Reborn as Zhao Ruilong of Handong, I will defy fate.

Chapter 269 The Death of Chen Tai: A Bizarre Car Accident!

"What? Chen Tai is dead?"

Zhao Ruilong and Zhao Lidong exclaimed in unison.

The news of their deaths was completely unexpected for the two of them.

Especially Zhao Ruilong...

As a time traveler, he was familiar with the plot of the original series, "Raging Wind".

In the original drama, Chen Tai used the Mangcun project as an opportunity in 2006 to support Cheng Cheng and Gao Qiqiang in their battle of wits.

As a result, Chengcheng lost the battle of wits and died on the ship leaving Jinghai. Chen Tai was also sidelined by Gao Qiqiang and retired from public life.

Even after she transmigrated, her second uncle, Zhao Lidong, changed his mindset, no longer needing to be corrupt and greedy, and only wanting to make progress.

But Zhao Lidong's change shouldn't affect Chen Tai's fate!

After all, it's only 2001 now, and 2006 is still a long way off.

Meng Dehai has been transferred to Qinghua District as the top official. In order to achieve political achievements, he will definitely do his best to promote the construction of a highway that passes through Mangcun.

But the problem is...

Even now, Jinghai City's ring expressway, which would alleviate traffic congestion in surrounding districts and counties and ensure smooth logistics and trade, has not yet been completed and opened to traffic.

Even if Meng Dehai's expressway plan is submitted to the city and approved through the approval process, it will still take many years.

In addition, Chengcheng was only released from prison last year and returned to Jinghai Construction Group.

Gao Qiqiang also ousted Xu Jiang last year, became Chen Tai's godfather, and joined Jinghai Construction.

Both of them are still in the stage of working hard and accumulating strength in the group, and it is not yet time for them to fight for power.

Chen Tai, who is not yet sixty years old, has not aged as much as he did in the original series in 2006, and his blood pressure does not spike easily when he gets angry.

At this time, Chen Tai was only in his fifties!

With his years of accumulated experience and life lessons, he could take advantage of the Tang family's downfall and the subsequent takeover of Haifu Group to make good use of his two generals, Gao Qiqiang and Cheng Cheng, to develop and expand Jinghai Construction Group.

result……

He's dead!

This news was, of course, completely unexpected for Zhao Ruilong.

I never expected that Chen Tai, whom I met at the Xiawan Power Plant project yesterday afternoon, and who lived until 2006 in the original drama before being sidelined and retired by Gao Qiqiang, would pass away so suddenly.

This moment.

Zhao Ruilong subconsciously believed that Chen Tai's death was too suspicious and was very likely not an accident.

Zhao Ruilong and Zhao Lidong were both stunned.

Zhong Xiaoai, who was about to go to the airport with them to fly back to Jingzhou, naturally didn't ramble on.

"He died in a car accident. It is said that the entire car was smashed into a pile of scrap metal, so there was no need for rescue. He and the driver were crushed and deformed."

"Fuck!"

Zhao Ruilong couldn't help but sigh.

Zhao Lidong, standing to the side, asked urgently:

Where was the car accident?

“In Dongshan District, after visiting the onshore wind farm project, I was in a car accident on my way back to the main urban area. Because the accident site was not far from the project site, Mr. Feng called me immediately.”

After Zhao Lidong nodded, he looked thoughtfully at Zhao Ruilong.

"Isn't this project still in the survey and design stage? Is it already decided that Jinghai Construction will be responsible for the construction?"

Zhao Ruilong chuckled.

“My business partnership with Gao Qisheng is going quite well, and his brother Gao Qiqiang works for Jinghai Construction Group. How could I not give him face?”

"Besides, Chen Tai spent a lot of manpower, resources and money to make the area around the company look brand new before Huilong Energy Company was officially established yesterday. I should reciprocate, shouldn't I?"

Zhao Lidong nodded slightly.

"Then it makes perfect sense for him to go to the project site and take a look."

"But how did they end up in a car accident on their way back to the city?"

At this point, Zhao Lidong turned his gaze back to Zhong Xiaoai.

"They must have called the police, right?"

"Such a serious car accident must have been reported."

