I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

As her interviews progressed, Zhang Wanqing gradually uncovered the other individuals involved in the illegal antiques trading network. She discovered that the network involved not only obscure individuals but also prominent figures in society. These individuals publicly portrayed themselves as philanthropists and entrepreneurs, but behind the scenes, they were involved in the illegal antiques trade, using any means necessary for profit.

Zhang Wanqing's reporting gradually led to a mysterious organization called the Blackstone Group. Ostensibly an investment company, it actually controlled multiple channels for the illegal antique trade. Through a series of investigations and interviews, Zhang Wanqing discovered that Blackstone's senior management was linked to numerous thefts. They exploited their influence and resources to manipulate the antique trade, even resorting to theft and fraud.

They sold the stolen antiques overseas and laundered the proceeds by investing in film production. Seeing the motherland's cultural relics lost overseas, Zhang Wanqing was filled with shock and anger, and she decided to make the truth public.

When she was about to start writing the report, Fu Siyuan stopped her: "Wanqing, have you forgotten again? Before we have investigated all the people and things that may be involved, we cannot act rashly or alert the enemy. Because everyone could be a suspect, and everyone is subject to our suspicion."

"Well, I was careless. Every time I see these things, I forget what I should do. I often let my emotions lead me to act impulsively. When I act impulsively, bad things happen. Sigh... I still haven't changed this bad habit of mine."

"It's okay, Wanqing, you are still young and it doesn't matter if you have no experience. Besides, people are emotional animals, you just need to separate your work and life. You can release your emotions as much as you want in life, but not at work. As a journalist, you must remain objective and neutral, and you cannot be swayed by the emotions of the parties involved, and you cannot be led by the nose by others." Fu Siyuan said.

Zhang Wanqing stared at Fu Siyuan intently, her eyes filled with admiration. Fu Siyuan wasn't much older than her, but he was so mature and steady in his work, like a mentor to her. As for her personal life, even after knowing each other for so long, she still hadn't had the chance to go out on a date alone with Fu Siyuan. Previously, she had been busy searching for a way to travel through time.

Zhang Wanqing responded, "What kind of person is he in real life? Mature, an uncle type, a sweet guy, or a cute little guy? Hiss... Zhang Wanqing, you're imagining things again!"

Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan decided to investigate the Blackstone Group. They began by collecting publicly available information about the group, including its financial statements, business transactions, and legal records. They searched through this tedious data for clues, hoping to uncover evidence of money laundering and the resale of cultural relics.

Using his experience and knowledge of antique shops, Fu Siyuan began to track the whereabouts of the stolen antiques. He discovered that these antiques were being auctioned off on the black market for high prices, often to anonymous wealthy individuals. He began to investigate the identities of these wealthy individuals, hoping to find their connection to the Blackstone Group.

Zhang Wanqing, using her journalistic credentials, began contacting individuals who had done business with Blackstone. Under the guise of interviews, she attempted to extract information from them. She discovered that these individuals harbored a deep fear of Blackstone, fearing retaliation from the group and remaining timid.

However, Zhang Wanqing didn't give up. She began leveraging her connections and found informants willing to provide information anonymously. These informants told her that the Blackstone Group was involved not only in the antiques trade but also in drug and arms smuggling. They used the group's legitimate businesses as a cover for various illegal activities.

As the investigation deepened, Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan discovered that the Blackstone Group's tentacles extended further than they had imagined. The group's top executives had close ties with political leaders in multiple countries, and they used these relationships to protect their illegal activities.

Zhang Wanqing's first clue came from a chance interview. An insider who had once worked at the Blackstone Group, driven by a guilty conscience, decided to reveal some information to her. The informant told her that the Blackstone Group, while ostensibly a legitimate investment company, actually controlled a vast illegal antiques trading network.

"They forge documents and certificates to disguise illegally acquired antiques as legitimate collectibles, and then sell them at high prices on the international market." The informant's voice was low and nervous over the phone. "These antiques often come from stolen tombs or illegally excavated, but they don't care, as long as they can make money."

Zhang Wanqing's brow furrowed, knowing this was just the beginning. She began digging deeper, discovering that the Blackstone Group was leveraging its influence in the antique world to manipulate auction prices and, in some cases, was even directly involved in theft and robbery.

"They have secret warehouses in some war-torn areas, through which they transport weapons and drugs to all parts of the world," another informant told her. "These transactions are all carried out in secret, and they use complex financial operations to conceal the source and destination of the funds."

Zhang Wanqing's heart was filled with anger and shock. She knew that these illegal transactions not only undermined law and order, but also brought disaster to countless innocent people.

During further investigation, Zhang Wanqing discovered that Blackstone Group also invested in the film industry. They laundered illegally obtained funds by investing in low-cost films and television series. These investments often resulted in losses, but on paper, these losses were used to offset profits from other illegal transactions, thus achieving the purpose of money laundering.

"They don't care whether the film makes money, they only care whether the money can be laundered cleanly." A producer who once participated in a film project of the Blackstone Group revealed to her, "These films are often of low quality, but their purpose is not art, but money."

Zhang Wanqing began gathering evidence, interviewing numerous industry insiders and collecting financial statements and contract documents from Blackstone Group-invested film projects. She discovered unusual capital flows in these projects, often linked to unknown offshore companies.

Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan sat in the back room of the antique shop. Under the dim light, stacks of documents and photos were scattered on the table. These were the evidence they had painstakingly collected. They knew that this information was enough to expose the crimes of the "Blackstone Group", but they also realized that this would be their biggest challenge.

Zhang Wanqing's fingers tapped lightly on the table, her eyes firm and sharp. "We can't just hand this evidence over to the police. The Blackstone Group has too much influence. What if they have someone in the police force? We have to find a way to let the public see the truth first. Fu Siyuan, what do you think?"

Fu Siyuan nodded, his brow furrowed as he pondered possible solutions. "We can release this information online, leveraging the power of social media to spread the word quickly. By the time they realize the story has spread online, it'll be difficult for them to conduct public relations. Let the public and public opinion overwhelm them. While doing so might violate journalistic ethics, sometimes it's okay to push the boundaries. By the way, Wanqing, we must keep this matter afloat. We can't suppress it. We must amplify the voices of the people. This is the straw that breaks the camel's back!"

Zhang Wanqing agreed to the plan, but she knew it wouldn't be easy. "We need to ensure the authenticity of the information, otherwise Blackstone will retaliate and accuse us of fabricating rumors. So how should we proceed?"

"Leave this to me!" said Fu Siyuan.

They began to compile the evidence, selecting the most critical parts and compiling a detailed report. Zhang Wanqing, using her journalistic credentials, contacted some reliable media contacts and planned to spread the report online, hyping it up and making the incident a hot topic.