After outlining the general sequence of events, Song Guanchao continued to elaborate on some details.

For instance, Secretary Xue and others have already begun transferring assets.

He has dispatched people to stop the asset transfers, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

"You did well." Hall Director Qi said dryly.

He felt that his presence or absence didn’t seem to make much difference.

Song Guanchao had done an impeccable job as if their involvement was unnecessary.

"This is the list of criminal members provided by Secretary Xue and others."

Song Guanchao placed the list in front of Hall Director Qi and then Liang Jianfeng.

He had done what needed to be done, such as the immediate arrest of Secretary Xue and three others without waiting for their arrival.

By the time they arrived, Secretary Xue would have already fled.

But in Pinghai City, corruption was rampant, and the culprits were not just those three; there were over a hundred officials involved.

Hall Director Qi and the others needed some work; otherwise, they’d seem useless.

Hall Director Qi’s expression softened significantly; he was glad to have something to do.

He looked at the list in his hand and was startled upon seeing it.

The number of people involved was so large that they couldn’t fit onto one sheet!

The densely packed names gave Hall Director Qi a bit of a headache.

Before arriving, he had heard from Lu Zhizhong that corruption in Pinghai City spanned from top to bottom, but it seemed to him at most a dozen people.

If there were more, it would be twenty or thirty at most.

But a quick scan showed the numbers feared to break into triple digits!

A prefecture-level city with over a hundred corrupt officials, what does that imply?

Nationwide, this is likely the first case!

Once this case is exposed, it will surely trigger a bureaucratic earthquake!

Liang Jianfeng upon seeing the list remained silent.

Having steeled his nerve, Hall Director Qi gravely said, "There are many people, and we don’t have enough personnel. Director Liang, what do you think?"

Liang Jianfeng replied, "Let’s take them one by one."

"According to Director Song, only Secretary Xue, Mayor Fang, and Director Hu are aware Mayor Wu is investigating them."

"The other officials are unaware."

"This means all of Director Song’s actions haven’t ruffled any feathers."

"In that case, we needn’t worry about efficiency."

"The provincial department and city bureau have a total of thirty people, adding fifteen from Pinghai City Public Security Bureau, making forty-five in all."

"To be safe, I recommend forming groups of three and dividing them into 15 teams."

Liang Jianfeng spoke in an orderly, methodical manner.

He tapped the list, "A total of 177 people. Each team needs to act three times on average, some teams may need four actions."

"Taking into account possible mishaps in between, I suggest first capturing the corrupt personnel within the police system."

"Simultaneously, we should lockdown all highways, national roads, provincial roads, and county roads in Pinghai City. To prevent any escapes."

"Currently, Director Ma in Pinghai City is confirmed not to have any issues. He’s also the deputy director of the police department, ask him which individuals within the police system can be trusted, try to gather as many people as possible. Aim to capture everyone before dawn."

"Additionally." Liang Jianfeng shook the list, "There are definitely more problematic people in Pinghai City than listed here."

Everyone looked at him, slightly amazed.

There were nearly two hundred people on the list!

But he suggested there were more!

Liang Jianfeng said, "These names were given by Secretary Xue and others. What kind of person is Secretary Xue?"

"He is the top official in Pinghai City, those he handed over as suspects are likely at least at the director-level."

"But the ones on this list would likely recruit others."

Upon hearing this, they immediately understood his point.

It’s just like pyramid schemes: if the City Secretary is corrupt, the secretary is surely corrupt too.

If the secretary is corrupt, would the subordinates not be corrupt?

Corruption is rarely about one or two individuals; often, it’s an entire chain, sometimes even a whole area of concentrated corruption.

Secretary Xue would only remember the names of those he interacted with.

But many wouldn’t qualify to meet him and thus wouldn’t be remembered.

"After capturing them, interrogate them through the night, capture them overnight!" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"This matter must be completed before 9 AM tomorrow morning."

After 9 AM, work begins.

By then, some might notice that their superiors and colleagues didn’t show up for work, they could quickly suspect something is wrong.

"This is a tough battle," Hall Director Qi summed up, "but no matter how tough, it has to be fought!"

Grabbing the list, standing up, he said, "Mayor Wu, let’s head out."

Upon leaving the office, Hall Director Qi gathered all the police officers in the office hall and assigned tasks to them.

Groups of three were assigned three to four targets each for arrest.

From the police database, they pulled out the suspects’ residence addresses, and began leaving to start the capture operation.

Time ticked by, moment by moment.

Wu Qiangwei, Hall Director Qi, and Liang Jianfeng sat in the city bureau’s call reception hall, awaiting news.

Lin Wanqiu and a few others initially planned to stay, but they couldn’t really help much.

And the matters needing resolution were already resolved, there was no point staying.

Upon Wu Qiangwei’s arrangement, they headed to a nearby hotel for rest.

Song Guanchao stood outside smoking, headlights flashed from outside the city bureau courtyard.

As car headlights turned, Song Guanchao squinted.

Cars drove into the parking lot, taxis, a total of three.

Once parked, four men got out of each vehicle.

One of them, Song Guanchao vaguely recognized; he was the director of the Xu City Public Security Bureau, if he remembered correctly, his surname was Chen.

Director Chen also saw Song Guanchao, and ran up eagerly, "Director Song, hello, hello."

Last time during a cross-provincial capture, he almost lost his hat.

It was during that time that he witnessed how strong the backing of Song Guanchao was.

To put it accurately, Lu Zhizhong’s backing was strong!

However, for a Governor to stand up for him indicated that Song Guanchao was no ordinary person either.

In summary, it’s best not to offend him.

Song Guanchao murmured acknowledgment, leading them into the city bureau.

Hall Director Qi had also gone to Xu City before, familiar with Director Chen.

"Hello, Hall Director Qi..." Director Chen greeted and shook hands with each one.

All three were a higher rank than him.

Although local officials lose some power once they cross provinces.

But they specifically came to deal with Pinghai City’s corruption case, and they understood the corruption circumstances.

They were helping them, a significant favor.

"Hall Director Qi, what do you need us to do?" Director Chen asked.

"Sit down, rest well, later when the captives are brought back, you’ll handle the interrogations." Hall Director Qi said.

Director Chen asked, "Hall Director Qi, do we have enough personnel? Should we help with arrests?"

"Plenty for arrests, just lack people for interrogation."

Hall Director Qi reiterated what Liang Jianfeng had said earlier, emphasizing the importance of interrogation.

To avoid making them feel excluded from arrests.

Even if that was his thought, he didn’t want it too obvious.

"They’re back." Liang Jianfeng stood up, looked outside the city bureau, as a sedan drove in.

The first arrest group had returned.