Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 233 Orion in Action
Just as He Yuzhu successfully opened up the mainland building materials supply chain and laid a solid foundation for the Kwai Chung project, a long-brewing storm at the West Kowloon Police Station finally came to a close.

Provided by He Yuzhu, at a large, secret investigation site of the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau, one of the two file folders delivered by Shi Bin contained items that had already covered the walls.

Several walls are covered with labels detailing the relationships between "Chen Nian," "Liu Chang," and "Luo Hui," as well as the details of their transactions and the collection of evidence.

"Notify the heads of Major Crimes Unit A and B, the Commercial Crime Bureau, and the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau: Top Secret Operation Deployment in Conference Room One in five minutes!"

Wearing a police uniform, Orian identified Chen Nian, Liu Chang, and Luo Hui as his targets, assigned tasks, and issued instructions:
"O-Division, in charge of Luo Hui and his core subordinates, operation codenamed 'Scavenger,' must catch them red-handed during their next secret meeting with the Jardine Land manager! Necessary wiretapping methods are permitted."

"Commercial Crime Bureau, in charge of Liu Chang, operation codenamed 'Money Bag,' use his embezzlement of procurement kickbacks as a breakthrough point. Immediately apply for a search warrant to search his office, residence, and related bank accounts, and freeze all his suspicious assets!"

"Squad A of the Serious Crimes Unit will cooperate with the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau to arrest Luo Hui; Squad B will be responsible for Chen Nian, codenamed 'Mr. Legislative Councilor.' Chen Nian is a Legislative Councilor and enjoys certain judicial immunity, so the procedure must be watertight! While applying for the arrest warrant, simultaneously compile copies of all evidence and prepare to transfer them to the Department of Justice! The operation must be synchronized to catch them off guard!"

"Yes, Sir!" The heads of each department accepted the order and set off immediately, launching the operation.

Orian sat in the temporary command center, monitoring the real-time information transmitted back by the various action teams.

He temporarily suppressed the file about William, intending to wait until the first wave of the storm had unleashed its full force before dropping the bombshell that would completely destroy William.

Jardine Matheson Chairman's Office.

Henry Keswick listened with a grim face to his subordinates' report on the movements of Yellow River Industrial Building Materials.

"What? Mainland procurement? The Canton Fair? Li Huan?" Henry slammed his cigar down in the ashtray, sparks flying. "That 'country bumpkin' Li Huan who specializes in doing business with the mainland? He Fei actually got involved with this?"

"Yes, Chairman. Our people have confirmed that Li Huan has been frequently traveling to and from the mainland recently, chartering several 10,000-ton ships, all destined for the ports of Guangzhou and Shanghai. His objective is very clear: to transport bulk building materials for the Kuiyong project. The first batch of steel bars and cement has already been loaded onto the ships," the subordinate reported cautiously.

"Useless!" Henry roared. "Didn't I tell you to keep a close eye on all local and Southeast Asian building material suppliers? Why didn't anyone think of the mainland supply chain?! Why didn't anyone cut off Li Huan beforehand?!"

His subordinates remained silent, but inwardly they were in despair: Jardine Matheson's top management had always looked down on the mainland market and scorned Li Huan, a "non-mainstream" businessman. Who would have thought that He Feijian would take such an unconventional approach and act so quickly?

"Investigate! Find out exactly which manufacturers Li Huan contacted! Contact our connections in London and see if we can put some pressure on the north!"

"It's practically impossible for the big boss to put pressure on the mainland!"

"Impossible. How do you know it's impossible if you don't try? Are you just going to watch?"

"Yes."

After his men left, Henry paced restlessly in his office.

He was reprimanded by several veterans who came with him when he made the last phone call. This was tantamount to handing intelligence over to them. Then Jardine Matheson urgently convened a joint meeting of all relevant companies to announce the decision against Yellow River Industries. Then all that was left was to wait for Yellow River Industries to jump up and down in anger.

However, what he didn't expect was that He Fei pulled a fast one, completely thwarting his plan to use building materials to blockade and stifle the Kuiyong project.

