Qi Licheng arrived at the company entrance with a dark expression, climbed into his Porsche, and slammed his fist against the steering wheel.
“Ah!!!”
“Wumao, Jia Dan, I’m going to make you wish you were dead!”
After venting his anger, Qi Licheng pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
“A Jiu, find those two bastards, Wumao and Jia Dan. Put out a wanted notice. I want to strip them alive with my own hands!”
A Jiu was one of the two trusted men Qi Licheng had previously sent to handle affairs at the mine. As for the other, Leopard, his whereabouts remained unknown to this day.
After hanging up, Qi Licheng leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes for a moment before dialing another number.
The phone rang for a long time before someone finally answered.
“Young Master Cheng, to what do I owe the call?”
“You can’t use my channels anymore. My father has noticed something. He specifically asked me about the drugs just now. Things have gotten especially tense in Jinchuan recently, so we have to put this on hold for now.”
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end, followed by a mocking laugh.
“Young Master Cheng, you say we stop, and we stop? What am I supposed to do with my shipment?”
“That’s your problem. In any case, you can’t use the venues here in Jinchuan anymore.”
“Young Master Cheng, are you trying to burn the bridge after crossing it?” The other man’s tone turned cold.
“Don’t forget who helped you cover the several tens of millions you lost in Aomen. And I’ve kept all the evidence of you providing venues for me to move your goods. If you dare cut off my source of income, I won’t mind sending it to your father—or…” The other man paused. “Sending it to the police.”
“You fucking dare! Believe it or not, I’ll kill you!”
The man on the other end didn’t take his threat seriously at all.
“Heh heh heh… Young Master Cheng, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that threat just now. But this is your one and only warning. There won’t be a next time.”
“I’ll say it again: the channel in Jinchuan cannot be stopped. Not only can it not stop, but next month’s shipment has to be doubled.”
“You’re crazy!”
“My father is already suspicious. If we keep this up, something will happen!”
“That’s your problem. It has nothing to do with me.”
“Beep, beep, beep…”
Qi Licheng was about to say something else, but the other man had already hung up.
Furious, he slammed his fist against the steering wheel again.
He had actually known for a long time that he’d been set up.
That kind-hearted big brother who had taken the initiative to lend him money to turn his luck around at the casino in Aomen had never been kind at all. The whole thing had been a carefully designed trap—a damn pig-butchering scam!
The man’s purpose was to deceive him and use his venues as cover for selling contraband.
But it was too late for Qi Licheng to do anything now. All he could do was grit his teeth, swallow his anger, and follow the man’s demands.
…
Jia Dan had been living very comfortably these past few days.
After all, he had taken down seven of the Wanlong Society’s venues in one night. Overnight, he had become a legendary figure in the western part of Jinchuan.
His exploits were being passed around by every street thug in the city.
“Did you hear? Rascal Egg led his men and took down seven of the Wanlong Society’s venues in one night!”
“Seven? I heard it was more than that—at least thirteen.”
“Holy shit, he’s that tough? What was Young Master Cheng’s reaction?”
“What else could it be? He must be planning to give him more responsibility! I heard Young Master Cheng is handing all those venues over to him. Jia Dan has really risen to power this time.”
“Rascal Egg is badass!”
“…”
The rumors became more exaggerated with every retelling, and Jia Dan’s status rose along with the praise.
These days, he walked through the streets with his chest puffed out. Even the local bosses who had previously ignored him now took out cigarettes the moment they spotted him from a distance, greeting him with flattering smiles.
Many people also came to join him of their own accord, hoping to make something of themselves alongside him.
Jia Dan naturally accepted everyone without exception.
In just a few days, the number of men under him had skyrocketed from a little over thirty to more than a hundred.
Of course, most of them were only there for the reputation. They weren’t truly loyal to him.
At the Great Splendor Bathhouse.
After taking a bath, Jia Dan lay on a sofa in the lounge wearing a bathrobe, his legs crossed and a cigarette between his fingers as he puffed away contentedly.
A local boss was sitting beside him. In reality, he was nothing more than the leader of a small gang with a little influence. Now that Jia Dan had risen to prominence, he wanted to curry favor with this powerful new ally.
“Brother Jia, you’re incredible! Absolutely incredible!”
“From now on, Brother Jia, you’ll be Young Master Cheng’s right-hand man. Don’t forget to look after your brothers. You eat the meat, and just leave me a little soup.”
The flattery sent Jia Dan soaring. His entire body practically floated toward the ceiling, and for a moment, he even felt as if he were the underground emperor of Jinchuan.
With a grand wave of his hand, he declared, “Of course, of course. We’re all brothers here. Whenever there’s a big deal in the future, I’ll definitely bring you in. You can count on that.”
“Not to brag, but these days, I’ve got people and venues. If there’s anything you need, just ask. In Jinchuan, apart from Young Master Cheng, my word carries the most weight!”
The local boss immediately showered him with praise. “Brother Jia, you’re a true friend!”
