Chapter 160 If I don't mess with you, I'm not surnamed Lin.
As the sun sets behind the mountain peaks, a thin mist rises with a cold glow, and tiny ice crystals condense on the tips of the grass.
The evening breeze swept down the mountain, causing several golden osmanthus trees to sway slightly, and tattered strips of cloth pattered against their trunks.
The car window slowly rolled down, and Lin Sicheng waved: "Goodbye, you three!"
"Okay, take care, boss!"
The woman smiled broadly, and the fat man and Fan Qiang nodded repeatedly. Then, the car window rolled up, and the car drove out of the courtyard, all three of them still waving.
The SUV turned onto the concrete road, its taillights flashed red, and it drove away into the distance.
In a flash, just as they had planned, the smiles on the three faces vanished.
The woman frowned, staring at the Land Cruiser as it slowly disappeared into the night.
Was this a bit too risky?
He only wanted to find a passing fox demon to shelter him from the rain and wind, but instead he startled a true immortal.
Such people are not so easily fooled.
But the arrow was already on the bowstring, and it had to be released. It felt like everything was perfectly timed, and somehow, without warning, the bait was just thrown out?
As for whether it's insurance or not, and whether it will even work, only heaven knows...
After thinking for a long time, the woman's voice turned serious: "Song Laosan (put out the card)?"
A pickup truck was parked in the corner. With a shout, the door opened, and a lean man got out with a cigarette in his mouth.
The woman stared at him: "This person's background is so strange, how did you find out?"
"Boss, I only have one day. I can't possibly charter a plane to Shaoxing, can I?"
He exhaled a puff of smoke. "Tell me, is he Lei Zi?"
The woman choked for a moment.
It's definitely not Lei Zi. No Lei Zi knows Yuan Liang Yin or how to tell stories.
The problem is: this kind of person is definitely not someone to mess with. If you use him as bait, you have to be prepared to be discovered by him and fight to the death.
"Don't worry, they're just a few out-of-towners. What can they do to fight us? Do they have more guns, more men, or more connections? But if they dare to cause trouble, I'll take them down in a minute."
"Besides, what you sold him wasn't a genuine dragon painting, and what you gave him wasn't a Han Dynasty brick? Those were two genuine Western Han Dynasty tombs, so why does he accuse us of deceiving him?"
Song Laosan took another puff of his cigarette. "Of course, you're the boss now. If you think he's too difficult to deal with, or can't take the blame for us, that's fine too. You make the arrangements. You tell me how to find him, who to look for, and I'll go find him."
The woman was speechless.
If she's in such a hurry, where can she find someone more suitable than this?
Just like Chen Yangyan, it took her a full six months from striking up a conversation to establishing a connection.
Unfortunately, the hook inexplicably came loose right after the setup began.
"But this is too strange! He understands astrology, feng shui, geomancy, acupuncture, well digging, and his appraisal skills are exceptionally high... How can he be considered an all-rounder?"
The woman frowned. "And, isn't this too much of a coincidence?"
It feels like I was just falling asleep when a pillow fell from the sky?
Song Laosan flicked his cigarette ash: "Boss, just tell me, is his skill real?"
The woman paused for a moment, then remained silent.
It's hard to say about other things, but he must be extremely proficient in feng shui and geomancy: even a seasoned expert who has been looking for tombs for decades would probably have to study that dragon map I sold him for several days.
But that person only looked at it for about ten minutes before knowing where the tomb was, its specific orientation, and the size of the burial chamber.
There's also the art of authentication: he can take out eight items, glance at them, and pick out the only genuine one. He can even explain clearly and explicitly where the other seven are fake, how they were forged, and how long it took to forge them.
Therefore, such a person is not only capable, but so capable that they are practically invincible.
But the problem is, so young?
If he led the way, how skilled must the people he taught be?
This is what women fear...
"Boss, you're worrying unnecessarily. It's precisely because they're powerful that their reputation is so high, and that they can take the blame for us. Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. How much trouble can an outsider like him cause?"
Old Song threw away his cigarette butt and stomped on it twice. "And I think it has nothing to do with coincidence... it's just that we've been having bad luck."
"We had just finalized the deal (Zhang Anshi's tomb) and started digging the well when our boss was set on fire... After a two-year hiatus, just as we were about to start working on the goods, Boss Yang (Yang Bin) was caught in the crossfire."
"After another two years of respite, just when things finally calmed down, that awful place started demolishing again, so we had to act quickly. But as soon as we started, Lei Zi launched his operation..."
After a pause, Song Laosan grinned, "Boss, look, things aren't going well for us, are they? And they've been going badly all along..."
At first, the woman listened attentively, but as she listened, her face darkened, growing darker and darker.
Do you think Song Laosan is just saying he's having bad luck?
The hen crowing at dawn he mentioned was all bad luck he brought upon himself...
