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墨書 Inktalez
"Oh... so she is your informant?"
Director Fan realized this as he saw Yang Menglu leave and received the information from Captain Zhong. The mysterious informant of the Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce's task force finally revealed her true identity.
Yang Menglu, along with two instructors, was indeed part of the Internal Line; the only difference was that she chose to report to the Market Regulatory Authority.
Ye Tianshu was also surprised by this outcome. He casually remarked, "No wonder the headquarters provided us with information that could corroborate our investigations. She's quite a high-profile informant."
"Yes, indeed. After the New Year, we will follow the headquarters' deployment to intervene in the investigation of illegal pyramid schemes. Captain Zhong Shihai's team made contact with Yang Menglu in March. After various policy discussions, she agreed to provide us with information about pyramid schemes... This woman’s real name is Yang Yun. Over ten years ago, she fell into a pyramid scheme and lost everything, even her job on the stage. According to Captain Zhong, she had no choice but to make a living this way," the Commerce Bureau Leader casually revealed the informant's unfortunate circumstances.
Director Xu sighed and said, "It's no different from criminal activities; once you step in, there's no turning back."
"Fortunately, she's a smart person who hasn't gone down a dark path completely," the Commerce Bureau Leader replied.
"Be careful with the wording when forming the case file. We must ensure strict protection for our informants and whistleblowers. For such major cases, there will undoubtedly be attention on them; we cannot let those working for us feel disheartened," Xu Ting emphasized.
Ye Tianshu and Fan Wenjie both nodded in agreement.
At this moment, the action teams connecting to the front lines had completed their preparations. The live feeds from each action team began to come in, flashing on screen after screen, showing police and business enforcement vehicles racing towards the scene.
The hideouts were insignificant to view; all eyes from the task force were fixed on the central screen displaying the location: Tongguan.
This place was the focal point of the entire operation, the eye of the storm for the sweeping action ahead.
But for Xiao Mu, who was at the center of the storm, time felt... painfully slow.
Applause erupted as the crowd surged forward, led by He Yuguo, into the hall on the twenty-fifth floor, which had been simply decorated. Hundreds of people gathered together, and the space felt cramped. A simple logo adorned one wall, marking the podium, which was draped with large pieces of red fabric, waiting to unveil today's surprise.
It truly was a reckless idea—one that Xiao Mu had suggested to Jia Fangfei, and it was ultimately adopted. This afternoon, He Yuguo hastily organized this event to publicly award the outstanding General Managers from the previous phase, all in cash, showcasing the financial strength of Wei Heng Company. After all, in front of stacks of Renminbi, most people would be dazzled and blinded.
In reality, it was a ruse; most of the money came from the General Managers themselves, circulating back into their own pockets. The funds given to the newly promoted managers were few and far between.
As Xiao Mu walked toward the podium amidst cheers, He Yuguo appeared somewhat anxious and leaned in to ask, "Where's the secretary?"
"Ah? She got her period and is in the restroom dealing with it; she'll be up in a bit," Xiao Mu replied casually, spinning a flawless lie that left He Yuguo no chance to verify. He nudged Xiao Mu: "Go on, go on, make a speech... hand out the awards as promised."
Surrounded by people, Xiao Mu gradually quieted the crowd. At this moment, among hundreds of individuals who had been drawn in by relatives and friends, brainwashed by managers of all levels, and after today's display of strength, they were likely already convinced of a bright future in capital operations. Their gazes reflected a kind of pathological fervor; even if they weren't enthusiastic themselves, they would be infected by the surrounding excitement.
There’s a saying: as long as you act serious about something, there will be those who worship you as a deity. Xiao Mu was self-hypnotizing; in this setting, he had to play the role of a god—even if it meant being a mad god.
There is also a well-known psychological effect called the Barnum Effect: every minute there must be a fool born. Xiao Mu understood that he had to treat these people like fools.
He raised his hand, and silence fell over the room.
He scanned the crowd, and everyone followed his gaze, like followers listening to a divine oracle.
"Today... I want to tell you a truth." Xiao Mu waved his hand, starting with a thunderous declaration, leading with an expression of a charlatan, amplifying his voice: "The truth is... I am a fraud."
