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墨書 Inktalez
With his left hand, Tu Shenhao flipped through the pages on his phone, frowning slightly.
He continued to scroll with his right hand, and his frown deepened.
When he looked up, his brow was furrowed even more. In front of him stood two unremarkable subordinates, the kind who ran errands for a reward, posing as security personnel in the company. Their task this time was to monitor a couple who had traveled from Zhi Yang to Tongguan that night, and after three days, they had managed to bring back only a few meager photos taken on their phones.
"Did they go anywhere? Just waiting at the Convenience Inn?" Tu Shenhao asked in surprise.
"They didn't go anywhere; at most, they went downstairs to eat," one replied.
The other suddenly remembered, "Oh right, big brother, they also went to a pharmacy. That night I heard Beard and the others say they were beaten pretty badly; they must be nursing their injuries."
"And what about the other one?" Tu Shenhao inquired about Xiao Mu.
"Isn't he just on his phone?" one of them said.
"What good is a pretentious photo of someone standing by the window?" Tu Shenhao snapped.
"But he never left the house; maybe he was too scared," the subordinate explained.
The two had been cooped up for three days, taking turns watching. It seemed that this was all the information they could gather. Tu Shenhao threw down his phone and waved them out. One of them, oblivious to the situation, asked, "Tu Zong, are you still watching? Should I get a few brothers to just barge in and take some pictures?"
"What?" Tu Shenhao exploded in anger, slamming his hand on the table. "If you scare them off by showing your face, I'll make sure you regret it."
The two hurriedly fled, and Tu Shenhao angrily tossed objects off the table. The lack of quality among his subordinates was indeed a problem; it was hard to find someone with even a bit of competence. If he didn’t reprimand them, they would never grasp the intentions of their superiors.
Yes, intentions.
He sat in the chair, gazing upward in contemplation. What intentions could the two talented individuals waiting there have?
Moreover, they seemed like an unlikely pair, yet they got along quite well, which defied logic.
There was something even more inexplicable: the two had been suddenly ambushed and caught off guard. Theoretically, they shouldn't have remained indifferent; they should either have taken action or distanced themselves. Instead, they appeared to be waiting for a summons.
It was unreasonable—absolutely unreasonable.
Tu Shenhao shook his head and put down his phone. With his experience as a Scout, his instincts told him there were doubts.
He rubbed his forehead, feeling a throbbing headache as he thought. In the end, suspicion outweighed trust because what came to mind were deep dungeons and iron doors and bars. The fear of those scenarios was enough to magnify any doubt…
………………………………
………………………………
On the fourteenth: Yan Chuan County dealt with a Pyramid Scheme hideout, repatriating nineteen participants…
On the fifteenth: Yulin City Public Security and the Commerce Department conducted a joint operation, cracking down on the "Mainland Sunshine" Pyramid Scheme hideout. This group had developed hundreds of downline members. During the operation, a large number of notes used for brainwashing were confiscated. On the same day, an incident occurred in Wuqi County where participants of a Pyramid Scheme kidnapped passersby and demanded that they call the police. Subsequently, Wuqi County Public Security swiftly acted to seal off an illegal detention site holding more than forty people. This incident spread online and had a severely negative impact.
On the sixteenth: In Xiangzhuang Town on the outskirts of Chang'an City, residents reported suspected Pyramid Scheme members disturbing the peace. The town's police station dispatched a police force to handle the situation. Due to underestimating the problem, three officers who responded were attacked by dozens of Pyramid Scheme members. This case is currently under investigation…
On the seventeenth: Today.
Fan Wenjie turned to the last page of the Police Intranet report, sighed softly, and closed the blurry photo webpage on his phone. He glanced at Luo Guanquan, who had officially joined the task force, and then at Ye Tianshu, who had hurried back. For a moment, he found himself at a loss for words.
Indeed, investigation always lagged behind the execution of crimes, sometimes by several steps. Team Leader Ye had brought in the Oil Painting Portrait, which had just confirmed that He Yuguo, Zhang Anping, Zhang Fei, Ma Jianfeng, and Ma Bufang were among the key suspects behind the Pyramid Scheme. The 402 Task Force was collaborating with the Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce. The information they received through Internal Line indicated that this was an organized Pyramid Scheme gang, with the biggest mastermind referred to as "Boss Jia." The rampant Pyramid Schemes across the province all stemmed from this person's organization.