Seeing the woman gritting her teeth, about to explode, Song Laosan chuckled awkwardly, "Don't be so hasty, I was just saying. You're the boss now, so whatever you tell us to do, we'll do..."
“If you’re worried he might attract trouble, I’ll have someone keep an eye on him to see if he actually goes to dig up that grave. If you’re worried he might attract trouble, then we’ll find another place tomorrow…”
Besides, if you sell him the blueprints and give him bricks, aren't you just letting him attract trouble? So, the greater your ability and the stronger your background, the more weight you carry..."
That makes sense, but the woman always felt that something wasn't quite right.
She thought for a moment and said, "I'll call my boss!"
As he spoke, he took his phone and walked to the side, talking for more than ten minutes.
Then, he walked over again.
The three of them swarmed around him, asking, "What did the boss say?"
"The boss said he'd ask around some more, but it shouldn't be Lei Zi, so we shouldn't miss it. He said he'd have the third brother keep an eye on things and see if he'll try to dig!"
Old Song nodded: "Okay, I'll keep an eye on it!"
...
The stream, carrying fragments of ice, flows over the stone bridge, and the moss on the bridge piers curls into dark patches.
Two old locust trees, their gnarled branches intertwined, their bare branches, stripped of yellow leaves, reflected the shimmering starlight.
Lin Sicheng gazed quietly down at the river. The SUV was parked by the roadside, with two plainclothes officers waiting nearby.
Zhang Feng took a few deep drags of his cigarette, his eyes gleaming with barely suppressed joy.
Xu Gaolan remained motionless, staring at Lin Sicheng's back.
Because of this case, the bureau chief pressured the branch office, the branch office pressured the squadron, and the sub-bureau pressured the police stations. Anyone with a flower on their shoulder was worrying so much that their hair was falling out day and night.
Anyone who wears this suit, whether they are a sixty-year-old or a twenty-year-old, will have to work non-stop.
Women are treated like men, and men are treated like donkeys... Especially those leaders and managers, they seem to have aged several years in just over a month.
Just when they were at their wits' end and had no clue what to do, a turning point suddenly appeared?
A map of the tomb... As long as we know the exact location of the tomb, how can we not catch the culprit or seize the stolen goods?
The two felt that if Lin Sicheng used his brain a little more, the case would be solved immediately.
Compared to the current frantic and hectic pace, where I'm so busy I can't even get anything done, it's like suddenly seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Think back to the scene where Lin Sicheng fought against that group of tomb raiders: calm and collected, handling the situation with ease...
The two men, both in their thirties and with over a decade of police experience, were certainly reserved enough. But they felt that Lin Sicheng's aura and demeanor at the time were even more imposing and upright than Director Chen's.
Just as I was getting really excited, the phone vibrated.
Upon seeing the number, Zhang Feng immediately answered: "Director!"
Chen Peng's voice came through the phone, sounding slightly anxious and even a little trembling: "Why haven't you come back yet?"
"Oh, at the Haohe Bridge. Xiaolin said we should stop and take a look..."
Zhang Feng glanced at him and said, "He seems to be thinking about something!"
"Okay, let him think about it first. When he's done, you all go straight back to the bureau. The director, political commissar, and executive officer are all here!"
The two plainclothes officers were taken aback: All the leaders of the Municipal Public Security Bureau had gathered?
But thinking about it again, it seems quite normal: after a stalemate of more than a month, suddenly there are signs of progress, and it's even possible that the case will be solved soon, so it's not surprising that the leaders would pay attention to it.
After giving a few instructions, Chen Peng hung up the phone. About ten minutes later, Lin Sicheng turned around and walked over.
The two plainclothes officers were taken aback: their expressions seemed rather somber.
No, it wasn't just somber, it was sinister: his brows furrowed slightly, his eyes narrowed. It was as if he had suddenly encountered something unpleasant, his face dark and cold.
Moreover, there was a hint of sharpness in his eyes and a hint of murderous intent on his face.
No...it was fine just now?
Having followed him for several days, Lin Sicheng had always given off a gentle, refined, and approachable impression. This was the first time he had shown such a sharp, cold, and eccentric expression.
The two exchanged a glance but remained silent. Zhang Feng quickly got into the driver's seat, and Xu Gaolan considerately opened the car door.
Lin Sicheng paused for a moment: "Sister Xu, there's no need for this!"
Xu Gaolan joked, "Am I a secretary now?"
That's true.
Lin Sicheng glanced back in the direction he had come from, grabbed the handrail, and got into the car.
The car started moving, and Lin Sicheng remained silent, his face still dark. Zhang Feng and Xu Gaolan exchanged a glance.
"Xiaolin, what's wrong? Is something wrong with the stuff?"
“The items are a pair: a flower hairpin crown of a county princess from the Tang Dynasty, a Tang tri-color pottery maid figurine, and a bronze seal of a chief official from the Western Han Dynasty.”
