Chapter 214: Han’s discoveries.
Liwu’s breath caught. The flowers trembled in her hands. The hospital room seemed to shrink, the weight of the revelation pressing down. Liwu’s questions had multiplied and her trust was about to shaken. She knew he had secrets, but was this one of them?
Weijun laughed suddenly. It wasn’t the nervous chuckle of a man caught in a lie, but the deep, confident laugh of someone amused by something absurd.
"You reporters have very active imaginations," he said, shaking his head. "I admit, those six are donors who occasionally cross my path at banquets. I have also met them on different occasions concerning different needs they had, but nothing criminal. So, conspirators...hardly."
He reached into his jacket for his phone. "I keep records of every system host that I meet who holds some kind of value or position in power. I even have records of their donations--transparent, legal and documented. You can see the amounts are modest compared to their wealth. Frankly, I thought all six were stingy and too intense for my liking. So, I didn’t invite them to my inner circle or join theirs."
Xuanji leaned back in his chair, grinning, "So basically, they are the kind of people who show up at weddings, eat all the cake, give you a cheap gift and never call again unless they need something."
Weijun smirked. "Exactly. Weak ties, nothing more. If they had been part of IH in the past, maybe there would be more. But they have always been loyal members of the SOB."
Liwu studied the donation information, thumb scrolling over the screen. The donations were indeed small, less than ten million altogether. Still, Han’s words lingered like smoke. If Weijun barely had a connection to them, how did he know where Chen Guowei was, and that the man was planning to flee the country?
Since she couldn’t get answers to that, she turned to Han. "How did you know about the phoenixes?"
The reporter’s eyes gleamed. "Ah. That’s the story, isn’t it?" He leaned forward, voice dropping conspiratorially, "I was at a bar near the shipping yard when I overheard this drunk fool complaining about how it was unfair that systems were choosing to bind animals now, over humans. He said he had transported a chick that could spit fire. At first I thought it was a drunk exaggeration but my system sensed there was a story. I bought him a few drinks and asked questions. The more I listened, the more it sounded real. Someone was moving birds in and out of the city. Dangerous ones."
Xuanji suddenly giggled. "I know we are being serious but chicks that spit fire, would be awesome title for a movie."
Liwu ignore him, her gaze locked on the reporter. So you started looking into birds and Chen’s movements."
Han nodded. "Exactly. I followed him discreetly. I learned his routines, the people he associated with secretly. Him and all his friends seem unrelated on the surface but they are part of the same gym club. That gym has private work out rooms where you can hold virtual meetings with your friends or work out together even if you are in different parts of the world. The bureau has not approved of the technology, but they are using it."
Liwu frowned. It seemed like they would have to visit all those gyms.
"And then came the shipments." Han added, completely drawn in by the sound of his own voice. "Every after a trip to the gym, Chen Guowei would go to the ship yard. When I finally squeezed in, I discovered piles of money being moved out on ships. Large sums. I knew immediately that it wasn’t just business, it was something else."
Weijun frowned. "Where was the money going?"
Liwu was already connecting dots. The missing money which seemed to have vanished had to be the one he was talking about. It was not sitting on an account somewhere, it was in cash!
Han shook his head, "I didn’t get that far. I don’t know where the money was going. However, someone must have known that I was looking into that group because I got a call from a payphone. A voice on the other end told me about the ledgers. That the money was being funneled into a political arsenal. Not weapons, but influence. Power. Someone is preparing to run for president of the bureau and that money is going to pave the way."
The room fell silent.
Xunaji broke it with a gasp. "President of the bureau? That’s like....two whole years away. No, three according to the latest policy update. Hell, the position itself is under debate because every country wants to govern its own system hosts. Why do people want the position anyway, it involves a lot of paperwork. You are just volunteering to be king of paperwork!"
Liwu shot him a look. "Xuanji."
He raised his hands. "What? I am just saying, if someone wants that job, they are either ambitious or insane."
Sleazy Han pressed on, his voice urgent. "The phoenixes are more than a simple transaction. They are proof of loyalty...alliance. Someone is building a political empire, piece by piece. That is what my story was about." He sighed. "I should known that I would be discovered. This is not the kind of story you touch without getting burned."
Liwu’s mind raced. Phoenixes, money, politics. These powerful men were aligning themselves for something bigger: to take power from her family.
Weijun’s expression remained calm, though his jaw tightened. "If one of them runs for president of the bureau, it changes everything. If anyone is doing it, Qin Yifei is my pick."
"Liang Shunhua is mine." Xuanji piped up immediately.
Weijun shook his head. "A politician knows a politician. It’s Qin Yifei. Liang Shunhua must be greasing palms for him, paving the way in the political circle. The others are playing different roles, accumulating money and spreading his influence.
I have met Qin Yifei a total of two times in my life, but it was enough for me to conclude that I don’t like him. Now, given the information we have, I am worried he is not just planning to run for president of the bureau." He looked at Liwu. "Think about it, who in this country or the world has more authority over your mother, the president of the bureau?
Whose opinions must she consider before making decisions? Who must she discuss with before amending any laws? Who has ultimate power?"
The room was silent for a brief moment.
Liwu gasped. "Presidents of different countries. He wants to be the president of this country!"
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