Chapter 54 - 54 54 On-site Anti-Corruption

Words : 2003 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

54: Chapter 54 On-site Anti-Corruption 54: Chapter 54 On-site Anti-Corruption “Lin Xiaosu, you should visit the office regarding official matters; this is called trespassing into a private residence,” Liu Dong said, holding up a small leather bag and pointing at Lin Xiaosu, his tone fierce. “As a detective, of course, I understand the law!” Lin Xiaosu retorted. “Who would resort to such measures unless absolutely necessary?” “You know this is a last resort?” “Of course, I do!” Lin Xiaosu sighed. “But when you refuse to take the high road, you force me to take the low one. What can I do when I encounter someone as foolish as you?” The word “foolish” was uttered casually and lightly. Liu Dong was immediately enraged: “Seems like there’s nothing to discuss, get out!” “Heh, I’m not leaving. What can you do to me?” “Call the police!” Liu Dong waved his hand slightly. The woman standing by the window immediately started dialing... The phone was quickly set down... The three people indoors, again in a standoff, and the air inside was as cold as an ice cellar. There was a gentle knock on the door... Liu Dong abruptly turned and opened the front door... Suddenly, he froze. The person standing at the door was not the familiar officer from the police station but rather three uniformed individuals, two men and one woman. “Who are you...” “Anti-Corruption Bureau!” One of them slightly raised his hand, flashing his badge: “Who made the call just now?” Lin Xiaosu slowly stood up from the sofa: “That was me!” “And who might you be?” “Fengcheng Detective Agency’s Lin Xiaosu!” Lin Xiaosu declared: “I’ve uncovered some leads about Deputy Director Liu here and arrived early to secure the scene. Now that you’re here, we can unveil Vice Director Liu Dong’s criminal facade.” Liu Dong’s face darkened suddenly: “Whether I, Liu Dong, am incorruptible is well known throughout the county! Can you slander me just as you please?” “Heh, whether an official is incorruptible or not, is it something you ask about?” Lin Xiaosu said. “Why not look?” The Anti-Corruption Bureau’s trio glanced around. The house was indeed lavishly decorated, but that alone probably wasn’t enough to prove anything. In modern society, let alone officials, there are wealthy folks too, some of whom spend tens of millions just on mahogany furniture for their homes. This house, at most, cost a couple of hundred thousand to decorate, which could be supported by a salary... “Where would you like us to look?” said an official around forty years old from the middle. Lin Xiaosu subtly pointed his finger: “There’s a safe in the room, open it and have a look!” As soon as these words were spoken, the woman by the window shivered violently. Liu Dong’s face also stiffened suddenly. “There is no safe in the room... there isn’t one...” The woman suddenly rushed over, blocking the doorway. The Anti-Corruption Bureau’s people brightened up. Lin Xiaosu smiled lightly: “I told you, Liu Dong, the woman you brought is quite foolish. Isn’t it obvious that she’s panicked?” “Move aside!” The team leader of the Anti-Corruption Bureau lightly lifted his hand and pushed the woman in front of him away. The body cams on the chests of all three were activated simultaneously. Inside the room, within a large wardrobe, there was a safe. “Open it!” The Anti-Corruption team leader said in a deep voice. Liu Dong’s lips were a bit dry: “This... this is my son’s room, and the safe is his, used for his collectible figurines from games. I don’t know the password...” “Not knowing the password is no problem!” Lin Xiaosu said. “Isn’t that what you have a detective for? One of a detective’s skills is opening locks!” Liu Dong’s face went pale... Lin Xiaosu walked past him: “Deputy Director Liu, isn’t it strange? Your son’s game figurines are causing you such agitation? You’re sweating from your forehead!” As he spoke, he had already entered the room and approached the safe: “Just to confirm, may I help you open it?” The Anti-Corruption Bureau’s woman looked towards the official. The official nodded slightly: “Yes!” Lin Xiaosu’s hand reached out, grasping the dial on the safe. He seemed to be listening closely, but in reality, he was watching. Yesterday, the director had opened the safe, and the combination could be deduced by rewinding time back... After a few spins! Grabbing the handle, he pulled gently, and the safe opened. The woman’s eyes lit up. Inside the safe, stacks of cash, all red, amounted to over a million. Below, gold and jewelry. There was also a hidden compartment on top, containing bank deposit slips, securities, equity certificates, property deeds... With names including Liu Dong’s, Deng Lan’s, and their son Liu Xiaoyu’s... Liu Dong and Deng Lan were trembling all over, the world spinning around them. The Anti-Corruption Bureau’s man stood by the door, his piercing gaze firmly on them, making sure they had no chance of escape. “Director Li, the cash and valuable documents amount to 6.58 million! If we include the real estate and jewelry, it’s at least 20 million!” Lin Xiaosu sighed softly: “Deputy Director Liu, how much is your salary? 