Courtyard House: Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) Traded for an Aircraft Carrier, the Whole Count

The atmosphere in the interrogation room instantly reversed.

Just moments ago, the scene was one of overwhelming, chilling indignation, but now it has become ridiculous and laughable.

The dark, unremarkable lump of coal lay quietly on the table, as if silently mocking Deputy Director Li and Yi Zhonghai.

"What...what on earth is going on?!" Deputy Factory Director Li, enraged and embarrassed, slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups jump. "Xu Damao! Didn't you swear you saw it with your own eyes? Is this copper? Huh? Is this copper?!"

Xu Damao was sweating profusely, his face pale. "Factory manager, I'm innocent! I really didn't lie! This kid must have used some kind of trick! This...this coal is strange!"

"Enough!" Yi Zhonghai, being an old fox, immediately changed his expression upon sensing the situation was turning sour. He frowned and looked at the search officer, "Xiao Zhang, have you searched thoroughly? Is this all you found?"

Xiao Zhang looked aggrieved: "Uncle, factory manager, you really searched thoroughly. Jiang Chen's house is practically bare; they even dug out a mouse hole. This cloth bundle was hidden in the ash hopper at the very bottom of the coal stove. We thought it was something dirty, but who knew it was a piece of coal!"

Jiang Chen coldly interjected, "Sir, I don't like hearing that. What do you mean by 'only this'? So in your mind, I, Jiang Chen, have to be a thief? You're actually quite disappointed that no stolen goods were found?"

Yi Zhonghai's face stiffened, and he coughed awkwardly, "Xiao Jiang, what are you saying? I'm just doing this for your own good, aren't I? Since it's a misunderstanding, that's for the best."

"A misunderstanding?" Jiang Chen raised his voice. "You dragged me out of bed, locked me in solitary confinement, ransacked my home, ruined my reputation, and all that's over with a 'misunderstanding'?"

He turned to Deputy Factory Director Li, his gaze intense: "Deputy Factory Director Li, the security department requires evidence when arresting people. Now the evidence has become a lump of coal. I want to ask, what is the punishment for falsely accusing a coworker, disrupting production, and trespassing?"

Deputy Factory Director Li was rendered speechless, his face turning pale and then red. He had originally accepted a bribe from Xu Damao and wanted to take the opportunity to teach Xu a lesson and establish his authority, but he had unexpectedly met his match.

"Ahem, since nothing was found, it's probably a misunderstanding." Deputy Factory Director Li wanted to smooth things over. "Well, Comrade Xu Damao might have misread it. Alright, Jiang Chen, since everything's fine, you can go back now."

"Go back?" Jiang Chen remained unmoved. "Factory Manager, the loss of refined copper is a serious matter. If I don't have it here, it means the real thief is still at large. Moreover, someone went to great lengths to hide this piece of coal in my furnace like a treasure; this is clearly a failed attempt to frame someone!"

Jiang Chen had no intention of letting the matter rest.

He knew perfectly well that the piece of refined copper was currently in his system space. And the real culprit—Bang Geng—as well as the Jia family and Yi Zhonghai, who had fueled this whole affair, would not escape punishment.

More importantly, he wanted to use this opportunity to completely establish his authority.

"System, query the material and origin of this 'special refined copper'," Jiang Chen ordered in his mind.

"Item: Type 62 high-purity industrial copper. Source: Red Star Steel Mill in the current dimension. Value: Class I controlled material in this dimension. In the 'Cyberpunk Low-End Dimension,' it is basic conductive waste with extremely low value. Suggested transaction: Sell it to the 'Ancient Dimension' as divine material, or sell it to the 'Apocalyptic Dimension' as bullet reloading material."

Jiang Chen had made up his mind.

"Factory manager, I have a lead," Jiang Chen suddenly said.

Deputy Factory Director Li was taken aback: "What leads do you have?"

