The Bayer Federation Revenue Service was the first government agency to use photosensitive materials in investigative work. That was quite surprising, but it was the truth.
Ever since the Mercury Lamp had been invented, some photosensitive materials and their applications had mainly been used in the printing and textile industries. The Revenue Service and the Federal Mint also used large quantities of these photosensitive materials, to the point that people sometimes failed to realize that the banknotes and coins in their hands had actually been thoroughly marked.
And all those marks would be completely revealed by such a simple exposure to ultraviolet light.
He was very satisfied. There were no marks on this batch of coins, which meant that no one was targeting him.
Lin Qi had considered the matter from another person's perspective. Assuming he was someone from the Revenue Service and wanted to catch Lin Qi off guard, what method would have the greatest chance of success? The answer was simple: use a method approved by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Sabine City judicial system to "dye" some coins, then send them into Lin Qi's hands through certain channels, after which they would make their way into Mr. Fox's laundromat.
By then, neither Lin Qi nor Mr. Fox would be able to explain why so many dyed traces had appeared there. All they would need to do was alter the dates on some key evidence, and everything would fall neatly into place.
The entire criminal chain would be complete, allowing them to capture everyone in one stroke. Of course, that was only the simpler method. But the simpler it was, the more effective it would be—or so Lin Qi saw it.
Whether it was "himself," a high school student who had only just entered society, or Mr. Fox, who had spent some time making his way in the world but was still not very clever, neither of them was a match for technological progress.
They would never know that the coins in their hands had been marked. They might not realize why they had fallen until they appeared in court.
After turning off the ultraviolet lamp, Lin Qi scratched his head, poured the coins into another iron box, then carried over a small bucket and poured cleaning solution over them.
Some marks could be revealed through ultraviolet light, while other things required different methods to turn them from latent to visible. Getting rid of them was actually quite simple: chemical cleaning agents.
Whether the marks existed or not, and whether this would be effective, Lin Qi at least felt that he was not being excessively cautious. Or rather, any transaction that might lead to spending the rest of his life in prison had to be handled carefully—excessively carefully.
After finishing all that, he poured some coins onto a mesh screen to dry before preparing to leave. There were still several things he had not finished, such as finding a Coin Sorter.
Since this was a legal business that exploited a loophole in the law, it obviously needed to be made more professional. Sorting the coins would make everything look much more legitimate.
Sabine City had quite a few blacksmith shops. In many people's eyes, blacksmith shops were something "medieval" that should not still exist in a modern metropolis. In reality, however, every city had plenty of them, and their businesses were doing quite well.
On the one hand, the more developed a society became, the more it seemed to produce people who made one question everything. They firmly believed that metal products made through purely manual metallurgical forging were more practical than those produced by soulless machines, because handmade products contained the spirit of the craftsman...
On the other hand, not everyone had enough of a budget to create a mold for a particular product. They did not need piles of goods—they only needed one. That gave blacksmith shops a reason to continue existing.
There were several blacksmith shops around Lin Qi's warehouse office. By staying slightly farther from the city center, they could avoid harassment from the Environmental Agency while also saving a great deal on rent.
After asking three blacksmith shops in a row, and hearing from every blacksmith that they had never heard of a "Coin Sorter," much less had a ready-made one, Lin Qi realized that he had overlooked something else: he needed to file a patent.
Patents were a very special thing. If an ordinary person held a large number of crucial patents, their entire family might mysteriously die, causing the patents in their hands to lose protection immediately.
But if those patents were held by people with influence, they could become turkeys that laid golden eggs.
While making plans to register a patent and hire a lawyer, Lin Qi quickly returned to the office. Close to noon, a woman who looked to be around thirty, wore glasses, and had a few freckles came to the office.
Her clothes might not have been fashionable, but they were tasteful and refined. It was clear that she was at least Middle Class. The clothes she wore would absolutely never be found on members of the lower class or the proletariat.
"Hello, I'm Lin Qi..." Lin Qi took the initiative to extend his hand. His handsome appearance and the distinctive air about him made it easy for him to draw closer to anyone. The young woman also extended her hand without much wariness, shook his, and introduced herself.
"Hello, I'm Vera!"
Lin Qi quickly released her hand and invited Vera into his office. He poured her a cup of instant coffee. "I'm sorry, this place was only just set up, and I haven't had time to decorate it yet. If you don't mind..."
Vera magnanimously expressed her understanding. Lin Qi then began introducing the nature of the company and the business it handled. She listened very attentively and occasionally asked a few questions.
After they had talked for about half an hour, Vera had also drunk some instant coffee. Her expression looked relaxed. "I think I understand now, Mr. Lin Qi. I have to say, you have a very clear understanding of financial auditing. So, do you plan to hire our firm to handle your bookkeeping, or will you directly employ an accountant?"
She immediately explained, "Please rest assured. Our accounting firm has dedicated legal advisers, and we will sign a confidentiality agreement. We absolutely will not disclose any financial information to anyone without your authorization."
"Personally, I'm more inclined toward outsourced bookkeeping. That would save you a considerable amount of money. Many companies in their early stages choose this model."
Lin Qi smiled without answering. Instead, he asked Vera a question that made her face flush slightly. "Are all the accountants at your firm as beautiful as you?"
She lowered her head awkwardly and pushed the gold-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of her nose to conceal her embarrassment and delight at the compliment. At the same time, she shot Lin Qi an annoyed glance.
Her flushed cheeks and utterly charming sidelong look made Lin Qi unable to stop himself from laughing. "Sorry, I didn't mean anything else. I'm not actually a frivolous person, it's just..." He shrugged. "It's like how the Gus People can't help but sing when they see the Goddess of Beauty. When people see something beautiful, they can't help praising it. I hope you can forgive me."
His words made Vera feel secretly pleased, but they also made her sense that something was off about the atmosphere in the room. She was preparing to stand and bid the young man farewell when Lin Qi took the initiative once more, sincerely apologizing for his inappropriate behavior.
"I forgive you..." Vera seemed to have been moved by Lin Qi's sincerity. Or perhaps she simply could not bear to keep giving a handsome young man a hard time. In any case, she forgave Lin Qi for his earlier recklessness and added, "...Besides, I'm not beautiful either."
Lin Qi's faintly smiling gaze stirred an indescribable emotion within her, which quietly began to grow. Her hormones started being secreted in excess, and the chemical victory made her breathing slightly quicken.
As she touched her burning cheeks, she shifted her gaze away from the young man. "You still haven't answered me, Mr. Lin Qi. Which form of cooperation will you choose?"
Lin Qi appeared to think seriously for a moment before answering, "Perhaps I need a full-time accountant, Ms. Vera."
The answer surprised Vera. Most small and micro-enterprises used outsourced bookkeeping. The salary of a full-time accountant could hire nearly two ordinary employees, and wages were also the first major hurdle faced by small and micro-enterprises.
She had thought Lin Qi would choose the simpler and cheaper option of outsourced bookkeeping. She had not expected him to choose a full-time accountant from the very beginning. That caused an absurd thought to grow uncontrollably in Vera's mind—one that soon became reality.
"However, I have one condition. I hope that person will be you!"