Driven by Profit, the Cloak Slips at Last

After the meeting concluded, the long-dormant machine that was Duogang Town began to roar—crude at first, but rapidly accelerating under the massive injection of funds and high-pressure directives brought by Li Yifei.

Department heads walked with hurried steps, and the air was thick with a long-absent excitement that blended anticipation with tension. For the grand blueprint of Duogang's development that Li Yifei envisioned in his mind, the four-million-plus funds were merely a drop in the bucket, serving as the very first pot of gold.

Yet, he knew deeply that at the grassroots level, waiting for "everything to be ready" often meant never setting off at all.

"Learn by doing, and grope your way forward while working!" Standing before the office window and gazing at the slightly dilapidated street scene, Li Yifei silently recited this simple truth in his heart.

Development was the absolute principle, and furthermore, the sole sharp weapon to unite the people's hearts and break the deadlock. He had to make this first fire burn, and it had to burn vigorously and steadily.

The primary breakthrough point was the Liuzhuang Aquatic Ecological Park. This was the core of the plan, as well as the key to winning the continued trust of the Wei family and leveraging more resources.

He personally invited the key persons in charge of Liuzhuang—Party Branch Secretary Liu Laoda, the committee director, and two other committee members—into the small meeting room of the town government.

"Secretary Liu, esteemed committee members," Li Yifei went straight to the point, his tone steady and carrying an unquestionable sense of guidance, "the project funds have arrived. County Secretary Wei attaches great importance to this, and Mayor Sun of the city has also registered it. Now, it is time for our Liuzhuang to get moving."

He did not speak of empty, grand principles, but precisely cast his focus onto the most immediate and vital interests of the villagers.

"Development cannot be for the few to get rich; it must benefit the entire village. Otherwise, this development will have no roots, cannot stand firm, and cannot go far."

Li Yifei's gaze swept over the slightly constrained Liu Laoda and the others, clearly seeing the recognition in their eyes.

"I suggest," he leaned forward slightly, his finger tapping gently on the tabletop like placing a crucial chess piece, "that taking the village collective as the entity, we establish a joint-stock cooperative! All land, mudflats, and labor involved in the project's requisition can be converted into shares. After the project is completed, the annual profits will be distributed according to shares! Let every household become a shareholder and share the dividends of development." He painted a picture of the successful cooperative model in the Zhejiang region, "Just think, in a few years, Liuzhuang will no longer be a poor nest; every household will live in a new house, every home will have savings, and children attending school or the elderly seeing a doctor will no longer be a worry. This is what true moderate prosperity means!"

With clear logic, Li Yifei expounded upon the core details of the cooperative's operating mode, equity setup, profit distribution, and risk sharing. He even anticipated doubts the villagers might raise and provided preliminary solutions.

His train of thought was so clear that he did not look like a twenty-three-year-old youth, but rather like a veteran who had worked in rural areas for many years. Liu Laoda and the others nodded repeatedly as they listened, their eyes growing brighter and brighter, while their initial nervousness was replaced by a tangible sense of hope.

"Secretary Li, your method is wonderful! Fair and down-to-earth! We will go right back, hold a villagers' assembly, discuss the charter thoroughly, and unite everyone's hearts!" Liu Laoda rubbed his hands in excitement, his dark face glowing red.

"Good! And be quick!" Li Yifei emphasized, "The cooperative's charter must be legal and compliant, and the procedures must be complete. This is the foundation and must not be treated carelessly. The involved land transfer must be negotiated thoroughly with every single household, agreements properly signed, and accounts made transparent, leaving no future troubles. Remember, sunlight is the best disinfectant and the strongest adhesive for uniting people's hearts."

Afterward, he motioned for the other committee members to leave first, keeping Liu Laoda behind alone.

The office door closed, and the atmosphere grew even heavier. The warmth on Li Yifei's face receded, replaced by a sharp scrutiny and unquestionable majesty.

"Old Liu," his voice was not loud, but every word carried the weight of a thousand jun, "Liuzhuang is the opening salvo of Duogang's development. It must ring loud; it cannot go mute! As the leader, the burden on your shoulders weighs a thousand pounds."

Liu Laoda instinctively straightened his back. "Secretary, rest assured! For the sake of all the folks young and old in the village, I, Liu Laoda, will risk everything!"