What made him even more uneasy was He Fei's ability to break with convention and find new paths.

"He Fei... how many cards do you have left?" Henry asked, annoyed.

He must find a new breakthrough to deliver a fatal blow to Yellow River Industry.

Inside a private room at a high-end private club in West Kowloon.

Luo Hui, the "advisor" of Heshenghe, was having a low-key conversation with a mid-level manager of Jardine Matheson.

Luo Hui was about fifty years old, with a thin face and eyes as cold as a venomous snake. He was the sharpest and most unseen knife hidden in the darkness of Yihe.

“Brother Hui, Chairman Henry’s meaning is very clear: once Yellow River Industries acquires the Kwai Chung land, they will inevitably embark on large-scale development. Their construction site… cannot be too peaceful.” The Jardine Matheson manager lowered his voice slightly. “Equipment malfunctions, missing materials, worker disturbances… you know what to do. Let them know that in Hong Kong development, without the approval of ‘friends,’ you can’t move an inch!”

Luo Hui picked up his glass, took a slow sip, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Don't worry, does He Fei think he can rest easy just because he has the police? Too naive. There are rules in the underworld. I'll make his construction site 'lively.' However..." He changed the subject, rubbing his fingers meaningfully, "The brothers are a little short on cash lately, about the 'start-up fee' and 'risk deposit'..."

“Money is no problem! As long as things are done well, Chairman Henry will not treat the brothers unfairly.” The manager immediately understood and took out a bearer check from his suit pocket and pushed it over.

Luo Hui glanced at the numbers and nodded in satisfaction: "Tell the Chairman to await good news..."

The words have not yet been spoken!

"Bang!" The door to the private room was violently slammed open by a tremendous force!

"Police! Don't move!"

"O-Division officers! Luo Hui! You are suspected of directing triad organizations to commit serious criminal offenses, conspiracy to extort, and illegal transactions... This is an arrest warrant!"

Armed Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB) agents stormed in like tigers, their dark gun barrels instantly pointed at everyone in the private room.

The senior inspector leading the team had sharp, piercing eyes, fixed on Luo Hui, whose expression had drastically changed, and the large check in front of him.

Almost simultaneously, the mansion where Superintendent Lau Cheong kept his mistress was also broken into by detectives from the Commercial Crime Bureau. A large amount of cash, ledgers, and valuables were seized, and Lau Cheong and his mistress were taken away. Meanwhile, Legislative Councilor Chen Nian was arrested by the Serious Crimes Unit after attending a charity gala.

The detectives secretly "invited" him into the police car on suspicion of accepting bribes and protecting triad activities.

More than three people were taken back, and interrogation began after they were brought back.

Inside the temporary command center, the silence was broken by the constant stream of concise reports coming from the communication channel.

"OCTB report: 'Cleaner' Luo Hui and three of his accomplices were caught red-handed in a private room at the Peninsula Hotel! A huge bearer check was found on site, in the middle of an illegal transaction with the manager of Jardine Land! The target offered no resistance and has been escorted back to headquarters! OVER!" Wang Cuiping, the head of OCTB, spoke through the communicator.

"Commercial Crime Bureau report: 'Moneybag' Lau Cheung was arrested at his mistress's apartment! Over one million Hong Kong dollars in cash, a large number of luxury watches and jewelry, and key ledgers were found at the scene! OVER!" The report from the head of the Commercial Crime Bureau followed immediately.

"Major Crimes Team B reports: 'Mr. Congressman' Chen Nian has been apprehended and is en route to his arrest! The target is agitated and demands a lawyer be present! Over!"

Orion picked up the internal communicator: "All units are fine. All suspects are to be isolated and interrogated immediately upon arrival! Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB), focus on breaking through the financial transactions and command chain between Lo Fai and Jardine Matheson; Commercial Crime Bureau, thoroughly investigate Lau Cheong's corruption network, especially those involving within the police force; Serious Crimes Unit, ensure that the procedures for cold cases are flawless and that the chain of evidence is solid! I want to see the preliminary interrogation report within 24 hours!"

