When they grabbed me, some police officers were in riot gear, armed to the teeth, as if ready to shoot me if I resisted. They had a reason to arrest me. Not long after Li Dazhi left home, he was apprehended by the police. After being caught, he confessed, saying that Qin Sisi would report what happened to me. Moreover, that old Burmese master recognized me from a photograph, stating I was the only boss he had ever met.
All of this was prearranged, Qin Sisi's scheme. After being captured, I was not flustered at all. I told these officers that I was not the so-called leader of the Empty House, and Yu Xiaoluo could attest to that.
As soon as I said this, a young policeman, as if provoked, grabbed me by the collar: "Tang Nan, you'd better tell the truth."
"Huang Xinghao, calm down, let him go."
This Huang Xinghao, reprimanded sternly by his superior, looked as if his teeth were itching with hatred: "If anything happens to Yu Xiaoluo, you'll never get out of prison for the rest of your life."
The superior was plump, unlike Huang Xinghao's dark face. He looked at me: "Tang Nan, hello. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Wang Zeyu, a staff member of the Criminal Investigation Bureau. This is your interrogation notice. We currently suspect you of involvement in a massive fraud case."
With that, Wang Zeyu actually pushed a stack of printed notices in front of me. I frowned as I looked at this cadre, who was likely in his forties but not yet fifty, and said earnestly, "Don't you believe me? I appeared at the Empty House out of desperation, and I have already contacted Yu Xiaoluo and promised her my full cooperation in solving the case."
As soon as I finished speaking, the one named Huang Xinghao snorted coldly: "Brother Wang led the investigation for several unsolved cases across the country. In front of him, you can't even dream of lying."
"Why don't you believe me?"
"Because Yu Xiaoluo is currently unreachable."
I found Huang Xinghao quite brainless, speaking without thinking, truly an optimal intelligence exposer. If he hadn't lost his composure, I would never have known they couldn't reach Yu Xiaoluo.
About an hour before they arrested me, I had met with Yu Xiaoluo, and immediately afterward, Yu Xiaoluo went missing.
While I was thinking, Wang Zeyu also noticed Huang Xinghao's slip of the tongue and found an excuse to send Huang Xinghao away: "Xiaoluo was one of the first forensic technicians in the Youth Talent Forensic Database established in '97. Although Haozi and Xiaoluo are in different teams, they both come from the anti-riot special police force and have a deep friendship. Xiaoluo's disappearance has made Haozi very emotional; I hope you can understand."
I nodded and said sincerely, "Sir, everything I've said is true."
"I believe what you've said is true, but do you have any evidence?"
"No."
"Then let me tell you our evidence. Li Dazhi, who was arrested, insists that Qin Sisi's superior was you, and the fake old Burmese master also said you were the boss he had met only once."
"That's just their one-sided statements."
Wang Zeyu spoke gently, but his words were like a sword that could slice through iron. He said, "Your explanation is also a one-sided statement at the moment."
"Qin Sisi was brought to Beijing by Li Dazhi three years ago, and I was still a high school student back then."
"Three years ago?"
"Yes, didn't the Empty House appear three years ago?"
I didn't know the exact time the Empty House appeared, but I knew that three years ago, Li Dazhi lost an eye and brought the fake skin technique back to China. Therefore, I guessed that the founding time of the Empty House celebrity circle was three years ago.
"No!" Wang Zeyu negated me decisively.
"How can that be?"
"The Empty House celebrity circle was established in the late autumn and early winter of last year."
Last year? That's not long ago. It's early summer now, meaning less than half a year. Moreover, if it was late autumn or early winter, it would have been after I had defeated Mr. Xie in a scheme.
Seeing me in thought, Wang Zeyu asked seriously, "Do you have any questions about this timeline?"
"I was likely in Beijing at that time."
"That's right. You were in Beijing in the autumn of 2000. You and your friend Tie Zhishan came to Ruili for a trip and were swindled during jade gambling. Tie Zhishan jumped off a building, and you reported it to the police. Later, with your intelligence and resourcefulness, you lured Mr. Xie into a trap. Mr. Xie's forum fraud case was solved, and many victims came to Ruili. After those people left, they all received considerable compensation."
At that time, I made cash transfers through an ATM in Beijing, and I was wearing a mask. It seemed that on that day, I had a premonition that sometimes doing good deeds could also bring trouble. Therefore, I chose to conceal my identity.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"According to Mr. Xie's confession, the five million he defrauded was stolen. And when you returned home, your account had over a million. You purchased property and invested, all in preparation for money laundering for the fraud."
"I made some money gambling on jade, and I admit to purchasing property and investing, but don't try to pin money laundering on me. If buying a few houses is money laundering, then there would be no black money in this world long ago."
Wang Zeyu smiled slightly: "You remain calm in the face of trouble, and your mind is meticulous. In recent years, some fraudsters have claimed to be schemers. I suppose you are one of them."
"I am not."
I basically understood. As long as I didn't admit it, they had no evidence.
"Fine, you are not. Then let me outline the development history of the Empty House celebrity circle. Mr. Xie's jade forum fraud case attracted the attention of the Provincial Department, and the local public security departments immediately launched a thorough investigation. It was around that time that the Empty House came into being, adding celebrity influence to jade gambling."
"This truly has nothing to do with me."
"Qin Sisi came from Beijing and quickly became a sought-after auctioneer in the celebrity circle. Many people joined their jade gambling endeavors due to the Empty House's professional skills. The Empty House not only engaged in fraudulent activities but also exploited people's psychology to sell at high prices. Do you know? They used the word 'professional' to lure out people's deepest greed."
"If it's greed, why didn't those people report it?"
"That's what I need to ask you."
"I don't know, really."
"Due to the Empty House's pricing, the rich gamble with money, and ordinary people gamble with their lives. Would those who lost money report it? Could those who lost their lives report it? Three suicides in half a year are all related to the Empty House. The fraud amount is huge, and it has resulted in death. This is not a simple fraud case."
I frowned. Analyzing from the current perspective, the police had already linked the Empty House celebrity circle to the fraud case. If these three suicides were hard-pressed onto me, I would truly be wrongly accused, no matter how much I tried to explain.
No, at this point, I must save myself.
"Comrade Wang, Brother Wang, I am truly not the leader of the Empty House. Yu Xiaoluo knows this very well, and she only separated from me an hour ago. You haven't been able to contact her during this time, perhaps her phone ran out of battery and shut down."
"Don't quibble. We have special means of contact. We cannot contact Yu Xiaoluo through these special means, and all we know now is that Yu Xiaoluo saw you before she disappeared."
"Are you sure Yu Xiaoluo is missing?"
"Yes."
"Have you searched for her?"
"Of course, we have searched everywhere she could have gone."
I understood. Li Dazhi and the old Burmese master, according to their plan, framed me as the leader of the Empty House. The police generally wouldn't believe such a desperate act of dragging others down with them. However, Qin Sisi had added a condition to this scheme: Yu Xiaoluo, who disappeared after meeting with me.
With this thought, a self-rescue plan formed in my mind. I looked at Wang Zeyu and said earnestly, "If you believe me, perhaps you can still save Yu Xiaoluo?"
"We never negotiate with criminals."
"I am not a criminal. Either believe me, or bear the responsibility for Yu Xiaoluo's sacrifice for the rest of your lives."
Just then, Huang Xinghao returned, his eyes wide: "Old Wang, we need to go rescue her. That's Yu Xiaoluo!"