"Since Xu Damao is so certain, it can't be baseless. Either he stole it and is crying 'stop thief'; or he saw the real thief but deliberately tried to implicate me." Jiang Chen stared intently at Xu Damao. "Brother Damao, you almost let it slip just now, 'It was clearly Qin...' what? Qin Huairu?"

Xu Damao shuddered: "You're talking nonsense! I didn't say that!"

"It's fine if you don't admit it," Jiang Chen sneered. "Since the security department is here, why don't we go back to the compound now and hold a compound-wide meeting! In front of everyone in the compound, let's sort this out! I also want to see who really wants to kill me!"

Deputy Factory Director Li is now in a dilemma; he hasn't found the refined copper, and he can't explain himself. If Jiang Chen can provide clues, that would be ideal.

"Alright! Let's go to the courtyard house then!" Deputy Factory Director Li waved his hand.

……

No. 95, Nanluoguxiang, is a courtyard house.

It was dinnertime, the sky was getting dark, and a cold wind was blowing.

The open space in the courtyard was brightly lit, with electric light bulbs turned on. Three elderly men—Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Bugui—sat around an octagonal table, each with a different expression.

The residents of the courtyard gathered in a circle, pointing and whispering.

"Have you heard? Jiang Chen stole the factory's special copper!"

"I knew that kid was up to no good; he's usually so quiet."

"Oh dear, is that Jia Zhangshi? Why does she look so pale?"

In the crowd, Qin Huairu was pale, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly. Jia Zhangshi looked guilty, her eyes darting around. Bang Geng hid behind Qin Huairu, his eyes filled with ruthlessness and fear.

When Jiang Chen strode into the courtyard with the security personnel, the entire area fell silent instantly.

He wasn't handcuffed, and stood tall and proud. Xu Damao, on the other hand, looked dejected, like a defeated, sickly chicken.

"Everyone's here." Deputy Factory Director Li, trying to regain face, stood in the middle with his hands behind his back. "Regarding the theft of refined copper from the workshop, after a search, no stolen goods were found in Comrade Jiang Chen's home!"

Wow!

The crowd erupted in uproar.

Qin Huairu looked up abruptly, disbelief flashing in her eyes. Jia Zhangshi exclaimed in disbelief, "Impossible! It was clearly stuffed..."

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly covered her mouth.

But Jiang Chen heard it.

He walked to the center of the crowd, his gaze sharp as lightning, piercing straight at Jia Zhangshi: "Aunt Jia, what did you just say? What were you stuffing in there?"

"I...I didn't say anything! I meant...we searched for so long, how could it not be there!" Jia Zhangshi shouted, throwing a tantrum. "You must have hidden it somewhere else!"

"Hide?" Jiang Chen laughed, a laugh that sent chills down one's spine.

With a slight thought, the "special refined copper" on the system interface floated quietly.

He doesn't intend to take out the copper now; that would be a bad idea.

What he needs to do is take advantage of the features of the "materials trading system".

"System, I want to post a trade task." Jiang Chen silently recited in his mind, "Required materials: 'Truth Spray' or similar items. Payment price: that piece of special refined copper (calculated at scrap value)."

"Ding! Matched with an apprentice from the 'Harry Potter Magical Dimension'. The apprentice urgently needs high-purity copper to make the bottom of an alchemical pot. The apprentice provides: 'Veritaserum Diluted Solution (Disposable Volatile Gas Version)'. Trade?"

"trade!"

Jiang Chen put his hand into his pocket, pretending to take something out, but in reality, he had a glass bottle the size of a fingernail in his hand.

He walked up to Jia Zhangshi and Banggeng, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"Aunt Jia, Bang Geng, we're all neighbors. I, Jiang Chen, have never offended you, have I? But if you don't want people to know about this, then don't do it in the first place."

As he spoke, he quietly crushed the glass bottle in his hand.

A colorless and odorless gas instantly spread around the Jia family members.