Official Career Storm
Chapter 562

Chapter 562: Chapter 562

Captain Xie had only just realized what Secretary Lu was up to.

He was equally infuriated—these damned bureaucrats, treating their lives as if they meant nothing.

But just like he had said, he was the highest-ranking official present, so they had no choice but to follow his orders.

"Two hours!" Hu Yaodong declared, "If the explosives can’t be found within two hours, everyone must immediately evacuate!"

"Hu Yaodong!" Secretary Lu narrowed his eyes, "You have no say here!"

Undaunted, Hu Yaodong repeated, "Captain Xie, issue the order immediately. Two hours from now, whether the bomb has been found or not, evacuate everyone!"

"Hu Yaodong, you are now relieved of your duties! Director Qin, get him out of here for me!"

"No need to throw me out. I’ve got long legs and can walk out on my own!"

Hu Yaodong took off his hat, threw it at his feet, and turned to leave.

Mayor Jiang, Zheng Bihui, and Wu Qiangwei had similarly grim expressions on their faces.

Secretary Lu had chosen to save the building over human lives.

People could die, and the impact could be suppressed.

But if the building collapsed, the incident would be too hard to cover up.

If it had been Zheng Bihui or Mayor Jiang, they would have made the same decision.

Their humanity had long been eroded by power. Faced with such a crisis, their first reaction was to weigh the pros and cons and choose what was most beneficial.

But Wu Qiangwei’s humanity had not yet vanished.

"Secretary Lu, perhaps we should consider Captain Xie’s opinion," she tried to suppress her anger.

Secretary Lu took a deep breath. He could lash out at Hu Yaodong and relieve him of duty on the spot, but he could not do the same to Wu Qiangwei.

He spoke earnestly, "Secretary Wu, the Shilong Town Government Building was just completed three years ago, at a cost close to two billion. If the building is destroyed, we can’t suppress it, nor explain ourselves to the provincial government!"

"Moreover, these are all elite officers. You’ve heard what Captain Xie said. If the bomb is found, it can be defused with one hundred percent certainty!"

Wu Qiangwei did not respond but instead looked at Zheng Bihui and Jiang Yuan, "What do Mayor Zheng and Mayor Jiang think?"

Zheng Bihui said, "Secretary Lu has thought it through comprehensively."

Mayor Jiang let out a light sigh and said, "Dujiang City can’t afford any more chaos."

Wu Qiangwei suddenly smiled faintly and turned to the counter-terrorism police not far away, who were donning their bomb suits, "Counter-terrorism police are not ordinary police units. Only the most outstanding students from the police academy are qualified to join them. They study and learn about bomb disposal for years, even decades. Each counter-terrorism officer is a treasure of the Ministry of Public Security."

"There are seven bomb disposal officers here. In the eyes of some, the lives of these seven officers are less important than a vanity project building?"

Secretary Lu’s impatience was beginning to show, "Secretary Wu, you need to think about the bigger picture."

"The bigger picture?" Wu Qiangwei pointed toward the seven officers and asked coldly, "Secretary Lu, does your ’bigger picture’ include them?"

"Zheng Bihui!" Secretary Lu suddenly said sharply, "Join Secretary Wu in the car for a moment, to cool down!"

"Lu Zhizhong!" Wu Qiangwei’s eyes suddenly blazed with anger, "What are you trying to do? Restrict my freedom?"

Without paying her any mind, Secretary Lu ordered, "Zheng Bihui, take Secretary Wu to the car. Don’t let her interfere with official duties here!"

Zheng Bihui decided to risk it all, "Secretary Wu, please get in the car."

Jiang Yuan stood by, silent, evidently agreeing with the two men’s actions.

He thought Wu Qiangwei was naïve.

Simply too young.

She actually believed that a few words from her could stir Secretary Lu’s sense of compassion.

Humanity, that precious thing, was long gone in them.

Watching Zheng Bihui approaching, Wu Qiangwei scolded coldly, "Get lost!"

