Chapter 36: You're all goofballs

Now it's not just He Yanqing watching Lin Dongfan's actions.

Li Hengbo, sitting in the car, also secretly watched Lin Dongfan's every move.

Seeing Lin Dongfan lead a team to arrest people at Villa No. 7 on Danfeng Ridge, Li Hengbo excitedly pulled out his phone to report to Bai Wentao: "Secretary Bai, that idiot has already set out."

All parties are hoping Lin Dongfan will take action against Dai Fengnian.

The reason is simple: Dai Fengnian's keeping a mistress and raising an illegitimate child is nothing but a baseless pitfall!

As soon as Lin Dongfan makes an arrest, they can immediately slap a charge of abuse of power on him.

However…

They regarded Lin Dongfan as an idiot, and Lin Dongfan treated them as clowns to toy with.

Whether this is a trap, Lin Dongfan knows it clearly. Whatever He Yanqing knows, Lin Dongfan knows; whatever He Yanqing doesn't know, Lin Dongfan still knows.

With the experience of two lifetimes, is a dimensional strike difficult?

Lin Dongfan led his team to Dai Fengnian's mansion—Villa No. 7 on Danfeng Ridge—but instead of going straight in to make an arrest, he sat in the car smoking and called his old classmate Yang Qing.

Tang Xia got out of the car to conduct covert inquiries.

Soon he returned to report: "Team Lin, Dai Fengnian indeed has a hidden beauty—Ya Meina lives with her child in Villa No. 7, and Dai Fengnian is there too."

"Let's go, make the arrest!"

Zhang Xiaoguang pushed open the door with enthusiasm, ready to act.

Lin Dongfan shouted: "Come back!"

"We've been waiting here this long just to wait for Dai Fengnian to come back? Now he's back, with his mistress and illegitimate son—perfect to catch them in the act." Zhang Xiaoguang waited for Lin Dongfan to get out of the car.

Lin Dongfan remained still in the car: "Eight years ago, Dai Fengnian was injured and became a eunuch."

"A eunuch???"

This thunderbolt of information blasted Zhang Xiaoguang into doubting whether he was hallucinating.

Jian Sining and Tang Xia also stared at Lin Dongfan, bewildered, awaiting his further explanation.

Lin Dongfan flicked ash from his cigarette.

He calmly explained the truth to everyone: "Five years ago, the man who raped Ya Meina was not Dai Fengnian but his son. Later, his son died in a car accident. Dai Fengnian wanted to leave an heir for the Dai family, so he persuaded Ya Meina to give birth and raise the child. This is a setup; someone wants to kill us."

"Damn!" Tang Xia laughed angrily: "Unpreventable! We almost fell for their trick."

Zhang Xiaoguang still found it hard to believe: "How do you know all this?"

"I know plenty more—just say whether you trust me or trust Cheng Dao's testimony." Lin Dongfan stared into Zhang Xiaoguang's eyes.

Zhang Xiaoguang was momentarily speechless.

Before, he truly had no fondness for Lin Dongfan, thinking this guy rose through connections and lacked real ability.

But last night Lin Dongfan led the team to the countryside to dig up graves for gold, and they actually unearthed gold bricks worth over two hundred million! That kind of mind‑blowing stunt made it impossible not to acknowledge his ability.

Zhang Xiaoguang glumly lit a cigarette: "You're the team leader—I naturally trust you."

"Since you trust me, get in the car—everything follows my command." Lin Dongfan said.

Zhang Xiaoguang got in the car reluctantly: "Since you know this is a trap and know we can't arrest Dai Fengnian, why did you bring us here? I suspect you're just bored out of your mind."

"Who said we can't arrest Dai Fengnian?" Lin Dongfan laughed.

Jian Sining couldn't help but interject: "What grounds would we have for arrest? We have no evidence."

"Dai Fengnian has hidden a large sum of illicit money in Villa No. 7; if we find that money, we can arrest him lawfully." Lin Dongfan replied.

Zhang Xiaoguang said: "Then we need to go back and apply for a search warrant."

"No need."

Lin Dongfan no longer trusts the deputy team leader of the Special Task Group, He Yanqing; if we go back to follow procedure, we might leak the operation.

Lin Dongfan said: "Soon, personnel from the Changming District Public Security Bureau Criminal Investigation Brigade will come to assist us."

"How can the Criminal Investigation Brigade assist? They don't even have search authority." Zhang Xiaoguang couldn't understand.