Lin Sicheng paused for a moment, then said, "But the drawing is wrong, and the bricks are wrong too!"
The two were stunned.
Lin Sicheng spent a whole million on those two pieces of junk in the back.
Moreover, the woman confidently declared that if the grave was not found, Lin Sicheng could return at any time.
Moreover, Lin Sicheng said at the time: "It is a place where wind gathers and energy is concentrated, a treasure land for nurturing spirits, and where the aura of kings and nobles is concealed... There must be a great tomb there."
But then suddenly they say the drawing is wrong?
Just as he was wondering, Lin Sicheng chuckled softly: "The location is indeed very good, aligning with the heavens above and the earth below. There are indeed tombs, and quite large ones at that, two in total. They are most likely Western Han Dynasty tombs, but not Zhang Anshi's tomb..."
The two plainclothes officers were stunned again: No... then all our hopes were dashed?
If it's not Zhang Shi's tomb, what's the use of a large tomb?
We're police officers, not tomb raiders.
Crucially, the four leaders are still waiting at the bureau…
Just now: Shortly after leaving the farmhouse and crossing this bridge, Lin Sicheng said he wanted to stop and take a look. Then, as soon as Lin Sicheng got out of the car, the two of them reported to Chen Peng.
The key point is that before this, Lin Sicheng hadn't said anything, not even mentioning that the picture was wrong.
But no one can be blamed, because that's exactly what Director Chen instructed: as long as the call is confirmed to be secure, report it immediately, anytime and anywhere, whenever there's an opportunity. Regardless of whether it's good news or bad news, or whether it will actually be useful.
It's all because Director Chen was too eager; he reported it to his superiors as good news before anything was even really happening.
But what do we do now?
"It's alright, I'll handle it!" Lin Sicheng took out his phone. "Let's go back to the hotel first!"
"Xiaolin, shall we go back to the hotel?"
Xu Gaolan was taken aback. "But Director Chen wants me to go back to the bureau?"
Lin Sicheng glanced at the rearview mirror: "It has a tail!"
The two men were startled and looked in the rearview mirror: How could this be? If it had a tail, they couldn't have missed it.
And it was completely dark, with not a single car in sight.
Lin Sicheng let out a breath: "Not before, not now, but immediately!"
He replied and dialed Chen Peng's number. The two plainclothes officers stared intently at the rearview mirror, half-believing and half-doubting.
The road was a county road, and apart from the mudflats, there were only a few scattered villages on both sides of the river.
Going south only leads to Zhongnan Mountain. Whether going to Ankang or Hanzhong, this road is not used, and there are basically no cars on the road.
So for a long stretch of road, they were the only vehicles on the road. Occasionally another vehicle would come by behind them, but they drove slowly and soon overtook it.
Lin Sicheng was on the phone with Chen Peng, and the two kept looking around. After driving about three kilometers further, a light appeared behind them.
Their hearts skipped a beat, and they were speechless with astonishment.
Ever since Lin Sicheng said there was a tail, they started to observe: all the side roads were pitch black, and they couldn't see any car lights.
But suddenly, a car appeared?
Unless, they parked in the shadows early on, watched their car drive past, and then drove onto the main road and followed.
So, it really has a tail?
Zhang Feng narrowed his eyes and looked at the odometer. It read 60, meaning the car was about 200-300 meters away from them.
Continuing forward, after about three minutes, Zhang Feng eased off the accelerator. The car's speed gradually decreased to fifty.
The car was still two or three hundred meters away from them.
Damn it: It really does have a tail, and it really is "immediately"?
But how did Lin Sicheng know? It was like he had foreseen the future...
Without time to think, the two exchanged a glance, and Zhang Feng slowly increased the car's speed. Xu Gaolan took out her gun and cocked it again.
Lin Sicheng hung up the phone and sighed.
Both of them are great in every way, except they're too cautious: I don't care what your purpose is, as soon as I sense something's wrong, I'm ready to take action...
"Sister Xu, she's just keeping watch!"
"I know, but what if!"
Xu Gaolan stared at the rearview mirror, holding a gun in one hand and taking out her phone with the other to report: "Director Chen, someone is tailing us... We're heading back to the hotel now, requesting technical support."
Chen Peng was taken aback: "You've been exposed?"
"I haven't been exposed!" Lin Si replied remotely. "They just wanted to see if I could attract the police!"
Want to take a look?
Chen Peng paused for a moment, then pondered for a second: "Lin Sicheng, what you're saying sounds strange. It feels like... they just want you to recruit the police?"
Lin Sicheng didn't say anything, just smiled and glanced at the rearview mirror again.
It was truly a twist of fate and a series of coincidences: what started as searching for clues ended up leading us right into a den of thieves.
But when they took off their boots, they fell on my head?
If I don't mess with you, I'm not surnamed Lin...
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