Hongdu Brawl

Cuntoucao had been back home from the rehab center for half a month, and the streets of Hongqiao Community were calm and quiet.

The night Cuntoucao was arrested, Long Wen had been the most nervous.

Long Wen, known as Long the Pockmarked, was in his thirties and stood around five foot three. His arms were thick and powerful. He had been sentenced to six years for assault and injury, and after serving his sentence, he worked as a security guard in Hedong Province. Three years ago, he returned to Tangdu City. With the help of someone claiming to be a fellow townsman, he opened a labor transport passenger company in the west of the city. He gathered a group of little hoodlums to make the rounds at various nightlife venues. Openly and secretly, he also became a part-time security guard at Hongdu Entertainment City, though he had never worked a single day there. Behind the scenes, he also engaged in illegal dealings.

After hearing that Cuntoucao had been arrested, Long Wen feared most that Cuntoucao would give him up. He immediately fled to a neighboring city and hid for more than ten days in the villa of his friend Buddha Lord, secretly watching for developments in the case.

The day before the fight outside Hongdu Entertainment City, the boss secretly summoned him.

Out in the wilderness, in the dense forest wetlands west of the city.

A middle-aged man in a baseball cap, half his face obscured, leisurely watched the lotus flowers in the wetlands from a bamboo shelter beside a lotus pond.

The lotus leaves were emerald green, the flowers filled the pond, and the surroundings were utterly silent. If not for how remote and neglected the place was, it would have been a wonderful spot for beautiful women to seek dreams and romance.

Whenever Long Wen met the boss, it was always in a setting like this, though never at the same place. Following the location agreed upon through the boss's disposable phone card, Long Wen walked up a muddy path rarely traveled by anyone and climbed a slope planted with eucalyptus trees. He saw someone standing in the bamboo shelter by the lotus wetlands and knew from the figure's back that it was him.

The boss had said that they could only remain five meters apart. He never spoke face-to-face with those he met, so even now, Long Wen did not know what the boss looked like. He could only judge whether it was him by the general outline of his back and his voice.

"Boss, I'm here!" Long Wen said softly, afraid of disturbing this benefactor who both frightened and filled him with gratitude. His voice carried a trace of awe.

Long Wen clearly remembered that during his three years as a security guard in Hedong Province, he had secretly done small-time drug dealing. Not only had he failed to make any money, he had gotten into plenty of trouble and piled up heavy debts. A'si, a local thug from Hedong, would come from time to time to demand repayment, forcing him to hide everywhere. With no other choice, he had planned to return alone to his hometown of Tangdu City in Hexi. Just as he was about to board a hired car for the return trip, a man calling himself Qiangzi came over and shoved a bank card into his hand. He said a boss who claimed to be a fellow townsman had lent it to him, told him to return to Tangdu and open a labor transport company, and said he would come looking for him in a few years.

Long Wen had been overjoyed and thanked him profusely. At the lowest and most desperate point in his life, someone had actually come to his aid. Long Wen never met this boss and did not know his name. Regretfully, he returned to Tangdu City and followed the boss's wishes, scraping together enough money to buy two large buses and energetically opening a passenger transport company specializing in sending Tangdu's young people out to work.

Three months later, the boss called him using a disposable phone card and told him to meet at Longtan Bridge Pier on the Tangdu River. Only then did Long Wen learn that the boss had returned to Tangdu City. What puzzled him was that the boss stood with his back turned at the bow of a small boat, and Long Wen never saw his face at all. The boss told him to bring some goods from Hedong to Tangdu, and he agreed without hesitation.

The goods arrived safely in Tangdu City and were handed over to Fourth Brother, who had come to collect them. Fourth Brother gave him a generous reward.

From then on, Long Wen knew Fourth Brother. He learned that Fourth Brother was from western Tangdu and ran a bookstore there, while secretly dealing drugs for the boss. The two rarely contacted each other and only met occasionally when the boss made special arrangements.

Long Wen keenly sensed that the goods transported by the boss were unusual, but he did not dare ask too many questions. A year later, the boss entrusted Fourth Brother with transferring part of the goods to Long Wen and told him to do some business at Hongdu Entertainment City. Long Wen finally woke up to reality. There was no such thing as a free lunch. The boss had finally revealed his vicious, sinister face. This hugely profitable trade also let Long Wen taste its sweetness. It could be said that he had returned to his old ways.

