The sky was gradually brightening, and the small county town in the morning was filled with the scent of life.
The wet market was bustling with activity, vendors' cries rising and falling. Blue smoke curled from household chimneys, accompanied by the aroma of cooking.
At the police station, in the interrogation room, it was also time for breakfast.
Before Qin Chuan sat two large baskets of xiaolongbao, a bowl of old tofu, and a bowl of egg drop soup. He was eating with relish, as if he were at home.
The only drawback was that his phone had been confiscated, preventing him from contacting the outside world.
After eating his fill, a young police officer came in to clear away the dishes.
"Brother, got a smoke?" Qin Chuan asked.
The young police officer hesitated for a moment before taking out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, his face full of embarrassment. "Boss Qin, my cigarettes are a bit harsh. I'm afraid you won't be used to them."
He had witnessed how the captain and deputy director had treated Qin Chuan the previous night, and he knew this was a significant figure whom he absolutely could not afford to offend.
Qin Chuan glanced at the brand name on the cigarette pack and smiled. "Hu Die Quan, I've smoked this before. It's quite good! The flavor is particularly mellow and pure!"
As he spoke, he took out a cigarette, lit it, and inhaled with an expression of contentment.
He had smoked his own pack of cigarettes down to the last one during the night.
Suddenly, the cigarette in Qin Chuan's mouth dropped to the floor. He bent down to pick it up.
"Brother, can you do me a favor?"
The young police officer standing nearby heard a faint voice, his body slightly stiffened, and then his mind quickly began to work.
He knew very well who this young man, who was around his age, was. Not just him, but many young people in the entire county considered Qin Chuan an idol.
After all, Qin Chuan's rise to prominence was too legendary. In just one year, he had gone from being a penniless ordinary rural youth to a wealthy magnate worth tens of millions.
He had many followers, dared to challenge the renowned Han Shifei, and had emerged victorious multiple times.
He had a strong network in the county and knew many influential leaders.
For someone like him, a low-ranking police officer, it was nearly impossible to get close to such a figure, let alone have them ask for a favor.
If he could help Qin Chuan, wouldn't that mean his own destiny could change?
In less than three seconds, the young police officer decisively made his choice.
"Oh, my cigarette pack dropped too?" The young police officer's cigarette pack fell to the floor, and he quickly bent down to pick it up.
"Boss Qin, how do you want me to help you?" While picking up the cigarettes, the young police officer lowered his voice and asked quickly.
There were cameras in the interrogation room, after all.
"After you go out, help me make a phone call to ###. Just tell him I'm here and ask him to come over quickly." Qin Chuan said rapidly.
"Alright, I'll go right away!" The young police officer picked up the cigarette pack, collected the dishes, and quickly left.
Qin Chuan also stood up from the floor, his expression tinged with a hint of grimness.
More than five hours had passed since the incident late last night, and he had expected someone to contact him by now.
But to his surprise, no one had come. There was only one possible explanation for this situation – all his elite members were temporarily restricted.
The fight last night had been a heavy blow to Qin Chuan's side. Not only were two key members, Bai Xiaoguang and Yao Dong, injured, but he and Zheng Chengdao had also been brought to the police station.
Furthermore, his elder brother Qin Yang and second brother Qin Gang were definitely under surveillance, their communication devices confiscated, and they were temporarily prevented from contacting the outside world.
With so many people being restricted simultaneously, it was as if all of Qin Chuan's elites had been taken down at once. It was the first time since his rise that Qin Chuan had encountered such a large-scale "group annihilation."
There was no choice; after all, the one who had acted last night was Nan Hongya, the most powerful trump card on Han Shifei's side.
The situation was unfavorable to him. Qin Chuan had not slept at all last night, tossing and turning, pondering who could help him in this situation.
Li Ya was definitely out. Qin Chuan did not want her to get involved in such matters, and he didn't even want her to know about it.
The people at the electronics factory, Ye Meiyun, Xu Ronghua, and the others, were also unsuitable. They were legitimate businessmen and had no understanding of how deep the waters in this industry ran.
County Mayor Ye Qingping and Wang Ping'an could help him, but it was best not to easily involve someone of Ye Qingping's stature. Favors were not easily owed, and Qin Chuan felt it was better to handle this himself.
Considering his own circle, Qin Chuan thought and thought, and there was only one person who was most suitable.
That person was Chen Jinyu.
Although Chen Jinyu was primarily responsible for the interior decoration company's affairs, he was also somewhat involved in these matters.
Many times, when Qin Chuan chatted with Zheng Chengdao, Bai Xiaoguang, Yao Dong, and others, he did not exclude Chen Jinyu.
Moreover, most of his brothers knew Chen Jinyu and had a good relationship with him.
If Chen Jinyu were to give orders and handle some matters, many of the subordinates would be willing to listen.
The most important point was that Chen Jinyu was a very smart person.
Waiting was always long, but Chen Jinyu had actually arrived quite quickly, coming in less than half an hour. However, Qin Chuan, in the interrogation room, felt as if a long time had passed.
When he saw Chen Jinyu entering with Xiao Guodong, Qin Chuan's spirits immediately lifted.
"You have two minutes. Keep it brief," Xiao Guodong said as he walked in.
Strictly speaking, under these special circumstances, Qin Chuan was not allowed to see anyone except his lawyer.
Xiao Guodong allowing Chen Jinyu to enter was already a violation of protocol.
However, as the captain, he was perfectly capable of doing so.
"Thank you, Captain Xiao!" Qin Chuan said gratefully. After Xiao Guodong left, Chen Jinyu finally revealed his true expression, his face full of panic. "Boss, what on earth is going on?"
"How can it feel like the world has turned upside down overnight? I called Brother Dao, Brother Yang, and the others, but all their phones were switched off."
Qin Chuan gestured for Chen Jinyu to calm down. "Jinyu, for now, you just need to know that you are the only elite member we have left. You, Brother Dao, and Brother Yang are all temporarily restricted."
"From now on, remember my words carefully and do exactly as I say..."
The two minutes were very short. Soon, someone knocked on the door from outside, urging them that their time was up.
"Alright, go!"
"Don't worry about me here." Qin Chuan said.
"Boss, I'm leaving then! I'll make sure to complete the mission." Chen Jinyu stood up, his expression extremely serious.
About half an hour after Chen Jinyu left, two cars sped towards the entrance of the police station.
After the cars stopped, many people emerged from them.
The person in the lead was Ye Meiyun, followed by Xu Ronghua, and behind them, a group of elite personnel from Xinhua Electronics Factory, including the factory's lawyer.
After the group entered the police station, they found Deputy Director Zhou Rong. "Hello, I am the lawyer for Boss Qin Chuan. We are here to apply for bail for Mr. Qin Chuan."