I slept with my sister's classmate, and she turned out to be my boss.

Saturday morning.

Lin Chen got up very early; he didn't sleep in.

His phone vibrated. He picked it up and saw it was a message from his senior, Zheng.

"Lin Chen, we have the results for that overseas account you asked me to investigate. If it's convenient, come to my office."

Lin Chen sat up abruptly, put on some clothes, washed his face, and went out.

When Lin Chen arrived, Senior Brother Zheng was already in the office, with a stack of printed documents spread out in front of him, which he was looking through.

Seeing Lin Chen come in, he looked up and pointed to the chair opposite him.

"sit."

Lin Chen sat down opposite him, his gaze falling on the stack of documents on the table.

Several pages were highlighted with annotations written next to them.

"Senior Brother Zheng, what did you find out?"

Senior Brother Zheng did not answer immediately.

He flipped the stack of documents to the middle page and pushed it in front of Lin Chen.

"I couldn't find out who the account holder was for that overseas account you asked me to check. The banking system in that country isn't publicly available, and there's no judicial assistance agreement, so we couldn't find it."

Lin Chen's heart sank.

"But—" Senior Brother Zheng flipped through a few more pages, "I found out where the funds ultimately went."

Lin Chen lowered his head and looked at the page.

The image above shows a diagram of fund transfers, with arrows pointing from an overseas account to another account, and then to yet another, passing through several layers.

"This money went from Hongxin Consulting to that overseas account."

Then the money was transferred from this account to another account, which was located in a Southeast Asian country.

Then it was transferred again, and finally went into a casino's account.

"casino?"

"Yes. Casino. Not for gambling, but for money laundering."

Casinos are the best places to launder money. Money goes in, is exchanged for chips, played a few times, and then exchanged back, becoming money won by the casino.

The source is unclear; the tax authorities can't find it, and the disciplinary committee can't find it either.

Lin Chen stared at the picture, his finger slowly sliding across the page.

The funds went from Hongxin Consulting to an offshore account, from the offshore account to a casino in Southeast Asia, from the casino to clean "gambling funds," and then into a tourism resort project under the guise of investment.

"Senior Zheng, whose business is this resort project?"

"Cannot be found. The project company is registered overseas, and the legal representative is a local, with no direct connection to China."

Lin Chen fell silent.

Unable to find it—this was the worst, and most common, outcome he could anticipate.

The truly big fish don't keep their assets in their own names.

They would use shell companies, nominees, and overseas accounts to cover themselves up layer by layer until, in the end, even they themselves couldn't find themselves.

"Senior Brother Zheng, do you think this is something an ordinary person could do?"

Senior Brother Zheng looked at him and remained silent for a moment.

"Ordinary people can't do it."

This money chain is too complicated, involving multiple accounts both domestically and internationally. The money is laundered through casinos and finally flows out of the country through investment.

Every step requires professionals to operate – people familiar with banking systems, foreign laws, and casino operations.

Ordinary people can't do that.

Lin Chen's fingers tightened slightly.

"You mean, someone is helping him?"

"It's not that someone is helping him. It's that a team is helping him."

The office was silent for a few seconds.

Lin Chen stared at the chart showing the flow of funds, his mind racing.

Fang Mingyuan was the executive deputy county head of a county town. It was impossible for him to know people in overseas casinos, to be familiar with the rules of international fund transfers, or to design such a complicated money laundering chain on his own.

There must be someone behind him—someone familiar with finance, law, and overseas operations.

This person is not Fang Zhiwen; Fang Zhiwen wouldn't understand these things.

It wasn't Lao Nie either?

Old Nie is a businessman; he may understand, but he may not have that kind of connection.

Unless the person behind Lao Nie is more capable than Lin Chen expected.

"Senior Brother Zheng, can you provide official documentation for these documents?"

Senior Brother Zheng shook his head.

"No. The information I found was obtained through private connections, not through official channels."

Without a bank stamp, it has no legal effect.

All I can tell you is that these fund flows do exist.

But if you want me to provide proof, I can't."

Lin Chen nodded.

He knew that this was the extent of what Senior Brother Zheng could help him with.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Zheng."

"Don't thank me. Be careful. The people involved in what you've investigated are no ordinary people."

"I know."

Lin Chen stood up and took the stack of documents in his hand.

Senior Brother Zheng glanced at him but did not stop him.

"Lin Chen, take these things with you. But don't tell anyone you got them from me."

"I know."

Lin Chen turned and left.

As he walked out of the office building, he stood at the door and took a deep breath.

He had only one thought in his mind—the person behind Fang Mingyuan was far more powerful than he had imagined.

When Lin Chen got home, he spread the stack of materials that his senior brother Zheng had given him on the table and started flipping through them page by page.

Every link in this chain is highly professional, and every link is ingeniously designed.

This is not something an ordinary person could come up with.

He picked up his phone and called Chen Dapeng.

The phone rang twice and was answered.

"Dapeng".

"Lin Chen? What did you find out?"

