Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Two years ago, public security agencies across various regions collaborated with the Commerce Department to crack down on the Pyramid Scheme teams led by Shuler and Meibei. Over three months, twelve dens were dismantled across four cities, resulting in the repatriation of 798 individuals involved in the Pyramid Scheme. There were 64 cases of public order and criminal incidents related to the scheme, with 19 individuals facing criminal penalties. Following this unified action, the Pyramid Scheme had nearly vanished from our province for over a year.
However, in March of this year, Pyramid Scheme activities reignited across various cities with alarming intensity. Reports from local police stations indicated that in our province's 31 cities, 19 cities and 28 counties had identified suspected Pyramid Scheme groups. The main characteristics were as follows: first, the organizational discipline was stricter; they operated under the guise of sales points and service stations, using marketing events to evade scrutiny. Second, the personnel composition was tighter, primarily consisting of locals, classmates, or peers, making it difficult for outsiders to infiltrate. Third, their activities were more covert, often choosing remote suburban counties and towns where police presence was weak. Fourth, their methods had evolved; in a recently targeted den in Cheng County, it was discovered they were using POS machines registered out of province for transactions, complicating our efforts to investigate and crack similar cases.
As of now, the summary of public order and criminal cases related to suspected Pyramid Schemes reported by various cities and counties is as follows: four cases in Cheng County, one of which resulted in serious injury to an escaped Pyramid Scheme participant; twelve cases in Gao'an City, including two involving illegally detained individuals—one dead and one severely injured; eight cases in Huxian; seven in Qinshan Town; and one in Huangyang County.
A conference screen displayed a macro view of the spread of Pyramid Schemes throughout the province. Numerous case records, repatriated individuals' accounts, search records from dens, confiscated notes and lectures, along with summaries of various incidents caused by these schemes were presented—deliberately shocking Xiao Mu as an outsider by showing four photos of individuals who had taken their own lives.
Xiao Mu was visibly affected by these images; his eyelids twitched as he expressed deep sorrow for those who had lost their lives.
On the other side of the conference table, Ye Tianshu silently observed Mulin Shen—the individual highly praised in the 3326 Special Operations report—but he had yet to identify any remarkable qualities. Even while flipping through collected materials, he felt a sense of disbelief; Mulin Shen from the documents seemed like a different person compared to the one before him or the one mentioned in the report—almost like three distinct personalities that were hard to reconcile.
After 26 minutes of playback nearing its end, Ye Tianshu abruptly shut it off. He set down the remote and turned back to Mulin Shen with a smile, asking, "What do you think?"
"It doesn't exactly stir up feelings of righteous indignation within me. Besides, does my opinion even matter?" Xiao Mu retorted.
"Alright then," Ye Tianshu continued without pressing on feelings. "Let's talk about attitude instead; it's crucial. The rise and fall of nations concern every individual; maintaining peace is everyone's responsibility. I'll be straightforward with you: regarding our crackdown on these widespread and harmful Pyramid Schemes involving many participants, we will deploy numerous undercover operatives alongside ordinary citizens. In fact, whether civil or criminal cases, a significant portion is resolved through tips from the public—this is an important aspect of community policing. Do you agree with what I'm saying?" Ye Tianshu asked cautiously as if afraid of rejection.
"I agree; it should have been addressed long ago. This is merely treating symptoms rather than the root cause—the Pyramid Scheme is like harvesting leeks over and over again without addressing its source; it's akin to cutting grass without removing the roots—spring winds will bring them back," Xiao Mu stated firmly. Social issues cannot solely be resolved by police efforts.
Ye Tianshu was thrilled by this response; he tapped on the table appreciatively. "Well said! That's precisely why we've been tracking Lu Hongbo so closely. Let me show you a segment about his history..."
Ye Tianshu replayed footage that froze on an arrest scene where a middle-aged man was being apprehended like livestock—Xiao Mu immediately recognized him as a younger version of Lu Hongbo. The interrogation records... arrest records... interrogation records again... spanning over a decade—from initial notes to law enforcement recordings—the only constant was Lu Hongbo's relentless destruction of others.
Xiao Mu suddenly laughed heartily, finding something oddly endearing about Lu the Madman despite his despicable actions.
