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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 164: Reluctance to Yield
"The report on the operation is complete... Next, I will present my personal reflection to the organization."
Lin Qizhao stood at the end of the conference table, entering the review phase in a subdued tone. Attendees ranged from the Provincial Department to the City Bureau and the Criminal Investigation Bureau. The room was filled with flashing police lights; it was either the heads of departments or both the heads and their deputies present. This "Thunder" operation, which had resulted in a miscarriage, had deployed over forty police vehicles and mobilized six hundred officers, setting up more than ten checkpoints. Such a large-scale operation should have yielded some results, yet they had nothing to show for it and had even lost three hundred fifty thousand in cash to the suspects.
They had gone fishing but ended up losing their bait; this story was quickly becoming a joke among various units at the Special Training Division.
As the review began, Lin Qizhao lowered his head under the weight of skeptical, sympathetic, and even resentful gazes. The collective honor of these elite teams, crafted with significant investment, was at stake. The joint operation by numerous police forces had turned into a major embarrassment, and as the Commander of the entire operation, he could hardly escape blame.
The review was merely a formality; no one cared about its content. Lin Qizhao summarized three mistakes in a manner typical of official documents: first, there was a lack of serious attention given to the situation; second, they were overly ambitious in their actions, missing critical opportunities; third, there was an Zhang Quan complacency in their approach that led to insufficient groundwork... All these words could not erase the humiliation brought by this operation.
After concluding his review, Lin Qizhao sat down with his head held high and an expressionless face. The longer he stayed in this line of work, the more he felt the difficulties faced by police officers. He had to bow and scrape before superiors while putting on a brave face for the public. When it came to himself, he found it hard to voice his frustrations; he could not mention the lack of cooperation from law enforcement or the harsh legal environment. All problems and responsibilities had to be borne silently by him.
"What does the Criminal Investigation Bureau have to say?" a leader asked.
Zheng Kegong, an old partner in these matters, pondered before speaking: "I reviewed the case situation in Maple Town. This kind of case is quite rare; at least in my memory, we haven't encountered any cases involving counterfeit money mechanisms in our province... There is certainly an element of underestimating the situation here, but placing all blame on our comrades seems somewhat unfair. I believe everyone understands what conditions are like along the coast near Maple Town—smuggling is rampant and foreign waste is everywhere. If suspects are using this as cover, then this case's difficulty will undoubtedly increase significantly."
"Finding just a few traces of lubricant does not necessarily indicate that it's a gravure printing press used for counterfeiting," another officer interjected from economic investigation. They were skeptical of the Special Training Division's assessment. Gravure printing presses are banned even abroad; smuggling such equipment carries harsher penalties than drug trafficking, and few would dare attempt it. Moreover, where would one acquire such technical skills and labor?
"As long as the profit margin is substantial enough, there will always be those willing to take risks," Zheng Kegong replied.
"That is merely your judgment and lacks necessary evidence to support it," an officer from economic investigation countered.
On one side stood Criminal Investigation advocating for broader searches while on the other side stood Economic Investigation insisting on narrowing down their focus. After all, similar cases were too sensationalized, and any misjudgment could potentially trigger nationwide panic.
A gravure printing press... that would be akin to having a counterfeit money factory operating in secret.
The dilemma lay here: whether to expand the investigation or to limit it within a certain scope, both options lacked the necessary case situation and evidence support. The aborted Thunder Action had only managed to catch a few members of the motorcycle gang, and even the suspect Qiu Guanghan, who had absconded with the money, was still at large. This individual merely had a history of assault, which was hardly linked to any technical expertise, leaving the higher-ups in a state of indecision.
When Lin Qizhao stood up again, he did not attract attention until Zheng Kegong reminded everyone, prompting both sides of the debate to notice this disheartened head of the Special Training Division awkwardly rising once more.
"What do you want to say?" the leader asked.
"I hope that the organization can delay its decision regarding my handling for a bit longer; I have another situation..." he murmured softly, hesitating as if he were unsure. This unprecedented request was quite shameless, but he eventually revealed his reason: "We have an informant who has infiltrated the counterfeiting gang. We will have news soon... just give me some time."
A stir erupted in the meeting room; doubts, shock, and excitement all combined to divert today's discussion from its original topic.