Lin Dongfan revealed his plan with a smile:

"Is this reasonable? A concerned citizen reports that Villa No. 7 is suspected of hiding drugs. Then the Changming District Public Security Bureau rushes police to search the villa. The result: they find no laundry detergent or rock candy, but seize tens of millions of cash of unknown origin."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaoguang broke out in a black line of sweat.

After so many years in the Anti-Corruption Bureau, he'd never seen such a outrageous maneuver—this shows that Lin Dongfan, this guy, has deep ties within Nanzhou's public security system.

Without such deep connections, they couldn't possibly cooperate with him on this.

"Don't panic, the plan is thorough—first let the bullets fly a bit."

Lin Dongfan held a cigarette between his lips, patiently waiting in the car.

Not long after, Dai Fengnian came out of the villa and got into a black private car. Lin Dongfan also didn't order the car to follow, continuing to wait calmly in place.

They waited about half an hour.

A police car pulled up, led by Lin Dongfan's old classmate Yang Qing.

Earlier, when Lin Dongfan married Chu Lingxi, Yang Qing had served as his groomsman. Now Yang Qing is the captain of the Changming District Public Security Bureau Criminal Investigation Brigade, having been promoted just a week ago.

Yang Qing walked straight over to them.

As soon as Lin Dongfan got out of the car, he lifted his wrist to check his watch: "Big shot, are you suffering from urinary issues or going limp? It took you forty‑six minutes to get here after the call."

"A new official always sets off three volleys of fire; if I don't put on a show, I'd feel unworthy of this badge."

Yang Qing brushed off the dust on his shoulder insignia—this display was indeed spot‑on, making even the clean insignia radiate a pride as vast as the red dust of the world.

Lin Dongfan gave him a white‑eye stare.

Turning around, he introduced them to Jian Sining, Zhang Xiaoguang, and Tang Xia: "This show‑off is the captain of the Changming District Public Security Bureau Criminal Investigation Brigade—Yang Qing."

Jian Sining nodded in greeting: "Captain Yang, good."

Tang Xia extended a hand: "My name is Tang Xia—Tang as in the great Tang dynasty, Xia as in hero."

Zhang Xiaoguang also shook hands: "Captain Yang, hello—I'm Zhang Xiaoguang."

Those bound by fate are brothers; don't stand on ceremony with me.

Yang Qing's specialty is stirring up trouble.

After shaking hands with everyone one by one,

He turned away, sneering at Lin Dongfan: "Your attitude—learn from the brothers. My rank is higher now; watch your tone."

He brushed the "vast red dust" from his shoulder epaulettes, instantly maxing out his pretentiousness.

Lin Dongfan couldn't be bothered with this idiot, and ordered his subordinates: "Tang Xia, Xiao Guang, you two stay and help Captain Yang find the stolen money. Jian Sining, come with me to chase Dai Fengnian."

Wait.

Yang Qing asked seriously: "Can you be 100% sure Dai Fengnian really hid tens of millions in cash in Villa No. 7?"

Not 100%, but one in ten thousand.

Lin Dongfan had full confidence in his memory system; he couldn't possibly be mistaken.

Yang Qing said: "This isn't a joke; if we find neither drugs nor the money, I really can't answer to my superiors."

"Don't worry, just search boldly." Lin Dongfan said: "Got a big iron hammer? Smash the wall directly. That old bastard Dai Fengnian built a hidden wall full of cash."

"Which wall exactly?" Yang Qing pressed.

Limited by the details in my memory, I can't give a specific answer.

Lin Dongfan turned and walked away: "Smash whichever wall you like; the principle is simple—I need to see the stolen money."

"Damn, bandits."

Yang Qing stood there, laughing and cursing.

Lin Dongfan personally drove, taking Jian Sining straight to the Project Development Department at Green Bamboo Ridge, but came up empty—Dai Fengnian wasn't in the office.

The office staff said Dai Fengnian had gone to Green Bamboo Village.

Lin Dongfan and Jian Sining headed to Green Bamboo Village again; on the way, Jian Sining asked: "Senior Brother, you invited Yang Qing to help find the money—do you suspect there's a mole in our Special Task Force?"

"Little girl, you're pretty sharp."

Lin Dongfan chuckled: "Whether someone's a mole is hard to say for now, but someone saw Cheng Dao's confession materials as a bottomless pit and still tried to lure me in—such malicious intent!"

Indeed, such malicious intent.

Thinking of He Yanqing's constant targeting of Lin Dongfan, Jian Sining also grew to dislike anyone surnamed He; fortunately, our senior brother saw through the scheme, stayed one step ahead, and avoided falling into his trap.