The crowd erupted in astonishment, stunned into silence. Xiao Mu raised his voice again: "Because I am deceiving you. Let go of your steadfast beliefs in honesty, duty, hard work, and toil. Let us engage in endeavors that yield rewards without labor... I ask you loudly: Are you willing?"
The entire audience laughed and shouted in unison: "We are willing!"
"Thank you all... thank you." Xiao Mu bowed several times, feeling the thrill of the moment. He paced a couple of steps, his speech fully formed, and waved his hand as he continued: "It is not that we must betray our former selves, but because we live in deception, we can no longer endure... Five years ago, no one believed that the century-old Lehman Brothers would collapse; ten years ago, no one would have believed that housing prices in China's first-tier cities would skyrocket; twenty years ago, no one would have thought that the seemingly tranquil European continent would face a debt crisis. These unbelievable events have indeed occurred. The crisis lurks around us. All thoughts of enjoying happiness through hard work and honesty are deceptions—none have been realized throughout history..."
"I also want to share a fact with you: In the nineties, our country's money supply was 15 trillion, while last year, our broad money supply reached 131 trillion—a hundredfold increase. The direct consequence is that the money we hold is becoming increasingly worthless. This is hyperinflation; it is a killer of the poor because they only have that little bit of money in the bank. When hyperinflation leads to a currency crisis, the poor cannot even keep that little bit of money safe. Thus, I find myself becoming poorer and poorer."
As Xiao Mu spoke, he felt regret for not having pursued further education at a reputable university; otherwise, he wouldn't feel so constrained when trying to elaborate.
However, it was enough. The audience was so silent that one could hear a pin drop. In their fervent gazes shone trust in Mr. Lin—how well he spoke! Thank goodness they entrusted their money to Wei Heng Investment; there were no worries now.
"Don't be nervous; crises are dangerous but also present opportunities... In fact, every crisis brings about significant opportunities. So my advice is: don't be a victim; be a stable investor."
Xiao Mu waved his hand while internally anxiously urging for the police to arrive soon. Yet his expression remained solemn and serious as he proclaimed:
"Trust in your choice of Wei Heng Business Investment. Let me tell you why we are confident: because we invest in commercial real estate, stocks, and securities—assets that can continuously appreciate. These assets can withstand the damage inflation inflicts on our purchasing power. Why are we capable of doing this? Because we have already established some market control in the P2P and trust sectors, allowing us to absorb the adverse effects brought by inflation... Think about it: your investment of sixty-nine thousand yuan can yield you no less than ten percent returns for every three investors you bring in. Just three! Among you, many have already achieved this; some have brought in not just three but even twenty, thirty, or fifty..."
As Xiao Mu spoke, he caught sight of someone rushing up from the stairway—He Yuguo was waving his hand. He Yuguo had arrived... A sense of dread washed over him; trouble was brewing—the police were coming up.
Xiao Mu was in a frenzy, unable to boast any longer. He turned around and dramatically pulled off the red cloth, revealing stacks of cash that dazzled everyone in the room. A collective gasp echoed as the atmosphere surged to a climax. Xiao Mu, equally caught up in the excitement, spread his arms wide and shouted, "Today… is the moment we witness this miracle of wealth! I’m going to distribute all this money to those brothers and sisters who are ready to reap without sowing… Money doesn’t just fall from the sky, but Renminbi does… Haha..."
With a swift motion, he tossed handfuls of cash into the crowd, creating a scene reminiscent of flowers scattering from a celestial maiden. The already ecstatic men and women waved their hands, scrambling for the money while chanting, "Long live President Lin! Long live President Lin!"
This chant sent Xiao Mu into an even greater frenzy as he threw money around wildly, exclaiming with excitement, "Take it! It’s all yours… Trust in Wei Heng, and your dreams will come true; trust in President Lin, and you will never be poor."
At the center of this chaos was Xiao Mu, surrounded by fluttering bills that rained down like snowflakes. People surged forward, stretching out countless hands to grab what they could. In no time, bodies were piled on top of each other amidst the frenzied shouts and excited screams. The noise reverberated throughout the floor, drowning out a few General Managers who were pushed against the wall in despair as they lamented over their lost money: "Don’t grab it! That’s my money!"
