Mad Detective
[Author: Kuang Hai Wang Hu]
[TL: Spades]
[PR: Blitz]
[QC: Lumi]
Chapter 08 — Shamelessness Makes You Invincible
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So, what the little girl had handed to the yellow-haired guy was indeed a USB drive, containing two game accounts and passwords for popular online games.
A account thief, huh!
Zhao Yu secretly rejoiced that he hadn't impulsively busted them. A Major Crimes detective catching two petty account thieves? That'd be a laughingstock!
Still, he was amazed. Who knew two game accounts could fetch so much cash? According to the girl, the envelope held a whopping 10,000 yuan, worth several months of his salary.
"Uncle, it's really my first time, I don't want this dirty money!" The girl, still sniffling and teary, pleaded, "Please let me go! I swear I won't do it again!"
"Get lost with that," Zhao Yu snapped, unimpressed. "You two didn't say a word during the deal, smooth as pros, and you're claiming it's your first time?"
"I…" The girl was speechless.
"Tell me, if you're stealing accounts, why bother with cash? Why not just transfer the money online?" Zhao Yu asked, curious.
"Officer Uncle," the girl answered honestly, "I don't have an ID yet! Can't open a bank account! Plus, online transactions leave a trail!"
"Huh?" Zhao Yu raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Not bad, kid, you're a pro! So, what's the stolen money for? Buying game gear?"
"No! No!" Sensing a chance, the girl stopped crying and confessed earnestly, "It's for my mom's treatment. She's got uremia!"
"Hmph!" Zhao Yu scoffed, not buying such a childish lie.
"It's true!" the girl insisted. "Each dialysis costs thousands! My dad's fruit shop barely covers it. He's so stressed, he's even thinking of renting out the upstairs!"
"Wait!" Zhao Yu froze, studying her face. She looked oddly familiar. "Tell me the truth, what's your name? And your dad's? Lie again, and I'm hauling you to the station!"
"I'm not lying! I'm Jiang Xiaoqing," she replied. "My dad's Jiang Dafeng. Big Wind Brother's Fruit Market on Shunfeng Road is our place…"
No way…
Jackpot!
Bingo!
Zhao Yu's mind exploded with exclamations. The second biggest coincidence in the world had just landed on him. He'd just cursed out the fruit shop owner, and now he'd caught his daughter red-handed. This was a one-in-a miniaturized coincidence!
This time, Zhao Yu had no doubts about the Adventure System's power. This had to be its doing.
"Officer Uncle, Uncle?" Seeing Zhao Yu dazed, the girl didn't dare run, standing meekly before him, asking softly, "Can I go now? The money, uh, the dirty cash, I don't want it!"
"Oh!" Zhao Yu snapped back, eyeing the envelope. An idea hit him. He handed it to Jiang Xiaoqing, "What do you mean, don't want it? Here, take it! Since we're practically family, this is easy to handle!"
"Oh… you…" Now it was the girl's turn to be shocked. "You know my dad?"
"Here's the deal!" Zhao Yu's eyes glinted. "I just rented your family's place! I know your situation. Since it's for your mom's treatment, we'll let this slide. Keep doing what you're doing, no problem!"
"Seriously?" The girl stood dumbfounded, her worldview in shambles. "You're not messing with me, right?"
"Does Uncle look like he's joking?" Zhao Yu grinned, the picture of a shady uncle. "Heh, not gonna lie, I know this area like the back of my hand. If anything goes down, Uncle's got your back! But, uh…" He pointed at the envelope, "You get me?"
"Oh!" The girl, sharp as a tack, nodded. "I get it, you want protection money!"
"Hey!" Zhao Yu quickly covered her mouth. "Protection money? That's harsh. This is a joint venture. You're the tech genius, I'm the business guy. We're both in on it, so we split the profits, got it?"
"Uncle… but…" the girl mumbled weakly, "didn't I handle the business side too?"
"Uh…" Zhao Yu's forehead creased with imaginary sweat.
"No worries, I'm the underdog here!" Jiang Xiaoqing said cheerfully. "You not arresting me is already a win! So… how much do you want?"
"Street rules, three for you, seven for me," Zhao Yu said smoothly. "But since I'm tight with your dad, I'll give you an extra cut. Four for you, six for me, deal?"
"What? No way!" the girl groaned. "My mom really needs the money, this isn't even enough!"
"Hmph!" Zhao Yu's face hardened. "Fine, fifty-fifty, my final offer! Big deal, just pull an extra job each month! Those rich kids hooked on games, blowing their parents' cash on gear? They deserve to lose their accounts. Teach 'em a lesson!"
Encouraging the girl to keep up her shady deeds, Zhao Yu spoke with such righteous conviction, he'd reached god-tier shamelessness.
Jiang Xiaoqing, just a naive kid, was no match for Zhao Yu's scheming. In the end, she caved.
Twenty minutes later, Zhao Yu, clutching the 5,000 yuan "fee" from Jiang Xiaoqing, returned to Big Wind Fruit Market to rent the apartment.
But when he arrived, someone else was already checking out the place. Two young guys had taken a liking to it and were handing over a deposit, while chubby Jiang Dafeng counted the cash with a grin.
"Stop right there!"
Zhao Yu roared, charging forward, startling everyone.
"What… what's going on?" Jiang Dafeng looked up and saw Zhao Yu.
Before he could react, Zhao Yu let loose a tirade, "Damn it, you untrustworthy fatso! Didn't we agree this place was mine? I got the cash now, and you're renting it to someone else? You wanna die, huh!?"
Zhao Yu's menacing glare silenced the two young guys.
"No… it's not…" Jiang Dafeng stammered, flustered. "You didn't… you didn't have…"
"Didn't my ass!" Zhao Yu cut him off, grabbing a sugarcane stalk. "Believe me, I'll smash your stall to bits!" He turned to the two guys, waving the cane, "Listen up, anyone thinking of renting this place better think twice. I'll make your life hell, and you won't even know who hit you!"
"You…" Jiang Dafeng was dumbfounded, shouting, "Keep this up, and I'm calling the cops!"
Swish…
Zhao Yu whipped out his badge, barking, "Call the cops? I'll start by checking your shop for violations. Got a tip you're selling expired fruit…"
Before he finished, the two guys grabbed their money and bolted. Jiang Dafeng raised his hands in surrender, bowing repeatedly, "Alright, alright! Buddy, I give up! I give up! It's yours, you can rent it, okay?" He sighed helplessly, "Man, when you're shameless, you're freaking invincible!"