"Resolution alone is not enough; you need wisdom, and even more so, vigilance!" Li Yifei's gaze was like a searchlight, piercing straight into the bottom of Liu Laoda's heart, "The operation of the cooperative, the land transfer, and the project docking—every single link must be watched closely! Strictly follow the rules we agreed upon; no one is permitted to pull rank or cut corners!"

He paused, his tone abruptly turning cold with a biting chill: "Old Liu, I am giving you a preventive warning beforehand. This project is the 'Number One Project' personally overseen by Secretary Wei, and a 'political task' registered with the city. Anyone who dares to reach out their black hand, trying to fish for profits from it, extort, or even resort to crooked ways... that will be smashing Duogang's rice bowl and blocking Secretary Wei's path! Do I need to spell out the consequences?" He deliberately brandished the banner of the Wei family, serving both as a deterrent and as backing to bolster Liu Laoda's confidence.

Liu Laoda felt a chill in his heart, sensing unprecedented pressure, but even more, he felt the heavy weight of trust and the backbone provided by the Secretary's support: "Understood, Secretary! Whoever dares to stretch out their hands disorderly, you won't even need to give the word; all the folks in our village will be the first to refuse! Everyone is looking forward to this project and keeping their eyes on it!"

"Good, as long as our minds are united. What I fear most is infighting that only benefits outsiders." Li Yifei's expression eased slightly, though his gaze remained sharp, "When you go back, push the work forward quickly, but also steadily. If you encounter anything suspicious or unreasonable, no matter who is involved, report directly to me the very first moment! My phone is on 24 hours a day. Remember, behind you stands the town's Party committee and government, and County Party Secretary Wei!"

"Yes, Secretary!" Liu Laoda nodded firmly, leaving with a heavy sense of mission and a trace of imperceptible tension.

Li Yifei watched his retreating figure, his eyes profound. He knew well that in the face of enormous profits, human greed could be triggered at any moment. He needed Liu Laoda's eyes, and even more, his simple loyalty.

***

However, beneath the calm surface, undercurrents surged much faster than anticipated.

Only three days later, the red secure telephone on Li Yifei's desk rang urgently. The caller ID showed: Liu Laoda.

"Secretary Li! There... there is a situation I must report to you!" On the other end of the line, Liu Laoda's voice carried suppressed anger and anxiety.

"Old Liu, don't rush, speak slowly. What obstacle have you encountered?" Li Yifei's voice remained steady, as if he had anticipated this long ago.

"It's not about our village's matter; it's... it's the bidding!" Liu Laoda caught his breath, "Secretary, do you know which company won the bid this time?"

"The bidding work is specifically handled by Deputy Secretary Liu, and the final result hasn't been officially reported to me yet. What, is there a problem?" Li Yifei asked knowingly, his tone flat as he guided Liu Laoda to speak the crucial information.

"The problem is huge!" Liu Laoda was practically growling in a low voice, "I asked a relative in the city to check around, and that 'Hongtu Construction' that won the bid is utter nonsense! It hasn't even been established for a month! It's just an empty shell! I heard they don't even have a decent project manager! Their office location is just a rented temporary site!"

Li Yifei's eyes narrowed, but his tone remained undisturbed: "Oh? Such a thing? Are you certain?"

"Absolutely certain, Secretary! What's even more infuriating is that 'Duogang Integrity Construction,' which originally participated in the bidding, is an old-brand company in our county. Boss Wang has been doing engineering work for over twenty years, and his reputation is stellar! All the skilled workers are local hands! As a result, an empty shell like Hongtu wins, and Integrity loses! What... what kind of logic is this?" Liu Laoda grew more and more agitated as he spoke, "Also, some people in the village saw Deputy Secretary Liu running over to that 'Jingyaxian' teahouse in the county seat three days out of five lately with Hongtu's manager, whose surname is Zhao! Secretary, my heart is beating wildly here! If this project is handed over to such a company, can any good come of it?"

Although the information was scattered, the direction was already crystal clear. Deputy Secretary Liu Changhe had a deep relationship with Hongtu Construction, and there was serious shady business in the bidding process.

