he thought was the prime suspect.

Zhang Hongfei replied that he had always conducted himself with integrity and had fought many criminals, so it was hard to think of anyone who might be responsible at the moment.

But that was the official statement for the records. In private circles, Director Zhang openly declared, “Fuck, that Feng’s getting cocky…thinking he can disregard the police of Baixing like that.”

Without any evidence, those words couldn’t be said openly, but in private…who didn’t understand that?

However, someone reminded him, “Director Zhang, we shouldn’t make a public issue of this. Maybe someone at the station is waiting to enjoy the spectacle.”

That wasn’t a baseless concern. Zhang Hongfei was not only a police officer but also a minor official. If he was allowed to set his sights on Feng Jun, why wouldn’t others be eyeing him?

As colleagues, they couldn’t tolerate an outsider offending the police community, but if they could take advantage of the situation to deal with Zhang Hongfei and clear their path for promotion, wouldn’t that be even more beneficial?

Everyone is motivated by self-interest; all hustle and bustle is for personal gain…

After being reminded, Zhang Hongfei consciously controlled his speech and went home to rest at three in the morning.

The next day, he woke up at six in the morning, unable to sleep with things on his mind.

He went to the scene and saw that his colleagues from the technical department had already arrived. They were busily collecting samples and, in no more than an hour, the vehicle had to be moved aside to avoid obstructing traffic.

Seeing him arrive, the deputy chief of the technical department spoke gravely, “Old Zhang, you’d better be careful. Setting aside how that hole happened, if that guy kicked you even once, you’d definitely have a comminuted fracture.”

Director Zhang nodded with a dark face and kept silent.

But the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Damn it, it’s always said that evil cannot overcome good. I’ve been a cop for so many years, how could I be scared off by such a trivial matter?

Around seven, the car was towed into the yard of the police station. After a while, Zhang Hongfei quietly approached a trusted auxiliary police officer with a dark expression and said, “I need your motorcycle for a bit, to find someone.”

The auxiliary officer, seeing his face, asked cautiously, “You’re not going to see that Feng guy, are you?”

“Exactly, I’m going to see him,” Director Zhang’s eyes flashed fiercely, “Damn it, just because I haven’t caused trouble in recent years, others must think I’ve turned vegetarian!”

“I’ll come with you,” the young auxiliary officer offered loyally, “for some backup.”

Zhang Hongfei snorted coldly, “No need. Even without backup, what can he do to me? Give him another dose of guts!”

However, his voice softened somewhat the next moment, “It’s good that you know. Don’t tell anyone else.”

This had a bit of a last-words vibe to it—as a qualified police officer, he would naturally have a contingency plan.

A hint of faint sadness washed over the face of the auxiliary officer, “Director… do you want a recording pen?”

“I still have my law enforcement recorder,” Zhang Hongfei smiled faintly, “but I don’t plan to use it.”

Indeed, he had no plans to use these gadgets. Would the other party not expect something like a recording pen? It was simply inviting ridicule.

A jade mine owner couldn’t possibly be a naive fool!

Zhang Hongfei rode the motorcycle to the entrance of the desolate hill.

The guard at the entrance remembered him but still called inside and only let him pass after getting President Feng’s permission.

He entered the villa, where a beautiful woman greeted him, “Director Zhang, coming so early in the morning, may I ask what brings you here?”

“I need to see President Feng,” Zhang Hongfei spoke bluntly without beating around the bush, his face dark, “I need him to give me an explanation.”

Li Xiaobin didn’t mind his attitude, as she had already received instructions from Feng Jun, “President Feng is quite busy. You can tell me what it is.”

Zhang Hongfei, struggling to contain his anger, said coldly, “I can wait.”

“Then go upstairs,” Li Xiaobin waved her hand, pointing diagonally upward, “second room on the second floor.”

Without another word, Zhang Hongfei went upstairs and opened the door to the second room.

Inside the room sat a man on the sofa, playing with his mobile phone, who commanded without raising his head, “Get out. Knock before entering!”

What did Zhang Hongfei care about such formalities? He took a step closer, “President Feng, I presume?”

The man on the sofa raised his head and glanced at him coldly, “Can’t you understand human language?”

With that one look, Zhang Hongfei had already confirmed the man’s identity, “President Feng, listen to me…”

President Feng interrupted him without hesitation, “You have two choices: go out, knock and come back in, or I’ll throw you downstairs!”

They stared each other down.

Zhang Hongfei thought about it and finally nodded, swallowing his pride, “Fine, you have the money, you are powerful, I’ll knock on the door.”

He went out, knocked once and then came back in, not making a sound.

President Feng continued to ignore him, just playing with his mobile phone. He played for about twenty minutes and then picked up another mobile phone.

Zhang Hongfei didn’t interrupt him because he had realized that the other party might have surveillance. He had already stated that he could wait, and to be impulsive now would just be handing the other party an advantage.

President Feng played with his mobile phone as if no one else was present, sometimes engrossed, sometimes smiling, and even taking breaks to light up a cigarette.

He had completely ignored the presence of Director Zhang.

Zhang Hongfei was aware that the other man was stretching out the encounter. Although he was exceptionally angry, he still maintained clarity of mind—you keep acting arrogant, I have all the time to play with you, just keep it up, don’t chicken out!

After forty minutes of playing on his mobile phone, President Feng finally looked up at Director Zhang, “What’s up?”

“Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Zhang Hongfei,” Director Zhang said expressionlessly as he looked at him, “Does the name sound familiar?”

“Familiar,” President Feng nodded and said with a smile, “You’re that dumbass, right?”

Zhang Hongfei somewhat regretted not bringing a recording pen. He had originally thought that if he brought one, the other party would probably detect it, so it might be better not to bring one at all—would such a formidable character not take precautions?

At that moment, he truly regretted it, but then he thought again, and his heart grew colder—you’re really not afraid that I brought a recording pen?

Guarding against a recording pen and not fearing one are two completely different concepts.

The former implies a sense of caution; the latter is sheer brazenness.

Realizing this, the indignation that Zhang Hongfei initially felt had disappeared.

Now, all he thought was: Keep being wild, keep acting rash. The sky may bring rain on the wild, and misfortune visits the rash. Just don’t let me catch my chance!n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

(First update, paying respects to the boss lady under the alliance leader’s building.)