met free Chapter 171 The Last Key to Zhao's Shop
Chapter 171 The Last Key to Zhao's Shop
The air was filled with a musty smell.
It was the weariness emanating from the old man, mixed with the lily scent unique to upscale hospital wards, which smelled nauseating.
Zhao Lichun leaned against the headboard.
This once all-powerful regional official in Handong Province now cowers under the covers like a tiger with its teeth pulled.
He looked at Qi Tongwei.
Qi Tongwei sat on a chair at the foot of the bed, fiddling with the black voice recorder he had taken from Zhao Donglai.
The voice recorder spins on my fingertip, emitting a monotonous "click" sound.
With each sound, Zhao Lichun's eyelids twitched.
"Qi Tongwei, always leave yourself an out."
Zhao Lichun finally spoke.
His voice was steady, carrying the false kindness cultivated from years of holding a high position.
"The money from Crescent Lake is the last lifeline I left for Ruilong. You're a smart man; you should know that if this money goes into the national treasury, it's just a few figures. But if you..."
He paused for a moment and held up two fingers.
"Twenty percent."
"2.4 billion."
"As long as you turn around and leave now, closing the door behind you, this money is yours. It's an overseas account, clean and safe. You can take this Miss Ye anywhere in the world and live a life you could never spend in several lifetimes."
Zhao Lichun felt that the price he offered was tempting enough.
2.4 billion.
That's enough to buy the conscience of the vast majority of people in this world, even those with consciences made of steel.
Qi Tongwei smiled.
He didn't speak, but turned his head to glance at Ye Cunxin beside him.
Ye Cunxin was idly trimming her nails with the medical scissors.
Upon hearing "2.4 billion," she didn't even look up, but simply blew the crumbs off her fingers.
The men's shirt she was wearing today was definitely too big.
Her neckline hung loosely on her shoulder, and as she lowered her head, large expanses of her snow-white skin were exposed to the air.
Because she had just been pulled from the sea, the fabric of her shirt was dry, stiff, and wrinkled, which only accentuated the softness of her body.
Without the constraints of a bra, her rounded silhouette was faintly visible under the light, rising and falling gently with her breath, carrying a breathtaking tension.
The legs of her high-end trousers, stained with oil, were rolled up very high.
Two long legs were crossed, and the bruises on the knees did not detract from the beauty; on the contrary, they were like a few enchanting plum blossoms adorning a fine porcelain piece.
Her bare ankles were slender and delicate, her toes scratching idly at the thick carpet.
"Hey, old man."
Ye Cunxin finally raised her head, her peach blossom eyes full of mockery.
"Do you have some kind of misunderstanding about 'money'?"
She held the scissors and tapped them rhythmically on her thigh.
"Twenty-four billion? That's not even enough for the annual equipment maintenance of my grandfather's guard company."
"The Ye family will never lack money, no matter what. You're using this meager savings for your funeral to bribe the Ye family's grandson-in-law? Aren't you being incredibly disrespectful?"
Grandson-in-law.
The word came out of her mouth as naturally as breathing.
Qi Tongwei's lips twitched, but he didn't refute.
Zhao Lichun's expression turned very ugly.
He forgot.
The beautiful woman in front of me, disheveled and looking like a female hooligan, is backed by the Ye family of Beijing.
That was a true red powerhouse.
In his logic of exchanging power for money, the Ye family is an incalculable variable.
"Not enough?"
Zhao Lichun gritted his teeth. "Fifty percent! That's the bottom line! Ruilong is already ruined; I just want him alive!"
"Snapped!"
Qi Tongwei suddenly stood up and slammed the voice recorder in his hand heavily on the bedside table.
The solid wood cabinet surface was dented.
The loud noise startled Zhao Lichun, causing him to spill the now-cold tea from his hand, soaking the quilt.
"Zhao Lichun, you still don't understand the situation."
