Dashing Student

The night was falling.

Zhao Zhenghui ended a lengthy and important meeting, his slightly exhausted body returned to the resting room, initially hoping for a brief rest to soothe his tense nerves.

The abrupt ringtone of the cellphone, like a sharp blade, instantly tore through the brief tranquility.

His gaze swept to the cellphone screen, the caller ID showed it was his own security personnel, a sudden tightness gripped his heart, ominous premonitions flooding his mind like a tide.

"Hello?" Zhao Zhenghui answered the phone, trying hard to keep his voice steady, yet that slight undeniable urgency still transmitted through the radio waves.

On the other end of the phone, the bodyguard's voice trembled noticeably, timidly reporting in detail about the gas explosion in the mansion.

In an instant.

Zhao Zhenghui's hand clutching the phone tightened fiercely, his knuckles whitening due to excessive force, his facial expression turned gloomy instantaneously like the sky before a storm, disbelief and anger intertwined in his eyes.

As the Provincial Committee Secretary, a gas explosion at his home resulting in casualties was a disaster capable of shaking his very foundation.

He was acutely aware that if this matter was handled even slightly amiss, his political career would suffer greatly or might even end altogether.

He took a deep breath, trying hard to calm the turmoil within, lowered his voice and firmly said, "At all costs, minimize the media impact, save the injured with all efforts!"

Just then, the bodyguard on the phone, as if seeing something terrifying, changed his tone: "It's bad, Secretary, Governor Hu is here!"

This short statement exploded in Zhao Zhenghui's ears like a heavy bomb.

He was instantly frozen in place, a chill rising from his spine, goosebumps covering his body as if bound by an invisible shackle.

He couldn't have imagined that Hu Zhenguo would show up at this critical moment.

At this moment, only one thought filled his mind: he must not let Hu Zhenguo find out that Zhao Longteng was killed in his home.

Zhao Longteng, the big shot who ruled the underground world of the province, once his relationship with Zhao was exposed, what awaited him would be the complete collapse of his political career, even possibly facing prison.

"Stabilize the scene first, I'm coming back immediately!" After hastily giving the instructions, Zhao Zhenghui hung up the phone and left the resting room with hurried steps, his figure filled with panic and urgency.

Meanwhile, at the scene near Zhao Zhenghui's home, which was lit by firelight as if it was daylight.

Hu Zhenguo looked at the blazing inferno before him, his heart equally filled with shock, he quickly pushed open the car door and rushed out, turning to his secretary, his tone urgent almost to the point of roaring: "Quick, immediately contact the fire department, medical services, and the police, have them arrive here as fast as possible!"

The secretary was equally stunned, he could never have imagined that following Governor Hu to report work to Secretary Zhao would lead to such a terrifying scene.

A gas explosion in the home of the Provincial Committee Secretary, once this news spread, it would definitely stir up a massive uproar, creating an overwhelming storm of public opinion.

Hu Zhenguo deeply understood the seriousness of the situation, he suppressed the unease in his heart, his hands trembling slightly as he took out his cellphone and dialed an important leader's number in Capital City.

The moment the phone connected, he took a deep breath, striving to make his voice sound calm and composed: "Leader, this is Hu Zhenguo."

"Secretary Zhao Zhenghui's home suddenly experienced a gas explosion, the fire is extremely fierce, the situation on the scene is extremely critical."

"I have already arranged the first contact with the fire department, medical services, and the police department, they are on their way as fast as possible."

Faced with such a major emergency, he knew he had to report to the central government immediately.

On the other end of the phone, the leader's inquiry was stern and urgent. Hu Zhenguo dared not slack off even a bit, answering each question cautiously, his voice tinged with nervousness and unease.

After finishing his report, he slowly hung up the phone, his gaze turning toward the sea of fire still billowing thick smoke, a chilling glint flashing in his eyes.

In fact, Hu Zhenguo had been meticulously caring for his severely ill father in the hospital these past few days, not leaving his side for 24 hours.

His sudden visit here was solely because Chen Nan had given him a phone call.

In the phone call, Chen Nan did not specify the reason, only asking him to visit Zhao Zhenghui's home and emphasizing that no matter what, he must report the situation strictly according to the regulations.

Although full of confusion and completely at a loss about Chen Nan's intentions, Hu Zhenguo regarded Chen Nan as a benefactor who had changed his fate and was willing to comply unconditionally with his words.

Soon, the sound of police sirens, the roaring of fire trucks, and the wailing of ambulances intertwined together, drawing closer from afar.

Firefighters, medical staff, and public security personnel swiftly arrived at the scene.

The firefighters moved skillfully and managed to extinguish the blaze in just under five minutes.

Then, alongside hospital staff, they carefully entered the rubble ravaged by the fierce fire and gradually found five unrecognizable burned bodies amidst the chaos, immediately making the atmosphere at the scene even more solemn and oppressive.

The simultaneous deaths of five people was unequivocally a major case, not to mention that this was at the Provincial Committee Secretary's home.

"Where's the forensic doctor? Quickly come and identify these people's identities," Hu Zhenguo said with a grave face, not expecting Zhao Zhenghui to die in his own home.

Although he and Zhao Zhenghui had many disagreements politically, he never imagined such a tragic end for him.

At that moment,

He felt strong dissatisfaction with Chen Nan's actions.

Even though he wished to bring down Zhao Zhenghui, he had never considered using such a brutal method.

Just as the forensic doctor was preparing to identify the bodies, the anxious voice of a middle-aged man rang out: "Governor Hu, Secretary Zhao was not at home. He escaped this disastrous calamity!"

"Hmm?" Hu Zhenguo couldn't help but frown, his eyes full of suspicion: "Secretary Zhao wasn't at home? Then who are these people?"

The middle-aged man swallowed nervously: "They are distant relatives of Secretary Zhao, staying temporarily at his house these past few days. I just don't understand how there could have been a gas explosion!"

Hu Zhenguo didn't know the origins of these people, but it was obvious, their identities were not as simple as what the middle-aged man had suggested.

The man's nervous expression made it easy to see, he was surely lying.

Moreover, twenty minutes had passed since the explosion. If these people really were Zhao Zhenghui's relatives, why hadn't he called?

Why hadn't he come to the scene at once to direct the operations?

At that moment,

The Chief of the Provincial Public Security Department, Wu Haisheng, quickly approached Hu Zhenguo, his expression extremely grave: "Governor Hu, I recognize one of the deceased!"

Hu Zhenguo frowned, unable to resist asking, "Who is he?"

Wu Haisheng swallowed, his voice trembling: "Chairman of Longteng Group, the biggest underground power in the province, Zhao Longteng!"