Let them offer their loyalty!

Tang Feifei paused for a moment before saying, "So... this case might drag on for a very long time."

"Before the dust settles, nobody knows if there will be some unexpected developments."

She didn't go into detail, but Qiu Tu understood what she meant.

To have risen to his position, Jia Shu must have capabilities, and certainly someone's favor from above.

And that person was definitely not Yan Chen: after all, Yan Chen and Jia Shu were only one rank apart and couldn't determine Jia Shu's position.

So, that person's status must be higher than Yan Chen's, with significant influence in the Sanctuary... perhaps even one of the real power players.

It was precisely because he had such a backer that Jia Shu, since being arrested last night, hadn't said a word or cooperated.

Plainly speaking... he was waiting for the situation to ferment, waiting for the person behind him to rescue him—he hadn't given up hope at all.

Thinking this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but stroke his chin in contemplation...

Although Jia Shu was tight-lipped, Qiu Tu felt he had a rough understanding of the whole affair from the interrogation records of Wang Xi and the video footage from the "Silver Key Bee."

'So... can I strive for the "right to interpret" the entire case?'

After hanging up the phone, Qiu Tu reflected silently...

'But... after seeking this right to interpret, what could I do with it? What goal could I achieve?'

'Is it possible to pin Jia Shu down so that his backer can't intervene?'

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Qiu Tu's gaze flickered nonstop.

Twenty-some seconds later, his eyes lit up, then furrowed slightly.

Just then, an idea for a permanent solution to the Jia Shu problem had sprung into his mind. But... it lacked a crucial figure!

'This is going to be tough...'

'Looks like I'll have to take it one step at a time.'

With these thoughts, Qiu Tu put the matter to the back of his mind for now, deciding to meet with the three officials from the Disciplinary Department first and see their stance before making a decision.

With that in mind, Qiu Tu packed up interrogation records, documents, and files from his desk, stood up, and prepared to leave for his appointment with Tang Feifei.

As he left his office, Qiu Tu had only taken a few steps when he came face to face with Liu Fuping, who was swaying towards him.

When others were promoted, their presence usually became more refined and profound, exuding an aura of quiet authority. But Liu Fuping was different. After her promotion... she seemed even coyer.

'The nourishment of power?'

Mocking her inwardly, Qiu Tu prepared to greet Liu Fuping.

However, just as the name "Liu Fuping" was about to leave his lips, Qiu Tu suddenly froze as if he had thought of something...

After hesitating, he quickly stepped forward, grabbed Liu Fuping's hand, and before the surprised outcry from this beautiful woman could escalate, pulled her into a nearby vacant conference room!

When Liu Fuping first saw Qiu Tu, her eyes had already turned into two curving rainbows, ready to get flirty, hold hands, and exchange a peck or two.

But when Qiu Tu abruptly and forcefully pulled her into the empty conference room, the startled Liu Fuping instantly backed down.

Clutching her surging chest, she said with a troubled look, "Qiu Tu... even though you've promoted me, I'm not one to casually sell my body."

Pausing, she blinked her attractive eyes and added, "And... I got my period today."

"Otherwise... with my mouth?"

Qiu Tu: ??

He knocked Liu Fuping's head and reprimanded, "What are you always thinking about? Always scheming to get something for nothing, aren't you?"

"I pulled you over here because I have something serious to ask you."

With that, Qiu Tu closed the door, led Liu Fuping to the corner, and asked softly, "I remember the Bureau Chief from Eastern City harbors a grudge against Yan Chen, right?"

"And this grudge is not something small, is it?"

As Liu Fuping nodded, Qiu Tu continued to ask, "Do you know what the grudge is about?"

Hearing Qiu Tu's question, Liu Fuping's previously rosy face suddenly turned serious.

After a moment of silence, she slowly said, "It's a grudge over the death of a son."

Qiu Tu's gaze hardened slightly, "A grudge over the death of a son?"

Qiu Tu probed further, "But... it wasn't Yan Chen who killed his son, right?"

Liu Fuping looked at Qiu Tu surprisingly, as if she didn't understand how he could have guessed that.

Still, she nodded and said, "No, it's not. But the incident was related to Yan Chen. He's the one the Bureau Chief hates the most."

Liu Fuping seemed quite informed about the matter. Her eyes reflecting memories, she said, "The Bureau Chief is actually quite a unique figure in the political landscape of the Planning Area."

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"He isn't like most of the middle and upper ranks from the Planning Area, who were nurtured by the Sanctuary. Instead..."

At this point, Liu Fuping glanced at Qiu Tu in front of her, "he's a bit like you."

"He was initially just an ordinary low-level citizen in the Disaster Zone."

"Later, when the Eighth Sanctuary was established, and the first batch of Planning Areas was delineated, he, like you, seized the opportunity and became an investigator."

