Chapter 12: Forced Resignation
Chapter 12: Forced Resignation
The major murder case at the Green Tree Manor could not be kept under wraps after all. The next day, many local newspapers reported on it.
Although the detailed circumstances of the case were unclear, they at least reported that there were twelve victims and that firearms were involved.
Then on the third day, the Fuzhou City Bureau openly addressed the case, holding a press conference to introduce the details to the media.
The most surprising part was the identities of the victims. Eight of them were poachers who had once poached extensively in Lingnan and were a veteran team within a poaching group. They not only hunted rare animals but also often captured certain rare species alive as pets for clients. Comparatively, the latter was more lucrative.
Moreover, this group of poachers was also linked to five murder cases in Lingnan. They were actually fugitives on the run. Among them, Huang Sheng was responsible for three human lives, all of whom were police officers!
The case files transferred from Lingnan showed that these individuals were all heinous criminals. The Lingnan police had pursued and intercepted them for years without success. Recently, this group had drifted to Fuzhou to commit crimes. Four of them were arrested by the police, and eight were murdered in the villa area of Green Tree Manor.
As for the remaining four, the police did not provide too much information to the media, only mentioning in passing that they were involved with organized crime.
But even this was enough for the media and the public to speculate wildly about this major murder case with twelve victims. Was it a revenge killing? Or was it criminals turning on each other?
When it was learned from the police that there was a high likelihood of only one perpetrator, suspected to be a professional hitman, this information exploded in Fuzhou. It was important to note that three of the victims were found scattered outside the villas, ranging from one hundred to three hundred meters away. Judging from the scene, these twelve people were chased and killed. If it was done by one person, how formidable must that person be?
Twelve armed, robust men were chased down by one person, fleeing for their lives, and each was killed with a single, fatal blow.
Was this a movie? Was this The Professional? Or Wanted?
Four to five days after the Green Tree Manor incident, the case gradually fermented. Because the victims were all criminals, fugitives, and the like, the public did not panic over the major murder case. Instead, everyone was talking about this hitman.
After all, the profession of a hitman was too distant from ordinary people. Especially such a formidable figure. Most people believed this would not affect their lives.
So the public’s hot topic quickly shifted from the murder case itself to the mysterious hitman.
Some discussed whether such a cinematic hitman, capable of taking on ten at once with one-shot kills, really existed in this world.
Some discussed the hitman’s motives. Could it be that he was executing justice, killing one person with every ten steps?
Even some university students wondered about the hitman’s gender, appearance? Was it a contradictory personality, both cold and gentle?
Later, people online even began to idolize the hitman. The topic had long since thrown the murder case itself to the far ends of the earth.
Soon, to steer public opinion, many media outlets began to promote correct legal concepts. Regardless of his reasons, this hitman was also a criminal himself.
Killing was a crime. No matter whether those he killed deserved it or not, he broke the law. It was absolutely not something to advocate or admire.
…
No matter how much of a storm this case stirred in Fuzhou, when Lan Mu looked at these public opinions, feeling both amused and exasperated, he had already returned to Metropolis.
“This matter caused such a huge uproar. It’s a wonder the Fuzhou authorities tried so hard to cover it up, but in the end, there wasn’t much chaos!”
“These days, people’s focus simply isn’t on whether it’s a major murder case or not.”
Lan Mu smiled and closed the news on his phone, turning his thoughts back to his own matters in Metropolis.
“The newspaper must have some problem. Editor-in-Chief Liang blocked me. I should still first find Cheng Ming to probe the situation.”
Upon arriving in Metropolis, Lan Mu did not go to the newspaper first. Instead, he went home first. It was a rented place, one bedroom and one living room. He lived alone, quite carefree.
As soon as he got home, he called Cheng Ming again. This time, the call connected quickly.
“Brother Mu, what’s up? I just got back to Metropolis, and you already knew?” Cheng Ming’s voice was loud. He was usually brash, speaking as if afraid others couldn’t hear him.
Hearing this, Lan Mu understood immediately and asked, “You were on a business trip too?”
“Of course. Two days after you left, I went with Boss Yang to Changzhou. I heard a Han Dynasty ancient tomb was excavated there. Our newspaper sent sixteen people! I went too. Gotta say, it was really amazing. I heard it’s the Han Dynasty tomb with the greatest archaeological contribution discovered so far.”
Lan Mu asked, “Something like excavating an ancient tomb—how could it be done in just a week?”
Cheng Ming coughed twice, his voice finally lowering.
