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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 92: Gathering of Scum
When a case is abruptly interrupted before the timing is right, those investigating it may suffer more than the perpetrators themselves.
Pan Shuanglong was arrested and injured, spending time in the hospital where a bullet was removed from his hip. His injuries were serious, and the Binhai City Bureau dispatched two teams of officers to keep watch, fearing that the suspect might attempt self-harm or suicide given the severity of his case. However, they were caught off guard; this guy acted like a lord, demanding food and drink, and even needed assistance from the police to go to the bathroom. Within just a couple of days, the officers assigned to guard him were already complaining.
People from Shenzhen-Hong Kong had arrived and were formulating an interrogation plan. According to their reports, this individual had been committing crimes in Shenzhen-Hong Kong and its surrounding areas for many years, with thefts amounting to astronomical figures. He specifically targeted villas and high-end residences belonging to foreigners and wealthy individuals, causing significant trouble for the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Police. The entire police district was aware of this elusive band of thieves who left no trace behind.
From the moment they captured the first rascal until they identified Pan Shuanglong, it took the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Police over a year. Yet, once he was apprehended, they realized this was just the beginning. Due to a failed operation in Suzhou and Hangzhou, they had not found any channels for disposing of stolen goods. This suspect had become isolated, making him one of the hardest to interrogate since there were no other leads to compare against.
Binhai provided strong cooperation; the Ten Squad was dispatched to thoroughly search Song Lijuan's residence. Aside from discovering that she lived relatively well-off, there were no other suspicious findings. This aligned with what Wang Zihua's task force had anticipated—an outsider would not likely possess any valuable stolen items.
The intertwining of these two cases posed a headache. Pan Shuanglong's theft case and Wang Zihua's burglary case had no similarities in terms of patterns or methods that would warrant them being combined. Yet here were two seemingly unrelated suspects brought together.
This was explained by Song Lijuan: she was in a relationship with him.
Yes, a relationship—flawless and ongoing for some time. Song Lijuan only knew that he was doing business outside Binhai and often did not return home. They had known each other since childhood, growing up in the Binhai Steel Plant's family compound; their relationship had a hint of childhood sweethearts—there seemed to be no faults to find.
Meanwhile, Song Lijuan, who remained in the hospital, was feeling low. During Pan Shuanglong's arrest, she had been used as a human shield against the police, which likely made her realize the depth of their feelings for each other. She cried continuously, making it difficult for anyone to ask her anything.
On the day following their arrests, the two cases were immediately separated. The Wang Zihua case remained with the Ten Squad while cooperating with the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Police was transferred to a direct unit under the Criminal Investigation Bureau. Those involved from Suzhou and Hangzhou were also reassigned there. During this time, a key figure—Shen Lingchen—was delayed in Suzhou and Hangzhou for two days, prompting Director Zheng to personally make a call before he could set off again.
Three days later...
After concluding a meeting involving representatives from Shenzhen-Hong Kong, Suzhou and Hangzhou, and Binhai, several participants were sent off. As City Bureau Political Commissar Zhang Hulin was about to get into his car, he pulled Director Zheng Kegong aside and quietly asked, "Old Zheng, did anything slip?"
He was referring to Song Lijuan's situation. Director Zheng shook his head firmly: "Absolutely not; we withdrew on that day. Aside from personnel from the Ten Squad involved in the case, no one outside knows we are still investigating Wang Zihua's burglary."
"What do you think?" Commissioner Zhang asked.
"I tend to agree with Shen Lingchen's opinion. Without evidence, it's difficult to take down Pan Shuanglong, let alone Song Lijuan... In matters like this, once you speak up, it's over. I fear their attitude will be one of silence," Zheng Kegong said quietly. He was certain; with his years of experience in Criminal Investigation, he knew that suspects in major cases were all tough nuts to crack.
"I asked for your opinion... Do you think Deputy Commissioner Shen is emotional?" Zhang Hulin inquired.
"Well..." Director Zheng was somewhat at a loss for words. Given the special circumstances, the person they had brought in was also special. From his perspective, this individual should be the purest form of a police officer. Summoning his courage, he said, "It's impossible for him not to have emotions. Deputy Commissioner Shen's actions have been very decisive. If he hadn't ordered the shooting during the arrest of Pan Shuanglong, we might have lost him... The few from Shenzhen-Hong Kong really lack quality; they have no idea what our northern criminals are like..."
