The Villain Slaps The Protagonist’s Halo - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Stepson of a Prestigious Family

This revelation caused a national sensation. Jiang Yang, still grappling with negative publicity from his alleged marriage scam, was suddenly implicated in a murder case overnight. People fervently debated his role in this incident.

Fang Yan's arrest was a bullet shot directly at them, catching Meng Qian and Jiang Yang off guard. However, as they hadn't directly committed the act, Jiang Yang remained composed, cooperating with the police at the station without a trace of worry. He hadn't killed nor ordered the murder, so he had nothing to fear.

It was Meng Qian who couldn't shake off her unease after Fang Yan's arrest. She was restless, afraid Fang Yan might spill something.

"Don't worry, Fang Yan isn't just any petty thief; he won't talk." In the office, after ending a call with Jiang Zhaolin, Jiang Yang pinched the bridge of his nose, standing up to comfort the visibly distressed Meng Qian.

Meng Qian looked uneasy, managed a forced smile, but stayed silent. She knew Jiang Yang couldn't dispel her inner turmoil. Four days had passed since Fang Yan's arrest. Typically, if the police lacked concrete evidence, Fang Yan should have been released within 24 hours. But now, Fang Yan was still in custody without bail, and Jiang Yang hadn't gathered any information during these days.

As one of Moon City's foremost tycoons, in this trivial murder case, all of Jiang Yang's connections seemed ineffective. Even the police station's chief turned down any requests to see Fang Yan, which was highly abnormal.

Meng Qian had a feeling this was orchestrated. Why else would the police suddenly raid a construction site, find Jiang He's body, arrest Fang Yan with such conviction, and prevent Jiang Yang from intervening? This was far from normal.

She suddenly remembered the siblings from the Huo family she'd seen at the hospital.

Huo Qing had visited Yan Su at the Jiang residence before and had been present at the hospital. Yan Su had even been operated on by their grandfather. This detail, she dared not share with Jiang Yang.

"Afterward, news broke that Jiang He had been strangled before being abandoned at the construction site. The authorities swiftly found the murder weapon, and when someone suddenly stepped forward to confess, they were quickly exposed by the police as an imposter. Fang Yan remained detained at the police station. The rapid progress of the case and the firm stance of the authorities were astounding. After all, the perpetrator was Fang Yan. For years, the Moon City authorities had exhausted all resources trying to bring him to justice, illustrating how cunning and elusive he was. It remained unclear what evidence they now held that securely kept Fang Yan detained at the police station.

However, what stunned people even more came afterward. Within a few days, Moon City's renowned Hei Chi Gallery was seized for suspected money laundering, and the mastermind behind it was none other than Fang Yan.

Hei Chi Gallery wasn't the largest or finest in Moon City, but it held the greatest renown, largely due to Meng Qian, the gallery's contracted artist. A few years ago, Hei Chi Gallery was moderately known, not widely recognized, but after signing Meng Qian, they continuously sold his works for hundreds of thousands, even millions. Soon, Meng Qian became the media's proclaimed genius artist, and the prices of his artworks soared. Especially after Jiang Yang acquired his painting 'Phantom Orchid' for three million, Meng Qian's fame skyrocketed, and his art value surged. Not to mention the ripple effect following his engagement to Jiang Yang. Adding up from his initial signings to now, Meng Qian had amassed a total sales revenue of sixty million at Hei Chi Gallery.

Despite countless voices initially questioning Meng Qian's works, it seemed as though Meng Qian was favored by the heavens, steadily rising against all odds. He even won the heart of Moon City's wealthiest, Jiang Yang, leaving many envious.

However, that was all yesterday. Today, Hei Chi Gallery was shut down for money laundering under Fang Yan's operation, and the person in charge was taken in for questioning by the police. The news erupted online, dominating trending topics, and the public began speculating wildly. The victim was Jiang Yang's cousin, the killer was a mafia boss, the boss operated the gallery for laundering money, and Jiang Yang's fiancé, Meng Qian, was the gallery's top artist. Who knew what complexities lay beneath this surface!

A murder case entangled so many lives, even dragging down the famous Jiang Yang and Meng Qian. Who could predict what shocking twists lie ahead?

After learning of the gallery manager's arrest, Meng Qian finally panicked entirely. But he hadn't had time to prepare. The gallery was sealed in the morning, and by noon, the police stormed Jiang Residence and took Meng Qian away.

These past two days felt like an ongoing drama series, with daily episodes. Even the local market vendors chattered about this incident in their spare moments.

The authorities' actions in this case were overt and unapologetic. Every development was promptly announced to the media, and several news outlets had established dedicated segments for continuous coverage.

It seemed someone behind the scenes intentionally propagated this case, aiming for widespread attention.

After Meng Qian was taken away, Jiang Yang also noticed this. His beloved was taken away in handcuffs, and despite numerous calls, he felt powerless. Even those in the political circle, who were close to him, were reluctant to intervene. At this moment of helplessness, Jiang Yang finally realized what true despair meant.

"He's just a tycoon, not an emperor, thinking Moon City revolves around him," Huo Yun closed the news page and remarked casually while leaning on Ye Xiao Jue's shoulder, watching two figures strolling by the lake nearby. She couldn't help but exclaim, "Our Su Su is really something. Without revealing a thing or saying a word, he's brought down both Jiang Yang and Meng Qian. How do you think Su Su found out about the location where Jiang He's body was hidden after being killed?"

"If you're curious, ask Su Su," Ye Xiao Jue poured her a cup of tea, wrapping an arm around Huo Yun's shoulder, basking in the sun in their courtyard.

"No, spoiling it in advance would ruin the fun," Huo Yun replied.

"You really treat it like a TV series?" Ye Xiao Jue chuckled. But wasn't this case from the start a daily explosion, each day unveiling a new bombshell, meticulously set to detonate at a specific time?

"Updated," Huo Yun swiped, revealing the latest news.

According to the police investigation, the young artist Meng Qian indeed took part in the gallery's money laundering scheme. The authorities released the contract between the gallery and Meng Qian, showing that all of Meng Qian's artworks, right from his graduation, were used by Fang Yan for money laundering, explaining why Meng Qian's works could fetch such high prices."

-------

Table of content - Next Chapter >>> 

• You can access publicly available chapters of "The Villain Slaps The Protagonist’s Halo" right HERE.
• Your invaluable feedback and ratings mean the world to me. Please take a moment to rate this novel at Novelupdate.
• You can also check out the other Novels I'm currently translating by clicking HERE.
• If you come across any mistakes within this chapter, kindly notify me in the comments below, so that I can make the necessary corrections.