Thus, a peculiar situation arose: while the task force was cautious in their investigations, the Pyramid Scheme gang operated without restraint.
Director Fan activated the projector and repeatedly examined the screen filled with suspect portraits. The return of these images indeed injected a dose of adrenaline into the task force; however, what followed was a bitter pill to swallow. Discovering the true identity of an involved A Manager did not mean one could uncover all their identities. For instance, Zhang Anping was known as Zhang Fei within the Pyramid Scheme gang but used another alias, Zhang Yide, while staying at a hotel in the provincial capital. When renting a car, he changed his name again to Zhang Jianguo. How many aliases he had was likely known only to him.
It wasn't just him; every involved A Manager had one true identity but countless false ones. They moved fluidly between hotels, car rental companies, and Pyramid Scheme hideouts. Capturing their criminal trajectories in full was nearly impossible.
Thus, the ultimate breakthrough relied on two individuals from Tongguan. If they could infiltrate the Pyramid Scheme's inner workings from Tongguan, coordinating efforts from above and below would yield the best results.
Yet strangely enough, three days had passed without any developments.
"Tianshu, is there any news from that side?" Fan Wenjie finally couldn't hold back any longer.
The phone lay on the table; any updates regarding Case Situation would be relayed to him immediately as team leader. Unfortunately, there were none. Ye Tianshu shook his head, lacking even the strength to report.
Waiting was a torment. Even Luo Guanquan, who was well-versed in Pyramid Schemes, found himself unable to offer insights at this moment. He had gone over countless scenarios trying to pinpoint where things went wrong but could not identify any clues that might explain why their adversaries suddenly halted operations or why Lu the Madman had been sent Out of Province regarding this Surface Issue target.
Not finding answers from Ye Tianshu, Fan Wenjie turned his gaze toward Luo Guanquan and cautiously asked, "Luo Chu, please don’t hold back your thoughts. The clues are too convoluted; where should we start picking apart?"
"I’m considering where the oversight occurred," Luo Guanquan replied thoughtfully. "If they discovered something suspicious about our undercover Comrade, they should have withdrawn A Managers and even key personnel beneath them until things cooled down before restarting elsewhere. But that hasn’t happened; He Yuguo, Zhang Anping, Ma Jianfeng... these key figures are still present and seem to be enjoying themselves outdoors without any awareness of danger."
Ye Tianshu and Fan Wenjie listened intently as Luo Guanquan continued his reverse hypothesis: "But if they have no suspicions against them yet still take no action—leaving a General Manager and a Thug hanging—what exactly are they planning?"
"Are they still skeptical about the investigation?" Fan Wenjie remarked.
He opened the profile of Tu Shenhao, with his residence, vehicles, and company all under surveillance. Given this person's military background and previous incarceration, the monitoring was set up discreetly, without any following or tailing. However, nothing suspicious could be gleaned from his resume.
He operated a specialty products sales company with two warehouses and four delivery trucks, making daily deliveries to various supermarkets or freight departments. There was nothing particularly different about him compared to other middle-class individuals who had achieved modest success. If it weren't for the surveillance capturing Yang Menglu entering and exiting his company, it would have been hard to believe that someone like him had any connection to the Pyramid Scheme.
"This kind of person is difficult to catch," Fan Wenjie sighed. The more one had been through hardship, the higher their Counter-Surveillance Awareness. They would carefully distance themselves from any association with the Case Situation. So far, there had been no evidence linking him to the widespread Pyramid Scheme groups across the province, and in Tongguan, no signs of a Pyramid Scheme hideout had been discovered.
"Could it be that we're heading in the wrong direction? Yang Menglu might have deliberately led them down a dark path, and after completing their purchases, she could have pulled up the ladder," Ye Tianshu suggested. Luo Guanquan immediately shook his head in disagreement: "No, if that were the case, she would have vanished immediately instead of lingering in Tongguan. Since she's staying there, it must not be without purpose."
"Then do you think there might be some flaw we've overlooked that has alerted them?" Fan Wenjie asked.
"That's impossible to know," Luo Guanquan replied with a shake of his head.
"This Tu Shenhao's identity resembles that of a mastermind," Ye Tianshu pointed out.
Luo Guanquan shook his head again in denial: "That shouldn't be the case. Playing cop is a minor act but a serious crime; even if done skillfully, those who prioritize self-preservation wouldn't engage in it directly—they'd only instruct others to do so... Is there any reliable information from the Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce? Does Boss Jia have any more specific details?"
