However, some people seemed oblivious to the situation, ignoring the enthusiastic calls of the two Russian beauties, but appearing quite interested in the black iron gate guarded by two burly men. They walked straight up to it and were about to pull the handle.
"Sir, you've come to the wrong place. The entrance to the Never-Sleeping City Bar is over there." The burly man guarding the left politely stopped Ling Yun, who seemed to ignore him, and pointed towards the door where the Russian beauty was standing. The other burly man, however, seemed completely unmoved and didn't even budge.
Ling Yun then stared at the big man's sunglasses for a long time, just as he had when he first saw him, and smiled slightly: "Sorry, I didn't come here to drink, I just wanted to find someone."
The burly man on the left handrail sized Ling Yun up and down, his eyes behind sunglasses seeming to see right through him. After a long pause, he finally spoke politely, "Sir, who are you looking for?"
“Zhang Haiping,” Ling Yun said calmly.
Upon hearing this name, even through sunglasses, the astonished expression on the burly man's face was clearly visible. Even the burly man on the right, who had been motionless, shuddered and showed the same expression as the burly man on the left.
"May I ask your name, sir? Our boss isn't someone anyone can just see; I need to speak with my superior." The burly man on the left was noticeably more polite, his tone now much more friendly, and even a little cautious. Clearly, the young man's identity puzzled him, but it was rare to find someone who knew the owner of the Never-Sleeping City bar by name. And usually, it was someone with connections within the organization. Out of consideration for the unknown, the burly man had to be courteous to Ling Yun.
Ling Yun thought for a moment and then recited a few nicknames and code words. These were all taught to him by Su Bingyan. The underground world naturally had its own rules of communication, and code words and nicknames were a crucial part of them, varying almost from place to place. If an unsuspecting outsider or a police officer who had never gone undercover tried to conduct an undercover investigation and secretly probe the secrets of the underworld, they would be discovered within a few words.
After listening, the burly man on the left nodded secretly. He raised his sleeve and whispered, "Boss, a gentleman wants to see you." Even though it was less than a meter away and nighttime, Ling Yun could still clearly see the miniature communicator, shaped like a watch, hidden in the man's sleeve. This communicator was a point-to-point fixed communication device. Unlike ordinary walkie-talkies, it not only had exceptionally clear call quality but also allowed communication from any location within a hundred kilometers. Although it couldn't compare to the hidden camera Gu Xiaorou had given Ling Yun, it was still a rare find on the market.
Moreover, Ling Yun also noticed that the two burly men were not wearing ordinary sunglasses. There was a noticeable protrusion surrounded by black rubber at the corner where the lens and temple connected, and the rubber-covered outer skin was evenly distributed with pinhole-sized holes. If Ling Yun was not mistaken, this was also a high-tech night vision goggle, which should also have the function of seeing through things. If you wanted to enter the black door, the two burly men would first be able to tell whether you were carrying a weapon.
After a long pause, the burly man on the left lowered his arm and politely said to Ling Yun, "Sir, please come in. If you really have something to discuss, someone will take you to see the boss."
Ling Yun nodded, opened the black door, and went inside. The black door seemed to be tightly closed, but it was actually unlocked. There was a steel spring latch on the back of the door, so it would close by itself in a short while after being opened, without anyone pulling it.
Behind the black door was a long, winding corridor. Even from more than ten meters away, Ling Yun could still clearly hear the loud DJ music and boisterous voices coming from the bar. It seemed that this Never Sleeps bar was even more popular than Nightfall Bar. However, what no one could have imagined was that beneath the bustling exterior lay countless secret transactions involving murder and drugs.
Ling Yun quickly traversed the long corridor, turning two corners before suddenly finding himself in a spacious and brightly lit hall. A three-meter-high window was tightly concealed by hanging scarlet floor-length curtains, and a massive ten-square-meter chandelier shone a bright yellow light, illuminating the hall brilliantly. To the left of the hall was a reception desk, where seven or eight capable and attractive girls in black vests were busily engaged in some unknown activity. In front of the desk stood a crowd of people of all kinds, most silent and not glancing at each other, simply queuing orderly. However, many of them harbored cruelty and indifference in their eyes, clearly indicating they were not benevolent individuals.
Ling Yun knew that only those with hands stained with blood could possess such cold and cruel eyes. He was certain that most of the people standing here were truly bloodthirsty criminals.
