Hours later, aboard the private jet flying at an altitude of ten thousand meters, Liu Zhenhua's face had turned deathly pale, sweat beading on his forehead. Staring at the eight characters "Confess and be lenient, resist and be severe" emblazoned on the small cabin room, he knew he was finished, consumed by fear and regret.
"Clang~"
The solid iron door slowly opened, revealing three stern-faced police officers in uniform seated before him.
"Name..."
The question-and-answer session proceeded like a mechanical assembly line. Liu Zhenhua confessed without reservation, even divulging unrelated information.
"Snap~"
The lead female officer, closing her notebook, looked at Liu Zhenhua with keen interest. "I didn't expect you to be so frank, hehe! Here, take a look at this record. If it's all correct, sign it."
Holding the pen, his hand trembled uncontrollably. He knew that once he signed, he would face over ten years in prison. Overwhelmed by terror, his mind went blank. Suddenly, an object flashed in his mind. "Officer... comrade, if I provide a significant tip, will I... receive a lighter sentence?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the eyes of the three law enforcement officers lit up. They knew Liu Zhenhua must still know or be involved in some major case, and they wouldn't let such an opportunity pass them by.
"We cannot make promises, but if your report proves meritorious, we will inform the judge."
After a moment's thought, Liu Zhenhua made his decision. He forcefully tore open his shirt collar, and a small, silver USB drive fell to the ground. If Mu Shaoyang were present, he would have recognized it as the same USB drive he had swapped out while stealing jewelry from his home.
Two hours later, a team of law enforcement personnel headed straight for the Mu family mansion. Mu Zhengtao and his wife, having already received a phone call, were overjoyed and waiting at the mansion's entrance.
A few minutes later, a police car arrived. Mu Zhengtao stepped forward, exclaiming, "Officers, thank you so much, thank you."
"Yes, comrade police, thank you so much. By the way, hasn't our son returned with you?" Zhang Ziqi, noticing Mu Shaoyang's absence among the personnel, asked with curiosity and confusion.
"He? He's waiting for you at the station."
"...What do you mean?" Mu Zhengtao felt a sense of unease. Just as he reached for his phone, he was stopped. "What are you doing? Let go of me! This is illegal. I'll call your chief and complain."
"Mu Zhengtao, this is our arrest warrant. You can file your complaint inside. Take him away."
The next morning, Mu Zhengtao and his entire family, along with all those who had harbored them, were incarcerated. The news exploded across the entire Binhai region. The happiest were the Hong and Li families, as their share of both the aquaculture areas and the upcoming resort project had significantly increased.
Li Haochen was unaware of the Mu family's arrest. At this moment, he was utterly frustrated by the relentless biting. It wasn't excitement, but frustration. The twelve boxes of mussel meat he had brought were long gone. To his surprise, using ordinary Antarctic shrimp to fish was just as effective, with bites coming one after another, making him flinch at the sound of the rod tip bell.
"I can't take it anymore. I need to drink some water to calm down."
"Alas, another bite."
"Let it hang there." Li Haochen waved his hand and walked into the rest area.
"Haochen, isn't it time for a meal yet? Fish for a little longer."
"Director Liu, I need to rest. I'm getting fishing fatigue; I'm afraid of fish now." Li Haochen, mentally exhausted, leaned back in his chair and drank a frozen root beer.
"Uh~"
Li Haochen let out a long, satisfying burp.
Liu Qinghe also sat down, not urging him, as the amount of fish Li Haochen had caught in the past two days was unparalleled.
"Haochen, are you interested in joining the association?" Liu Qinghe asked with a smile, looking at Li Haochen as if he were a naked beauty, almost drooling.
"Uh... join the association?" Li Haochen pondered for a moment, then shook his head, offering an apologetic smile. "Director Liu, I'm sorry, but I..."
Liu Qinghe held up a hand to interrupt him, smiling. "Haochen, don't refuse so quickly. Sometimes, having an extra identity can bring unexpected benefits. Take your time to consider it. No rush, hehe!"
"Well... alright, I will consider it carefully." Liu Qinghe knew Li Haochen was speaking casually and didn't push too hard. What was meant to be will come, and what isn't, no amount of pushing will help. It's all about fate.
They chatted aimlessly for about half an hour. Li Haochen chugged another bottle of root beer and then stood up. "Director Liu, you sit here. I'm going out to take a look."
"Let's go together. See how everyone else's catch is."
Upon exiting, Li Haochen saw that the rod tip bell was still ringing. The sea bream hooked outside the boat was still swaying. He picked up a landing net and scooped it in. Looking at the fish, he laughed, "You're something else. You couldn't get away even after half an hour. You can't blame me for this, hehe!"
Li Haochen fished at his own pace, not overly exerting himself, as if he were on a leisurely outing. Even so, his catch was enough to make the other seven people envious.
An hour later, the aroma of food wafted out. After fishing all afternoon, everyone was hungry. They set up their fishing rods and returned to the dining hall.
The dinner was a lavish affair, an all-fish banquet, naturally featuring the fine catches contributed by Li Haochen. Grouper, sea bream, and more. This time, Liu Qinghe said nothing. Eating a few of his fish wouldn't make much of a difference, as Li Haochen had caught so many, an unbelievable amount.
"How about a couple of drinks tonight?" Liu Qinghe's desire for alcohol was also piqued. With such delicious dishes, it would be a shame not to have a drink.
"No, no, no, no drinks tonight. I'm going for a night fishing session."
"Exactly. Old Liu, don't corrupt us. If you want to drink, find Haochen. He can afford to slack off and not fish at night, but we need to catch up! Hahaha!"
"It's rare for everyone to be so enthusiastic. I can't spoil the mood either. Alright, no drinks tonight..."
At night, everyone came out to fish, including Li Haochen. As part of the team, everyone was full of energy, and he couldn't just indulge in pleasure. Of course, the fishing that night was more relaxed, with plenty of chatting and tea. Occasionally, when a fish was caught, they would discuss it, researching the three thousand ways to prepare it.
The next morning, Captain Wang Lei changed the fishing spot. Everyone still had plenty of time to fish today, as they were only about an hour's journey from the dock, allowing them to further increase their catch numbers.
At three in the afternoon, the "Conquering Warrior" returned. The dozen or so crew members who boarded and inspected the catch in the cold storage and live tanks were startled. They immediately notified the chief inspector to review the surveillance footage for any violations.
"Everything is normal."
Upon receiving the reply, the captain of the first team immediately began the inventory. The sheer volume of the catch required calling for reinforcements from another team.
An hour later, the valuation and inventory were complete. Li Haochen's 1026 fish left everyone at the venue speechless with shock. Not only Li Haochen but the other seven individuals also had astonishing catches. At that moment, the entire venue erupted with cheers from the astonished tourists.