Chapter 039

A cold sweat broke out across Director Yang’s entire body.

Someone in the production crew was an actual criminal?

This was far worse than any scandal about illegitimate children or infidelity!

Moral failings could potentially be whitewashed, but legal violations meant nothing but prison bars and tears¹, and they would drag the entire production down with them. If this blew up after filming wrapped, all the crew’s hard work and investment would go down the drain.

Having personally witnessed the child deal with evil spirits, Director Yang didn’t doubt Qiao Man’s abilities for a second. The blood drained from his face. “Who is it? Lin Le? Luo Hang? Yu Yifei?”

Director Yang rattled off a long string of names, all actors in major roles for the series. He listed them by screen time, from most to least.

At this, Qiao Man just tilted his head. “Who are they?”

Not a main cast member? Director Yang let out a small breath of relief. Good, that would make replacing them easy enough.

“Master Xiao Man, could you point the person out for us?” Director Yang asked.

Qiao Man: “Sure.”

“So…”

Qiao Man picked at his fingers. “That’ll be another ten yuan.”

It was just ten yuan, right? Director Yang promptly reached for his wallet. Qiao Man happily accepted the bill, then asked him, “Which one do you want to know about?”

Director Yang: “…”

There was more than one?!

Director Yang felt numb all over. He’d known this industry was messy, but this was the first time he’d realized it was this messy.

People came and went on set every day. Between the on-screen actors and the behind-the-scenes crew, there had to be several hundred people total, and that didn’t count the extras who rotated through daily. Countless unfamiliar faces passed through. With so many people around, Qiao Man only remembered the ones who played with him regularly.

Even if he couldn’t name them, he could point them out directly.

The kid hopped onto his little pedal bike and set off, huffing and puffing with effort.

He pedaled away energetically, a long trail of followers behind him. Director Yang called over the assistant director and others. Xiao Xia hurried to join the procession. Through some strange impulse, Shao Jingqiu found herself following along as well, and then came Lu Jianxing, Maomao, and Pei Xiwang, all drawn over by the commotion.

This was still break time, so the sudden appearance of this parade, especially with the director and the film empress right in the middle of it, immediately drew plenty of attention. Thinking the production had some new arrangement in store, quite a few people left their rest spots and voluntarily joined the procession.

“What’s going on? What happened?”

“I think Xiao Man’s going to catch someone.”

“Catch someone?”

“Is this some kid’s game they’re playing?”

Curiosity piqued, many eyes followed the procession.

When he reached a rest area where a crowd had gathered, Qiao Man squeezed the brakes and came to a stop with his little entourage trailing behind. He planted his feet on the ground and turned to Director Yang. “It’s him.”

Director Yang fixed a sharp gaze on the person across from him.

The one identified was the production’s accountant. The man had been cheerfully relaxed just moments ago, but now this procession had stopped right in front of him. Meeting the stares of the group before him, the accountant’s heart skipped a beat. “Wh-what’s going on?”

Director Yang studied the man with suspicion. He’d followed him through several productions already and had always seemed honest and straightforward. He didn’t look like the sort of person who’d break the law.

But since Master Xiao Man had spoken, Director Yang asked, “What crime did he commit?”

Qiao Man pointed at him and declared in a ringing voice, “He stole money!”

The accountant: “…”

“He stole—” Director Yang’s voice shot up sharply. “Wait, what did you say he stole?!”

The crowd erupted.

As an accountant, this man had access to the production’s bank accounts and controlled its financial transactions. Stealing money? What money? The production’s money, of course!

Cold sweat immediately drenched the accountant’s back.

His voice shot up too, shrill and defensive. “You… what’s wrong with this kid? How can you just spout nonsense like that? How could I possibly steal money?”

The accountant turned to Director Yang. “Director Yang, we’ve worked together so many times. You know what kind of person I am. Every single time, I’ve kept the books spotless, never skimmed a single cent. How could I possibly be embezzling funds? Are you really going to believe what this child says?”

The crowd stirred uneasily, people murmuring among themselves.

If it were an ordinary child, of course they wouldn’t believe it. But this particular child was no ordinary kid. He’d gained a bit of a reputation around the production.

During their time on set, even those who hadn’t watched Wilderness Challenge before had heard about Qiao Man’s exploits. They knew he was a little master with uncanny divination skills, and that he sold useful talismans every day.

But some remained skeptical. “No way, right? Old Fang embezzling funds?”

“How would anyone even know something like that?”

Not everyone believed it. Reality shows had scripts, after all, and talismans might just be psychological suggestion. After the haunting on Director Liu’s set, those who’d been present kept their lips sealed about the matter, not daring to breathe a word—the ghost was still drifting around nearby, after all, and it might overhear them. Of everyone present that day, only Director Yang, who’d gone over to see the excitement, had personally witnessed the scene.

But Director Yang having seen it was more than enough.

His expression grim, Director Yang pulled out his phone. “We’re calling the police.”

