How You Can Sue Me for My Crimes in Dreams

”Zhang Jian, you son of a bitch! Who the hell did you recruit?!”

Chu Linhai cursed, clearly getting anxious.

”Just a young guy. He’s right up my alley, and his abilities are outstanding.”

Zhang Jian said evasively. He knew that if he didn’t take this call, the other man would probably come all the way to Linlan City to kill him.

”What’s his name?”

”What do you mean, ’what’?”

”I’m asking what his name is!”

”His name... It’s a good name. A very good name.”

”You motherfucker!”

Chu Linhai’s blood pressure was soaring. ”You old bastard, you recruited Xu Huo?!”

”Old Chu, have you eaten yet?” Zhang Jian asked.

”Piss off!”

”You deserve to die. You really fucking deserve to die...”

Chu Linhai’s face was beet red as he cursed in a rage.

Back when Xu Huo was in high school, he had sensed that there was something different about him, which was why he sponsored him from time to time. As he had hoped, Xu Huo got into the police academy and even graduated first in his class.

This self-proclaimed quasi-father figure couldn’t stop grinning, just waiting for the kid to join the force and take over.

But in the end, the damn kid ran off to become a private detective...

He was so angry he nearly had a stroke. He chased Xu Huo all over the place, beating him up every time he saw him, and things only improved slightly after Xu Huo became a consultant.

After that, Xu Huo cracked three major cases in a row, which put his mind at ease considerably. He had even started planning how to get Chu Xi to whisper a few sweet nothings in his ear.

But he never, ever expected...

He just sent him to a friend’s place to lay low for a bit...

And the guy vanished!

”Why was I so blind back then to ask you for help...”

Chu Linhai cursed, his face flushed and spittle flying everywhere. A young Police Officer passing by the office shivered and hurried away, clutching a folder.

”Sigh, this wasn’t my decision. It came from the higher-ups. There was nothing I could do.”

Zhang Jian sighed.

When the higher-ups reviewed the case wrap-up, it wasn’t just about the bloodshed. They had to look at future planning, operational adjustments, and the strength of our police force.

But as he had said before, the only real talent in Linlan City was Wang Hu...

So what police force were they supposed to show off?!

But, as long as they could prop up Xu Huo, there would be no problem.

The higher-ups would definitely be puzzled to see a non-staff member listed. Once they got curious, they’d dig up his file, and once they saw that file...

My god. Solved the Jesus Case in eight hours, the Corpse Repository Case in twenty-four hours, the Radio Station Case in four days, and the Bombing Case in thirteen hours.

Four major cases in one month, and he handled each one with ease. He maintained a 100% clearance rate on cases of this magnitude, and with incredible efficiency!

This stellar resume, this astonishing track record...

Who wouldn’t be blown away by that?!

Having someone like him stationed in Linlan City is more effective than a vaccine!

The most crucial part is that he’s only 23!

That means his future potential is limitless. He could protect the city for at least thirty years!

Even if you were nitpicking, the most you could criticize is his status as a non-staff member. And what’s a little flaw like that?

So...

”The contracts from the province and from Linlan City... it’s all official business that requires Xiao Xu’s cooperation. We were forced into it, really.”

Zhang Jian sighed and said in a grave voice.

But Chu Linhai wasn’t buying it.

He knew it. He’d sent his kid away to lay low, and it turned out he wasn’t the only ’parent’ around anymore.

”Bullshit!”

”I can almost fucking hear you laughing all the way from Jiangsan City, you old bastard!”

Chu Linhai continued angrily. They were cut from the same cloth; they both knew how the other operated.

”Alright, alright. Linlan City really lucked out this time.”

Zhang Jian stopped suppressing his laughter. While it was official business, that business had certainly benefited Linlan City.

”Give him back, now!” Chu Linhai said.

”The contracts are already signed. Besides, it’s not like we’re restricting his personal freedom.”

Zhang Jian said.

”You...”

Chu Linhai felt a bit stifled.

’If Xu Huo becomes a police officer, his consultant status in Jiangsan City could be canceled, but the ones with Hanhai Province and Linlan City can’t be.’