"Yes, Sir!" came the three replies from the communicator.

Orion put down the communicator and his gaze fell on the file folder on the corner of the table marked with the name "William".

"It's not time yet; the first breach hasn't been resolved," he thought to himself.

The interrogation room where Chen Nian was located, a secret location for handling cases.

Although the legislator was somewhat flustered by the sudden arrest, he had already regained his usual arrogance. Leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, he didn't even bother to lift his eyelids in the face of the detectives' aggressive questions.

“Congressman Chen, please explain this bank statement! What is the nature of this $500,000 transferred from Jardine Matheson's subsidiary to your offshore account?” Chen Nian slowly picked up his water glass, took a sip, and then spoke deliberately: “Business consulting fees. I am a senior legislator. Is it illegal for me to provide policy advice and rationalization suggestions to local businesses and charge reasonable fees? Which Hong Kong law prohibits legislators from legally generating income using their professional knowledge and experience? I need to see my lawyer. Until he arrives, I refuse to answer any questions that may be misinterpreted.”

The interrogation room where Liu Chang was located.

This police officer's "money bag" was much more cunning. Faced with the huge sums of cash and ledgers found, he first pretended to be stupid, then claimed that they were "deposited by friends" or "investment dividends," and even implied that some superiors were also "aware."

When the senior inspector from the Commercial Crime Bureau produced clear photos of his meeting with He Sheng and his uncles at a secluded teahouse, Liu Chang's fat face twitched, and he said with a fierce expression, "I want to file a complaint! I want to see my lawyer! I won't say anything more without a lawyer present!"

The interrogation room where Luo Hui was located:
Wang Cuiping, an officer from the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB), sat opposite Luo Hui. On the table lay a photocopy of the large check that had just been seized from the private room, along with preliminary statements from several of Luo Hui's "rebellious" henchmen. Luo Hui, his hands cuffed to the back of his chair, stared coldly at Wang Cuiping, his face expressionless.

"Luo Hui, caught red-handed! The checks were found right in front of you and the Jardine Matheson manager! Your subordinates have also testified that you were repeatedly instructed by Jardine Matheson to direct members of Shenghe Group to threaten, sabotage, and even injure competitors! The evidence is conclusive, what else do you have to say?"

Luo Hui's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile: "Inspector Wang, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. Checks? Who saw me take them out? Maybe someone else dropped them and I just happened to pick them up to check. As for my men..." He scoffed, "They've been arrested by you. To get a reduced sentence or save their lives, what wouldn't they say? Tortured confessions or coerced confessions? Do you think a judge would believe that kind of testimony in court? I want to see my lawyer, and I won't say a word until he arrives. You O-Division officers have to follow the rules when handling cases, don't you?"

Without getting any results from the interrogation, the group left the interrogation room and met with Orian. They agreed to change their interrogation strategy, realizing they had been too lenient. Letting them go with such solid evidence would be an insult to the police force.

An hour later, the group, having rested enough, re-entered the interrogation room.

The interrogation room where Luo Hui was located:
Wang Cuiping didn't ask any more questions about the checks or instructions. She simply slammed a thick folder onto the table in front of Luo Hui, the label of which clearly read "Witness A (Da Tou Qiang)'s Statement Transcript".

“Luo Hui, your trusted accountant, nicknamed ‘Abacus Boy,’ is actually named Li Guodong.” Wang Cuiping’s voice was as cold as a knife. “In order to get a reduced sentence, he spilled everything about the ‘dirty work’ you’ve directed Heshenghe to do for Yihe over the past ten years—the time, place, target, participants, amount, and even your exact words when you gave the orders…nothing was left out!”

She casually flipped to a page and read aloud: "'Last July, Mr. Hui told me personally at a teahouse in Kowloon Tong: 'That Mr. Zhang project manager at Jardine Matheson Land is being unreasonable. Send a few people to his construction site and set a small fire, but don't let it get too big, just to scare him and let him know that Hong Kong's land isn't something just anyone can touch.'... Tsk tsk, the time, place, people, and instructions are all crystal clear. Oh, and he also said that every time you collect money, you like to jot it down in one of those Swiss-made waterproof notebooks. That notebook is in the third compartment of your study's safe, isn't it? Should I send someone to get it now to check?'"

