Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 357 Another Scammer
"Our Master Sima is a lifetime member of the National Health and Wellness Association! Do you know what a lifetime member is? It's like the Hollywood Lifetime Achievement Award; only the most outstanding and remarkable people can receive it."

Zhang Yanxia spoke fluently and eloquently, completely unlike the shrewish woman downstairs just moments before.

Seeing the dozens of elderly people who had been lured there by promises of eggs and substandard rice staring intently at the large screen, she continued into the microphone: "Master Sima is exactly 120 years old this year, a truly venerable age! He was born in the Qing Dynasty, lived through the Republic of China, the Anti-Japanese War, and now our nation, making him a veteran of four dynasties. It's only because society is good now, and the country is prosperous and full of hope, that Master Sima, grateful for the hard work and contributions of the people to the country, and after I knelt down and persuaded him, agreed to share his unique health preservation techniques..."

Outside the window, Lin Ge listened, utterly bewildered. He had no idea what the Republic of China was, nor what the Anti-Japanese War era was, nor that the new China could be called a dynasty, or that being old enough to be called an elder statesman.
He's now certain that this woman is illiterate!
But strangely enough, she used the slogan that everyone present was a national hero and that ordinary people should also enjoy a long and healthy life, which somehow managed to keep the dozens of elderly people sitting below from questioning her.

Of course, Zhang Yanxia was only fooling these uneducated elderly people. Anyone who had even a little education or occasionally read a newspaper or watched the news wouldn't fall for her utterly unsophisticated tricks.

“There’s an old saying in our country: ‘The law should not be lightly transmitted, and the doctrine should not be sold cheaply!’ Why? Because if it’s sold cheaply, people won’t cherish it! If it’s transmitted in a chaotic way, people will want to change it! This is an insult to Master Sima, and it’s also harming people!”

Zhang Yanxia was still talking animatedly, while Xu Yinghui next to her was using his phone to control the screen projection.

Lin Ge peered carefully through the gap in the curtains and saw that the person on the screen truly possessed an air of otherworldly refinement. He had a head of glossy white hair, long white eyebrows, and a long beard. He wore a Taoist robe and stood atop a mountain of unknown origin, his beard and clothes fluttering in the wind. The old man had a ruddy complexion, and his hands, stroking his beard, were completely smooth. His bright eyes seemed to pierce through the screen and into the room.

This man was so meticulous and composed, he seemed even more like an immortal than those portrayed in TV dramas. But for some reason, despite the strong winds at the mountain peak, the low table in front of him and the paper and ink on it remained completely still.

Lin Ge even noticed spatial fluctuations on both sides of the screen upon closer inspection. In other words, this old man not only added a background and beauty filter, but also slimmed down his face and body.

But these things, for these completely ignorant old people, didn't need to be doubted as genuine. Just like the saying goes, no video can be faked, everyone was devout and worshipful in the face of a long-lived deity they could communicate with.

But for some inexplicable reason, Lin Ge had a feeling that the old man on the screen looked familiar.

"Ahem! Where were we? The law should not be easily passed on! Oh, right, that's it!"

Zhang Yanxia rambled on for a while, finally managing to steer the conversation back on track. Seeing that the crowd no longer had any doubts, she passionately declared, "To obtain the Dharma, one needs a title! But who is Master Sima? We common folk aren't qualified to become his disciples, right? This… this difference in status is too great, it'd be a disaster! But it's alright! I've found Master Sima's inner disciple for everyone! Don't underestimate him, he's over ninety years old!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yinghui quickly used his phone to bring up another video. An elderly man, whose hair, eyebrows, and beard were black and white, and who looked quite young, appeared before everyone.

"Holy crap!"

Lin Ge exhaled a breath of cold air outside the window.

He finally recognized who those two people were! Their names...what were they again? Some kind of 'knock-slippery'? Ye or Yan? Oh right! Yan Kan, Yan Ke! It was those two brothers!
Although the two had heavily filtered their beauty, Lin Ge still managed to recognize them. He might mistake one person for another, but when these two were in the same frame of sight, Lin Ge had absolutely no way of mistaking them for anyone else.

