Nan Sheng's suspicions were spot on—the documents submitted by the revolutionary committee were intercepted by Secretary Cao as soon as they reached the county.

He didn’t have any ill intentions; he was simply curious about what major feat Nan Sheng had accomplished this time.

But when he eagerly opened the file, his eyes widened instantly. There was no satisfaction of curiosity, only the thrill of realizing he was about to claim a monumental achievement.

"Hurry, deliver this document directly to the municipal Party secretary immediately! No one is permitted to review it along the way!"

The file contained solid evidence. Once Ou Yaosheng was taken down, the municipal Party secretary would undoubtedly subject him to harsh interrogation to extract the names of other corrupt officials. If the number of implicated individuals turned out to be significant, it could trigger a nationwide crackdown on the revolutionary committee.

In recent years, the committee had been plagued by scoundrels who committed every imaginable crime, framing the innocent and leaving countless lives ruined.

Now that an insider had exposed them, with the right maneuvering, this could absolutely capture the attention of top leadership.

Secretary Cao couldn’t help but marvel—how did Director Nan always manage to stir up exactly the kind of trouble that aligned with his own ambitions?

After arriving at work, Nan Sheng’s first stop was to check on Director Yi. Since confessing everything that day, the man had been lingering in a half-dead state.

Still, Nan Sheng hadn’t mistreated him—the interrogation room lights stayed on, and he was provided two meals a day.

"Director Nan, when do you plan to execute me? Could I at least see my family before I die?"

If time could be rewound, Director Yi would have arrived early on the day Nan Sheng called the meeting. Who could have imagined that such a trivial misstep would erase years of his hard work?

Nan Sheng clicked his tongue. "Now, now, don’t say that. We’re both comrades in the revolutionary committee. Sure, you’ve committed unforgivable crimes, and yes, you’ve ruined many lives—but I still have to cover for you, don’t I?

I’ve decided to send you to labor in a nearby mine. It won’t be long—just a mere sixty years. Once the paperwork is approved, you’ll be on your way."

When Director Yi first heard Nan Sheng say he wouldn’t be executed, a flicker of hope stirred in him. But at the mention of sixty years, his eyes nearly bulged out of his skull.

"You—you—!"

"Me what? If you’d prefer not to go to the mines, I can always arrange a quicker end for you."

"...What a saint you are."

In the end, Director Yi chose to submit. A wretched life was still better than an honorable death—who knew, maybe one day he’d find a way to turn things around.

Nan Sheng’s eyes gleamed with cunning as he sought to squeeze the last bit of usefulness out of Director Yi.

"Since I’ve been so generous, why don’t you tell me more about Ou Yaosheng? He’s already been dragged down by you—might as well give him a swift ending, no?"

Director Yi took a deep breath. At this life-or-death juncture, he couldn’t afford sentimentality. He spilled everything he knew.

With ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‍this new trove of information, Nan Sheng now had a clear picture of Ou Yaosheng’s allies—perfect for testing Liu Song’s loyalty.

Strolling leisurely back to his office, Nan Sheng reveled in the perks of leadership. How nice it was to just give orders while others, like Chen Tian, ran themselves ragged outside.

The first to return was Deng Jun, his face glowing with triumph, his posture straight—clear signs of a job well done.

"Director, today we arrested thirteen Red Guards, along with any parents who joined in the unrest. All have been sent for re-education through labor."

He had visited five villages today without a moment’s rest. "When I went to Yunshui Village, I ran into the Red Guards causing trouble near the granary. The old man guarding it was almost pushed over, but I had someone check—he’s fine."

Nan Sheng first acknowledged his efforts with approval, though she didn’t ask much about Li Liangbai.

"Now that word has spread about the arrests by the Revolutionary Committee, your workload should ease up. Just hang in there for a few more days."

Deng Jun quickly pledged his loyalty. "Don’t worry, Director. With me around, the villages won’t descend into chaos."

The next to report was Chen Tian, who had led a team to raid Director Yi’s hidden stash. There wasn’t much cash, but they found plenty of gold bars, silver ingots, and silver coins.

There were also antiques and paintings, currently deemed worthless, which he had hauled back.

Nan Sheng’s fingers practically itched to pocket a few items, but she restrained herself—better to let the museum preserve them.

After admiring the haul, she instructed Chen Tian to seal the boxes. The gold, silver, and coins would be handed over as confiscated assets, while the antiques and paintings would be stored in the warehouse. Submitting them now would only lead to their destruction—what a waste.

Liu Song dragged himself back just before quitting time. "Director, it’s confirmed—Ou Yaosheng was behind the Red Guards’ unrest. Before his transfer, he gave orders to his subordinates to orchestrate this incident, aiming to oust you from your position. Give me two more days, and I’ll deliver the full list of names involved."

Nan Sheng glanced at her left wrist—already past four. She dismissed them early.

"You’ve all worked hard today. Go home and rest. No need to report to the government office tomorrow morning—just carry on with your tasks and update me by the end of the day."

"Yes, Director!"

After Chen Tian and the others left, Nan Sheng lingered until the official end of her shift, wondering whether Sister Ding Xiang would visit that evening.

When she returned home with dinner in hand, she was startled to find an unfamiliar woman sitting in the living room—neatly dressed, exuding an air of haughtiness.

"Mom, you’re back!"

Sizhe and Siqi looked at her like she was their savior. They had no desire to keep talking to this strange aunt, who kept boasting about her own children. As if they weren’t their parents’ treasures too.

Nan Sheng gave Ding Xiang a questioning look. "Sister, you are...?"

Ding Xiang stood and introduced herself. "Hello, dear. I’m Shen Yu’s wife, Ding Xiang. I came unannounced because I have a favor to ask."

Nan Sheng feigned sudden recognition. "Ah, Sister Ding Xiang! I asked Lin Han to pass a message to Commander Shen. I’ve been swamped lately and didn’t get the chance to visit yesterday—please don’t take offense."

"Of course not."

Even if she was displeased, Ding Xiang wouldn’t show it. She had assumed the message was forgotten, but it turned out Nan Sheng simply hadn’t prioritized her.

The thought of her husband finding out about this unauthorized visit made her head throb. She’d need a convincing excuse before returning home.

Nan Sheng gestured for Ding Xiang to sit while she changed in the bedroom. Sizhe took the dinner containers to the kitchen, then retreated with Siqi to do homework.

Seated across from Ding Xiang, Nan Sheng deliberately adopted her professional demeanor, exuding an unspoken pressure. "Sister, speak plainly. What do you need?"

Seeing this, Ding Xiang suddenly felt a bit nervous. "Please don’t mind my sudden visit, but the matter is quite urgent."

Nan Sheng smiled and motioned for her to continue.

"You must still remember Yi Zhongren, right? He’s my uncle and also works in the revolutionary committee. A few days ago, he was detained in Sanwei Town. I don’t know what he’s accused of—is there any chance this could be resolved?"

So it was about Director Yi, Nan Sheng thought.

"Sister Ding Xiang, since we’re both military wives, I won’t beat around the bush. Director Yi’s crimes are serious. Not only is he implicated in several deaths, but he’s also amassed a considerable amount of wealth privately. The case was reported to the county yesterday, and I’m still waiting for the outcome."

"How could it be this bad?"

Hearing that the case had already been escalated, Ding Xiang panicked, especially at the mention of embezzlement. She feared her own family might be implicated.

"Has anyone else been dragged into this?"

"Not yet, but an investigation is inevitable."