Chapter 44: Chapter 44 I’ve Never Seen Such an Enthusiastic Fishing Buddy [Second Update]
He had been silent until now, just waiting for this moment. Finally, faced with the prospect of over a million yuan, Zheng Liang and his five companions couldn’t hold back any longer; it looked like they were about to make their move.
"Robbery?"
Zheng Liang and his companions exchanged glances, their eyes settling on the Ancient Wood at Qin Mu’s feet. The greed in their eyes was fully ignited. Qin Mu’s words had provided them with another line of thought. After all, no one present had realized the value of the Ancient Wood before them. In the eyes of the onlookers, they were merely "helping out."
"I told you, we’re determined to help!" he snorted coldly, having realized this. "Today, no matter what, we will help you move it! Go bring the car over!"
He then waved his hand, and along with his companions, prepared to lift the Ancient Wood again.
Just when he thought the other party would stop them again, he was surprised to find Qin Mu voluntarily stepping back, retreating continuously to clear enough space for them to move the Ancient Wood.
Could it be... they didn’t recognize the Ancient Wood either?
Zheng Liang was taken aback, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind. Qin Mu had been confronting him all this time, making him mistakenly believe Qin Mu had also recognized the Ancient Wood. But judging from Qin Mu’s current actions, he was unsure again. If they had recognized this item, worth over a million, they would never have allowed us to move it.
They probably haven’t recognized it... Even as he speculated, his actions didn’t slow in the slightest.
Together with the others, he strenuously lifted the three-hundred-pound Ancient Wood and quickly loaded it onto the vehicle.
VROOOM— The engine started. All six of them piled into the car, four squeezing into the backseat. They sped away from this suburban waterway at eighty kilometers per hour. The entire process took no more than three minutes, their actions swift and smooth.
Seeing that there was no more excitement to watch, the crowd gradually dispersed, each returning to their fishing spots.
"Xiao Qin, you... you... why didn’t you stop them?" Zhang Qingyuan watched the car drive away and anxiously turned to Qin Mu.
"Stop them? You saw them—six burly men. How could I possibly fight them?" Qin Mu shrugged, smiling as he spoke.
Zhang Qingyuan was stunned but still said indignantly, "But there’s us too! Me, Mr. Li, Old Song, and about a dozen others..."
Qin Mu scanned the group of elderly, frail, and infirm people around him, the corner of his mouth twitching. Although they had numbers, he was the only one who could actually put up a fight.
Besides, if he didn’t let them forcefully take it, how could he ensure these six were arrested?
"It’s just a piece of wood, isn’t it, Old Zhang? Why are you so worked up? They were a bit aggressive, but they were just trying to help," the good-natured Li Weiguo beside him muttered, somewhat puzzled. He and the others had been quite far away at the time and hadn’t heard what Song Tiancheng said. So, although they were displeased with Zheng Liang’s group, seeing the wood taken away didn’t stir strong emotions in them.
"Just trying to help? Do you know how much this wood is worth? Old Song, you tell them!" Zhang Qingyuan glared at Li Weiguo and said irritably.
Song Tiancheng also stepped forward and explained to everyone about the Ancient Wood and its value.
After a stunned silence of about ten seconds, a barrage of curses erupted from the crowd. Foul language filled the air.
"I knew those scoundrels were being too kind! So they had their eyes on the Ancient Wood Xiao Qin fished up!"
"No wonder they loaded it onto the truck so quickly and bolted!"
"Why didn’t you say so earlier? If you had, we would’ve fought them with these old bones and not let them take it!"
"It’s gone, all gone! The million yuan that was right in our hands, just flew away like that?"
"Over a million yuan! Do you know how many underprivileged children that could have sent to school?"
The crowd trembled with anger. Even a good-natured man like Li Weiguo, who rarely swore, couldn’t help but utter a few curses.
"Don’t worry, they won’t get away," Qin Mu said with a comforting smile, looking at the furious crowd.
After this commotion, he saw that everyone had lost the desire to fish, so he decided to end the outdoor activity early. He led the group back to the retirement home. After ensuring everyone was settled, he calmly made his way to the police station.
「Jin City. Police Station.」
"Name," Shen Dao asked, head down, his expression unreadable.
"Qin Mu. Come on, Captain Shen, we know each other so well. Do you still need to ask my name?" Qin Mu, sitting opposite him, said, somewhat exasperated.
"Gender," Shen Dao snorted coldly and continued his questioning.
Qin Mu’s expression darkened, and the corner of his mouth twitched. "Is there any chance... I’m not a woman?"
Shen Dao glared at him. Finally speaking, his voice laced with annoyance, he said, "Do you know how many times you’ve come here to report a case? Why are you always involved in so much trouble?"
Qin Mu blinked, saying with an air of innocence, "Captain Shen, I don’t want this either, but those people... they just love to bully honest folks like me."
Hearing this, Shen Dao couldn’t help but roll his eyes. ’Honest folks,’ my foot! In just one week, he’s been responsible for sending four groups of people to jail. And he calls himself honest?
"You see, it happened again this time. I took the residents from the retirement home for an outdoor activity, just fishing peacefully, and then suddenly we were robbed—by six burly men..." Qin Mu continued, recounting the afternoon’s events, his tone full of innocence.
Shen Dao’s expression gradually grew solemn. A robbery, and a gang robbery involving six people at that! In the usually safe and orderly Jin City, such a heinous crime hadn’t occurred for a long time.
"Tell me the details," he said, taking a deep breath, his voice grave.
Qin Mu nodded and recounted the cause, effect, and the entire course of events in detail.
"The wood you fished up is worth a million? And they forcefully took it away?" Shen Dao listened to the whole account, his surprise evident. It was the first time he had ever heard of fishing netting someone a million.
Afterward, he quickly had someone look up "Ancient Wood." He learned that this type of wood is formed after being submerged in water and soil for thousands of years and was quite valuable. On the market, it had always been a scarce, high-end raw material for furniture.
"Captain Shen, you must seek justice for us honest folks! They dared to rob in broad daylight, in front of so many fellow anglers! It’s a complete disregard for the law, utterly lawless..." Qin Mu added.
Shen Dao’s mouth twitched slightly, and he rolled his eyes again. However, after further investigation, he realized the gravity of the case. He immediately assembled a team, preparing to lead them personally to handle it.
「Meanwhile. Jin City, an ordinary residential area.」
"Honey, get ready for us to move into a bigger house!" Zheng Liang exclaimed upon returning home. The moment he stepped inside, he grabbed his wife and gave her a passionate kiss.