Zhao Qiang chuckled and said, "Brother Long, if you're interested in making money, I'll be very generous."
Nine-Dragon frowned and said, "You're not going to ask me to deal with Liu Mingzhen, are you? We do have some connections, after all."
One of Nine-Tattooed Dragon's henchmen advised him, "Brother, what does friendship matter? This is worth 100,000!"
Nine-Tattooed Dragon glared at his brother and said, "What's all the fuss about? I'm the one in charge here."
Zhao Qiang said, "Brother Long probably thinks I'm not sincere enough. It's alright, I have more here." As he spoke, Zhao Qiang took out another bag of money from under the table and slammed it onto the table in bundles. Every time he slammed it, the brothers' hearts pounded. Even Nine-Tattooed Dragon himself couldn't suppress his excitement. There was already nearly 200,000 yuan on the table. Even if he crippled Liu Mingzhen's hands and feet, it would be enough. As for friendship, to hell with it. In his dictionary, he only recognized money, not people.
Zhao Qiang asked with a relaxed smile, "Brother Long, is this enough to show our friendship?"
Nine-Dragon's tone revealed ecstasy: "Enough, enough. How do you plan to deal with him?"
Zhao Qiang said, "I don't want his money, I just want justice. This guy embezzled other people's money and acted like nothing happened. I was just angry and wanted to stand up for him. But to make him admit defeat, we need evidence. This old fox is very cunning, so the important task of finding evidence of his crimes falls on everyone. I will reward you handsomely after we succeed."
Zhao Qiang's sincerity alone was enough to excite Nine-Tattooed Dragon. Hearing that there would be a generous reward after the matter was settled, Nine-Tattooed Dragon trembled. No matter how arrogant he was, he had never experienced such a bombardment of money. With this money, he could spend it lavishly for a month. Thinking of a month of extravagance, Nine-Tattooed Dragon's eyes were filled with light.
"Alright, brother, you're sincere enough. We'll go and deal with Liu Mingzhen right now." Nine-Tattooed Dragon stood up abruptly.
Zhao Qiang reached out to stop him: "Wait, Brother Long, you may not understand my true intention. What I need is evidence, not just to deal with people. If it's about dealing with people, I wouldn't dare to trouble you guys."
Nine-Dragon asked in confusion, "Then what do you suggest we do? All we know how to do is deal with people."
Zhao Qiang asked, "Does everyone know Deng Xiaofu?"
Nine-Dragon said, "I know her. Isn't she Liu Mingzhen? She has a great figure. I'd like to sleep with her too."
Zhao Qiang chuckled and said, "I want all the information about her now. Can you do that, Brother Long?"
Nine-Dragon said, "No problem, I guarantee I'll get you all the information about her ancestors for eighteen generations, Brother Qiang."
Zhao Qiang said, "Okay, then you guys go and get it done quickly. We'll wait for your news at the hotel. As for what to do next, we'll talk about it after we get the documents."
Nine-Dragon left with the money. Zhao Qiang wasn't worried that they would swallow the money and never show up again. These people knew there would be a big reward later, just like cats smelling fish. Even if there were mountains of knives and seas of fire to stop them, they would still come back for the money.
Zhao Qiang and Guo Yang didn't have to wait long. At 11 p.m., Jiuwenlong arrived at the hotel with detailed information. The matter was handled very simply. Jiuwenlong found one of Deng Xiaofu's close friends and, through a combination of rewards and intimidation, found out everything about Deng Xiaofu.
Zhao Qiang took the A4 copy paper from Jiu Wenlong, on which some words were written in messy handwriting. Jiu Wenlong said, "Brother Qiang, this Deng Xiaofu already has a husband, but he's an honest, hardworking worker. She also has a five-year-old son, who is usually looked after by her husband's parents. According to her friends, besides doting on her son, Deng Xiaofu is also very greedy. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let Liu Mingzhen deal with her. Although she loves money, she's also a coward."
Zhao Qiang said, "Okay, thank you for your strong support, Brother Long. You guys go back to sleep first, and we'll go see her tomorrow morning to take care of some things."
Nine-Dragon readily agreed and left with his brother. Guo Yang asked Zhao Qiang, "Have you thought of a way? Should we also bribe Deng Xiaofu to testify against Liu Mingzhen?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Liu Mingzhen is a wealthy person. If we just try to bribe Deng Xiaofu, it might not be effective. Deng Xiaofu might not betray Liu Mingzhen so quickly. But we don't have time to wait, so we need to teach her a lesson."
