At the same time, the wooden box was finally opened, layer by layer of wrapping peeled off.
Upon seeing what was inside, Shangguan Yao's face changed.
There was no pile of cash they were expecting to catch the culprit red - handed with. Instead, it was a box full of white flour. Perhaps because the weight of the flour was similar to that of the cash, none of them had noticed.
Looking closely at the warehouse floor now, there were even traces of fine flour in some places.
Yan Xia's face paled, and she could no longer maintain her calm. No wonder Long Tao had been so calm all the way just now, not the least bit flustered. He had even come to this trading warehouse as they had expected. It turned out that he had already made full preparations.
This was a redemption for himself and also a final test for Yan Xia.
They had been too impatient, eager to seize this opportunity, and thus Long Tao had taken advantage of their eagerness and lured them into a trap.
"The flour I purchased at a high price from abroad. I wonder which law I've violated. Could any of you officers enlighten me?" Long Tao said lightly, becoming even more audacious.
The policemen looked at each other. If all these wooden boxes were filled with flour, and they had been about to open fire on him just now. If a bullet accidentally hit the flour in the wooden box, with so many boxes of flour in the warehouse, a dust explosion would be inevitable, and the consequences would be unimaginable.
The chief's face was also grim. He asked Shangguan Yao, "What's going on?"
Shangguan Yao refused to believe it. He ordered several policemen to drag out more wooden boxes and open them all. However, without exception, all the boxes contained flour.
"Mr. Long, are you crazy?" Yan Xia tried to look at Long Tao's expression out of the corner of her eye, but he stopped her. "Putting so much flour here. If someone accidentally fires a shot, have you considered the consequences? Everyone in the warehouse will die in a dust explosion!"
Yan Xia scolded him sternly.
"It doesn't matter. As long as Miss Cheng doesn't go all the way with the police and we all take a step back, everything will be fine." Long Tao's tone suddenly turned fierce. "But if you insist on pushing me to the corner, with Miss Cheng accompanying me in death, today's encounter will be worth it. I won't be lonely on the way to the afterlife."
This man must be crazy.
Shangguan Yao looked serious. Perhaps he knew he had miscalculated this time. "Since it's a normal transaction, why did you run away from the hotel and try to board a ship to leave just now?"
Long Tao sneered.
"There were silenced guns coming from all directions. I didn't know what was going on. Is it wrong for me to try to save my life? I'd like to ask you, you injured two of my brothers. How should we settle this score?"
He remained calm in the face of danger and shifted the blame.
Long Tao's psychological quality was indeed outstanding. He showed no flaws, leaving no room for them to catch him.
From a short distance away, Shangguan Yao's eyes met Yan Xia's. Yan Xia was a bit anxious. She didn't know what to do now. After spending so much time on this plan, if it failed at this moment, she definitely wouldn't be able to explain it to her superiors.
Most importantly, if they missed this opportunity, they didn't know when the next one would come.
"Mr. Long, there's no need to use these fakes to deceive me and put on a show for the police." Yan Xia looked at Shangguan Yao, her eyes gradually becoming unfocused. "All I've done in the past should be enough to show my sincerity. Your lack of trust in me is really disheartening."
He clearly wanted to use her to get rid of the police's surveillance and completely shake off the suspicion.
Helplessly, Shangguan Yao had to command everyone to open all the wooden boxes for inspection. With each box opened, his face became even more grim.
Lu Qianzhou didn't show up, and now Long Tao was about to escape punishment. If they came back empty - handed today, even the two higher - ups might be implicated.
The sea breeze blew gently. Yan Xia's clothes were completely wet. When the wind blew, the coldness seeped in, just like the temperature in her heart at this moment.
Yan Xia exchanged a look with Shangguan Yao. If they couldn't find any evidence, Long Tao might be released directly.
She tried to leave his side under the police's watchful eyes, but Long Tao tightly grabbed her arm and wouldn't let go. He wanted to use her life as his last resort.
"Miss Cheng, it's better not to move around. Otherwise, the gun in my hand doesn't have eyes. It would be bad if it accidentally hurts you."
Yan Xia said, "Mr. Long, you're holding a gun to me in front of so many people. Before the police leave, I don't think you dare to shoot me. Illegal possession of a firearm is also punishable by law. If you don't want me to scream, put away your gun right now."
Long Tao's lips twitched. "Are you threatening me?"
Their conversation was in a soft voice, only audible to the two of them.
"You can choose not to accept my threat, but I will do as I said."
Long Tao sneered and suddenly released the arm he had been holding tightly. Yan Xia moved her wrist and quickly calculated how long it would take to run to the other side. Everyone knew there was flour all over the warehouse. If a shot was accidentally fired, no one would survive.
Zhou Qi had been standing behind Yan Xia. Suddenly, he took advantage of the chaos and walked towards the corner of the warehouse. He squatted down and lifted a floorboard. There was a hollow space underneath. He reached in and took out a wooden box.
A policeman noticed his movement and pointed his gun at him, shouting, "What are you doing? Put it down!"
Perhaps because he knew no one dared to shoot randomly in the warehouse, Zhou Qi was extremely audacious and continued to walk forward with the wooden box in his hand.
Just when everyone thought the matter was settled, Yan Xia understood Shangguan Yao's hint and suddenly raised her voice.
"Officers, I'll confess. Long Tao and I indeed..."
"Miss Cheng!" Long Tao called out to her urgently, trying to stop her from continuing.
But before either of them could finish their sentences, Zhou Qi suddenly lifted the wooden box in his hand and slammed it on the ground. Clattering, stacks of red banknotes inside were all exposed and scattered on the ground.
Yan Xia looked at the money that had fallen out of the box in shock.
Long Tao was equally stunned. He never expected such a turn of events. Since Zhou Qi was brought by Yan Xia, he naturally thought this was another scheme by Yan Xia against him.
Shangguan Yao reacted the fastest. He immediately shouted, "Arrest Long Tao!"
But before the policemen around could rush forward, Long Tao suddenly took two steps forward, quickly grabbed Yan Xia as a hostage, and took out his gun again, pointing it at her.
Yan Xia instinctively tried to resist. In her panic, she grabbed the muzzle of the gun with her hand. Long Tao pulled the trigger.
With a bang, the bullet passed through her palm, leaving a small hole.
Yan Xia let out a shrill scream but was still held tightly around the neck by Long Tao, with the gun pointed at her temple. Her hand trembled continuously, and blood dripped down from her fingertips.
The policemen didn't expect him to actually shoot.
Shangguan Yao shouted, "Long Tao, put down your gun. Stop this futile resistance!"