7,500 a month, right? How did you manage to save so much? Unless you’ve been working for three hundred years?” Liu Dong’s lips quivered lightly: “You... this is retaliation! Retaliation!” “How to put this? Retaliation does seem to fit the bill... I told Chief Zhou to report to you about your impending troubles. Didn’t he give you the message?” “Liu Dong! Come with us!” Director Li of the Anti-Corruption Bureau said sternly. Lin Xiaosu turned around and left the room, with a bunch of people focusing their gaze on his back. Liu Dong harbored the deepest hatred among them. Lin Xiaosu ignored them completely, and as soon as he exited the elevator, he saw the police cars outside, with several officers disembarking and rushing towards the unit. Lin Xiaosu walked straight towards them. Several officers fixed their gaze on him at the same time. Was it him? Lin Xiaosu stopped, a faint smile on his face: “Which one of you is Zhou Yuanqing?” The middle-aged officer in the center lifted his gaze: “Who are you?” “It seems you are Zhou Yuanqing!” Lin Xiaosu said, “I’m Lin Xiaosu. Deng Lan called you, asking to arrest someone—that was me!” The three officers closed in around him. Lin Xiaosu said, “Two pieces of news, one good, one bad. Which one do you want to hear first?” Zhou Yuanqing stared at him coldly, naturally not answering such a frivolous question. Lin Xiaosu answered himself, “The good news is that you don’t need to go upstairs. The person who called the police has already been taken down by the Anti-Corruption Bureau. I was at their place to protect the scene. The comrades from the Anti-Corruption Bureau believe that I have fulfilled a citizen’s duty!” No sooner had he spoken than a group of people emerged from the elevator, indeed the members of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. That Director Li came over to Lin Xiaosu and reached out for a handshake: “Thank you!” The three officers were bewildered at the same time. The Anti-Corruption Bureau team got in their cars and left with Liu Dong—and a big bag of things. Lin Xiaosu said, “Officer Zhou has already heard and seen the good news; do you want to hear the bad news now?” “What is it?” Zhou Yuanqing asked. Lin Xiaosu said, “That fool Deng Lan, when she made the call, did not dial the emergency number, but showed up on her phone was your private number, Zhou Yuanqing. So here’s a question: are you very close with this corrupt official, Liu Dong? To the point where he’d trust a personal number over the emergency services?” Zhou Yuanqing’s face suddenly darkened: “Even if there is some personal connection, what does it prove?” “Well, it’s normal to have personal connections in society, usually it proves nothing. But that’s only if you can withstand scrutiny!” Lin Xiaosu took out his mobile phone and made a call... “Chief Zhang? It’s little Su! There’s a person in West City Police Station named Zhou Yuanqing, you know him, right?... It’s nothing much, just that he’s very close to a corrupt official... How close? The kind of closeness you assume in emergency... Is it convenient to investigate? If it’s not convenient for you, I can do it myself! But let me tell you, Chief Zhang, once I start investigating, I won’t stop until I dig up everything, even where his ancestors are buried and how many dry bones remain! Things might get pretty big... Alright! Go report to your superior!” The call ended. Zhou Yuanqing’s complexion had completely changed. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Lin Xiaosu glanced at him: “Officer Zhou, are you cold?” Zhou Yuanqing’s back felt a chill: “What kind of joke is this?” “Indeed! I’m probably not good at joking... I’m off!” Lin Xiaosu strode away, casually waving his hand behind his head. Graceful and at ease. Next stop, City Security Bureau. Lin Xiaosu entered the City Security Bureau, tilting his head to appreciate the eight characters carved on the wall: Integrity and Discipline, Law Enforcement for the People. Then, he went up to the office building. Fifth floor, the Director’s office. As Lin Xiaosu stepped in, there was a small room outside with a woman sitting in front of a computer who looked up at Lin Xiaosu: “You are...?” “Fengcheng Detective Agency’s Lin Xiaosu. I need to see Director Ren,” Lin Xiaosu said. “You... To see Director Ren, you need to first register at the office and make an appointment. The director will meet you when he has time. You can’t just barge in like this.” The woman frowned, unhappy—this fifth floor was meant to be restricted, and yet this man had gotten in. How did he manage that? Lin Xiaosu offered a faint smile: “Do you know who the last person to give me the bureaucratic runaround was? Deputy Director Liu Dong of your bureau! Do you know where Deputy Director Liu is right now? He’s just been taken away for ‘tea’ by the Anti-Corruption Bureau! Guess who gave him a ride? Sorry, that was me!” The young woman’s face suddenly changed. From inside the office, the sound of a chair being moved could be heard. Director Ren’s voice came out: “Let him in!” Lin Xiaosu stepped inside the director’s office. Director Ren was over fifty years old. His hair had grown white, but his years as director still brought with them an imposing aura. Lin Xiaosu’s gaze swept across the desk. The desk had just been wiped clean. To be precise, five seconds ago, the director had put a pack of cigarettes into his inner jacket pocket, and even thrown the ashtray into the bin. As a result, this desk was cleaner than ever before. “Director Ren, you should’ve heard my introduction. No need to introduce myself again, right?” Lin Xiaosu said. Director Ren nodded lightly: “Have a seat!” “Are you aware of Deputy Director Liu’s situation, Director Ren?” Director Ren let out a long sigh: “I just found out, and it’s truly disheartening...” The woman from outside brought in a cup of tea, handing it to Lin Xiaosu, who smiled at her slightly: “Thank you!” He took the tea and placed it on the table in front of him. The young woman turned and left. She carefully closed the door of the office. Director Ren’s eyes moved away from the door: “What brings you here?”

Chapter 54 - 54 54 On-site Anti-Corruption

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