No sooner had Zhong Xiaoai finished speaking than Zhao Xialing, who had been unable to contain her curiosity any longer, leaned out of the van and asked:

"Who died in a car accident? Judging from your expressions, it seems like this is quite serious!"

Zhao Lidong glanced sideways at his daughter.

"Chen Tai, Chairman of Jinghai Construction Group!"

"If it weren't for this accident, he could very well have become the leading figure in Jinghai Construction and a real estate tycoon in just three or four years!"

Zhao Xialing was stunned for a moment, then sneered:

"If someone didn't deliberately try to kill him, then he was really unlucky!"

"Before I've even achieved fame and success, and made something of myself, I've been crushed into mincemeat!"

Zhao Lidong glanced at his wife, who was still secretly wiping away tears.

"Alright, car accidents happen every day. When in our Dragon Country doesn't someone die?"

"Whenever you're out and about, accidents are bound to happen. Even if you stay at home, there are still things like earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and fires, right?"

At this point, Zhao Lidong looked at Zhao Ruilong.

Their eyes met, and they instantly understood each other, both feeling that Chen Tai's death was far too unexpected and suspicious.

Even if Zhao Ruilong doesn't say it, Zhao Lidong still wants to find out the truth.

"It's getting late, you should hurry up and head to the airport! Drive carefully!"

"Okay, then, Uncle and Aunt, we're leaving. Please call us anytime if you need anything."

Zhao Ruilong and Zhong Xiaoai got on the bus one after the other.

Soon, the van slowly started moving and drove away.

"Alright, why are you crying? Xiaoling is going to Handong for an internship with Ruilong, it's not like she's marrying him and never coming back!"

"I'm just worried about her, wondering if she can take good care of herself over there."

"Worry, worry! What are you worried about? She's in her twenties, what's there to worry about?"

Zhao Lidong looked at his wife and felt a surge of anger.

"Besides, Handong is Zhao Ruilong's territory. Xiaoling has food, lodging, and protection there. Why are you so worried?"

“I think Ruilong made a good point last night when he was drinking: as children grow up, they should be exposed to society and experience more.”

“Otherwise, if she continues to live under her parents’ careful protection, how will she become independent? How will she adapt to society? If we’re gone, will she just stop living?”

Seeing his wife crying even harder, Zhao Lidong felt extremely frustrated.

"Alright, alright, go home and cry if you want. I have to get to the accident scene!"

"What are you going there for? It's just a car accident, do you really need to get involved?"

“If it were an ordinary person who died in a car accident, I wouldn’t need to show up. But Chen Tai is a well-known entrepreneur in Jinghai. I’m about to become the mayor of Jinghai, in charge of economic development. How can I not value private entrepreneurs?”

"Moreover, Jinghai Construction Group is also undertaking the Xiawan Thermal Power Plant project invested by Ruilong. I need to go to the site in person to find out whether Chen Tai's death was a simple traffic accident or a premeditated murder that was carefully planned!"

Seeing his wife looking somewhat bewildered, Zhao Lidong waved his hand impatiently.

"Alright, alright, you should go back now. Don't wait for me for dinner; I don't know how late I'll be busy tonight!"

After saying that, Zhao Lidong strode towards his Audi.

Secretary Wang hurriedly put away his phone and rushed to open the door for Zhao Lidong.

He then sat in the passenger seat, fastened his seatbelt, and turned to Zhao Lidong in the back, saying:

"The news has been confirmed. Chen Tai and his driver were indeed involved in a car accident on the North Ring Road in Dongshan District."

"The vehicle involved in the accident was a speeding and overloaded dump truck. The driver did not flee the scene; instead, he called the police immediately."

"According to him, he has been extremely busy lately, making more than a dozen trips back and forth. In order to earn more money, he has been overloading and speeding."

"He didn't take a nap after lunch and continued running. According to him, he drank two bottles of ice-cold beer after get off work last night."

"However, a breathalyzer test was conducted on him at the scene, and there was no abnormal reaction. He has now been taken to the hospital for examination to see if he is suspected of drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs."

Zhao Lidong, sitting in the back seat, frowned.

