Chapter Twenty-Four: Brother, I need your help

  After seeing off Director Liang, Zhang Sen sat alone in the study for a long time. Then, he called Ma Pei in and said seriously and helplessly: "Brother, I need your help!"

  Ma Pei had never seen Zhang Sen speak to him with such an expression, nor had he ever seen Zhang Sen look so helpless. He was suspicious and put away his usual lazy attitude in front of Zhang Sen, answering seriously: "Speak up, what can be done I will definitely do, what can't be done, I'll risk my life to think of a way to help you!"

  Zhang Sen nodded: "That's what I want to hear from you, but it doesn't have to be that serious, just one sentence from you or a statement from your father would do."

  "My father?" Ma Pei felt the severity of the situation. To put it simply, with Ma Pei's current connections, there were very few things he couldn't do in G City. And Zhang Sen was well aware of Ma Pei's abilities, so if something made him feel that Ma Pei couldn't handle it and needed his father to step in personally, then it must be a very difficult and serious matter indeed. "Speak, what exactly happened?"

  Zhang Sen repeated to Ma Pei the conversation between Director Liang and him, saying: "I absolutely do not believe that my father would do such a thing. There is an emotional factor in this, but the main reason is that I understand my father's character too well! However, since the matter has already occurred, I am willing to accept this reality. I can accept organizational scrutiny, with only one requirement: don't let me be suspended from duty! One reason is that case in my hands, which no one else in the department can take over; another reason is that I believe my father signed that contract out of desperation and would never have been corrupt or taken bribes! There must be some conspiracy behind this. I will start investigating the cause of my father's death!"

  Ma Pei looked at Zhang Sen with a shocked expression, stunned by the determination and persistence on his face. He didn't say another word, just stared at Zhang Sen in silence for a long time.

  After a while, Ma Pei spoke up and asked: "This matter is too big, it involves the issue of judicial justice. How do you know I can do it? Or, what makes you think that my talking to my father will be effective?"

  Zhang Sen smiled slightly: "It's precisely because of the magnitude of the relationship that I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it, which is why I wanted to ask your father to step in and help. In G City, is there anything that your father can't accomplish? As for judicial fairness, I admit that I've been emotional about this case, but my motivations aren't purely personal either. When Director Liang was leaving, he casually asked me a question: 'Is Huayu's CEO Ma very close to you?' I replied that he was, and then he nodded and said: 'Please give my regards to his father.' Doesn't this explain the situation?"

  Ma Pei nodded, with a resolute determination, and said in a low and calm tone: "Understood, I'll take care of this matter this afternoon. If all else fails, I'll have to ask Old Master to use his old face to get us out of this mess. Don't worry, Asen, I've got this under control, you can just go for the review tomorrow as if nothing happened."

  Zhang Sen patted Ma Pei's shoulder silently, expressing his gratitude.

  The next morning, as Director Liang had said, Zhang Sen was summoned by someone from the provincial hall's organization department as soon as he went to work.

  Zhang Sen knew that as long as Ma Pei agreed to do something, there would be no mistakes, let alone this matter was crucial to Zhang Sen, Ma Pei must have already handled it properly, so this conversation became a mere formality.

  But Zhang Sen still took this conversation very seriously and said what he had thought deeply about for a whole night.

  The two interrogators nodded, said nothing, and put away the case files to indicate that the conversation was over. As they walked past Zhang Sen's side, both of them simultaneously patted Zhang Sen's shoulder and sincerely said: "Captain Zhang, a dead person cannot be brought back to life, no matter what the reason or result is, please accept your grief and move on!"

  Zhang Sen's heart warmed up, and he just nodded.

  Half an hour later, Zhang Sen received a call from Director Liang, asking him to come to his office.

  Knocking open the door of Director Liang's office, Zhang Sen unexpectedly saw Ma Pei sitting there.

  Without saying much, Zhang Sen just nodded at Ma Pei as a greeting, and Ma Pei smiled back at him. The smile conveyed the meaning that Zhang Sen understood, and he couldn't help but feel relieved in his heart, knowing that things had really been taken care of.

  Director Liang smiled and said, "Little Zhang, General Ma has vouched for you to the municipal leaders and has signed a military order on your behalf. Don't you believe that there's a conspiracy behind your father's case? Then go investigate it thoroughly. What you need to answer now is how long it will take."

  Zhang Sen thought for a moment and replied, "I want to first deal with the drug trafficking case in my hands, and then I will have the energy to fully investigate my father's situation. So, from now on, I need two years' time. Within two years, I will definitely get to the bottom of this matter. If there is still no evidence at that time, you can demote me."

  Li Honglin detected the trap in Zhang Sen's words: he said "if there is still no evidence at that time" rather than "if it has not been investigated clearly at that time".

  But he didn't say anything, just smiled to himself and picked up the phone. He was too fond of this subordinate: Liang Honglin had been working in public security for over 30 years and had never met such a sharp and capable underling. Zhang Sen, it seemed as if he was born specifically to eliminate underworld trash and eradicate social darkness! His birth was meant for being a detective!

  As they walked out of Director Liang's office, Ma Peichong chuckled and said in a low voice: "Actually, before I went to see the mayor, Director Liang had already been to the Provincial Public Security Department. The Provincial Public Security Department had already called the Municipal Public Security Bureau to inquire about your situation. The first person who vouched for you was not me, but Director Liang. That's why I didn't need to bother my old man."

  Zhang Sen felt a warmth in his heart, turned back and silently bowed towards the direction of Director Liang's office, feeling that the gratitude in his heart could not be expressed in words.