197: Chapter 197 Operation

Jiang Chen spoke indifferently, "Drive over and pick me up at the entrance of the Yunding Private Kitchen underground garage."

"Understood, I'll be there immediately."

On the other end of the phone, Lu Zheng responded decisively, without any unnecessary pleasantries.

Less than two minutes after hanging up, an inconspicuous silver-gray Wuling van drove low-key into the underground garage passage of Yunding Private Kitchen.

The vehicle's speed was kept extremely low as it glided slowly, precisely avoiding the direct angles of several high-definition surveillance cameras inside the garage.

The car body was ordinary, the model was old, and it lacked any personalized decorations or license plates. It looked exactly like any commuter van one might see on the street, failing to attract any attention from bystanders. It finally came to a steady stop a few meters away from Jiang Chen.

The window rolled down slowly, revealing Lu Zheng's steady and reserved profile. His eyes were calm as he spoke softly, "President Jiang, get in."

Jiang Chen, with his tall and straight figure, pulled open the car door and sat in the back row.

The interior of the cabin was covered with the marks of time: the plastic panels were slightly yellowed, the seat fabric was somewhat worn, and there were no modifications or decorations. It was the most basic domestic van configuration, low-key to the point of being humble, perfectly fitting the intelligence requirement for a non-identifiable vehicle.

In the front row, Zhang Heng sat in the passenger seat while He Hai held the steering wheel. Both were Jiang Chen's trusted aides, known for their meticulousness and tight lips.

Seeing Jiang Chen take his seat, they only gave a slight nod of acknowledgment through the rearview mirror and waited quietly for instructions.

"Follow the route I specify."

Jiang Chen leaned back in the rear seat, his posture relaxed and his tone calm yet unquestionable.

"Exit the garage and avoid the main arterial roads of the city core. Instead, bypass them via the auxiliary roads of the western suburban outer ring, avoiding all high-definition capture cameras at intersections and security checkpoints along the way."

"Continue deep into the western suburbs along the outer ring auxiliary road. Finally, follow the gravel path through the woods and head straight for the former state-owned Jiangcheng Grain and Oil Reserve Warehouse."

Lu Zheng responded, "Understood, we'll follow your route."

The van started smoothly, drove out of the underground garage, and decisively turned onto the suburban ring auxiliary road, deliberately avoiding crowded commercial areas and main roads dense with surveillance.

The further they drove toward the western suburbs, the thinner the city's clamor became. The rows of high-rise buildings were gradually replaced by continuous roadside forests and patches of abandoned old factory areas, and the asphalt roads slowly turned into undulating and bumpy gravel and dirt paths.

Vegetation grew thick on both sides of the road, with waist-high weeds spreading to the roadside. No residential areas were visible for several kilometers, and there were no shops or markets. The area was sparsely populated, so quiet that only the sound of the wheels grinding over gravel and the occasional bird song in the forest could be heard.

This scene matched the environmental description in the daily wealth intelligence perfectly: no permanent population within three kilometers, far from the bustling city, remote and secluded—a natural hiding place.

Not a single public surveillance camera could be seen along the way, nor were there any security booths or patrol personnel. The entire abandoned grain and oil storage park was half-hidden by trees, exuding a sense of desolation and silence from years of neglect.

Lu Zheng focused his gaze on the road ahead and reminded softly, "President Jiang, the wall of the grain and oil storage park is ahead. We're almost at the entrance."

Jiang Chen looked out the window, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding terrain.

The old walls were mottled with peeling paint, and the iron gates were rusted shut. Inside the park, abandoned warehouses were scattered about. Warehouse No. 3 at the innermost part stood alone in a corner, backed by a stretch of forest. Its location was extremely remote, rarely visited even during the day.

"Keep driving inside and take the narrow path behind the warehouse," Jiang Chen ordered in a low voice.

"Park the car behind Warehouse No. 3, with the front facing out toward the gravel path we came from, so we can leave immediately at any time. Do not approach the main entrance of the warehouse, and do not leave clear tire tracks on the dirt road at the entrance. Try to park by following the existing old tire marks."

"Received."

Lu Zheng turned the steering wheel, carefully driving into the narrow path inside the park, rounding to the back of Warehouse No. 3, and slowly turning off the engine.

The car was parked neatly, front facing outward with a clear view, making the evacuation route obvious at a glance.

Jiang Chen pushed open the car door and stepped out, the cool forest breeze fluttering his clothes.

He looked around, his sharp gaze sweeping over the forest path, the surrounding wild grass, and the corners of the distant walls, confirming that no one was within the vicinity.

There were no passers-by collecting scrap, nor any wandering villagers. They were completely within a safe window of time.

The two local liaisons were currently having a meal at a local restaurant in the city center and wouldn't return to the warehouse for at least four hours, leaving him with plenty of time to operate.

He withdrew his gaze and issued instructions in a calm tone: "Everyone, put on the disposable non-slip gloves prepared in the car. Only enter the southeast corner of the warehouse, and only take those eight black thickened sealed canvas bags."