Seeing him dial the number, the accountant panicked and lunged forward to defend himself. “Director Yang, how can you believe what this kid says? You know exactly what kind of person I am, otherwise we wouldn’t have worked together so many times. How could I possibly steal money? Do I look like that kind of person?”

“Exactly.” A colleague who knew him stepped in to mediate. “Director Yang, Old Fang couldn’t possibly be that kind of man. Isn’t there some kind of misunderstanding here?”

“But he did steal it,” Qiao Man said innocently. “He stole it just this morning, and he’s already spent half of it by now.”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

A hint of menace flashed across the accountant’s face. Never mind that the person across from him was only a five-year-old child of small stature—terrified that more would be revealed, he lunged forward, trying to clap a hand over the kid’s mouth. But before he could get close, the people beside Qiao Man had already restrained him. Lu Jianxing moved with lightning speed, pinning the man to the ground. Looking up, he saw Pei Xiwang helping hold down the other side.

The accountant’s face pressed against the stone-paved path, heated scorching hot by the sun. He thrashed with all his might, but he was no match for the strength of two fit young men. Pinned to the ground, he couldn’t move an inch. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, large and heavy, and his face contorted with the force of his struggles.

“Save your explanations for when the police get here,” Lu Jianxing said.

Pei Xiwang added, “Master Xiao Man says you’re shady, so you’re definitely shady.”

Director Yang had already dialed the police.

Seeing the scene unfold, the crowd buzzed with chatter. Some colleagues from finance wanted to step in and plead his case, while others tried to mediate. Even the actors who had been resting in their RVs heard the commotion and came out to see what was happening. When word spread that a kid had caught a criminal and actually called the police, more than a few expressions turned to pure disbelief.

Shao Jingqiu stood at the edge of the crowd, quietly watching the chaos before her. Her sunglasses covered most of her face, hiding whatever she might be feeling.

“Xiao Man’s amazing,” Xiao Xia said, standing beside her with conviction. “That guy’s definitely dirty.”

Shao Jingqiu asked softly, “How did he figure it out?”

“Xiao Man does fortune-telling. Maomao told me he can figure out anything and he’s never been wrong.”

“Anything at all?”

The police car soon arrived, siren wailing.

The officer who showed up was an old acquaintance – the same one who had come when Director Liu’s crew called the police last time. This part of the Film and Television Base fell under their precinct’s jurisdiction. Running into a familiar kid on a call, Officer Xiao Chen was amused. “Qiao Xiaoman, you again?”

Last time, this kid had called the police claiming he’d discovered a grave robbery case, and he’d described it with remarkable clarity. Initially, they hadn’t believed the child’s story and had dismissed it as a prank. But out of a sense of duty, they’d contacted the local police at the location the kid had identified. To their surprise, they actually found a tomb that grave robbers had looted, its burial goods cleaned out completely.

By now, that grave robbery case had its own task force, and they were pursuing the robbers across provinces. Since Qiao Man had provided so much information, the police had obtained numerous critical leads, and the manhunt was going smoother than any previous case. Good news might arrive before long.

“Uncle Xiao Chen,” Qiao Man greeted him with a wave, then pointed at the finance guy on the ground. “That’s the man.”

With the police on the scene, Lu Jianxing and Pei Xiwang let go.

After Officer Xiao Chen questioned the finance manager, aided by reports from helpful bystanders, the man confessed quickly.

He really had stolen the money – just that morning – and had already spent half of it.

The reason he’d embezzled the funds was a recent gambling addiction. Years of savings had been poured into this frenzied game and squandered completely, which was why he’d turned his scheming toward other people’s money. This morning had been his first theft. He hadn’t expected to get caught the moment he tried.

Everyone was stunned.

That included the people who’d spoken up for him earlier. They were staring at him now with utter disbelief.

When he’d been spinning denials before, he’d been so full of righteous conviction, swearing he could never be that kind of person. And now, in the blink of an eye, the truth had slapped him across the face.

The finance manager lowered his head, avoiding everyone’s eyes, and mumbled, “I… I didn’t mean to steal… I was going to pay it back once I won the money back…”

Officer Xiao Chen coldly snapped the handcuffs on him. “Save it for the station.”

Officer Xiao Chen put the man into the police car and climbed in himself. Before he could even sit down, someone called out to him.

“Uncle Xiao Chen, wait a second.” Qiao Man pedaled his kid’s bike forward with a rattle of wheels. “There’s more.”

Officer Xiao Chen: ???

Officer Xiao Chen was shocked. “There’s more?!”

Everyone else was horrified. “There’s more?!”

Qiao Man nodded vigorously and led the crowd to another crew member cooling off in the shade. “He steals things too.”

The accused prop master: “…”

Qiao Man pedaled his bike at the front, leading a long tail of followers from one end of the set to the other, pointing people out the whole way. “He swindles people out of money.”

“He’s a robber.”

“He embezzled his relatives’ property.”

“He’s molested people before!”

“He’s evading taxes!”

