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Chapter 24: Evidence in Hand
When Li Yi left Liu Tongfu's office, it was already past eight o'clock in the evening. The heavy tension from the conversation lingered in his mind, but there was no time to dwell on it. He needed to act quickly.
Instead of heading home, Li Yi made his way directly to the intersection of urban and rural areas, a spot he had long planned for. It was there that he needed to get the keys made.
The old man who usually handled the key copies was just about to pack up his stall for the night, but Li Yi hurried over, explaining his purpose.
Without hesitation, the old man set aside his things and began his work.
A short time later, three keys were made, all neatly copied. Li Yi checked them one last time, ensuring they were the right fit, before paying the man and heading straight to the Tuanjie Community.
By the time he arrived, it was 9:30 PM. This time, he had no intention of wasting time trying random keys. He headed straight to the sixth floor of Building 9, Unit 1, knowing exactly which unit he needed. Liu Tongfu had made sure to mark the room number on the key, and it matched the information provided to Li Yi by Zhou Lao and others.
Standing at the door, a nervous feeling crept over Li Yi. This was it—the key to Liu Tongfu's downfall and, with it, the future of the Liu family. Everything hinged on this moment.
With a deep breath, Li Yi inserted the key into the lock.
A slight turn, and the door opened with ease.
He paused for a moment, scanning the dimly lit hallway before stepping inside. The room was sparsely furnished, with a clean but unused atmosphere. The musty smell from the humid climate of Jiangnan Province lingered in the air, and the kitchen had a thin layer of dust on the surfaces, showing signs that it wasn't frequently used.
Li Yi was familiar with Liu Tongfu's habits and, knowing what he was looking for, moved straight to the master bedroom. Without hesitation, he opened the bed.
There it was—the pile of cash. Bundles of 100-yuan bills, brand new, sitting beneath the mattress.
Li Yi's breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening in disbelief. In a time when so many were struggling to make ends meet, seeing this amount of money was almost surreal. No wonder the thief had taken such a drastic action.
His mind briefly entertained the thought of taking some of the money for himself—just enough to improve his family's situation—but the thought quickly dissipated.
Li Yi knew better than that. Money gained dishonestly was money wasted. He had come this far in life through hard work, determination, and vision, not by shortcuts or compromising his integrity.
He wasn't going to let this money corrupt him the way it had corrupted Liu Tongfu.
His resolve strengthened, Li Yi turned his focus to what truly mattered—the evidence. He knew the account books that the thief had found were hidden in the ceiling.
Dragging over a stool, Li Yi removed the lightbulb, revealing a small hole in the ceiling. Inside was a thick ledger, filled with names, dates, and bribes—all meticulously recorded by Liu Tongfu.
Li Yi knew this was the smoking gun.
He carefully copied down all the details, not missing a single name or figure. Then, with a careful touch, he restored the room to its original state, cleaning up any traces of his presence and ensuring no fingerprints or other evidence remained.
Once everything was back in place, Li Yi left the apartment, not even sparing another glance at the stacks of money under the bed. He had no need for it.
The evidence was now in his hands, and once it was submitted to the authorities, Liu Tongfu's fate was sealed. The corrupt official would face the full consequences of his actions.
With Liu Tongfu taken care of, Li Yi knew the path forward was clear. The obstacles that had been standing in his way—people like the Liu family—would soon crumble under the weight of their own greed.
And when that happened, Li Yi's time would come. He would rise, not with stolen wealth, but with the power of his own ambition and skill.
The future was bright. Li Yi locked the door behind him and made his way back to his next step, knowing that his dreams were now within reach.
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