"Stop, stop! Enough with the useless talk. Do you have an opinion on the organizational decision?" Commissioner Zhang snapped.
"Of course I have an opinion! What’s going on with Suzhou and Hangzhou? They just took down a rascal, and now they're scrutinizing this kind of police work? Who would dare to handle cases in the future?" Director Zheng insisted, staunchly defending Shen Lingchen.
"This is an extraordinary time. Aren't the families out there petitioning? Public opinion is overwhelmingly questioning whether the police's actions were justified. What can we do? We can't hold a public debate with them, can we? Look, I’m telling you, we must ensure he doesn’t carry any burdens. The organization is also working hard to help him return to duty as soon as possible. The reason for his transfer to Binhai is precisely to avoid this storm..." Commissioner Zhang explained.
After some comforting words—typical talk from leaders—Director Zheng sent off the group with a hint of frustration. It was disheartening that a good case had been turned upside down like this. Suddenly spotting a familiar car, he hurried back to his office.
Upon returning, he saw Shen Lingchen waiting at the office door. Excitedly, he approached and invited Shen inside, personally pouring him a glass of water while saying politely, "Oh, Shen Lingchen! A master is indeed a master; you've only been here a few days and already things are taking shape. You left for just two days and everything's gone haywire... Tell me, is it because the organization hasn’t reached a conclusion yet that you're feeling emotional?"
"No, absolutely not... I spent two days at home with my wife and kids. Honestly, I really want to go back to living an ordinary life. I've requested transfers several times, but the organization hasn’t approved them," Shen Lingchen replied.
"Of course not! With your talent, how could they let you go?" Director Zheng said as he closed the door behind him. Once seated, he looked at Shen Lingchen and smiled, saying, "I won’t bother with praises; no one expected such a breakthrough method. You mentioned on the phone about letting Song Lijuan go—do you have confidence in that?"
"No," Shen Lingchen answered directly. Zheng's expression darkened at this response. Shen Lingchen quickly added with a smile, "No one has confidence in this matter; you know how difficult this case is. After more than a month of investigation, we've only uncovered this little bit of information—and it’s from an outsider... Whether we can continue investigating or even find anything is still uncertain. The opponent we’re facing instills a sense of fear in me; it's rare to encounter such deeply hidden suspects."
"No matter how deep it is, we must dig deeper. We've kept this matter under wraps; Shenzhen-Hong Kong and Suzhou-Hangzhou don’t know that Song Lijuan is our real target. Therefore, after discussions among our team members, we tend to agree with your approach... We called you here not for anything major but just to convey the higher-ups' message from the City Bureau: go ahead and act freely. If Suzhou and Hangzhou can't stay here anymore, they can come to us in Binhai," Director Zheng stated.
"Ha ha, I've never seen someone so good at digging up dirt," Shen Lingchen remarked, pulling out a detailed relationship chart from his pocket.
When he placed it in front of Director Zheng, the latter exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, you’ve been busy... Looks like I didn’t misjudge you."
The chart included detailed profiles of Ma Yubing, Mao Shiping, Pan Shuanglong, Song Lijuan, He Shi, and others. It also outlined a comprehensive implementation plan to release Song Lijuan while making the police aware of her involvement in the Wang Zihua case. The strategy was to cast a wide net and catch the real suspects closely connected to her.
"This plan is quite bold," Director Zheng noted, looking over it. It aimed to release everyone except Pan Shuanglong.
"Let’s make a bet; if we don’t release them, we won’t have any leverage over them... In prison, the ones in handcuffs are the suspects; outside of prison, those in handcuffs are the police," Shen Lingchen replied.
Indeed, due to erroneous intelligence and lost evidence, a failed operation would likely allow those who knew they were breaking the law to continue evading justice.
"This isn’t just a plan; it’s the only way we can proceed from here."
After a long pause, Shen Lingchen lifted his gaze to meet Director Zheng's eyes.
"Yes, let’s hope we can go further... I agree. When and how to release them is up to you. As for Suzhou and Hangzhou matters, I’ll handle the coordination," Director Zheng stated decisively.
At that moment, Shen Lingchen's expression was neutral; he showed no signs of joy or sorrow. His eyes flickered as he pondered what that mysterious informant would choose if faced with such multifaceted issues.
Unfortunately, he had no way of knowing that the informant had been out of contact for quite some time...
