Chapter 331 Showdown

Qiao Wanyin turned around, her steps slightly unsteady as she slipped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

The moment the door closed, the weakness on her face vanished, and her eyes suddenly sharpened.

While Fu Lian was quietly discussing the evacuation route with two other teammates, she nimbly climbed out of the window and used the drainpipe outside to climb up.

She slipped up to the second-floor study without making a sound.

Arriving at the bookshelf, she skillfully felt for a specific spot on a wooden board and precisely pressed the mechanism with her fingers.

With a soft "click," the entire bookshelf trembled slightly, then slowly slid to one side, moving smoothly to reveal a well-hidden hidden door behind it.

In the dark room, gold bars were piled up like small mountains, stacked one after another, heavy and gleaming with the cold light unique to metal.

Bundles of banknotes were neatly stacked on the wooden rack, each one brand new and crisp, emitting a faint scent of ink.

The walls are covered with antique porcelain and calligraphy and paintings by famous artists. When the light shines on them, the glazes are colorful, the calligraphy is vigorous, and the dazzling array of items is so bright it's almost blinding.

Over the years, Zheng Mingyuan has abused his power to secretly collude with unscrupulous businessmen, embezzling and accepting bribes, reselling military supplies, and misappropriating public funds. All the dirty money he has amassed is hidden in this airtight dark room.

This is his true lifeline, and also the irrefutable evidence of his many years of evil deeds.

"It really is here."

Qiao Wanyin curled her lips into a sneer, raised her right hand with a cold smile, and lightly brushed her fingertips over the coveted valuables.

Her eyes remained unwavering, as if she were facing not wealth, but a pile of waste about to turn to dust.

She reached out and touched them one by one—the gold bars were cold and heavy, the calligraphy and paintings were slightly rough, the jade bracelets were warm and smooth, and the stacks of banknotes were neatly folded, with accounts and amounts written densely on the receipts.

However, as soon as they touched her fingertips, those items vanished as if swallowed by the void, all stored in her internal storage space without a sound or trace.

Finally, her gaze settled on a beautifully carved mahogany box in the corner.

The box was edged with gold wire, and the clasp was made of brass with intricate cloud patterns engraved on the surface, making it clear that it was very valuable.

She crouched down and carefully opened the box—inside lay more than a dozen large, gleaming goldfish, each made of pure gold with delicate scales and curved tails, lifelike in appearance.

The bottom of the box was lined with a layer of soft velvet, on which were neatly arranged a whole box of emerald green jade jewelry: earrings, rings, jade pendants, and bracelets. The colors were translucent and the jade was incredibly lustrous; just one glance was enough to make one dizzy.

"If it's not mine, I won't be polite."

She raised the corners of her mouth slightly, her eyes flashed, and her tone carried a hint of mockery and disdain.

She smiled as she closed the box lid, waving her finger, "Collect! Collect! Collect!"

With each low shout, the mahogany box, along with the gold and silver jewels inside, was instantly taken away, leaving only an empty space.

Once everything was cleared out, she turned and ran without hesitation, her steps light and quick, without making a sound.

She knew that time was of the essence and that any delay could lead to a desperate situation.

As soon as she rushed downstairs, she bumped into a figure who was frantically pacing around – it was Fu Li'an.

His face was pale, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He clutched a brown paper document bag tightly in his hands, and his eyes were full of anxiety and unease.

Zheng Mingyuan is back!

He spoke in a very low voice, almost whispering in her ear, "He's bringing his men this way, hurry! It'll be too late if we don't leave now!"

Qiao Wanyin's heart tightened. Without asking any more questions, she immediately followed him and ran towards the main house.

The two had just rushed into the living room and hadn't even stood still when the door behind them creaked open from the outside, the sound piercing, like the whisper of death.

At the entrance, Zheng Mingyuan stood in the center, dressed in a dark gray long robe, his face gloomy. Behind him were two henchmen dressed in black tight-fitting clothes, holding short sticks in their hands, their eyes fierce.

His face was as black as the bottom of a pot, his eyes were like knives, and he stared intently at Fu Li'an, a cold sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Commander Fu, you've really got some nerve, climbing over the wall and breaking into a private residence in the middle of the night."

His voice was low and laced with sarcasm, "What, even a dignified brigade commander has to become a thief?"

He paused, his gaze falling on the file folder in Fu Lian'an's hand. His pupils contracted slightly, but he still tried to remain calm: "Hand over the contents, and we'll pretend today's events never happened. I can pretend I didn't see anything."

Fu Li'an's expression was icy. He stepped forward and firmly protected Qiao Wanyin behind him.

His voice was as cold and hard as ice, each word ringing out firmly: "Zheng Mingyuan, you falsified military pay accounts, framed my uncle for embezzlement, and even colluded with the enemy to sell weapons. All the evidence is here. You still dare to pretend to be innocent? You don't deserve it!"

"evidence?"

Zheng Mingyuan was taken aback at first, then threw his head back and grinned maliciously, his laughter full of disdain and madness. "What evidence? Once you're locked up in jail, you won't be able to explain yourselves no matter how hard you try! At that time, who will believe your lies? Who will listen to your cries of innocence?"

He suddenly raised his hand and swung it through the air.

The two henchmen drew their pistols from their waists with a "whoosh," and the dark muzzles were instantly pointed at Fu Lian and Qiao Wanyin's chests, exuding murderous intent.

The air seemed to freeze, and the scent of death filled the air.

At the critical moment, Qiao Wanyin's expression suddenly changed drastically. She abruptly squatted down, clutching her abdomen tightly with both hands, curling up in pain, and beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

She gritted her teeth, her voice breaking as she squeezed out, "Ugh... my stomach... Li An... it hurts... it hurts so much... it feels like... it's going to split open..."

Zheng Mingyuan narrowed his eyes, his gaze slowly moving across her pale face, then back to Fu Li'an's ashen and cold expression, scanning back and forth as if weighing the gravity of the situation.

"Commander Fu... what's wrong with your wife...?"

He deliberately dragged out his words, his tone laced with schadenfreude and probing, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a strong sense of calculation, his eyes gleaming with a sinister and shrewd light.

Without the slightest hesitation, Fu Li'an scooped Qiao Wanyin up in his arms, his movements swift and decisive, yet full of care.

His voice was as cold as the wind sweeping across an icy plain in the dead of winter, as piercing as a knife: "Zheng Mingyuan, if anything happens to my wife, don't blame me for being rude—I'll make sure your whole family suffers!"

These words were like thunderclaps, exploding in the center of the room, and the air instantly froze.

Zheng Mingyuan's face immediately stiffened, his forehead muscles twitched slightly, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

He knew that this was not a bluff, but a real warning.

He knew very well that Fu Li'an had been in the army for many years, had deep roots, had connections at higher levels, and had colleagues all over the military regions. If they really broke off relations and became enemies, his power and background would not be able to withstand the crushing force of the other party.

Moreover, the current situation is complex, with various forces entangled, and it is far from time to overturn the table and confront each other.