After returning home, Deng Xiaofu couldn't sleep for half the night. She had a feeling that Liu Mingzhen might really cause trouble this time. Deng Xiaofu clearly saw that when Zhao Qiang walked out of Qiushi Trading Company, Chief Wang of the police station was shaking. But at that time, Zhao Qiang was holding a gun. Even though his officers were being shot one after another, Chief Wang not only didn't fire a single shot, but didn't even dare to say a harsh word. This showed that Zhao Qiang definitely had something that made the police station people wary.
Thinking of Liu Mingzhen's incorrigible greed, Deng Xiaofu felt she needed to consider her future. If she continued to mess around with the old man, she might end up getting herself into trouble too. She had a family to support. Although being with Liu Mingzhen was glamorous, he was a married man and couldn't possibly divorce his wife to marry her.
Before dawn, Deng Xiaofu got up and dressed. She planned to go to Qiushi Trading Company today to buy some things and then never go to work again. If Liu Mingzhen really wanted to, she would call him, and then she would ask him for money. Over the years, she had let him take advantage of her, but she hadn't actually received tens of thousands of yuan. The old man was a miser.
Deng Xiaofu was blocked as soon as she stepped out of the building. Several thugs, carrying baseball bats and bricks, stared at her with forced smiles. Deng Xiaofu was shocked: "W-what do you want?" If her escape route hadn't been blocked, Deng Xiaofu would have gone upstairs to hide without saying a word. She knew about the concept of sexual assault, and she was considered quite attractive, but sexual assault usually happened at night. She had never heard of sexual assault happening so early in the morning. Did they have such strong morning erections that they had nowhere to release them?
Nine-Dragon weighed the baseball bat in his hand and said, "What for? I'm taking you to see someone."
Deng Xiaofu asked, "Who?"
Nine-Dragon said, "Don't ask anymore, or we'll get rough."
These guys were incredibly aggressive. Deng Xiaofu was afraid they might harm her, so she didn't dare to shout and obediently got into the car. Fortunately, they were relatively well-behaved towards her and led her into the hotel without causing any trouble. When she didn't see anyone in the hotel room, Deng Xiaofu wondered if they wanted to book a room and have their way with her. The thought of a group of people attacking her at once made Deng Xiaofu a little scared, but she also felt a little expectant. That old man Liu Mingzhen couldn't even last two minutes, and her husband hadn't touched her for a month. She was at the age where she was full of desire, and these young men were all strong and healthy. Maybe it would be a good experience. But when Deng Xiaofu saw the two people in the room, she immediately shattered all her fantasies.
"Is it you?" Deng Xiaofu asked, somewhat surprised.
Zhao Qiang stood up and said, "That's right, it's us. Please sit down."
A group of men were holding Deng Xiaofu back. When Zhao Qiang told her to "sit," she had no choice but to sit obediently on the sofa, like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
Zhao Qiang said, "Deng Xiaofu, I've asked you here to discuss a business deal."
Deng Xiaofu had actually guessed some of the clues. "What kind of deal?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Help us testify against Liu Mingzhen and win the case."
Deng Xiaofu's expression changed: "Impossible, don't even think about it." Deng Xiaofu never considered Guo Yang, Zhao Qiang and the others as friends. She always believed that she and Liu Mingzhen were in cahoots. She would not feel good if something happened to Liu Mingzhen. Moreover, Deng Xiaofu knew the power behind Liu Mingzhen. He was definitely not as soft as a rotten persimmon to be manipulated.
Zhao Qiang nodded to Guo Yang, who then pulled a nylon bag from under the coffee table and poured all the money inside onto the table. There were at least twelve or thirteen bundles, with two more rolling onto the floor, landing right at Deng Xiaofu's feet. The scene was quite shocking and alluring; Deng Xiaofu's eyes widened, her gaze filled with deep desire. Although she had helped Liu Mingzhen with accounts and had handled transactions worth millions, that money didn't truly belong to her; it had merely passed through her hands. But this money, with just a nod, would be hers.
"This is your payment," Zhao Qiang said calmly.
Deng Xiaofu's voice began to stutter, "You, you guys, don't force me. I won't betray him. Liu Mingzhen is very powerful. You can't possibly bring him down. Since you're not short of money, you shouldn't keep harping on this matter. Taking a step back will open up a whole new world. Don't you think so?"
