Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 440 - 436 Did Heart of the Ocean Get Lost, Friends Out of Nowhere

Chapter 440: Chapter 436 Did Heart of the Ocean Get Lost, Friends Out of Nowhere

Auction House, basement.

Because the bandits had blown open the basement wall and then used it as an escape route from the auction venue, this place was thoroughly blocked off by the investigative department.

However, since this wasn’t a homicide scene and the bandits had already been captured, the forensic investigators from the department finished up rather quickly.

Since there were no innocent civilians injured during the incident and the only deaths were either bandits or international criminals, the investigative department was somewhat casual in their evidence collection.

They basically wrapped up as soon as they finished taking pictures, and after inspecting the location once or twice, the investigation concluded, even the quarantine tape was taken down.

The staff of the First Auction House were also back on site, beginning to tally the number of collections.

But as they counted, they were suddenly stunned.

Because "Heart of the Ocean" was missing.

All other items of the collection were intact and accounted for.

But the single most important piece, the showstopper of the evening, the Heart of the Ocean, had vanished.

The staff reported the loss of the Heart of the Ocean up the chain until eventually the news reached the auction house boss.

The boss panicked upon hearing this, as the Heart of the Ocean had come from an important figure.

If this person became angry, the boss wouldn’t be able to withstand their wrath.

The boss hastily ordered all subordinates, whether they were at work or had gone home, to come back immediately and search for the Heart of the Ocean!

The auction house underwent a massive search, practically scouring every corner time and again.

Unfortunately, the Heart of the Ocean was still nowhere to be found.

In the end, the boss, left with no other choice, had to make a call to the current owner of the item.

"Mr. Zhang, we have confirmed it—the Heart of the Ocean is indeed missing."

From the other end of the line, there was silence.

But droplets of sweat began to emerge faintly on the boss’s forehead.

"Are you sure you have searched everywhere?" After some time, the other side finally asked.

"Mr. Zhang, the Heart of the Ocean... it should have been there, but it’s just not there..."

"I have mobilized all the staff, searched inside and out three or four times. Even an ant couldn’t hide from us, but the Heart of the Ocean, it..."

Since the boss had put it this way, it was obvious that the person at the other end understood the gravity of the situation.

Another silent pause ensued.

Gathering his courage, the boss tentatively asked, "Mr. Zhang... do you need me... to notify the investigative department?... They just left not long ago, I can still call them back..."

"You want to involve the investigative department; are you trying to expose my identity?"

"Well..."

The boss paled with shock, for he could sense the dissatisfaction in the voice on the other end.

Drenched in sweat, he could only blot his forehead with a tissue, extremely cautious, daring not to even breathe too heavily.

"Mr. Zhang, we don’t reveal the names of the item owners. It’s anonymous, anonymous..."

"Anonymous is worth shit!"

The boss tried to say something else, but he was abruptly cut off by the rough interruption on the other side of the phone.

"Do you understand this is a 2 billion jewelry theft? The moment the investigative department starts their investigation, the first thing they will check is always the information of the item owner. They’ll check their background, whether they have enemies or adversaries, and then follow these leads one by one—that’s their standard procedure!"

"The minute you report it, the investigative department will trace it back to me first. The holder of this 2 billion jewelry is me, but all my assets are public record. Do you want me to face an internal investigation prematurely?"

This roar-like questioning caused the boss’s sweat to continuously fall from his forehead, already beyond control.

"Mr. Zhang, my mistake, my mistake, I should not have mentioned the investigative department!"

"I’ll get a private investigator on it right away, the very best, and I will make sure we recover the Heart of the Ocean for you as soon as possible!"

The boss hastily apologized, submissive in his attitude, like a grade-schooler who had made a mistake.

"Immediately, right now, you only have 24 hours!"

"Yes, yes, I’ll sort it out, I’ll sort it out..."

After hanging up the phone, the boss realized his underwear was soaked, his heart pounding fiercely.

Talking to that person on the phone had put immense pressure on him.

But he no longer had time to think further, as he directly pulled out his phone and began contacting investigators, issuing investigation tasks.

The investigation tasks he issued were all anonymous, and he contacted only familiar investigators to ensure the affair would not be publicized.