After giving it some thought, Long Wen decided that everyone got something out of it, so he agreed. This continued until now. Long Wen's group became regulars at Hongdu's entertainment venues. Besides using long-distance passenger transport as cover, their small-scale drug business flourished. Coincidentally, ever since the current owner, Sister Mei, had run Hongdu for two years, there had not been a single problem. If it had been one of the previous owners, the place would have shut down long ago.

Long Wen vaguely learned some details from Sister Mei. A powerful force stood behind her. Several times, Long Wen's men had gotten into fights and injured people at Hongdu, yet each time they escaped danger without incident. Sister Mei would spread word that it was fine, and then it would be fine. At most, they would settle it by paying compensation.

The boss still did not turn around. After a long while, he said heavily, "Long Wen, someone's causing trouble at Hongdu and trying to snatch food from a tiger's mouth. Go deal with it!"

Long Wen understood immediately, accepted the boss's assignment, and took another path down the mountain back into the city. The boss had rules: no one was allowed to return by the same route.

Long Wen was highly efficient and decisive in carrying out orders. That was why the boss trusted and valued him. The boss had also felt comfortable placing his own nephew, Scarface, under Long Wen's command. Only after the incident by the Tangdu River did the boss make other arrangements for Scarface.

In truth, the trouble at Hongdu was related to the recent tightening of checkpoint inspections and stricter investigations.

After Li Dongfeng inspected the provincial border entry and exit routes, Director Wu spotted a problem in the photos. The inspection stations were practically useless. To slack off, the officers on duty often had auxiliary officers put on police uniforms and take over their inspection duties. Since auxiliary officers had no law enforcement authority, they lacked confidence. Many vehicles were not opened for inspection at all, or not inspected at all, allowing criminals with ulterior motives to exploit the gap.

After discovering this loophole, Gao Weimin strictly ordered the inspection stations to rectify the problem, held Du Ce, the person in charge of the inspection station, accountable, and reassigned inspection personnel. He ordered them to guard this major route out of the province tightly and never allow drugs or other contraband to enter or pass through.

After the city bureau issued Du Ce an administrative warning, he went to Gao Weimin's office to explain his thoughts. "I admit the management wasn't strict enough, but the temporarily reassigned personnel are undisciplined. The different teams enforce things with different levels of intensity, making management difficult. Some situations are simply beyond my control. I suggest forming a dedicated team..."

After offering a few comforting words, Gao Weimin fell silent.

The inspection stations saw immediate changes. The entry and exit routes were locked down, and drug prices in Tangdu's market soared overnight. Long Wen's group and Brother Zhang Tou's group fought fiercely over control of Hongdu's drug market.

On the night of the Hongdu brawl, Long Wen had actually been watching the fight from the third-floor balcony of Dream Tea House.

The thug and Cuntoucao had already received word that the ones causing trouble at Hongdu were Rabbit and A'chun, Brother Zhang Tou's men. They set an ambush on the unavoidable route Rabbit and A'chun would take to Hongdu, at the eastern corner of Hongdu Plaza.

Half past midnight. The night was deathly quiet.

A'chun and Rabbit came out of Hongdu, reeking of alcohol as they supported each other and staggered toward the eastern corner through Hongdu Plaza.

There was no one left in the plaza. The streetlights at its center lit the entire square brightly. Under the slanting light, A'chun and Rabbit's shadows intertwined, stretching long one moment and short the next.

At the eastern corner of the plaza, roughly ten meters away, the thug and Cuntoucao moved their hidden figures toward the center of the plaza.

The thug signaled for Cuntoucao to attack.

Cuntoucao sprang from the darkness with an iron bar in hand and rushed behind A'chun and Rabbit in an instant. Catching them completely off guard, he struck A'chun viciously in the back of the head. A'chun lost his balance, staggered twice, then curled up on the ground with both hands clutching his head.

Rabbit, still unable to react, hurriedly turned around and shouted, "What the hell? What the hell?" He pulled a long, thin machete from his body and swung it at Cuntoucao.

