Chapter 319: Chapter 222: The Discipline Inspection Commission! Arrest Them!

"Was the freshness level just dead? Maybe it was the delivery person who just smacked it dead right at your doorstep!"

Cyan Dragon is expensive, ordinary people need to grit their teeth to afford it.

Currently, each of these three lobsters weighs at least 1.5 pounds.

According to market prices, these three, at least three hundred yuan each!

In later years, such a large one, not frozen, would cost four to five hundred each even unprocessed!

The average salary in 2005 was only around one thousand yuan, and these three Cyan Dragons cost more than an average person’s monthly wage...

"Furthermore, you think you can eat a dead one for just ten-something yuan?"

Shi Ming sneered.

Even if they’re dead, Cyan Dragon isn’t affordable for the average person.

Simply put, if a seafood product isn’t frozen overnight, it will stink and be inedible. Don’t even know that basic knowledge?

Is Liu Shennan an idiot!?

Or rather...

"Do you truly not understand, or are you pretending not to understand!?" Shi Ming sneered.

Upon hearing this, Liu Shennan’s complexion instantly turned to shock.

"I don’t know, I really don’t know!"

"I’ll return it right away..."

Zhang Hong quickly explained, "That’s right, we didn’t eat them, didn’t even touch them, we’ll return them immediately... We are truly clean, you can check the financial transactions, leader!"

Shi Ming’s face grew even more amused.

He actually wasn’t very familiar with market prices; decades ago, before entering public office, he didn’t know these brands either.

But... decades of working at the Commission of Discipline Inspection have passed.

What hasn’t he seen!?

"I’ve heard that Mr. Zhang likes to write calligraphy in his spare time?" Shi Ming suddenly paused.

His eyelids flipped, looking at the wall, covered entirely with Xuan paper.

The writing on it was all done by Zhang Hong.

Not necessarily pretty, but definitely beyond ordinary!

What piqued Shi Ming’s interest is...

"Tsk, this paper isn’t cheap, paper for practicing writing might cost eight thousand if not ten thousand." Shi Ming remarked, clicking his tongue in wonder.

Zhang Hong’s face turned ashen, lips writhing, unable to say a word.

But Shi Ming seemed oblivious, continuously commenting.

"Xuan paper, this stuff isn’t normally expensive."

How expensive can a piece of paper be?

Let’s put it this way.

If you want to practice calligraphy, having no money at home won’t do!

A pack of rough paper costs dozens of yuan these days and is only sufficient for three to four days of practice, at most a week before it’s used up.

And the pricier ones?

"Super pure, single layer Xuan with over 80% tan skin content, rich ink tonalities, tsk..."

"High-end goods!"

Shi Ming sighed.

He wasn’t seeing this for the first time, decades of work experience allowed him to estimate the value of this stuff at a glance.

"A pack of paper costs no less than five hundred yuan, used up in two or three days, practicing this kind of writing..."

"Not mentioning ink and brushes, solely the paper costs a few tens of thousands."

Three to four days at five hundred yuan, a week’s paper costs an average person’s monthly salary...

Saying this, Shi Ming looked at Zhang Hong and Liu Shennan with admiration.

"Jiang City, does the county-level city have such good welfare benefits!?"

"They call this clean."

"Perhaps I should quit the provincial commission job, and ask the two to indulge me, let me experience these welfare benefits too?"

Listening to the words beside his ear.

Zhang Hong and Liu Shennan’s faces grew increasingly pale.

Seeing this, Shi Ming didn’t bother to waste words with them, directly turned cold-faced, and said:

"Take them away!"

With a big wave of his hand, he ordered to have them taken away, already turning to leave.

Seeing the other party was serious, Liu Shennan and Zhang Hong were instantly frightened.

"No, I don’t know!"

"I truly don’t know... He just said it’s ordinary paper, made for writing, I simply tried it... I’ve always practiced calligraphy with ordinary paper!"

"Believe me, I’ve never taken money, I haven’t, if you don’t believe, ask others, they shut me out every time!"

"If worse comes to worst... I’ll pay, I’ll pay, just consider it my purchase!"

"..."

Shi Ming coldly watched as the two were dragged away.

The commotion had already caught the attention of the neighbors, who all opened their doors to watch the two being taken, not daring to say anything, gathered together in the hallway, exchanging looks.

In fact, when Liu Shennan arrived, they quickly left, hiding aside, afraid of getting implicated.

