Chapter 257: Ignore Him

The Baiyun Hotel is where Zhou Ming was staying. After assisting the armed police in capturing Tao Guoling and Hua Shao, Zhou Ming returned to the hotel. At this time, Cao Jianning was already waiting for him in the hotel's lobby. Upon seeing Zhou Ming, Cao Jianning quickly stood up and asked, "How did things go over there?"

"Everything went smoothly. Tao Guoling and Hua Shao were all rounded up in one go," Zhou Ming replied.

"Great!" Cao Jianning said reflexively. However, he did not dare to relax just yet; this was only the first step in a long journey. He added, "I just came from the city government. The complaint about Tao Guoling and the others has been sent to the central authorities through the proper channels. It should arrive by tomorrow afternoon at the latest."

Zhou Ming nodded and said, "That's good to hear." Cao Jianning then asked, "Zhou Ming, should we prepare for anything else?"

Zhou Ming glanced at Cao Jianning and understood his concern. Cao Jianning was worried, but Zhou Ming was not like Du Peng, who might have been more anxious. Zhou Ming remained calm and did not ask what the next steps were or whether the actions were effective. He simply said, "We definitely need to prepare. We have to withstand the pressure from your elder brother until the central authorities respond."

As if to prove Zhou Ming's foresight, a vehicle with armed police license plates stopped outside the door. A military officer, whom both Cao Jianning and Zhou Ming recognized as Captain Zheng from the armed police detachment, rushed in. He said to Cao Jianning and Zhou Ming, "President Cao, Consultant Zhou, the military district just called. They said Baiyang Hotel is a special zone planned by the military district, and items stored there are considered military needs. They require us to release the detainees immediately."

Cao Jianning looked at Zhou Ming, who asked Captain Zheng, "Did the call come from Military District Advisor Tao?"

"Yes, it was a direct call from Advisor Tao," Captain Zheng replied, sounding surprised that Zhou Ming guessed correctly.

"Then ignore it. No matter what he says, the armed police have already separated from the military district's control after the crackdown. Even if it's a military district commander, they can't interfere," Zhou Ming said.

Captain Zheng was inwardly astonished, thinking that Zhou Ming was quite bold to disregard even the military district commander.

Zhou Ming knew well that while his statement was technically correct—since the armed police and the military district had separate chains of command, and even a military district commander had no authority over them—the reality was that political and military relations were intricate, and a military district commander had many ways to influence matters.

Understanding this, Captain Zheng turned to Cao Jianning, ready to speak. However, Cao Jianning interjected, "Captain Zheng, follow Consultant Zhou's instructions. Don't worry about Advisor Tao."

With both Cao Jianning and Zhou Ming saying so, Captain Zheng had no further objections. Zhou Ming then told him, "Captain Zheng, you should go back to the detachment. Make sure to keep a close watch on the suspects. If anything comes up, contact us immediately. You should have the cell phone numbers for President Cao and me."

Captain Zheng nodded, acknowledging the instructions, and left to return to his detachment.

With Captain Zheng gone, Cao Jianning asked Zhou Ming what the next steps were, but Zhou Ming gave an answer that left him bewildered: to go have tea.

Cao Jianning stared at Zhou Ming in disbelief and asked, "Isn't there anything else we should be doing?"

In Cao Jianning's view, Zhou Ming's answer was incomprehensible. They had just had armed police detain the son of a military district advisor and made a formal confrontation with his elder brother. This wasn't just poking a hornet's nest; it was like detonating a massive bomb. At a time like this, they should be on high alert, yet Zhou Ming seemed completely unperturbed, even suggesting a leisurely tea break. This seemed overly calm to Cao Jianning.

Cao Jianning looked at Zhou Ming, and if he didn't know Zhou Ming was someone who could handle situations effectively, he would have been tempted to scold him.

Zhou Ming smiled slightly and replied, "We're like gamblers at the table now. The chips are down, the cards are dealt, and we just wait for the showdown."

Cao Jianning had no response to Zhou Ming's analogy, not because it was inaccurate, but because it was so apt that it frightened him.

"Alright, President Cao, don't overthink it. Let's go have tea. We've both been busy all morning—today I led the armed police to capture people, and you've been handling other matters. We haven't had a proper meal and have been on edge for too long. It's time to relax and enjoy some tea," Zhou Ming said, disregarding Cao Jianning's attitude and leading him out to the tea house.

Once they arrived at the tea house and settled into a private room, Zhou Ming ordered some items and leisurely enjoyed his tea, while Cao Jianning, though still worried, began to calm down in Zhou Ming's presence.

However, their relaxation didn't last long. Zhou Ming's cell phone suddenly rang. Zhou Ming answered it, and a serious voice on the other end said, "Hello, is this Comrade Zhou Ming? This is Tao Niansheng."

"Advisor Tao, hello," Zhou Ming responded. Cao Jianning, who had been ready to eat, was stunned.

Advisor Tao?

Cao Jianning knew that in Baiyun City, this title and surname referred to only one person. Could it be that Tao Guoling's father was calling Zhou Ming?

"Comrade Zhou Ming, I demand that you immediately release Tao Guoling and Jiang Chunhua, who were mistakenly detained by the armed police detachment," Tao Niansheng ordered without preamble.

For someone like Tao Niansheng, a seasoned military officer, his commands were usually unquestionable, and most would have instinctively complied. But Zhou Ming simply smiled and said, "Advisor Tao, since you know they were detained by the armed police detachment, you should address this with them. I'm not a leadership figure, so what can you expect from me? Besides, I'm just the informant; whether they are released or not isn't my responsibility, right?"

"Comrade Zhou Ming, this kind of talk isn't productive," Tao Niansheng said. "I know you have conflicts with Guoling, and I'm here to offer an apology on his behalf. I can assure you this matter ends here. Is that alright?"

"Well, Advisor Tao, since you've put it this way, I'll be straightforward," Zhou Ming said. "Normally, I should show respect to a leader like you, but some things require mutual understanding. Advisor Tao, let me ask you this: if I were the one detained today and I told you that the matter ends here, would you agree?"

There was a brief silence on the other end, and then Tao Niansheng replied, "Comrade Zhou Ming, I'm not here to discuss this issue with you. You should understand that I'm giving you an opportunity."

"Then, Advisor Tao, I'm afraid I don't need that opportunity," Zhou Ming said.

"Comrade Zhou Ming!" Tao Niansheng's voice rose, "Do you really think I'm calling you out of desperation? Do you really believe I can't handle you?"

"Of course not," Zhou Ming said. "Advisor Tao, you're the military district advisor, someone I could never reach. You have many connections, and dealing with me would be as easy as squashing an ant. But some things are just out of my control. Advisor Tao, don't you think it's unreasonable to make things difficult for me?"

Tao Niansheng gritted his teeth in anger and said three times, "Fine, Zhou Ming, if you don't release Guoling today, you'll regret it!"