Chapter 88: Two Deceivers

“Anything else?” the male officer asked with a smile after jotting down notes.

“Yes,” Xiao Ma continued, fabricating on the spot. “Value-added tax applies when there’s added value. I’m no expert, but that’s how I see it. To some extent, his company’s turnover reflects the value generated by its computing power. Now, suppose he overclocks his hardware by thirty percent to boost computing power, thereby generating profit. That means, aside from violating normal equipment usage, he might also be evading value-added tax.”

I was speechless.

The officer’s mouth hung slightly open.

Xiao Ma went on, “That’s just my personal opinion, but it shouldn’t be hard to understand. For example, if a truck is licensed to carry ten tons but overloads twenty tons for the driver’s own gain, it harms everyone’s roads, right?”

The officer, clearly parched, replied, “Uh, alright, I’ll consider that a point. I’ll note it down and follow up with the tax authorities later.”

Xiao Ma pressed on, “With all these flaws and loopholes, I personally believe there’s a chance he’s shifting the hardware maintenance costs arising from this ‘illegal added value’ onto the insurance company. That’s insurance fraud. It’s a scam that hurts the public because insurance companies must make a profit. When such black holes appear, actuaries adjust rates to reflect company risks, raising overall premiums. In effect, the public ends up footing the bill for Tian Jia’s costs.”

The officer reviewed his notes and tried to organize his thoughts. “What you’re saying is just a possibility. Anyone who’s used silicon-based chips knows their failure is mostly a matter of luck, right? How does Tian Jia determine when his hardware is about to fail?”

Xiao Ma replied, “For a regular user’s PC in a mild environment, sure—it’s just luck. A single chip has about a fifty-fifty chance of failing or not. That’s why some people’s CPUs last ten years or more. But Tian Jia uses a CPU matrix. Under big data analysis, patterns emerge. By looking at the maintenance department’s recent hardware replacement frequency and comparing it with the replacement intervals of new machines, you can easily see the trend. This result is highly reliable. If their maintenance records are chaotic, nonlinear, and defy the normal wear patterns of CPU matrices, then beyond the earlier suspicions, there could even be money laundering involved.”

“Okay, thank you for your input,” the officer said, still very thirsty. He decisively picked up his cup of tea and ended the interrogation.

Honestly, even if Tian Jia and this guy were trading insults, this fellow was ruthless. If this went on, soon Tian Jia would be blamed for climate change, Antarctic ice melting, and all sorts of unrelated problems. That would make the investigation impossible.

Both of them were nothing but smooth-talking con artists! The police’s initial impression was just that.

Yet, even so, having recorded Xiao Ma’s statement, the proper procedure was to cross-examine others on these overlapping points. These troublemakers seemed intent on stirring up chaos, so the police’s workload was, like the cost of overclocking, escalating exponentially.

Still, this case couldn’t be taken lightly.

After a long while, Tian Jia approached with a grim expression and said sharply, “You bastard, not only did you screw me over, but you also slandered me to the police?”

He was genuinely angry.

Zhou Dongyun and Zhen Yuqi by his side were somewhat intimidated, even with the police present. His expression was a far cry from his usual foul-mouthed style; this was serious—far worse than when he angrily wielded a keyboard to attack someone.

Xiao Ma, horrified, thought: Damn, could it be that I accidentally hit a nerve by hitting on some real problems he’s involved in?

Zhen Yuqi leaned over and whispered to Xiao Ma, “Don’t say anything for now. Don’t escalate the situation. I’ve seen plenty of tough characters and scoundrels. I can usually tell who’s likely to go to extremes and what triggers it. His expression now is different. Before, it was just mouthy and sarcastic; now, it’s real.”

This time, Tian Jia didn’t even say “Just wait.” He turned away with a subtle look and went to whisper with Han Siyu, who glanced coldly in their direction.

But she avoided eye contact with Xiao Ma, deliberately looking away when he looked her way.