The meeting lasted for two hours. After it concluded, Lin Qizhao was called into the office by the hall leader for a private conversation. When he emerged, his previous gloom had vanished, and he hurried toward a corner on the third floor, knocking on Shen Lingchen's office door.
As he rushed in, Shen Lingchen was focused on reviewing video recordings. Without lifting his eyelids, he asked, "Looks like it worked."
"Master, your strategy is brilliant! As soon as I mentioned this situation, no one dared to discuss it with me," Lin Qizhao said with a smile in a low voice. This bombshell had shocked the hall leaders and led them to discuss matters with him for an entire hour.
"Now you understand why I keep my distance from you. If you stay with me too long, deceiving the organization might become second nature for you," Shen Lingchen chuckled as he pressed the pause button.
"This could lead to endless troubles. I made a military pledge to the leader: if I can't resolve this within a month, I'll voluntarily accept punishment and hand over my case to the Police Force for investigation," Lin Qizhao said self-deprecatingly. Using this method to buy time was also something his master had taught him. He invited, "Master, shouldn't you be moving on?"
"Come, sit down. Sharpening your tools does not delay your work; I'm currently reviewing the interrogation records of Trafficker King. Have you seen them?" Shen Lingchen asked.
"I skimmed through them," Lin Qizhao replied as Shen Lingchen pulled out a chair and sat down.
"I have to criticize you on this. Any detail could become a key point in breaking down the suspect, and likewise, any detail could lead to your downfall. My current judgment is that Zhou Qunyi has lost; he is overly ambitious and has been thrown into chaos by a Trafficker King. You have also lost, being Zhang Quan and underestimating the enemy while being greedy for achievements," Shen Lingchen said.
Lin Qizhao nodded, "I will take your advice humbly."
"Also, Xiao Mu has lost... He lost due to his lack of understanding of this field, and he may be overly confident. In fact, he should have prepared for two scenarios when dealing with Xu Tonglei. The first is that upon meeting, this troublemaker has many ways to manipulate people, and the suspect probably cannot escape his keen eyes. The second is that if something unexpected happens, he would rely on his identity and information; we would definitely have to mobilize all our resources. Perhaps this guy has already deduced that we are planning an action based on our lack of information about him," Shen Lingchen explained.
"Yes, that sounds about right. This kid's intelligence is on a different level than ours," Lin Qizhao replied.
"Ha, he is precisely too clever for his own good. If he truly had a Gravure Printing Press, would he let him go?" Shen Lingchen asked.
Naturally not. Lin Qizhao felt a chill run down his spine; his mouth fell open in shock as he nervously said, "Then he might be..."
"Right, silenced. Either turn him into a corpse or make him one of us—it's one or the other, and we have a fifty-fifty chance," Shen Lingchen said. As he spoke about this, his eyelids twitched; it had been three days since the incident with no news at all. Xu Tonglei, Qiu Guanghan, and Xiao Mu seemed to have evaporated from the world.
"The odds are still decent... Aeming is already on the trail," Lin Qizhao said, changing the subject to ask, "Master, did you just mention Trafficker King?"
"Yes, we might have overlooked a detail regarding this person—whether it's you or Zhou Qunyi—you both underestimated this intelligent suspect too much... Look at these expressions," Shen Lingchen said.
The screenshots displayed various expressions: someone squinting with a smile, another sneering while smoking disdainfully, and yet another animatedly discussing something.
"Is there a hidden meaning here? This kind of behavior clearly indicates his proactive criminal mindset driven by a desire for control. Discussing the crime process gives him a sense of achievement; he even details his encounters with different women without any sense of shame," Lin Qizhao remarked.
"But you have ignored the biggest problem," Shen Lingchen paused slightly before continuing. "You think everything he says is true in meticulous detail, but you forget that he is a liar—a very clever one."
Lin Qizhao gasped in realization; how could they have been so blind? This guy had spoken so confidently that they had chosen to believe him completely. He murmured, "Right, it seems like this guy has made us all believe him without doubt... But Master, what he confessed has been corroborated."