A thick stack of cash was suddenly placed in front of Lezi, startling him.
"This is borrowed, and I’ll pay it back. This is the first money I've earned through my own efforts," Xiao Mu said cheerfully while eating, finally able to repay the money he owed Ruhua.
"Hey, come on, we’re brothers! Why be so polite?" Lezi replied. As soon as he mentioned this, Xiao Mu reached for the money back, causing Lezi to quickly shove it into his pocket, saying, "Thank you, thank you! Brothers should settle accounts clearly."
"Your character... you’ll never change," Xiao Mu scolded him.
Lezi grinned and retorted, "Of course not! But Mu Shao, you can’t change your mind every day, right? I mean, what’s up with you drawing a line with your dad? Oh man, are you really going crazy? Even if you want to cut ties, shouldn’t there be a severance fee of at least a hundred thousand? After all, he’s been your dad for so many years! Nowadays when couples break up, they even have breakup parties. And here you are, just walking away like it’s nothing."
Xiao Mu smiled but didn’t explain.
Lezi was dumbfounded. He had prepared himself for Young Master Mu to be down and out and needing some help. He never expected Xiao Mu to be so confident and generous. Not only was he paying back the money, but he was also inviting him to such an upscale place as the State Guest Hotel for seafood. Lezi couldn’t help but speculate, "Wow, you’ve struck it rich."
"Of course! Do I look like I’m broke to you?" Xiao Mu replied.
"Seriously? You didn’t sell your blood or something crazy like that to get this much cash?" Lezi was taken aback by Xiao Mu's confidence and composure. If his brother was indeed down on his luck, he wouldn’t mind helping out a bit. But seeing him so self-assured made Lezi feel disappointed.
There was no sense of achievement; look at how well Xiao Mu was doing without his father—clearly a slap in the face for him.
Xiao Mu smiled without saying a word. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to share; he just felt embarrassed. He couldn’t exactly say he had been hustling on the streets or organizing groups of petty criminals for extortion.
Lezi grew anxious and pressed on, "Come on, tell me what you’ve been up to... Just the other day when I was having dinner with the Brothers, we were talking about how you must be homeless now. You’re not out there holding a sign asking for sponsorship or something, are you?"
"Don't just worry about me, how's Guan Guan?" Xiao Mu asked.
"What can a civil servant do? They're just entering retirement early," Lezi replied.
"And Ruhua? That guy must be enjoying his honeymoon, right?" Xiao Mu said with a hint of jealousy.
"He's having the time of his life. The stock market is going crazy, and Ruhua has made a fortune. Now he's trading with a bunch of big investors. I feel embarrassed to even approach him with my ten or eighty thousand... You know how impressive that is? We even got him to invest a million for us. One day, when it came up in conversation, you won't believe what he said... 'That little bit of money? Forget it, consider it support for the poor farmers.' Damn it, you know how humiliating that is for me," Lezi exaggerated.
"You didn't pay him back, did you? I don't think that's like you," Xiao Mu remarked.
"Of course not! For the sake of money, I'm willing to sacrifice my pride... Haha..." Lezi laughed heartily.
Xiao Mu felt a surge of happiness; it had been a long time since he had seen Lezi, and he was genuinely touched. However, Lezi misunderstood and quickly reminded him, "That million is long gone; you don't have any share in it."
Lezi's shamelessness left Xiao Mu momentarily speechless. While he was taken aback, Lezi was still happily laughing. This was probably the only thing Xiao Mu liked about him—Lezi never hid his greed, ignorance, lust, or shamelessness. He was endearing in his own way as a brother to Big Gourd and Erhu Lu.
"Come on, eat up... Hey Mu, you said you and your dad..." Lezi cautiously asked.
Xiao Mu slammed down his chopsticks and glared at him. Lezi quickly backtracked, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about family matters... Let's eat."
As they continued eating, Lezi felt an inexplicable urge and thought Xiao Mu looked a bit pitiful. He secretly pulled out the ten thousand yuan he had returned to Xiao Mu from his pocket. Reluctantly and painfully, he pushed it toward Xiao Mu. Xiao Mu glanced at him and smiled, "Feeling sorry for me?"
"No, no... You're out there working hard alone; it's not easy. Here, spend this first," Lezi said.