Zhen Yuqi, known for her sharp wit, felt a chill in her chest at this development.

“Xiao Ma, what exactly did you tell the police to piss them off so much?” Zhen Yuqi asked worriedly.

“Value-added tax, insurance fraud, money laundering—mainly those three points. I made it all up, but he smeared me as an insider causing his losses,” Xiao Ma explained.

Zhen Yuqi almost fainted. Though he spoke without thinking, judging by the situation, even the cleverest rabbit might have struck a real sore spot for Tian Jia. Otherwise, he wouldn’t look ready to kill. With his foul mouth, he’d have started a scene long ago.

“Do you think what you said makes sense?” Xiao Ma asked.

Zhen Yuqi frowned. “There is some logic; anything’s possible. Under normal circumstances, you’d just complicate police work, scattering too many vague points without focus. But it depends on the person. I’m worried this might get you into real trouble. He looks desperate enough to do something rash this time.”

Tian Jia’s rise was only getting fiercer. With so many government contracts and a previously halted case, it was clear he had powerful backers.

To Zhen Yuqi, it seemed like there was no room for negotiation, and he might indeed be breaking the law. Since Xiao Ma had support from Jiang Pangzi, he should be able to withstand the pressure from Tian Jia’s connections. Ideally, they’d just take Tian Jia down outright.

After mulling it over, Zhen Yuqi stood and said, “You two talk. I’ll make some calls to my contacts in the tax bureau and colleagues experienced in insurance fraud to clarify the guidelines and baseline.”

Zhou Dongyun gave a thumbs-up. “Awesome. If we don’t make that bastard beg on his knees this time, it’s not worth it. And for him to blame the toilet for his crooked ass and accuse me of introducing an insider to sabotage his company—we’re here to help him and have done our best.”

By evening, the so-called on-site investigation wrapped up, and everyone was free to leave.

No statements were made, and no one was detained.

As the saying goes, the bottom line determines the mind. Anticipating a showdown with Tian Jia soon, and to protect herself while ensuring he pays, after consulting the tax bureau and colleagues to establish the investigative logic and baseline, Zhen Yuqi suggested the police detain Tian Jia for 48 hours.

But the police refused.

Of course, detention was possible, even without cause within the time limit. Especially with logic, reasons, and suspicion. But the team leader, steeped in bureaucracy, had asked Zhang Jing’s opinion. Without much thought, Zhang Jing bluntly said, “Zhen Yuqi is an idiot; rejecting any of her ideas is the right move.”

Sigh, Zhang Jing’s response to the tech investigation department was a classic case of bottom-line thinking. Plus, Tian Jia was a public figure, and all signs pointed to him being untouchable with backing. So, the police officially declined Zhen Yuqi’s detention recommendation.

Zhen Yuqi was displeased but didn’t push too hard to avoid stirring up new trouble. If she pressed, Tian Jia might retaliate, and to appear fair and avoid public backlash, the police might detain Xiao Ma too.

Of course, they couldn’t lock up Xiao Ma, but that would make Zhen Yuqi look incompetent and cost her the chance to hear the ambiguous revelations that night. This was why she chose not to press the issue.

In the end, everyone would go home peacefully and sleep soundly...

The three left together in Zhen Yuqi’s Mondeo, stepping out into the growing darkness.

Zhen Yuqi drove far more civilly than Zhang Jing—almost endearing. Even if it was mostly an act, it was still quite charming.

Xiao Ma, feeling proud, said, “Let’s decide where to eat first.”

“West side, my treat,” Zhou Dongyun adjusted her black-rimmed glasses.

“South side, I insist,” Zhen Yuqi countered.

Xiao Ma thought for a moment. “Enough talk. East side at Yingjiang Tower. My treat. Being wealthy, I’ll cover the meal—and the nightlife afterward.”

Both women were somewhat taken aback; all signs suggested this guy was a big shot with deep pockets...