Quickly pointing the camera on the collar at the screen, Lin Ge held his breath and secretly recorded.

"No gift!"

"Greetings, Master!"

Zhang Yanxia and the fake old man in the video spoke at the same time, but there seemed to be a slight mismatch in their coordination; Zhang Yanxia spoke slower.

Her expression froze, and she quickly bowed. Then she heard the fake old man in the video slowly say, "Any skill can nourish the body or harm people. Therefore, my master's skills cannot be passed on to untrustworthy outsiders. Only true members of our Health Preservation Association are qualified to receive my teachings on behalf of my teacher! And becoming a member is actually very simple! We only need like-minded people and outstanding talents with merits."

At this point, the fake old man paused, seemingly waiting for someone to add something. Unfortunately, Zhang Yanxia didn't quite understand and stared blankly at the silence on the screen.

After about three or four minutes, the fake old man finally said, “Do you understand now? The association doesn’t intend to make money off its members; it only wants like-minded friends. We’re all elderly, so let’s help and care for each other. You help me, I help him, we’re family—that’s the way to cultivate your mind and body. Life is only a few decades long; leaving money for your coffin is meaningless. If it can help more family members, then that’s your merit! The merit is immeasurable, may the Three Pure Ones be above! Living a few more decades with merit is more important than anything else. And on the other hand, let me reiterate: the association only helps you earn merit, not your money; it’s still yours. The association makes money grow through investment, turning it into merit to help others. Any extra income beyond what you earn will be returned in full by the association! I’ve calculated it for you: an investment of 100,000 in merit will yield one unit of merit and 150,000 in cash after one year…”

Some of the elderly looked at each other, some eager to try, others anxious. Still others whispered to their neighbors, wondering if they should donate more merit to gain more benefit and live a few decades longer…

Some people who didn't really believe in the so-called "power of merit" were also swayed by the promise of a return of 150,000 yuan for an investment of 100,000 yuan a year.

Why not give it a try?
It's only 100,000 yuan anyway. What if it really leads to longevity and good health? Even if it doesn't, earning an extra 50,000 yuan a year for retirement is not bad.

Soon, under the sweet talk of the scammers, the vast majority of elderly people were swayed.

Those with money were eager to join the association, while those without were persuaded by Zhang Yanxia to borrow money or ask their children for funds. The atmosphere grew increasingly heated as they discussed it, creating a sense of unity and shared purpose in achieving new heights.

"Didn't they even consider the possibility that this whole thing might have been a hoax from the very beginning?"

Lin Ge stared in disbelief at the scene inside the room.

The elderly people's excited appearance alarmed him; they had lost their minds under the double temptation of longevity and making money. Even those elderly people who didn't seem to be well-off were now eagerly asking Zhang Yanxia for money.

Zhang Yanxia readily agreed: "I can lend you the money, but give me your ID card and your children's ID cards so I can register it. Don't worry, it's just a registration, I won't ask you to pay me back! I'll just take 100,000 yuan of the profits after one year."

"Then why do you need my daughter's ID card?"

"Isn't it because I'm afraid you'll back out halfway through? If you withdraw from the association halfway, I'll ask your daughter for the money! That's perfectly reasonable, right, old man? Don't worry! The initiative is entirely in your hands! If you don't withdraw from the association, you won't have to pay back the money!"

"Then I definitely won't back out!"

The old man made a firm promise, then decided to find an excuse to trick his daughter into giving him her ID card that night. Actually, he had wanted his daughter to join the association, but unfortunately, it only accepted auspicious elderly people over sixty, so his daughter would have to spend a few more years honing her skills in the mortal world…

The room became increasingly lively. Whether they were shills or genuinely interested elderly people, they actually approached Zhang Yanxia or Xu Yinghui, offering to pay money on the spot in exchange for merit and a health-preserving secret method.

Seeing the elderly people handing money to the swindlers like madmen, Lin Ge didn't rush in to stop them. Instead, he quietly returned the way he came and soon found Jiang Zhong and Zhu Xiubo waiting anxiously at the street corner.