"I must say, such individuals are rare. He was first arrested and served one year and six months; his wife divorced him afterward. The second time he was caught, he served two years and four months along with a fine of 100 thousand yuan—his second wife also left him. By then he had lost everything; upon release, he reportedly went mad... He has been arrested five times in total; combined with investigations by the Business Bureau, seven law enforcement agencies have sent him to mental hospitals where he has been diagnosed multiple times as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia—deemed incapable of bearing legal responsibility... Not only did he develop mental illness himself but reportedly over a hundred of his followers have also ended up in mental institutions," Ye Tianshu said through gritted teeth—the inability to bring such suspects to justice was a significant regret for law enforcement.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Mu unexpectedly laughed out loud. He looked at Ye Tianshu and asked, "So you sent that Baldy undercover next to Lu Hongbo to see if he truly lacks legal responsibility?"
"Exactly! So far he has become a key monitored figure across nine provinces for Pyramid Scheme-related activities. Everyone involved in organized Pyramid Schemes knows him and refers to him as 'the Godfather'... Shaanbei is relatively underdeveloped inland; Pyramid Schemes haven't been severe until this March when they suddenly proliferated everywhere like mushrooms after rain—we're struggling to keep up! In a recent crackdown operation, we even found some local police officers colluding with them... After taking down several dens we discovered that this infamous Godfather had slipped into our jurisdiction without us noticing! You've met Lu Hongbo before; you've experienced his capabilities firsthand—what do you think?" Ye Tianshu asked curiously.
"Isn't it all the same? Pyramid schemes are all cut from the same cloth—closed environments, team indoctrination, constant reinforcement. In such an atmosphere, most people end up being brainwashed. It's quite similar to your Police Force training, though theirs is a bit stricter," Xiao Mu said. It's really not that mysterious, but when someone suddenly finds themselves caught up in it, that atmosphere can subtly brainwash you.
Ye Tianshu chuckled and replied, "They do have their strengths. General Managers across various regions are willing to pay a hefty sum for his lectures. No one outside knows he’s a mental patient."
Xiao Mu smiled without responding, as if he had seen bait but was unwilling to take the hook.
After a pause, Ye Tianshu asked, "Are you interested in helping us with something?"
"Lu Hongbo is no threat; capturing him is just a matter of minutes," Xiao Mu replied.
"Ha! If it were that simple, we wouldn't be in this mess today. This guy is a lunatic. No matter when we catch him, apart from being a nuisance, he has nothing else to offer. If we try to interrogate him, he'll just ramble on about motivation. If he's locked up, he can convince all the suspects in his cell that they’re suffering from neurosis. Put him in a mental hospital, and he’ll find a way to escape. Even mental patients can be influenced by him; he’s like a pathogen—anyone who gets close to him will be infected... And for us? We can't even convict him. The only thing we have is his lectures; he hasn't touched any dirty money or recruited anyone. In fact, he's so delusional that when a regional manager owed him lecture fees, he went to the police station to report them for running a pyramid scheme..." Ye Tianshu said angrily, likening it to those bizarre clients who report prostitutes for poor service—it's enough to make anyone laugh.
Xiao Mu kept smiling; this madman's antics were quite amusing.
But this person was not funny at all. Ye Tianshu held up a remote control and pointed it at an image on the screen as he explained: "... Lu Hongbo is not a concern; those pyramid scheme members are also manageable, just as you said. To eradicate the roots, we need to find out where they are... At the lowest levels, e and d tiers are mostly deceived crowds; at c tier, they’re more like die-hard elements; at b tier, they should be the Backbone—small leaders of various nests; and at a tier, which is equivalent to General Manager level—roughly regional managers... We owe you a great deal of thanks; you and Comrade 3326 have successfully unearthed two A Managers for us."
He Yuguo and Chang Yuchun had successfully made it onto the police's watch list. Judging by the photos released, they seemed to have just recently come into focus—only three General Managers in total. Another name stood out: Ma Bufang.
"All aliases," Xiao Mu casually remarked. "In pyramid schemes, anyone who can make money won't use their real names. Once there's any hint of trouble, they'll flee."
These individuals were well-versed in guerrilla tactics; Xiao Mu had experienced this firsthand—they could vanish in an instant or show up in droves. A small police station would have no means to deal with them.
"True, but these people aren't the most critical," Ye Tianshu continued as he looked at Xiao Mu, waiting for him to ask for more details. When Xiao Mu didn’t inquire further, he pressed on: "The organizational structure should look like this: above tier a, there’s another layer—the true masterminds behind the scenes—that's the root... They are responsible for connecting with these regional General Managers vertically—building networks, recruiting people—and spreading their operations as quickly as possible; simultaneously controlling those Chief Lecturers who can talk endlessly about their schemes and rapidly reap profits. If they aren’t struck down, this group will continue to expand; if they face setbacks, they'll abandon these nests and personnel and start anew elsewhere... As long as this Backbone remains intact, they can resurrect anywhere. Even if these individuals face legal consequences and eventually get out of prison, they’ll still return to their old ways. We've noticed this issue during our enforcement process—the key isn't just in this Backbone but also lies with those unseen organizers and planners."
