"..."
After another period of silence, Da Ruan's tone seemed to have softened considerably. He sighed helplessly, "Fine, what are your conditions for releasing my brother?"
I paused for a moment, then sneered, "Fine, agree to three conditions, and I'll consider sparing Xiao Ruan's life!"
"you say!"
"My first condition is that I want Cobra! These guys are the ones you hired... I want all of their lives!"
Da Ruan seemed a little troubled. He hesitated for a moment, but then said very frankly, "I'm afraid I can't do it... I'm short-handed right now. These people are very powerful, and I'm afraid my men might not be able to take them all down."
I laughed: "You don't need to lift a finger. Just sell them to me, and I'll do it myself!"
"Can!"
"My second condition... I want money! After a war, the defeated party pays reparations, that's international practice, right? Not much, just twenty million US dollars!" I sneered, "That's not a low price... but since you, Nguyen, plan to leave Vancouver and take your brother back to Vietnam to retire... then you don't need to keep too much money in a place like Vietnam where prices are low, right?"
"Money is not a problem." This time, Da Ruan answered quite readily.
Indeed, what's the point of keeping money if the person is gone?
"The third condition... I want someone!!" I held the phone in one hand, but my other hand was already clenched into a fist! Gritting my teeth, I slowly said, "I know you planted a mole here! This person, you must give him to me! I want to skin him alive!"
"Deal!" Da Ruan seemed to be willing to do anything to save his brother's life.
I casually gave him an account number, which was a Swiss bank account. Da Ruan immediately said that he would transfer 20 million US dollars into the account within 24 hours at the latest.
"I'll spare your brother's life for now... Come back to me after you've fulfilled all three of these conditions."
I hung up the phone and then closed my eyes.
"Xiao Wu, are you really going to let Xiao Ruan go?" Xi Luo interjected.
I smiled and gave a slight smirk: "I only said I'd spare his life, not that I'd let him go."
"But I understand you want Cobra, you want that mole... but you want twenty million dollars... why?"
I gave a wry smile, patted Xiluo on the shoulder, and looked at the guy seriously: "Xiluo, Xiluo... you don't know the cost of living until you're in charge! Since I took over this business, the fighting, the weapons used, the compensation for the dead and wounded, the funerals... all of that costs money! But we haven't had any income for a while! Most of the brothers in the repair shop don't know, only the accountant and I know... the little money we have in the repair shop is almost gone! Damn, do you think our family is a mountain of gold and silver? Eighth Master used to control the finances too tightly, all the money was in his hands. Now that he's dead, legally speaking, it's all his property. What if we can't get it? So many brothers rely on me for their livelihood, I can't just go home empty-handed. Heh..."
Seeing that Xiluo remained silent, I continued, "Don't worry about the money. I've already had Little Pig contact Attorney Zhou. The documents related to the assets controlled by Eighth Master are definitely with Attorney Zhou. He's one of our own, so there shouldn't be any major problems. Besides, we've been having a tough time lately, and so have the other gangs! The police are cracking down so hard right now, which establishment dares to open for business? They've all run out of supplies and are now living off their reserves! If the police keep raiding like this, in less than half a month, without us even having to do anything, those gangsters' underlings will riot because they're out of money! Who's going to be in the underworld if there's no money?"
I explained all this to Xiluo with a purpose. I really wanted Xiluo to get rid of his inner turmoil as soon as possible, and the best way to do that was to give him more things to do... and also to let him know that I was going through a difficult time and needed him as a brother!
"What's next? Is there anything else to do?" Xiluo asked. "Shall we go back? Or go somewhere else?"
I suppressed my smile and said slowly, "No...we're going..."
I gave an address.
There are some things that it's time for Ciro to know!
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter Forty-Nine: Deception
The car wound its way through the streets and alleys, eventually arriving at a secluded spot. This was an old town area, the roads riddled with potholes, sure to turn into a muddy mess after a rain. The surrounding buildings were all old, casting a grey hue over the streets. The metal window sills and fire escape staircases on the buildings were rusty, and the sidewalks were quite dilapidated. As our car slowly entered this street, I told Xiluo to slow down.
