Manager Xiao Zhang wanted to liven up the atmosphere by having people co up and introduce themselves.
But after calling out several tis, not a single person below was willing to go up.
Just as Manager Xiao Zhang remarked how unexpectedly shy everyone was, Sun Yijie raised his hand.
Seeing this, Manager Xiao Zhang's eyes imdiately lit up.
He enthusiastically invited Sun Yijie onto the specially constructed stage for this matchmaking event.
Now standing at the front facing the crowd, Sun Yijie had over a hundred pairs of eyes fixed on him.
If he had Jiang Ran's Danger Warning System,
he might have noticed sothing interesting.
In this enclosed large space,
apart from Jiang Ran and Wang Anjian in the audience, and himself,
every single other person present, including the smiling Manager Xiao Zhang standing beside him,
had constant warning flashes appearing over them.
Each one was continuously accumulating points.
aning, aside from these three people, everyone else was a deranged criminal - serial killers.
Three little lambs had wandered into a pack of wolves.
And one particularly bold lamb was now on stage, proudly displaying his plumpness to all the wolves.
Whether this was bravery or foolishness remained to be seen.
While this matchmaking event was underway,
Mike was in a private room of a small restaurant in Nancheng City.
With him in the room were a young man and woman.
Both were Chinese - the man about Mike's age, the woman in her early twenties.
The man began pulling a brown paper folder from his backpack and placed it on the table.
Mike similarly took out a thick paper envelope from his own bag.
They exchanged items.
Mike eagerly opened the folder he received,
while the Chinese man did the sa with Mike's envelope,
pouring out rectangular bundles held by rubber bands - humanity's favorite - cash.
And not Chinese currency, but Arican dollars.
As Mike opened the folder, he glanced at the Chinese man sniffing a dollar bill with intoxicated delight and smiled, asking:
"I've always wondered - after so many collaborations, why do you only take USD and not your own country's currency?"
Still savoring the dollar's scent, the man replied: "USD is more valuable. Plus I'm saving up to emigrate. So you understand now why I want dollars, right?"
Mike nodded, pulling out a dozen printed sheets from the folder to examine carefully.
"Take your ti. If anything's unclear, just ask - full after-sales service included."
The Chinese man laughed.
Why did a detective of Mike's caliber charge so much per commission?
First: His reputation and capability justified it, just like A-list celebrities charge more than B or C-listers.
Second: When accepting commissions to investigate cases, he needed information.
He couldn't possibly handle everything alone - there wasn't enough ti, and it would be exhausting.
So he needed others to assist.
Like the current task of gathering intelligence.
The Chinese man and woman before him were also detectives who moonlighted as information brokers.
And when outsourcing work, one had to pay from their own pocket.
Hence Mike's high fees.
Earlier when Mike ntioned having several tasks, those involved collecting intelligence on certain individuals - which he'd delegated to these two.
The information Mike had them gather included:
Personal details on Wu You, Sun Yijie, and Wang Anjian.
Information on Manager Xiao Zhang and assistant manager Jiang Ran.
And data on Alice Apartnt.
He first reviewed the files on Wu You, Sun Yijie and Wang Anjian.
After reading, he muttered: "Two broke guys and an ordinary man being chased - how could they afford Alice Apartnt at 50,000 per square ter? They couldn't even rent there."
Next he examined Manager Xiao Zhang and Jiang Ran's files.
Their birthdates, ID numbers, phone numbers, addresses, family backgrounds, elentary and middle schools attended, post-graduation employnt histories.
Romantic relationships.
Social dia accounts and posts.
Frequently visited websites and apps used.
Recent life circumstances, even so extrely private matters - all ticulously docunted in the Chinese man's files.
The detail was astonishing - after reading these, Mike knew them better than they knew themselves.
After reviewing these, he turned to the Alice Apartnt materials.
Construction start and completion dates.
The developnt company involved, etc.
Finishing these docunts,
Arica's tenth-ranked detective crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair,
rocking backward then forward while staring at the restaurant's golden ceiling,
as if pondering sothing profoundly complex.
Seeing Mike like this,
the Chinese man across from him remarked curiously: "Known you for years, but this is the first ti I've seen you so serious. Is this commission that difficult?"
Mike exhaled deeply: "Extrely difficult. And my instincts tell what's behind this case is beyond my ability to handle alone."
Surprised, the Chinese man took a stack from the dollars Mike had given him and tossed it back.
"Tell about it - I'm curious."
Mike pushed the money back: "After all our collaborations, we're practically friends. Throwing money at is insulting."
The Chinese man smiled: "If you won't take paynt, I can't in good conscience listen. Our profession forbids prying into clients' affairs."
Mike said: "Then don't listen - maintain your professional ethics!"
Shaking his head, the man replied: "Ethics are ant to be broken! Co on, tell - I'm dying to know!"
Beside him, the Chinese woman gave her partner an exasperated glance - she was his girlfriend.
Their nas were Lu Fei and Huo Xiaoyu.
Fellow professionals who'd worked together several tis before developing feelings and becoming a couple.
Huo Xiaoyu was completely satisfied with Lu Fei except for one thing - his insatiable, almost frightening curiosity.
Now reminiscing, Mike said: "Back in Arica, I once worked with police and colleagues on a case."
"A simple yet brutal case."
"Wealthy people buying poor people's lives."
"Desperate poor people needing money would get it from the rich, then their bodies beca the rich's playthings."
"The brutality lay in how these rich people bought lives solely to satisfy twisted desires - subjecting the poor to various tortures before killing them."
Hearing this, both Lu Fei and Huo Xiaoyu paled.
Mike concluded: "The commission I'm investigating now feels similar in nature, though with so differences."
User Comments
0 comments from readers