"Get lost! It’s mine! Trust in President Lin; you won’t be poor!" shouted one person who had managed to snatch some cash, his eyes reddened with excitement.
Those trying to stop the chaos were quickly overwhelmed by the frenzy. In the eye of this storm, Xiao Mu continued to throw money around but began to feel a bit anxious as he noticed the disorder escalating. When a large hand gripped his shoulder, he turned around to see Ma Bufang glaring at him with bloodshot eyes, shouting, "Damn it! You really want to die!"
In response, Xiao Mu swung around and landed a punch squarely on Ma Bufang's nose. The impact sent stars flashing before Ma Bufang's eyes as blood streamed from his face. Xiao Mu then handed a stack of cash to a nearby woman and urged her, "Take this and hit him with it; the money is yours!"
The woman eagerly grabbed the thick stack of cash and began hurling it at Ma Bufang. With each throw, more people rushed in to join the fray, quickly burying both men under a pile of bodies.
Just then, orderly lines of police officers armed with riot shields and batons entered the scene. They formed a perimeter along the walls. Initially thought to be difficult to manage, they found that everyone was too preoccupied with grabbing money to notice them.
Surrounding the area quickly, the Police Force began to weave through the crowd. Another chaotic scene unfolded as those grabbing cash started smashing their loot against the riot shields. No amount of shouting could quell their frenzy; the room was filled with loud thuds until one officer realized things were spiraling out of control. He fired a warning shot into the air and shouted, "Everyone get down! Otherwise, you will be charged with assaulting an officer!"
This effectively subdued the situation as people were divided into four groups. Each group contained about one or two hundred individuals. Those at the front were ushered out first while others shouted from behind to hurry them along. Once outside, any resistance vanished completely; police lined both sides of the corridor with riot shields forming a narrow passageway. Occasionally someone would try to retreat only to be met with a swift kick from an officer's boot.
At 5:25 PM, the Tongguan Action Team reported: The situation is basically under control.
At that moment, the entire Anti-Pyramid Scheme Team was divided into four groups, separating men and women, as they identified individuals in the already evacuated floors. Zhang Quan, along with Lian Qiang, moved through the floors, searching among the crouching Pyramid Scheme members holding their heads for Xiao Mu.
The finance room was easily secured; all the POS machines, receipts, rosters, and computer hard drives were confiscated. Even Jia Fangfei, who was suspected to be the mastermind behind "Boss Jia," was captured. However, it was strange that she had been tied up in the restroom of President Lin's office in a rather compromising S-shape. The most puzzling part was that an important figure, He Yuguo, was missing.
"This is bizarre; how did He Fatty slip away?" Zhang Quan asked anxiously as he walked.
The walkie-talkie buzzed with static, and Lian Qiang casually remarked, "A steel rebar ladder was found on the rooftop; this guy might have gone up there first. Did he slip away from the crowd during the evacuation?"
"We can't let this person get away; his position in the gang is significant," Zhang Quan replied.
"It's already been set up; the area within five kilometers is completely sealed off. He won't escape," Lian Qiang assured him.
Suddenly, Zhang Quan stopped in his tracks as someone pinched his leg. He looked down and saw Xiao Mu crouching by the wall, grinning mischievously. This made him anxious for nothing. Lian Qiang also laughed and shouted, "Get a few people over here... this is an important suspect; take him away."
A few riot-equipped police officers approached, covering their heads with black hoods. Lian Qiang and Zhang Quan escorted Xiao Mu directly into a heavily guarded elevator before releasing him. Xiao Mu reached for his hood to take it off but was stopped by Zhang Quan, who said, "Kid, keep it on. If someone sees you, you'll become the biggest Traitor in history."
"Oh well, I guess I'll keep it on then. Hey Baldy, you guys took too long to arrive; I was almost out of material," Xiao Mu joked.
"You think it's easy? There are one or two thousand ordinary company employees in this building; just evacuating them has taken ages and is still not finished... Oh right, He Yuguo got away," Zhang Quan said.
"Damn... how did he slip away?" Xiao Mu exclaimed angrily as he took off his hood and added furiously, "If he gets out, he definitely knows I have a problem."
