Chapter 57: A Box Full of Cash

Two vehicles, one leading the other, raced down the road, escorted by a traffic police motorcycle cutting a path ahead.

Inside, Xiao Yu floored the gas, his mind piecing together the case details.

The extensive body smuggling operation traced back six years. It began when a man approached Wang Fugui, the crematorium manager, introduced by a mutual friend. Initially, their interactions were casual, centered around dining and drinking. Once they became acquainted, the man proposed a business venture to Wang Fugui.

The nature of the proposed deal, involving corpses, initially startled Wang Fugui. He was inclined to decline, but the offer was too lucrative to ignore.

Five hundred thousand yuan merely to ‘make friends’?

Anyone would realize something was amiss with such a generous friendship offering.

The man clarified that the half a million was just for introductions. Going forward, each corpse would bring in a hundred thousand yuan. Seduced by the allure of wealth, Wang Fugui found himself swaying.

The promise of money stirs the heart.

Initially, Wang Fugui, along with a few employees, only dared to smuggle a couple of bodies. But gradually, the operation scaled to five, then ten bodies a day.

At its peak of insanity, every single one of the 24 bodies slated for cremation each day was switched.

Concerned about potential slip-ups, he used his position to buy off most of the staff. He coerced those employees involved to sign affidavits, using video and other forms of evidence as leverage.

Subsequently, the crematorium furnace was modified, and an underground tunnel and a garage were constructed.

Even Wang Fugui himself didn’t know how many bodies had been stolen and sold over the 6 years.

Regarding the handling of the bodies, each transaction involved a refrigerated truck arriving to exchange cash for corpses, minimizing direct contact between parties.

Having grown familiar over six years, hints of smuggling were shared, But the price bodies fetched overseas remained unknown to Wang Fugui.

Two suspects entered the police radar.

Wang Hu, 37 years old, a local driver of a refrigerated truck.

Ge Jiyang, 36 years old, a pseudonym, unknown identity, not found in the database.

Wang Hu was the buyer who initially made contact with Wang Fugui through a mutual friend. The true orchestrator was Ge Jiyang, the one to always make the payments.

National Security’s primary targets for arrest were none other than Ge Jiyang and Wang Hu.

The day prior, as Xiao Yu and his team conducted their investigation, Wang Fugui made calls to Ge Xuyang and Wang Hu, tipping them off.

The intent was clear, to have them remove the three bodies, eliminating any possibility of evidence.

What could the police possibly do with mere suspicions?

Without concrete evidence, accusations were futile.

However, to everyone’s surprise, Ge Xuyang and Wang Hu did not show up, opting to flee at the first hint of trouble. Realizing the situation was dire, they promptly threw Wang Fugui under the bus and made their escape, complicating the arrest efforts for both the police and National Security.

A lucky break came with a tip-off that Wang Hu was seen near the docks.

Bincheng, a coastal and highly popular tourist destination, also served as a significant hub for cold chain import and export trade, boasting numerous ports.

By the time Xiao Yu and his team reached one of the ports, an hour had slipped by.

Under normal circumstances, one might expect any suspects to have already fled.

Yet, they hadn’t.

The suspects were aiming to flee the country, planning their escape aboard an ocean-going fishing vessel.

However, with National Security’s strict directive, all vessels in the port were forbidden from departing until a thorough investigation and check were completed.

Upon their arrival at the port, numerous boats of varying sizes, along with cargo ships, were moored along the shoreline.

They boarded one of the ocean-going fishing vessels next.

Xiao Yu and Wang Dong watched from the deck as four National Security officers conducted their search of the vessel.

The suspects had fled.

Even criminals use their brains.

Realizing that the port was under a departure ban, they must have sensed something amiss. Why wait around to be caught?

“Boss, we’ve got something!”

One of the National Security officers approached Xiao Yu and Wang Dong, carrying an exceedingly heavy suitcase. It was identified as belonging to the suspect Wang Hu, left behind in his haste to run.

Upon opening it, everyone inhaled sharply.

A suitcase brimming with cash.

For Xiao Yu, witnessing such a substantial amount of cash was a first in either of his lifetimes.

How much could a 24-inch suitcase hold?

It might sound unbelievable, but 5 to 6 million.

To think such an amount could be so carelessly abandoned?

Xiao Yu’s brow furrowed.

Could the suitcase have been too cumbersome for a quick escape?

Unlikely.

Common sense dictated that one would cling to such an amount of money even at life’s risk, wouldn’t they? What level of audacity did it take to abandon five to six million just like that?

Not many with fortunes worth tens or even hundreds of millions would dare such recklessness.

If there indeed was such a sum, why not use secret accounts? Why would anyone opt to carry such a hefty amount of cash?

Xiao Yu bent down.

The Nose of the King Butterfly, activated!

Each person’s body scent was unique, impossible to mimic. Furthermore, by analyzing the intensity of the residual scent, one could estimate how recently someone had left the area. Yet, this was a capability beyond most humans.

Xiao Yu, with his cheat codes, was an exception.

The strong scent Wang Hu left behind suggested he hadn’t been gone long.

Realizing this, Xiao Yu’s gaze sharpened as he surveyed the port’s surroundings.

Eyes of the Falcon, activated!

The port had only one entry and exit point. As they arrived, no vehicles were seen leaving. If Wang Hu planned to escape, his only option was the sea.

Or perhaps…

Xiao Yu’s gaze settled on the ships, his lips curling into a knowing smile.

Could he really escape?