"Oh wow, I just discovered that your shameless personality actually has its bright spots... It's not a waste to have you as a friend," Xiao Mu chuckled.
Lezi squinted his eyes and said, "Don't be so stubborn. What's there that a father and son can't get over? From my perspective, most of the issues lie with you. It's not just you; it's both of us. Do you think it's easy for them to be our fathers?"
Xiao Mu suddenly smiled, his eyes crinkling with amusement. Over time, both brothers had developed a sense of guilt. Xiao Mu slowly pushed the money back and said, "It's not that I don't appreciate it. If I were short on cash, I wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of you. But right now, I really want to ask you for a favor."
"Go ahead. I'm not good at helping out, but causing trouble is no problem," Lezi replied.
"This matter is a bit complicated. We need to handle things before causing trouble. Let me explain it simply... Do you have any connections to get a press card? I need one, but it can't be fake. A press pass would work too, preferably affiliated with a media outlet," Xiao Mu said.
Wow, this is ambitious! Lezi was taken aback. However, knowing Xiao Mu as he did, he realized that while he could handle anything, doing something good was not in his repertoire. He looked at Xiao Mu warily and asked suspiciously, "Hey, are you planning to go out and scam people? Have you learned a few tricks after hanging around for a few days? It seems like you're ready to con someone besides your old man."
"If you won't help, then forget it; I'll cut ties with you," Xiao Mu said bluntly.
"Wait, wait, wait..." Lezi exaggeratedly replied. "I'm actually quite interested in what you want to do. The only thing bothering me right now is that I only know how to con my dad. Seeing you like this makes me think I should learn from you."
"Then let's get the press card first, alright?"
"Sure."
"Getting ads for the media or something seems to have decent commissions."
"Of course! If you can navigate that business well, the president would be groveling at your feet. They're all worried about how tough business is these days."
"We'll need some hidden camera equipment; I'll get some undercover stuff for you."
"Sure! Some people are willing to pay for it but can't even get their hands on it... In the film industry, this kind of thing is child's play."
“Industry Secrets Ah, you need to have a channel to get this out, and it has to have some influence.”
“Well, that's not a problem. As long as you can provide something real, there will be people fighting over it... Damn, don't say I'm putting you in a tough spot. Many conscientious reporters who wanted to do this have ended up unable to take care of themselves. You don’t seem like someone with a conscience.”
“Haha, you know I don’t have one, yet you're worried about me. The only thing I’m not afraid of now is this; my team is too strong, and I’m just worried about where to get supplies.”
Xiao Mu threw down his chopsticks and declared loudly, sitting confidently as if he were pointing out the issues of the world. This tone startled Lezi; no matter how he looked at it, Xiao Mu seemed nothing like his former self. However, he couldn't bring himself to trust someone who boasted so much, so he muttered:
“Stop bragging. Brother will help you... Looking at you like this, you might as well be unable to take care of yourself.”
Xiao Mu smiled but offered no explanation.
……………………………
……………………………
When it came to serious matters, Lezi often struggled to get things done smoothly. But when it came to taking shortcuts, he was truly skilled. With a wide network and connections, after some maneuvering, he managed to secure interview passes from three Press outlets. Once they heard that a certain film company was pulling in advertisements for them, things moved at rocket speed. They even privately promised that the total return would not be less than thirty-five percent... If that wasn’t satisfactory, they could negotiate based on how much Amount they had.
This was an era where money talked; it was really easy to handle. By the time he returned to Nanhui Culinary School in the afternoon, Xiao Mu already had a large bag of items in hand. He hurried back to his residence but found no one there. Peeking out of the teaching area, he realized everyone was busy with intensive training—stir-frying and shaking sand; these were basic skills that needed to be perfected until nothing could spill.
Reality was quite cruel for these people; he had overestimated the troublemakers he brought along. Those who were used to deceit and trickery were hard to motivate into action. There were those who slacked off, snuck out for drinks, or wandered off at night without returning. This made Xiao Mu feel sick with anger, especially since it was Big Gourd and Erhu Lu leading them; there was no way to reason with them.
Turning a blind eye wasn’t an option either. A day later, they brought in over twenty more troublemakers from Suzhou and Hangzhou. The police were cracking down on vice operations, making their lives miserable; they all came just for free food. This infuriated Xiao Mu, tossing and turning in frustration until he decided he needed to find some extra income.
