Chapter 442 - Unscrupulous Merchants
Chapter 442 Unscrupulous Merchants
“Hmm…hmm…hmm…”
The ambulance and the traffic police’s haulage truck arrived almost at the same time, and the reporters’ news vans also arrived soon after.
Facing such a major traffic accident, the traffic police squad did not dare to show any negligence, and had dispatched a large number of police forces in teams.
One team was responsible for taking photos at the scene, setting the police line, and asking the witnesses for details of the accident, which would be used to make an accident responsibility identification; one team was in charge of evacuating the crowd and maintaining order on the scene to keep the road clear; one team had the responsibility to register the numbers and identities of the injured; one team worked to escort the injured to the hospital for further accident investigations.
Seeing the rescue work being carried out in such an orderly manner at the site, Ding Ning stood up from the last injured person he was treating. His task was done, and he should leave. If he did not leave now, he would soon be surrounded.
While no one was paying any attention to him, Ding Ning slipped toward his car, but his feet felt weak as he staggered forward.
To save that driver, he had consumed too much energy. Now, after treating so many patients, he felt dizzy. As soon as he got into his car, he rested his head on the steering wheel and launched the Sutra of Cultivating Spirit to restore his energy.
With a bang, the door of the car opened, and Ding Ning was shocked and gave a confused look at Zhao Chenxi, who was standing at his car, with a canvas bag on her back. “What’s the matter?”
“My car was towed away by the accident brigade, the bus route was temporarily suspended, and it is not easy to hail a taxi, so I need a ride.”
Zhao Chenxi then said unceremoniously, “I know you are very tired, and I can be your driver.”
“Okay, fine!”
Ding Ning hesitated for a few moments. “Well, if someone can drive for me, then I can take a good rest to recuperate. The woman is not afraid of anything, so why should a man like me fear anything?”
Instantly, he got out of the car, moved to the co-driver’s position, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest.
A trace of disdain appeared in Zhao Chenxi’s eyes and then vanished. “A libertine indeed! Just now he must have been playing the cat and mouse trick. Humph, let me see when your acting will stop.”
She strongly wanted to turn around and leave, but on second thoughts, she changed her mind. “I don’t want to come without getting anything. Besides, I am a little afraid of carrying out the secret investigation on the underground workshop, so let me bring this gigolo along for some support.”
Since he had a driver, Ding Ning felt assured and closed his eyes to begin his healing, so as to regain his energy and Spiritual Energy as soon as possible. Thus, he had no clue about the fact that Zhao Chenxi had changed directions, heading instead for the development district in the east.
On the Ningnan Highway, there was a major traffic accident, in which two people died, five were seriously injured, and 19 were slightly injured. The accident had attracted great attention from the Ninghai Municipal Government, and it was impossible to downplay this matter.
Mayor Du and the other municipal leaders immediately rushed to the scene to find the cause of the accident. The members of the Haidong Development District Government went with them. The staff of the traffic police department had gone down hurriedly to the site of the accident in advance, for rescue works, and the media had also swarmed to the scene to report on the accident.
“Rescue the injured first, then carry out an investigation on the cause of the accident, and wait for the next handling opinion.”
In the oppressive atmosphere at the site, Mayor Du said this calmly, but what he said, made all the others scared.
Gu Linfeng, the Leader of the Traffic Police Branch of Haidong Development District, was especially scared, and his face had become ashen, because the Leader of the Traffic Police Branch had to assume responsibility for the safety of such a major traffic accident.
Yang Zhiyong, the Director of Haidong Development District, was also feeling quite gloomy, because he could not escape the leadership responsibility, either. It was really an unexpected disaster for him.
As a leader promoted by Mayor Du himself, Yang Zhiyong knew that Mayor Du was also likely to be somewhat affected.
Xu Minglu stood silently behind Mayor Du, glanced secretly at the expressionless Jiang Zhongze, and then had a suspicion, “Is this major traffic accident a real accident or the result of some people’s intended action?