Zhao Qiang said to Guo Yang, "See, I told you a pocketful of money is nothing to Sister Deng. Luckily, we were prepared."
Guo Yang shook his head and smiled bitterly, then took out another nylon bag from under the coffee table. It was still full of money. Guo Yang didn't pour it out, but just threw it on the table. Some of the dozen or so bundles of money that had been piled up were now unsteady and landed at Deng Xiaofu's feet. Deng Xiaofu's heart was in her throat, and her eyes began to blur.
"How is it?" Zhao Qiang asked Deng Xiaofu.
Deng Xiaofu swallowed hard. She was still hesitant, but unlike before, she didn't refuse outright. Zhao Qiang gave Jiu Wenlong a wink, and Jiu Wenlong stepped forward, grabbed Deng Xiaofu by the neck, and chuckled, "You slut, it's best you won't take a polite offer. All of us brothers want to sleep with you. After we've had our way with you, we'll lock you up and have people take turns sleeping with you. We'll keep taking your money until Liu Mingzhen pays off all the money he owes."
Another brother poked Deng Xiaofu in the chest with a baseball bat: "Damn it, you better be sensible. We know which kindergarten your son goes to. We've heard he's very cute. We can't guarantee he'll survive."
This is too cruel. Deng Xiaofu knew that if she didn't cooperate, she would definitely suffer physical pain today, and it would also implicate her child. Seeing the hundreds of thousands of yuan in front of her, Deng Xiaofu thought, why make things difficult for herself and her family? Liu Mingzhen had argued with her last night; let him die!
(Thanks to 1ism coin for the reward, and thanks to Rentoumunao [2 votes] and y54 for the monthly ticket support)
Volume 2 [717] Major Event
【717】Big event
"Don't touch my child, I'll do as you say," Deng Xiaofu gritted her teeth. Why should she risk her life for Liu Mingzhen when she could get paid? How much benefit had he given her? Last night, she almost slapped herself.
Nine-Dragon glanced smugly at Zhao Qiang, as if to claim credit. Zhao Qiang said to Deng Xiaofu, "Very good, you're very perceptive. Actually, we didn't intend to do anything to Liu Mingzhen, so don't feel guilty. I'm asking you, what exactly happened with Guo Yang's father's investment?"
When Deng Xiaofu heard Zhao Qiang say that he didn't intend to do anything to Liu Mingzhen and that the other party just wanted the money back, she felt a little relieved. If the other party forced her to poison Liu Mingzhen, she didn't know whether she should do it. Deng Xiaofu said, "I handled Guo Zhen's investment funds, so you've come to the right person. He gave Liu Mingzhen a total of more than 800,000 yuan, and I even issued the receipt."
Guo Yang didn't expect to find witnesses so quickly. He was a little anxious and asked, "Then tell the truth, what exactly did Liu Mingzhen say to my dad about the terms?" This was the key question. If Liu Mingzhen hadn't told Guo Zhen about the guaranteed investment, Guo Yang didn't know what to do next. Was he supposed to force Liu Mingzhen to apologize to his father and pay back the money?
Deng Xiaofu laughed smugly, "Those old men are all big fools. They were completely fooled by Liu Mingzhen. I don't know much about other people's affairs, but I was there when Liu Mingzhen was fooling your father. I heard it clearly. Liu Mingzhen told Guo Zhen that his original intention was to lend him money, but since it involved interest, Liu Mingzhen would help Guo Zhen make a series of investments. However, considering that Guo Zhen was worried about the investment failure, Liu Mingzhen proposed that if they made a profit, they would split it 40/60, and if they lost money, he would repay the money he borrowed from Guo Zhen in full. Poor Guo Zhen, that kind old man, completely believed Liu Mingzhen's words and just gave him a receipt and that was it."
Guo Yang was moved to tears upon hearing this. He had finally found a witness who could prove his father's innocence and bring Liu Mingzhen down. The thought that his father could finally breathe a sigh of relief made him feel much more relaxed. As long as his father was willing to follow the doctor's treatment, the illness would not be a problem.
Zhao Qiang said to Deng Xiaofu, "If you are willing to appear in court as a witness for Guo Zhen, then I will thank you."