Qi Tongwei leaned down, his hands bracing against the edge of the bed, his blood-stained face drawing close to Zhao Lichun.
The distance is too close.
Zhao Lichun could even smell the strong smell of gunpowder and blood on Qi Tongwei.
That's the smell of hell.
"Your money is illicit."
"What I want is red."
"How much are those children your son locked in cages, preparing to dismantle them and sell them for parts? How much are those families driven to ruin and death by your forced relocation efforts?"
Qi Tongwei reached out and straightened Zhao Lichun's collar.
The movements were very gentle, as if they were tidying up the body.
"I don't want your money. I want your life, and I want your reputation to be completely ruined."
"password."
Qi Tongwei uttered two words.
Zhao Lichun closed his eyes and turned his head to one side.
"I don't know. Ruilong did it himself; I was unaware of it."
A dead pig is not afraid of boiling water.
As long as he doesn't speak up, that 12 billion is a dead debt.
Without this huge sum of money as solid evidence, it would be difficult to completely condemn an official of his rank based solely on that recording pen.
He still has a chance to turn things around.
As long as we can get our old connections in Beijing working...
"Sizzle—"
A sharp tearing sound rang out.
Zhao Lichun suddenly opened his eyes.
With a flick of her scissors, Ye Cunxin cut the IV tubing that was being used to administer the treatment.
The medicine and the returning blood spurted out, splashing onto the white sheets like blooming red plum blossoms.
"what!"
Zhao Lichun cried out in surprise and tried to press down on the needle on the back of his hand.
But Ye Cunxin was faster than him.
That slender yet powerful hand gripped Zhao Lichun's wrist, pinning his withered arm firmly to the bed board.
The scissors tip pressed against Zhao Lichun's tiger's mouth.
The cold, metallic touch made the hairs on Zhao Lichun's body stand on end.
"Director Qi follows the rules and doesn't hit the elderly."
Ye Cunxin tilted her head, her hair falling down and brushing against Zhao Lichun's terrified face.
She had a sweet smile, with sharp canine teeth, like a mischievous little devil.
"But I'm not a police officer, I don't follow the rules."
"I am a veterinarian."
"When performing sterilization surgery on livestock, if the animals are disobedient, we have to use some special methods."
As he spoke, he pressed the tip of the scissors down a little.
The sharp edge pierced Zhao Lichun's aged skin.
Fresh blood seeped out.
"I'll ask one last time."
Ye Cunxin's voice became very soft, yet it carried a chilling aura.
"Where is the password?"
"If you don't tell me, I'll cut off your fingers one by one and soak them in that teacup for you to admire."
"I imagine even someone as important as you wouldn't feel comfortable watching your own fingers float in the water, would you?"
Zhao Lichun looked into those eyes.
Those were eyes that truly dared to kill.
He had spent his entire life in officialdom, and he had seen ruthless and cunning people, but he had never seen a woman who came from a top-tier wealthy family yet acted like a mad dog.
She really does take action.
A sharp pain shot through the tiger's mouth.
Their psychological defenses completely collapsed at that moment.
dignity?
In the face of scissors, dignity is nothing but a fart.
"It's...on the bookshelf!"
Zhao Lichun screamed in despair, his voice hoarse, "The second floor! That copy of *Das Kapital*! It's empty! There's a key! It's the physical key to the UBS safe deposit box! There's no password, just the key!"
"Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Ye Cunxin released her grip and disgustedly flicked the blood off her hands.
She casually stuck the scissors into an apple on the bedside table, making a dull "thud".
Qi Tongwei turned around and walked to the bookshelf.
The second layer.
The thick volume of "Das Kapital" stood there quietly.
What an irony.
A corrupt official who rose to power through plunder actually hid the key to his ill-gotten gains in "Das Kapital".
Qi Tongwei took out the book.
The book is very light.
Opening the cover, you'll find a hollowed-out section in the middle of the page, inlaid with an exquisite metal groove.
