Gangster heir? Please call me a legitimate entrepreneur.

The red secure telephone handset was slammed back onto the landline.

The plastic casing made a dull thud when it was hit.

Li Jianguo held the unlit Hongmei cigarette in his mouth.

He had chewed the filter to pieces, and the cheap tobacco mixed with saliva residue stuck to his front teeth, giving off a bitter taste.

He stared at the glass ashtray on the table, which was covered in a layer of dust.

All I could think of was the image of Su Ye, beaming with pride, shaking that tax payment certificate on the first floor of the Sihai Building.

The more I thought about it, the more the fire burned in my chest.

"Snapped!"

Li Jianguo slammed his large, fan-like hand on the edge of the table.

The heel of his palm struck the edge of the ashtray.

A crisp "click" sound.

He slapped a thin crack into the thick glass jar.

A shard of glass landed on my fingernail, leaving a white mark.

"Chief, please be gentle!"

Captain Gu was so startled that the disposable paper cup in his hand trembled.

Scalding hot water splashed onto the back of his hand, burning him so badly he winced and quickly wiped it off with his sleeve.

"This table was just received from the logistics department last month. If it gets damaged, we'll have to write a report and apply for a refund."

Li Jianguo spat out the cigarette butt from his mouth and reached out to wipe his numb old face.

"Old Gu."

His voice was harsh, as if he had a handful of dry sand stuck in his throat.

"Relying on Zhang Tiezhu alone won't work."

Captain Gu paused for a moment, then casually tossed the crushed paper cup into the trash can.

"Why not? 007... he's a master at cleaning toilets."

Captain Gu scratched the white gauze on his head, his voice stammering.

"This men's restroom is a hub for intelligence! Who doesn't chat with the person next to them while peeing?"

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Li Jianguo glared at him with exasperation.

"Those guys from Lei Hu's gang have been trained by Su Ye to the point that they even consult the 'Enterprise Management Manual' when they're taking a dump!"

"Do you expect a few delivery guys to expose transnational money laundering schemes next to a latrine?"

"Do you think Su Ye is a fool, or do you think I am?"

Li Jianguo walked around the desk and strode to the half-person-high safe in the corner of the room.

He crouched down, his knees making a slight "click" sound.

My fingers are rough and covered with stubborn, yellowish stains from smoking.

Holding the combination lock like that, I turned it three times to the left and two times to the right.

"Creak—"

The heavy iron gate was pulled open.

There were no valuables inside, only a red landline phone covered in dust.

There wasn't even a dial pad on it; it was directly connected to the provincial department's core confidential switchboard.

Captain Gu took a deep breath of cold air, which smelled of tobacco oil, after seeing the thing clearly.

"Chief, are you... calling in reinforcements?"

Li Jianguo ignored him.

He grabbed the receiver, his fingers gripping the plastic handle so tightly that his knuckles turned bluish-white.

There was a few seconds of silence on the phone, followed by a long "beep" sound.

connected.

"This is Li Jianguo from the Longhai Municipal Public Security Bureau. This is the Provincial Narcotics Control Bureau, Old Chen's office."

Li Jianguo spoke quickly, with an unyielding and forceful tone.

Less than half a minute.

The receiver picked up the rustling sound of turning pages, followed by a slightly tired baritone voice.

"Old Li? It's the middle of the night. Didn't the anti-gang report for Longhai City just come in? What kind of trouble has arisen now?"

Li Jianguo didn't stand on ceremony and got straight to the point.

"Old Chen, I've run into a tough one. It's Su Ye from the Sihai Group that I told you about a few days ago."

He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"We can't get in from the outside. This kid's counter-surveillance skills are even more uncanny than those old drug dealers in the Golden Triangle."

Old Chen remained silent for two seconds on the other end.

The crisp sound of a water glass being placed on the table drifted over.

"What about Gao Qiang and Chen Suan? Haven't they already broken into management?"

Upon hearing these two names, Li Jianguo felt his brain start throbbing again.

He rubbed his temples, his voice filled with a desperate, gritted-teeth tone.

"Don't even mention those two good-for-nothings!"

"Gao Qiang spends all his time on the construction site checking the spacing of the rebar. He just texted me last night, asking if my bureau could issue him a certificate so that Sihai Group would allocate him a 120-square-meter three-bedroom apartment as an employee benefit!"

"And then there's Chen Suan. That kid's gotten a real sense of accomplishment helping Su Ye evade taxes. Last month alone, he made eight million in legal tax refunds."

Li Jianguo became increasingly angry as he spoke, tightly gripping the telephone cord around his finger.

"They're just free labor in Su Ye's hands now. They haven't even gotten a glimpse of the core conspiracy!"

A series of uncontrollable coughs came from the other end of the phone.

Old Chen probably choked on the tea.

"Ahem... This Su Ye, his methods are so unconventional?"

"So, I have to take drastic measures."

Li Jianguo lowered his voice, his eyes becoming as sharp as an eagle's.

He glanced at Captain Gu, who was eavesdropping beside him, then turned around and faced the wall.

"Old Chen, I request that the highest authority of the provincial department be invoked."

"Activate Nail No. 01, Shen Qinghan's highest-level operational authorization."