Just when things seemed calm again, another issue arose. As soon as Xiao Mu returned, the academic director sought him out and pulled him aside into a quiet place. The director looked serious and nervous, wanting to say something but hesitating without uttering a word. Suddenly realizing what was going on, Xiao Mu quickly reassured him: “Don’t be nervous; I’m not refusing to pay you. How about I pay you one-third of the tuition upfront?”
"It's not about the money. How about I give you some extra cash if you take your people and leave?" The director pleaded with a pained expression.
"Huh? What happened now?" Xiao Mu was startled.
The director slapped his palm and began to lament tearfully, "Boss Mu, what kind of people have you brought here? The vegetables that just came back this morning, the tomatoes and cucumbers, they ate them raw! And during class this afternoon, the fish meant for cooking was gone; they roasted it instead. We have no choice but to start a cooking class!"
Xiao Mu tried to comfort him, but it seemed the complaints were far from over. The director started talking bad about Big Gourd, saying he spent all day in the kitchen eating. And those few female bosses who came along were too indiscreet, flirting with the chef as if they were a couple.
Every day was filled with such nonsense. Xiao Mu realized he had made a serious mistake; ducks couldn't catch up to the river, and dogs that ate feces couldn't be chased out of the vegetable patch. After much persuasion, he finally managed to calm down the director, who had a belly full of grievances he dared not voice.
Turning around, Xiao Mu angrily went to find Big Gourd and his companion, only to discover they had arrived early. One was holding a bowl of steaming boneless meat, while the other carried a plate of vegetarian dishes. Big Gourd cheerfully told Xiao Mu, "Brother, hurry up and eat! It just came out of the pot."
Erhu Lu chimed in, "How about we take over this school's operations? Let me tell you, those two Masters have gotten close to Big Li and West Phoenix. Whatever we ask them to do, they'll definitely listen."
Xiao Mu couldn't help but laugh and scold them, "You two are something else; can you really run this place like that?"
"This place doesn't need any tricks; you don't know how desperate these folks are. Forget seeing Red Sister; even if they saw an old sow, they'd get excited," Big Gourd replied. Erhu Lu added, "And don't forget, Big Li seems to have some interest in that old bachelor; he cooks boneless meat and sends it over to the ladies."
Xiao Mu laughed so hard he shook. Those few courtesans had successfully conquered this place on their first day. The bald Dean, the old bachelor Head Chef, and even the married principal all found excuses to visit where those women stayed.
The two continued sharing amusing stories about the struggles of poor culinary students. Xiao Mu quickly interrupted them and said seriously, "Starting tomorrow, we need to get the Brothers out there on duty."
"Really?" Big Gourd was delighted.
"Is that really okay?" Erhu Lu asked cautiously.
"Whether there's something to do or not, we have to keep busy. There are only about a hundred thugs on Zhengmin Road, and half of them have come here. What do you expect me to do? Can I afford to support them all?" Xiao Mu said with frustration.
Erhu Lu bit his finger, feeling embarrassed. He had called quite a few familiar faces. Big Gourd awkwardly added, "There's nothing we can do. The police are chasing everyone away, at least it's safe here."
"Then you take care of them! With the little you have saved up, how long do you think you can last?" Xiao Mu retorted.
The two gourds realized they didn't have enough resources. Considering their daily drinking habits, it wouldn't last long at all. They looked at Xiao Mu like they had done something wrong.
"So, I've been thinking..." Xiao Mu began, and Big Gourd excitedly chimed in, "Just the tip, no penetration." Erhu Lu followed with enthusiasm, "Money brings benefits."
"Exactly... Come on, gather all our brothers. Let's carry out a cleaning operation bigger than the police's... Damn it, if we're going to do something serious, I'm useless; if we're not doing serious work, why am I so brilliant?"
Xiao Mu swayed unsteadily, clearly having overcome the discomfort from earlier and ready to take action.
"It has to be done; otherwise, why would so many brothers follow you?" Big Gourd said.
"Right? In the past, we worked as lackeys for the boss and took all the money. We should keep some pocket change for ourselves. It's only fair that the Brothers don't work for nothing," Erhu Lu expressed his thoughts candidly.
Indeed, without needing to rally them loudly, a simple phone call brought everyone together. The summoned Brothers gathered in droves, even pulling in several young chefs from their cooking classes. The plan dubbed "Paparazzi Task Force" was immediately set into motion...
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