Boasting

Wang Ping was delighted, but Ouyang Cheng was utterly despondent. He cursed Ye Qian's ancestors for eighteen generations, wishing he could tear him apart. This kid was really too unscrupulous. They had clearly agreed on terms, yet Ye Qian turned the tables on him, giving those files to the disciplinary committee. Ouyang Cheng had originally planned to retrieve those files and then find someone from the underworld to take care of Ye Qian. Now, not only had he failed, but he also had to deal with the disciplinary committee's hounds. These guys were all ruthless, and when Ouyang Cheng was riding high, they all fawned over him like lapdogs. Now that he was down, they not only severed ties, acting as if they were strangers, but also kicked him when he was down, ridiculing and attacking him.

Glaring at these people in front of him, Ouyang Cheng thought bitterly, "Once I'm out, I won't let any of you off. And Ye Qian, that little bastard who got me into this mess, I won't be satisfied until he's ground to dust." Thankfully, Ouyang Cheng's efforts over the years hadn't been in vain. Before heading to the disciplinary committee, he made a call to briefly explain his situation. He understood well that in politics, fortunes were tied together; if one prospers, all prosper, and if one suffers, all suffer. It was finally time to see the fruits of his years of hard work.

Ye Qian, of course, knew none of this. He hadn't expected to bring Ouyang Cheng down in one go. After all, Ouyang Cheng had been in politics for so long; he was bound to have a few friends. And he couldn't have risen to the position of deputy secretary of the municipal party committee without some backers. Ye Qian wasn't afraid of Ouyang Cheng's retaliation. If Ouyang Cheng wanted to retaliate, he would have to get out of the disciplinary committee first.

In the afternoon, Li Hao received a call from the municipal party secretary, instructing him to release Ye Qian immediately. The secretary's tone suggested he was under some pressure. Although Li Hao wasn't sure why, he sensed that someone higher up had given an order, probably not in a pleasant manner, which explained the secretary's tone. Normally, the party secretary wouldn't personally call for something like this; a simple directive would suffice. This suggested that the order came from above, prompting the secretary to personally intervene.

Shortly after, Li Hao received another call from Wang Ping, asking him to come to his house immediately. Not daring to delay, Li Hao quickly processed Ye Qian's release and left in a hurry. Ye Qian didn't rush to leave, staying in the police station, chatting and joking with the officers. When it came to boasting, Ye Qian was a master. During Wolf Fang's missions, they often spent months in remote forests without computers or TVs. What else could they do but brag?

Sometimes, Ye Qian felt that not all police officers were annoying; some were quite endearing. Like these guys, who listened intently to his exaggerated stories, occasionally letting out amazed exclamations. It made Ye Qian a bit reluctant to stop.

"Do you guys know Bin Laden? He's my buddy; we go way back. We even picked up girls together in Afghanistan. Don't believe those stories about him being so terrifying; he's just a shy guy. He'd get all bashful around women, like a virgin," Ye Qian said.

"Really? You've met Bin Laden?" one of the officers asked skeptically, thinking Ye Qian might be exaggerating.

"Of course. I even have a picture with him. Look," Ye Qian said, pulling out his wallet and handing over a photo.

The officers looked at the photo but saw no trace of Bin Laden or Ye Qian, only an old picture of the Pentagon. Ye Qian continued, "Bin Laden pointed at it and told me he'd blow it up someday. And he did."

"Bro, you're blowing smoke. How come you're not in the picture?" the officers asked, clearly doubting him now.

Ye Qian rolled his eyes and said, "Come on, Bin Laden's not going to show his face so easily. He took this picture, but he didn't want to be seen with me to avoid trouble from the CIA. Such a considerate guy."

Despite Ye Qian's embellishments, the officers were no longer convinced. They couldn't believe he was friends with Bin Laden. Little did they know, while exaggerated, there was some truth to Ye Qian's story. He had met Bin Laden once while working with the CIA on a mission to capture him. Although Bin Laden escaped, Ye Qian didn't mind. It wasn't his business; he was just there for the job. Whether they caught Bin Laden or not, the CIA still had to pay him.

As Ye Qian was chatting away, a stunning woman appeared at the door, dressed in a short skirt, black stockings, and high heels. The officers stared wide-eyed, not wanting to miss this once-in-a-lifetime sight. They silently prayed to the heavens, hoping they wouldn't suddenly go blind.

After a brief pause, Ye Qian laughed and said, "Don't get any ideas. She's my future wife."

Hearing this, the officers gave Ye Qian a thumbs-up, full of admiration. Qin Yue rolled her eyes at Ye Qian and walked over. "I've been looking for you everywhere. Weren't you at the district station? How did you end up here?" she asked.

"How would I know? They brought me here from the district station. Could I refuse?" Ye Qian replied, feigning innocence.

Knowing his antics, Qin Yue didn't bother arguing. "How are things? You're not planning to spend New Year's here, are you?" she asked.