For the first time, a flicker of emotion appeared on Luo Hui's usually expressionless face!

"Abacus Boy" Li Guodong was one of his most trusted confidants, holding too many of his core secrets! If even he... The level of detail in this confession far exceeded his imagination, even containing some details that only he and "Abacus Boy" knew! This was definitely not something the police could fabricate out of thin air! A bone-chilling cold instantly shot up his spine to the top of his head.

“Impossible! Ah Dong…” Luo Hui retorted instinctively.

"Impossible?" Wang Cuiping sneered, then turned to another page. "What about this one?"

"At the end of the year before last, a shipment went missing from Jardine Matheson's warehouse. Master Hui instructed us to deliberately spread the word that it was Heshenghe that did it. Then he personally led a team to investigate and found clues pointing to their rival, the Sihai Gang, thereby instigating a fight between the two sides. In the end, Jardine Matheson mediated and conveniently swallowed up the Sihai Gang's territory at a low price. Luo Hui, you've really been a 'competent' 'advisor'! Guess what the judge and jury will think when they hear about these things?"

Every single thing Wang Cuiping recited was a meticulously planned and flawlessly executed masterpiece by Luo Hui!
The betrayal of "Abacus Boy" means that the core of his entire criminal network has been completely exposed!
That detailed and outrageously detailed confession, along with his survival-based "caution" and "prudence," appeared so pale and laughable in the face of irrefutable evidence and the betrayal of his core confidants.

Luo Hui's face turned deathly pale instantly, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Liu Chang's interrogation room:
The inspectors of the Commercial Crime Bureau have changed their approach.

He stopped dwelling on the cash and ledgers, and instead took out a stack of photos, spreading them out one by one in front of Liu Chang.

The subject of the photo is not Liu Chang, but his mistress—a young woman in her early twenties. The background includes yachts at sea, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and snow-capped mountains in Tokyo. She smiles brightly in the photo and is dressed in designer brands.

"Inspector Liu, your confidante certainly has a colorful life," the inspector said with a hint of amusement. "We've investigated, and she has no assets and no formal job. So the question is, where did she get the money for all that world travel and luxury spending? Did it fall from the sky?"

How should I know!

"Don't you know?" The inspector scoffed, then produced another bank statement, which clearly showed multiple transfers from several of Liu Chang's secret accounts to an offshore account. The account holder of that offshore account was none other than the mistress's mother!

"Liu Sir, your friend's mother is quite the money-maker! An ordinary worker suddenly owns several tenement buildings and has become a landlady, with millions of Hong Kong dollars in assets in her bank account? With the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) about to be established, do you think she'll be particularly interested? Especially when the source of this wealth closely matches the unusual cash flow of you, the police force's 'money bag'?"

The inspector's voice suddenly turned stern: "Liu Chang! You know very well what the establishment of the ICAC means! Right now, it's just our Commercial Crime Investigation Department investigating your corruption! If the ICAC gets involved, they won't just be looking at money! All those special procurements you handled over the years, those cases involving Shenghe that you suppressed, and the channels through which you bribed your superiors... Do you think the ICAC will let these go? Do you want to wait until the ICAC is established and be used as the first scapegoat, or do you want to cooperate with us now and strive for a less ugly outcome? At least, we're only investigating money! When the ICAC comes, they'll be investigating your entire life!"

The three words "ICAC" exploded in Liu Chang's ears like a thunderclap!

He knew all too well the power of this soon-to-be-established independent anti-corruption agency!
The police force was already on edge! What he had done over the years couldn't withstand the ICAC's thorough investigation!
Commercial crime investigations into corruption might be able to be glossed over with "industry unspoken rules," but the ICAC's target is these parasites!
The inspector's words struck at his deepest fears—he would not only be disgraced, but could also become the first sacrifice for the new agency!

Liu Chang's obese body began to tremble uncontrollably, and the arrogance on his face was long gone.

