Chapter 293: I’m Here to Assist in the Case

**Fang Ping**: Hello everyone, this is Focus Interview. I'm your host, Fang Ping. With the continuous progress of reform and opening up, more and more people are doing business. Some make money while others lose it. The notion that business involves risks and requires caution has gradually become common knowledge. But what if someone tells you their business will never lose money and can make you rich? Many would consider this to be a fantasy, but in Zexi City, Jiangnan Province, such a thing has actually happened.

**Xing Yuan** was originally an ordinary worker in Zexi City, but within a few short years, he transformed into a super-rich man holding ten billion yuan, renowned both inside and outside Jiangnan Province.

In Zexi, everyone knows about Xing Yuan. His fame comes from a magic trick called "Big Money Transformation." As long as you invest with him, regardless of the amount, he promises an annual return of 40% to 50%, and up to 120% in the highest cases.

Anyone with a bit of economic sense knows such high returns are impossible. No clear-headed entrepreneur would offer such high-interest returns.

Xing Yuan used high returns as bait, signing cooperation agreements under the guise of joint ventures involving disposable syringes, medical gloves, and silk gauze ointments. He promised that investors would receive both principal and interest on schedule, regardless of the business performance. During the illegal fundraising period, Xing Yuan made people believe in his scheme by paying out profits every two months, with some even receiving interest immediately upon investment and special cases getting double returns. After getting these high returns, many investors continued to reinvest and even became his unpaid promoters.

However, many investors didn't realize that Xing Yuan's unapproved, high-risk fundraising was essentially a black market transaction without legal protection. They invested their hard-earned money into a scam, always facing the risk of it turning into vapor.

What they didn't know was that from the moment Xing Yuan signed his first agreement, he had never managed any project. His scheme involved using new investment to pay old debts—a classic case of "robbing Peter to pay Paul." The so-called joint ventures were complete frauds.

Despite the high returns' allure, people threw their money into the scheme recklessly, creating a wave of investment and rushing headlong into Xing Yuan's financial trap.

...

The television broadcast stopped abruptly as Zhou Ming hit the pause button on the recorder. Zhou Ming asked the person in front of him, "Anything you want to say?"

The person gave a wry smile and said, "What can I say? Winners and losers. There are always reasons to add charges."

"It seems you still don't understand, Mr. Xing," Zhou Ming shook his head helplessly.

Sitting in front of Zhou Ming was the legendary Xing Yuan from Jiangnan. However, compared to before, the man now looked like a shell of his former self—listless and devoid of his previous arrogance.

"I understand what? Understand how you framed me, how you accused me, how you put me in jail and will eventually have me executed?" Xing Yuan shouted loudly, as if stimulated, and even stood up to attack Zhou Ming. But the nearby officers immediately pushed him back into his seat.

A police officer accompanying Zhou Ming said to him, "Mr. Zhou, the prisoner is quite stubborn. We've been conducting intensive interrogations over the past few days, and his mental state is very unstable. Please avoid further provoking him."

Zhou Ming nodded in understanding. Today was already the fifth day since Xing Yuan's arrest. Although the investigation team was sent by the Ministry of Public Security, and their methods wouldn't be too extreme, some measures were unavoidable to conclude the case quickly. According to Zhou Ming's prior knowledge, Xing Yuan's rest time had not exceeded ten hours in these five days.

Given Xing Yuan's current mental state, anything could happen, which was why the police were accompanying Zhou Ming.

Zhou Ming took out a pack of cigarettes and asked Xing Yuan, "Do you smoke?"

"Yes!" Xing Yuan replied harshly. His tone seemed more like he wanted to tear Zhou Ming apart than to smoke. Zhou Ming didn't mind and handed him a cigarette, lighting it for him. Xing Yuan took a hard drag, and Zhou Ming asked how it felt. Xing Yuan contemptuously blew a smoke ring and said, "You don't need to put on this hypocritical act. Just spit out whatever you have to say."

"Mr. Xing, you're still so straightforward. This is more like the Jiangnan legendary tycoon who fought for the management rights of tens of billions in highway funds!" Zhou Ming teased, then continued, "Mr. Xing, you're a smart person. I believe no matter how much I praise you, you won't believe it. So I'll be straightforward. I was indeed invited by the Ministry of Public Security, but I don't plan to talk about resisting or confessing. I just want to discuss some thoughts with you."

"Bullshit!" Xing Yuan sneered.

Ignoring Xing Yuan's sarcasm, Zhou Ming seriously said, "Mr. Xing, you've been here for five days now. Do you still hope to get out? Or do you expect someone to save you?"

