Chapter 579: Forced Confidence
Hou Liangping stood on the podium of the press conference, preparing to expose the evil deeds of the interest groups to the world. The reporters below the stage were holding their cameras and recording equipment with great anticipation. Suddenly, a dark shadow jumped out of the crowd, and then a Molotov cocktail whistled through the air and flew straight towards Hou Liangping. Under the light, the Molotov cocktail flashed a dangerous orange-red light, and the liquid in the bottle shook violently, like a beast about to be released from its cage.
The Molotov cocktail instantly fell on the display stand not far from Hou Liangping. With a loud "bang", the flames spread rapidly like the tentacles of a demon. The information, photos and carefully arranged scene props on the display stand were instantly engulfed by the fire. The paper quickly curled and turned black under the high temperature, turning into ashes flying in the air. The flames climbed along the tablecloth and soon engulfed the surrounding chairs and background boards. The fire grew bigger and bigger, and the raging fire illuminated the entire venue. Thick smoke billowed up, and the pungent smell spread, causing people present to cough and cover their noses.
Reporters were panicking, screaming and running around. The originally orderly press conference scene suddenly became a mess. Some people were pushed to the ground, some lost their shoes and belongings in the panic, and some ran towards the exit desperately, but were tripped by fallen tables and chairs. Hou Liangping was also shocked by this sudden change. His face was full of surprise and embarrassment. He subconsciously took a few steps back to avoid the invasion of the flames. Although he tried to stay calm, beads of sweat still oozed from his forehead, and his eyes revealed a hint of tension.
Thanks to the efforts of the security personnel, the fire finally did not cause any casualties, but the entire venue was in ruins. Hou Liangping looked at the ruins in front of him, his heart filled with anger and confusion. He didn't understand who was so bold as to disrupt the press conference in public. Just as he was about to order a thorough investigation of the matter, his cell phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Qi Tongwei.
Qi Tongwei said anxiously on the other end of the phone: "Liangping, don't be impulsive. Things are already chaotic enough now, and we can't lose our composure anymore. I know we have had many conflicts, but at this time, we should put aside our prejudices and deal with the crisis together." Hou Liangping disagreed. He held the phone tightly and raised his voice: "Qi Tongwei, do you think things can be as simple as you said? This is no longer a personal grudge between us, but a matter of justice and fairness in the entire officialdom. This interest group must be thoroughly exposed. I will not let them go easily, nor will I give up the investigation because of a few words from you."
Qi Tongwei sighed, "I understand your persistence, but if you keep making a fuss, it may lead to more unexpected consequences. We should take a long-term view and find a more appropriate solution." Hou Liangping sneered, "Take a long-term view? Qi Tongwei, are you scared? You have been in the officialdom for so many years, don't you understand that some things can only be solved by a thorough showdown? I want this interest group to pay a heavy price for their actions. No matter what the price, I will make the truth known to the world."
After that, Hou Liangping hung up the phone, his eyes revealing a firm determination. He knew that what he faced was not only the obstruction of an interest group, but also the complex official relations and the game of various forces behind it. But he was not afraid, he believed that justice would eventually triumph over evil. Hou Liangping began to redeploy the investigation plan. He called in more police forces, strengthened the investigation of the scene and the investigation of relevant personnel. He personally visited witnesses, collected clues, and did not miss any details that might be related to the case.
At the same time, Qi Tongwei was also thinking about countermeasures. He understood Hou Liangping's character, and once he made a decision, it would be difficult to change it. But he was also worried that Hou Liangping's radical approach would cause greater trouble, not only endangering their own safety, but also giving interest groups a chance to escape sanctions. Qi Tongwei decided to start from the side. He used his connections in the officialdom to secretly investigate the identity and background of the gangster who attacked Hou Liangping, trying to find the mastermind behind it.
During the investigation, Hou Liangping found some clues that seemed to point to higher-level powerful people. He realized that the enemy he was facing was more powerful than he had imagined. But he did not back down, but instead strengthened his beliefs. He decided to report the situation to the higher authorities and seek greater support. However, his move was obstructed by some people, his report was withheld, and his actions were restricted.
Hou Liangping was in trouble. He felt as if he was groping in the dark alone and couldn't find the direction. But he didn't give up. He kept thinking and looking for opportunities to break through in the predicament. He remembered his previous vow to fight for justice and never back down no matter how great the difficulties were. He began to use his wisdom and courage to deal with those who obstructed him.
At this critical moment, Qi Tongwei found some key evidence, which was enough to bring some important figures behind the interest group to justice. He found Hou Liangping with the evidence, and the two met face to face again. Qi Tongwei looked at Hou Liangping's tired but determined eyes and said, "Liangping, I know there are many differences between us, but at this time, we should unite. These evidences may help us break the deadlock." Hou Liangping took the evidence, examined it carefully, and was excited. He looked at Qi Tongwei and nodded, "Qi Tongwei, we must succeed this time."
The two men put aside their past grudges and re-planned an action plan. They united the forces of justice from all sides, bypassed those who obstructed them, and directly presented the evidence to higher-level leaders. Under the pressure of justice, the leaders finally took the case seriously and ordered a comprehensive investigation of the interest group. Hou Liangping and Qi Tongwei led the investigation team and launched a large-scale investigation. They fought day and night, fearless of hardships, and finally completely destroyed the interest group. Those corrupt elements fell into the law and were punished by law.