The diagram vividly illustrated the operational direction—a pyramid shape—with the topmost layer being secretive; that was where the core power manipulating the entire pyramid scheme resided.
Xiao Mu frowned; within the pyramid scheme there was an unexplained five percent allocation—it must be where the behind-the-scenes profits went. He quickly calculated in his mind and found himself somewhat admiring the audacity of these organizers—they only took five percent while large amounts of funds either got consumed internally or stagnated in the hands of A-level managers. Once trouble arose, they would become scapegoats.
Of course, those individuals remained a mystery—a big question mark at the top of the pyramid labeled Old A.
"Baldy... oh no! The target of 3326 is to find out where Old A is hiding through Lu the Madman and those General Managers?" Xiao Mu jumped in with an essential question.
Ye Tianshu smiled and nodded: "Exactly! We meticulously designed an escape from the mental hospital specifically to send 3326 into the Pyramid Scheme team. Unexpectedly, you got involved unintentionally—but the outcome was surprising: sometimes when you plant flowers with intent they don’t bloom; yet when you casually sow willows they thrive... I believe that with someone like you who can reach their upper echelons as an informant combined with Comrade 3326's assistance, breaking through this fortress shouldn’t be too difficult."
Unbeknownst to them, 3326Comrade had become an accomplice.
This subtle change was audible, and Xiao Mu smiled. Ye Tianshu chuckled as well, then Xiao Mu shook his head and said, "Impossible. Have you forgotten the essence of the Pyramid Scheme? Its nature is deception. Dealing with a group of con artists will only lead to exploitation, not trust. Do you think they would trust me? Tell me, who is the mastermind behind Old A? Perhaps this is all just remote control; those regional managers might not even know who it really is."
"Lu the Madman should know something," Ye Tianshu replied.
"He won't tell anyone. He is both a Mental Patient and knowledgeable about Brainwashing. I suspect even self-hypnosis wouldn't faze him... For example, when I first entered the mental hospital, those doctors manipulated things. When someone asked for my name, I instinctively blurted out that I was Lin Musheng, a chef... This was likely to make me repeat it in a semi-conscious state, creating an ingrained habit. After dealing with Lu the Madman for over a decade, you still haven't cured him. Do you think I can?" Xiao Mu said. Regarding Lu the Madman, whom he found quite charmingly despicable, Xiao Mu believed the best approach was to keep a safe distance.
"Of course you can! Haven't you been subjected to Brainwashing?" Ye Tianshu asked.
"That's because my family is wealthy; there was no temptation at all," Xiao Mu replied.
"But you've studied psychology—specifically Abnormal Psychology. No one understands how to deal with a pervert like Lu the Madman better than you," Ye Tianshu insisted.
"You don't understand. I studied Abnormal Psychology because there was a time when I thought I had a psychological disorder, so I chose that major. From the perspective of Abnormal Psychology, it's about using psychological principles and methods to study abnormal psychology or pathological behavior manifestations, such as disturbances in sensation, perception, memory, and emotions. However, the behaviors exhibited by someone like Lu the Madman, who has paranoid schizophrenia, are either perverse or typical of a Mental Patient," Xiao Mu explained. This was a common misunderstanding about perversion.
Yet he was still misunderstood. Ye Tianshu naturally thought this was an excuse. He laughed and said, "It seems I need to find a way to eliminate your resistance to this matter."
Xiao Mu leaned back slightly, unhurried. He smiled and said, "You might as well save some time and energy. If we were in America, I might agree for personal reasons, but in an environment where even basic informant protection laws don't exist, I won't agree... You have the right to detain me and even exceed your authority to hold me, but you have no right to demand anything from me."
Ye Tianshu was taken aback; that calm voice carried a sense of determination. Such matters must be voluntary first and foremost. His brow furrowed slightly as Xiao Mu caught the shift in his mindset and reminded him: "Are you thinking about how to hold something over me? It's fine; you can ask me directly. It was me who drove the Cargo Van out of the Mental Hospital, and it was also me who crashed into the hospital gate. I'll take responsibility for that. Or you could list other charges against me; that's fine too—I understand—and as someone in a weaker position, I won't resist... Signing my name, leaving fingerprints, giving testimony—all of that is fine; there's no need for torture; I'll cooperate."
