Title: Reborn Qi Tongwei, who defies fate by half a move and refuses to kneel

Chapter 44 Eagle Eye Advances: Who Will Take Control of the Game?

"Beep...beep...beep..."

The monotonous, cold dial tone from the phone receiver felt like a series of resounding slaps against Hou Liangping's handsome and confident face.

Hou Liangping remained frozen in place, still holding the phone, like a half-weathered stone statue.

three seconds.

It took him a full three seconds to slowly put down the receiver, his mechanical movements almost comical.

He had imagined countless possibilities.

Qi Tongwei might fly into a rage, argue vehemently, or even resort to the old-fashioned theory of "a general in the field may disobey the emperor's orders" to debate with him for three hundred rounds. To this end, Hou Liangping even prepared three sets of combos on "procedural justice" and "the spirit of the rule of law" in his mind, ready to refute his old classmate until he was speechless.

result?

A punch landing on cotton? No, it's like stepping into thin air and freefalling from a height of 10,000 meters.

The other party didn't even bother to say a single unnecessary word.

The feeling was like a spirited rooster charging into the ring, only to have its opponent glance at it indifferently, say "Do as you please," and then turn around to drink tea.

ignore.

Utter disregard.

"Fine, Qi Tongwei..." Hou Liangping gritted his teeth, slammed his phone heavily on the table, making the spoon in his coffee cup rattle. "Trying to play these tricks on me? Fine, let's see how long you can keep up this act!"

An unprecedented sense of irritability grew wildly in his heart like weeds. He loosened his tie, feeling like a clown performing energetically on stage, but with no one in the audience.

……

Municipal Public Security Bureau, Director's Office.

In stark contrast to Hou Liangping's exasperation, the atmosphere here was quiet, even somewhat solemn.

Qi Tongwei casually tossed his phone onto the leather sofa and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.

Outside the window, the steel forest of Jingzhou gleamed coldly in the setting sun.

Hand over the case?

of course.

This was the most crucial part of his plan. If he didn't personally use this "imperial sword" from the capital to cut through the tangled thorns of Handong, how would he know what it meant for a blade to become dull or for his hands to go numb?

Just then, deep within my mind, that familiar mechanical voice suddenly rang out without warning.

【Ding! 】

[The host has been detected using swift and decisive measures to quell a mass incident, uphold dignity, and unite the people!]

[Key milestone rating: S-level!]

[Dignity value skyrockets: +800!]

[Rewards being distributed... The special skill [Eagle Eye Vision] has undergone a qualitative change!]

[Advance to—[Insight into People's Hearts (Beginner)]!]

boom!

A refreshing stream of air, like snowmelt from a high mountain, instantly poured into the top of my head and rushed straight to my eyes.

Qi Tongwei instinctively closed his eyes, feeling a slight stinging sensation in his eyeballs, followed by an unprecedented clarity.

When I opened my eyes again, the world had changed.

The originally colorful physical world now has an invisible "filter".

He looked down at the courtyard below.

A young police officer was hurrying past when a faint blue haze appeared above his head—a sign of calm and focus.

At the main gate, a middle-aged man was arguing with the gatekeeper, his body wreathed in glaring dark red ripples—an expression of anger and anxiety.

In the corner, a police auxiliary officer was on the phone, his clothes occasionally flashing with a murky gray—it was guilt, it was lies.

"Emotional radar, huh...?"

Qi Tongwei raised his hand, looked at his reflection in the glass, and a very faint smile appeared on his lips.

Although it's still blurry, only a general color spectrum of emotions can be seen, and specific thoughts cannot be read, in this treacherous officialdom, it's already a divine skill comparable to "mind reading."

The hardest thing about this position is not doing the work, but recognizing people.

Loyalty or betrayal, fear or greed—from now on, nothing will be able to hide from his eyes.

"Knock knock knock".

A knock came at the door.

"Enter."

A deputy captain from the criminal investigation division pushed open the door and entered, his face beaming: "Director Qi, here are the financial statements for last month that you requested..."