’If a major case comes up then, Hanhai Province will definitely requisition him. Will he count as my man or Hanhai Province’s?’

’All in all, I’ve taken a loss for no good reason.’

’Yes, even if he doesn’t become a police officer, it’s still my loss.’

After a long while, he sullenly hung up the phone and sat in his chair, feeling dejected.

He now felt like his precious daughter had been spirited away by some punk with bleached hair.

’I have to think of a way...’

...

...

「Meanwhile.」

Xu Huo had just walked out of the office. He weighed the file folder in his hand for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.

’Whoa, Hanhai Province is certainly showing a lot of sincerity!’

Xu Huo could tell just how sincere they were by the weight.

’There’s at least 200,000 in the bag from the province, and another 200,000 from the city.’

’400,000 in total, all issued as a bonus.’

Was it a lot?

It sounded like a lot. After all, 400,000 these days could buy you several small apartments, with enough left over for renovations!

But compared to the trouble he had resolved, it wasn’t that much.

Forget 400,000—even 4 million or 10 million, as long as it solved Linlan City’s problems, Hanhai Province would pay without hesitation!

400,000 was just the official limit for a bonus, not the limit of what Hanhai Province was willing to pay.

Because the Eastern Country didn’t allow Bounty Hunters, criminal rewards were often capped and couldn’t be too high. Even in the future, a fugitive wanted for wiping out an entire family would only have a bounty of a few hundred thousand.

After a moment of thought, Xu Huo took out 100,000 and handed it to Wang Hu.

”Donate it to a children’s charity.”

Xu Huo instructed.

”Aren’t you afraid they’ll pocket it?”

Wang Hu was a little surprised, his eyebrow raised.

The vast majority of charity platforms were just scams to get money.

For example, with some platforms, you might donate 1,000,000, knowing they take a cut. You tell yourself they’ll take 300,000, and 700,000 will go to the kids, and you accept it after getting over the mental hurdle.

But in reality...

You’d be lucky if 50,000 out of that 1,000,000 was actually used for charity.

Why?

Generally speaking, there are two reasons.

First, some charity platforms are practically just scams, exploiting people’s sympathy.

Second... if the money is distributed and all the illnesses are cured, who’s going to keep donating? The sicker and more miserable the patients are, the more people donate. That’s sustainable development, and that’s how they get the money.

It’s like how if all the diseases in the world disappeared, the first to panic would be the pharmaceutical companies.

Of course, there are good charity platforms too.

Like the one founded by a certain celebrity in the country, or the international Red Cross. The former is quite good. The latter, you could say, is a great tree infested with termites; despite the pests, it can still provide shade.

”Let them pocket it. Let them pocket as much as they want.”

Xu Huo chuckled.

”I’m not afraid of someone pocketing it. I’m afraid of *no one* pocketing it.”

At a time like this, when the Linlan City officials are on edge, whoever dares to touch this money will pay the price.

If they don’t pocket it, the money will be used normally to treat the sick.

If they do, they’ll be arrested on the spot, and we can root out the corrupt ones without affecting future donations.

All in all, it’s a win-win.

”Alright.”

Wang Hu didn’t say anything more, just nodded and took the money.

He was quite impressed that Xu Huo could just pull out 100,000.

Taking out 100,000 from a 400,000 windfall might not sound like much, but that’s because you can’t feel the weight of it.

To give a simple example.

In a previous life, when people used digital loan services and electronic payments, they often couldn’t control their spending. It was easy to overspend or even casually borrow money.

But when using real cash, they would spend much less, let alone borrow money frequently.

Besides the convenience of online spending, the biggest reason for such a huge difference was the ’weight’.

A string of numbers and a stack of actual bills feel completely different to a person!

With 400,000, you only realize the weight of donating 100,000 at once when you’re actually holding the cash in your hands.

Wang Hu was about to leave when he seemed to remember something and quickly turned his head to look at Xu Huo.

”Oh, right. Someone came looking for you. They seem to know you pretty well.”

”Looking for me?”

Xu Huo paused, his brow furrowed.

’Know me pretty well?’

’Do I know anyone in Linlan City?’

’Wait... No, that’s not right. I think there actually is someone!’

”Where are they?”

”In the lobby.”