"Yes! But you must hand over any dangerous items you are carrying!"
Hearing Li Hao's words, Zhao Donglai did not hesitate or overthink, simply nodding in agreement.
Since Li Hao said so, he might as well comply.
Why bother locking horns to the death with Li Hao?
"Hmm."
Hearing Zhao Donglai's reply, Li Hao took out the firearms and controlled blades from his pockets all at once.
Then, treating them like trash, he tossed them straight onto the ground.
With that done, Li Hao walked directly over to Zhao Donglai's police car and got inside.
Seeing this, Qi Tongwei followed and got into the car as well.
"We'll be heading out then, Director Ye. Wrap things up!"
With that, Zhao Donglai exchanged a few words with Director Ye, then turned and left.
It was time to go back and report on the mission!
Thus, Li Hao and his group once again embarked on the road back to Jingzhou.
......
About an hour later.
Jingzhou.
Inside the office of Li Dakang, Secretary of the Jingzhou Municipal Committee.
Zhao Donglai, who had just rushed back from Yantai, stood before Li Dakang.
"Secretary! I've brought Qi Tongwei and Li Hao back!"
Hearing this, Li Dakang widened his eyes in utter disbelief.
So fast?!
They had only just discussed the matter of arresting Li Hao a few hours ago, and now you're telling me Li Hao has already been arrested?
He had even prepared himself for the possibility that it would take days just to catch Li Hao!
After all, Li Hao held the law in such utter contempt!
Would someone who completely disregarded the law be caught so easily?
Would someone who dared to publicly gun down a state official right in front of the head of the Provincial Department of Public Security be caught so easily?
"So fast? Did anyone on our side get hurt? How did you catch him? Did the process go smoothly?"
Finding it somewhat hard to believe, Li Dakang fired off a series of questions.
Could Zhao Donglai really be this efficient?
"Nobody was hurt! The process went smoothly too. After touching base with Director Ye in Yantai, once we arrived there, we..."
After answering Li Dakang's questions, Zhao Donglai went into detail, explaining how he had arranged everything and brought Li Hao back.
Upon hearing Zhao Donglai's account, Li Dakang fell silent for a moment.
"You're saying this Li Hao didn't play hide-and-seek with you at all, but instead came right to you and let himself be arrested?"
That was utterly absurd!
How could someone so arrogant offer no resistance?
How could someone who wanted to execute Hou Liangping just because Hou Liangping talked too much docilely allow himself to be captured?
After a moment of thought, Li Dakang asked again, "What about Qi Tongwei? How did he behave during the arrest?"
Zhao Donglai replied, "Him? Right from the start, he opposed us taking Li Hao away! He even went so far as to physically shield Li Hao!"
"If it weren't for the fact that Li Hao himself was willing to come with us in the end, I doubt the arrest would have gone nearly as smoothly!"
Hearing this, Li Dakang furrowed his brow.
Well, well!
According to Zhao Donglai's description, this Li Hao really seemed to have an extraordinary background!
Yet, try as he might, he couldn't think of any prominent family in Hua Nation with the surname Li.
Could it be that Qi Tongwei had some glaring dirt on him held by Li Hao?
Or perhaps Li Hao shared an unusual relationship with Qi Tongwei?
"Was Li Hao really that submissive? That doesn't sound like his usual style!"
Growing somewhat annoyed by his own musings, Li Dakang pressed Zhao Donglai again, hoping to get a clue regarding Li Hao's identity.
Zhao Donglai added, "He wasn't entirely submissive either. He wouldn't let us put handcuffs on him!"
"He said something about how I wasn't worthy of cuffing him, and that even Secretary Sha wasn't qualified! If anyone dared to put cuffs on him, he'd go crazy!"
Hearing this, Li Dakang let out a cold snort. "How arrogant!"
As he spoke, an uncertain guess formed in his mind.
It was very likely that Li Hao held leverage over Qi Tongwei!
Or perhaps the criminal syndicate behind Li Hao held dirt on Qi Tongwei!
Judging by Zhao Donglai's description, Li Hao was still young—likely some arrogant second-generation punk who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth!
"Did anything else happen?"
With that thought, Li Dakang asked again, trying to verify his suspicion through Zhao Donglai.
"Yes!"
"Before we arrested him, Li Hao did something major!"
"He killed three people in a shopping mall in Yantai!"
Zhao Donglai slapped his forehead. In his preoccupation with explaining how they caught Li Hao, he had completely forgotten to mention this.
Zhao Donglai's words struck Li Dakang's mind like a thunderbolt.
"Such a huge incident! Why are you only mentioning it now?!"
Li Dakang was furious!
Since Li Hao had solid, undeniable criminal charges against him, why hadn't Zhao Donglai reported it immediately?
Had Zhao Donglai lost his mind while serving as bureau chief?
Seeing this, Zhao Donglai hurriedly offered an explanation.
"Secretary, the reason I didn't mention it right away was because Qi Tongwei claimed those three people were drug traffickers!"
"I intended to verify their identities before reporting to you!"
Li Dakang: "......"
"The moment you find any leads, report directly to me!"
"Just because Qi Tongwei says they're drug traffickers, does that make them drug traffickers? Why hasn't there been any news of drug trafficking in Handong before?"
To be honest, Li Dakang didn't believe it!
Would Qi Tongwei, a provincial department head, personally go out to catch drug traffickers?
Having finally clawed his way back from the front lines to become department head, would he be so reckless with his own life and safety?
If he loved the front lines so much, why had he ever left the narcotics squad in the first place?
Li Dakang was deeply skeptical of this!
By now, he had a fairly clear picture in his mind.
This Li Hao had dirt on Qi Tongwei.
The family behind Li Hao was a drug-trafficking syndicate that bribed Qi Tongwei with money to break into the Handong Province market!
Those three individuals were likely deadly rivals of Li Hao's family!
Li Hao had originally intended to use Qi Tongwei's authority to assassinate those drug traffickers, only for Hou Liangping to stumble into the picture halfway through!
That was why Li Hao had been driven into such a fury!
Because those three drug traffickers held the secrets of Li Hao's family, Li Hao had to silence them at all costs!
That explained why, the moment he arrived in Yantai, Li Hao rushed to kill the three drug traffickers first thing!
As for why he allowed himself to be captured without resistance—
Perhaps Li Hao was simply a loyal hitman groomed by his family!
"Regardless of all that, Li Hao committing murder is an absolute, ironclad fact!"
"Track down the identities and backgrounds of the three victims! If they turn out to be innocent civilians, put Li Hao on trial immediately!"
"Right now, these are your top priorities! Oh, and one more thing: you must keep a tight watch on him for me! Don't let anything happen to him!"
After a moment's thought, Li Dakang issued a series of further tasks to Zhao Donglai.
Now, as long as it was confirmed that those three "drug traffickers" were innocent, then regardless of whatever background Li Hao had, he was a dead man walking!
Hearing Li Dakang's instructions, Zhao Donglai stood up and gave a formal salute.
"Understood, Secretary! I will investigate this thoroughly in the shortest possible time and give you a satisfactory answer!"