Lin Chen recounted everything that Senior Brother Zheng had found out.

He spoke slowly, explaining each point in great detail.

After listening, Chen Dapeng remained silent for a long time.

"Fang Mingyuan can't do these things."

"Yes. He has someone backing him."

"Old Nie?"

Lin Chen thought for a moment.

Old Nie is a businessman who has been in the provincial capital for twenty years. He knows many people and has extensive connections.

If he's willing to help Fang Mingyuan, he can indeed find a professional to handle it.

But Lao Nie is just a businessman; there must be someone behind him.

Those are the people who truly control this financial chain.

"Dapeng, please tell County Chief He that Fang Mingyuan will likely find out about the things we've been able to find out soon."

He may have already made preparations.

If he hears any rumors, he might run away in advance.

"County Chief He is already making arrangements."

"Zhou Mingyuan hasn't agreed yet?"

"No. He said there wasn't enough evidence."

Lin Chen frowned.

Insufficient evidence—this is the most common excuse for delays in officialdom.

It's not that there's not enough, it's that I don't want to move.

"Dapeng, tell County Chief He that regardless of whether Zhou Mingyuan agrees or not, she needs to be prepared. Fang Mingyuan won't wait for her."

"I know."

The phone hangs up.

Lin Chen put his phone on the table and stared at the stack of documents.

He remembered what his senior brother Zheng had said—

"The owner of this account must have someone helping them; an ordinary person couldn't have done such a complicated operation."

Fang Mingyuan is not an ordinary person, but he is not "someone".

He was the one being manipulated by "someone".

The real big fish are at the bottom of the water.

Lin Chen picked up his phone and sent a message to Chen Yang:

"Sister Chen, we've found out about the overseas accounts."

The funds eventually went to a casino in Southeast Asia, and then entered into a resort project under the guise of investment.

The operation was very professional; Fang Mingyuan couldn't do it. He has someone backing him.

Sister Chen, you need to be careful even in the provincial capital.

If those people are investigating us, you could be their next target.

Chen Yang quickly replied, "I understand. You too."

……

at the same time.

After hanging up Lin Chen's call, Chen Dapeng paced back and forth in the room a few times.

The person behind Fang Mingyuan is more powerful than they expected.

Who are those people?

Gu Huaiyuan?

Or is he someone of a higher rank than Gu Huaiyuan?

If we wait any longer, Fang Mingyuan might really run away.

Chen Dapeng picked up his phone, found He Ying's number, and pressed the call button.

The phone rang once and was answered.

"Sister Ying, let me tell you about what Lin Chen found out."

"you say."

Chen Dapeng repeated what Lin Chen had said.

He Ying remained silent for a long time after hearing this.

"Sister Ying?"

"I am here."

"What do we do now? Should we tell Secretary Zhou about these things?"

"want."

"What if he still disagrees?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

"I will report this to him. If he disagrees, I will submit the materials to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection."

Chen Dapeng's fingers tightened slightly.

Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection —

If Zhou Mingyuan still doesn't agree.

He Ying wanted to bypass Zhou Mingyuan and directly submit the materials to the next level.

This move was even riskier than reporting to the municipal party committee.

Because if Zhou Mingyuan finds out, what will he think of her?

Wouldn't you think she doesn't follow the rules?

Do you think she's trying to force him out of his position?

"Sister Ying, what if Secretary Zhou finds out—"

"So what if he knows? My job is to investigate the case in Liuhe Town thoroughly, not to satisfy everyone."

Chen Dapeng held his phone, unsure of what to say.

When He Ying said, "Submit the materials to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection," her tone was very calm, as if she were talking about something extremely ordinary.

But he knew what this decision meant—

There might be a rift between her and Zhou Mingyuan.

If a county head has a rift with the county party secretary, how can he carry out his work in the future?

"Sister Ying, have you thought it through?"

"I've made up my mind. Fang Mingyuan could run away at any time. We don't have time to wait for him to think it over."

Chen Dapeng remained silent for a moment.

"Okay. I support you."

He Ying did not respond.

"Sister Ying, when are you going to see Secretary Zhou?"

"This afternoon, the evidence chain is complete, including what Lin Chen found, plus the properties and companies Chen Yang found. If he still doesn't agree, I'll send the materials to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection."

"Sister Ying, be careful."

"I know."

The phone hangs up.

Chen Dapeng was somewhat worried.

He Ying was going to find Zhou Mingyuan to report everything Lin Chen and Chen Yang had found out.

If Zhou Mingyuan still disagrees, she will submit the materials to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection.

This was her last trump card, and also her most dangerous move.

He didn't know what Zhou Mingyuan would decide, nor did he know whether the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection would accept the materials.

But he knew He Ying wouldn't turn back.

From the day she decided to investigate Liuhe Town.

She never left herself a way out.

Chen Dapeng suddenly thought of a question that made his heart pound:

Did He Ying come to Qingshun County with a special mission?

Otherwise, why would she be so adamant in her stance?

Recklessly?