"Zhao Fei, you've done an excellent job this time. Let me make one thing clear: in the North, on our Ma Gang territory, in Dala Village, no one will conduct drug business. If they do, I'll personally see to it that they pay with their lives," said Master Qi, his tone as icy as his gaze.
"Yes, Master Qi…" Chen Xi was the first to respond.
Qian Guang nodded silently, and I followed suit. Master Qi rose to his feet and commanded, "Throw it to the dogs."
Without another word, he turned and left. Chen Xi followed closely, with Ma Lan trailing behind. The room fell silent, leaving only Qian Guang and me. I glanced at the severed hand, cold sweat dripping down my spine—it was horrifying.
"Well done," Qian Guang said, breaking the silence.
I nodded but couldn't shake the lingering fear. "What did Master Qi say?" I asked.
"The Skinny Monkey confessed everything. For years, they've been colluding with people from Nongdao to sell drugs. Their network has infiltrated shops near Dala Village. Skinny Monkey swore to cease operations and promised to drive out the Nongdao people within a year. If he fails, Master Qi will handle it himself," Qian Guang explained.
I let out a slight smile, though I was taken aback. "What kind of place is Nongdao?" I asked.
"Nongdao is a township in Ruili with five distinct areas, often referred to as the 'Five Factories.' It's a chaotic gathering place for addicts and con artists, teeming with disorder and deceit. It's not a place anyone from Beibu Bay dares to associate with. Aside from drug trafficking, they specialize in scams. Master Qi suffered losses dealing with them once and has since cut ties completely. By forcing Skinny Monkey to sever his connections with Nongdao, you've secured a significant advantage for us," Qian Guang replied.
I nodded, and Qian Guang patted my shoulder. "Next time, consult me on such matters. If you had failed, it wouldn't be Skinny Monkey losing a hand—it'd be yours. Master Qi is not someone you can trifle with. Don't provoke his wrath."
"I can't rely on you for everything," I said, though unease crept into my voice.
Seeing Qian Guang's grim expression, I quickly added, "There won't be a next time, I promise." I then turned to Wang Gui and ordered, "Dispose of it. Feed it to the dogs."
Wang Gui entered, picked up the severed hand, and left. Qian Guang glanced at me and said, "In the mood for a gamble tonight? Boss Wei is off to Myanmar, so we've got the perfect opportunity."
I checked the time; there was still a while until evening. "Alright, let me wrap things up at the bar. Meet me at Jie Gao," I said.
Qian Guang smiled and left without further comment. Watching his retreating figure, I furrowed my brows. Was his silence approval of my growing influence or acknowledgment of my good work? Perhaps he believed my strength served his purposes better.
Returning to the back office adjoining the final private room, I sat down and surveyed the piles of cash—over 300,000 yuan in gifts. I divided it into six hefty red envelopes. "You've worked hard. Take these," I said.
The young women lit up with joy as they received the envelopes. "Thank you, Brother Fei," they chorused.
I merely smiled. "Alright, you're dismissed. Go rest."
They left happily, though the younger men seemed reluctant. Shaking my head, I muttered, "They're not brooding hens; what's there to pine over?" I noticed Sang Ling lingering, her hesitant gaze fixed on me. Yet she left without speaking.
I didn't stop her. There was work to be done, and I wouldn't waste time on a girl who reminded me too much of her predecessor. Sentimentality is a luxury we can't afford in this line of work. If I wanted her, I'd make it clear—yes or no. No room for ambiguity. But even with such thoughts, I wouldn't dare. Ma Lan had already warned me.
"Brother Fei, business is booming outside. It's a shame today's free drinks cost us at least 100,000 yuan," Wang Gui lamented.
I wrapped up more cash into envelopes and handed them out. "Take this and keep things running smoothly. No fights—we're here for peaceful business. But don't let anyone push us around. Understood?"
The men nodded eagerly, pocketing their envelopes. Watching Wang Gui and Zhao Kui, I added, "Don't worry about minor losses. Besides, Brother Guang is covering half. Keep an eye on Skinny Monkey. If he stirs trouble, report to me immediately. I don't trust his surrender; he'll bide his time for revenge."