A titanium alloy key with a faint blue glow lay inside.
It has a small number engraved on it: UBS-8899-VIP.
【Ding! 】
[Congratulations, host, you have obtained a key item: the Zhao Family Treasure Vault Key.]
[The system detected that the host successfully broke down Zhao Lichun's psychological defenses, upholding the "dignity of the rule of law."]
[Rewards being processed...]
[Gain special skill: Money Laundering Tracking (God-tier). With access to the original account, you can penetrate all money laundering disguises and pinpoint the ultimate beneficiary within one minute.]
[Item Obtained: Absolute Soundproof Barrier (One-time Use). After use, conversations within a ten-meter radius cannot be eavesdropped on by any device.]
Qi Tongwei closed the book and put the key in his pocket.
He turned around and looked at Zhao Lichun, who was slumped on the bed.
"Secretary Zhao, have you read this book?"
Qi Tongwei waved the empty book in his hand.
"Marx said that when profits reach 300%, capitalists will dare to commit any crime, even at the risk of being hanged."
"With your 12 billion, the profit must have already exceeded 3000%!"
Zhao Lichun's face was ashen, and his eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.
It’s over.
It's completely over.
If he hands over this key, not only will he be wiped out, but his old friends in the capital who are still watching will also be uprooted.
This is a catastrophe.
Just then, a series of noisy footsteps suddenly came from outside the corridor.
It wasn't the kind of chaotic footsteps, but rather the uniform sound of leather shoes striking the ground.
It has a good rhythm.
It was very oppressive.
Zhao Donglai's anxious voice came from outside the ward door: "Sir! Director Qi is inside..."
"Get out of the way."
A deep, authoritative voice interrupted Zhao Donglai.
Immediately afterwards, the door that had just been kicked open was pushed open again.
Sha Ruijin walked in.
Behind him followed Tian Guofu, and two strangers in dark blue suits with serious expressions.
The badges pinned to the chests of the two strangers instantly lowered the atmosphere in the room to an extreme level.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Sha Ruijin glanced at the messy ward.
Bloodstains on the ground, a broken IV tube, and scissors stuck in an apple.
There's also Ye Cunxin, whose clothes are disheveled but who looks completely indifferent.
Finally, his gaze fell on Qi Tongwei, and on the hollowed-out copy of "Das Kapital" in Qi Tongwei's hand.
Sha Ruijin's eyes were complicated.
There was shock, admiration, and also a hint of barely perceptible apprehension.
This young man's methods are too ruthless and too extreme.
This is no longer a case investigation; this is "execution."
"Comrade Tongwei."
Sha Ruijin broke the silence.
"Thanks for your hard work."
He did not condemn Qi Tongwei's violent methods, nor did he even glance at the pitiful Zhao Lichun.
He stepped aside, making way for the two people from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection behind him.
"These two are comrades from the special task force in Beijing."
"Leave the rest to the organization."
One of the middle-aged men stepped forward and showed Zhao Lichun an A4 sheet of paper stamped with a red seal.
"Zhao Lichun, according to the organization's decision, from now on, you will be placed under 'shuanggui' (a form of internal party discipline)."
"Please come with us."
Zhao Lichun trembled all over, as if the last bone in his body had been removed.
But he didn't move.
His eyes were fixed on the key in Qi Tongwei's pocket.
"Secretary Sha..."
Zhao Lichun still wanted to make a final stand.
"take away."
Sha Ruijin waved his hand, his tone icy, showing no respect whatsoever to his former leader.
Two staff members stepped forward and supported Zhao Lichun from both sides.
As Zhao Lichun passed by Qi Tongwei, he stopped in his tracks.
"Qi Tongwei".
The old man's voice was like a ghost's wail, "You've won by half a point. But don't forget, you're also on this chessboard."
"Excessive rigidity leads to breakage."
"I'll be waiting for you inside."
Qi Tongwei looked at him expressionlessly.