"Do not touch any of the waste wood, sacks, or abandoned equipment in the warehouse. Keep everything as it is; do not move it, do not touch it, and do not leave any personal traces. Keep your footsteps light, do not talk, and move quickly and efficiently. Return immediately after loading."

"Understood."

Zhang Heng and He Hai had already put on their gloves. Upon hearing this, they said nothing more and efficiently pushed open the car doors. They stepped very lightly, avoiding making noise with weeds or dry branches, and quickly rounded to the main entrance of Warehouse No. 3.

The old-fashioned iron double doors were already rusty, and the lock was decayed and broken, held together only by a thin wire twisted loosely.

He Hai reached out and pinched the wire, giving it a light twist and pull. The wire came loose, and he then slowly pushed open the iron door, moving slowly and silently to prevent the hinges from making a piercing screech.

There was no electricity inside the warehouse, which remained dark and enclosed all day. The light was exceptionally dim, and a heavy, oppressive scent of old mold, rust, and dust hit them.

With the help of the weak natural light filtering through the doorway, they could see abandoned conveyor belt steel frames, damaged wooden pallets, moldy old sacks, and various debris scattered in a mess, uncleaned for years.

The abandoned conveyor belt frame and the wall formed a triangular gap. Five damaged wooden pallets were pressed on top, and beneath the pallets were stacked more than ten damp and moldy old sacks.

At the very bottom of the sacks, eight thick black canvas bags were neatly placed. The bags were tightly sealed and bulging, and they felt exceptionally heavy to the touch.

Even without checking, they knew that inside was that staggering amount of cash.

The men had followed Jiang Chen in handling various secret matters and had long since developed a steady temperament. Seeing such heavy packages, there was not a hint of surprise or curiosity on their faces. They adhered to their duties, not asking what shouldn't be asked and not probing into what shouldn't be seen.

The two of them divided the work with tacit understanding. Each person carried two canvas bags at a time. Though the packages were heavy on their shoulders, their steps remained steady as they moved back and forth between the warehouse and the van at a measured pace.

They remained silent throughout the process, their actions crisp and efficient, without any hesitation.

In just a few minutes, all eight black canvas bags were securely moved to the back of the van and stacked neatly against the wall.

Then, they pulled over the old dust-proof canvas prepared in advance, covering all the packages tightly so that they were completely hidden. From the outside, it was impossible to tell that heavy items were piled there; it just looked like an ordinary load of miscellaneous goods.

After confirming that no fingerprints or footprints were left at the scene and that the original debris in the warehouse had not been moved, keeping everything as it was, the two quickly got into the car and closed the doors tightly.

Lu Zheng did not stay for a moment. He immediately started the engine and slowly drove away from the storage park along the original gravel road.

Strictly following the route they came by, they bypassed the western suburban outer ring auxiliary road, avoiding all main roads and surveillance checkpoints, specifically taking remote suburban paths to return steadily toward Yujiang Bay in the city.

The atmosphere inside the cabin was quiet and steady, so silent that a pin drop could be heard.

Lu Zheng focused on driving while Zhang Heng and He Hai sat quietly to the side. All three deeply understood Jiang Chen's rules of conduct: just execute the task, do not pry, and do not discuss.

They wouldn't ask a single question about the origin, purpose, or subsequent disposal of these items; they only did their part.

Jiang Chen leaned back in the rear seat, slightly closing his eyes to rest. His expression was indifferent and composed, with not a single ripple of emotion in his eyes.

The entire process—from selecting the vehicle, planning the route, and evading surveillance to precisely finding the hiding place, moving the items without a trace, and withdrawing low-key—every step was flawless, without a single oversight.

That group had meticulously split and secretly hidden these things, intending to wait for the heat to die down before laundering and transporting them. They never expected to have paved the way for someone else's benefit for nothing.

More importantly, these items had a special origin. The other party was already operating in a gray area and wouldn't dare to make a scene or investigate. Once the police were alerted and followed the clues, the entire chain would be uprooted.

They could only swallow their bitterness. Afterward, they wouldn't dare to investigate or report it to the police, silently accepting their bad luck.

The car drove smoothly all the way, avoiding downtown congestion and road sections dense with surveillance. More than half an hour later, it successfully entered Yujiang Bay.

The park had strict security, a quiet environment with lush trees, and detached houses arranged in a scattered manner, providing excellent privacy.

The van drove low-key into the park, heading straight to the residential building under Jiang Chen's name, and came to a steady stop.

"Move all the canvas bags to the underground storage room on the B1 level. Arrange them neatly against the inner wall in sequence. Do not stack or squeeze them; keep them as they are."

Jiang Chen spoke slowly, giving orders. "After you've placed them, you don't need to tidy anything else. You three go back for today. Keep your phones on; I'll notify you if there are further arrangements."

"Understood, President Jiang."