In this battle, Hou Liangping and Qi Tongwei both experienced great tests. Their relationship also changed profoundly in the process. From the initial opposition to the later cooperation, they fought for justice together and became true comrades-in-arms. The turmoil of this press conference also became an unforgettable experience in their lives, allowing them to more deeply understand the meaning and power of justice.
As the interest groups were successfully destroyed, the legal sanctions were like a sharp blade, completely cutting off the evil in the darkness. Hou Liangping looked at those once arrogant corrupt officials being taken to the police car, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings. He knew very well that this victory was hard-won, the result of countless days and nights of hard work, the difficult adjustment from opposition to cooperation with Qi Tongwei, and the result of the gathering of the forces of justice.
However, when everything was settled, Hou Liangping gradually distanced himself from Qi Tongwei. He began to deliberately avoid contact with Qi Tongwei, as if their experience of fighting together was just a brief episode, and now the song is over and everyone has gone their separate ways, returning to their original tracks. Qi Tongwei noticed the change in Hou Liangping and was filled with disappointment and confusion.
Hou Liangping constantly recalled his past with Qi Tongwei in his solitary thinking. They had listened to Gao Yuliang's teachings together on campus. At that time, they were young and full of longing for the future. But as they entered the officialdom, their respective choices and experiences made them drift apart. Qi Tongwei gradually lost himself in the temptation of power, while he always adhered to his inner justice. Although they worked together in this battle against interest groups, Hou Liangping could never let go of Qi Tongwei's past mistakes.
In Hou Liangping's view, he and Qi Tongwei were like two intersecting lines, which met at a certain moment and completed a mission together, but after the mission was over, their paths extended in different directions. He felt that in this cooperation, he only used the evidence in Qi Tongwei's hands and his understanding of the internal situation of the interest group. Now that his goal has been achieved, continuing to have a close relationship with him will only cause him to get into more entanglements and troubles. This idea continued to take root in his heart, prompting him to stay away from Qi Tongwei more firmly.
Qi Tongwei tried to communicate with Hou Liangping. He couldn't understand why Hou Liangping was so determined after they had experienced the test of life and death together. He called Hou Liangping, but the other end of the phone always got a busy tone or a perfunctory response. He went to Hou Liangping's office to visit, but was turned away for various reasons. Qi Tongwei stood outside Hou Liangping's office, his heart full of bitterness. He looked at the closed door, as if he saw the insurmountable gap between them.
While rejecting Qi Tongwei, Hou Liangping was also trying to return to his original life. He returned to his daily work, handling various ordinary yet trivial cases. He tried to make his life regular and calm again, and buried that thrilling experience deep in his heart. However, he found that he could never completely let it go. At night, when he sat alone at home, his thoughts would always involuntarily drift back to the days when he fought side by side with Qi Tongwei. He would think of Qi Tongwei's perseverance in organizing evidence on the hospital bed, the fierce debate when they discussed countermeasures, and the chaos and crisis at the press conference. These memories came like a tide, and he fell into deep contradiction.
On the one hand, he knew that his choice was to maintain his principles and bottom line, and he could not get too close to a person with so many stains; on the other hand, he felt that his treatment of Qi Tongwei seemed a bit inhumane. After all, Qi Tongwei did not back down in the most difficult times, and they faced tremendous pressure and danger together. This inner struggle made Hou Liangping silent, and his friends and colleagues around him noticed his changes, but they didn't know how to comfort him.
Qi Tongwei's life also fell into trouble after being alienated by Hou Liangping. He originally thought that through this battle, he could regain his own value and repair his relationship with his family, but Hou Liangping's attitude made him confused again. He began to doubt whether all his efforts were in vain. He often fell into deep thought at home, and his concern for his family became a little absent-minded. Liang Lu looked at the changes in Qi Tongwei and was full of worries. She tried to enlighten Qi Tongwei, but she herself didn't understand why things turned out like this.
Qi Dawei and Qi Xiaowei also felt the oppression of the family atmosphere. Qi Dawei became more introverted. He always kept to himself at school and his academic performance plummeted. Qi Xiaowei often had nightmares at night and cried for his parents after waking up. The warmth of the family seemed to be shrouded by the cold reality again. Qi Tongwei looked at the pain of his family and felt full of self-blame.
In this pain and confusion, Qi Tongwei decided to re-examine his life. He began to reflect on his past mistakes and tried to find a way to make up for them. He took the initiative to participate in various public welfare activities and used his experience and knowledge to contribute to society. He hoped that through these efforts, he could find some comfort in his heart and bring some hope to his family.
However, fate did not seem to let him go. Some remnants of the forces that had been suppressed by the interest groups began to retaliate against him. They spread rumors in secret to discredit Qi Tongwei's reputation. Qi Tongwei's life fell into crisis again. He ran around trying to clarify these rumors, but the effect was minimal.
Hou Liangping was also a little shaken after learning about Qi Tongwei's experience. He began to reflect on whether his behavior was really correct. He remembered Gao Yuliang's teachings that teachers and students, and classmates should support each other, instead of going their separate ways after difficulties. But this reflection did not change his decision, and he still chose to stay out of it.
After a series of setbacks, Qi Tongwei's body and spirit reached their limits. He felt as if he had been abandoned by the whole world. His former ambitions had long since vanished, leaving only endless fatigue and despair. He didn't know where his future lay, nor did he know how to face his family.
Hou Liangping is often troubled by inner guilt in his seemingly peaceful life. He knows that although his choice is in line with his principles, it hurts a person who once fought side by side with him. He tries to numb himself with work, but every night when it is quiet, he falls into deep self-blame.