Trapped in the Same Day for a Thousand Years

Chapter 101: Two Hundred Million—No, Three Hundred Million!

by cnwebnovels

Different temperaments called for different methods, and different preparations.

That said, Wu Chen hadn’t kept the call open for this middle-aged man’s benefit. The person on the other end was Su Qingying. He needed her to hear the contents of the conversation, and Li Ruobing, sitting beside her, would hear it too.

The middle-aged man’s face changed, and changed again.

He had threatened to kill someone, and he had no idea who the young man was on the phone with, or whether the other side was recording. If anyone got hold of evidence like that, and nothing happened to Wu Chen, fine. But if something did happen to Wu Chen—even if he hadn’t done it—the moment the police had that recording they would have to investigate him.

And being investigated was what he feared most in the world.

“Ah, brother… I think there may be a bit of a misunderstanding here…” The man looked at the phone sitting in the middle of a live call, then back at Wu Chen. A moment ago he’d been vicious; now not only had his tone gone soft, he was calling him brother.

“Apologize,” Wu Chen said, looking at him.

The man’s face darkened again, then at once forced out a smile. “I’m sorry, brother. Just now I was only—”

“Even your apology is that insincere,” Wu Chen said flatly.

The man’s expression shifted again.

Smack!

He raised a hand and slapped himself hard across the mouth. He feared death. He feared anyone learning what had happened back then. All he could do was soothe Wu Chen’s mood.

“Enough. Let’s talk business.” Wu Chen said it with a smile, then took a sip of tea.

“What does Bai Kaifeng want? What do you want? How much?” The man’s tone was far calmer now.

Because when Wu Chen called earlier, he had said, I hear you’ve made quite a lot of money these past few years. The implication was money. So the man asked outright. He knew he was being squeezed, and he had no choice.

He had hunted Bai Kaifeng for too many years and never found him.

“We can discuss money later…” Wu Chen said, unhurried, watching him. “Over these past few years you’ve given the victims’ families a fair bit of money, haven’t you? A few hundred thousand all told, at least. What was that? Conscience finally stirring? Trying to atone?”

The man’s face changed again.

He had assumed Wu Chen was someone Bai Kaifeng had sent, someone who knew what he’d done back then. But listening now, Wu Chen knew not only about back then, but what he’d done in the years since.

“Honestly, you shouldn’t have done that. Don’t you think it was a mistake?” Wu Chen smiled again. “Once what you did comes out, the fact that you quietly handed them money becomes corroborating evidence…”

The man stared at him, alarmed and uncertain.

“To be fair, for a man like you to climb this far can’t have been easy. Murder, arson—you handled it yourself. I have to say, you really do dare to think and dare to act. But… you truly ought to cherish the wealth and standing you have today. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Name a price,” the man said.

Pay money, settle the matter. Anything money could solve wasn’t a problem. Though he knew Wu Chen might well open his mouth absurdly wide.

Wu Chen had said several things, and the man had given him no clear answer to any of them.

Because he knew Wu Chen was on a call. To say anything was to admit it, and to admit it was evidence. So he understood he must not speak. He still had that much sense.

“How much do you think I want?” Wu Chen asked, with another faint smile.

“One hundred million. That’s the limit of what I can accept,” the man said outright.

It was not, in truth, his limit. He was spending money to buy his life. If there proved to be no way of dealing with Wu Chen, then two hundred million, three hundred million—he would have to accept it.

Naturally he wasn’t going to state his real limit.

“One hundred million…” Wu Chen murmured, and smiled.

“You still think that isn’t enough?” The man’s teeth were set. “Yes, I have money now, but my net worth isn’t what you people imagine. One hundred million will keep you in food, drink, and amusement for the rest of your life. How much more do you want?”

Wu Chen smiled at him in silence for several seconds. Then he said, “I do wonder whether Qian Rufa, buried out there in the barren mountains, has found any peace yet.”

The man’s face went through a violent change.

Wu Chen knew. Qian Rufa had been killed by him too. He even knew where the body was buried.

“I’d advise you not to go digging that body up again. More than ten years have passed. Whatever traces there once were are gone. If you go out there now… you’ll only leave new ones.”

Wu Chen spoke without hurry, took another sip of tea, set the cup down, and went on. “The times have moved on. So has technology. The police solve cases far better than they used to. Cases they couldn’t crack back then… aren’t hard to crack now. Wouldn’t you say?”

The man listened with a black face, and fine beads of cold sweat came out at his temples.

“One hundred and fifty million!” he offered.

“I hear Boss Yao’s businesses haven’t been doing too well lately, and the only way you can cover the hole is by cooking the books. Do you know what the consequences are for an executive at a listed company who does that? Is that little lover of yours who helps you cook them really reliable?” Wu Chen asked, smiling again.

The man stared at him in silence for a good dozen seconds.

His breathing grew heavier, and faster.

Fear had closed over him completely.

With every single thing Wu Chen said, the panic in him deepened another shade. By now what he felt was genuine terror. It was as though Wu Chen knew everything—not only that “great matter” from years ago, but every other filthy piece of business he had going.

“Oh, and I also heard—”

“Enough!” The man cut him off, staring straight at him. “Two hundred million! No! Three hundred million! I may not be able to pull that much cash together at once, but I will give it to you. In installments. Three hundred million! Ask for more and I don’t have it. That’s everything there is!”

“Will you really give me the money?” Wu Chen kept smiling at him. “Right now, in your heart, you’re already working out how to get rid of me cleanly, aren’t you?”

“I wouldn’t dare. You’re overthinking it. I only want to spend money to avert disaster,” the man said at once.

“Is that so…” His tone gave away nothing of whether he believed it. As he spoke, his hand touched the phone screen.

He ended the call.

“Brother, name your price. Just tell me where Bai Kaifeng is and I’ll give the money to you. To you alone!” Seeing the call end, the man leaned in at once, dropped his voice, and tried temptation again.

“No rush. Drink your tea first.” Wu Chen smiled and raised his cup toward him.

For the next minute the two of them genuinely drank tea.

The man’s thoughts were in complete disorder. Far too much was running through his head, and the tea had no taste at all, but Wu Chen had said there was no hurry, so there was nothing to be done.

Creak.

The door of the private room swung open. Hanging up had been the signal—Wu Chen had told Su Qingying beforehand that the moment he ended the call, the two of them could come straight over.

Su Qingying and Li Ruobing had barely stepped inside when they saw the middle-aged man sitting across from Wu Chen, and both of them froze.

“President Yao?”

“Miss Su?”

The man was on his feet at once, staring at Su Qingying.

All of them were stunned.