Chapter Four: The Toad That Ate Money

Blackbean peered over Lu Chen's shoulder. “A goldswallow toad. Don't feed it clean money. It gives them indigestion.” “Money can be clean?” “Money can't. Hearts can.” A duty-free manager ran through the security cordon clutching a safe, insisting it contained the day's receipts. The toad, listless until then, swelled at the scent. Its tongue slipped through the keyhole and pulled bundles of cash into its mouth. When the manager tried to seize them back, a bright trail of lie-embers burned from his lips. “Not store receipts,” Lu Chen said, pinning the safe. “Whose accounts are these?” The toad belched like thunder and spat out a hard drive. Su Wanqing found records of smugglers laundering money through airport stores.