The air in the room froze instantly.

Captain Gu's hand trembled, and he almost knocked the folder on the table to the ground.

Shen Qinghan is the provincial department's precious darling.

She was a police academy Sanda champion, a master's degree holder in criminal psychology, and incredibly good-looking.

He was originally sent there as a secretary so that he could be monitored at close range.

Activating the highest level of authorization now means resorting to any means necessary!

"Old Li, are you crazy?"

Old Chen's voice instantly rose eight octaves, and you could hear the urgency in his voice even through the microphone.

"Qinghan was practically raised by the old director! What are you going to do with a young, unmarried woman like her?"

"She's right here beside Su Ye, serving him tea and water. Isn't that close enough?"

"Can you see the ledger he hides under the safe while serving tea and water?!"

Li Jianguo roared back at the top of his lungs, and the veins on his forehead bulged out one by one.

"Old Chen, that 30 million yuan charity fund is just a smokescreen."

"Su Ye is using the families of martyrs as a shield!"

"The cleaner he appears to be, the bigger the business behind him. Unless we send someone who can infiltrate his bed... no, someone who can infiltrate his top-secret social circle, this case will never be solved!"

Captain Gu, who was listening nearby, broke out in a cold sweat.

He quickly moved closer and whispered in his ear to interrupt.

"Director... Director, calm down. That Su Ye carries around that old thermos cup full of goji berries every day, looking like an old monk."

"Even if Qinghan uses her beauty to seduce that boy, he might not take the bait."

"What if they don't like that kind of thing?"

Li Jianguo shoved Captain Gu's head away as he leaned in.

"You don't know anything!"

He continued speaking into the microphone.

"Old Chen, what man doesn't stray? He pretends to be celibate just because he hasn't encountered a thorny rose yet!"

He took a deep breath and softened his tone slightly.

"Let Qinghan do whatever she wants. She doesn't need to be bound by that stupid secretary rule anymore."

"Make use of all available conditions."

"Dinner parties, drinking parties, and even time alone in life."

"I don't believe Su Ye is as incorrigible as a stone. If he shows even a crack, Qing Han will be able to dig up that secret ledger that could condemn him to death!"

There was only heavy breathing on the other end of the phone.

Old Chen is clearly weighing the pros and cons.

The click of a lighter lighting a cigarette was heard, followed by a long sigh.

"I need to ask for instructions regarding this matter."

Old Chen's voice was a little hoarse.

"If we really have to activate the highest level of authorization, your city bureau must risk your lives to protect Qinghan's personal safety."

"I vouch for it with the national emblem above my head."

Li Jianguo spoke each word slowly and deliberately, emphasizing each syllable.

"As long as the true whereabouts of that drug money are found, I'll accept it even if it means I have to take off this shirt."

"Okay, wait for my message."

The phone clicked off, and the busy tone echoed in the empty office.

Li Jianguo slowly put the receiver back.

He didn't rush to stand up, but just squatted in front of the safe, staring at the dark metal box.

My legs are a little numb, and my kneecaps are aching like they're being pricked with needles.

But he felt clearer than ever before.

Captain Gu rubbed his hands together behind him, his shoes shuffling nervously on the terrazzo floor.

"Chief, are you really letting Qinghan take this risk?"

He swallowed hard, his eyes filled with worry.

"That Su Ye is a ruthless man who eats people alive. What if we lose both our wife and our money..."

"It can't be broken."

Li Jianguo, holding onto the corner of the table, slowly straightened up.

He dusted off the legs of his police uniform trousers and strode to the window.

He ripped open the heavy Venetian blinds.

outside the window.

Under the night sky, two streets apart.

The huge neon sign on the top floor of the Sihai Group building was flashing a blinding red light.

Like a giant beast lying on the heart of Longhai City, it is quiet yet terrifying.

Li Jianguo's deeply lined old face was reflected in the glass.

He stared at the neon lights, his rough fingers gripping the edge of the windowsill tightly, white marks seeping from under his fingernails.

The room's heating made the glass slightly hot, and the heat transferred to his hands, but it couldn't warm the chill in his heart.

Captain Gu followed and stood to his side and behind him.

Following Li Jianguo's gaze, one could see the brightly lit building.

"Chief, what do you think Su Ye is after?"

Captain Gu muttered to himself, his tone filled with confusion.

"He's made enough money and built up a reputation, why can't he just settle down?"

Li Jianguo sneered.

A fierce smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and all the wrinkles on his face were squeezed together.

He didn't take the box of Red Plum cigarettes.

He simply tapped the scorching hot glass window in front of him with his knuckles.

"Thump, thump."

The old man squinted, his voice extremely low, as if talking to himself, or perhaps to Captain Gu.

"Old Gu, remember this. No matter how well you hide your fox's tail, it will eventually be exposed."

He turned his head sharply, stared into Captain Gu's eyes, and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Go tell Shen Qinghan to change out of that old-fashioned business suit starting tomorrow!"

"No matter how well Su Ye pretends to be a saint..."

Li Jianguo gritted his teeth, and the fat on his chin trembled twice.

"He's no match for the sharp knife I personally placed beside his pillow!"