Jintong returned to the town's police station with the gold bar tucked inside his jacket. During the day, he had to stay in the holding cell; only at night did he enjoy the freedom to come and go. This was a secret arrangement between him and Lou Qingyun, and once broken, he would have to bear the consequences alone.
He and his four brothers had been separated. As a prime and dangerous suspect, he was placed in solitary confinement, meaning he had no way of knowing how the others were doing, nor would anyone come to tell him. He guessed that Lou Qingyun must have assigned other tasks to them as well, and he wondered how they had fared. Hopefully, they hadn't been as unlucky as he was.
By the dim light of the cell, Jintong reached into his pocket and pulled out the slender gold bar, which had been warmed against his body until it was burning hot. He cradled it in his palm, examining it closely. This was his first chance to look at a gold bar at such close range, and his heart was filled with stealthy delight, yet tinged with a lingering panic. From time to time, he pricked up his ears to listen carefully to the sounds outside, guarding against anyone coming in and catching him red-handed.
Chapter 508