What he feared most was that the Investigation Department would catch wind of it.

Once the Investigation Department found out about the jewelry worth 2 billion that he had lost, they would probably spring into action.

And this was also what the boss was worried about—he dared not involve that person in any matter.

If that person were to become displeased, his status as the owner of the First Auction House could be replaced at any time.

With this thought, the boss sighed deeply in his heart.

"The Heart of the Ocean, it must be found..."

Right after the boss and "that personage" had finished their phone call, several men in suits entered the basement.

"We’re men from Mr. Duanmu, representing Mr. Hu Yaode from the Blackfoot Law Firm. We’re here to take away the collectible he has won in the auction!"

These men came to the basement and found a manager in charge of the place, submitting some paperwork.

"Mr. Duanmu’s men!" The manager also knew about the collectible that Hu Yaode had won in Duanmu Heizu’s auction.

In fact, if it weren’t for those last-minute complications, Hu Yaode spending so much money on that item could have become a topic of conversation among the internal staff of the First Auction House.

But now, the manager had no mind to worry about that, as he confirmed the paperwork was in order and then led the men to the place where the collectible was stored.

"This is the collectible. You’ll have no problem moving it, right?"

"No problem!"

A few sturdy men approached the collectible, ready to lift and move it away.

"Hold on!"

But suddenly, a voice interrupted them.

"Who’s there?"

The sturdy men and the auction house manager all looked in the direction the voice came from, and saw a man in the uniform of the Martial Association Field Staff.

"You are..." the manager quickly asked.

"I’m Field Officer Xia Donghai. Today we received a citizen’s report claiming that the First Auction House lost a collectible worth over 2 billion, so I’ve come to check the situation!"

Upon these words, the men in black stiffened, and the manager’s face also changed slightly.

The sturdy men had received orders to just take the collectible, and that no one would come to interfere during the process.

And the directive the manager received was to act covertly, absolutely not to alarm the Investigation Department.

But why was a Field Staff member appearing now?

And furthermore...

Who had leaked the news?

"Officer Xia, you must be mistaken. If there were a lost piece of jewelry at our auction house, we would definitely report it immediately!"

The manager quickly went forward, his words full of denial.

It was a joke—the boss had instructed that the Investigation Department must not be alarmed in any case, and this Field Staff member also needed to be sent away.

Otherwise, if the Field Staff spotted something and reported to the Investigation Department, that would be the end of it.

"Is that so, no lost jewelry?" Xia Donghai also walked up to the manager and asked coldly.

"No, no, absolutely nothing of the sort!"

The manager’s head shook like a bobblehead.

The sturdy men behind him, who had been ready to move things, also breathed a sigh of relief.

If there was no problem, their moving of the items would not be hindered.

"Then why not take me to see the Heart of the Ocean? The report I received was about the loss of this piece of jewelry!"

"This..."

The manager inwardly exclaimed in alarm, as what he feared had come to pass.

It was as if the entire world knew we had just lost the Heart of the Ocean.

Could there be a traitor within the auction house?

Or could it be that those private investigators contacted had leaked the news?

"Xia Field Officer, really, there’s nothing of the sort, our auction house hasn’t lost anything!"

"If nothing’s been lost, then why not take me to have a look? I’d love to behold the splendor of a 2 billion jewel myself!"

"This... This isn’t something I can decide on..."

"Manager, why do you sound so unsure of yourself?"

Thinking the manager’s refusal would lead to a compromise, Xia Donghai, however, found a crack and pressed on relentlessly.

"If the jewelry hasn’t been lost, then having a look should be no big deal. Could I really take the Heart of the Ocean away right under the noses of so many of you?"

"But if, after I check, it turns out the jewels are missing, then I’ll have to report it to the investigation department. After all, we’re talking about a jewel worth 2 billion. I believe the auction house would want to be responsible to the owner of the collection, right?"

The manager looked terrified and thought to himself, this little field officer really has the nerve to push me further.

Yet, he couldn’t flare up because, despite their modest status, Martial Association Field Staff were, after all, civil law enforcement officers.