Qi Tongwei turned around, his gaze sharp as lightning, instantly locking onto the other person.

Behind that seemingly respectful and obsequious smile, a thick cloud of black mist was churning in the man's chest—malice, deep hostility.

Zhao Ruilong's nail?

Qi Tongwei did not take the document, but simply tapped his fingertips lightly on the table twice.

"Da, da."

The voice wasn't loud, but it sent a shiver down the spine of the vice-captain.

"Put it down," Qi Tongwei said calmly. "Also, notify the political work office to transfer you to the logistics department to manage the warehouse. Criminal investigation is a tough job; you're not good at chewing, so don't break your teeth."

The vice-captain's smile froze on his face instantly, his complexion turned deathly pale, and the black mist fluctuated violently, instantly turning into a horrified ashen gray.

"roll."

One word can determine life or death.

Qi Tongwei watched the man's hasty retreat, his eyes filled with icy coldness.

The major overhaul has only just begun.

……

The next three days were a nightmare for Hou Liangping.

He thought that once he got his hands on the case file, he could command everyone with a wave of his hand, just like in the capital.

Reality, however, dealt him a harsh blow.

Day 1, Shanshui Group.

Hou Liangping led his investigation team over in a menacing manner. However, they didn't even get to see Gao Xiaoqin; instead, they were greeted by a team of top-notch lawyers in suits, their hair slicked back.

"Director Hou, please watch your words."

The lead lawyer adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, a professional, fake smile playing on his lips, but his eyes were full of contempt. "Our Shanshui Group is a legitimate, major taxpayer. It's only right that Dafeng Factory pays its debts. If you continue this interrogation, which is tinged with 'presumption of guilt,' we will formally file a complaint with the Supreme People's Procuratorate, accusing you of abusing your power and interfering with the normal operation of the company."

A strongly worded lawyer's letter was slammed onto the table.

Hou Liangping was so angry that his hands trembled, but he was helpless.

The next day, at the Jingzhou City Bank.

"Checking the transaction records? Oh dear, what a coincidence, Director Hou."

The bank manager looked regretful, the tea in his hand barely warm. "The system was just upgraded yesterday, and the data from the past few years is under maintenance. It won't be restored for at least ten days to two weeks. Perhaps... you could come back next month?"

This is a blatant, ineffective rebate!

On the third day, we interviewed witnesses near the Dafeng Factory.

"I don't know! I didn't see anything!"

"Don't ask me! I still need to survive in this city!"

Those ordinary people who would call the police even if a chicken were stolen normally now treated the sight of the prosecutor's office vehicle like it was a plague. Doors were slammed shut with a deafening roar, and curtains were drawn tightly shut. Fear permeated the air like a plague.

After three days, Hou Liangping had run his legs off and talked himself hoarse, but all he gained was a bellyful of frustration and nothing.

An invisible net had him tightly bound. He was like a flying insect caught in a spider's web; the more he struggled, the tighter the net became.

That suffocating feeling almost drove him to the brink of collapse.

The afternoon of the fourth day.

Hou Liangping finally couldn't hold on any longer. He pushed open the door to Qi Tongwei's office.

This time, he didn't knock on the door, nor did he show the same high spirits he had when he arrived.

His hair was a little messy, he had dark circles under his eyes, and his expensive custom-made shirt was wrinkled. He looked like a defeated rooster, dejected.

"Tongwei".

Hou Liangping plopped down on the sofa, his voice hoarse, carrying a hint of helplessness that he himself was unwilling to admit.

"The water in Handong is...too murky."

Qi Tongwei was reviewing documents when he heard this and slowly raised his head.

[Insight into People's Hearts] is now open.

At this moment, Hou Liangping's emotions were a fascinating mix.

Large swaths of deep blue (frustration, dejection), interspersed with streaks of glaring scarlet (anger, resentment), and at the very core, a slightly trembling grayish-white (self-doubt).

This monkey has finally learned to feel pain.

"muddy?"