Deng Xiaofu said, "You're not so naive as to think you can bring down Liu Mingzhen just by saying a few words to me, are you?" Deng Xiaofu had a "what's the use" attitude. Since she had already decided to join the other party in messing with Liu Mingzhen, she was now trying to put herself in the other party's shoes.
Zhao Qiang laughed and said, "Going to court is certainly not that simple, so the matter still rests on your shoulders. You have been by Liu Mingzhen's side for so many years, so you must have a lot of evidence against him. So even if we can't get the money back, we have to take him down to help Old Master Guo vent his anger. As for how to deal with him, I would like to hear your opinion."
Deng Xiaofu nodded in satisfaction. "You're quite smart. I need to go back to Qiushi Trading Company."
Nine-Dragon said anxiously, "You wish! You can't leave until things are resolved."
Zhao Qiang nodded: "Okay, you can go back now."
Nine-Dragon asked anxiously, "Won't she tip us off?" Although Nine-Dragon had a relationship with Liu Mingzhen, he had now accepted Zhao Qiang's favor and considered Zhao Qiang one of his own. He believed that Zhao Qiang would reward him handsomely if Zhao Qiang's matter could be resolved.
Zhao Qiang said, "Sister Deng isn't the kind of person who goes back on her word. She went back to help us gather evidence of Liu Mingzhen's crimes."
Deng Xiaofu stood up and said, "Not bad, you really are a smart person. Give me a day, and we'll contact each other again tomorrow."
Zhao Qiang waved for Deng Xiaofu to leave, but when Deng Xiaofu reached the door, Zhao Qiang said to Nine-Tattooed Dragon, "Brother Dragon, I'm worried that Liu Mingzhen might do something to harm Sister Deng, so I'd appreciate it if you could protect her more these next few days."
Nine-Dragon was a smart man. He knew that Zhao Qiang was indirectly asking him to monitor Deng Xiaofu. Although Zhao Qiang said he believed him, you can't judge a book by its cover. Even a huge reward sometimes can't win people over.
Nine-Dragon said with a sinister smile, "Alright, Brother Qiang, don't worry, I will handle things properly and I will never let Sister Deng get into any trouble."
Since Deng Xiaofu was determined to turn against Liu Mingzhen, she didn't care that Zhao Qiang had someone monitor her. She left the hotel and went directly to Qiushi Trading. Having managed the accounts for Qiushi Trading for so many years, Deng Xiaofu had plenty of evidence to bring down Liu Mingzhen. However, to help Zhao Qiang do things well, she also had to find information about Guo Zhen. Otherwise, even if she brought down Liu Mingzhen, Zhao Qiang would not be happy, and her bonus might be reduced, or she might even end up pleasing neither side and being stood up by Zhao Qiang.
While Zhao Qiang was carrying out his operation in full swing, the police station was also busy. Chief Wang returned and reported the situation to his superiors. The Jiangquan City Branch took it very seriously and sent a deputy chief named Mo Xuanfeng to assist in the investigation.
Mo Xuanfeng was only thirty-five years old, in the prime of his life, and was eager to make a name for himself. When a serious incident of assaulting police and resisting law enforcement occurred at a branch office, Mo Xuanfeng saw this as an opportunity for himself. If he seized the opportunity, he might be appreciated by the leaders of the Jiangquan City Bureau. Once the head of the branch office retired, he might have a chance to rise to a higher position.
After listening attentively to Chief Wang's account of the incident, Mo Xuanfeng even asked for the pistol. The two examined it carefully and concluded that it was definitely the original gun issued to the police station, but its specific structure had been altered. The trigger and the gun body were perfectly integrated, making it impossible to tell that they had ever been separate. However, everyone knows that the trigger could never be integrated with the gun body; otherwise, how could it be fired?
Mo Xuanfeng gasped, suddenly feeling a heavy burden on his shoulders. "Director Wang, things seem rather strange," Mo Xuanfeng said to Director Wang in an official tone.
Director Wang said, "Yes, Director Mo, if it weren't for this, our station wouldn't have asked our superiors for help."
Mo Xuanfeng said, "Tell me what happened."
Director Wang said, "Director Mo, I think this might be a kind of magic trick, a magic trick that we haven't figured out yet."
Mo Xuanfeng thought for a moment and shook his head. "I don't think magic could be that amazing. This could be a case of special abilities." Mo Xuanfeng was, after all, very knowledgeable. He immediately escalated the nature of the matter. The higher the level of the event, the greater his political achievement would be in solving it. Even if he couldn't solve it, it wouldn't be because he lacked the ability, but because it was beyond his capabilities.