This matter was no longer something that two junior police officers could handle. Lin Ge refused Jiang Zhong's request for the video and lowered his head to think about who should help him with this.

He knew many people in the municipal bureau, but he was completely clueless about economic crime investigation.

The main reason is that economic crime investigations rarely involve crime scenes, and they don't need a police cat like him to help. Therefore, even though Lin Ge considers himself well-known in the Zhangzhou police force, he has never had any contact with the economic crime investigation department.

This is really worrying. Should we really hand the video over to the Longquan Police Station, or contact Nie Guoqiang?

"Mimi, is the case more complicated than I thought?"

Surprisingly, Jiang Zhong guessed Lin Ge's concerns. Zhu Xiubo paused for a moment, then looked at Jiang Zhong as he squatted down and stared directly at Lin Ge, saying, "Economic crimes are indeed beyond the capabilities of a small police station like ours. Unlike Zhanghe Police Station, Longquan Police Station doesn't have a powerful deputy director with both ability and connections. We place more emphasis on following the rules here, so how about I take you directly to the Municipal Bureau to find the relevant people? Of course, if you want to leave the case to Zhanghe Police Station, that's fine too, but that would lead to a lot of wrangling."

Lin Ge stared blankly at Jiang Zhong, not expecting that the guy's first reaction would be to hand over the case. This case might be bigger than Jiang Zhong imagined, and could potentially yield one or two medals. Was he really willing to give it up?
"I only eat what I'm good at. I'm just a lowly police officer, and I'm quite aware of my limitations when it comes to solving cases."

Jiang Zhong chuckled.

Lin Ge didn't know how to evaluate this guy, but he had to admit that he was indeed a qualified local police officer. Doing what he was supposed to do, not being overly ambitious or acting recklessly—these two qualities were enough to maintain order in the area.

Amid Zhu Xiubo's displeased complaints, he drove Lin Ge and Jiang Zhong to the entrance of the Municipal Bureau.

It must be said that Longquan Police Station is indeed closer to the Municipal Public Security Bureau than Zhanghe Police Station. Jiang Zhong also seems to know quite a few people here, as people greeted him along the way, suggesting he has a wide circle of friends.

The Economic Crime Investigation Division's office is located in the annex of the Municipal Public Security Bureau building, occupying two separate floors, and its status is no less than that of the Criminal Investigation Division.

It's said that the filling of a steamed bun isn't in the pleats; the annex looks quite old, but its interior decoration is in no way inferior to the main building. Furthermore, some say that the Economic Crime Investigation Division is incredibly wealthy compared to other divisions, and Lin Ge has now witnessed this firsthand.

"Oh, what a rare guest!"

The middle-aged man in the police uniform had his hair slicked back and polished. Unlike the perpetually wrinkled clothes of the criminal investigation officers, his uniform was clean, crisp, and well-fitting, giving him a very stylish air. When Jiang Zhong knocked and entered, he was leisurely enjoying a cup of Kung Fu tea alone.

On the desk were four or five teacups the size of Lin Ge's fist, not even enough to rinse his mouth, but the middle-aged policeman patiently sipped them.

"Team Xu!"

Jiang Zhong seemed to know him well. He greeted him and walked in, saying, "Looks like you're doing well, even drinking tea. Tsk tsk... Don't people in the Economic Investigation Detachment work overtime? I see that the offices next door are all empty."

"What nonsense are you talking about! They're all away on business trips, traveling all over the country! You know the cases we handle are different. These days, telecom fraud is rampant, and whether it's gathering evidence or making arrests, it's a matter of traveling all over the country."

Xu Xiangjie, a middle-aged policeman, shook his head, not wanting to talk about his colleagues who couldn't go home for the Spring Festival.

He looked at Jiang Zhong, then at the cat behind him, and said, "What's going on with this group of you? If I'm not mistaken, this cat should be the one from Zhanghe Police Station, right? Tsk tsk... You've really gotten good at solving cases, conquering Zhanghe Police Station and now you're trying to take over Longquan? But... what are you doing here? Don't tell me you need my help. I've been out of Longquan Police Station for five years now, and I'm too lazy to deal with Cheng Rui's mess anymore."

