While the world of crime is known for its brutality, it sometimes features strange and amusing incidents. One such case occurred in China, where a planned murder was fortunately thwarted by the police, leading to a surprising discovery. The police were astonished to find themselves dealing with five different hitmen who had been hired sequentially for the job.

The story begins in 2013 when Mr. Wei, a real estate developer, filed a lawsuit against his competitor, Tan Youhui, seeking substantial damages over a competitive dispute. Fearing financial ruin, Tan decided to eliminate his rival by hiring a professional hitman, Zi Guangan, for £220,000. Zi, in turn, subcontracted the job to another hitman, Mo Tianxiang, for £110,000. Mo then hired yet another hitman, Yang Kangsheng, for £30,000 upfront and an additional £55,000 upon completion.

Yang Kangsheng then passed the job to Yang Guangkang for £22,000, who, in turn, hired another hitman, Ling Xiansi, for £11. Ling, however, chose to inform Mr. Wei of the plot instead of carrying out the murder. He offered to help stage a fake death in exchange for a payment.

Upon learning of the plot, Mr. Wei reported the incident to the police. They arrested Ling, and following the chain of subcontracted killers, they apprehended the other hitmen and the mastermind, Tan Youhui. The court sentenced Tan to five years in prison and the other hitmen received prison terms ranging from two to four years. This case stands out as one of the most bizarre and amusing crime stories in China.