The person at the front of the line first handed the cashier a thick stack of hundred-yuan bills. After a short wait, another girl smiled and presented them with a computer-printed three-part receipt. Those who received the receipt silently walked down the stairs next to the front desk. Then the next person in line took their place.
The entire process was silent, swift, neat, and orderly. Apart from the rapid clatter of the uniformed girls typing and their near-perfect, sweet smiles, there was no other sound. Occasionally, when one or two people tried to exchange gold, silver, hand gestures, or other tangible items such as watches for a receipt, the pretty girls in charge of reception would smile and say, revealing their neat, white teeth, "I'm sorry, sir, we only accept cash."
Those who manage to get here are generally not short-tempered, but no one dares to get angry or argue loudly with the girl. After being rejected, many people look dejected and have no choice but to give up their seats to the people behind them, then sit down dejectedly on a row of leather sofas opposite the front desk, waiting for something.
Ling Yun noticed that many people were already seated on the sofas. However, unless they knew each other, there was always at least one empty seat between strangers. Ling Yun had once read in a book that maintaining distance from strangers was a human instinct; no two strangers would sit close together in an empty seat. Especially in this kind of situation, where everyone could potentially be a difficult person to deal with, maintaining quiet, a low profile, and sufficient distance became particularly important.
The people sitting there were dressed in suits, casual clothes, or tattered clothes. Some were leisurely smoking, while others were looking around. Most of them looked anxious and frustrated, but almost no one spoke, and it was very quiet.
On the sofa, only one spot was particularly noticeable: a young girl, dressed in a floral print short-sleeved shirt and looking like a student, was making soft, whimpering sounds. Her slender hands, painted with dark purple nail polish, gripped tightly a deep red crocodile skin bag resting on her lap. Her entire body, as if boneless, was leaning against the chest of a burly man in his forties, whose thick, dark, hairy arms were tightly embracing the young girl's voluptuous and alluring body.
The two were engaged in a passionate kiss, oblivious to everyone around them. Clearly audible moans emanated from their lips. Lost in their passion, they ignored the intense gazes of many in the hall, while others watched with amusement as the burly man's hand brazenly slipped inside the young woman's blouse, ripped open the collar, and shamelessly kneaded her full breasts through her black bra.
The girl giggled softly as she caught her breath, seemingly oblivious to the burly man's sexual harassment and the intense stares of those around her. Ambiguity and lust openly blossomed and unfolded in the hall.
Ling Yun's gaze fell on the crocodile skin bag that the girl was clutching tightly in both hands. The bag was a world-famous brand, and the bag itself was worth a fortune. It must be filled with even more expensive jewelry and money inside.
Ling Yun glanced at the front desk again. Everyone who paid and received a receipt had paid at least 100,000 yuan in cash, with some receiving over a million. The receipts were special three-part carbonless copies printed by computer, showing only a few numbers, letters Ling Yun couldn't understand, and the date. The front desk kept the last copy as proof, while the remaining two were given to the customers to take away.
Perpendicular to the reception desk and sofas are the stairs and elevator. There's only one elevator, numbered 5, suggesting that, like the Nightfall Bar, the actual business is underground. However, while the Nightfall Bar's underground entrance is relatively hidden, the Never-Sleeping City Bar's passageway is quite obvious.
Not only does the elevator lead to the underground, but the marble staircase, which is wide enough for five people to walk side by side, also clearly leads to both the ground and the underground. However, the people who received the receipts all went down to the underground instead of upstairs.
Several burly men in suits and ties also began to stand in the lobby, their attire identical to that of the guards outside. Ling Yun suddenly felt something was off; it seemed that all the guards in the bar dressed the same. Was there some unwritten rule among the underworld forces? Otherwise, why did all the thugs look identical in black suits and black-clad leaders, and why were they all uniformly burly men? What was the purpose of such attire? Was it just to look cool like in the movie Axe Gang?
Chapter 133 Public Humiliation
A burly man in black, who looked like a leader, looked up and saw Ling Yun. He walked over slowly, carefully examined Ling Yun, and then, seemingly unable to discern anything about him, politely asked, "Young man, are you the Boss Zhang you're looking for? What brings you here?"
"What business is it of yours?" Ling Yun sneered arrogantly. "I want to see him, so you arrange for me to meet him. Other matters are none of your concern, understand?"