"Then, relying on his outstanding abilities, he climbed up step by step and gradually became a notable person in the Investigation Bureau."

"Originally, he should have, like you, held a winning life script. As long as he persisted, he could keep rising and ultimately transform his life completely."

"However, just then, an accident happened. During a practice activity organized by the Sanctuary Officer Academy, a student secretly and brutally killed several investigators from the Planning Area."

"Among them... was his son."

Hearing this, Qiu Tu's gaze revealed a hint of understanding.

He couldn't help asking, "And Yan Chen, was he the judge for that case?"

Liu Fuping nodded, then shook her head, "He was a judge, but not just a judge."

She said, "At that time, Yan Chen was a teacher at the Sanctuary Officer Academy. The practice activity was led and overseen by him."

"His student had committed such a heinous crime; it deeply affected him as well."

"So, at first, he was strict in declaring to everyone that the case must be dealt with impartially! He would definitely not go easy just because the murderer was his student."

"Therefore, the Investigation Bureau of the Planning Area and the Officers' Academy formed an inspection team to specifically investigate and judge this case."

"Although the murderer never admitted his crime, all the traces at the scene pointed to him, and there was no second suspect."

"So, at the first trial, the inspection team's verdict was guilty, sentencing the murderer to death."

"But then... something happened. During the second review, Yan Chen suddenly changed his stance, suggesting there were serious doubts about the case."

"Moreover, he argued that the victims were not residents of the Sanctuary and thus not subject to Sanctuary law, and he changed the death sentence to exile."

"The Sanctuary Officer Academy is a Sanctuary institution dedicated to training elites. Not only does the academy have complete autonomy over internal affairs, but many middle-ranking officers in the Investigation Bureau and the military also come from that academy, wielding broad influence."
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"Additionally, as they did not release the murderer with no consequences but expelled him from the Sanctuary..."

"Thus, when Yan Chen, as the team leader and representative of the Officers' Academy, had made up his mind, the other members of the inspection team did not persist and eventually agreed with his opinion."

Saying this, Liu Fuping continued expressionlessly, "But such a verdict obviously couldn't satisfy the relatives of the deceased."

"Especially for Director Liu, who had suffered the pain of losing a son, it was utterly unacceptable."

"Therefore, over the years, apart from ceaselessly pursuing and trying to execute the exiled murderer, he has also been antagonizing Yan Chen."

"After all, if it weren't for Yan Chen purposely letting the murderer off, perhaps everything would have been different..."

At this, Liu Fuping paused and sneered sarcastically, "Perhaps Yan Chen never expected that a minor section chief from the Planning Area could, in just over a decade, climb to a high position, become his political rival, and keep opposing him."

"So, over the years, Yan Chen has almost never mentioned this matter and rarely provoked Director Liu."

Having listened to Liu Fuping's narration, Qiu Tu nodded slightly, feeling that everything had come together.

In fact, as soon as Qiu Tu knew that Director Liu was at odds with Yan Chen, and was willing to take the risk of stepping over the line by planting a spy in Xinjie City, he had suspected the extent of the conflict between the two.

——If it were merely a simple disagreement in political opinion or an ordinary conflict, it likely wouldn't have escalated to this extent.

Latterly discovering that Director Liu had cooperated with Commissioner Jiang, a high-ranking official from a different faction, even at the risk of being suppressed by the Investigation Bureau, Qiu Tu became even more certain of his thoughts—there must be a deep-seated hatred between them!

So, when he saw the years-long grievances between Jia Wei, Jia Shu, and Yan Chen, and after speaking with Liu Fuping, Qiu Tu immediately conceived a bold idea: Could it be that Director Liu was a relative of that victim?

Now, after hearing Liu Fuping's explanation, Qiu Tu confirmed his suspicion.

And this also allowed him to fit the last piece into the puzzle of his plan.....

With this thought, Qiu Tu embraced Liu Fuping's face, kissed her fiercely, and then said, "Sister Liu, you truly are my lucky star!"

After the kiss, Qiu Tu laughed and groped Liu Fuping's full chest, then turned and left the empty office.

He left behind Liu Fuping, covering her chest with her hand, her face blushing as she watched his retreating figure, her eyes misty as if covered by a layer of water, hazy...

After bidding farewell to Liu Fuping, Qiu Tu took the elevator to the 9th floor.

Arriving on the 9th floor, many section chiefs and division chiefs were waiting outside Yan Chen's office for an audience.

Upon seeing Qiu Tu arrive on the 9th floor, their gazes turned curious, attempting to see whom Qiu Tu was seeking.

Having already prepared to probe Yan Chen's mind, Qiu Tu made no effort to hide himself and strolled towards Tang Feifei's office...

This instantly caused some of the section chiefs and division chiefs waiting outside Yan Chen's office to be quite taken aback....

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