Director Wang exclaimed, "Director Mo is truly insightful. If Guo Yang and Zhao Qiang really do have special abilities, then how should we deal with them?"
Mo Xuanfeng said, "First, we need to request support from the special police. You mentioned Zhao Qiang's skills earlier, and it's obvious that we ordinary police officers are no match for him."
Director Wang said, "Yes, yes, we need to ask the district branch to make a strong application to the higher authorities. We must bring the criminals to justice, no matter how arrogant they are. It is our duty to eliminate harm for the people."
Mo Xuanfeng said, "I will report this to my superiors without you having to tell me. But in the meantime, you need to send someone to find Guo Yang and Zhao Qiang's whereabouts. Otherwise, how will you get the special police to arrest them when they arrive?"
Director Wang looked ashamed. "Director Mo, it's my fault. I've mobilized the entire station to search and monitor the area. I don't believe Guo Yang would ignore his father, so he'll definitely go back to the hospital. As soon as he returns, we'll find him immediately."
Mo Xuanfeng said, "I will also request the district branch to dispatch police forces to assist in the search. Considering the special nature of those two people's identities, I have already applied for police officers to be armed with live ammunition to carry out the mission."
Director Wang said, "With Director Mo's strong emphasis on this matter, I believe they will soon be exposed. Director Mo, it's getting late. Liu Mingzhen, the owner of Qiushi Trading Company, has prepared a welcome dinner for you. He is a key figure in this incident. Shall we go and take a look?"
Mo Xuanfeng felt a little hungry, so he stood up and said, "Let's go take a look. Knowing more about what's going on behind the scenes will help us solve the case."
Director Wang said, "Thank you for your hard work, Director Mo. Please, Director Mo."
Liu Mingzhen had already contacted Director Wang, but the latter not only refused his bribe to suppress the debt collectors, but also used some coded language that Liu Mingzhen didn't quite understand. However, Liu Mingzhen knew that the higher-ups were taking this matter very seriously, and the branch office had already sent a deputy director to supervise the case. So Liu Mingzhen immediately prepared a feast to welcome the leaders, since the matter originated from him, and whether the police station could make a full effort to arrest Guo Yang and Zhao Qiang depended on the intentions of these officials.
Liu Mingzhen bowed and scraped as he ushered Mo Xuanfeng and Director Wang into the private room. He opened a bottle of Wuliangye liquor, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then they started drinking. No one mentioned official business; this was the time to build rapport. Once the bond was strong, official business would take care of itself.
Just as they were enjoying their drinks, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open, and Liu Zhi rushed in, looking flustered. Liu Mingzhen was very unhappy; her son had always acted rashly, otherwise she wouldn't have left him at the company during this banquet. "Liu Zhi, what are you doing? Director Mo and Director Wang are both here. Can't you have some manners?" Liu Mingzhen scolded her son.
Liu Zhi looked aggrieved: "Dad, it was an emergency, otherwise I wouldn't have run here."
Liu Mingzhen took his son's words seriously, but since Director Wang and Mo Xuanfeng were still in the private room, Liu Mingzhen walked out of the room. Even if Liu Zhi was stupid, he knew that they should talk outside, so the father and son went to the corridor.
Liu Mingzhen said, "What's going on? Deputy Director Mo is very important to us. Don't cause me any trouble."
Liu Zhidao said, "The financial ledgers and company operating documents have all disappeared."
Liu Mingzhen was shocked: "What?" Liu Mingzhen was able to run a shell company so successfully. There were many shady businesses involved, and the company's documents recorded the names, dates, and amounts of many officials who had accepted bribes. If these documents were to leak out, Liu Mingzhen would be out of a job in Jiangquan City. More importantly, some of the documents could indirectly prove that he had illegally raised funds and extorted money from others.
Liu Zhidao said, "It's really gone. The company's safe has been completely looted."
Liu Mingzhen said, "Has it been burglarized? Call the police right away." He forgot that there were only two policemen in the private room inside.
Liu Zhi said, "But the safe was opened, not broken open. Logically speaking, no thief has that kind of ability. Besides, I was only gone for a short while. What kind of thief could open a safe in such a short time?"
Liu Mingzhen slapped his thigh: "Oh no, where is Deng Xiaofu?"