Chapter 1022: The Absurdity of Five Hundred Catties of Gold

The instant the gas canister was cut open, a blinding golden light almost pierced the night.

Four Discipline Inspection Commission officers immediately stepped forward, carefully extracting each gold bar from the canister and neatly stacking them on the balcony's waterproof floor.

Each gold bar felt heavy.

Held in hand, one could clearly feel the metal's substantial texture, the surface etched with fine purity marks, radiating an unblemished warm yellow luster.

"On-site inventory, register the weight and quantity."

Section Chief Sun produced a notebook, his voice barely concealing excitement.

The officers had clear divisions: some weighed each bar with an electronic scale, some handled counting, and some recorded the data.

After a preliminary tally:

This batch of gold bars, each weighing about one kilogram standard, totaled 250 bars.

A total of five hundred catties!

"Based on 2024 market prices, pure gold is about 480 yuan per gram; 250 kilograms equals ___ grams, so the total value is……"

The officer in charge of calculation quickly did mental math.

The reported figure made everyone gasp: "A full 120 million yuan!"

That number was like a bomb, exploding on the open-air balcony.

Although the Commission officers had seen much corrupt loot, the sheer volume of these five hundred catties of gold left them stunned speechless.

After all, this wasn't scattered illicit funds but solid, directly liquid hard currency; such a huge amount suffices to show how rampant Meng Qinghe's corruption is.

Lin Dongfan stood beside the gold bars, his gaze complex as he swept over this pile symbolizing greed, and a scene from years ago involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

Back then he worked at the Anti-Corruption Bureau, investigating one huge corrupt official after another named Cheng Dao.

That man Cheng Dao was extremely cunning, hiding the gold he'd embezzled in the coffin of his ancestral grave; when they dug up the grave and opened the coffin, they saw the same blinding golden light.

That scene was strikingly similar to this one.

"Damn, these bastards put all their smarts to this use." Lin Dongfan murmured, his voice full of regret and anger.

Cheng Dao hid gold in the ancestral tomb; Meng Qinghe hid gold in the gas canister.

One exploited the secrecy of traditional clan notions, the other the deceptiveness of everyday household items; their methods were equally cunning, practically the same trick.

These corrupt officials each possess extraordinary "intelligence," yet they don't use it to do practical work for the people; instead, they rack their brains to exploit legal loopholes, madly amassing wealth and stashing illicit gains.

If they could devote this mindset to their work, how could they end up disgraced and ruined?

Inventory completed.

Section Chief Sun handed the register to Lin Dongfan: "Mayor Lin, all gold bars have been inventoried; quantity, weight, and estimated value are here, ready for sealing and transfer at any time."

Lin Dongfan nodded, took the register, glanced at it, then walked toward Meng Qinghe.

Meng Qinghe collapsed onto the living-room floor.

At this moment, Meng Qinghe's gaze was unfocused, his face ashen as paper, all his former arrogance gone.

Lin Dongfan leaned over and personally tore off the tape on his mouth; the tape clung to his skin, making Meng Qinghe grit his teeth in pain, yet he dared not resist in the slightest.

"Tell me, how was the gold loaded into the gas canister?"

Lin Dongfan's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

Meng Qinghe shuddered all over, his eyes darting, shaking his head repeatedly: "I don't know… I really don't know…"

"You don't know?"

Lin Dongfan raised an eyebrow, lifted his hand and swung a big palm, making as if to strike: "Damn, even at death's door you dare defy investigation? Believe it or not, I'll slap you!"

The slap never landed.

Yet that fierce aura made Meng Qinghe shrink his neck, lips trembling, tears instantly welling up.

Meng Cheng program brought a sobbing tone.

He pleaded: "Mayor Lin, I'm telling the truth! This gas canister really isn't mine!"

Hearing this, Lin Dongfan couldn't help but laugh, his tone full of mockery: "At a time like this, even if you claimed to be Qin Shi Huang, I'd believe you."

"It's true! I never take gold, I only take cash!"

Meng Qinghe, anxious to the point of tears, hurriedly explained: "Gold is something you can't directly take abroad, nor use to buy things at a mall—what would I need it for? Turning it into cash at a bank would easily leave traces; it's easy for someone to catch you on that, and I, Meng Qinghe, am not that stupid."

The smile on Lin Dongfan's face gradually faded, his eyes turning sharp: "Then did these five hundred catties of gold walk themselves into the gas canister?"

"It was a gift from a friend!"

Saying this, Meng Qinghe put on a look full of memories.

He explained, feeling wronged:

"Back then, a fortune-teller told me I lacked fire in the five elements, that my destiny had a major obstacle requiring something with a fire attribute to ward off the house."

"I believed him, and casually mentioned it to a friend, who said he'd make me a custom gas canister guaranteed to ward off the house."

"At the time I didn't think much and just agreed."

"Later he really delivered this gas canister; I've kept it at home, never moved it, and never imagined it held so much gold."

"He never told me the canister contained five hundred catties of gold."

"If I knew there was that much gold inside, even if you lent me a hundred courages, I wouldn't dare take it! This thing can't be eaten as food—what would I need it for? That's just asking for trouble."

Lin Dongfan stared into his eyes, trying to see any flaw from his face.

All he saw was Meng Qinghe's eager gaze, his expression not feigned, even carrying a hint of resentment at being "set up" by a friend.

As Lin Dongfan wavered between belief and doubt,

Meng Qinghe added:

"Mayor Lin, you also know I'm all about enjoying life. Wealth like gold that can only be hidden away and not used—I really look down on it."

Saying this, he sighed.

He then spoke with many feelings:

"Speaking sincerely, what's the point of working oneself to death in this life? Isn't it just to live comfortably and enjoy a high-quality life?"

"Only a fool would become a miser, hoarding money and not using it."

"Wealth can't be brought into this life or taken out of it; if you have money, you must spend it—eat well, dress well, live well—that's what a high-quality life is."

"Lin Dongfan was left speechless."

"I never imagined Meng Qinghe would already be a prisoner, yet he could still spout such a 'corrupt-style life philosophy'—truly absurd to the extreme."

"Who is your friend?"

"Lin Dongfan stopped dwelling on his life insights and went straight to the heart of the matter."

"Meng Qinghe's gaze instantly grew complex; he hesitated for Along time before slowly speaking, his tone hinting at mystery and apprehension: 'This… I can't say it; if I do, I'm afraid I'll scare you.'"

"Afraid of scaring me?"

"Lin Dongfan laughed happily: 'Go ahead and say it; let's see if you can scare me.'"

"'Mayor Lin, stop asking—I really mean this for your own good.' Meng Qinghe glanced around at the people; he truly seemed to have some big secret that couldn't be spoken in public."