"Not at the moment. The information comes from the inspection team at headquarters. They mentioned that they have bribed an informant and are working on persuasion. If they can provide more information, it would greatly benefit our progress with the Case Situation," Fan Wenjie said.
"Then it seems we can only wait for now. This situation is still half-baked; even if we were to detain all these managers right now, it would be of no use," Luo Guanquan stated.
It was indeed futile; false identities, fake bank cards, scattered POS machines, the mysterious Boss Jia, and seemingly normal Tu Shenhao all became obstacles in advancing the Case Situation. The evidence and criminals were disconnected; as for the Chain of Evidence that law enforcement hoped for, it remained fragmented.
The discussion had returned to square one...
Outside the Lodge, Xiao Mu, as usual, was at the cold drink stand, picking and choosing. In the end, he selected the most expensive Ice Cream, licking it as he walked.
His image was gradually deteriorating, and his demeanor was slowly declining. However, he felt that not having to use fragrances, dress up, or drive luxury cars to attract attention was actually quite liberating.
Indeed, being so poor that you have nothing left is what true freedom feels like; you don’t have to worry about how others perceive you since you’re not much to look at anyway.
Behind him followed Zhang Quan, who had just finished checking his phone and stuffed it into his pocket, looking troubled. His family was urging him to return home, but there was no way for him to move from this place; he could only bury his head in sleep. Now, he was uncertain about where to go next.
“How much money do you have left?” Xiao Mu asked him over his shoulder.
“Do I have any money? I don’t know; it got taken away in Zhi Yang. I only have a few hundred left, and I gave it all to you,” Zhang Quan replied.
Xiao Mu looked at what he had in hand. Aside from food and lodging expenses, there were only a few coins left. He said, “Well, that won’t last through today.”
Yes, it was going to be tough. They could get funds eventually, but they were afraid to spend any. The two of them were treading on thin ice, fearing that their situation would be exposed and they would lose the chance to meet those elusive figures.
Zhang Quan was getting irritated and didn’t respond. Xiao Mu continued talking to him, “Hey, don’t look so glum; think of a way out.”
“What can I do? If they don’t contact us, are we supposed to go knock on their door and apply for a job?” Zhang Quan said irritably.
"Well, that's great. It seems the criminal gang won't take us in, so we can head back home... I've decided, let's have a meal today, then end up on the streets, and after that, wait for the organization to come rescue us." Xiao Mu packed the money away, chuckling.
His sarcastic remarks kept coming. Zhang Quan wanted to scold him but swallowed the words. Experience had taught him that if he upset Xiao Mu, things would only get worse for him. So, Zhang Quan wisely kept his mouth shut and reluctantly followed behind Xiao Mu.
After walking two kilometers, they reached a corner where a small restaurant advertised Sichuan cuisine—perfect for a big appetite and a small wallet. There was no need for any other options; this would do. The two entered the restaurant, sat down, and Xiao Mu casually ordered several dishes. The cook was not a Sichuan girl but a woman from the Northwest, greasy and dark-skinned, shouting from the kitchen to start cooking.
"Hey, Boss Lady... there are several flies on the table?" Xiao Mu called out.
"Can you avoid that in summer? It's not like I'm serving you flies," Boss Lady replied nonchalantly while busy wiping the table. As she brought out some cold dishes from the kitchen, she casually placed them on their table.
Damn it, those flies were quicker than people, buzzing around the dishes. Xiao Mu shouted, "Look, Boss Lady... the flies are about to land on the food."
Boss Lady rolled her eyes and retorted, "How much can it eat you?"
Exactly! Was it really necessary? Xiao Mu was left speechless by her response. Zhang Quan chuckled and quickly grabbed his chopsticks, shoveling the cold dishes into his mouth. He always ate like a wolf. For someone like Xiao Mu, who usually used public chopsticks when dining, this environment bothered him. However, he had changed quite a bit due to his surroundings. He carefully picked up what seemed to be clean peanuts with his chopsticks and cautiously placed them in his mouth.
"Just make do with it; when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Once we're done here, I'll treat you to a feast," Zhang Quan said gently.
Xiao Mu felt goosebumps all over at that tone. He warily asked, "When you speak like that, you definitely have ulterior motives. You want to treat me? Nonsense! With your meager salary, you'd only be able to buy a bottle of mid-range red wine in Binhai."