This was one of the tips Su Bingyan told him to use to deal with the situation: the more mysterious and confident he appeared about his identity, the better. Sometimes, arrogance and mystery are synonymous with underworld power. As the saying goes, it's easier to see the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings. If he had been low-key from the start, he probably wouldn't have even gotten past the gatekeeper.
In fact, Ling Yun didn't know Zhang Haiping, the owner of this "Never-Sleeping City" bar, at all, and didn't even know Zhang Haiping's height or weight. However, the information Su Bingyan found indicated that Zhang Haiping had close ties with Lao Yao, so they could use Zhang Haiping to find Lao Yao's whereabouts.
Although others might also know Lao Yao, Su Bingyan isn't omniscient or omnipotent. Moreover, those with different paths don't associate with each other; even among various underworld forces, there's an unspoken rule of mutual respect. Besides, Su Bingyan isn't involved in drug or assassin transactions. Therefore, finding this information within a limited timeframe is already quite remarkable. For Ling Yun to find Lao Yao, he must first meet Zhang Haiping, whom he's never met before.
A flash of anger crossed the leader's eyes. This guy looked like a student, yet he was so arrogant. If it weren't for the fact that the guy's identity was so mysterious and he couldn't find out anything about him, the leader would have called his thugs in the hall to swarm him and teach this arrogant young man a lesson.
The idea that good and bad are written all over a normal person's face doesn't apply in the underworld. A seemingly fierce, tattooed, ruthless thug is likely just a bluffing hoodlum. Even a thug who has committed robbery becomes a gentle, obedient lamb compared to the many bloodthirsty criminals.
A seemingly dull, honest person, who might even appear to be a farmer and barely speak, could very well be a cold-blooded killer with countless lives on their hands. Judging someone's identity solely by their appearance could easily lead to the most serious consequences. Only those seasoned veterans who have seen it all can truly discern a person's true nature from their eyes.
The leader naturally lacked the skills and abilities of a big shot, so he had no way of judging Ling Yun's background. Moreover, Ling Yun's mysterious and unknowable origins made him uneasy. Offending someone was a minor matter; if it delayed the boss's business, he would be in deep trouble. Thinking of this, the leader decided to take Ling Yun to see the boss and inform him in advance. If the boss agreed to see him, he would take him in; if the boss disagreed, he could simply kick the boy out and avoid taking responsibility.
"I'm sorry, sir, I really spoke out of turn." The leader smiled apologetically. "Please come with me."
Ling Yun nodded. It seemed the trip had gone smoothly enough. As long as nothing unexpected happened, he would be able to see Zhang Haiping. Of course, Ling Yun didn't have the patience to deal with Zhang Haiping. If Zhang Haiping was cooperative, Ling Yun could consider not resorting to violence.
Violence, while not the best solution, is often the most direct and effective one. Ling Yun dislikes violence, but that doesn't mean he won't use it. Because of this old monster, too much time has already been wasted, and Ling Yun doesn't want to drag it out any longer.
The leader had already turned around and gestured forward, and as expected, he was pointing in the direction of the descending stairs. "It seems bosses prefer working underground," Ling Yun thought. Just as the two were about to start heading downstairs...
ah!
A long scream from a woman immediately drew the attention of the two men to the sofa seat opposite the front desk. Not only Ling Yun and the leader, but most of the people in the hall also turned their gaze to the screaming woman.
A burly, long-faced man with an unfriendly expression was placing his large, fan-like hand on the shoulder of the young girl who had just been flirting with the man in his forties.
In the blink of an eye, the burly man in his forties had vanished, and the young girl was now standing close to the long-faced, unfriendly-looking man. The speed at which the man was replaced was far too fast.
On her bare shoulders, clad in a halter top. Ling Yun was also surprised to find that in just a short while, the young girl had not only changed the person she was flirting with, but also changed her clothes. When she first came in, she seemed to be wearing a floral print short-sleeved shirt, but now she had magically changed into a pink strapless halter top.
The long-faced, burly man's withered, yellow hand was ambiguously caressing the young girl's bare, white shoulder.
"What a talent!" Ling Yun thought to himself. He had only exchanged a few words with the head of this Never Sleeps bar, and the man had already changed completely without even needing to go into the changing room. He wondered how many people had been treated to a feast for the eyes while he was changing.
The girl slapped the long-faced man's hand away without hesitation, her face showing disgust: "Who the hell are you? Don't touch me. I don't know you. Get the hell away from me."