"The honesty of a liar is as laughable as the chastity of a prostitute. His greatest sense of achievement comes from deceiving others; why wouldn't he try to deceive the police as well? You haven't encountered enough suspects; perhaps you don't understand them well enough. The sense of accomplishment in narrating the crime process is certain, but there should be some disappointment in being caught—yet he shows none... No one, not even a psychopath, can maintain such singular emotions," Shen Lingchen stated.
"But..." Lin Qizhao couldn't believe it, yet he couldn't find a reason to refute it.
"The second point of doubt is the source of the Superb Dollar. Ge Feifei keeps saying she gave it, then says she can't remember. Wang Shou insists it was given by Ge Feifei, but he doesn't have just one version in hand..."
"The third point of doubt involves the two women at Trafficker King's house. Since they were both abducted, why the disparity in treatment? One is controlled to use drugs, while the other is pushed to the brink of overdose. According to investigations, this woman hasn't left the house in nearly a year."
"The fourth point of doubt: I looked at Li Qian's photo. There are signs of gangrene on her feet and hands, and parts below her knees are ulcerated. With Wang Shou's level and that of the trafficked women, they wouldn't be interested in someone like this, would they?"
"The fifth point of doubt concerns Fang Dingjun, who first followed Qiu Guanghan in Binhai, a lackey of Xu Tonglei. Then he returned to Anhui Province and became an underling for Ge Feifei selling counterfeit money... If Ge Feifei doesn't even know Xu Tonglei's people, how did this connection come about? Fang Dingjun claims someone pointed him in the right direction over the phone. So who is this person?"
As each point of doubt was laid out, Lin Qizhao began to be speechless. Although the case situation was still a tangled mess, he could now be certain that the only explanation for everything unreasonable was:
The police might have also fallen victim to this Trafficker King.
This conclusion made Lin Qizhao break into a cold sweat.
...
...
"Mainframe four... starting to receive."
"Marking location."
"t208 Expressway, Xiangping section, 48 kilometers mark."
"Notify the fourth tracking team to check every gas station along the route thoroughly. We must re-examine all vehicles that passed from the night of the incident until four o'clock in the morning the next day."
“......”
The Special Training Division continued its relentless pursuit. Guan Yiqing arrived on the day she received the invitation, and for three days—seventy-two hours—she worked tirelessly. The internal staff's efforts were no less than those on Field Duty. With over a dozen traffic exits and hundreds of hours of footage to sift through for suspicious vehicles, the difficulty was evident. The high-intensity work soon took its toll; her eyes stung from the screen, tears streaming uncontrollably.
Thunder Action had failed, Xiao Mu was missing, and the case situation had sunk into a quagmire. Guan Yiqing was unsure how to describe her feelings. She vaguely remembered Xiao Mu being so relaxed and carefree when he shared information with her. In her mind, he had always been an omnipotent figure, but in an instant, he had found himself trapped.
“This self-righteous guy.”
She murmured to herself, reflecting on their initial hopes and the mundane understanding they shared. It was only when he went missing that she realized how deeply she cared.
“Hey, hey... Party Instructor, any news? You’ve entered Dongshan Province a hundred kilometers in.” She instinctively asked Aeming over the network call, focusing on two unmarked trucks identified as suspicious targets after more than forty hours of technical investigation.
“Nothing... We’re at a gas station on Expressway 17. There are too many illegal gas stations here; there’s no surveillance to extract... Please send my regards to Lin Department Head and Old Shen. We’ll check further down...”
The call quality was extremely poor, the intermittent sounds revealing their exhaustion.
“Okay, got it. Stay in touch.”
Guan Yiqing replied weakly, as if all her energy had been drained away.
A thousand miles away, the tracking team numbered h4 came to a halt at the rural section of Expressway h17. As dusk settled in, only a sliver of sunlight remained on the western horizon. At another fork in the road, the vehicle stopped. The driver glanced at Aeming, unsure of what to choose next.
Even this method might not be correct; it was merely a rough estimate. The tracking point was the gas station, but upon entering Dongshan Province, countless illegal stations lined the route. These existed for truck drivers hauling coal—no official stations or receipts meant they were virtually untraceable. If any missing vehicle refueled at one of these points, it would effectively evade all police checkpoints.
Aeming remained silent as he got out and relieved himself by the sorghum field. The leftover crowd disembarked to stretch their stiff limbs, while one person stayed behind in the vehicle, sighing heavily as if burdened by heavy thoughts.
