Espionage: I Awaken Daily Intelligence System

Chapter 18 Internal Strife, Openly Embezzling Money

The woman had a perm, a popular style in Shanghai, and wore light makeup that added to her charm.

It is indeed very attractive to the average man.

At this moment, the woman held the doorknob in one hand and carried a bamboo and rattan box in the other, as if she was about to go on a long trip.

She seemed startled when she suddenly saw two men standing at the door.

Especially when he saw the police officer in black uniform next to the administrator, his lips trembled slightly, and a hint of panic and avoidance appeared on his face.

Shen Lang was also observing the woman who suddenly opened the door, and he sensed a sense of urgency from her.

Considering the box in his hand, it was clear he was about to run away.

But a question arose in my mind: according to the administrator, a woman visited and a heated argument took place. Where did the woman go?

The administrator paused, then asked curiously, "Miss Zhang, are you going on a long trip?"

Zhang Li hurriedly nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, I... I have an urgent matter back home and need to go back immediately."

As he spoke, he lifted his leg and walked out, trying to squeeze out and close the door.

He had only taken one step when the doorknob seemed to be welded shut, making it impossible to close the door, as if he was getting impatient.

Shen Lang braced his toes against the crack in the door and said in a deep voice, "Come in, I have something to ask you."

Zhang Li's expression froze, a hint of panic flashing across her face: "I...I'm in a hurry to catch the train. Ask me anything when I get back!"

The voice sounded anxious to leave, giving the impression of guilt.

Even the administrator looked serious, sensing something was amiss.

"I'm not negotiating with you, back off immediately!"

Shen Lang's voice was sharp, and the baton in his hand was almost touching the tip of her nose.

He took a heavy step forward, his foot slamming onto the wooden floor with a dull thud.

The muffled thud was like a heavy hammer blow to Zhang Li's heart, making her tremble and involuntarily retreat under the force of the thud.

In the midst of the chaos, he stumbled backward, cried out in alarm, and fell to the ground.

Shen Lang pressed on, then immediately pushed open the door and went inside.

The moment I entered the apartment, I smelled a strong stench of blood.

In the corner of the living room, there was a bed sheet, and you could vaguely see a person covered underneath.

A trickle of bright red blood flowed from the corner of the bed sheet.

Shen Lang frowned, already having a general idea in mind.

He rushed forward, lifted the sheet, and revealed the body of a woman.

His eyes were wide open, as if he had died with his eyes still open.

"Murder! Murder!" The administrator was terrified, his face turned pale, and he trembled like a leaf as he ran downstairs screaming in panic.

Shen Lang narrowed his eyes, his expression very calm.

I had already guessed this possibility when I saw Zhang Li hurriedly carrying her suitcase, about to leave on a long trip.

The two argued over the unfair division of the spoils, then suddenly fell silent, with one of them picking up a suitcase as if he was about to run away.

Even a fool could guess that the argument escalated into a physical fight, and then one of them suffered a serious injury before trying to escape.

Shen Lang looked at the woman who died with her eyes wide open, without any pity in his eyes.

When the two of them set up a scheme to swindle honest people out of their money, causing others to be in debt or even homeless, did they ever feel a single bit of remorse?

If there were even the slightest bit of reluctance, they wouldn't have done such a deceitful thing!

The somber expression wasn't due to pity, but rather a lament that what was originally a fraud case had escalated into a murder case.

The nature of the case is different, and the credit for solving it is even greater!

There are over four hundred registered gangs of all sizes in Shanghai, fighting each other every day for territory.

Therefore, murder and crime have become commonplace.

If a murder occurs, the police station will take over the investigation.

If the case is simple and the culprit is easy to catch, then the case will be solved smoothly.

Of course, most of these are probably unjust cases perpetrated in an attempt to boost performance.

If the murderer isn't caught, then according to the rules, they'll find someone from the gang to take the blame, and then the case will be closed after a few years in prison.

Despite the high crime-solving rate in the foreign concessions, very few cases were actually solved fairly and justly.

In this chaotic world, being a police officer is just a means to make a living. No one cares about the lives and deaths of ordinary people, and no one cares about fairness.

Therefore, although the case-solving rate is high, very few cases are actually solved and the real culprits are arrested.

Walking in and stumbling upon a murder, with both the murderer and the victim present—isn't that a stroke of good luck delivered right to your doorstep?

Shen Lang turned his head and asked in a deep voice, "Why did you kill her?"

Zhang Li slumped to the ground, gritting her teeth and growling, "I... I didn't mean to kill her. She attacked me first, trying to steal my money. I had no choice but to grab the fruit knife from the coffee table and stab her. She forced me to do it. She brought it on herself...!"

Her voice was filled with anger and ruthlessness, and her delicate face became ferocious.

It's clear that the two had a serious argument over the division of the spoils, and the woman may have tried to rob the money, which led to a physical altercation and, consequently, murder.

Shen Lang inquired about what had happened and then covered the bed with the sheet again.

As for the woman's wide-open eyes not helping to close, let this swindler die with his eyes wide open.

Click!

Shen Lang took out handcuffs and cuffed the terrified Zhang Li's hands.

His gaze swept around and settled on the box.

Quickly open the box and find a metal box under the clothes.

Upon opening the box, a stack of banknotes and some gold jewelry were revealed.

This must be the stolen goods that the two were fighting over.

Shen Lang's gaze lingered on the banknotes. After a moment's hesitation, he pulled out two ten-yuan notes and smoothly slipped them into his pocket.

As for the remaining hundred-yuan bills, they were kept intact and the lid was closed again along with the gold jewelry.

Some money can be taken, and some money cannot.

While catching two suspects would certainly provide an explanation to superiors and reporters, the police station was more concerned with the stolen money and goods.

Whether the case can be solved or not is none of their business; whether the stolen money can be seized is related to how much their allowance will be next month.

Even if Shen Lang silenced Zhang Li and claimed that no stolen goods were found, no one else would believe him.

Everyone would assume that he embezzled it.

Secretly keeping twenty yuan as a tip won't get you any complaints, but hoarding it will anger everyone and offend your boss.

You might be able to embezzle a sum of money now, but you'll face ostracism within the police station and could be transferred or even dismissed under some pretext.

Was all that work done in the first place for nothing?

Shen Lang knew perfectly well that with the system's assistance, he would never lack money in the future, and he couldn't afford to lose sight of the bigger picture for short-term gains.

Making money is important, but climbing the ranks by solving cases and earning merits will allow one to play a greater role in resisting invaders in the future.

Especially after the fall of Shanghai, the fact that high-ranking officers in the French Concession police could secretly protect and help the anti-Japanese armed forces was truly meaningful.

As a time traveler who is well aware of this humiliating history, if he forgets the greater national cause for the sake of petty gains, then he is not worthy to stand between heaven and earth!

He picked up the suitcase with one hand and grabbed Zhang Li's arm with the other, then walked out.

dong dong dong~

Just as I stepped into the apartment lobby, three police officers rushed over, carrying batons.

"We just received a report of a murder here!"