If matters were not handled properly and criminal law enforcement got involved, it would become a different story.

However, come to think of it, hadn’t the investigation department and the on-site field officers already left? What was this field officer up to, coming here so late at night?

"Ahem, Xia Field Officer, aren’t you perhaps overstepping your bounds?"

Finally, someone couldn’t sit still any longer and made their way to the basement as well.

"You are... Lawyer Hu?"

Seeing the newcomer, Xia Donghai’s brows furrowed.

This person, although he had not interacted with him before, had quite the reputation.

Hu Yaode, at odds with his son-in-law, Zhang Wei.

"Xia Field Officer, indeed, I am Hu Yaode, and I’m here to inspect my successfully auctioned collection too!"

Hu Yaode pointed to a space-themed collection surrounded by four burly men, then moved closer to the bank manager, "Xia Field Officer, I believe the investigation department hasn’t received any notification about lost jewelry, because if they had, they would have confirmed the missing information with the auction house immediately. Yet, they hadn’t received such news, which obviously means you took it upon yourself to check, right?"

"Moreover, the auction house is already internally conducting inventory checks on the collection. If any missing jewelry is indeed discovered, I trust they will report it to the investigation department straight away, so, Xia Field Officer, your actions are quite suspicious, aren’t they?"

As he spoke, Hu Yaode narrowed his eyes, "Could it be that you, Xia Field Officer, are planning to guard against theft only to steal for yourself, using the excuse of checking whether the collection has gone missing to snatch something from the First Auction House?"

Xia Donghai inwardly cursed, "Brother, good move."

Indeed, Hu Yaode, as a defense lawyer, had in just a few sentences twisted his "investigation of the missing jewelry" into an act of "taking advantage of the situation for personal gain."

"Lawyer Hu, I am a Martial Association Field Officer, and definitely not the criminal you describe, you..."

"Who knows though?" Hu Yaode sneered, then once again turned to Xia Donghai, pressing him, "Right, Xia Field Officer, it shouldn’t be your shift now, should it? If you’re active outside your shift, have you notified your supervisor, or do I need to help you report that?"

"This..." Facing a lawyer, Xia Donghai inevitably fell short against the other’s eloquence and for a long while couldn’t find the words to respond.

Indeed, none of these lawyers are good—each one a damned scoundrel!

Seeing Xia Donghai about to concede defeat, Hu Yaode knew that today’s task was in the bag.

"Xia Field Officer, if there’s nothing else, then please don’t obstruct our work. I need to take my collection, legally auctioned today, home. I’ve had a space waiting in the grand hall of my villa just for it!"

As he spoke, Hu Yaode took the auction procedures and paperwork from the manager’s hands and flaunted them in front of Xia Donghai.

The implication was clear: I’ve followed the proper legal process, and you can’t stop me.

Provocation!

Barefaced provocation!

"Lawyer Hu, are you in such a hurry to get back and share the spoils with your boss, Mr. Duanmu?"

But just then, another teasing voice echoed from the entrance of the basement.

At that voice, Hu Yaode’s expression drastically changed.

He would recognize that voice, even if it turned to ash!

That damn brat!

Zhang Wei!

There at the basement entrance was Zhang Wei, walking down step by step, hand in hand with Xia Qianyue.

The two approached Xia Donghai and stood confronting Hu Yaode.

"Lawyer Zhang, what do you mean by this? I’m simply taking the collection I won, or do I need your permission for that?"

"Or is it that you’re still bitter about losing to me in the auction, intent on taking revenge by not letting me leave?"

While he spoke, Hu Yaode waved the documents in front of Zhang Wei, his face brimming with arrogant smugness.

"I know that Xia Donghai is your father-in-law and the girl with you is your girlfriend; you wouldn’t be thinking of getting them to investigate me, right? If you do, your whole family can look forward to a lawsuit."

"You, Zhang Wei, in collusion with the Field Staff and investigators, have illegally detained my collection and held me against my will. I am going to sue them for abuse of power and perverting justice; none of you will get off easily!"

Facing the threat, Zhang Wei just laughed: "Lawyer Hu, why are you in such a hurry?"

"What are you saying? Who’s in a hurry?"