"Whether he was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or driving while fatigued, even if the dump truck was speeding and overloaded and crashed into Chen Tai's car, it shouldn't have been crushed into a pile of scrap metal, right?"

Secretary Wang adjusted his glasses.

"The problem is that Chen Tai's car was rear-ended and then collided with a large coal truck in front of it."

"It's like his car was sandwiched between a large truck and a dump truck, one in front and one behind. With such a huge impact, it naturally became like a sandwich filling..."

In order to help Zhao Lidong understand the car accident more intuitively and vividly.

Secretary Wang was gesturing with his hands as he spoke.

However, Zhao Lidong understood the situation immediately, even though it was a simple rear-end collision that turned into a pincer movement.

As a coastal city with a relatively prosperous economy, Jinghai City has a considerable number of cars.

Therefore, car accidents in Jinghai happen frequently, with at least dozens or even hundreds of people injured or killed every year.

As the political and legal secretary of Jinghai, overseeing traffic safety was one of Zhao Lidong's responsibilities, and he learned about many car accidents during his tenure.

The car accident that Chen Tai encountered today is certainly not new or rare.

Every year, there are many traffic accidents with injuries and fatalities caused by freight vehicles being oversized, overloaded, speeding, running red lights, or having brake failure.

Zhao Lidong was secretly relieved that the accident did not involve a heavy-duty trailer carrying hazardous chemicals.

If a gas explosion or rollover leak occurs during a car accident, it could be a serious problem.

Car accidents are quite common, but the fact that Chen Tai, known as the underground godfather of Jinghai, died in a car accident still surprised Zhao Lidong.

Speechless all the way.

An Audi limousine quickly rushed to the accident scene.

Due to the severity of the accident, the affected section of road has already been closed.

Traffic police guided vehicles to change routes at the previous intersection.

However, after Secretary Wang revealed his identity, and with the special pass on the Audi, he was able to drive smoothly into the area where the incident occurred.

Deep skid marks and scattered vehicle debris were clearly visible along the way.

Upon reaching the point of impact, the coal truck was seen tilted and rammed against the road.

The dump truck involved in the accident had an elevated cargo box overflowing with construction waste, indicating it was quite heavy.

Chen Tai's Mercedes-Benz was squeezed so tightly it looked like a compressed iron can that had been flattened by a giant's hammer.

To prevent a fire and explosion after a fuel leak, someone sprayed the vehicle wreckage with a fire extinguisher, which is why it looks white.

But that’s fine too.

The gruesome corpse, crushed into a pulp, would not be so obvious.

After the car came to a complete stop, Zhao Lidong opened the door and got out.

Several cars were parked next to the crime scene.

In addition to traffic police, road administration, fire, medical and other related vehicles.

There were also cars from Huilong Energy Company, as well as two expensive imported Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Zhao Lidong glanced at Gao Qiqiang and his wife, who were sitting on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably under the scorching sun.

Wearing a shirt, trousers, and leather shoes, and sporting a slicked-back hairstyle, Gao Qiqiang should have looked like a successful person.

He was once married to Chen Shuting, the wife of Bai Jiangbo, a powerful figure in the underground world of Jinghai Xiawan. Wearing a dress and high heels, with wavy hair, she should have been exceptionally charming and attractive.

But at this moment, they seemed too heartbroken and grief-stricken to care about how hot the weather was or how strong the sun was. They just lay sprawled on the ground, their expressions pained and sorrowful.

With some people nearby trying to persuade him, Zhao Lidong recognized Feng Zhengting and Tang Xiaohu.

Before I could even take a step forward, someone quickly came up to report the situation.

Based on the driver's account, eyewitness accounts, playback of intersection surveillance footage, and investigation of the accident scene...

Preliminary assessment indicates that this was a chain-reaction rear-end collision caused by a dump truck driver who was fatigued, negligent, speeding, overloaded, and ran a red light.

The accident caused the car, which was sandwiched in the middle, to be severely twisted and deformed. The two occupants of the car died at the scene, while the two truck drivers were not injured.

Zhao Lidong, who has been in politics for many years, is naturally very experienced in dealing with such incidents.

Without any prepared notes, one can deliver a speech in public.

