Zhao Longfei thought for two seconds, arranged his face into a smile, and answered the call on speakerphone so Qin Siyang and Sun Linshou beside him could hear.
"Hello, Minister Choi. What is it?"
"Principal Zhao, I heard Sun Linshou was attacked while investigating Jiang Yuanrui's case in Area No. 7. How is he now?"
"We're worrying about that very thing. We arrived a step too late. Although we killed his attacker, we found Sun Linshou's body in the sewer."
"Sun Linshou is dead?"
Zhao Longfei sounded dispirited. "Yes. Dead as can be."
"This is going to be trouble! He died right after questioning you and Qin Siyang. Neither of you can possibly clear yourselves of suspicion. You'll have to come to my Department of Justice for questioning."
"For how long?"
"Hard to say."
Zhao Longfei knitted his brows in distress. "Minister Choi, Area No. 7 has only just settled down. Taking me away now would cause us enormous losses. Is there any way you could make an exception?"
"Principal Zhao, this wasn't just anyone who died. He was a deputy minister of the Department of Justice, and he'd publicly fallen out with both of you. I don't have much room to maneuver..."
"Minister Choi, we've worked together for so long. I'm sure you can find a solution if you put your mind to it. After all, your Department of Justice will be handling this matter anyway, won't it?"
"Well, in light of our years of cooperation, I'll suggest a way. Have your Zhao Family secretly hand over half its Crystal Coin quota to me, and I'll find a scapegoat to take the blame for everything."
"Half?" Zhao Longfei shook his head. "You're asking far too much this time, Minister Choi. The Department of Justice's entire Crystal Coin quota is