The warehouse was quiet, but the air inside felt very heavy.
Li Chuan's eyes stayed on the police testimony from Zhao Qiming. His fingers tapping the table without realizing.
"How you get this document?" His tone was calm, but his gaze was sharp like knife.
The man in suit smile a bit, hands crossed on the table. "You should know very well, Mr. Li. To make a police document disappear, need certain power and special method."
Li Chuan's heart sink.
"So, you are police?"
"You can think like that loh," the man shrugged, "but I prefer the term 'middleman'."
Li Chuan never reply, just slowly flip through the document.
It was really Zhao Qiming's testimony.
Inside, he describe in detail how Hengtai Group's illegal money flow works. The term "L.T." appear many times.
But the part that made Li Chuan frown—was the last page.
Zhao Qiming wrote:
"L.T. deal almost done. Amount: 30,000,000. The money flow is very secret. If something happen to me, please investigate…"
The sentence after that—torn off.
"Torn?"
Li Chuan squint his eyes, look up at the suit guy.
"This document is not full."
"Wah, very sharp ah," the man smile, "this copy is not original. I piece together from many sources."
"Then where is the original?"
The man chuckled softly, then his smile disappear. His eyes look straight at Li Chuan.
"Original one ah... is with you."
Li Chuan's brows move slightly.
"What you mean?"
"Aiya, no need act blur, Mr. Li." The man's voice become lower, "Before Zhao Qiming disappeared, he left something behind. And you… already start to find it."
He pause a while, then say with serious tone:
"Like that secret code paper you holding."
Li Chuan's eyes changed slightly.
This fella... knows about the code!
"So, what you want?" Li Chuan leaned back, cross his arms, eyes staring sharp at the guy.
The suit guy smile deeper.
"Exchange."
"The code paper in your hand, plus the photos you took tonight—trade for my 'full testimony'."
Li Chuan keep quiet. His fingers tap the table slowly, but in his mind, he calculating fast.
This guy can find him, know his information—confirm behind got official background or some super strong intelligence network.
If real trade, then he can get Zhao Qiming's full testimony, help the investigation move further.
But the problem is—
This guy really will give the full document meh?
Is this a real deal, or a trap?
The warehouse was dead silent. The tension thick like the kopi at mamak shop.
Suddenly, Li Chuan laugh. His tone very casual.
"Your deal ah, sound quite okay."
He casually flip the testimony copy, glance at it again.
"But got one problem."
He lift his head, eyes like laser sharp.
"How to trust your document is really complete?"
The suit guy squint his eyes.
"What you mean?"
"You also said, this one is 'reconstructed' copy." Li Chuan say slowly. "So, even if you really got original, how I know you won't give me the edited version?"
The man pause, then suddenly, he smile.
"Wah, Mr. Li, you really very careful."
"Work habit." Li Chuan smile back, but his eyes never relax.
The man think for a while, then pull out a photo from his file. He push it across the table.
"Maybe this picture, can make you more confident."
Li Chuan look at it—and his pupils shrink.
The photo showed a folded document.
At the bottom right corner—got red police archive stamp.
But the most shocking thing—
The handwriting on the document… was exactly the same as the code paper!
This means—Zhao Qiming's original testimony was the full version of the code paper!
Li Chuan's mind run fast.
If this guy show him this, confirm he really have the evidence.
Now the problem is—
Is this trade worth it?
If he exchange, he can get more info, but it also means he must reveal how much he already solved.
If he refuse, then this guy might sell the info to someone else, or maybe use force.
After a while, Li Chuan slowly laugh.
"I can consider."
Then—he stop, and his eyes turn deep.
"But…"
He look straight into the man's eyes.
"You must give me extra chip."
The suit guy raise one eyebrow. "Oh? What you want?"
Li Chuan lightly tap the table, speaking slowly:
"I want to know—the real meaning of 'L.T.'."
The man's smile freeze slightly.
That moment, Li Chuan catch a very tiny expression change.
This guy... really know what L.T. means!
The warehouse air become more tense.
The man stare at Li Chuan for a few seconds.
Then, suddenly, he give a small laugh.
"You very smart, Mr. Li."
He shake his head slightly, chuckling, then slowly look up again—his gaze sharp like blade.
"But some answers… maybe you really don't want to know."