183: Chapter 183: Was the challenge just a cover? The seizure of 1 billion yuan worth of national treasures terrified the Beijing elite's son.

Bureau of Anomalous Affairs. Director's Office.

Chen Xiaobei's fingers flew across the Keyboard, and dense streams of financial transactions scrolled across the computer screen.

"Director Gu, I've found it. Over the past three days, accounts under Pei Shaoting's name have transferred funds in over seventy separate transactions to an offshore company registered in the Cayman Islands."

Chen Xiaobei pointed to a red highlighted line on the screen.

"This company appears to be a shell, but all of its funds ultimately flowed to a logistics account at the Deepwater Port Terminal in Donghai City."

Gu Changan held his thermos, his gaze fixed on the screen.

The Eye of Data Insight was quietly activated.

In his field of vision, those dull numbers and account details instantly transformed into streams of three-dimensional code.

The destination of the funds, the associated handlers, and the hidden contract agreements were revealed layer by layer, like peeling an onion.

A deeply hidden secret line surfaced.

Gu Changan's gaze finally locked onto a container number: HX-2291.

"Picking a fight was fake; creating a diversion was the real goal."

Gu Changan sneered and put down his thermos.

"The more noise he makes out front, the more everyone's attention will be focused on the personal feud between the Bureau of Anomalies and Pei Shaoting. Behind the scenes, his people are rushing to ship things out."

"Ship what?" Chen Xiaobei looked up.

Gu Changan grabbed the mouse and pulled up the customs declaration System.

"The declaration form says 'Contemporary Installation Art'. But look at this data: four oversized containers, the total volume is filled, yet the total declared weight is less than three tons."

Gu Changan tapped the screen.

"Unless his installation art is made of Styrofoam, the weight absolutely doesn't add up."

Without a moment's hesitation, Gu Changan picked up the red confidential phone on the desk and dialed the dedicated line for the Donghai City Customs Anti-Smuggling Bureau directly.

"This is Gu Changan of the Bureau of Anomalous Affairs."

"Seal off Terminal 3 of the Deepwater Port immediately."

"Seize the four containers with numbers HX-2291 through 2294. Regardless of what reason the cargo owner gives, do not allow them to be released."

"My bureau's personnel are heading over now to assist with the unsealing and inspection."

Half an hour later, at the Deepwater Port Terminal in Donghai City.

The massive gantry cranes had stopped working.

Several customs anti-smuggling vehicles and Bureau of Anomalies riot vehicles flashed their police lights, surrounding the three containers.

Customs personnel used hydraulic shears to cut the lead seals on the containers directly.

The thick, heavy iron doors were pulled open.

A scent of stale camphor and moisture-absorbent agents rushed out.

Rows of crude modern industrial sculptures were stacked on the surface, looking worthless.

Gu Changan waved his hand.

Several Special Police officers stepped forward and used crowbars to violently smash open the sandwich wooden crates at the bases of the sculptures.

"Crack!" The wooden boards splintered.

Inside the shock-absorbent foam, an object emitting a soft golden light lay quietly.

The accompanying customs cultural relic appraisal expert took one look, and his legs went weak.

"Tang... Tang Dynasty Gilded Flying Apsaras Statue!"

The old expert's voice trembled as he dropped to his knees with a thud, pressing a magnifying glass tightly against it to examine it.

"This craftsmanship, this patina... this is a national treasure!"

As one wooden crate after another was forcibly pried open, everyone at the scene began to breathe heavily.

Song Dynasty Ru ware porcelain. Shang and Zhou Dynasty bronze tripods.

There was even a calligraphy scroll sealed in a temperature-controlled, moisture-proof tube, suspected to be an original work by Yan Zhenqing.

Four whole containers. Every single item taken out would be enough to cause a massive earthquake at an international auction house.

"How is this art..." Chen Xiaobei swallowed hard, "This is fucking emptying out half a museum."