"Look at this guy; I could at least spend my entire year's salary treating you," Zhang Quan replied politely—very politely.
Such politeness and gentleness left Xiao Mu dumbfounded. He stared at Zhang Quan for a few moments before slowly smiling and asking, "I understand now; you want to consult with Wood Expert again. I've helped you several times already, but you've never delivered on your losses. I can't trust you anymore."
"But I admire you too much as an expert! And delivering is really not an issue; I have many female teammates who can introduce you to some... really! There are all kinds of types; if you're into heavier preferences, there are plenty of girls with my build," Zhang Quan said with a smile, quickly adapting to Xiao Mu's way of communicating.
"Such nonsense," Xiao Mu said with a sly grin, "You look so pitiful. Go on, tell me, what psychological issue do you want to consult about?"
Zhang Quan replied in a low voice, "You should know, there's no way to hide this from Lin Instructor's keen eyes."
"I think I know. I've been waiting for you to ask me. Who would have thought your brain is too slow, and now you're forced to seek my help?" Xiao Mu scoffed, as another plate of twice-cooked pork arrived. He ate it while looking at Zhang Quan with a smug expression.
Zhang Quan was irritated; he found this lazy character utterly exasperating. If one said he was cunning, he would reveal his true self in three sentences; if one claimed he was shallow, there were some things he could keep to himself without telling anyone.
"You seem to... know something," Zhang Quan asked seriously.
"The deadlock... those known A Managers can't be caught. Even if you do catch them, you can't convict them. A large portion of the dirty money has gone through POS machines. With the level of management in domestic banks, even a fool could find loopholes. By the time you trace it back along that line, the opportunity might have already passed," Xiao Mu explained.
Zhang Quan's expression stiffened as he quietly asked, "What else?"
"Your goal is to cut the grass and remove the roots, but right now, you only see the grass and not the roots... The key person who could lead you to the roots is currently ambiguous towards us, neither here nor there. Tell me, are they running out of patience?" Xiao Mu inquired.
This speculation without seeing any police reports left Zhang Quan stunned. He stared blankly for a long time before muttering, "God, how did this monster come about?"
Indeed, it was a monster; this evaluation made Xiao Mu beam with delight. He had said it all; Zhang Quan had written the answer on his face—was there any need for him to guess? If they weren't proactive in reaching out, then both you and your organization must be fools. Was it still a deadlock or something else?
Zhang Quan was left feeling frustrated again while Xiao Mu continued to pour himself a drink, sneaking glances at him like a voyeur admiring a beautiful woman. The sight of Zhang Quan's exasperated expression was amusing to him. After a long while, Zhang Quan adjusted his mindset and deliberately said, "Well then, it seems we can only give up halfway. You're impressive; there's no difference between someone like me and a fool like you—it's all the same in the end."
Trying to provoke Xiao Mu was futile; he smiled and pointed out, "The difference between us is that I disdain doing it while you never even thought of it... Let me ask you: this deadlock can actually be easily broken now; would you know how?"
Zhang Quan felt a flicker of hope but then shook his head. "No, I wouldn't."
"Do you know where the problem lies?" Xiao Mu asked again.
Zhang Quan paused for a moment, then shook his head, unsure.
"That's it—the problem is with you."
"How could it possibly be me?"
"Let me ask you this: what should someone with a history of violence, who dares to knock over a mental hospital and escape, look like?"
"Just like me," Zhang Quan said, pointing at himself seriously. He was quite confident in his appearance.
"It looks similar, but lacks the essence. Let me ask you, Big Head often drinks until he doesn't even recognize his own mother. Have you ever been drunk?" Xiao Mu inquired.
Zhang Quan shook his head; how could he dare to do that?
"Now let me ask you this: when Big Mouth sees a woman, he drools like crazy, and all that comes out of his mouth is either nonsense or flirtation. Have you ever done that?" Xiao Mu asked again.
Zhang Quan shook his head once more, definitely not; at most, he could put on a fierce look.
"And what about eating? Whether it's a feast or street food, you shove anything into your mouth without discrimination, right?" Xiao Mu questioned.
Zhang Quan nodded in affirmation; he certainly didn't care about that.