"Old Liu, the situation you reported is very important." Li Yifei's voice dropped, carrying a soothing and reassuring power, "Remember, focus on doing the work for your village cooperative and land transfer well and solidly; that is the foundation. As for the bidding matter, I will handle it. Remember my words: mind your own territory, don't ask about things you shouldn't, but watch the links you are supposed to monitor closely! Report any abnormalities immediately!"

"Yes, Secretary! I understand!" Hearing Li Yifei's steady and powerful response, half the stone in Liu Laoda's heart dropped.

Putting down the phone, Li Yifei showed no surprise on his face, only a cold clarity. He pressed the internal communication button: "Director Wu, come in for a moment."

Office Director Wu Ting entered shortly. This charming female cadre in her thirties was now rather capable and was one of the individuals Li Yifei considered relatively reliable after observation.

"Director Wu," Li Yifei tapped his fingers lightly on the desktop, asking seemingly casually, "how is the progress of the bidding work for the Liuzhuang project over at Deputy Secretary Liu's end? Has the winning unit been decided? How come I haven't seen the official report?"

Wu Ting's eyes flickered slightly. Clearly, she knew some gossip, but as the office director, she deeply understood the importance of being cautious in speech and conduct: "Secretary Li, Deputy Secretary Liu... he has indeed been very busy these past few days, running around handling the aftermath of the bidding. As for the winning unit... I heard it's basically settled, a company called 'Hongtu Construction.' As for specifics... Deputy Secretary Liu probably feels he hasn't gone through all the procedures yet, which is why he hasn't officially reported it."

"Hongtu Construction?" Li Yifei raised his eyebrows slightly, his tone carrying a trace of well-measured "doubt," "What is this company's capability? I haven't heard much about them before."

"This..." Wu Ting hesitated for a moment before saying in a low voice, "It seems... to be a new company. But Deputy Secretary Liu mentioned that their background is quite strong and their efficiency is high." She stopped at the right point, but those four words—"background is quite strong"—had already revealed a lot of information.

"Oh? A new company? High efficiency is a good thing." Li Yifei nodded noncommittally, then changed the subject, "Director Wu, keep an eye on Deputy Secretary Liu's work schedule these few days, especially concerning project coordination. Additionally, once all the document procedures related to the bidding are submitted by him, send them straight to my office."

"Understood, Secretary." Wu Ting caught the drift, knowing that the Secretary intended to look into this personally and might even distrust Liu Changhe. She immediately agreed.

After Wu Ting left, Li Yifei did not hesitate for a second, directly dialing the phone of Zhang Qiang, the captain of the town police station.

Zhang Qiang was an officer recently dispatched from the county bureau, upright by nature and strong in professional competence. Through a few instances of public security rectifications and emergency handling, Li Yifei had initially established mutual working trust with him.

"Captain Zhang, I am Li Yifei. There is a matter requiring you to assist in a secret investigation." Li Yifei's voice was low and serious, carrying an unquestionable commanding tone.

"Secretary Li, please give your instructions!" On the other end of the line, Zhang Qiang responded immediately.

"It concerns the bidding winner of the Liuzhuang Aquatic Ecological Park, 'Hongtu Construction Co., Ltd.' I need you to mobilize all compliant means to find out a few things clearly: First, the true background of this company—registration date, legal representative, shareholder composition, and actual controller; second, the company's past performance, especially the work history of its key personnel; third, whether there are any close interactions exceeding the normal scope of work between them and any town leader, particularly Deputy Secretary Liu Changhe, who is in charge of the project. Remember, conduct this in secret, pay attention to methods, do not alert the enemy, but maintain high efficiency! Report any preliminary results directly to me personally!"

"Understood! Rest assured, Secretary! I'll handle it personally!" Zhang Qiang heard the severity of the matter and the Secretary's trust, answering decisively. He knew that the young Secretary was about to make a real move.

Li Yifei had confidence in Zhang Qiang's capabilities. A grassroots police station might have limited resources in investigating major and serious cases, but uncovering the background of a newly registered local shell company and the social relations of a cadre was precisely their forte.

The next afternoon, a thin yet weighty file bag was personally delivered to Li Yifei by Zhang Qiang. The office door was tightly closed, and the curtains were half-drawn.

"Secretary, everything is here." Zhang Qiang's expression carried a trace of solemnity and disdain.