“…”

From minor celebrities to behind-the-scenes crew members, even the extras who’d been brought in temporarily – Qiao Man rooted out quite a few.

Some, like the finance manager, confessed to their deeds after only a token resistance. Others, banking on a lack of evidence, refused to admit anything even on pain of death. But whether true or false, they all had to make a trip to the station first.

One police car couldn’t hold everyone, and Officer Xiao Chen had run out of handcuffs. He contacted his colleagues, and soon more cars came wailing in.

One after another the police cars arrived. Even passersby beyond the set noticed the commotion, but this area had been rented by the production, so ordinary people couldn’t enter. Director Liu from the neighboring production pulled strings to push his way in and see the excitement.

“What happened? What’s going on? Why so many police cars?”

Director Liu squeezed his rotund frame through the packed crowd and found Director Yang, whose face had turned ashen.

The two directors usually got along well. He nudged Director Yang with his elbow and whispered, “What’s going on?”

Director Yang wiped his face and answered numbly, “Nothing much. Just caught a few criminals.”

Director Liu glanced beside the police cars… A few? Had they stumbled onto a criminal syndicate’s headquarters or something?

The ordinary-looking ones were one thing, but why were there actors still in period costumes?

Still, they were lucky. Catching this now not only stopped the criminals from walking free – it also prevented further losses. If this had come to light after the show finished filming, it would’ve been far too late.

Similarly, when Director Liu saw that the one doing the pointing was Qiao Man, his skeptical words died in his throat before they could even form.

If Master Xiao Man said it, then it had to be true!

But still… wasn’t this a bit much?

It wasn’t just the dumbfounded onlookers having that thought. Even Lu Jianxing, who’d been following the kid as his protector the whole time, was starting to get a little nervous. Seeing the kid still pedaling forward with undiminished determination, he asked quietly, “Xiao Man, there’s more?”

“Mhm. One more.”

One?

Hearing the kid’s answer, everyone trailing behind – including Officer Xiao Chen – let out a breath of relief.

Thank goodness. Just one left.

Qiao Man pedaled his bike, nearly riding beyond the boundaries of the ancient-style buildings. But there were still plenty of people around the edges – many extras were resting here. He squeezed the brakes and came to a stop in front of a middle-aged man.

All eyes turned toward the man.

He was dressed in plain, simple commoner’s clothing from the ancient era – one of the extras hired today, playing a background pedestrian walking the streets. Slightly heavyset with dark skin, he looked honest and simple, like an ordinary laborer. But everyone knew Master Xiao Man wouldn’t point fingers without reason.

Hadn’t several of the people he’d identified earlier already confessed to their crimes?

This was the last one. Director Yang’s mood had gone from shock to numbness, and now he managed a bit of grim humor. “Master Xiao Man, what did he do? Steal something too?”

“What? Me?” The man had been resting here the whole time, unaware of what had been happening outside. At Director Yang’s question, he looked bewildered. “I didn’t steal anything.”

Qiao Man shook his head, looking at the honest-faced middle-aged man across from him. His small face was stern. “He’s a murderer,” he said seriously.

Director Yang: “What?!”

Officer Xiao Chen: “Murder?!”

The crowd gasped collectively. “What?!”

This was far more dangerous than any of the previous cases!

In an instant, the way everyone looked at the man changed.

The man’s mind went blank for a moment, his expression growing even more confused as he looked around at everyone. “What? Murder? Me?”

“It’s him.” Qiao Man pointed at him, then turned and craned his neck up at Officer Xiao Chen. “Uncle Xiao Chen, arrest him.”

“You’re just accusing people now? Out of nowhere, why call me a murderer? Who did I kill?” Seeing Officer Xiao Chen actually walking toward him, the man grew angry. “A kid spouts nonsense and you cops just go along with it? Is this how you handle cases?”

Officer Xiao Chen said sternly, “When someone files a report, we investigate. Comrade, please come with us.”

“I’m not going!”

The man raged, “I’m sitting here resting, minding my own business. Haven’t broken any laws. You show up out of nowhere calling me a murderer. Where’s the sense in that? And you cops, going along with some kid’s prank – where’s your badge? Show me your badge.”

Officer Xiao Chen pulled out his police badge, along with a pair of gleaming handcuffs.

The man shouted, “You need evidence to arrest someone! Who saw me kill anyone? I’ve been here working as an extra the whole time, didn’t go anywhere. If you say I killed someone, there’s got to be at least a murder case, right?!”

Qiao Man tilted his head and looked at him, puzzled. “You killed fourteen people twenty-three years ago. Did you forget?”

The man’s body went rigid. Officer Xiao Chen’s gaze sharpened instantly. Before the man could recover, he and his colleague tackled him to the ground. Click. The gleaming silver cuffs snapped around the man’s wrists.

Four… fourteen people!

Everyone’s eyes went wide. Gasps rippled through the crowd. People’s mouths hung open, but no one could say a word.

Translator’s Notes