"Why not just take him out?" Wang Gui suggested.
"If he doesn't provoke me, I won't act. We're not gangsters," I replied.
Wang Gui nodded but hesitated before speaking again. "Brother Fei, some customers have been complaining that the girls in our bar aren't attractive. I didn't know how to respond."
I smirked, acknowledging the truth. Aside from Sang Ling, none of the girls were particularly striking. "What's your point?"
"We don't dabble in harmful trades, but the bar and entertainment business go hand in hand. Why not hire some prettier girls to host?" he asked.
After a moment's thought, I agreed. Even Brother Guang's establishments had them. While Master Qi's places maintained a cleaner front, some under-the-table dealings persisted. Ruili thrives on tourism; such services are inevitable. "Fine, as long as it's voluntary. A fifty-fifty split. And only the best-looking ones."
"Got it, Brother Fei," Wang Gui replied with a grin.
Securing the cash in the office safe, I stood and declared, "Let's head to Jie Gao for the stone-gambling district."
The two of them brightened up, excitement written all over their faces. We piled into the car, with Zhao Kui driving. As we pulled away, my phone rang—it was Ma Lan.
"Zhao Fei, where are you?" she asked.
"Uh…" I hesitated. If I told her about the stone-gambling, she'd insist on joining, which Qian Guang wouldn't appreciate.
After a brief silence, Ma Lan chuckled darkly. "Avoiding me, are you? Let me guess—you're either seducing one of my employees or off to gamble."
For all her brashness, Ma Lan's cunning intelligence was undeniable. "I'm going with Brother Guang to gamble. Just us two. We've got debts to settle, so stay out of it," I replied.
"Bullshit! After all I've done for you today, you think you can brush me off? Fine. But after you're done, you'd better come to my place. If you don't, I'll come find you—and trust me, you won't like that."
Hanging up, I licked my lips in frustration. Ma Lan was a useful ally but a thorny one. Tonight, I'd likely have to endure her wrath.
We arrived at Jie Gao's stone-gambling district just as dusk fell. The overcast sky cast an early darkness over the evening. Inside, the district was orderly, bustling yet serene. We found Qian Guang lounging in the resting area with Zhu Zi, sipping tea.
"Boss Wei's already left for Myanmar to handle our participation in the jade trading fair," Qian Guang informed us. "This is our chance to go big."
I nodded. "This fair is our debut, but winning requires betting on high-value raw stones, not scraps. Without 30 or 50 million yuan, even success will leave us working for others."
Setting my teacup down, I glanced at the stones. Though it was my first foray into stone-gambling at this level, I knew Ruili wasn't the grand stage. That honor belonged to Myanmar's public jade auction.
As we wandered through the neatly arranged stones, I asked, "Brother Guang, have you ever considered transitioning to a legitimate business?"
He looked at me, surprised. "Has today's ordeal shaken you?"
I shook my head, then nodded. "Living this life, we're bound to pay the price sooner or later. Today we outmaneuvered Skinny Monkey, but tomorrow someone else might outmaneuver us. Rising to the top means stepping on corpses, but there will always be someone stepping on ours. This path isn't sustainable."
Qian Guang unbuttoned his jacket, his expression solemn. After a moment of reflection, he shook his head. "I'm not quitting. For every general who succeeds, countless soldiers perish. If I must be among the fallen to achieve my goal, so be it. A man must see things through."
I smiled bitterly—Qian Guang was nothing if not resolute. "Your father is investigating you. He's asked me to be an informant," I revealed.
He laughed. "The old man's losing his edge, making wild assumptions about our relationship."
I nodded but felt uneasy. "At least we know one thing: he's watching you, and the Ma Gang. We need to be more cautious. Anything too risky to handle locally must be left undone."
Qian Guang nodded silently and turned back to the stones. Picking one up, I examined its translucent quality. A palm-sized, one-kilogram piece of jadeite, icy with fine texture and a faint blue undertone—market value around 500,000 yuan.