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墨書 Inktalez
He Yuguo slapped his capable subordinate and kicked him, then sat in the business car, fidgeting like a headless chicken. He rushed to the train station, getting out and frantically searching through the crowd as if he had lost a loved one. Before long, he was back with Baldy, asking about Professor Lu, and it seemed they were considering checking the bus station.
“He Fatty, your greatest strength and weakness are the same thing. Do you know what it is?” Professor Lu said calmly.
“What do you mean?” Boss He looked confused.
“What do you think it means? Your brain is in your ass; in such a big city, how can you find someone?” Lu Hongbo scolded.
That was true. He Yuguo leaned against the car door, feeling dejected. He had spent several tens of thousands on his outfit, and before he could even put it to use, it was all for nothing. If he had known, he would have just used a knockoff; there was no need for such a big investment when he wasn’t even in the game.
Hearing this, Zhang Quan ’s eyelids twitched. What game? What undisclosed business? It made him restless; he couldn’t help but worry about his family. He seriously doubted that Xiao Mu, who was struggling with the Pyramid Scheme and General Manager duties, could handle things at home.
Indeed, who would have thought that just a moment ago, he was obedient and clever, chatting with Yang Beauty’s handsome guy, only to turn into a grinning little wolf in the blink of an eye, taking down two thugs effortlessly? Yang Menglu clicked her tongue but didn’t join the discussion. In her view, they might miss their chance. She glanced at Lu Hongbo in surprise; Old Lu didn’t seem anxious at all.
“Baldy, what do you think we should do?” Old Lu suddenly asked.
“Huh? Can I say anything?” Zhang Quan replied humbly. He had always been quiet in this organization; after all, too many words could lead to trouble. At that moment, an impatient He Yuguo kicked him lightly and urged, “If I ask you to speak, then speak.”
“Uh… I think he shouldn’t be able to run here,” Zhang Quan said.
“Why not?” He Yuguo was taken aback.
“He doesn’t have any money on him; he needs to get some first. Right now, plane tickets and train or bus tickets all require real-name registration,” Zhang Quan explained.
His words were like a wake-up call for He Yuguo. He turned to Lu Hongbo, who shot him a glance and said, “Look at that; he understands better than you do. No money and no ID—if he were just a petty criminal, he might still find a place to hide. But someone like him would struggle even to find a place to spend the night.”
“Oh, right… So, Old Lu, how should we look for him?” He Yuguo asked.
"Go back, change cars and accommodation, call out the small managers from the suburbs, send photos to their phones, and keep an eye on the bus stations, train stations, and the exits of the city, as well as several spots where black cars are lurking. Send more people to search..." Lu Hongbo arranged, casually mentioning the road exits. Zhang Quan felt a chill run down his spine; this setup was no less than that of the police. If someone were unaware, they would truly fall into his trap.
"What about the airport? What if they take a flight?" He Yuguo reminded him.
"Are you stupid? Just getting a fake ID to sneak onto the road is already impressive enough; how could you sneak onto a plane?" Old Lu gave He Yuguo a slap, delivering a sharp rebuke.
He Yuguo didn’t mind being hit at all; he simply gave a thumbs up. "Professor is wise."
The group's efficiency was evident. Once the phone calls were made, several hideouts in the suburbs sprang into action. Zhang Quan drove nearby to Liangzhuang Village, close to the Expressway Entrance. The people down there were doing quite well; over thirty individuals were stationed not far from the toll booth, scanning each car with more rigor than the police.
They tightened their control at the exits and returned to the city. To be safe, He Yuguo decided to change accommodations. Professor Lu and Lecturer Yang also needed to move; it was likely to prevent anyone who might escape from reporting to the police, which would complicate matters. He Yuguo arranged for Zhang Quan to return the rental car and then find a place to hide while waiting for further instructions since Zhang Quan was considered a "suspect" in this escape.
However, Zhang Quan knew very well that no one would believe him regardless of who it was. At the first sign of trouble, they would vanish without a trace...
...
It wasn't until seven in the evening that Zhang Quan returned near Anhui Road, where the special task force was stationed. Strictly speaking, personnel with special missions were supposed to avoid contact with others during their assignments. However, given today's urgency, rules had to be broken.
He got off a tricycle at the back door and entered. In the darkness, several people were already waiting: three Salespersons and one General Manager. For operational convenience, they continued using titles based on Pyramid Scheme rules, fearing that one of them might accidentally slip up.
As soon as he closed the door behind him, he anxiously reported: "Two hours ago, He Fatty mobilized five hideouts in the suburbs with over one hundred twenty people guarding at train stations, bus stations, and various intersections. Lin's escape made them nervous; Lu the Madman, Lecturer Yang, and He Fatty split up; I didn't even tell them where they went... Did we manage to track them?"
"Only Lu the Madman is still in sight; Yang Menglu and He Fatty have both lost contact. They both headed towards crowded areas," Ye Tianshu replied. The reports indicated one had gone missing in a shopping mall while another was lost near a night market; these streetwise individuals had a remarkably high Counter-Surveillance Awareness.