“If this is only an accident, that’s not a big deal; if this is a plot against Mayor Du, those people are too scary and don’t have the baseline morals of being a human.”
He should not be blamed for having these suspicious thoughts It seemed that this accident had been caused by a drunk driver, but as a person who knew the inside stories, he thought that this traffic accident was possibly not as simple as he imagined.
As the Director of Haidong Development District and an extremely able cadre, Yang Zhiyong kept Haidong Development District in good order and had prominent political achievements. When the re-election came next year, he would probably be further promoted, but that would be a threat to many people.
Above all, he was a leader promoted by Mayor Du himself. Once he was further promoted and entered the municipal government, he and Mayor Du would form a joint force, and the mayor would have a stronger voice.
And the branch leader Gu Linfeng was the hardcore Yang Zhiyong, who was going to promote Gu Linfeng to the position of the Branch Director of the Public Security Bureau, before he got a further promotion.
There was always someone who had to take responsibility for any major traffic accident. As the Leader of the Traffic Police Branch, Gu Linfeng was sure to be the principal person responsible; as Gu’s indirect leaders, Mayor Du and District Director Yang also had to assume leadership responsibility. If these matters were taken into account, such an accident that happened just before next year’s re-election would be a little interesting.
This made Xu Minglu extremely worried. “Mayor Du will be the one who will suffer the greatest loss in the end.”
“Traffic safety is the main responsibility of Mayor Du. During his tenure, such a major traffic accident will have a great impact on next year’s re-election. If he is given a light punishment, the punishment will be a warning at least; if he is given a heavy punishment and when some people with evil intent try to plot against him, his career as an official, is even likely to be destroyed.
“This is a death trap. How can Mayor Du overcome it?”
Subconsciously, Xu Minglu looked at the serene face of l Mayor Du. He did not believe that Mayor Du was not having the same thoughts as him. If Mayor Du was a professor in political wisdom, he would only be a pupil.
Mayor Du’s calm demeanor in the face of such a terrible accident, reassured him and eased his worried heart. “Mayor Du must have a solution.”
Deputy Mayor Jiang Zhongze gave a slight smile. “It seems that someone has begun the attack, and its first move was cruel enough. Unfortunately, that driver is not dead.”
Another Deputy Mayor named Guo Haijun who came to the site had a glitter in his eyes, which suggested that he was thinking hard. He was also among the smartest people, so how could he not find the trick in it?
The intent of targeting someone was too obvious, but what he was curious about was, “The person behind the scenes launched the attack, but how could the person leave such a big flaw?
“If the driver who caused the accident died, there would be no clues for any further investigation. That is the perfect scheme, and Mayor Du would have to admit his bad luck, but the driver is not dead, so there is a chance for Mayor Du to break the trap.
“That driver was so lucky and is still alive. The culprit behind the scenes must have not thought about it, so it is the last chance to remove the flaw before he woke up. Then, it depends on who has higher skills.”
This was none of his business, and he had better be a bystander and watch the show. No matter who won, the one who smiled all the way to the end, was the true winner.
How could Mayor Du not be clear about the situation that Xu Minglu had seen through? With his eyes glittering brightly, he turned around and holding Xu Minglu’s arm, whispered something in his ear, and the latter nodded to show he had understood, then turned around and left.
What Ding Ning did not know was that his unintentional act had offered Mayor Du a chance to break the trap. It was not wrong that Mayor Du had once jokingly said he could bring others good luck.
The Eastern Suburban Industrial Park was located near the riverside wharf, with rows of factories but fewer people, making this area look vast, but the moisture of the river water thinly permeated the air.
On the spacious cement road of the industrial park, a Volkswagen Phaeton was moving forward slowly.
“Where is this? Aren’t we going back downtown?”
In the co-driver’s seat, Ding Ning opened his eyes slowly. After cultivating for nearly half an hour, he was much more energetic than before, although he had not fully recovered yet.
