Chapter 356: It’s That Simple!

Let's rewind to yesterday afternoon, when Zhou Ming and Du Peng were sitting in the coffee shop of the Yanjing Hotel, enjoying their coffee. They were not alone; another person was with them. Although he was dressed in an ordinary suit, his resolute features and upright posture quickly associated him with a soldier.

In front of him was a cup of coffee, which he had not touched. He sat there, constantly surveying the surroundings with eagle-like vigilance, his body poised like a leopard, ready to tackle any danger.

This person was the Central Security Guard assigned by Du Zhongyuan to protect Zhou Ming and Du Peng. Originally, this guard was part of a small team, but the others had been dispatched on another mission, leaving only this one guard.

Zhou Ming was not concerned about their safety. After all, they were at the Yanjing Hotel, right next to Zhongnanhai, the center of national power. It was unlikely any danger would arise here. Even if Tan Li's secretary tried something reckless in front of so many people, this guard, trained specifically to protect top leaders, would have ways to ensure their safety.

If they couldn't manage that, they'd be a disgrace to their role.

Suddenly, the Central Security Guard stood up and blocked two people trying to approach. The individuals were startled and stood frozen, intimidated by the presence of the security guard, whose aura was as tangible as substance.

"May I ask who you are? Who are you looking for? What's the matter?" the Central Security Guard asked coldly.

The visitors snapped out of their shock and stammered, "Hello, I'm a reporter from Minta, and I recognized these two individuals. I wanted to ask if they are Zhou Ming and Du Peng."

The security guard looked back at Zhou Ming and Du Peng for confirmation, but his peripheral vision remained fixed on the two visitors. It was clear he was ready to react swiftly if they showed any signs of trouble.

"How do you know us? We don't seem very famous," Du Peng asked, puzzled.

The Minta reporter replied, "If I'm not mistaken, this is Du Peng, right? You might not know this, but your work in the stock market in Nanjiang has drawn a lot of attention from Minta. Also, your highway project connecting two provinces without any financial contribution from the authorities is a rare achievement globally! We needed to verify your identities."

"Didn't expect us to be so well-known!" Du Peng chuckled. He turned to Zhou Ming for his opinion. Zhou Ming, who had been silent until then, straightforwardly said, "Please, have a seat. I happen to have some very important news to share with you."

...

This was the entire backstory of how Zhou Ming, Du Peng, and the two Minta reporters came to be acquainted. After the two reporters sat down, Zhou Ming informed them about the plot to murder Chen Xu orchestrated by Secretary Tan Li. The next morning, Zhou Ming provided them with the tape and recorder, leading to the events at the press conference.

Recalling these events, Du Peng furrowed his brow, "Everything seems so straightforward, but it's almost too straightforward. Why did we happen to meet them? Why did they agree to help us? Don't they know what this means? It's too strange!"

"Have you considered why?" Zhou Ming asked.

Realizing the implications, Du Peng said, "They were deliberately sent to approach us?"

"It's not just that. Their approach was only one objective; their main goal was to help us make the tape public," Zhou Ming explained.

Du Peng was puzzled, "But why would they do that?"

"It's simple. They were instructed to do so," Zhou Ming shrugged, giving a cheeky answer.

Du Peng swore under his breath, then analyzed, "So you mean someone from their side is intentionally helping us? But why? How do they know what we're planning?"

Facing these questions, Zhou Ming smiled and countered, "Do you think we're smart?"

Du Peng was taken aback by the sudden question and didn't know how to respond.

Zhou Ming didn't wait for him to ponder and continued, "Whether we're smart or not isn't crucial. What matters is that our country, with its vast land of 9.6 million square kilometers, is home to many people, including many smart ones. These smart people aren't just clever but possess great wisdom."

Though Zhou Ming's words seemed ordinary, they were enlightening for Du Peng. People tend to be self-assured and think of themselves as superior, often underestimating others. This overconfidence is a common trait, and such attitudes often prevent people from recognizing or utilizing others' strengths.

As with Liu Bang and Xiang Yu in the past, while both had the chance to confront the first emperor, Xiang Yu was confident of his success, but Liu Bang was pragmatic. Liu Bang's victory in the Chu-Han Contention contrasted sharply with Xiang Yu's tragic end.

Indeed, in this world, it's difficult to judge who is truly wise or foolish. Even if a leader may seem incapable, they are still a leader, and the question is why you cannot be one. Understanding others is simple, but recognizing and valuing their abilities is challenging.

Every era has talented individuals, but true success often comes from those who can effectively utilize others. Zhou Ming's seemingly ordinary statement carried this profound meaning.

Du Peng thought about it and was puzzled, "What exactly are you saying? Did they use us, or did we use them?"

"It's not about who used whom but rather mutual cooperation," Zhou Ming said.

Du Peng shrugged, "Fine, cooperation. But we've had no direct contact with them, never even met them. How can we cooperate? How do they know what we're doing? How would we know what they want?"

"I said, they have their own great wisdom, and many things don't necessarily require face-to-face communication. Often, our position dictates our actions," Zhou Ming explained.

He continued, "It's not that complicated. First, we know they have problems with the Tan family. We, too, have a deep grudge against the Tan family. According to the principle that 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend,' there's no need for us to sabotage each other. It's more important to join forces against the Tan family."

"Lastly, they might not know exactly what we're planning, but they can guess," Zhou Ming said.

"Guess how?" Du Peng asked eagerly.

"It's simple," Zhou Ming retorted, "We have a small team of five guards with us today. How many were there yesterday? Where did the others go?"

Zhou Ming's question required no answer, as it was obvious to Du Peng. The remaining guards had been dispatched by Zhou Ming to record evidence of Tan Li's crime the night before. While typically a job for elite operatives, these Central Security Guards, trained to handle various situations, were capable of such tasks.

Recording evidence alone wasn't enough; specialized equipment from the intelligence department was needed. Though this was confidential, keen observers could uncover it. If it was known that Zhou Ming's side borrowed such equipment, it could be inferred that they were recording something damaging to the Tan family. Hence, if the situation was known, offering resources to help Zhou Ming cause trouble for the Tan family would be a logical move.

That's how simple it was!

Realizing this, Du Peng shook his head helplessly, "I really don't understand how you people think. How can you come up with such convoluted schemes? It's mind-boggling."

"Isn't that enough? Don't you understand the news even more?" Zhou Ming said, pulling out his pager and handing it to Du Peng. Upon seeing the message on it, Du Peng's eyes widened in shock: "Zhou Ming, please save me. Signed, Tao Guoling."