Li Chuan did not immediately shake the outstretched hand.
He knew that choosing to cooperate meant stepping onto the gambling table, and this game was far more dangerous than he had imagined.
"What exactly do you mean by cooperation?" Li Chuan stared at the man in the suit, his tone calm.
The man smiled slightly. "Very simple. We need Zhao Qiming's full statement. And you... need to stay alive."
Li Chuan raised an eyebrow.
"L.T. is not just a financial tool; it is a massive chain of interests," the man continued. "If this statement is made public, not only Heng Tai Group but everyone behind this system will be in serious trouble."
"So, you guys want to destroy it?"
"No, we want control." The man's voice carried a firm certainty. "Since Zhao Qiming has already disappeared, the next step... depends on what you choose."
Li Chuan slowly exhaled.
"I need time."
"Of course. We'll give you time, but not too much." The man nodded slightly and stood up. "I hope next time we meet, you already have the answer."
With that, he turned and left, leaving only the silence in the air.
That night, Li Chuan returned to his apartment.
He opened his laptop and once again pulled up the decrypted code.
"L.T. 0217 Transaction 30,000,000"
He tapped on the keyboard, trying to input more commands.
Suddenly, the screen flickered, and a hidden message popped up:
"Second location: D.S. Port."
Li Chuan's eyes froze.
D.S. Port... Another transaction point?
This was not just a money laundering system. It was an even larger financial network.
His heartbeat sped up. He realized that he had been pulled into a much bigger storm.
Closing the laptop, his gaze became firm.
No matter what, he had to go to D.S. Port and see for himself.
Early Morning
Li Chuan put on a black jacket and drove toward D.S. Port.
Following the winding roads, he could see the port from a distance. Dim yellow lights flickered, and the air carried a mix of salty sea breeze and gasoline fumes.
He didn't move too close but stopped his car a few hundred meters away, quietly observing.
A massive cargo ship was docked at the port. Silhouettes moved along the deck, seemingly engaged in some kind of loading operation.
Li Chuan took out his phone and sent a message to Cheng Mo:
"D.S. Port, 3 AM. Large cargo shipment happening."
Soon, Cheng Mo replied:
"Be careful. Their deals are not simple."
Li Chuan's heart sank.
Taking a deep breath, he silently moved toward the port's perimeter. Using the night as cover, he cautiously approached the cargo ship.
Not far away, a group of men in dark jackets stood near the shipments, checking through a manifest.
Hiding behind a stack of shipping containers, Li Chuan focused, trying to listen in on their conversation.
"The funds have already been converted. Next, they'll be sent to the southern district."
"The boss already settled everything?"
"Relax. According to L.T.'s arrangement, this batch won't leave any traces."
Li Chuan's heart tensed.
If L.T. was indeed a global laundering system, then this transaction was one of its operations.
Quietly, he took out his camera, adjusting the lens to capture as much detail as possible.
However, just as he adjusted the angle—
A sudden flashlight beam swept across his position!
"Who's there?!"
Li Chuan held his breath, pressing tightly against the container.
Footsteps grew closer and closer…