大雪无痕03

As the Audi left, the head of the Traffic Police Squadron quickly picked up his phone and informed the party-preparing group of Commander Ding’s arrival. This was an order from comrade Zhou, the general conductor of the party and Secretary-General of the Municipal Government, who need to be told in advance. Zhou knew that the former commander enjoyed lyrics composed during the former –Soviet period, so he specially organized a chorus, waiting at the entrance to the gate. With his most favorite music, Zhou would make Commander Ding feel unexpectedly happy as soon as he arrived.

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The group was stationed in a room at one side of the manor gate. It was Secretary Yan Wenhua, a common worker of the group and the Governmental Secretariat, who received the report. According to Secretary-General Zhou, anyone who got the news must report to him without delay. At the same time, Secretary Zhang had to be called because it was he who was in charge of the keys to the VIP’s Room. Only he was allowed to open the wooden door with decorative patterns and greet Commander Ding inside. Though only a little more than thirty years old, Zhang was the mainstay of the Secretariat, a young ‘old hand’. He was alert and modest, very skillful in handling affairs, so everyone had a good impression about him. Further more, he was quite familiar with the main leaders’ hobbies, working characters, living habits, background and political relations, and had a close contact with them. More preciously, he himself had no political ambition, content in serving his leaders as a secretary without mixing his personal opinions. That’s to say, no matter the leader was respected or liked, he would serve him heart and soul if asked to. Whatever task be ordered by the leaders, he would surely overcome any obstacle and accomplish it with no personal feelings. Secretary-General Zhou, a college associate professor would always avoid praising his secretaries in public. However, Zhou was an exception. He often said to Zhang, “Xiao Zhang, you a born secretary. Rare, really rare.”

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Seeing the Audi I the dark snow, Fang, with his neck recoiled and hands behind, came to a row of houses nearby, which was for the police outside to relax in. according to the plan, the emphasis of guarding would be transferred to the inside of the manor as soon as the commander arrived. So most of the policemen outside, except a few at the main entrance, could go and warm themselves inside. Normally, it is unnecessary that such strict measures be taken for such a small party. However, recently the Provincial Government is strengthening reforms on the managerial system of the super-large-scale state-owned enterprises. Thousands of workers and cadres are forced to be laid off, which will inevitably arouse some complaints. In concrete personnel arrangement, there will be some imbalances as well. Therefore, some grumbling laid-off workers often gather together, coming directly to governments for reasoning. They have even blocked the main streets of the Provincial capital several times. In order to avoid trouble and ensure the security of the party, Zhou intensifies the guard over the manor and established several hotlines.

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As Fang walked, the Audi suddenly came to a stop again. He inevitably sensed that it was due to his presence, so he turned, avoided the fierce snow and cast his glimpse at the car. As expected, Ding Jie came straight to him angrily after she got off.

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“Fang Yulin, you did a good job!”

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“Thank you.”

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“Do you think you can stop a car of the commander of the military region every day, to meet your inexplicable vanity?” “Resigned commander?”

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“What if a resigned one?”

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“I honor those old leaders, but not their self-conceited daughters.”

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“Self-conceited?” Ding got flushed, “Is there anyone in the world who is more self-conceited than you? Don’t think you are always right. How can a decent talented graduate from the law college, vice-head of the Municipal Criminal Investigating Brigade, be driven to the street?”

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“Without us standing in the street, can you drive your Audi in an easy manner?”

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“OK…” Ding smiled coldly, “I hope you’ll stand there forever.”

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Fang was about to refute her when his attention was attracted by other things. So he uttered no sound and turned his eyesight from Ding to her back. There lay a forest, inside which stood a shabby villa. From the ground floor window of the deserted villa, Fang suddenly saw a gleam, which stirred him a little, who was inborn sensitive to such unexpected things. “Sorry. There is something.” He gestured to Ding and hurried to the head of the squadron who was still on guard. Before leaving, he deliberately made a humorous American-style salute to Ding.

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There was a police car on the post.

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Beside the police car, head of the squadron, who was smoking, didn’t take Fang’s report seriously. The forest with the villa was one of the outer areas they had attached the greatest importance to. That afternoon, he had ordered a though examination to be made over every corner of the two-floor villa. For the sake of security, even the doors and windows of the first floor were all nailed up with planks, which made even birds unable to fly in, let alone human beings. How could the gleam have appeared? “Ghost!” he mumbled.

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“Ghosts or humans, someone should go over. I really have seen a gleam.” Fang insisted.

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To avoid facial encounter with the former vice-head of the Severe Case Brigade, he approved Fang’s request by saying, “OK, I’ll send you over.” Fang asked again, “Before thins are made clear, can you inform the commander and other leaders not to enter the Lai Feng Manor?”

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The squadron head, in his late forties’ who had been serving in the squadron almost his lifetime, got somewhat impatient, “Why? Do you desire to stir up trouble? Even if you saw a gleam out of the windows, what sense does it make? Ah, what sense does it make?”

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Fang was struck dumb for the moment, “I don’t know…”

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“You don’t know. Then why do you make a fuss? Do you know who will be present tonight? The main leaders at Provincial and Municipal levels will all come. Who can shoulder the responsibly of affecting their affairs with such trifles? Yulin, you are said to be clever, a born detector, but you can’t play tricks like that. What shall say to you?” As he was complaining, he was afraid that Fang would go on debating with him. If so, he would have lost face in public; for he knew that he was no match of Fang even with double efforts. It was unexpected that Fang should have restrained himself and said unwillingly, “Maybe I’m wrong.” A silence.

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At this time, Secretary Qin and Yan hurried over. Qin beckoned the squadron head and Fang, saying in a low voice, “A secretary is nowhere to be seen.”

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“A secretary is nowhere to be seen? When?” They were both taken aback. Qin then said to Yan, “Secretary Yan, please tell them what’s happening.” Yan cleared his voice, calmed himself and managed to say in a low voice, “Receiving the report from the squadron head, I went to look for Secretary Zhang at once, according Secretary Zhou’s arrangement. For he would open the doors to the VIP’s Room and greet Commander Ding’s family. But surprisingly, I could find him in nowhere. Someone told me that he had gone out of the back door of the hall towards the forest. They said a strange with a small bag was looking for him. However, I couldn’t find Zhang or the so-called stranger at every possible corner.”

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Fang quickly took off his coat and walked towards the police car as he said, “Let me go and have a look.”

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Just at this moment, from where the deserted villa stood came a sudden depressing sound. Before everyone in the present began to realize it, Fang shouted in alarm, “Gunshot!” The others can’t be blames of being too slow in reaction, for it was not like a gunshot at all. It was depressing and blunt, like a sound made with a hammer on a block of wood rather than a gunshot. It was proved by later investigation and body report that this first gunshot was fired with the muzzle tightly pressed against Zhang’s body. There came two more gunshots, much clearer than before. The squadron head also cried, ““Gunshots!”

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Fang shouted to the squadron head, “Please send someone to protect Commander Ding and other leaders.” He then drove the police car and rushed to the forest. He was late. Before he arrived at the deserted villa, a squad of policemen had already been there. Secretary-General Zhou was instructing others to protect the site. The pool of blood in the middle of the villa floor had been frozen, lying in which was none other than Secretary Zhang who had thought to have disappeared.

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