The King of the Central Plains

Lian Fang collapsed onto the floor, his face ashen with terror—he knew his fate was sealed.

Huo Xuan handed the remaining procedures over to Zhuo Bin and left the scene. His mission—to capture the true culprit—was accomplished. The subsequent interrogations and detentions were no longer his concern.

Back at the hotel, Tong Haichuan greeted him with heartfelt gratitude. "Brother, thank you!"

Huo Xuan waved it off. "No need for formalities." Then, probing further, "What's your next move?"

A cold glint flashed in Tong Haichuan's eyes. "I'll publish an exposé in Tianjing Daily, covering every detail! Let's see if Zhou Ba can shield his son then!"

Huo Xuan considered this and cautioned, "A deputy county chief wields significant power, and Zhou Ziqiang, with his billions, isn't to be underestimated. Tread carefully."

"Don't worry," Tong Haichuan replied fiercely. "I've planned for this day meticulously. Even if Zhou Ziqiang were the provincial governor's son, I'd bring him down!"

Huo Xuan nodded. "Then I'll leave the rest to you." He patted Tong Haichuan's shoulder in reassurance.

That night, the county police conducted urgent interrogations, identifying Zhou Ziqiang as the prime suspect and launching a manhunt. Yet, Zhou Ziqiang had vanished without a trace.

The next day, Tianjing Daily published a bombshell report on the developers' lethal coercion in the name of demolition, sparking nationwide outrage and drawing attention from top leadership. The Beijing Municipal Party Secretary issued a directive: the perpetrators must face justice without leniency.

Prior to the arrest attempt, Zhuo Bin had discreetly informed the county's Party Secretary and Chief Executive. Long resentful of the overbearing deputy chief, the two leaders seized the opportunity, acting swiftly and decisively.

Amid mounting public pressure fueled by media coverage, Zhou Ba resigned as deputy county chief the following day.

But Zhou Ziqiang remained at large, his whereabouts unknown. Astonishingly, his assets had been liquidated just before the scandal broke, netting him 1.5 billion yuan in a clean getaway.

Assuming the case was effectively closed, Huo Xuan returned to Beijing on the third day to attend to other matters. Then came Tong Haichuan's call, delivering shocking news in a defeated tone.

The Tianyun County Police Bureau had issued a statement: Deputy Captain Lian Fang suffered from intermittent mental illness, rendering his testimony unreliable. Worse, Police Chief Zhuo Bin was detained on bribery charges.

Additionally, both the county's top leaders received Party reprimands—vaguely cited as "disciplinary violations" and "retaliation against comrades."

Huo Xuan frowned. "What's really going on?"

Tong Haichuan sighed. "The specifics are unclear, but one thing's certain: Zhou Ba and Zhou Ziqiang have an untouchable backer—someone beyond our reach."

Huo Xuan scoffed. "Weren't you fully prepared? How did this 'backer' slip under your radar?"

Tong Haichuan seethed. "How could I have uncovered something like this? Now even I've been suspended. Damn it!"

"Regrets?" Huo Xuan asked.

"Regrets?" Tong Haichuan scoffed. ​**"This is the one thing I'll never regret! The only thing that weighs on me is that you got dragged into this mess, brother."** He let out a long sigh.

Huo Xuan fell silent for a long moment before his eyes suddenly sharpened. ​**"Old Tong, there might still be a way to turn this around."**

"A way?" Tong Haichuan was stunned. ​**"Brother, don't joke with me. Whoever's backing them is untouchable—who would dare, who even could?"**

Huo Xuan's voice was calm but firm. ​**"Give me a few days. This isn't over yet."**

Tong Haichuan knew Huo Xuan's capabilities well enough to entertain a sliver of hope. ​**"Fine. If you can actually pull this off, not just me—the whole of Tianyun County will owe you."**

Huo Xuan chuckled but said nothing more.

The aftershocks of Zhou Ziqiang's case continued. In the days that followed, Zhou Ba was promoted to County Chief, while the former Chief was abruptly reassigned. Then, defying all expectations, Zhou Ziqiang returned to Tianyun, effortlessly repurchased his liquidated assets, and resumed operations at Mighty Dragon Real Estate as if nothing had happened.

But he didn't stop there. In an act of sheer audacity, Zhou Ziqiang sued the county police for ​**"defamation,"** demanding compensation for reputational damage.

The County Party Secretary turned a blind eye, while the newly appointed acting Police Chief obeyed without question. A suffocating gloom settled over Tianyun's political landscape, as if the entire system had been smothered under a layer of ash.

Huo Xuan didn't bother tracking the developments. He already knew the outcome would unfold exactly as the Zhou family desired—no force could change that. Though online speculation about Zhou Ziqiang's crimes ran rampant, every thread was swiftly censored, leaving no lasting impact.

Upon returning to Capital, Huo Xuan contacted Xu Dongsen. Within ten minutes, an imported military vehicle with the license plate ​Jing V.00008—a clear indicator of its high-ranking General Staff Department affiliation—pulled up to the hotel.

Xu Dongsen stepped out, flanked by two towering military officers sporting ​"two bars and four stars" (senior colonel rank) on their shoulders.

Huo Xuan, waiting in the lobby, greeted him with a smile. ​"Efficient."

"Not fast enough," Xu Dongsen replied. ​"I've been counting the days, hoping you'd work your miracles. Frankly, I couldn't wait any longer." He gestured to the officers. ​"My father's men. Consider them at your disposal."

The two senior colonels saluted crisply. ​"Mr. Huo!"

Huo Xuan gave a slight nod before boarding the vehicle with Xu Dongsen. As the officers took the front seats, Huo Xuan noted the car's luxury—easily worth over a million, likely reserved for the Xu family's top brass.

His visit served two purposes: treating the Xu family patriarch and uncovering Zhou Ziqiang's mysterious backer. After a brief silence, Huo Xuan cut to the chase.

"Dongsen, have you heard about Zhou Ziqiang's case?"

Xu Dongsen stiffened slightly before nodding. ​"Of course. Someone clearly didn't know who they were messing with."

Huo Xuan's gaze sharpened. ​"I was the one who cracked it."

Xu Dongsen's expression froze. ​"Ah. So your investigative skills match your medical prowess. Impressive."

Unfazed, Huo Xuan pressed on. ​"What kind of power does Zhou Ziqiang wield to overturn a case so effortlessly?"

Xu Dongsen hesitated, then gritted his teeth. ​"Are you asking me to intervene?"

Huo Xuan smirked. ​"Just curious about the man behind the curtain."

Relieved, Xu Dongsen exhaled. ​"As Hua Buyi's disciple, you've seen the world. Surely you've heard of... the King of the Central Plains?"