"General Manager, why not take this opportunity to eliminate their hideouts? They’re right in this city; I don’t believe He Fatty can escape," Ma Fenghuo suggested impatiently, with Lian Qiang naturally agreeing.
Zhang Quan immediately rejected this idea. "Absolutely not; the timing is not right at all. I only discovered after following them for several days that the situation on the ground is far more serious than we grasped. There are multiple regional General Managers like He Fatty; if we act as we did before—besides sending back those deceived individuals—the chances of capturing organizers or recovering stolen funds are almost nonexistent."
"What should we do? That guy up there is completely uncooperative," Lian Qiang said.
"I'm back for this... What's the situation?" Zhang Quan asked.
This was the climax. Zhang Quan instantly noticed that several colleagues were hanging their heads, each more dejected than the last. Ma Fenghuo said it was a total scoundrel who berated them all the way; they had lost hundreds of dollars because of him and still ended up with nothing good. Lian Qiang added that he wanted to beat that guy up; he couldn't believe how rude he was, claiming that bad deeds were half done by bad people and half by the police. As for the project team, Ye Tianshu awkwardly laughed and remarked that their legal system concepts were even stronger than theirs, unable to intimidate or placate him.
"Isn't Dr. Bai here? Let him give it a try," Zhang Quan suggested.
"They tried, and Dr. Bai almost cried from what he said. They even invited the Political Commissar over, but in the end, the Political Commissar left with a dark expression," Ma Fenghuo replied.
Zhang Quan was horrified and asked, "What exactly happened?"
"This kid is a bit uncanny; he somehow guessed that the Political Commissar had family issues, and that the conflict was with his children... Then he mocked him, saying if you can't even persuade your son, how can you persuade me? That made the Political Commissar so angry he didn't say a word before leaving," Ma Fenghuo explained.
Fearing Zhang Quan wouldn't understand, Lian Qiang added, "He guessed it perfectly; the Political Commissar's son works at the tax bureau and has gotten into some economic trouble and is currently under investigation. The couple is having a tough time because of it."
As they discussed this matter, Ye Tianshu casually punched Ma Fenghuo to stop him from gossiping. Zhang Quan couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time; in just a few hours, both sides had been stirred into chaos because of him. Moreover, everyone in the team was staring at him as if all hope rested on his shoulders.
"Let him go; send him away," Zhang Quan suddenly declared.
"Let him go?" Ma Fenghuo and Lian Qiang exclaimed in unison.
"In this situation, we can't let him go. Just from a safety perspective alone, we can't release him," Ye Tianshu argued.
"He's very clever; he knows we can't do anything to him. He'll only find ways to make things difficult for you. Don't try to persuade him; he understands this situation better than we do. What we might not grasp, he sees clearly... I can't even imagine how he managed to escape from two strong men guarding him closely," Zhang Quan said.
"But letting him go... this?" Ye Tianshu seemed troubled.
"Letting him go could lead to two possible outcomes, while not letting him go only has one outcome. Trust me; he's also someone with feelings. Whoever tries to force him will only end up more disappointed," Zhang Quan stated.
It seemed that the persuasion had little effect. The few of them, somewhat dejected, reported to Zhang Quan, and no one was willing to go with him. They lazily leaned against the wall or sat in the courtyard, at a loss. Among all the cases, the Pyramid Scheme was not particularly difficult; in fact, most of the time it didn't even fall into the criminal category. However, when it came to investigation and tracking, it was no less challenging than serious crimes. The organizers, planners, and implementers—none of them used their real names—were all as ruthless as wolves yet timid as mice. Even the slightest hint of trouble would send them into hiding.
If they slipped away this time, it might take tenfold or a hundredfold more effort to uncover their whereabouts, and who knew how many innocent people would fall into their clutches.
"I just don't understand," Lian Qiang lamented while sitting by the flowerbed. "Are we police officers really this useless? We can't even get a kind word... Do ordinary people really see us as despicable as those bad guys?"
"We share the same world with the bad guys, but they are not like us... He is actually quite shrewd. If I were him, I wouldn't find any reason to take risks and return after barely escaping," Ma Fenghuo replied.
Lian Qiang felt uncomfortable hearing this and retorted, "Shouldn't we have some sense of public duty and justice while we're alive? If everyone is so clever that no one wants to do these dirty, tiring, and dangerous jobs, what will society become? Why do we work ourselves to death?"
"Haha... We've been brainwashed, you know? Brainwashed by lofty ideals, emotions, and discipline," Ma Fenghuo chuckled. Just then, he felt a sharp pain on his shoulder as Ye Tianshu casually hit him with a lighter. He smiled and stood up while the team leader remained speechless, sighed deeply, and walked back inside.
The room was on the third floor, guarded at the entrance. Until it was time for coordinated action, personnel and office staff were kept to a minimum. Because of the special personnel being brought back today, even those who usually worked overtime were absent. In the empty building, Zhang Quan could hear his own footsteps echoing as he climbed the stairs. His steps slowed down; even he found himself at a loss for words—how should he begin?
He slowly approached the door. The two guards gestured for him to enter. As he reached for the door handle, he hesitated. He stood at the entrance for a long time, seemingly lacking courage; he lingered there without stepping inside…
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