Chapter 7: She Is Already Here

“What? A top-class hacker? How is that possible?” Duan Fei wondered whether Fatty Xu was making a fuss over nothing. Maybe he just wasn’t good enough himself.

Xu turned to Lin Ying. “Director Lin, whoever did this is an expert. They used the latest encryption technology, but that’s not even the most important part. The code is an uncommon type used by the best international hackers.”

Lin frowned, looking at him with some doubt of her own.

Embarrassed, Xu gave an awkward smile. “Believe me, I’m not lying. That doesn’t mean I can’t crack it. I just need time.” He hadn’t expected to encounter something so sophisticated in a small place like Gaoshan. Who had used a top hacker’s code here? The county’s troubles really did run deep.

“Start decrypting it. How long will it take?”

“Three or four hours at most. If I’m quick, one or two.” Xu grumbled inwardly. He had run into something this advanced on his very first assignment.

Lin nodded, puzzled herself. Could Sun Ping be a computer expert? Liaison officers were generally the same sex as their leaders. Gao Lan had been exceptionally beautiful, and someone like Sun Ping was clearly unlikely to have had a special relationship with her. How had he become her principal aide?

Ma Guoliang had slept badly. Though he had spent half the night exhausting himself with a petite, beautiful woman, he felt no relief. The higher-ups hadn’t consulted or even informed him, the county Party secretary, before appointing one person as police chief, acting county chief and deputy Party secretary. He had been furious. Only after venting his frustration did his mind finally clear.

The appointment sent a dangerous signal. He called Liu Yixiong. “Yixiong, don’t use any of your methods for now. Let’s watch how things develop over the next few days.”

“You mean dealing with the new police chief? The female officer who’s also acting county chief?” Liu felt nothing but contempt and resentment for his incoming superior.

“Yes. Listen to me. I keep feeling something isn’t right.” Ma’s political instincts were keen, something Liu genuinely admired.

“All right. I’ll do as you say.” Unwilling as he was, Liu dared not defy Ma.

“By the way, how did you handle that medical examiner?” The assault on Gao Lan still frightened Ma. For some reason he felt it would come to light sooner or later. If the higher-ups learned of it, he would be finished. After years in office, he knew what could and could not be touched.

“I had her transferred, and everything she had was dealt with,” Liu said confidently.

“Make absolutely sure she left no evidence or clues. You know what will happen otherwise.” A serving female county chief had been raped in her government quarters. If word got out, all of Gaoshan would be disgraced throughout the system. Ma had never been afraid in all his years in office, but this affair continued to trouble him.

Liu started, suddenly thinking of something. “Don’t worry, Secretary. I’ll have them go over everything again immediately. We won’t leave a trace.”

After hanging up, Ma breathed a long sigh of relief. The new county chief and police chief was due to take office today. He wanted to see what made her so special that she held three posts and controlled Gaoshan’s two major power centers. If she truly set her sights on him, even the county Party secretary might have a hard time.

Curious and deeply perplexed, he entered the county Party committee compound.

As he approached his office, Wang Yuanming, deputy director of the county government office, came over with an eager expression. A county Party secretary wasn’t allowed a dedicated secretary either, but could have a liaison officer, which amounted to the same thing. Wang was Ma’s principal aide.

“Secretary, you’re here!” The government office had no director, so Wang effectively performed the director’s duties. In private, everyone called him Chief Secretary Wang.

“When are the people from the Organization Department arriving? Is the welcome ceremony for the new county chief ready?” Whatever the newcomer’s purpose, appearances had to be maintained. However unhappy Ma was with the appointment, he couldn’t show it, especially to his subordinates. That would make him look unfit for his post.

“Everything is arranged.”

Ma nodded. Whatever else could be said, he trusted Wang to get things done.

But just as Ma entered his office, Hong Guotao, head of the county Party committee’s Organization Department, rushed in. “Secretary, something’s happened.”

“What is it?” Ma frowned. The leaders from the city Organization Department were about to arrive; nothing could be allowed to go wrong now.

“Director Hu from the city called. The new police chief and acting county chief has already arrived. She’s in Gaoshan County now.”

“What?” Ma sprang to his feet and stared at him. She had already arrived?

“Explain yourself.”

“Director Hu said she came a couple of days ago and has already started work. We don’t need to prepare a welcome ceremony. He also said… he said…” Hong glanced at Ma, afraid to continue.

Ma frowned. “Why are you hesitating? Out with it.”

“He said you should take the initiative and contact the new Chief Lin.” Hong lowered his head slightly.

Ma’s expression darkened at once. He was Gaoshan’s top official, its true local emperor. They wanted him to call the incoming police chief himself?

Who the hell did she think she was?

Though furious, he kept it off his face. He was the county Party secretary, after all.

“I understand. Get back to work.” Director Hu at the city Organization Department must have had a reason for saying it.

Once Hong had left, Ma thought for a moment, then picked up the phone and made a call.

When it ended, he sat stunned, his expression shifting. The new police chief wasn’t going to work out of the county government office? What did that mean? Could she be up to something she didn’t want anyone to see?

This was bad…