"He won't get far; we deployed over a thousand Police Forces just in this area and sealed off several kilometers," Lian Qiang comforted him. As they reached the bottom floor, he quickly told Xiao Mu, "Hurry up and put it back on... you really shouldn't act like you're one of the police."
"Cut it out, what do I have to be afraid of?" Xiao Mu scoffed.
"We're the ones who should be scared. Imagine having to admit that we're on the same side as a leader of a Pyramid Scheme like you; that would be so embarrassing," Zhang Quan chuckled.
Xiao Mu put on a hood and punched Zhang Quan twice, but it only drew louder laughter.
They went downstairs, through the hall filled with evacuating crowds, and quietly boarded a van, silently ensuring the protection of this important target.
...
In less than half an hour, the operations targeting the objective met with varying outcomes. Comparatively, Tongguan was the most peaceful.
At a certain building in Yanchuan: a team from Field Duty smashed open the security door with a battering ram. The moment they rushed in, they faced fierce resistance. Tables, stools, and chairs became weapons; even female Pyramid Scheme members were wielding basins and rolling pins against the Action Team, thinking it was a Hideout. The Business Inspection Personnel at the front, eager to take credit, got their heads bashed in until more police arrived to control the situation. After the hideouts were destroyed, notes confiscated, and managers handcuffed, many of the deluded Pyramid Scheme members cried out in despair, unable to be consoled...
In Weicheng: a junior manager had already slipped away, leaving behind a mess. Over a hundred rescued Pyramid Scheme members were there, with confiscated notes filling seven bags. There were even participants holding children; one family had all generations involved in the scheme. The scene was heart-wrenching as they brought their elderly and young ones along.
In Pingling: the raided hideout was predominantly women, especially middle-aged mothers. They gathered at their meeting place and began to protest fiercely, spitting insults at the riot shields. As tensions escalated into shouting matches and spitting contests, one team of riot police found themselves drenched in various flavors of saliva...
The most intense situation was in Yu Lin: there was a notorious Pyramid Scheme building rented entirely by outsiders involved in such schemes. Many operated in groups from their villages. Patrols were stationed below while lookouts were above; as soon as police cars surrounded them, they organized themselves with chair legs and bedposts. Hundreds charged at the blockade. The Action Team quickly escalated their defenses from one layer of shields to two, then four layers. However, they underestimated civilian strength; with loud crashes, four layers of shields were knocked down. The outer forces quickly moved in to encircle this group of hundreds, turning the scene into chaos. Several warning shots failed to disperse them; reluctantly, the Action Team threw two tear gas canisters—one was thrown back by a fearless individual among the crowd, causing police to cough violently... Fortunately, some people were dispersed as arrests began amidst the chaos, escalating into street fighting mode with Business personnel and public security joining forces to block alleys and apprehend individuals...
The reports coming back from various locations depicted scenes that were either intense and concerning or pitiful and heart-wrenching—those who appeared numb or dazed, those who cried out in despair without a penny to their name, even those who vented their anger on the police present at the scene.
The numbers in the project team's report were skyrocketing geometrically. It took less than ten minutes to surpass 500 and then 1,000. Within another ten minutes, they had jumped to 5,000. By six o'clock, the figure had settled at over 8,000 and was still climbing.
"Director Xu... about the news reports," Fan Wenjie reminded softly.
Xu Ting had been closely monitoring the progress of operations across various locations. Upon hearing this, he sighed lightly, "Prepare a detailed repatriation plan and coordinate with the railway and highway transportation departments to handle it properly... Let's hold off on the press release for now."
"Alright, we'll refine the plan further," Fan Wenjie responded, knowing that the upcoming task would be even more challenging—repatriating nearly ten thousand people would certainly keep them busy.
"Comrades, let's put in some extra effort today. I will work overtime with you... Over ten thousand people in the Anti-Pyramid Scheme Team—it’s truly a madman's feast. I believe that none of you here feel joy at breaking a major case because this is not glory; it is shame... Today, here, we swear an oath under our National Emblem that we will eliminate the ringleaders. Not a single one of those who organized and planned this can escape. We must not allow them to poison society any longer."
Xu Ting declared, his voice resonating firmly across dozens of command points:
"Yes!"
A grand offensive operation was underway, charging forward with unstoppable momentum toward victory...
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