Was he trying to avoid being detained by the police? This provoked Ye Tianshu. He instinctively reached into his pocket but felt nothing there; his hand came out empty as he rubbed his chin while staring at Xiao Mu, momentarily puzzled as to why their conversation had taken such a sharp turn. He murmured, "Don't misunderstand; we can actually negotiate. You can make requests—this case is significant. If we don't uproot them quickly, who knows how many more people will be deceived?"
"Requests? You already know my background; do you think I need anything? Or even if I did have requests, could you fulfill them?" Xiao Mu replied with an air of indifference.
Ye Tianshu hesitated again, realizing that what the other party said held some truth. A child from a wealthy family couldn't be easily swayed by mere pocket money; he pursed his lips in frustration as if making up his mind and changed his approach: "Alright then, let's not talk about requests—how about we discuss conscience? It doesn't matter that you come from a wealthy family; you've seen what those trapped in the Pyramid Scheme are going through—they're deceived, brainwashed, turned into something unrecognizable, preying on friends and family without any remorse. Doesn't that stir anything within you? Anyone with a shred of conscience wouldn't refuse to do something about it..."
Looking at him with no expression on his face anymore, Xiao Mu felt disgusted by such arguments made in the name of righteousness while committing unjust acts.
"And also in Xiangzhuang, under report 3326's circumstances, over thirty members attempting to escape from the Pyramid Scheme were completely dissuaded from resisting by your silver tongue—not only dissuaded but also left behind without hesitation as con artists themselves. Ruining one person equates to destroying a family... I wonder if you feel even a hint of guilt about that?" Ye Tianshu remarked. It was precisely this incident that made him realize this person's exceptional nature.
"I do feel something. However, it's not guilt. While I deceived them into staying, I was also saving them—if something were to explode within their ranks, bloodshed would be mild..." Xiao Mu scoffed and continued: "Moreover, what's more guilt-inducing is your side—the spread of the Pyramid Scheme has its peculiarities, but isn't it also your responsibility for not doing enough? If you can't find its roots, isn't that also your dereliction of duty? What I'd like to remind you is that there is no law stating that police can coerce unwilling citizens into becoming informants... Your current actions are both derelict and illegal."
Ye Tianshu closed his eyes in frustration, feeling as if his stomach was in knots. He slammed the documents on the table and stormed out. Xiao Mu, with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, casually reclined back, appearing completely unbothered.
Soon after, the second person arrived—Dr. Bai. He walked in and introduced himself warmly to Aiko. Bai Shuangxi realized that despite knowing each other for some time, they had never formally introduced themselves. Then he began to persuade Xiao Mu to eliminate threats to society.
Xiao Mu didn’t have much fondness for this man. With a teasing smile, he provoked, “Dr. Bai, you must be feeling quite pressured because of me, right? Creating a false identity for me and disrupting police operations—those are serious consequences! You don’t need to explain; I can tell from the creases in your clothes that you’ve been restricted in your movements for some time now. Have you been lying in bed every day, sighing? From your expression, it’s clear you’re nervous and anxious. Is your medical license in jeopardy too?”
Dr. Bai trembled in fear. Xiao Mu continued to prod, “Look, your ring finger twitched a few times, and your eyelid jumped twice. It seems I guessed correctly… Your expression is starting to show regret. Do you realize that I have studied Abnormal Psychology? Are you beginning to regret what you’ve done to me? From a psychopathological perspective, your symptoms are concerning—anxiety, mild insomnia, accompanied by intermittent headaches… If this continues, you might end up with a mental illness.”
Before long, Dr. Bai hurriedly exited the room, fleeing in panic and lamenting to the group of police officers outside:
“I can’t handle this! I told you he’s difficult; he’s more professional than I am! Hypnosis and psychological suggestion don’t work on him… He sees right through me; I am indeed anxious, sleepless, and have headaches. If you isolate me any further, I really will become mentally ill! What do I gain from this? Xiao Feng has made my life miserable…”
His expression was one of utter despair, resembling someone on the verge of a mental breakdown.
As time ticked away and the chances of success dwindled, an increasingly anxious Ye Tianshu felt like an ant on a hot pan. He summoned every skilled political worker he could think of from within the police force, and soon the place was bustling with personnel changes…
Comment 0 Comment Count