The cost of conspiracy

Peter and Matthew belong to two different political parties and are both candidates for the new mayor of Comte City. After a fierce competition, Peter lost to Matthew by a few votes.

Seeing Matthew become the new mayor, Peter was very dissatisfied and always wanted to find a chance to overthrow Matthew. Once, he went to a farm for an inspection and accidentally heard about a drug that could make animals gain weight quickly, and suddenly had an idea. It is known that every May, Comte City holds a traditional and unique ceremony - "Mayor and Councilors Weighing", the purpose of which is to detect whether these government officials are derelict in their duties and wasting taxpayers' money. On the day of the ceremony, the mayor and all councilors have to weigh themselves in front of the citizens. If anyone's weight increases by more than 10 pounds compared to the previous year, according to local law, he will be automatically dismissed.

Peter thought, there are only two months left before the ceremony, if he could get some fattening drugs and put them into Matthew's food, by May, his mayor's seat might not be safe, and his own opportunity would come!

Soon, Peter got the fattening drugs and bribed Matthew's private chef with a large sum of money, quietly starting the "Mayor Fattening" plan.

More than a month passed, and Peter found that Matthew's figure had indeed become fatter. Judging from his physical changes, he had gained more than 10 pounds! Seeing him frowning and worried all day, Peter was very happy.

There are more than ten days left before the ceremony, but just at this critical moment, Matthew was in a car accident and was hospitalized. Hearing this news, Peter couldn't help laughing: "Matthew, it seems your good luck is really over!"

Finally, it was the day of the "Mayor and Councilors Weighing". As in previous years, tens of thousands of citizens came to the municipal square. They wanted to supervise the entire ceremony and exercise their rights as taxpayers. Soon, dozens of councilors successively stepped onto the electronic scale in the center of the square to weigh their weight. The results came out, and none of their weights exceeded the standard, and they all passed smoothly.

Next, it was Mayor Matthew's turn. He was seen with his leg heavily bandaged, sitting in a wheelchair, and was pushed onto the electronic scale amidst the cheers of the public.

After a while, the host announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased to tell you that the mayor's total weight is 250 pounds. Subtracting the weight of the wheelchair, which is 50 pounds, and the weight of the plaster and bandages on his body, which is about 20 pounds, his weight is 180 pounds, the same as last year. Let's congratulate the mayor!" As soon as his voice fell, applause rang out from the audience.

Peter was confused: Matthew's weight had obviously increased a lot, how could it be the same as last year? Could there be fraud? The weight of the wheelchair couldn't be faked, so the only possibility was to tamper with the plaster!

Thinking of Matthew's car accident before the ceremony, Peter suddenly realized: in fact, Matthew didn't have a car accident, and what he was wearing on his leg was not plaster, but a kind of plastic product much lighter than plaster. It looks exactly the same as real plaster, but it is very easy to burn. Peter muttered to himself: "Since it's easy to burn, why not let it burn once?"

In two days, Peter's son Rooney will hold an engagement ceremony, which will be held at the villa on the island. There will be a fire-spitting performance that day. If the fire is "accidentally" sprayed on Matthew's leg, causing the "plaster" on Matthew's leg to burn, then the reporters will naturally help to reveal the truth about Matthew's weight.

Everything was arranged, and Peter came to Matthew's house. At this time, Matthew was resting and "nursing his illness". Seeing that the visitor was Peter, he quickly greeted warmly: "Rare guest, rare guest, what wind has blown you here?"

Peter smiled, took out the invitation, and respectfully handed it over, saying: "Mr. Mayor, tomorrow is my son Rooney's engagement ceremony. I came specially to invite you to the dinner."

"Haha, this is a big happy event! However," Matthew pointed to his leg and said regretfully, "I still can't walk now, I'm afraid it's not very convenient!"

Peter said sincerely: "You are the mayor, if you go, we will be very honored. Besides, Rooney and your son have been classmates since they were young, how can you not go to his engagement ceremony? Don't worry about your leg, we will come to pick you up personally, and ensure that you are well taken care of." Seeing Peter's sincerity, Matthew couldn't refuse and had to agree.

That night, Peter and Rooney took a speedboat to pick up Matthew. When the father and son arrived at the port, Matthew's special car had already arrived. They carefully helped Matthew onto the boat and dressed him in a life jacket. Rooney said with a smile: "Dad, you and Uncle Matthew sit in the back and chat, I'll drive the boat in the front." Peter nodded.

The speedboat started and soon sped across the sea. Peter and Matthew were talking in the back. Halfway through the journey, the boat suddenly jolted, and the waves splashed on Matthew. Peter saw this and hurriedly said, "Mr. Mayor, your body is still weak and you need to keep warm. Let me give you my clothes?" Before Matthew could answer, he took off the life jacket he was wearing outside and was about to take off his coat.

At this moment, the boat suddenly swayed violently, then, as if out of control, made a 180-degree sharp turn. Before Peter and Matthew could figure out what was going on, they were thrown out of the boat by the huge inertia and hit the sea heavily.

Peter struggled to the surface and took a breath. He couldn't help but gasp: the speedboat had already turned upside down, "gurgling" and bubbling. Peter was coughing from the seawater, his body was up and down, and he could be swallowed by the sea at any time. He struggled to paddle and finally grabbed the bottom of the overturned boat, regaining his balance for the time being. He saw Rooney holding the other end of the boat's bottom, angrily asking: "How did you drive the boat?"

Rooney glanced at Matthew, who was floating in the distance, and said excitedly: "I deliberately turned the boat over! Dad, you've always wanted to replace Matthew as mayor, right? Now it's done. His leg is heavily plastered and he can't move. Even with a life jacket, he won't last long. When the search and rescue team comes, he will have drowned. In the end, the police will only say that he died in an accidental accident!"

Peter was distressed: he had never told Rooney his plan, and Rooney would definitely not know that what Matthew had on his leg was not plaster, but a much lighter plastic than a life jacket.

Seeing the speedboat about to sink into the water, Peter screamed: "Rooney, come on, you come over, my water skills are not good, and I don't have a life jacket on me, you come and help me!"

Rooney noticed that Peter was sinking with the speedboat and asked, "Where is your life jacket?"

"I took it off on the boat just now, where can I find it now, you come over quickly, I can't hold on!"

Rooney panicked and wanted to swim over, but he stopped, hesitated for a long time, and then muttered: "Dad, a life jacket can't save two people, you can't let me die with you..."

Peter stared at his son, before he could say a word, he was submerged by the sea along with the speedboat...