“Well… that’s… we didn’t need that many people? They say it’ll take three to four years to excavate. Our newspaper just left two people there long-term, so I came back.”
Lan Mu hummed in acknowledgment and then said, “Then you don’t know what’s been happening at the newspaper these past few days either?”
“What’s happening? What situation?”
Lan Mu was on good terms with Cheng Ming, so he directly told him about being forced down from Fanli Mountain, living like a wild man for seven days, then fighting with poachers, escaping with his life on the line, and later assisting the police in solving the case.
He told Cheng Ming everything he could. Just that was bizarre enough. What ordinary person encounters such things? One could say his experiences alone were enough for a big news story.
“…You have no idea, that shot hit my left arm. Luckily, I was lying on the ground at the time. If my leg had been injured, you would never have seen me again!”
“…That’s basically what happened. You can check the news from Fuzhou these past few days, then you’ll know I’m not lying. It really was a huge case! I identified the bodies up close!”
“…Editor-in-Chief Liang definitely blocked me. Every time I call him, it’s always busy. Even if he wants to fire me, there should be a formal termination procedure, right? Just acting like I don’t exist? What kind of thing is that?”
After listening, Cheng Ming took a while to digest it all before saying, “Brother Mu, you went on one business trip and encountered so many things? Tsk tsk, how come nothing happens on my business trips?”
“Stop joking. Seems you don’t know what’s going on either. I wanted to ask you to probe the situation, but never mind. I’d better hurry to the newspaper!” Lan Mu shook his head.
Cheng Ming quickly said, “Alright, come quickly then. I’m almost at the newspaper. I’ll probe the situation for you first, okay? I mean, Brother Mu, why are you always so suspicious? Logically, you disappeared for so many days without even asking for leave. They couldn’t find you. No wonder Editor-in-Chief Liang blocked you!”
“Tch!” Lan Mu couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. He hung up directly, tidied his appearance a bit, found another bank card at home, and then went out.
He first withdrew a thousand yuan, replenishing his long-dry pockets, then took a taxi directly to the Morning Light Newspaper.
Just as he got out of the taxi at the newspaper’s entrance, he received a call from Cheng Ming.
“How is it? Is Editor-in-Chief Liang there?”
Cheng Ming said, “Brother Mu, something seems off! Editor-in-Chief Liang unilaterally announced your resignation. Your office has been taken over by someone else…”
Lan Mu frowned upon hearing this and said, “What’s going on? What about the things in my office?”
“They’re all thrown in the warehouse. Want me to get them for you?” Cheng Ming asked.
“Get your head! Hmm… is the chief editor in?”
Lan Mu had worked there for several years after all. Not to mention the force majeure incident; even if he was absent for many days and they wanted to terminate his contract, fine. But who fires someone unilaterally when the person isn’t there? Without even a heads-up? Is a text message enough? Directly blocking him?
Maybe. The editor-in-chief could indeed fire him with a word. But shouldn’t you follow procedure? Not even giving a chance to explain? Directly blocking?
Cheng Ming also thought it was strange and said, “The chief editor went to the capital. He left Metropolis the same day you did. Now Editor-in-Chief Liang can handle many matters for the newspaper. He’s already settled things with HR for you.”
Lan Mu pondered for a moment and said, “I’m outside the newspaper. Come out first.”
After a while, Cheng Ming came out. He had short hair, about an inch long, dressed casually, and was a full 180 cm tall. As for his looks… one could only say he was patriotic.
Cheng Ming walked to Lan Mu, first offered him a cigarette, and the two stood outside the newspaper office smoking before starting to talk.
“Brother Mu, I ran into Editor-in-Chief Liang just as I came out. I asked him directly. He said according to your contract, the newspaper can unilaterally terminate it with you. Handling matters by the book is not a problem. He also told me to notify you to collect your things and go to HR to get the termination notice.”
“According to the contract? The contract also mentions force majeure! I almost didn’t make it back alive, and he’s handling it ‘by the book’ with me?” Lan Mu was annoyed at inexplicably losing his job.
It wasn’t that he was particularly attached to this job. With his abilities, among so many newspapers in Metropolis, he could work at another one just the same.
It just seemed like this Editor-in-Chief Liang was deliberately targeting him, which made him angry.
Originally, if they terminated the contract, fine. A happy, peaceful parting. Why did he have to make it so nasty?
Lan Mu and Cheng Ming entered the newspaper office. Everyone in the unit knew them.