I only knew the address, but had never been here before. I drove slowly, trying to make out the house numbers on the dilapidated buildings, which were now gray and obscured. Finally, I found the address I was looking for.
After I had Xiluo park the car, I led him into a three-story building.
As soon as we entered the first floor, we saw an old man sitting on a chair by the entrance. He looked like a homeless person, holding a tattered newspaper, with a wine bottle next to him. There were also some suspicious-looking people behind the surrounding buildings.
Ciro frowned: "This is the most chaotic and filthy area in all of Vancouver. What are we doing here?"
I smiled and asked, "Do you know this place?"
“Of course.” Ciro smiled wryly. “I grew up in Vancouver, at least. It’s known as a dumping ground, full of prostitutes, thieves, drug addicts, thugs… Normal people rarely want to come to this neighborhood.”
I pursed my lips, said nothing, and instead pulled Xiluo up the stairs. The outer layer of the dilapidated walls had peeled off in many places, revealing the brickwork underneath. The stairs had a suspicious, damp smell. When we reached the third floor, a man was standing by the window at the top of the stairs, smoking. He was Chinese, wearing a simple jacket, and looked quite capable. Seeing me coming up, he paused for a moment, slightly surprised, but then nodded and greeted me.
We didn't speak, only exchanged glances. Ciro stared at the man for a long time, then suddenly frowned and said, "I think I've seen this person before... He... he looks like a policeman?"
I laughed: "You have a very good memory."
Indeed, this Chinese man was one of Officer Jeff's men. Ciro had definitely seen him before. The first time I met Officer Jeff, he and several other Chinese officers brought Ciro and me to the police station; we had a brief encounter then.
Xiluo wasn't a talkative person, and seeing that I wasn't going to elaborate, he didn't ask any further questions. Anyway, since we were already here, I would explain to him later if there were any problems.
Two tattered wooden planks lay across the doorway; a rickety door like this could probably be smashed open with a single shoulder thrust by any slightly strong young man. Under Xiluo's questioning gaze, I pushed the door open and went inside.
Inside was a room with two men in plainclothes sitting inside, chatting. One of them was none other than Jeff, a Chinese police officer!
"Oh, Xiao Wu, you're here." Jeff nodded to me, walked over, and smiled. "Alright, now that you're here, I think my mission is almost complete... Good heavens, my two brothers have been guarding this place for days, they're practically going stir-crazy. This favor you asked me to do is really not easy!"
"I will pay a price that will satisfy you," I replied simply, then immediately asked, "Where is he?"
“It’s inside.” Jeff tilted his head, then walked into the room. There was a door inside, and after pushing it open, there was a small room of about ten square meters. The room had no windows, only a bed and a television. There were two beer bottles and a few empty cigarette packs on the floor.
A young man, about twenty years old, with yellow skin and black hair, was sitting cross-legged on the bed, watching TV with a somewhat dejected expression.
As soon as I entered the room, I smelled a strong odor of alcohol and frowned slightly. The young man on the bed immediately perked up when he saw me enter! But his expression quickly changed, as if he had thought of something, and his previously rosy face turned pale!
He hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "...Fifth Brother."
"Okay." I walked over. Seeing that he wanted to stand up, I waved my hand: "You still have an injury on your leg, don't move around, sit down."
The young man had bandages wrapped around his thigh, clearly indicating that he had suffered a leg injury that had not yet healed.
Xiluo looked at the young man in front of him with a puzzled expression and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Huh...aren't you Xiao Huang? What are you doing here?"
Xiao Huang. A young man in his early twenties, he's a big shot in the repair shop, a loyal follower. Like Xi Luo, he's also one of the rising stars at the gym…
Moreover, and more importantly, his surname is Huang, and he is the nephew of the deceased Old Huang.
