"Miss Mu Chiwangmu, you misunderstand me. When I speak of eradicating them, I don't mean eliminating everyone. My policy is to divide and strike. I will only eliminate the ringleaders who are committing evil deeds; those who were coerced will be pardoned. This way, the resistance will be minimal," Chen Feng replied with a serious expression.
"Killing some and sparing others is a good idea, but will ordinary people understand? Will they gossip about you, saying you colluded with the Miao cult?" Mu Chiwangmu asked cautiously.
"Yes," Chen Feng replied with a faint smile.
"Yes? How do you know ordinary people will act like that?" Miss Mu Chiwangmu followed up.
"You, as the deputy county magistrate, have such misconceptions. It's completely normal for ordinary people to have them. But it doesn't matter..." Chen Feng continued with a calm smile.
"The populace not understanding is a great taboo in the political arena. How can you say it doesn't matter?" Mu Chiwangmu asked, bewildered.
"Miss Mu Chiwangmu, you are also a political staff member. You need to understand some things about the political arena. For instance, the common people don't fully grasp our policies in Ji Miao County. What should we do? There's no need to panic. For minor matters, we can patiently explain. For major matters, no explanation is needed; facts speak for themselves. Initially, there will certainly be much misunderstanding. However, once the dust settles and facts are established, the misunderstandings will naturally fade away. Take the Miao cult in Ji Miao County as an example. A large portion of the people in Ji Miao County truly don't understand why I would kill some and spare others, whether there's an exchange of power or backroom deals. None of that matters. When the government makes a major decision, there's no need to follow the populace at every step; one must have their own judgment! If the judgment is correct, then one can act with confidence. After a month, the people of Ji Miao County will understand us, because through a month of division and strikes, the dark forces in Ji Miao County will be completely eradicated," Chen Feng explained word by word.
Mu Chiwangmu deeply agreed.
Chen Feng didn't hesitate and immediately went to find the second-in-command of the Miao cult, who was not a member of the Da Wang family.
"Deputy County Magistrate Chen, are you looking for the wrong person? I am a sworn brother to the cult leader. Are you trying to sow discord between us?" the second-in-command of the Miao cult replied coldly.
"Indeed, I want you to defect," Chen Feng admitted frankly.
"Deputy County Magistrate Chen, you can leave. The cult leader and I are sworn brothers. We share fortunes and face hardships together. Don't waste your effort," the second-in-command of the Miao cult replied righteously.
"I admire your righteous chivalry, but I strongly advise you not to act this way. If not for yourself, then consider your lover," Chen Feng spoke directly to the vital point.
When persuading someone, one must target their vulnerabilities. Otherwise, a thousand words would be futile. For the second-in-command of the Miao cult, he could abandon his wife and children, but not his lover. This lover was a childhood sweetheart. Due to religious marriage customs, the second-in-command couldn't marry his childhood sweetheart. Because of this, he felt very guilty towards her and loved her to his very core. This is also a common trait in most men; what they cannot have is always the best.
"What do you mean?" the second-in-command's tone softened instantly.
"What do I mean? You should have anticipated this day long ago. Cults can only develop for a time, not forever. No country in the world allows cults to develop unchecked. This year, China has launched a large-scale special campaign against organized crime, which includes cults," Chen Feng explained calmly.
"So what if there's a crackdown on organized crime? Hasn't the Miao cult in Ji Miao County been developing well every year during these crackdowns?" the second-in-command of the Miao cult asked dismissively.
"That's just your misconception. The reason the crackdowns didn't affect Ji Miao County before was that they were still in the pilot phase. To put it bluntly, for the past few years, the crackdown on organized crime was only piloted in a few major cities in China to accumulate experience. Years have passed, and China has accumulated rich experience in combating organized crime, making it possible to get serious and promote it nationwide. Therefore, this time, the Miao cult in Ji Miao County has nowhere to escape," Chen Feng continued to explain calmly.
"Even so, we're not afraid. The Miao cult in Ji Miao County has strong backing from Nan Miao City," the second-in-command of the Miao cult insisted stubbornly.
Chen Feng stopped explaining further, as any more explanation would sound hollow. He had to use facts to make the second-in-command of the Miao cult realize the truth. Thus, Chen Feng opened the official website of the Ji Miao County government, where a news item stated that Nan Miao City fully supports the local religious development of Ji Miao County, particularly the Night Cult.
"You've read the news. Think carefully, why would Nan Miao City strongly support local religions?" the second-in-command of the Miao cult probed.
"Is it to weaken the influence of the Miao cult?"
"You guessed right! Otherwise, do you think the Religious Affairs Bureau of Nan Miao City has nothing better to do than invest heavily in the Night Cult in Ji Miao County?" Chen Feng seized the opportunity and replied.
"Deputy County Magistrate Chen, after your explanation, it feels like the authorities are indeed serious about cracking down on the Miao cult. The problem is, I am the second-in-command of the Miao cult, a core figure in the cult. Will the authorities spare me?" the second-in-command of the Miao cult asked with concern.
"Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't spare you. However, you are lucky to have encountered a special situation. The authorities' main focus is on cracking down on the Da Wang family. So, as long as you cooperate with them in cracking down on the Da Wang family, you will be absolutely fine." As Chen Feng said this, the second-in-command of the Miao cult immediately declared his willingness to defect, emphasizing it was a must.
However, the problem arose: how to defect?
"How to defect? That's also simple. Find a way to make all the Miao cult members obey you. Then, you can slowly transform the Miao cult into a legitimate religion. This way, you will not only atone for your past sins but also be promoted by one rank, becoming the cult leader," Chen Feng explained.
"This is a good plan," the second-in-command of the Miao cult exclaimed excitedly.
"Let's do this. We will find a way to stall the Da Wang family, keeping them from monitoring you for a week. During this time, you can quickly gain control of the cult members. After a week, we will dispatch special police to arrest all members of the Da Wang family," Chen Feng stated firmly.
The second-in-command of the Miao cult wasted no time and immediately began contacting the cult members one by one according to Chen Feng's plan.
Chen Feng thought carefully; everything was ready except for the crucial element. How to persuade the Ji Miao County Special Police Brigade to willingly move in and take down the Da Wang family. However, after a day of consideration, he still felt it was unreliable. Most government departments in Ji Miao County were thoroughly corrupt. For example, if they discussed arresting the Miao cult with the Ji Miao County Special Police Brigade, the news would leak to the Miao cult immediately. This was not unique to Ji Miao County; most anti-crime operations encountered the problem of protection rackets. After much deliberation, Chen Feng decided to seek help from the provincial capital. To completely bring down the Da Wang family, it was necessary to conduct the arrest in a different location to ensure it was done without anyone noticing.
"Chen Feng, you've truly understood the issue of protection rackets in China's political arena. But the question is, will the provincial special police listen to you?" Qin Yan asked with a dejected expression, voicing her doubts.