Qi Tongwei closed his pen with a soft "click." He stood up, walked to the water dispenser, filled a glass with water, and placed it in front of Hou Liangping.

"Liangping, you're not muddying the waters."

Qi Tongwei looked down at him, his tone as calm as if he were stating a truth.

"You didn't see what was hidden underwater at all."

Hou Liangping suddenly looked up, a hint of defiance flashing in his eyes: "How could I not see it? Zhao Ruilong's network of connections is overwhelming; it's an impenetrable fortress! There's simply no way to get started!"

"Don't know where to start?"

Qi Tongwei chuckled lightly, his laughter carrying three parts mockery and seven parts profound meaning.

"You've been in the capital for too long, and you've gotten used to wielding the imperial sword to kill people. But in Handong, this sword can't sever the roots of the Zhao family."

He turned around, took a thin document from the drawer of his desk, and casually tossed it onto the coffee table in front of Hou Liangping.

"Stop focusing on Zhao Ruilong. He's like a venomous snake stirring up trouble on the surface of the water; if you try to catch him, you'll find yourself in a slippery situation."

Qi Tongwei pointed to the document, his voice suddenly becoming deep and penetrating, carrying a chilling power.

"To break the deadlock, you have to find the person who helped him dig the hole."

Hou Liangping paused for a moment, then picked up the document with suspicion.

Turn to the first page.

A photograph immediately caught my eye.

The person in the photo is wearing a floral shirt and sunglasses, holding a champagne glass, and smiling with a face full of wrinkles, exuding the greasy air of a nouveau riche.

Below is only one name and one line of job description.

Ding Yizhen.

**Vice Mayor of Jingzhou City, and Chief Person in Charge of the Dafeng Factory Restructuring Project.**

"Ding Yizhen?" Hou Liangping frowned, instinctively retorting, "I've checked his file. He's just an obedient clerk, Zhao Ruilong's dog..."

"dog?"

Qi Tongwei interrupted him, walked to the window, turned his back to Hou Liangping, and looked at the city shrouded in twilight.

"A dog that bites doesn't bark."

"All of Zhao Ruilong's illegal land use, project approvals, and fund transfers in Handong were carried out through the hands of this 'dog'."

Qi Tongwei suddenly turned around, his eyes narrowed, and a cold light seemed to explode in his eyes.

"He is the thickest root of the Zhao family tree that extends into the soil to suck blood."

"Just pry his mouth open and pull out this radish..."

Qi Tongwei stretched out his hand and clenched it tightly in the air, as if he had crushed something unseen.

"The mud that was brought out could bury the entire sky over Handong."

Looking at Qi Tongwei's imposing movements and then at the photo of Ding Yizhen in his hand, Hou Liangping felt as if a lightning bolt had struck his mind.

At this moment, all the clues came together.

He suddenly stood up, his previous dejection vanished, and the flame of "hunting" rekindled in his eyes.

"I see!"

Hou Liangping gripped the document tightly, his breathing rapid. "This is the Achilles' heel! This is the real breakthrough!"

He looked at Qi Tongwei, his eyes filled with an extremely complex expression.

Shock, admiration, and a deep sense of apprehension.

It turns out that while I was running around like a headless fly, this man was already standing on a cloud, seeing through everything.

Is this... Qi Tongwei?

"Go."

Qi Tongwei waved his hand, sat back down in his chair, and resumed his calm and composed demeanor.

"Make a big fuss, don't give the Zhao family time to react."

Hou Liangping took a deep breath, nodded heavily, and strode out of the office.

The moment the door closed.

The system interface in front of Qi Tongwei flickered again.

Looking at the green light representing "trust and fanaticism" on Hou Liangping's back, Qi Tongwei picked up his teacup and gently blew away the floating tea leaves.

"Go, my imperial envoy."

"Stir up this mess for me."

"Wait until you're both severely injured..."

He took a sip of tea, its aroma filling the air, but his eyes were chillingly cold.

"That's when I'll truly reap the rewards."