“Oh! You’re back? I heard you resigned? Found something better?” A colleague, rushing out of the newspaper, saw Lan Mu and said with a smile.
Lan Mu forced a smile and said, “What better thing? I was forced to resign. Alright, you go about your business.”
They walked to the warehouse of the general affairs office. The warehouse manager saw him and immediately understood.
“Here to collect your things? Sign here.”
Lan Mu didn’t move to sign immediately and said first, “No hurry to sign. Let me check if anything is missing.”
The warehouse manager nodded, took Lan Mu into the warehouse, pointed to a box, and said, “These are all yours. People from your office packed them for you.”
Lan Mu checked. Nothing was missing. Everything he kept in his office was there, not a single item less.
“I’ll come back later to collect it. I think I need to go to HR too?”
“Don’t wait. Collect it now.”
Lan Mu shook his head and went with Cheng Ming directly to the HR department.
At the entrance, he spotted a junior clerk inside at a glance and immediately called out, “Zhang Qun!”
Then he gave a meaningful look. Seeing Lan Mu, Zhang Qun immediately understood and ran out of the office.
“Brother Mu, you’re finally back! Where on earth did you go?”
Lan Mu explained again why he had disappeared. Zhang Qun grinned and said, “You’re something else! So you were the one who exposed that poacher case! I thought that new guy was really that amazing!”
But then he frowned and said, “Brother Mu, you came back too late. Old Liang has handled everything. Unless the chief editor says otherwise, you’re already considered resigned.”
“Wait, wait… new guy? What situation? How do you know about the Fuzhou poacher case? Saw it online?” Lan Mu asked.
“The Fuzhou poacher case? Who doesn’t know? The man-sized Giant Wild Boar—that was news from a few days ago. In Metropolis, our newspaper had the exclusive first report.” Zhang Qun continued, “A new guy joined a while ago. On his very first day, he brought in news. With pictures and truth—a man-sized Giant Wild Boar, its tusks thicker than my arm.”
Lan Mu glanced at Cheng Ming and said, “The Fuzhou poacher case was reported in Metropolis days ago?”
Cheng Ming said, “I don’t know. I just got back too.”
Lan Mu suddenly smiled and nodded. “I understand.”
“Old Liang, you’re really something!”
Cheng Ming understood immediately upon hearing this and said, “Brother Mu, did Old Liang take your news and then dump you?”
Lan Mu showed him the MMS from his phone’s draft folder. Seeing the detailed content and the original pictures from the newspaper, Cheng Ming and Zhang Qun immediately understood.
“Damn it, is he crazy? How much is that news worth? Couldn’t he have said something before publishing it?”
Lan Mu shook his head. “It’s not about how much it’s worth. That new guy is his relative, right?”
“Old Liang was already angry that I disappeared for a few days. He already said in a text that he would fire me.”
“I think he originally just intended to fire me normally. After all, I was absent without reason. He has no particular friendship with me. Handling it by the book is normal.”
“But with that new guy, it’s different. Just my luck, before calling him, I sent that MMS. Afterwards, when I called him, I was blocked.”
“I guess he changed his mind after seeing the MMS, got an idea, and then gave the news to his relative to pave the way.”
Cheng Ming and Zhang Qun said angrily, “Let’s call the chief editor and show him the MMS on your phone.”
Lan Mu shook his head again. “No. Although I could resolve this by going to the chief editor, I don’t want to do that.”
“To be honest, I’d rather work on free projects. Now is just the right time. I have no objection to Old Liang firing me. I’d already thought about it. I just didn’t expect him to do it in such an ugly way.”
“I plan to do news on my own, without any contract with any media outlet. Then, whenever I want to provide material to any outlet, I can provide material.”
After hearing this, Cheng Ming suddenly said, “Good! I support you! Brother Mu, I’ll resign too.”
Lan Mu laughed. “Resign my foot! I was fired!”
“Brother Mu, Boss Yang keeps me down with no chance of advancement. I’ve wanted to quit for a long time!” Cheng Ming said disdainfully.
Lan Mu put his arm around Cheng Ming’s shoulder, and both looked at Zhang Qun.
Zhang Qun smiled bitterly and said, “You two are impressive. My family finally got me this job… I…”
Lan Mu laughed heartily. “I’m not asking you to resign! Work hard. From now on, I’ll be relying on fate for my livelihood. You’re better off staying stable at the newspaper.”
Watching them carry the box and leave the newspaper, Zhang Qun pursed his lips and muttered, “Wanting freedom? Where is there such a free thing?”