"Also... have you ever solicited a prostitute? Snorted some powder? Beat someone to near death?" Xiao Mu continued to question, leaving Zhang Quan at a loss. After all, he was a police officer; it was hard to believe he could be so unscrupulous. Then Xiao Mu pointed out the crux of the issue: "That's the problem. If a bad person has no criminal record, how can anyone believe you're on their side? And because you and I are like oil and water together, I'm afraid I might be suspected too."
Indeed, if one appeared too well-behaved, how could they possibly be a bad person?
Zhang Quan suddenly realized the serious issue of being in the dark under the lamp. He stared blankly, thinking it over; the more he pondered, the more sense it made. It was fine to keep a low profile, but being overly submissive seemed unreasonable.
"What should we do then?" Zhang Quan asked.
"It's simple. They search us for cash and bank cards, merely probing your background. Only when someone is cornered can you see what they're really made of... You need to give them a reasonable performance to dispel their doubts. So tell me, as an unemployed drifter like me, combined with your criminal record, what should we do when we're in a tight spot?" Xiao Mu asked.
"Pull off a job?" Zhang Quan blurted out.
"Exactly! You've finally caught on... If you don't believe it, just wait and see if anyone contacts you," Xiao Mu said with a smile.
"This needs to be reported back home," Zhang Quan said awkwardly. Being an undercover agent, especially with a new leader, meant he couldn't just recklessly cross lines.
Xiao Mu remained silent, watching him with a smile. Zhang Quan understood that look held mockery; if he reported back home, they would likely deliberate endlessly. By the time they figured it out, it would be too late. He gritted his teeth and made up his mind, saying directly, "Alright then, tell me what we should do."
"The reasonable approach should be this: when cornered and desperate, pull off a job to get some money and then flee... In this completely unfamiliar environment, you have no idea how many eyes are watching you. It doesn't matter; if they see you, maybe you'll stir something up and they'll help you out... You can't be too clever or too foolish; the money can't be too much but also not too little... Think about it yourself; I'm just a theorist; the practical work relies on you," Xiao Mu explained while eating, laying out the theory clearly for Zhang Quan.
"So you're saying that if we perform reasonably well, they'll take the initiative to contact us?" Zhang Quan asked. Xiao Mu pulled out his phone with only one bar of battery left and nodded.
"What if we're wrong? If we get the money, wouldn't that mean we're really in trouble and have to flee?" Zhang Quan asked worriedly.
"It's just a few hundred bucks; do you want to stick around? If you wait too long, wouldn't that seem even more unreasonable? Where would the money come from? What does it matter in Tongguan? Is someone secretly funding you?... You've overlooked an important point: this is a gang of con artists. The most skilled con artists excel in psychological warfare and reading people... I just figured it out myself; starting to use you in Chang'an doesn't mean they trust you; moreover, they can discard you at any moment during use. This is standard con artist behavior. If we get discarded now, for them it's not just no loss but actually a gain," Xiao Mu said.
Hearing this, Zhang Quan nodded. It was indeed the case; they had taken all the money given to them, and if they wanted to use you, you had to comply obediently. If not, you could just leave. After pondering for a moment, he said, "It seems you were right after all."
"I was never wrong; it was your lack of trust," Xiao Mu replied with a smile.
"You're such an idiot; it took me until today to realize that," Zhang Quan grumbled.
Xiao Mu calmly retorted, "I swear at you, you fool. With your efficiency, researching, discussing, and then arranging things will only lead to hesitation. You’ll only find a solution when there’s no other way out."
"Alright, I’ll trust you this time. If I'm wrong, I really will kill you," Zhang Quan said through clenched teeth.
"Don't kill me; if you're capable, go after someone else," Xiao Mu replied.
"Just tell me what kind of case you want to handle," Zhang Quan asked, looking at Xiao Mu with curiosity. He realized that Xiao Mu seemed even more determined than he was when pushed to the brink.
"Don't get me wrong; this case is yours to handle. I'll just help you plan it out... Psychologically speaking, committing a crime can be quite exhilarating. Many motivations for crime stem from the desire for pleasure and achievement... Heh, I can't wait to give it a try... Hey Baldy, listen to my instructions and don't use your low-IQ methods. I'll teach you how to play it smart; before nightfall, I guarantee we'll leave loaded..." Xiao Mu said animatedly.
This guy truly lived up to his studies in Abnormal Psychology; as soon as he started talking about crime, he became excited himself. He spoke fluently and logically, laying out the details of their plan in a way that startled Zhang Quan. It was indeed a creative approach to committing a crime...
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