I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

Chapter 329 Difficult Interrogation

The lights in the Sanya police station's interrogation room were dim and glaring. Old Wu, handcuffed to a chair, lowered his head, silent. His face was no longer the contempt and confidence it once had, replaced by a complex expression—perhaps regret, perhaps resignation. Across the interrogation table, officers Wang Gang and Zhang Beichen sat upright, their gazes fixed on Old Wu.

"Wu Ming, do you know why you were arrested?" Wang Gang's voice was low and powerful, breaking the silence in the interrogation room.

Old Wu raised his head, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes: "You arrested me just because I was blocking your way."

"You're standing in the way of justice," Zhang Beichen continued, his tone stern. "Do you know how many people you and Li Hua's fraud gang have harmed?"

Old Wu sneered but did not answer.

"We've got evidence of your crimes," Wang Gang said, pushing a stack of documents in front of Old Wu. "The flow of funds, the victims' testimonies, your record of collusion... all of this is enough to keep you in prison for life."

Old Wu's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He lowered his head, seemingly thinking about something.

The interrogation dragged on for hours, and Old Wu remained silent. He seemed determined to persevere to the bitter end. Wang Gang and Zhang Beichen exchanged glances, knowing this silence wouldn't last.

"Wu Ming, do you really think you can handle this?" Wang Gang stood up and walked over to Old Wu. "You're not the first person to face the law, and you won't be the last. Leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist. This is the path you chose."

Old Wu raised his head, a trace of struggle in his eyes: "What do you want to know?"

"Your organizational structure," Zhang Beichen asked. "Who's behind you?"

Old Wu was silent for a moment, then finally spoke: "You already know enough. Li Hua has been arrested, and my funds have been frozen. What else do you want?"

"We want to know how large your organization is," Wang Gang said. "The criminal activities you're involved in aren't just tourism fraud; they also involve smuggling and money laundering... all of which require a massive network to operate. You can't do this all by yourself."

Old Wu's expression changed slightly, as if he realized that the police had obtained more information that he was unwilling to face.

"Okay, I'll tell you." Old Wu finally gave in. He lowered his head and began to speak slowly, "Our organization is indeed more complicated than you think. Li Hua is just a small leader. The real core figure is..."

"Who is it?" Wang Gang asked.

"A man named 'Zhou Qiang'." Old Wu looked up, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. "He's our boss behind the scenes, controlling the funding and operations of the entire organization."

"Zhou Qiang?" Wang Gang frowned. "We've never heard of this name."

"He was very careful and never showed up," Old Wu said. "He contacted us online, giving us instructions and arranging tasks. We only knew his voice, but never saw his face."

"So where does your money go?" Zhang Beichen continued to ask, "How do you launder your money?"

"We transferred funds through a number of shell companies," Old Wu said. "These companies were located both domestically and internationally. After multiple transfers, the funds ultimately flowed into Zhou Qiang's account. He then laundered the money through some legitimate businesses."

"What about the smuggling activities you're involved in?" Wang Gang asked. "How do you operate?"

"We colluded with some port officials," Lao Wu said. "They were responsible for releasing the goods, and we arranged their transportation. Most of the goods were smuggled electronics and luxury goods, and the profits were very high."

"How big is your criminal network?" Zhang Beichen asked. "How many people are involved?"

"There are more than a dozen teams across the country," Old Wu said. "Each team is responsible for a region, and there are several leaders like Li Hua. They each manage their own team and are responsible for specific fraud and smuggling activities."

"So what's your goal?" Wang Gang asked. "Why are you doing this?"

"Money." Old Wu sneered. "In this world, money is the only thing that matters. We've acquired a huge fortune through these means. Zhou Qiang's ambitions are even greater. He wants to control even more resources through these criminal activities."

Old Wu's confession shocked Wang Gang and Zhang Beichen. They had never imagined that this criminal organization was so large and involved in so many areas. The name Zhou Qiang made them feel unfamiliar and uneasy.

"Do you have any specific information about him?" Zhang Beichen asked, "such as his contact information or hiding place?"

"No." Old Wu shook his head. "He never shows up. We only know his voice. Every time we contact him, it's through an encrypted online platform. We don't even know what he looks like."

"Then how do you contact him?" Wang Gang asked.

"We communicate through a dedicated app," Lao Wu said. "This app is encrypted and can only be used by people within the organization. He issues instructions through this app for every mission."

"What is the name of this APP?" Zhang Beichen asked.

"'Road Friend,'" Old Wu said. "That's what we call him internally."

"Luyou?" Wang Gang frowned. "That name sounds strange."

"The name has to be a little strange. He just wants us to never find him." Old Wu sneered, "He's very careful and never leaves any traces."

Old Wu's confession gave the police a new direction. They realized that Zhou Qiang was the core figure of this criminal organization and the real mastermind behind it. However, Zhou Qiang's identity was like a fog, elusive.

"We must find this 'Luyou' app," Wang Gang said. "It's the only clue that can lead us to Zhou Qiang."

"I'll arrange for technical personnel to investigate," Zhang Beichen said. "Perhaps we can use this app to find his hiding place."

"We can't let him get away with it," Wang Gang said. "This criminal organization is involved in too many cases. We must bring him to justice as soon as possible."

A few days later, police technicians, using clues provided by Lao Wu, successfully cracked the encryption system of the "Luyou" app. They discovered that behind this app was a massive criminal network involving multiple cities across the country.

"We've found Zhou Qiang's hiding place," the technician said excitedly. "He's in an upscale residential complex in Shenzhen."

"Shenzhen?" Wang Gang frowned. "We have to act quickly."