Li Yifei unsealed the file bag and pulled out the materials inside. The first page was a scanned copy of Hongtu Construction's industrial registration information: the registration date was shockingly just one week before the issuance of the bidding announcement!

The registered capital was five million, with paid-in capital at zero! The legal representative was Zhao Dezhu, an obscure and unknown name.

Another name on the shareholder list caught Li Yifei's attention—the brother-in-law of a certain person! Although the shareholding ratio was not high, the connection was self-evident!

The subsequent pages contained the results of the investigation conducted by Zhang Qiang's subordinates: the so-called company address was just a facade storefront where no one ever was; the so-called "project manager" was a local contractor who had been blacklisted by several construction sites for cutting corners; and the so-called "formidable strength" was purely fictitious.

Most crucially were the last few photographs. The shooting location was clearly the underground parking lot and teahouse entrance of a high-end residential complex in the county seat.

The protagonist of the photos was precisely Deputy Secretary Liu Changhe, who was in charge of the bidding, while the person with him, locking arms and chatting merrily, was none other than Zhao Dezhu, the legal representative of Hongtu Construction!

The clarity of the photos was high enough to even make out the moment Zhao Dezhu shoved a thick envelope into Liu Changhe's hands! There were also a few pictures capturing Liu Changhe entering and exiting a hotel in an intimate posture with a scantily clad young woman.

The iron-clad evidence was mountains high!

Li Yifei flipped through the materials page by page, his expression entirely devoid of emotion, save for a flash of icy coldness and anticipated mockery deep within his eyes.

He put down the materials and looked at Zhang Qiang: "Thank you for your hard work, Captain Zhang. The chain of evidence is very complete. As for this matter, let it stop here. Seal up all original materials and keep them strictly confidential. Without my order, no one is permitted to leak them."

"Yes, Secretary!" Zhang Qiang responded solemnly, understanding that the Secretary intended to orchestrate the operation personally.

Only Li Yifei remained in the office. The afterglow of the setting sun penetrated through the gap in the curtains, casting a light-and-shadow dividing line across his young yet sharply angular face.

He looked at the stack of snake-like evidence on the desk, a cold and confident curve slowly rising at the corners of his mouth.

"It has truly begun... petty and short-sighted rats." He muttered to himself, his fingertips brushing gently over those unsightly photographs, "Qian Youwei... it seems you couldn't hold back anymore, wanting to reach your hand into the pot through Liu Changhe's line? Or could it be that this Hongtu is your white glove all along?"

This new round of struggle arrived even faster and more nakedly than he had anticipated. Yet, instead of panicking, he felt the sense of control of a chess game unfolding along its scheduled track.

He had intended to use the "bright line" of development to stir up the settled silt and make these worms float to the surface themselves. Now, the bait had just been cast, and they were already eager to bite? Perfect!

"Anti-corruption and clean governance? Heh, then let this first shot ring out from Duogang Town, right from my hands, Li Yifei!" Fighting spirit erupted in his eyes. At twenty-three years of age, shouldering the heavy responsibilities of deputy county magistrate and town party secretary, he knew deeply that every move he made was watched by all.

Cutting down a few grassroots "flies" was not only a necessary measure to purify the environment and guarantee project advancement, but also an excellent opportunity to demonstrate his thunderous methods and firm stance to his superiors, the Wei family, and those watching in the shadows! This was not merely work; it was a meticulously designed political debut!

He picked up the phone and dialed the extension of Deputy Town Mayor Liu Changhe, who was in charge of the Liuzhuang project. His tone was calm and waveless, yet carried an intangible pressure: "Deputy Secretary Liu, how is the progress of the bidding work? Please bring all related materials, including the detailed evaluation report of the candidate winning units and the intended notice of award, to my office. Now."

The other end of the line fell silent for a moment before Liu Changhe's noticeably strained voice came through: "...Alright, Secretary Li, I... I'll organize the materials and come right over!"

Putting down the phone, Li Yifei leaned back into his chair, crossing his hands in front of his chest, his gaze as deep as an abyss. Complete silence reigned in the office, save for the ticking sound of the wall clock, which could be clearly heard like the drumbeats before a battle.

The prey had entered the net, and the hunter prepared to reel in the line.