Darkness Is Forged Not by Evil, but by Light!

Darkness Is Forged Not by Evil, but by Light!

"Wealth shines with golden light, drawing in everyone lost in the fog of poverty!"

"They might not gain enough wealth to shine themselves, but it can still change their lives, at least a little."

Lin Qi had said those words. In just a few days, all the Newspaper Bosses in Sabine City knew there was someone who could quickly turn Small Change into whole bills—and make a profit from it.

Large amounts of Small Change kept flowing through Lin Qi's pockets and turning into whole bills. It was not just the Newspaper Bosses doing it; some newsstands and retail shops had started doing the same.

A three-percent profit required no effort and carried no risk. To many people, it might have seemed like nothing more than three cents.

But once the principal became large enough, it turned into a considerable sum. One hundred dollars, one thousand dollars—all they had to do was hand their money to Lin Qi and collect even more in return. It was that simple.

According to the Bayer Federation's various wage and working-hours acts, along with adjustments under local laws, an ordinary worker in Sabine City earned around two to three hundred dollars a month.

If the work was more dangerous, the wages might be higher, but such jobs were relatively rare. Generally, that was about what people earned.

Ten dollars was already equivalent to a worker's full day of labor. Yet with Lin Qi, they did not need to do any work at all. They only had to give him the money, and they could earn it.

Some people indeed looked down on it, but far more found it worthwhile.

Large amounts of Small Change began to gather and appear in an orderly stream at Mr. Fox's laundromat.

One day, a week later, Lin Qi was pushing a handcart into the laundromat controlled by Mr. Fox when two men appeared before him. They wore black wool overcoats over suits, vests, and white shirts.

That also explained why Mr. Fox had said Lin Qi did not look like someone from a Federal Government department. He lacked the unmistakable outfit, as well as the arrogance written on these men's faces—the kind that made it seem as though they wanted everyone to know exactly who they were.

"Lin Qi?"

The man blocking the handcart casually called Lin Qi's name, then pulled open the front of his overcoat to reveal the leather credential holder hanging from his pocket.

Half of the holder was tucked into the inner pocket of his overcoat so it would not fall out easily, while the other half, containing his identification, hung outside. The people from the Federal Bureau of Investigation did the same thing. They thought it looked cool.

As for why they had such a stupid idea, it was probably related to some movies that had become popular over the past two years.

It did look cool when actors did it, but when ordinary people copied it in real life, it only made them look foolish.

"I'm an investigator from the Federal Revenue Service. You need to cooperate..."

There was no room for discussion. His tone was more than simply forceful; it had thorns in it.

Lin Qi smiled and asked, "Should I put my hands up?"

In fact, he had known from the beginning that he would have to deal with people like these. And it would not be just this once—he would be dealing with them for a long time. He simply had not expected them to notice him so soon.

That was how this game worked. The golden glow of wealth attracted not only ordinary people desperate to bask in that light and scrape together a little benefit for themselves, but also certain "bad guys" eager to pick at flaws.

His words sounded like mockery toward the two investigators. After all, people usually associated raising their hands with guns.

Clearly, these two investigators were not qualified to carry weapons. In the Bayer Federation Revenue Service system, investigators were the lowest-ranking employees, far beneath "agents" and "special agents," though many people wondered why the Revenue Service needed "special agents" at all.

The man behind Lin Qi grabbed his wrist with one hand and the back of his collar with the other, slamming him against the wall to teach him a lesson. Pedestrians on the street immediately moved away to avoid getting dragged into it.

Some left, while others stayed to watch the show.

After displaying his credentials again, the investigator who had spoken with Lin Qi dispersed the crowd. He pushed Lin Qi's handcart, and together with his companion, brought Lin Qi and the cart into an alley by the roadside.

Looking a little disheveled, Lin Qi rubbed his cheekbone. When his face had been pressed against the wall, it had struck the surface and hurt. It would probably bruise, but he did not care much.

One investigator was rummaging through his handcart. He opened the cart's box and took out several old clothes, tossing them onto the ground as though searching for something.

The other asked, "You've been close to Fox recently. Are you working for him?" He also took out a small notebook and a pen, seemingly ready to write something down at any moment.

The Federal Revenue Service had actually been watching people like Mr. Fox for a long time. But watching did not mean they necessarily intended to bring people like Mr. Fox to justice. Where there was light, there would always be darkness. That was not a trait of darkness, but a trait of light.

If Lin Qi had not appeared, perhaps this strange yet socially necessary balance could have lasted for a while longer—until a new local Revenue Service director took office, or the current director needed some achievements. Only then would they have gone after Mr. Fox.

But now there was Lin Qi. Mr. Fox and Lin Qi—their unusual actions were accelerating certain things beyond control.

Catching a tax evader whose case involved a massive sum was an enormous achievement within the federal tax system, the kind that could earn someone a chance at promotion.

But if they allowed Mr. Fox to crawl out of the mire... no one would praise the current local Revenue Service director. They would only wonder whether some backroom deal existed.

On top of that, possible personnel changes had emerged within the Sabine City Federal Revenue Service, and some people could no longer sit still.

The moment these signs appeared, the local Federal Revenue Service began moving. After investigating Lin Qi's identity and what he had been doing recently, they roughly figured out the situation between him and Mr. Fox.

In the eyes of those Rich Experience agents, Lin Qi was merely a lucky kid who had accidentally found a way to make money. If they used Lin Qi as a breakthrough, they might be able to work with him and take down Mr. Fox's group in one stroke.

But first, they needed to determine exactly what Mr. Fox and Lin Qi were doing, whether it was what they suspected. That was how this "attack" came about.

Even in the face of the vicious-looking investigator, Lin Qi kept smiling. A smile could close the distance between people and lower their guard. "May I know your name?"

The investigator facing him sneered, then suddenly stepped forward and punched Lin Qi in the stomach. In an instant, Lin Qi's insides churned, and nausea rose in his throat.

"You don't need to know my name. You just need to answer the questions, understand?" The investigator grabbed Lin Qi by the hair, forcing him to bend at the waist and tilt his face up at him. "I'll ask you one more time. What dealings do you have with Fox? How does his money get into the bank..."

The muscles on Lin Qi's face twitched. He slowly straightened, and his smile returned. He formed his right hand into the shape of a gun, pressed it beneath his chin, and looked at the investigator. "Do you have a gun? Let me try a bullet..."

His words left the investigator unable to react for a moment. Then embarrassment and anger surged up—but when he met Lin Qi's eyes, it was as if someone had poured a basin of ice water over his head, extinguishing everything at once.

Those bright, clear eyes held a strange anticipation. Combined with the meaning in his voice and that faint trace of chilling madness, they made the investigator's heart clench violently.

He could clearly feel it. This man was insane!

Instinctively, he swallowed and looked away. But then he turned back, stared hard at Lin Qi, shoved him away, and barked viciously, "Answer the question!"

He was already somewhat afraid, only using this manner to conceal it and keep his distance from Lin Qi. He did not want to expose his true feelings to a big kid who had left school only a few years ago.

As if nothing had happened, Lin Qi tilted his head slightly upward toward the narrow strip of sky above the alley and revealed the most brilliant smile.

"May I know your name, sir?"