"Hehe... Director Cheng is a good person. After all these years, there's no need for you to keep talking about him."

Jiang Zhong gave an awkward smile, unable to explain the conflict between Xu Xiangjie and Cheng Rui. These two were incompatible, constantly clashing since they first started working together. Ultimately, Cheng Rui secured the top position and became the head of the police station, while Xu Xiangjie joined the city bureau as an economic crime investigator.

If Cheng Rui finds out that I came to see Xu Xiangjie today, I'm sure he'll make things difficult for me for a couple of days.

Xu Xiangjie narrowed his eyes, put down his teacup, and said, "Speak, what exactly happened? I know Cheng Rui's character very well; he would never let you come to me. So... has it been some kind of trouble with the Economic Investigation Department?"

“It’s quite troublesome.”

Jiang Zhong stepped aside, bringing Lin Ge into Xu Xiangjie's view.

Lin Ge didn't waste any time and went straight to the computer on Xu Xiangjie's desk. He squatted down and rubbed his butt against the keyboard, then used his paws to unlock the collar and pulled out the memory card.

"Ok?"

Xu Xiangjie tucked his legs back in; the cat's expressionless face gave him a bad feeling.

then……

After patiently watching the video clips secretly taken by Lin Ge, Xu Xiangjie's brows furrowed deeply. As a professional economic crime investigator, he immediately understood the core of the whole matter and the methods behind it.

In Xu Xiangjie's view, the focus of this case was no longer on the elderly people being scammed! It was on how the woman named Zhang Yanxia, ​​mentioned by Jiang Zhong, obtained such a video! To put it even more dramatically, the two scammers in the video had independently completed 90% of the complete scam. Anyone who got their hands on this video, with even a little bit of eloquence and a few days of training, could go out and scam people.

This is terrifying! Nobody knows how many copies of these videos have been circulated, nobody knows how many places across the country are implementing the same scam, and nobody knows if it's organized.

This thing, like a virus, can spread rapidly in multiples. If not stopped in time, it could even appear simultaneously in any densely populated area across major cities, towns, and rural areas nationwide.

The thought that the slogan "Power of Merit" might appear in every part of the country sent chills down Xu Xiangjie's spine.

"What are they trying to achieve by doing this?"

Xu Xiangjie was also puzzled, wondering what benefit the two people in the video could possibly gain. Did the person who obtained the video have to continuously pay tribute to the two swindlers in the video in order to obtain daily access?
It shouldn’t be!

It's just a few videos; cracking or imitating them wouldn't be difficult. So what exactly is the purpose of the two people who went to such lengths to create these videos?
Xu Xiangjie felt there was definitely something wrong here.

"Jiang Zhong, you've gotten me into a huge mess! This isn't something I can handle alone; it could easily become a nationwide case. Ugh! My life is so tough; I just got back from Hunan Province yesterday!"

Xu Xiangjie cursed twice, then looked at Jiang Zhong, who was also embarrassed after realizing the nature of the case.

The two of them then looked at the cat on the table that was unconsciously wagging its tail. Could this cat be a jinx? How did it end up with such a terrible case?

"You two are the real jinxes!"

Lin Ge glared fiercely at the two lazybones.

No wonder they're both from the Longquan Police Station; they're masters at shifting blame and shirking responsibility. Even if this case is indeed beyond their ability to solve, isn't it a bit unethical to immediately blame it on a cat?
"Hey……"

Zhu Xiubo, the only one among the three who still had ambition, sighed, feeling completely out of place with the two middle-aged men.

"Hey! Boss, we've got a big job!"

Xu Xiangjie crossed his legs again and lazily made a phone call: "No, no, no! It's not embezzlement, it's not extortion, it's not selling unfinished buildings, and it's not the company boss running away! Phew... Boss, stop saying things that challenge my heart! But... this is no small matter! You could call it illegal fundraising, or you could call it gang fraud! But there's one thing, if it's not handled properly or in time... this case will probably be on CCTV's evening news."

(End of this chapter)