Hu Yaode looked towards the auction manager beside him, who subconsciously nodded.

You did seem a bit hurried just now.

Nobody had really said anything yet, but you’ve already launched into a grand narrative with threats, clearly showing a guilty conscience.

"Lawyer Hu, if you want to take that item, of course I won’t stop you, I could even offer to see you off, arrange two bodyguards to escort you, after all, it’s worth 50 million!"

As Zhang Wei spoke, he raised a finger: "But, but if Lawyer Hu intends to take away items that don’t belong to you, that would constitute theft!"

"If the missing jewel is valued at 2 billion, that’s considered severe theft, an extremely large amount, a solid criminal case!"

Upon hearing this, Hu Yaode’s face showed extreme shock.

Still, he tried to maintain composure, "Lawyer Zhang, what do you mean? Now we’re just spouting nonsense without any proof? When did I steal anything, do you have evidence?"

"Lawyer Hu, are you still playing ignorant?"

Zhang Wei walked slowly, pointing to the collectible surrounded by a few burly men, and said with a smile: "If I’m not mistaken, the Heart of the Ocean is hidden inside that piece of collection, right?"

This statement unsettled even the auction manager.

What are you saying?

The fact that the Heart of the Ocean has gone missing has been exposed, and that thing is inside the collectible that Hu Yaode won at the auction?

Wait a minute, has the loss of the Heart of the Ocean really been exposed, and how does it seem like everyone knows about it?

"Lawyer Zhang, what kind of joke are you making? I don’t understand what you’re talking about," Lawyer Hu retorted.

"Still acting, Lawyer Hu?"

Seeing that Hu Yaode wouldn’t admit until he saw the coffin, Zhang Wei didn’t beat around the bush.

"First, the time when the Heart of the Ocean went missing. I always thought it was taken by that international female thief during the minute the lights went out just before the final item went under production."

"After she took the Heart of the Ocean, that gang of bandits acted, blowing up the display for the Heart of the Ocean and preparing to retreat with it. But by that time, the Heart of the Ocean had already been switched by the female thief."

"Those robbers never thought that after all their hard planning, what they got was a fake!"

Zhang Wei said with a sneer, "That’s why I have no respect for these robbers; they have no skill at all."

"Look at the female thief, she took the Heart of the Ocean and even managed to disguise herself as a waiter to leave the scene. If I hadn’t seen her acting suspiciously earlier, she might have really gotten away."

Hu Yaode sneered after hearing this: "What a joke. If that female thief took the Heart of the Ocean, the Investigation Department would have known a long time ago."

But Zhang Wei caught the implication in Hu Yaode’s words, smiling as he retorted: "Lawyer Hu, how do you know that the female thief didn’t have the Heart of the Ocean on her?"

"The female thief is dead, but only the heavy case team of the Investigation Department knows about it because they found the body. This information hasn’t been made public yet. You’re just one of the guests attending the party tonight; you couldn’t possibly know the confidential information of the Investigation Department."

Zhang Wei stepped in front of Hu Yaode and asked coldly, "Are you the one who killed the female thief?"

Sweat began to bead on Hu Yaode’s forehead.

However, after a moment of silence, he then explained: "I have a friend who happened to see the female thief’s body and told me about it."

"A friend?" Zhang Wei chuckled.

You, surnamed Hu, also like to make friends out of nowhere?

This explanation is pretty much just deceiving ghosts.

However, Zhang Wei didn’t care about that point.

"The female thief is indeed dead, and no Heart of the Ocean was found on her!"

"Doesn’t that mean the person who killed her took it?" Hu Yaode spoke again.

"You’re wrong, Lawyer Hu!"

Zhang Wei shook his finger, "In fact, the female thief did not take anything. She died in a dead end, and the fatal blow came from above her, indicating that the assailant only killed her and did not take anything from her body."

"So I was thinking, what if the female thief’s mission wasn’t to steal the Heart of the Ocean? What if her task was to hide the Heart of the Ocean on-site rather than take it off the premises? Don’t you think that would make more sense?"

At these words, Hu Yaode’s expression changed again.

It became somewhat astonished, somewhat uncontrollable.