It was Sun Qinghua. The police station had decided to impose a fine on him, and Aeming feared he might take it too hard. They had brought him along during the pursuit, but now he seemed like a different person—silent and withdrawn—nothing like the lively Ruhua who had animatedly chatted when they first arrived in Anhui Province.
“Tsinghua, come down and get some fresh air.” Xu Jian called out to him.
“I don’t want to go down,” Sun Qinghua replied lazily.
Xu Jian didn’t press the issue and walked over to Aeming, gesturing subtly towards the people in the car, he whispered, “Instructor, this isn’t right. He used to eat two big bowls, but now he only takes two spoonfuls and refuses to eat.”
“It’s a mental issue; no one can cure that. We brought him along because we were worried he might not handle it well… What is going on? Just a while ago, everything was going smoothly with these two, and now look at them,” Aeming said, feeling frustrated.
“That guy is probably in serious trouble. If he really is part of the Counterfeit Money gang as the task force suspects, do you think…” Xu Jian started to ask.
Aeming glared at him: “Yes, anything could happen.”
Clearly displeased and fearing the worst outcome, Xu Jian knew a bit about the instructor's past as an undercover agent. He quietly asked, “Instructor, since you’ve been undercover before, do you think it’s possible he infiltrated the Counterfeit Money gang and might stage a comeback?”
“The chances are slim. My longest undercover assignment involved eight months of indirect contact. Have you ever heard of a gang recruiting someone just after meeting them?” Aeming questioned, indicating that such a possibility was nearly nonexistent.
“True, the bigger the situation, the more cautious they become. They can’t leave any loose ends,” Xu Jian replied.
This assessment sent a chill through Aeming, who then tried to comfort himself by saying, “But it’s not impossible. Maybe he really caught someone’s eye. That kid is quite exceptional; most bad people would consider him an ally.”
As Aeming spoke, he involuntarily smiled, recalling how he had once led a group of Pyramid Scheme members in circles during a high-profile informant operation. That incident remained buried in police files, likely never to be believed even if told as a legendary story.
Indeed, looking at the current situation, morale had sunk to an all-time low; who would believe anything now?
After a brief pause, they continued onward through the unfamiliar landscape of mountains and rivers, quickly turning into aimless searching—more for self-soothing than anything else. How could that solitary goose ever find its way back?
As the sky gradually darkened, at the end of a worn and uneven road, flickering lights appeared in the distance. Amidst the barking of dogs, shadowy figures were unloading cargo. Once finished, the vehicle sped away, and the heavy iron gate was promptly locked.
"Get the machines calibrated and start working immediately."
"No problem, we can get it running in a bit."
"Keep an eye on the technicians; they’ll be on a twenty-four-hour shift. No one is allowed to leave this compound."
"Don't worry, with the dogs watching, not even a rat can escape."
"This place... is it safe?"
"You can rest assured; this is a heavily polluted village. Even livestock can't survive here. No one comes around, and every year someone dies from illness. Those who haven't died are just waiting for their turn..."
"Stop saying such creepy things."
"Haha, it's scarier than what I said... Not to mention the living, even the dead can't escape. A few years back, when they relocated graves, the bones in the old tombs had turned green from pollution. For ten miles around, you can't find a single grasshopper; only rats remain."
"Alright, alright..."
The one asking questions was Xu Tonglei, while Wang Lishong responded. It seemed they had chosen yet another peculiar place to settle down. Tonight was their working night; five workers were already prepared—cutting paper, mixing colors, testing machines. The moment the machines roared to life, all concerns about pollution and toxins faded away. Xu Tonglei looked around with satisfaction and then peered out from the rooftop lookout for a while. This cursed place was indeed perfect; not a single soul was in sight.
Wang Lishong was unpacking bottled water, instant noodles, and ham sausages onto the table. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he said, "Brother Lei, there’s really nothing good to eat here; the surrounding water isn’t drinkable at all. We’ll have to make do."
"It’s fine; what matters is getting down to business... Oh right, what about that shipment?" Xu Tonglei suddenly remembered someone.
"Ah, damn it, I forgot," Wang Lishong said, slapping his forehead. He then turned to Xu Tonglei and suggested, "We should have just thrown him out halfway, who cares if he lives or dies."
