I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

Chapter 108 Diary of the Dead

They followed Zhao Qiang to the basement, where the air was even more damp and chilly. Zhao Qiang opened a hidden door, revealing a small room.

"This is the room, you can see for yourself." Zhao Qiang's voice was low, and there was a hint of fear in his eyes.

The three of them walked into the room, and Zhang Wanqing turned on the lights. The room was filled with various documents and some strange equipment. Fu Siyuan immediately began taking pictures, recording every detail.

Li Wei's eyes were sharp. He noticed a computer and walked over to it and turned it on. The screen showed some encrypted files, and he immediately began to try to crack them.

Zhang Wanqing began to look through the documents. She found some records about medications, and her heart beat faster. These documents seemed to confirm that the cause of death was related to drugs.

At this moment, Li Wei successfully cracked the computer password and opened the encrypted file, which contained some videos and photos. The videos showed some scenes of illegal transactions, while the photos showed some familiar faces.

The three people's expressions became solemn. They knew that this massage center was not just a simple massage center. There was a huge illegal network hidden behind it.

They returned to Zhao Qiang's office. Zhao Qiang saw their expressions and knew that they had discovered something.

"What...what did you find?" His voice trembled and fear was revealed in his eyes.

Li Wei looked directly into Zhao Qiang's eyes and said firmly, "Manager Zhao, we need your cooperation. The things behind this massage center are much more serious than we thought."

Zhao Qiang was silent for a moment, then said, "I can tell you more, but you must ensure my safety."

The three of them exchanged glances and nodded.

Zhao Qiang took a deep breath and began to narrate: "This massage center is actually a cover. The real business is... an illegal transaction."

Zhang Wanqing frowned. "Illegal transactions? What exactly is that?"

Zhao Qiang whispered, "It's some banned drugs and... some illegal human experiments."

Fu Siyuan's face turned pale: "Human experiment? This is terrible."

Li Wei clenched his fists, his voice filled with anger: "We must call the police immediately."

Zhao Qiang hurriedly said, "Wait, if you call the police, I'll be dead."

Zhang Wanqing said calmly, "We won't put you in danger, but we must reveal this truth."

Zhao Qiang nodded, a hint of gratitude in his eyes.

The three left the massage center with heavy hearts and determination. They knew that this case was much more complicated than they had imagined.

A chilly night breeze brushed against the faces of Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei. Standing beneath the dim streetlight, they clutched a weighty clue—the deceased's diary. This diary could be the key to uncovering the truth of the case, or it could be the beginning of a deeper vortex that drags them deeper into the maelstrom.

Zhang Wanqing's eyes gleamed with determination as her fingers gently stroked the diary cover. As a journalist, she had a special sensitivity to words, knowing that every page might contain the deceased's final words.

Fu Siyuan's camera lay quietly in his backpack. At this moment, he was more like a detective, observing everything around him with sharp eyes. He knew that every detail could be the key to solving the mystery.

Li Wei's brow furrowed, his police instinct telling him that the contents of this diary could be very dangerous. His body tensed, ready to respond to any possible threat.

They chose a quiet cafe as their temporary base. The soft lighting and soothing jazz music in the cafe formed a sharp contrast with their tense mood.

Zhang Wanqing opened the diary. On the first page was written: "When the truth is covered up, silence is the biggest lie." She took a deep breath and began to read slowly.

The diary recorded what the deceased saw and heard in the massage parlor, as well as his suspicions about the place. The words revealed the deceased's anxiety and fear, as if he knew he had been involved in a dangerous game.

[Diary Excerpt] "Today, I went to 'Ye Lan' again. The service there was the same as always, but I always felt something was wrong. I noticed the eyes of some customers, they seemed to be hiding something. I began to suspect that 'Ye Lan' was more than just a massage center."

Zhang Wanqing read the diary with a frown on her face. She could sense the deceased's uneasiness, as if he were sitting across from her, whispering his fears.

Fu Siyuan was recording the key information in his diary. His pen moved quickly across the paper, and every word seemed like digging for the ore of truth.

Li Wei was thinking about the connection between the information in the diary and the clues they already knew. His brain was like a sophisticated machine, piecing all the information together bit by bit.

As they turned the pages of the diary, they discovered a shocking fact - the deceased seemed to be secretly investigating the illegal activities of the massage center, and he was close to the core of the truth.

[Diary excerpt] "I found a secret room where some documents and equipment were stored. I secretly took some photos, but I didn't dare to show them. I knew that if I exposed them, my life might be threatened."

Zhang Wanqing's hands trembled slightly. She knew the value of this diary, and also knew the danger it brought. She looked up at Fu Siyuan and Li Wei, and their eyes flashed with the same determination.

"We must be careful, this diary may make us a target." Li Wei's voice was low, and there was a hint of worry in his eyes.

Fu Siyuan nodded: "We need to keep this information confidential and find more evidence."

Zhang Wanqing closed the diary. She knew they had embarked on a path of no return. But for the sake of the truth, they had no choice.

Just as they were about to leave the cafe, a familiar figure appeared at the door. It was Chen Hao, a close friend of the deceased. His appearance surprised all three of them.

"Chen Hao? Why are you here?" There was a hint of vigilance in Li Wei's voice.

Chen Hao looked a little flustered: "I...I was just passing by and saw you here."

Zhang Wanqing's eyes were sharp. She sensed Chen Hao's nervousness and decided to test him. "We were just reading the deceased's diary. What do you think about this?"

Chen Hao's expression changed, and his voice trembled: "Diary? I don't know what diary."

Fu Siyuan observed Chen Hao's reaction and felt that Chen Hao seemed to be hiding something. He decided to get straight to the point: "Chen Hao, we know that you have a good relationship with your friend. Are you really unaware of what he is investigating?"

Chen Hao lowered his head, his hands tightly gripping the coffee cup, as if searching for courage. After a moment, he raised his head, his eyes revealing a hint of determination: "Okay, I admit, I know something."