Gu Changan looked at the cultural relics covering the ground, his eyes icy to the extreme.

"Give me a preliminary estimate of the amount involved." He tilted his head to ask the expert.

The expert wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Conservatively estimated... one billion. That's just based on the starting bid price. If you count the historical value, it's priceless."

"A one-billion-dollar smuggling case."

Gu Changan turned around and took out his phone.

"Xiaobei, notify the Special Police headquarters."

"Bring full equipment and go to the Peninsula Hotel to invite Young Master Pei for tea."

At the same time, at the Peninsula Hotel in Donghai City, top-floor presidential suite.

Pei Shaoting lay on the two-meter-wide bed; the hangover from last night made his head throb with pain.

The disastrous banquet had caused him to lose all face.

But he didn't feel like he had lost.

As long as this shipment left the port safely and billions in profit were booked, his status within the Family would be completely solidified.

A local minor bureau director was not even on his long-term radar.

The phone on the bedside table suddenly vibrated frantically.

Pei Shaoting answered the phone impatiently.

A partner's heart-wrenching roar came through the receiver.

"Young Master Pei! Something's happened! The goods were seized at the terminal!"

Pei Shaoting sat up abruptly from the bed, his drunkenness instantly wearing off by more than half.

"What kind of bullshit are you spouting! That route has been running for over a year, and everyone up and down the line has been taken care of—how could it be seized!"

"It's the Bureau of Anomalies! That Gu Changan brought the Special Police and cut open our containers directly! Our entire operation has been exposed!"

Pei Shaoting's brain buzzed.

The phone slipped from his hand and landed on the quilt.

Impossible. How could he have investigated up to that point?

"Bang, bang, bang!" Intense pounding on the door suddenly rang out.

The heavy oak door of the suite was swiped open from the outside using a spare key card.

A dozen fully armed Special Police officers filed in, their dark gun barrels instantly locking onto Pei Shaoting on the bed.

Gu Changan, wearing that plain black casual jacket, strolled into the room.

He sat down on the sofa at the foot of the bed, holding a detention warrant in his hand.

"Young Master Pei, did you sleep well?" Gu Changan's voice was very calm.

Pei Shaoting's face was deathly pale, devoid of any color.

He looked at the detention warrant in Gu Changan's hand; his original arrogance and insolence were gone without a trace.

He scrambled off the bed, not even wearing slippers.

"Director... Director Gu."

Pei Shaoting's voice trembled, and his hands shook uncontrollably.

"This matter can be discussed... it really can. I'll pay any amount of money, I don't want the goods anymore, I'll hand it all over to the state!"

He finally realized the seriousness of the situation.

Smuggling national cultural relics with an amount as high as one billion—this wasn't a violation that could be settled with a little money; this was a capital crime punishable by death!

Gu Changan leaned back on the sofa, looking at him coldly.

"I told you yesterday."

"The first time you tried to bribe me at the main gate, I didn't open a case, assuming you weren't thinking straight, and I gave you a chance."

Gu Changan stood up and slapped the detention warrant onto the glass coffee table in front of Pei Shaoting.

"This time, it's a major cultural relic smuggling case."

"It is a serious criminal case that violates the fundamental interests of the state."

"I don't have the authority to negotiate with you, and the law has no price tag."

Gu Changan lifted his chin, signaling the Special Police beside him. "Take him away."

Two Special Police officers stepped forward and kicked Pei Shaoting in the back of the knees.

Pei Shaoting's knees went soft, and he fell heavily onto the carpet.

The cold, heavy handcuffs clicked, locking tightly onto his wrists.

Pei Shaoting was hoisted up and taken out.

He looked back at Gu Changan one last time.

In those eyes that were usually overbearing, they were now filled with extreme fear of the state apparatus and true awe for the man in front of him.

Gu Changan didn't look at him again and turned to walk toward the balcony.

"Confiscate all assets under his name and freeze all accounts."