252: Chapter 252 The conman wanted to save his life, not die.

Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Under the personal direction of Secretary Liu Zheming, the second interrogation of the gang of scammers had been completed. It was basically clear that they were an independent group and had no mastermind behind the scenes.

This was finally some good news.

Additionally, Liu Cheng proposed a condition: recovering the money was out of the question unless they were promised a light sentence, with medical parole after two or three years. They didn't want to die.

Although it was already past eleven o'clock at night, Secretary Liu Zheming did not dare to delay. He dialed the Municipal Party Committee Secretary's number and gave a detailed report.

After finishing the call, Secretary Kang Kewu sighed repeatedly.

This was going to be difficult.

The scammers had impersonated Chairman Chen Zhixun and swindled so much money; would Chairman Chen let these scammers off? It didn't seem likely.

To be honest, Secretary Kang Kewu didn't care at all whether these scammers were executed; his main concern was whether the money could be recovered.

Sigh, this is a tough situation.

...

Yesterday, after returning from Ningzhou City, Qin Chuan took Chairman Chen Zhixun on a tour of Wanshun County to inspect the investment environment and even visited that world-class Gold Mine.

After seeing the Gold Mine, Chairman Chen Zhixun found an investment direction.

The Gold Mine had massive copper reserves, and there was a copper shortage domestically. Chairman Chen Zhixun planned to invest over ten billion in Wanshun County to establish the country's largest Copper Cable Manufacturing Plant.

This was a good plan because the mine only performed rough processing of copper and sold various types of copper ingots; deep processing would yield good profits.

Morning.

After Qin Chuan woke up, the first thing he did was check the system. With such a major event occurring, the system should refresh with two or three related pieces of information.

A total of eight billion in funds had been transferred overseas. Qin Chuan had heard about it and most wanted to see the system refresh with a message related to it. If he could find out the overseas account, including the password, that would be amazing.

Opening the system, he was surprised.

There wasn't a single message on the system interface, only a few words.

System upgrading. Time remaining until completion: 16 hours and 42 minutes.

The system was actually upgrading!

After a momentary daze, Qin Chuan was pleasantly surprised and filled with anticipation. What would the system be like after the upgrade, and what new functions would appear?

Checking the time, it was currently past seven in the morning; the upgrade would be complete by midnight.

He'd let it upgrade on its own. He needed to talk to Chairman Chen Zhixun about the investment today, but at this hour, the guy probably wasn't awake yet.

Shortly after finishing breakfast and before heading to his office, Qin Chuan received a call from Secretary Kang Kewu.

"Comrade Qin Chuan, would it be convenient for you to come over to my place for a moment?"

Since the Municipal Party Committee Secretary was calling personally, Qin Chuan naturally couldn't say he had no time. Even though he wanted to talk to Chairman Chen Zhixun about investment, he agreed without a second thought, "Secretary, I'll head over right now."

"Good, I'll wait for you in my office."

After finishing the call, Qin Chuan didn't go to his own office but went straight to the Municipal Party Committee Secretary's office.

Pushing the door open, Secretary Kang Kewu seemed to have been waiting for a while.

Seeing Qin Chuan enter, he was very enthusiastic, and his whole demeanor seemed to brighten. "Comrade Qin Chuan is here. Please, have a seat. What would you like to drink?"

As he spoke, he actually prepared to make the tea himself.

He was the Municipal Party Committee Secretary while Qin Chuan was just a County Party Secretary; how could he let him make the tea? Qin Chuan quickly said, "I'll do it myself."

He made a cup of hot tea himself and sat down on the sofa.

Secretary Kang Kewu sat on the adjacent sofa, not acting like a Municipal Party Committee Secretary at all, but rather like an old friend chatting.

"Comrade Qin Chuan, how did you and Chairman Chen Zhixun meet? Would it be convenient to share?"

He had thought about it for a long time, and the more he thought, the more he felt that Qin Chuan's family background was extraordinary.

Without a heaven-reaching family background, how could someone like Chairman Chen Zhixun associate with him? Moreover, their relationship clearly wasn't ordinary.

Birds of a feather flock together. Even if Qin Chuan's family background was slightly lesser, it was likely not by much; otherwise, the two wouldn't be so close, acting just like brothers.

Little did he know, Qin Chuan only smiled.

He certainly wouldn't reveal his trump cards. Let them guess; whatever they imagined, so be it.

"Secretary Kang, Chairman Chen and I also only met recently."

This was no lie. They hadn't known each other at all before. It was only after he returned to his family that Chairman Chen Zhixun had accompanied his elders to pay New Year's visits, which was the first time they met. Their closeness was indeed a recent development.

Having reached the position of Municipal Party Committee Secretary, Secretary Kang Kewu was also a smart man. Knowing Qin Chuan didn't want to reveal anything, he stopped asking. Regardless, he was convinced that Qin Chuan's background was not simple and that he needed to maintain a good relationship with him and protect him well in the future.

He didn't continue that topic, and then, changing the subject, his expression gradually became solemn. "Comrade Qin Chuan, I've asked you here because there is something that only you can handle."

Qin Chuan nodded slightly. "Secretary, please tell me. What exactly is it?"

"It's like this." Secretary Kang Kewu sighed softly and gave a brief overview of the situation.

After listening, Qin Chuan was quite surprised.

The scamming gang actually wanted to save their lives. They could transfer the eight billion back from overseas, but the condition was that they must receive a light sentence and be released after two or three years.

After explaining the basic situation, Secretary Kang Kewu pleaded, "Comrade Qin Chuan, you have a good relationship with Chairman Chen Zhixun. On behalf of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, please talk to him. Try to persuade him to give those people a break and not interfere with the trial of these scammers, leaving it entirely to us."

On one hand was a massive sum of eight billion, and on the other were a few worthless lives.

If it were Qin Chuan, he would definitely choose the eight billion. Get the money back first, then dealing with those scammers would be simple. But this wasn't his affair; the party involved was Chairman Chen Zhixun. So he didn't agree immediately, only saying, "Secretary, I can't guarantee I can convince Chairman Chen, but I can try."

Hearing this, Secretary Kang Kewu felt a weight lift from his heart.

Being able to try meant there was hope after all. What if it succeeded?

"Good, Comrade Qin Chuan. Then I'll wait for your good news."

Qin Chuan rose to take his leave. "Secretary, I'll head back to Wanshun County now. If I convince Chairman Chen, I'll call you immediately."

Secretary Kang Kewu stood up and walked him to the office door. Watching Qin Chuan leave, his heart was full of hope, thinking, Heaven help us, it must succeed.

As Qin Chuan walked, he thought about the matter. Unknowingly, he exited the Municipal Party Committee office building. Just as he was about to get into his car to return to Wanshun County, his phone rang.

He took it out and saw it was a call from Chairman Chen Zhixun.

"Brother Chuan, I went to your office just now, but you weren't there. Where are you now?"

Qin Chuan said, "Not bad, waking up this early. I thought you'd sleep until noon."

"Brother Chuan, I'm completely convinced this time. Your capacity for alcohol is simply bottomless; I'm no match for you at all."

The two of them had been drinking together last night.

Because it was evening, unlike at noon, they had let loose. They drank a full three bottles of moutai. Chairman Chen Zhixun considered his own tolerance quite good, having no problem drinking half a catty or so, but little did he know that Qin Chuan's capacity was truly bottomless.