"Are you out of your mind? We saw everything during the loading and unloading. How could we just let him go... Come on, let's go take a look," Xu Tonglei replied, his mind made up as he called for Wang Lishong to head downstairs.
"What should we do about it?" Wang Lishong asked, feeling troubled.
"Either we kill him right away or we slowly make him wish he were dead... In this place, a life is worth less than a dog’s. What do you think?" Xu Tonglei chuckled.
Wang Lishong felt a chill run down his spine; the thought of getting blood on his hands made him hesitate. "Brother Lei, I've never dealt with a murder case before."
It was complicated—he couldn't bring himself to kill, but he also couldn't let him go. Unexpectedly, Xu Tonglei said, "If this place is really as you say, do you think he's still a threat?"
"Not really. In this place, unless he's a rat, he has no way out," Wang Lishong replied.
"Then there's nothing to worry about. His life is in our hands," Xu Tonglei said casually, not taking it seriously at all.
The place where they had locked the man up was in a dark workshop illuminated by a dim yellow light. Wang Lishong took a crowbar and pried open the box. He peered inside and pulled out the curled-up Xiao Mu. At that moment, Xiao Mu was barely able to stand; as soon as he was set down, he collapsed again.
Xu Tonglei tossed a bottle of water and two sausages at him like a charity case. Xiao Mu lunged at them like a wild beast, twisting off the bottle cap and gulping down half the bottle in one go. He tore into the sausages with fervor, having only eaten once since being stuffed into the box and now starving to the point where his stomach felt like it was touching his back. He had never realized that the most beautiful things in the world were simply a sip of water and something to eat.
Once he finished eating, he gasped for breath, savoring every bite. Xu Tonglei chuckled and asked, "Kid, do you understand what happens to those who dare to provoke Brother Lei?"
"I understand... But I didn't provoke you! I just wanted to give you a heads-up so I could get some cash," Xiao Mu replied honestly.
"How did you know... Is there trouble?" Xu Tonglei squatted down, eyeing the dirt-covered Xiao Mu warily.
That question was difficult to answer, but Xiao Mu had enough time to come up with a story. He said, "The police turned Crooked Toad's house upside down. If I could find you, then they could definitely find me too... Besides, Crooked Toad had quite a bit of cash; the police have already confiscated several stacks."
Xu Tonglei automatically brushed aside the previous topic and asked, "What did you do before? Be honest, or else that meal you just had will be your last."
"I've done a lot of things—debt collection, extortion, pimping, breaking and entering, scamming the unsuspecting..." Xiao Mu rattled off several activities, all of which he had indeed engaged in. Xu Tonglei had no doubt about it; someone who wasn't in the know couldn't provide such detailed information. Just looking at him, it was clear he wasn't a good person.
"Not being honest, huh? What else have you done?" Xu Tonglei's expression darkened.
"Nothing much! I have principles! I absolutely refuse to kill, commit arson, or deal drugs," Xiao Mu insisted, trying to maintain his composure. In this situation, it was best to play the fool to survive.
"Is that so? Let's see who this is." Xu Tonglei said as Wang Lishong slowly crouched down. Xiao Mu took a closer look and suddenly gasped, clenching his fists in silence.
"Damn it! A con artist! Even if you turned to ashes, I would recognize you!" Wang Lishong shouted furiously and slapped Xiao Mu.
Xiao Mu covered his face and said in frustration, "Good Brother Han, I was also tricked by a pyramid scheme; I really didn’t make any money."
"Brother Lei, this bastard was a little manager in the pyramid scheme gang. We were all set to take action against him, but he managed to con us into scattering," Wang Lishong raised his hand again.
Xiao Mu quickly grabbed Wang Lishong's arm and pleaded, "No, no! Good Brother Han, we’re both fallen souls in this world. Now that I’m like this, it’s unfair for you to bully me... I can help you out; just tell me who to con and I’ll do it for you. I promise to get your money back... Oh man, back in the day when I first met you, you were just an ordinary struggling person. And now look at you—you're a big boss... Oh man, seeing you reminds me of how kind-hearted you are; your fortune shines bright... I should have followed you back then..."