Liu Shennan and Zhang Hong’s figures gradually vanished in the corridor, their former dignity long gone, leaving... only the snot and tears on the ground.

Shi Ming took one last look at the other’s home.

The other party doesn’t have money.

But it’s just no money left!

Apart from money... everything else is available.

Piano lessons, specialty students, wave-pattern lobsters, Xuan paper, ink, brushes....

Just casually picking one out, none are things ordinary people can handle!

The others see this.

Shi Ming laughed disdainfully, then turned around and left.

They watched his figure disappear.

Only then did the neighbors dare to speak, and they began to discuss fervently.

"What’s going on at Old Zhang’s? Why were a bunch of people taken away?"

"Should we call the police?"

"Call the cops for what? I heard these people even have power over the police!"

"Power over the police? Who are these people?"

"What did Zhang Hong and Liu Shennan do?"

"..."

No one knows what they did, not even Liu Shennan and Zhang Hong themselves.

They search their memories but can’t figure out whom they’ve offended, even if they’re taken away...

They don’t feel they’ve violated any laws or regulations.

But that’s okay.

They might not know, but Shi Ming can help them remember!

So, Liu Shennan and Zhang Hong were ’invited’ to the police station, and it wasn’t just them who were invited there.

Everyone big and small involved with Zhang An and Zhang Yong brothers...

Appeared prominently in the detention room!

Of course, the matter won’t just end so simply, the authorities obviously have no intention of suppressing it.

...

That day.

April 20th.

A car was speeding rapidly on the highway, heading toward Hanhai City.

"Driver, a bit faster, we’ll pay extra, can you go faster!?"

Inside the car, Zhang Tao and Li Ye’s hearts were pounding wildly, their faces filled with anxiety, urging the driver.

Upon hearing this, the driver immediately twitched his lips.

"Hey, friend, my foot is already deep into the engine belly!"

"Any faster and we’ll be flying to Hanhai City!"

The speed had already ramped up to 130.

Any faster, he might not be able to handle it, it feels like the car might flip...

Zhang Tao and Li Ye also knew this, but their inner anxiety kept pushing them.

Breaking news... this is breaking news!!!

Only a few people know about it now, and they’ve got firsthand information!!!

Just thinking about it causes Zhang Tao to become instantly excited, clearly aware of how explosive Xu Liang’s actions are this time...

The driver continued driving.

Overtaking continuously along the way, about half an hour later, the scope of Hanhai City was visible.

Finally.

At seven thirty in the evening.

Zhang Tao and Li Ye finally returned to [Langke Media Culture Co., Ltd.]

After settling the fare.

Zhang Tao didn’t hesitate, stepping directly onto the elevator, and soon arriving at the floor where the company was located.

Media companies often work overtime late into the night, sometimes even if they’ve gone home, if there’s breaking news, they have to be urgently called back.

Langke Company was the same at this time.

Though in recent months, Hanhai City has been quite stable.

But... over in Sunzhou, things are a mess.

Radiation-polluted steel isn’t something that can be dealt with in a day or two, and the health effects of those using the contaminated materials can’t be quickly recovered either.

Because the company missed the first-hand reporting, these past two months, the higher-ups have issued orders to continuously monitor, report, and amend, hoping to mitigate some losses.

So currently, many people in the company are still working overtime.

"Bang!"

Zhang Tao suddenly slammed the door open, panting heavily and scanning the room.

Upon seeing his arrival, someone wasn’t pleased.

They were working overtime, while Zhang Tao was always out touring, under the pretense of business trips.

But everyone knew.

He was clearly just looking into a civil case that nobody cared about!

Civil case, what’s worth paying attention to there... but the higher-ups not only agreed but also gave Zhang Tao additional funds and promoted him to Group Leader!

Under this stark contrast, someone sourly remarked:

"Haha, who do we have here?"

"Isn’t it Reporter Zhang? Oh, it’s Group Leader Zhang now...."

Upon hearing this.

Zhang Tao frowned, instinctively looking towards the crowd, spotting someone who joined the company at the same time as him still working overtime.

The other person had never gotten along with him, and on any other day, Zhang Tao would certainly have responded.

But now....

"I’ve dug up breaking news!!!"

Zhang Tao couldn’t contain his inner emotions, showing unprecedented excitement and enthusiasm, ignoring the other person, he anxiously exclaimed:

"Where’s the editor-in-chief? Where did the editor-in-chief go!!?"