“When you need to use your True Qi, you find it is lacking!” He always had the notion that since he had reached the middle stage of the Earth Martial Arts Realm, it was enough for him to treat patients with the True Qi inside him. It was not until now that he found that it was far from enough. He almost collapsed after only treating more than 20 people.
“It seems that I will need to cultivate more in order to get more True Qi!”
During this time, Ding Ning had been focusing on cultivating the Barbarian Physical Exercise Technique and the Sutra of Cultivating Spirit, but he had been quite slack on the Heart Sutra of Bodhi and the Nameless Heart Sutra.
This made Ding Ning a little distressed. What his grandmother said was very reasonable. A human’s energy was limited. Practicing too many techniques easily distracted the practitioner; a warrior usually chose a path and then worked arduously on it, without turning back, not like him, who practiced several techniques at the same time. That was why his speed was slow.
But he was very greedy and unwilling to give any of them up, so he would inevitably need to spend more energy and time on cultivation than others.
“Eastern Suburban Industrial Park. I told you, but you did not say anything, so I thought your silence meant consent.”
Zhao Chenxi said bluntly.
“Then what are you doing here?”
Ding Ning guessed that she might have told him, but at that time he was absorbed in his cultivation and did not hear her, so he did not mind and only asked her this question.
“Handling a case.”
Zhao Chenxi drove the car slowly into the industrial park, pulled over, picked up her canvas bag, and then took out an SLR camera from it.
“Handling a case? You are a policewoman?”
Ding Ning became interested and asked quite curiously.
Zhao Chenxi rolled her eyes. “I’m not a policewoman, I’m a reporter.”
“Reporter? Which newspaper office? Do you have a press pass?”
Ding Ning looked at her suspiciously. “This chick is only 17 or 18. She is a reporter at such a young age? I don’t believe it.”
As her expression stiffened, Zhao Chenxi said with a little irritation and embarrassment, “I will be a reporter in the future. My major is news media, and this is my internship.”
“Oh, that’s why I was confused, but what are you doing here as an intern?”
Ding Ning suddenly understood, but was also a little confused and asked.
“I heard there is an underground gluten workshop here. They soak the gluten that they can’t sell within the day in hydrogen peroxide to keep the freshness and luster of its surface, and then sell it to the major markets. This will seriously damage people’s health, so I’m here to see if I can find any clues.”
Zhao Chenxi hung the SLR camera around her neck, pushed open the car door, stepped down, and explained.
There are three main types of hydrogen peroxide: One is for household use, one is for medical use, and another is for industrial use.
The difference is that the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide are different. The concentration used in the hospital is higher, and some suitable protection measures must be adopted. The concentration of the household type is lower, and the effect may be slower, but safer. The concentration for industrial use were usually used for bleaching fabrics, pulp, grass, and bamboo products, and it could also be used for the organic synthesis and polymer synthesis of these products. In addition, this type could also be used for producing organic and inorganic peroxides. Apart from that, the electroplating industry, the three waste treatment, food, the pharmaceutical industries, and other aspects, are all places where it can be used. When it is added to food, it can decompose and release oxygen and is used for sterilization, bleaching, antisepsis, deodorization, etc.
After eating foods with the concentration-rich hydrogen peroxide, one will have stomachache, chest pains, dyspnea, vomiting, temporary movement and sensory disturbances, elevated body temperatures, and other symptoms, and may even be visual impaired, with epilepsy-like cramps, and paresis.
In addition, hydrogen peroxide could also cause DNA damage and gene mutations in the human body and accelerate the aging process of the human body; it is closely related to the development of Parkinson’s disease in the elderly, stroke, arteriosclerosis, and diabetic nephropathy and diabetic neuropathy. It was quite harmful to the human body.
The weather was hot now, and food was not easy to keep. In order to make money, many unscrupulous manufacturers would soak the perishables or even rotten food in hydrogen peroxide, in an attempt to maintain the fresh luster of the food surface for sale, and Ding Ning detested such evil-hearted manufacturers.