Volume 1, Chapter 9: The First Order Success

Back in the training room, a new day of instruction began. As Xiao Zhou had predicted, the targets were all wealthy businessmen. Li Yang carefully studied each target’s vulnerabilities and psychological traits, following the methods taught by Lao Wang.

“Remember,” Lao Wang’s words echoed in his mind, “to make the target believe you, the most important thing isn’t your spiel, but understanding their pain points. Take this boss Chen, for example—his greatest fear is having his illegal activities exposed. You can pose as an investigator from the disciplinary committee and extort him.”

Li Yang began experimenting with a new form of scam—not the usual telecommunication fraud, but a carefully crafted “targeted strike.” Before every operation, he thoroughly researched the target’s background to find the weakest link.

He quickly mastered this unique “rhetorical technique.” Unlike deceiving ordinary people, these targets were more cautious but also more afraid of being exposed. Their Achilles’ heel was their own illegal deeds, and by seizing on this, success became easier.

The first mission was the real estate mogul Chen Zhiming. According to the files, this man had grown wealthy in recent years by forcibly demolishing properties and evading taxes, with several deaths linked to him. Li Yang meticulously examined his dossier, focusing on the unsavory secrets.

“Hello, is this Mr. Chen?” Li Yang opened with the official tone of a civil servant.

“Yes, who’s this?” The reply carried the usual arrogance.

“I’m Director Li from the Municipal Disciplinary Committee’s case supervision office,” Li Yang deliberately paused. “Some complaints against your company have been forwarded to the prosecutor’s office.”

The breathing on the other end became noticeably rapid. Li Yang knew he had found the breakthrough and continued, “Especially concerning the case last year where an elderly rights defender was beaten into disability...”

“What exactly do you want?” Chen Zhiming’s voice finally betrayed a hint of panic.

“Mr. Chen, you understand the rules,” Li Yang coaxed gently. “Considering your ongoing support for local development, if you cooperate with us, there may be room for leniency.”

“What do you mean?” The other party took the bait.

“The task force requests five million yuan as a voluntary return of illicit gains. This will help mitigate your punishment,” Li Yang said calmly but firmly.

“Why should I trust you?” Chen Zhiming asked suspiciously.

“You can verify my identity,” Li Yang gave a prearranged alias. “Besides, the complaint dossier even includes photos of you dining with Secretary Wang. I believe you understand the implications.”

Hearing “Secretary Wang,” the other side gasped sharply. This was the critical information Lao Wang had provided—an instant hit.

“Fine, I’ll arrange the transfer immediately.” Chen Zhiming’s tone was surprisingly composed.

Li Yang fixed his gaze on the computer screen, awaiting the confirmation of the funds. Time seemed to stretch as beads of sweat formed on his palms. Though outwardly calm, his heart raced with unease.

“This is too easy...” Li Yang thought. A sly old fox like Chen Zhiming shouldn’t fall so readily. He glanced at Wang Meng beside him, who wore an equally serious expression.

Ten minutes passed with no sign of movement. Li Yang’s anxiety peaked, wondering if he had revealed a flaw, when suddenly the system chimed.

“Funds received!” Xiao Zhou exclaimed excitedly.

Li Yang looked closely—the five million had indeed been transferred through an underground bank into the designated account.

News of the five-million-yuan transfer electrified the entire team. This was their biggest haul in recent times, executed with remarkable decisiveness. The office erupted in cheers; some applauded, others exchanged enthusiastic high-fives.

“Brilliant!” Wang Meng threw an arm over Li Yang’s shoulder. “You didn’t disappoint me! Know why we picked you? It’s your genuine demeanor—it’s exactly what these people respond to.” He handed Li Yang a premium cigarette.

“Five million yuan... I wouldn’t earn that in ten lifetimes back home,” Li Yang chuckled bitterly, recalling his former monthly salary of three thousand.

Old Zhang came over jokingly, “Welcome to our special enforcement squad. These villains cause so much harm, collecting some fines seems only fair, right?”

Others joined in congratulating him. After all, the commission from this single operation would cover their income for several months.

Yet amid the jubilation, Li Yang felt a pang of unease.

Even though they were scamming those who “deserved” it, guilt gnawed at him. Watching his jubilant colleagues, he realized with stark clarity for the first time that he was combating one wrongdoing with another.

What unsettled him most was Chen Zhiming’s final cryptic remark: “You people...” Those words cut like a sharp blade, reminding him that he was not fundamentally different from the very wrongdoers they targeted.