The relevant departments are required to quickly investigate the cause of the accident and order a thorough investigation and severe punishment of freight vehicles that are overloaded or do not comply with traffic regulations.

Finally, of course, we couldn't help but visit the families of the victims, Mr. and Mrs. Gao Qiqiang, to offer them words of comfort.

Gao Qiqiang's superb acting skills naturally prevented Zhao Lidong from noticing anything amiss.

Even now, few people know that Xu Jiang, the former underworld boss of Jinghai, was shot to death by him.

He was able to rise from a fishmonger to a new big boss.

Gao Qiqiang was not merely someone well-versed in military strategy and possessed both courage and wisdom.

He was also very good at disguising himself, hiding his ruthlessness and viciousness beneath his honest and simple appearance.

and so……

Everything is so natural.

Even when they are heartbroken and crying, it is an extremely genuine expression of their emotions.

Although Zhao Lidong had some doubts, he wouldn't ask too many questions in public.

After completing the necessary procedures, Zhao Lidong got into his Audi and left.

Not long after I returned to my office, Secretary Wang knocked on the door and came in to report.

"I just checked, and Ruilong's plane has taken off on time."

"In addition, the test results for the driver who caused the accident have come out, ruling out drug driving and drunk driving."

"Currently, the Dongshan District authorities have determined that he bears full responsibility for the accident and are preparing to arrest him on charges of causing a traffic accident."

"The accident scene has been cleared, the road has been reopened to traffic, and the bodies of Chen Tai and his driver have been recovered from the wreckage and sent to the funeral home..."

Zhao Lidong interrupted, asking, "Has the background and identity of the driver who caused the accident been checked?"

"We checked, and he is a dump truck driver for Jinghai Hongyun Company. He has indeed been busy transporting construction waste every day recently, and there is a high suspicion that he is driving while fatigued."

"What's interesting is that this company is also cooperating with Jinghai Construction Group. The truckload of construction waste that was transported at the time of the accident was hauled from the construction site of the Jinghai Construction Group!"

Zhao Lidong smiled coldly.

"Wow, what a coincidence!"

"So, in that case, Chen Tai was essentially killed by his own driver!"

Secretary Wang smiled slightly, leaned down, and asked:

"So, do you think this case needs to be escalated and the Municipal Criminal Investigation Division should be involved in the investigation?"

Zhao Lidong narrowed his eyes slightly.

Chen Tai is a well-known entrepreneur in Jinghai City.

His car accident will naturally have a huge social impact, and the involvement of criminal investigation can help to find out the truth and uphold justice more quickly and effectively.

Based on relevant laws and regulations, as well as similar past cases, it is certainly not a problem to involve the criminal investigation team in the investigation; the question is whether it is necessary.

Do you think this car accident was an accident?

Secretary Wang adjusted his glasses.

"Chen Tai has been out of the public eye for many years. He finally survived until the Tang family was destroyed, merged with Haifu Group, and even got on the good side of President Zhao. He was on a strong upward trajectory."

"It's so unusual that he would have a car accident when he was so lucky. But if the accident was staged, who would want to kill him?"

Zhao Lidong picked up his teacup and gently blew on it.

"Whoever benefits the most is the prime suspect."

"You mean Chen Shuting? That can't be right."

Secretary Wang explained with some confusion:

"Chen Tai is a notorious old man who has no descendants, and Chen Shuting is his adopted daughter who was raised by him."

“This person is registered on his household registration book, which means he is his only relative in the world.”

"So no matter when Chen Tai dies, the huge fortune he has amassed will eventually belong to Chen Shuting. Why would Chen Shuting cause a car accident to kill him when his career is on the rise?"

Zhao Lidong put down his teacup.

"That's true. She doesn't need to fight for the family fortune. She has plenty of assets and businesses under her name, so there's no need for her to fight for it."

"Even if he's blinded by greed, it's not too late to take action after he's developed Jinghai Construction better."

Secretary Wang suggested, "Since this car accident is so strange, why don't we have Li Xiang and the others investigate it thoroughly?"

Zhao Lidong shook his head slightly.

"Don't rush, let's see what results the Dongshan District Branch can find out."

"Also, Ruilong is still on the plane. I'll ask him for his opinion after he lands!"