"With you here, Mr. Zhou, what hope could I have? I'm just waiting to rot in prison," Xing Yuan said.

"You say that, but I know you must be thinking differently. I know you have several friends in the capital, and some of them have strong connections."

Zhou Ming paused deliberately, carefully observing Xing Yuan's expression. Indeed, he saw an unnatural rigidity, indicating he had guessed correctly.

The nearby police officer also looked at Zhou Ming with some surprise. He clearly saw through Zhou Ming's strategy. Many people knew that smoking could help relax a person's mind briefly, and in a state of mental exhaustion, a cigarette could provide a breakthrough in interrogation. Xing Yuan's unnatural reaction was proof of this. After five days, he had been maintaining a good facade.

This technique was familiar to many experienced officers, but seeing someone use it so effectively showed Zhou Ming's skill.

Having gotten the answer he wanted, Zhou Ming continued, "But that's not important. I'll talk to you more about it later. For now, I have one question: Do you still not believe you are guilty?"

"What crime? I'm just doing good business. How is it illegal?" Xing Yuan said.

"Didn't the Focus Interview just make it clear enough? Mr. Xing, this is illegal fundraising because all your money is obtained through deceit," Zhou Ming said.

"How am I deceiving anyone? I've paid interest to all the investors," Xing Yuan said.

Zhou Ming suddenly slammed the table and shouted, "That's because you used new investors' money to pay old ones. Of course, you could afford it. But if one day no one invests anymore, how will you continue to pay?"

Xing Yuan was startled by Zhou Ming's sudden outburst, standing there dumbfounded before finally saying, "N… no one will stop investing. My interest is so high, and my reputation is excellent…"

Xing Yuan's words lacked confidence. Under Zhou Ming's gaze, his voice gradually weakened.

Zhou Ming disdainfully said, "Mr. Xing, you know you're just lying to yourself. Your business can't continue. As I've emphasized, your returns are ridiculously high. Any rational person wouldn't believe it. Otherwise, why wouldn't those wealthy villages and large state-owned enterprises invest in you? They've seen through your tricks."

"Okay, even if everyone believes you, even if everyone continues investing, how much can you get? Dozens of billions or hundreds of billions? There will come a time when you run out of investors. What will you do then?" Zhou Ming said. "Let's say a hundred billion, with an average annual interest of fifty percent. Your yearly interest would be fifty billion. Without new investments, how many years can you sustain that?"

"This…"

Xing Yuan was speechless, clearly realizing the financial impossibility of his scheme.

Zhou Ming didn't rush to speak. He saw that Xing Yuan's cigarette was almost finished and took it from him, replacing it with a new one. Xing Yuan instinctively thanked Zhou Ming.

Seeing Xing Yuan's reaction, Zhou Ming decided to deliver the final blow: "I'm reporting you because you came to infringe on my territory. The highway fund of over ten billion is a project I proposed. I can't let it go. And you dared to target my woman, so I must teach you a lesson. If you hadn't come to Lingnan, you might have continued with your scam for a while, but since you met me, you're doomed."

Upon hearing this, Xing Yuan suddenly laughed hysterically: "I never expected that in the end, the person I should thank the most is you, Zhou Ming, the one who put me in prison. How ironic!"

The police officers accompanying Zhou Ming looked at each other, confused by Xing Yuan's words. But Zhou Ming understood. Xing Yuan realized that if he continued, the case's amount would only increase, and the impact would be worse. Being caught now might delay things, but reaching the hundred billion level would mean a certain death.

Realizing this, Xing Yuan's mixed feelings of gratitude and frustration were evident.

It's said that a person facing death speaks kindly. Xing Yuan's realization at this moment was perhaps a form of awakening, Zhou Ming thought.

"Mr. Zhou, you've said everything you wanted. I understand now. So what do you want me to do?" Xing Yuan asked.

Zhou Ming applauded Xing Yuan: "Mr. Xing's mind is still sharp. I have nothing else

 to say. Since I'm here on behalf of Governor Chen to assist the Ministry of Public Security's investigation team, I can only say this: Please confess your crimes honestly and quickly. As for other matters, let's not discuss them for now. Based on standard policies and your attitude towards confession, you shouldn't be sentenced to death."

Zhou Ming's words surprised Xing Yuan. He stared at Zhou Ming for a while, seemingly confirming his meaning, and finally nodded thoughtfully, saying, "I understand. I will confess my crimes honestly and repent."

"Thank you," Zhou Ming said.