"Then you'll have to spend the rest of your life in jail. Don't wait until you die before you see me go in."
Zhao Lichun was dragged away.
The ward suddenly felt much emptier.
Sha Ruijin looked at Qi Tongwei, his gaze falling on his blood-stained police uniform.
"key."
Sha Ruijin extended his hand.
"This is crucial physical evidence and needs to be sealed up jointly by the Provincial Party Committee and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection."
This is a signal.
It was also a test.
It is also a transfer of power.
If Qi Tongwei hands it over, then he will be a hero.
If you don't pay...
That is to have an army and thus become powerful.
The atmosphere froze again.
Ye Cunxin played with the scissors, leaning forward slightly to block Qi Tongwei's side.
Her gaze turned cold as she stared at the outstretched hand of Sha Ruijin.
With just a glance from Qi Tongwei, these scissors could stab anywhere.
Qi Tongwei laughed.
He took the key out of his pocket and weighed it in his hand.
"Secretary Sha, this is a hot potato."
"12 billion is enough to make a hole in the sky in Handong."
He stepped forward and slammed the key heavily into Sha Ruijin's hand.
"But I, Qi Tongwei, love watching the sky fall down the most."
"I'll give this credit to the provincial party committee."
"but……"
Qi Tongwei abruptly changed the subject, his eyes instantly becoming sharp as knives.
"This money, once recovered, must be used entirely for education and healthcare in Handong."
"If it's even a penny less, I'll come to your office for tea."
Sha Ruijin gripped the key tightly.
My palms were sore from being pressed so hard.
Looking at the unruly young man before him, he suddenly felt a sense of crisis he had never experienced before.
This is not a knife at all.
This is clearly a dragon that has grown scales and horns.
"it is good."
Sha Ruijin took a deep breath. "I promise you."
"Tongwei, go and rest. Leave the rest to us."
Qi Tongwei did not salute.
He simply nodded, then reached out and put his arm around Ye Cunxin's shoulder.
"Let's go home."
"Your wound needs a dressing change."
Ye Cunxin leaned against him, her aura as a female killing god vanishing instantly, transforming her into a lazy cat.
She glanced back at Sha Ruijin with a hint of warning in her eyes, then helped Qi Tongwei out of the ward.
Watching the two figures leave, Tian Guofu leaned closer to Sha Ruijin and lowered his voice.
"Secretary Ruijin, this Qi Tongwei... is too difficult to manage."
"If he dared to conduct a private trial of Zhao Lichun this time, he'll dare to do it again next time..."
Tian Guofu didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
Sha Ruijin stared at the key in his hand and remained silent for a long time.
"It's a sharp knife."
"But this knife is too fast; it can not only kill the enemy, but it can also easily injure our own people."
"Pass down the notice: the Standing Committee meeting will be held tomorrow."
"Some rules need to be established."
Inside the elevator.
Ye Cunxin leaned against the wall of the sedan chair, looking at Qi Tongwei who was resting with his eyes closed.
Why did you give him the key just now?
"We risked our lives to get that."
She was somewhat unwilling to accept it.
Qi Tongwei opened his eyes and reached out to pull her collar up, covering the suggestive glimpse of her skin.
"Silly girl."
"That's a bomb."
"With the Zhao family gone, there are plenty of people eyeing this piece of the pie. Now that Sha Ruijin has the key, he has to shoulder the burden and fight against those in the capital who want a piece of the pie."
"We only care about killing, not burying the bodies."
Qi Tongwei's fingers gently traced Ye Cunxin's thigh, and a delicate touch came from his fingertips.
"Besides, I have more important things to do now."
Ye Cunxin trembled all over as he touched her, and two blushes rose on her face.
"Wha...what is it?"
Qi Tongwei leaned close to her ear, his warm breath brushing against her sensitive earlobe.
"Just now on the ship, you said you'd support me with a dowry of billions?"
"Does that statement still stand?"