Chen Nian's Interrogation Room:
The senior inspector in charge of the major crimes unit did not get bogged down in legal jargon with Chen Nian.

He simply pushed a document in front of Chen Nian with a blank expression.

That wasn't an arrest warrant, nor a list of evidence, but a meticulously prepared draft press release with a shocking headline: "Legislative Council Member Chen Nian Involved in Triad and Corruption Case; Police Possess Ironclad Evidence! Suspected Underground Spokesperson for Jardine Matheson Group!"

The press release was extremely detailed, not only listing key evidence of Chen Nian's acceptance of bribes from Jardine Matheson (bank statements, audio recordings), but also vividly describing several typical cases of him using his position as a member of parliament to provide protection for groups such as Wo Shing Wo and suppress competitors, and even pointing out his secret connections with Lo Fai and Lau Cheong.

The press release also included a note: "This newspaper has obtained exclusive authorization from the police to publish this major investigative report on the front page tomorrow morning, and will simultaneously release copies of key evidence."

"Mr. Chan, your lawyer has arrived. You can demand our release. Procedurally, we may have to compromise temporarily. However, this press release, along with copies of all the evidence we possess, will be delivered to the desks of the editors-in-chief of all major media outlets, including Sing Tao Daily, Ming Pao, and the South China Morning Post, the moment you step out of the police station. Simultaneously, we will submit the complete chain of evidence to the Department of Justice and the Legislative Council's Disciplinary Committee. Do you think your parliamentary immunity can protect you for long in the face of overwhelming public condemnation and irrefutable evidence? Will your backers choose to make a drastic sacrifice to preserve Jardine Matheson's reputation, or continue to protect you, their already infamous 'spokesperson'?"

As Chen Nian looked at the press release, his face turned from red to white, and then from white to green!
He understands the power of public opinion better than anyone! Once these scandals are made public, his political life will end instantly, and he may even face a social death worse than imprisonment!

A lawyer can help him get out of the police station, but he can't silence the public opinion, let alone stop the overwhelming public sentiment and his colleagues from kicking him when he's down!
Jardine Matheson? When they're in dire straits themselves, the first target they'll cut ties with is someone like him, a "front man"! The inspector's words shattered his last shred of hope and reliance. He seemed to see himself utterly disgraced, imprisoned, and destined for a miserable end.

He slumped into the chair, his eyes unfocused, his lips trembling, unable to utter the words of requesting to see a lawyer.

Temporary Command Center:

The communicator no longer carried a stalemate in its reports, but rather an exciting breakthrough!
"OCTB report! Luo Hui's psychological defenses have collapsed, and he's starting to confess! He's demanding to sign a plea agreement and identify senior executives at Jardine Land!"

"Commercial Crime Report! Liu Chang has suffered a mental breakdown, weeping uncontrollably, and is demanding to become a witness for the prosecution! He is willing to disclose all the corruption networks and channels through which benefits were transferred upwards!"

"Major Crimes Unit report! Chen Nian has given up resistance and requested to see the prosecutor! He is willing to cooperate with the investigation in exchange for not disclosing certain details of the case!"

Orion's tense nerves finally relaxed, and a smile appeared on his lips.

Psychological warfare is all about winning hearts and minds! They gambled correctly! These three seemingly impregnable fortresses crumbled instantly after their most vulnerable core fears (betrayal by trusted confidants/ICAC trial/social death from public opinion) were precisely targeted!
If they don't get results today, things will be very difficult for them later. The higher-ups won't let these radical elements in the police force off easily, especially at this critical juncture.

He picked up the file folder marked "William" and gently stroked the seal.

The first wave of the storm has arrived, and the news of the arrest and confession of Chen Nian, Liu Chang, and Luo Hui is about to ignite the entire city of Hong Kong.

Then all that's left is to wait for it to ferment and see who else will jump out. Stanley is just short of people who can operate sewing machines.

　Thank you to the reader "Subject-Verb-Object-Attributive-Adverbial-Complement" for the generous donation! Thank you for your support!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)