Wang Lishong found it hard to strike him after such sincere flattery. Xu Tonglei burst into laughter and kicked Xiao Mu lightly. "You really are something else; you've even been involved in a pyramid scheme... But pyramid schemes rely on talk; I can't trust what you're saying."
"Then just watch my actions! I've basically done everything from scamming to stealing," Xiao Mu offered eagerly. Now that he had food and water in him, he felt hope and knew he had to fight for himself.
"Bring him along. We don't need your tricks; let’s show him what we do," Xu Tonglei instructed.
"Brother Lei..." Wang Lishong hesitated as he lifted Xiao Mu.
"Anyway, he can't escape. It would be a waste to just throw him away," Xu Tonglei concluded thoughtfully.
Xiao Mu was being dragged along by the tall and sturdy Wang Lishong. As they stepped outside, a heavy stench of industrial pollution hit him, making him cough. Moments later, they entered several dark workshops. Oh no, while it was dark outside, the inside was brightly lit. The instant Xiao Mu walked in, his eyes widened, and he felt like his eyeballs might pop out.
Oh my goodness, money! It's all money!
A full sheet of Grandpa Mao bills spewed out from the printing press. Workers wearing gas masks were methodically collecting them, stacking them neatly before pushing them into a machine. When they came out, they already sparkled; that was the gilding machine. After another process, there were shiny cutting blades slicing through the stacks, and what emerged were crisp Hundred Dollar Bills.
Wow... Xiao Mu exclaimed in awe as he looked at Wang Lishong with admiration, giving him a thumbs up. Wang Lishong felt pleased by the praise and unconsciously let go of Xiao Mu.
Xiao Mu followed Xu Tonglei as they walked, occasionally feeling Wang Lishong tugging at him from behind, worried that he might lose control and dive into the piles of cash. The workers around seemed oblivious to everything, each focused on their tasks without lifting their heads. When they reached the final packaging process, Xu Tonglei turned back to ask, “How does it feel?”
“I’m completely shocked, Brother Lei! I’d do anything as a little brother here... ever since I met you, I feel like I’ve wasted the first half of my life,” Xiao Mu said respectfully, showering compliments.
“Good! We really need someone to help out... So listen carefully,” Xu Tonglei replied.
“Please go ahead,” Xiao Mu said, bowing slightly to listen.
“From now on, this position is yours. You’ll be packaging stacks of one hundred bills.”
“No problem.”
“You’ll be here 24/7—eating, drinking, and sleeping.”
“No problem! I love hard work!”
“If you try to slack off or sneak away, the consequences will be severe.”
“No problem! In such an amazing place, even if you kick me out, I wouldn’t leave. I've never seen so much money!”
"No matter if it's sincere or insincere, I don't care. Just so you know, this is a heavily polluted area. There isn't a drop of drinkable water for miles, and there's nothing to eat. If you want to run, make sure to discuss it with the monk first, and you’ll also need to get the consent of those two dogs at the gate."
"Understood."
Xiao Mu replied eagerly, showing no signs of feeling wronged. Xu Tonglei raised an eyebrow in slight suspicion, but Xiao Mu continued, "Brother Lei, can I make a small request?"
"That might not be possible. What do you want?" Xu Tonglei asked.
"Could I have some more food and water? I can only work hard for you if I'm full," Xiao Mu pleaded, holding his stomach.
Xu Tonglei laughed heartily; there was nothing suspicious about that. When a person is starving, their requests tend to drop to unimaginably low levels.
A large bowl of instant noodles with two boiled hot dogs inside made Xiao Mu feel blissfully happy as he ate. However, this meal was not free; once he finished eating, he was promptly sent to the workshop to work. Xiao Mu took a few glances around and saw that it was indeed a high-walled compound with two large dogs lounging at the entrance. Once work began, the gate was locked tight. In such circumstances, aside from working hard to please them, there seemed to be no other options.
Thus, the foreman Wang Lishong and the young boss Xu Tonglei were very satisfied with his diligence. They stole glances at him several times throughout the long night as he tirelessly worked away.
Do you understand? This is what it means to be hungrier than a dog; he'd even dare to kill if asked.
Xu Tonglei educated Wang Lishong like this, feeling quite pleased with his cleverness. As for what would happen after they finished working, that went without saying; they were already on the pirate ship—there was no second way out besides being a thief...
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