When Lao Huang and the other three died, the police sent officers to the repair shop to inspect the vehicles, leading to a standoff. Xiao Huang, this impulsive young man, suddenly heard that his uncle was dead. Enraged, he grabbed a gun and rushed out to see his uncle's body.
In that tense situation, with both sides on the verge of conflict and the police on high alert, a large group of young men suddenly rushed out with guns. Following Western police practice, they would typically fire first! Fortunately, the other side didn't intend to kill. The shot only hit his leg, temporarily incapacitating him. As a result, Xiao Huang, who was shot in the leg, fell to the ground and was dragged back by the police. He was temporarily arrested.
However, things took a sudden 180-degree turn afterward!
The bodies of Lao Huang and the other three were brought back after Jeff and I secretly negotiated. According to Chinese custom, the deceased should be placed in a coffin, and close relatives should dress them in their burial clothes!
And that's where the problem lies!
“Xiao Huang, I’m sorry to have troubled you these past few days by keeping you here. I know you might have some complaints about it. If you’ve felt wronged, I apologize in advance! But I have my reasons. The situation a few days ago was really too risky to cause any trouble, and this matter couldn’t be exposed at the inappropriate time…” I sat down, looked at Xiao Huang, and said slowly.
Xiao Huang's young face was somewhat gloomy, but more so with sadness: "I...I know, Brother Xiao Wu. I don't resent you...it's just that I..."
As he said this, he rubbed his eyes hard and wiped away his tears.
"Alright." I patted his shoulder. "You are you. I know this. You've carried too much on your shoulders... I understand that you feel wronged and guilty about this... You need to understand that I brought you here and even sent people to watch over you. It's not out of any ill will, but rather to protect your safety. Do you understand?"
"clear……"
"Hmm." I nodded, gesturing for Ciro to stand next to me. Jeff was very perceptive; he could tell from the situation that we might be discussing something important, so he tactfully left, closing the door behind him.
"Xiao Huang!" I said sternly, "Now there are three of us here. You can tell me everything you discovered that night, from beginning to end! Start from the beginning, don't leave out a single word! Understand?"
"Yes, I understand!"
Then, Xiao Huang took a deep breath and began to tell his story...
My father died early, so my uncle took me in. I've been working in the auto repair shop for eight or nine years, working under Eighth Master. My uncle took good care of me, and I'm very grateful to him... In addition, there were several other older brothers in the auto repair shop who also took good care of me, but the one who treated me the best was Li Datou.
Li Datou is eight years older than me and was also raised by my uncle. He's the person who treats me the best, besides my uncle. He treats me like an elder brother.
Because we are close, we know each other quite well. For example, I know he has a habit that is different from others.
Li Datou's family had only one son per generation for three generations. In their hometown, superstition prevailed, and they had a folk remedy for warding off evil spirits. Li Datou always wore men's underwear with a slit in the crotch area. Even if many underwear styles had a sewn-in crotch, he would still use scissors to cut a separate slit.
I lived in the same dormitory with him for a year, so I know his habit.
Also, Li Datou said he loved eating sweets when he was little, so his second-to-last tooth on the top left got decayed and eventually fell out halfway. Because it wasn't a baby tooth, it was never filled. Others might not know these things, but I lived with him for two years, so I know them.
When I found out that my uncle and Li Datou were dead, I went crazy. As a result, my youthful impulsiveness caused trouble for Brother Wu as well.
I spent a day at the police station. When I came back, I heard that Brother Wu had collected their bodies and set up a mourning hall in the auto repair shop, vowing to avenge them...
Brother Wu, I'm convinced! Since Brother Wu said he wanted revenge, I believe him!
Then, the night I returned, my fifth brother took me to get several sets of funeral clothes. He said that my uncle died unjustly, but after my uncle died, he couldn't be without a close relative to see him off. So, he prepared the funeral clothes and asked me to dress my uncle myself.
