2: Chapter 2: Stepping into the National Security Bureau, My "Road to Wealth" Was Officially Approved

Lin Ning had thought that reporting it would just mean making a phone call to explain the situation and leaving his contact details. He hadn't expected...

Looking at the small building before him, Lin Ning's palms were slick with sweat, and he mentally rehearsed what he was about to say once more.

After entering the lobby, a man and a woman walked toward him. The older man had a very ordinary appearance, and his tone was gentle, "Are you Mr. Lin Ning?"

Lin Ning believed that after he had registered his name and phone number over the phone, in the less than half an hour that had passed, they should have already known everything about him, so he wasn't surprised by the man's confident tone.

The female staff member, who was half a step behind, was also dressed in casual clothes. She was very young, and her focused gaze on Lin Ning made his sense of pressure increase.

Lin Ning nodded, "Yes, I am Lin Ning."

The man gestured for Lin Ning to come in, "Hello, I am Chen Zhi. You don't need to be nervous. We need to understand some of the information you have, mainly to put it on record."

Lin Ning smiled bitterly to himself. How could he not be nervous? He was about to lie.

They arrived at a bright office; it wasn't an interrogation room, which allowed Lin Ning to relax a little.

Without waiting to be questioned, he sat down and said, "Around eight o'clock this morning, I was delivering a package to the reservoir. On my way back, I saw two men exchanging bags. It was just like in a spy drama, so I became suspicious."

"The main thing is, I recognize one of them named Liu Hong. Quite a while ago, I ran into him on the street. At that time, the person with him called him Alan Kim. Less than half an hour later, when I saw him again, he was with someone else who called him Liu Hong. I was deeply impressed at the time—even if someone has an English name, the surname shouldn't be different, right?"

"As it turned out, I saw him again today. He was with Wang Lijun, whom I followed later. I became suspicious, so I followed Wang Lijun, who looked like an official, and found out he worked at the Water Resources Bureau."

Lin Ning tried his best to relax and simply stated the story he had prepared long ago.

The girl who hadn't spoken the whole time was recording it on a computer.

Chen Zhi was a bit curious, "How did you know his name was Wang Lijun?"

"Someone greeted him at the entrance of the Water Resources Bureau, and I heard it," Lin Ning answered calmly.

Lin Ning added, "I have a dashcam, it should have recorded the scene when they were making the exchange." As he spoke, he hurriedly placed the recorder directly on the table.

The girl took the recorder, connected it to the computer, and began to operate it.

Chen Zhi's attitude remained very gentle, and he wasn't aggressive like he would be with a suspect. He only repeatedly confirmed basic information such as the time and location, and then ended the conversation.

When it ended, Lin Ning felt a little embarrassed, "Comrade, if... I mean if this matter is true, then the 500,000 reward for reporting..."

Chen Zhi smiled, very officially, but with encouragement, "Rest assured, for citizens reporting espionage activities, once verified, the reward will absolutely be provided, up to 500,000."

Lin Ning felt half at ease. But he also knew that this money wouldn't be in his hands today. It needed to be investigated, interrogated, and processed. There was no use in being anxious.

He originally wanted to get on good terms and ask for a private number to facilitate "business dealings" in the future, but he swallowed the words back. It was too rash before there were any results.

Unexpectedly, Chen Zhi took the initiative to hand over a business card, which only had a name and a phone number on it, "Lin Ning, your relevant information and the details of this report will be kept strictly confidential."

His tone turned serious, "Your powers of observation are very unique, and we hope all citizens can be as vigilant as you. However, you should still pay attention to your safety for the next little while. If you encounter any situation you deem special, call this number."

Lin Ning felt a shiver run through him and solemnly accepted the card, "Thank you, Officer Chen, I understand!"

Chen Zhi walked him to the door and emphasized again, "I am not a police officer, just call me Chen Zhi. Thank you for the information you provided. You must pay attention to your own safety, and absolutely do not try to contact or follow the suspects again!"

Walking out of the gate, once the wind outside hit him, he finally regained his composure. Especially since Chen Zhi had emphasized safety twice, this proved that this matter was far from as simple as "finding a red name, reporting it, and getting the money."

