Chapter 115: Strike While the Iron Is Hot

Seventh Master picked up a bottle of beer from the table, poured a glass for Thirteen sitting opposite him, and then filled his own. He clinked his glass against Yun Shisan’s and said, "At first, the internet was flooded with accusations that the Yangxiang City Education Bureau was blindly chasing scale and efficiency, turning the competition into a grand lottery for high school entrance exam bonus points. On the day of the competition, they even caught Wen Xiaocheng handing in his paper early as a negative example. But when the results came out, Wen Xiaocheng had scored a perfect mark after only 15 minutes, pulling off a shocking reversal. Since then, the media's humiliation has been a hot topic of gossip. Some claimed the exam was leaked, and combined with the fact that Star Training posted the test questions in advance, it sparked even more suspicion. Yet, in the end, nothing concrete came of it, and the internet remained filled with praise."

Thirteen nodded. "Yes, I know. That was the result of the education department’s online public relations."

"However, what is the truth? In the whole affair, the media was embarrassed, the education department was caught in a bind, and the only ones who benefited were Wen Xiaocheng and Star Training. There are only two possibilities: either Star Training obtained the questions in advance and orchestrated everything, or this Wen Xiaocheng is a terrifying genius!"

Yun Shisan understood and added, "If Star Training had the questions, this wouldn't have been the way to maximize their profit. They could have just provided targeted training and guesses; there was no need for such hype, especially since it invited public scrutiny. I think the one pulling the strings behind the scenes must be this Wen Xiaocheng!"

"I think so too, but that theory needs evidence. The key is—if Wen Xiaocheng was behind it, where did Star Training get the questions? Have you thought about that?"

The question made everything click for Yun Shisan. "Right! If there was no leak, the only person who knew the questions and had access to the outside world during that time was Wen Xiaocheng, who handed in his paper after 15 minutes! The questions Star Training posted were transcribed by Wen Xiaocheng! To verify this, we just need to pull the surveillance footage from that day and see where Xiaocheng was and what he did from the moment he handed in his paper until Star Training posted the questions online!"

Seventh Master smiled smugly. "Even a genius cannot act without leaving a trail."

...

People visit night markets not just to buy things, but for the excitement. Today, the crowd certainly got their fill. First, there was the urban management officer giving an old lady a hard time, then the exposure of a fake officer, followed by the collective effort to "save someone," and finally, a deranged thug attempting to attack a police officer with a knife, only to be subdued by a clean hip-throw from a heroic policeman.

In a small county with little news, this was enough to keep people talking for a month.

The video of Han Deming disarming the attacker was uploaded by onlookers. News media, with their sharp noses for stories, immediately realized its value. The video was pushed to the front page and even trended. The internet was filled with cheers and positive energy, with everyone praising the police.

Naturally, such a positive image was heavily supported. The municipal bureau, the sub-bureau, and even the local police station where Old Han worked all issued commendations. The municipal publicity department specially arranged for Old Han to wear a large red flower and give interviews. Conversely, the pathetic Qiu Zeyan was used as a negative example to highlight the police's righteousness.

Qiu Zeyan had his own connections. He pulled strings behind the scenes and managed to avoid a criminal prosecution, keeping the matter handled within the public security system. However, since it had already hit the media, he couldn't be released completely unscathed. He was vaguely handed a fifteen-day detention. The emphasis was placed on the police officer subduing the armed thug, while the part about him impersonating an officer and swindling people was downplayed and handled as a minor public order disturbance. Thanks to his connections, it wasn't even reported to his workplace. But he still had to sit through those fifteen days of detention—a massive favor already.

To the end, Qiu Zeyan didn't know how he had ended up in such a mess. What he hated most was that someone had kicked him from behind, and he still didn't know who it was. Regardless, he had managed to suppress the situation; fifteen days of detention was better than a criminal record. As a civil servant, a criminal conviction would mean losing his job, so this was the lesser of two evils.

Of course, his miserable days had only just begun. Xiaocheng wouldn't let him off so easily. Before the public security bureau’s final decision had even been fully processed, a formal report letter was delivered to the City Education Bureau—a signed complaint from Wen Xiaocheng, addressed directly to the desk of Bureau Chief Chen Yongxu.

The content, of course, concerned Qiu Zeyan’s impersonation and his armed assault in the street. The letter was attached with several photos: some of Qiu Zeyan acting arrogantly in his fake uniform, and others of him being handcuffed by two policemen. The language was sharp and impassioned, and the signature "Wen Xiaocheng" at the end was heavy with determination—the determination not to stop until the target was brought down.

Strictly speaking, an administrative detention does not necessarily lead to dismissal from public office; there is no specific law for it, and there is a difference between a violation and a crime. However, for someone like Qiu Zeyan, dismissing him would be reasonable and justifiable.

Bureau Chief Chen found the letter troubling. Based on the content, such heinous behavior indeed deserved severe punishment. However, as the head of the City Education Bureau, while Xiaocheng was right to report to the superior, the final decision on dismissal rested with the county.

The name "Wen Xiaocheng" still carried weight. After much hesitation, Chief Chen issued an official document to the Hongxing County Education Bureau, stating: "Our bureau has received a signed report alleging that Comrade Qiu Zeyan, Section Chief of your Basic Education Division, has been administratively detained by public security for impersonating an officer and disturbing the peace. The complainant argues that his behavior severely violates social morality and that he should be removed from the civil service. The content is significant; we are transferring this to your bureau for verification and strict handling."

Although this was essentially passing the buck, the phrases "significant" and "strict handling" were a show of respect to Xiaocheng. Usually, such documents carry deep subtext. "Handle with caution" means do nothing; "Transfer for handling" means it doesn't matter; but "Strict handling" signals the superior's attitude. Subordinate units usually understand this and won't defy the leadership. However, if the person has strong backing, they might try to blur the lines—as the saying goes, "There is a policy above, and a countermeasure below."

Qiu Zeyan had strong connections in the county. The head of the county education bureau protected him, giving him a "major demerit" to appease the city. In reality, everyone knew this was just for show and could be rescinded at any time.

Of course, Xiaocheng wasn't so easily fooled. He uploaded the video he had taken that day, with pictures and evidence. As an insider, he directly exposed the truth, adding, "Armed assault in the street, and he only gets detention? Just how strong is this guy's backing?" People love a spectacle, and netizens love it even more.

Xiaocheng only managed to record the part where Qiu was impersonating an officer and the part where he was being loaded into the police car; he couldn't record the middle part because he was personally involved. However, the footage of Old Han’s heroic disarming had already been uploaded. Combined, the story was complete.

...

In front of the computer, Seventh Master and Yun Shisan looked at the screen and smiled at each other. "Yes, this is that kid's style! Even the phrasing and the tone are the same as the post questioning the math competition! It's definitely him!"