Chapter 536: A Twist of Fate

Peng Sijue arrived with an inspection kit, looking exhausted as if he had just stepped off the train. Chen Shi stood up excitedly to greet him, “Did you come on your own, or did Captain Lin send you?”

“A bit of both,” Peng Sijue replied, placing the kit down and pulling out some documents. “I brought you something.”

He handed over a collaboration request signed by the Provincial Public Security Department, which would allow them to mobilize the Lieyang police. Chen Shi grinned, “Wow, you brought us the imperial sword.”

“Captain Lin said your investigation methods were too inefficient, so he requested more resources for you from the higher-ups.”

“Should we go and detain Lü Hao for a thorough interrogation?” Lin Dongxue suggested.

Chen Shi glanced at Peng Sijue’s kit thoughtfully, “Is the wood varnish found on the money the same as the sample I gave you?”

“It is.”

“Hmm, I have a bold idea.”

They knew Lü Hao had entered the bank on September 10th. Chen Shi’s idea was to inspect all the money in the bank for traces of varnish. This required police intervention and significant manpower.

That afternoon, the police gathered all available forensic personnel to check the recently deposited bills using a formaldehyde detection device. They found several bills with wood varnish residue.

Following the ATM records, they traced several bank cards registered under fake names, which had deposits totaling two million yuan on the 8th and 9th.

Seeing this result, Chen Shi felt a sense of satisfaction. His hypothesis was correct; Lin Hui had transferred part of the money before disappearing.

At 9 PM, Lü Hao found himself back in the interrogation room, looking bewildered. “Didn’t you catch the culprit? Why am I here again?”

Chen Shi placed several bank cards on the table, “These cards are yours, right?”

“No…”

“They were clearly found at your house. The deposits total over two million yuan. Where did you get this money?”

Lü Hao remained silent, his eyes darting nervously.

“The money was given to you by Lin Hui, as payment for being her accomplice.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

While Lü Hao was being questioned, the police searched his home thoroughly, finding fake identities he had used. Chen Shi picked up a printed online purchase record and said, “One of your fake identities bought a trench coat on the 5th. How do you explain that?”

Lü Hao’s eyes widened.

“On the evening of September 10th, someone wearing an identical trench coat committed a crime in Green Community. Where were you at that time?”

“I was at my friend’s house!”

“Do you have proof?”

“I…”

“Lü Hao, stop struggling. With this evidence, you can’t keep the money. Think about saving your own future. You didn’t kill anyone. Do you want to be an accomplice or make a contribution? It’s up to you.”

Lü Hao was visibly panicking, biting his lip as if in a mental struggle.

As the seconds ticked by, Lin Dongxue and Chen Shi waited patiently. After ten minutes, Chen Shi said, “Fine, if you won’t talk, we’ll investigate ourselves! Do you think this can fool the police?”

As they were about to leave, Lü Hao suddenly burst into tears, “I’ll talk! I’ll talk! It was all that woman’s plan. It had nothing to do with me!”

He trembled and began to confess. On the 5th of this month, he had seen the money in Green Community, totaling thirteen million yuan. Seeing so much cash stunned him, thinking he would never have to work again.

But Lin Hui told him the money belonged to a corrupt official. Although the official couldn’t report the loss, he wouldn’t let it go.

Meanwhile, Li Xiang and Zhang Rui were also actively searching for the money. Those days, Lin Hui was paranoid, fearing she’d be shot in the street.

Lin Hui had two plans: ideally, she’d take all the money, but if things went south, she’d take a part of it.

So, Lü Hao got over twenty bank cards, depositing the money in batches. Some cards were with Lin Hui, and some were with him.

Lin Hui asked Lü Hao to prepare two things: a gray trench coat and a homemade gun. Lü Hao asked where to get a gun, and Lin Hui told him to figure it out himself or forget about the money.

Lü Hao managed to get a device called a “pen gun” from a friend, which looked like a pen but could fire steel balls.

On the evening of the 10th, Lin Hui and Lü Hao went to Green Community. Lü Hao, wearing the trench coat and holding the pen gun, hid in the shadows. When Lin Hui came down with the money, Lü Hao “attacked,” shooting out a nearby store’s glass with the pen gun, then hid as security was alerted, and quietly left.

At that time, he didn’t understand the purpose of these actions.

Then they returned to their temporary residence. Lü Hao dressed as a woman, carrying fake money to draw away any watchers, while Lin Hui left with the real money, planning to go to Long’an to hide it.

Along the way, Lü Hao indeed felt he was being followed, scared out of his wits. He circled the bank, changed back into his normal clothes, and when he saw no one following, he rushed home.

He waited for news from Lin Hui all night. Lin Hui used another phone to tell him that Zhang Rui had taken the money. She said to proceed with the next plan and be cautious. If the police came, he should follow their rehearsed story.

Chen Shi interrupted, “The story you told us before?”

Lü Hao lowered his head, “Yes, we practiced it many times.”

“And the pen gun?”

“She took it the last time we met.”

“Go on!”

Lü Hao continued, saying he had always suspected Lin Hui might be deceiving him and keeping the money for herself. But he consoled himself that he had already gained two million, enough to buy a house and live comfortably for years.

He planned to wait until things cooled down to enjoy the money. When he heard Li Xiang was killed, he guessed it was Lin Hui’s doing, realizing she intended to frame Zhang Rui.

Lin Hui had mentioned that those two men planned to kill her, so she struck first.

Lü Hao never imagined the police would see through their plan.

“So where is Lin Hui now?” Chen Shi asked.

“Green Community.”

“We’ve been there many times.”

“She rented a basement there.”

“Ha, hiding right under the police’s noses!”

With this new lead, the investigation took a sharp turn. The police were on the verge of uncovering the entire plot orchestrated by Lin Hui.