"Stop thinking about it, stop thinking about it, the bonus isn't even in sight yet!" Lin Ning shook his head vigorously, shaking off that lingering fear, and hopped on his e-bike, "Making money is the only real truth!"

He put his yellow helmet back on and started taking orders frantically. He used the extreme exhaustion of his body to forcefully suppress those chaotic thoughts in his mind about red names, danger, and the 500,000.

It wasn't until late at night that he dragged his falling-apart body back to the famous urban village in Capital—Juma Bridge.

A wind mixed with the smell of cheap cigarettes, sweat, and food hit his face. There seemed to be more people on the street than during the day; the nightlife here was just beginning.

Self-built small buildings, each room with four to six iron bunk beds, a public toilet without a bathroom, lacking everything, but it was cheap. 10 yuan a day—what more could you ask for?

This was the place Lin Ning found after he arrived.

Early spring nights in Capital were cold; he was afraid he might freeze to death again.

Pushing open the room door, a suffocating smell hit him, stinging his eyes~

Jin Er looked up at Lin Ning, "Man, you're back... A pair of nines!"

Xu San held a cigarette butt between his fingers, "Pass... Young people really have good stamina, working until this late..."

Lin Ning smiled, not letting the conversation drop, "Not as transparent as you gentlemen!"

The three of them laughed. Zhang Shitou, who hadn't spoken before, said, "Hahaha... Lin Zi said it well, but I won't be 'transparent' for the next couple of days either. The steamed buns are finished, so tomorrow I'll go and experience the glory of the working people..."

People who know Juma Bridge all know that this is the Capital gathering area for the "Sanhe Gods," a magical place where people work for a day to buy a bag of steamed buns, lie down until the buns are gone, and then look for work again.

The rent for the bed is calculated by the day. If you don't have money to pay, you go out and sleep in the open, and when you have money, you move back in.

The previous occupant of Lin Ning's bed was currently lying in the alley outside.

This place was a mix of all kinds of people: debt evaders, migrant workers, the mentally unstable, and those just lying flat. The diversity of humanity here was simply breathtaking.

Lin Ning didn't banter anymore; if he really chatted with these "gods," he wasn't quite on their level.

He tidied up a little and collapsed on the upper bunk like a dead dog. The sounds of card playing and chatting in his ears seemed separated by a veil, while the events of the day kept turning over and over in his mind.

"Ring~ Ring~~ Ring~~~" The caller ID showed—[Yang Weifeng].

Lin Ning froze for a moment. This guy was his college roommate and brother, nicknamed "Madman."

Since his incident, in order not to implicate his friends, he had taken the initiative to cut off contact with almost all his buddies.

He answered the phone.

"Hey, your grandpa! Lin Zi, are you f***ing still treating me as a brother?!" As soon as the call connected, Yang Weifeng's signature loud voice exploded over the line, followed by the sudden sound of a baby crying.

Yang Weifeng hurriedly lowered his voice, "Damn! Such a big thing happened, and you didn't say a single word? I heard it from Old Wang! Do you think I'm dead or what?"

Lin Ning changed the subject, "You scared the child, didn't you? You're a father now, can't you be a bit more steady!"

Yang Weifeng's voice started to rise again, "Don't say useless things!"

He lowered his voice again, "If you don't want to talk about it now, then forget it! Card number! Hurry up! I've scraped together 50,000 here, you take it first to tide yourself over! No interest, pay it back whenever you get back on your feet! If you dare not pay it back, I'll chase you to the ends of the earth and break your legs!"

50,000?

Lin Ning's throat felt like it was blocked by something.

He knew the conditions of Yang Weifeng's family clearly. He came from the countryside, his wife had just given birth, and the family expenses were high. This 50,000 yuan might be his entire savings that he had been hoarding for a long time to buy milk powder for the child or to handle emergencies.

At this moment, Lin Ning, who hadn't even flinched when lying to the state agency during the day, felt his eyes heat up.

He thought of his mother, who was dragging her sick body to work to help him pay off his debts; he thought of his sister, who endured her husband's cold eyes and pressure to slip him money time and again; and now, there was another brother willing to smash his pots and sell his iron to support him.

This goddamn life, while trying to screw him to death, also kept stuffing him with this heartfelt warmth.