That night, it was just the two of us in the mourning hall. When I dressed my uncle in his burial clothes, touching his cold body, I couldn't hold back my tears. I felt my uncle had died unjustly and tragically! When he died, his jaw was clenched tightly, and his face still held an angry expression. I knew my uncle had been killed by his enemies, and I would avenge him!
I always considered Li Datou my elder brother, and I even dressed him in his burial clothes myself… He died a horrible death… He had not only gunshot wounds but also knife wounds! His face was slashed two or three times, and he was missing one eye…
But when I was changing his clothes, I realized something was wrong!
“The police forensic doctor had already cleaned the bodies, but Jeff, out of respect for me, had someone tidy them up before sending them back. You know, the police usually strip the bodies naked and put them in body bags. But when Jeff brought back the four bodies, he also put their clothes back on and sent them back.” I said slowly.
"And then...?" Xiluo swallowed hard, his expression changing slightly, as if he had guessed something.
"Then..." I glanced at Xiao Huang. The kid had a deathly pale expression, and his eyes held not only grief but also a hint of resentment.
His face was blank as he slowly said…
"Then, when I was changing Li Datou's clothes, I realized something was wrong."
His underwear was fine, but I noticed that there was no seam in the crotch area of his pants underneath. I was puzzled at the time. Had Li Datou changed his habits?
At the time, I don't know what I was thinking. It was as if some strange thought was driving me to do this... Perhaps it was my uncle's wronged spirit in heaven guiding me!
For some inexplicable reason, I forcefully pried open Li Datou's mouth and checked his teeth!
I remember it very clearly, I can't be wrong! Li Datou. His second innermost tooth on the left side of his upper jaw was only half left! But I saw that the second innermost tooth on the left side of the upper jaw of the 'Li Datou' in front of me was completely intact!
I was afraid I was seeing things in my confused state, so I checked again carefully! But I found that all the teeth in the corpse's mouth were intact!! This definitely wasn't a mistake on my part!!
At this point, I calmly replied, "He told me, and I immediately realized something was amiss. Coupled with the fact that I already knew there might be a mole within our ranks, this made me even more suspicious! I was afraid of making a mistake, so I immediately contacted Officer Jeff… and carefully confirmed two things: First, the body wasn't mixed up. Second, the underwear worn by the deceased 'Li Datou' was the same one worn on the original body; the police hadn't changed it!"
"And then?" Xiluo's face also darkened.
"And then?" My eyes flashed, and a murderous aura slowly crept onto my face. "Then, things become much simpler! The corpse that's dead isn't Li Datou's at all!"
"Li Datou has vanished without a trace, neither alive nor dead. And yet the Vietnamese left behind this mangled corpse to fool us… This speaks volumes! Even if Li Datou isn't the mole, he's still implicated! Moreover, Lao Huang and his men were ambushed, and the brothers on Lighthouse Island were all killed in a sneak attack… These things need to be investigated! I confirmed the corpse wasn't right. Xiao Huang was too emotional, too impulsive… The situation is complicated. Even if we confirm Li Datou is the mole, I can't guarantee there aren't other moles in the house! We don't know any of that now. So, with the enemy in the dark and us in the light, suddenly exposing ourselves would be unwise… Therefore, I tried my best to calm Xiao Huang down… But I still don't trust him. He's just lost a loved one, and another of his closest brothers is likely the mastermind. I'm afraid he can't handle such a blow. I'm also worried he might reveal something. So, after much thought, I think it's best to take him out of the repair shop and find a secluded place to protect him…"
I sighed. "I didn't dare ask anyone at the repair shop to do this, for fear of giving away the secret. So I had to ask Officer Jeff to do it."
Ciro glanced at the door, a hint of doubt in his eyes. I understood; he wanted to know if Officer Jeff could be trusted.
"It should be fine," I said with a smile. "Although he works for the police, he's still human, and humans have their own selfish motives. Have you forgotten? When I just got back, I had some private dealings with him."
"Brother Wu..." Xiao Huang looked up at me, his eyes red, "Can I ask you for a favor?"
I looked into his eyes; his young face held a mixture of pleading and expectation.