“Since Brother Jia treats me with such loyalty, I’ll make this promise today: whenever you need something, just call me. I, Big Brother Crooked Mouth, won’t hesitate. I’d climb mountains of blades or plunge into seas of fire for you. If I even frown, then I’m no son of a human being!”
“What if someone comes after me with a knife?” Jia Dan asked jokingly.
Big Brother Crooked Mouth pounded his chest and swore, “Then I, Crooked Mouth, will be the first one to charge in! I may not be as brave as you, Brother Jia, but I’ve been out here for many years, and I know that loyalty is the most important thing. If Brother Jia ever gets into trouble, I’ll definitely help!”
Jia Dan was pleased with his declaration. He reached out and patted Crooked Mouth on the shoulder.
“Good. Since you’ve put it that way, we’re brothers from now on. We’ll make money together, drink together, and sleep with women together—”
Before he could finish, the door was suddenly kicked open from outside, and more than a dozen men stormed in.
The man leading them was lean and had a buzz cut.
It was Qi Licheng’s subordinate, A Jiu.
Behind him were more than a dozen men, each carrying a steel pipe or a baseball bat. Every one of them wore a murderous expression.
The moment they entered, they shouted, “Who’s Jia Dan?”
Jia Dan turned toward the commotion. The sight of the men startled him, and he instinctively sat up to look at the newcomers.
The leader looked vaguely familiar, but Jia Dan couldn’t immediately remember where he had seen him before.
“I’m Jia Dan. What can I do for you, brother?”
A Jiu sneered. “Who I am isn’t important. What matters is that someone sent me to take you somewhere.”
“Who?”
“Young Master Cheng.”
When Jia Dan heard those words, he froze for a moment before visibly relaxing.
“So you’re brothers sent by Young Master Cheng! You scared me for a second. I thought you were someone else.”
“Brother, what does Young Master Cheng want with me? Is he giving me more territory? Come on, let’s go. I’ll even bring a couple of bottles of good liquor so I can have a proper drink with him.”
A Jiu shook his head expressionlessly.
“No need to bring liquor. Young Master Cheng isn’t inviting you for a drink.”
“Then what does he want me for?” Jia Dan asked.
“Young Master Cheng says he wants to strip your skin off with his own hands.”
？？？
The flesh on Jia Dan’s face twitched as he stammered, “B-Brother, this has to be a misunderstanding, right? I’m absolutely loyal to Young Master Cheng…”
A Jiu couldn’t be bothered to waste his breath on him. He raised a hand and waved. “Take him.”
The dozen or so men behind him immediately raised their weapons and charged at Jia Dan.
Terrified, Jia Dan turned and fled, but it was already too late. He had barely reached the doorway when someone kicked him from behind, sending him sprawling to the floor. A savage beating followed.
“Don’t hit me! Don’t hit me! I’m one of you!”
“Ahhh!”
Jia Dan clutched his head and screamed. Just as he was nearing despair, he looked toward Crooked Mouth, who was still sitting there obediently, and cried for help, “Crooked Mouth, we’re brothers! Save me!”
The moment Crooked Mouth heard his name, his heart lurched and his scalp prickled. All he could do was lower his head and pretend he hadn’t seen a thing.
At the same time, he cursed Jia Dan and his ancestors to the eighteenth generation in his heart.
What a load of crap about being Young Master Cheng’s trusted aide! He was nothing but a con man!
Crooked Mouth had actually treated this bastard like a brother just moments ago, and now the man even had the nerve to ask him for help.
As if that were ever going to happen!
Jia Dan’s shout also drew A Jiu’s attention to Crooked Mouth.
A Jiu sauntered over and stood in front of him, looking down from above. “Hey, he’s asking you to save him.”
Crooked Mouth hurriedly waved his hands. “I don’t know him! I’m just here to take a bath!”
A Jiu looked amused. “Wasn’t he your brother?”
Crooked Mouth deliberately played dumb. “What brother? Don’t make things up! I’ve been making my way in Jinchuan for years, and the person I respect most is Young Master Cheng. If I’d known this bastard had offended Young Master Cheng, I would’ve been the first to take him out!”
Hearing this, Jia Dan was so furious he nearly spat up blood. “Crooked Mouth, fuck you!”
After cursing him viciously, he added mournfully, “People these days are so damn disloyal. What happened to brotherly loyalty? I’m ashamed of all of you!”
Then he suddenly remembered something. Raising his head, he shouted at A Jiu, “Brother Jiu! Brother Jiu! Stop hitting me! I have important information! I know where Wumao is. I’ll take you to him!”
A Jiu’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You know where Wumao is?”
“I do! I do!”
Crooked Mouth nodded frantically. “That bastard called me this morning. Brother Jiu, give me a chance. I’ll take you to capture him and make up for my crimes! But I do have one small request…”
“Speak!”
“Um… if someone’s going to be skinned, could you skin Wumao first?”
A Jiu glanced at him with an ambiguous smile.
“Sure.”