She took out her mobile phone, found Secretary Gao’s number, and hesitated over the dial button.

Seeing her action, Lu Zhizhong’s nostrils flared slightly with extreme anger. He suppressed his voice and said, "Wu Qiangwei, do you think I want them to die?"

"Your family is prestigious, and the province values you. Even if you make a mistake, they’ll turn a blind eye. But what about us?"

Secretary Lu pointed at the government building, "If the building collapses, Zheng Bihui and I are responsible!"

Then he pointed at the police, "If they die, Zheng Bihui and I are still responsible!"

"Do you think I don’t want the best of both worlds, to ensure their safety while defusing the bomb?"

"Don’t you think I know that Lu Xiaotian’s words cannot be fully trusted?"

"Do I even have a choice?"

"I can only send them to look for the bomb, I must!"

"This is the only hope! Also, the last hope!"

"Yes, in your eyes, a vanity project certainly doesn’t compare to several lives."

"But as long as it’s not five o’clock, I will have them stay inside, even if they can’t find it, they must stay inside until five o’clock!"

"This vanity project is my Lu Zhizhong’s political career!"

"I can’t afford to be kind-hearted like you, I’m the leader, in my eyes there is no right or wrong, only gains and losses, I have to weigh how to minimize the loss!"

"Am I not aware that the final outcome is people dying and buildings collapsing?"

"Am I not aware of the impact that such consequences would have?"

"Wu Qiangwei, don’t always act like you’re the only sober person in a crowd of drunkards, you’re not smarter than anyone else, it’s just that we choose to appear foolish in front of you."

"Politics isn’t about hosting a dinner, writing an article, painting or embroidery, it cannot be so elegant, so poised, so genteel, so kind and humble. Politics is cruel, it’s about deception and cunning, life or death battles, it’s about fighting even when you know death is certain!"

"Everything I am doing now, is to secure the stability of the chair beneath me."

"I’ve said it, whatever consequences happen today, Zheng Bihui and I will take the responsibility in the end!"

"By stopping me now, you are cutting off mine and Zheng Bihui’s future!"

For the first time, Lu Zhizhong revealed such emotional turmoil.

He took a deep breath, calmed down, and without looking at her anymore, turned to Captain Xie and said, "Let them in."

Captain Xie, with a grim face, said nothing, put on the bomb suit with the officers, and headed towards the government building.

Wu Qiangwei stood aside, expressionless.

She had heard what Secretary Lu had said.

She understood, but did not support.

Watching the bomb disposal officers wrapped up tightly, Wu Qiangwei felt powerless for the first time.

Rank speaks louder than reason.

Even though she was the actual leader, it was useless in this kind of situation.

She couldn’t control Zheng Bihui, let alone Lu Zhizhong.

Jiang Yuan was a beneficiary, he wouldn’t take her side.

Time, ticking by every second.

Before you knew it, an hour passed.

Two hours passed...

When there were less than ten minutes left until five o’clock, Captain Xie led the officers in a rapid evacuation from the government building.

Seeing this, Wu Qiangwei breathed a sigh of relief.

Secretary Lu stepped forward, "Did you find the bomb?"

Captain Xie removed his helmet, "No."

"The building is too big, we couldn’t complete the search."

"How much longer is needed to finish the search?"

"At least another five hours."

Five hours...

Less than ten minutes to five.

Secretary Lu clenched his teeth, his heart sinking to the bottom.

In terms of time, it was too late.

Zheng Bihui had a deathly pallor, and with a miserable smile, lit a cigarette and said, "Secretary Lu, stop struggling, let’s just wait for death."

Secretary Lu didn’t speak, he lit a cigarette and quietly watched his watch.

With each tick of the second hand, he felt as if judgment was approaching.

When the hour hand pointed to five o’clock, Secretary Lu looked up.

Zheng Bihui, Jiang Yuan, Wu Qiangwei... everyone looked up at the town government building in front of them.

Hearts suspended, anticipating the coming explosion.

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