Then the thug, who had caught up behind him, struck fiercely with an iron bar, knocking the knife from his hand. It clanged onto the ground, the sound carrying far. Long Wen, standing at Dream Tea House, heard it clearly.

Rabbit cried out in pain. Barehanded, he was chased in circles by the thug. Cuntoucao also came over to help, blocking his escape. A'chun, who had been knocked unconscious on the ground, woke up and sat there holding his head, staring in shock at Rabbit, who had nowhere left to run.

He said sorrowfully, "Rabbit, forget it. We can't beat them!"

Facing the two men glaring at him like tigers from front and back, Rabbit lost all will to fight. Like a deflated ball, he collapsed onto the ground and begged, "Brothers, let's talk this out. If I've offended you anywhere, please forgive me!"

Cuntoucao, known for his brutality, stepped forward and viciously kicked him twice more. The thug quickly stopped him. "Is Hongdu a place for you to meddle in?"

Rabbit understood what was going on. "A flood washed into the Dragon King's temple. Please don't hold a grudge against us. We won't ever come stir up trouble here again."

"Go back and tell your Brother Zhang Tou that it's not his turn to meddle here!" The thug's arrogant face twitched as his fierce eyes fixed on Rabbit.

Rabbit did not dare raise his head and only glanced sideways. "Yes, yes, I'll definitely pass it on when I get back!" Trembling, he walked to A'chun. Supporting each other, they limped out of the plaza, leaving behind the miserable sight of their flight.

Standing above at Dream Tea House, Long Wen watched the terrifying fight in the plaza, his heart jolting again and again. An expression of satisfaction at conquering others through violence unconsciously appeared on his face, though a trace of worry remained hidden in his heart.

In fact, Cuntoucao had no idea why they were beating A'chun and Rabbit. He only obeyed Long Wen. Whoever Long Wen told him to hit, he hit. If anything went wrong, Long Wen would be responsible anyway.

With Rabbit and A'chun beaten into submission, Long Wen revealed a vicious smile.

Cuntoucao and the thug returned victorious. The thug proudly reported the results to Long Wen. "We beat Rabbit and A'chun badly. They won't dare come stir up trouble again." Long Wen was fairly satisfied with their actions, but he merely reminded the thug, "The point is to teach them a lesson. Don't blow things up!"

The thug tried to claim credit from Long Wen, thinking he would receive a reward from the boss this time. Long Wen said, "It's a small matter. No need to alarm the boss." Long Wen put on the airs of a big brother, looking extremely pleased with himself.

Ever since the thug and Cuntoucao had started working under Long Wen, they had never once seen the boss. Even Long Wen only met the boss once a month. The boss's mystery filled Long Wen with jealousy and filled the thug and Cuntoucao with fear. Who exactly was the boss, and what did he look like? Those were questions they had always wanted answered, but did not dare ask.

After hiding for more than ten days, Long Wen returned and shut himself away in his villa. Wearing pajamas, he sat beside the tea table, listlessly sipping the fragrant Longjing tea the boss had rewarded him with. Long Wen believed in the boss's influence in Tangdu City, but until he received final confirmation, he still could not fully relax.

"Hubby, you helped the boss settle Hongdu Entertainment City's trouble, and all he gave you was a box of Longjing?" A woman's voice came from the bedroom, her greed so ingrained that it was disgusting. A woman emerged through the doorway, her golden curls gleaming brightly. Her long legs were wrapped in a pale yellow miniskirt, displaying a flawless figure. This woman was Long Wen's mistress, Xiangmei.

"The tea is top grade, more precious than gold. Only important people receive such rewards!" The boss's regard for him made Long Wen feel honored. It was a feeling others did not have.

"Only a ghost would believe that. Money is what really counts!" Xiangmei's words reeked of greed.

"Go away. Don't stick your nose into men's business!" Long Wen displayed his dominance before the woman to the fullest.

Long Wen slowly made a phone call. "Hu Pan, is Cuntoucao back yet?"

The thug said, "He's back!"

Long Wen asked, "Did he confess to anything?"

The thug said, "A friend of mine said he only admitted to using drugs. He didn't say a single word about anything else!"

Long Wen's uneasy heart finally settled. He let out a long breath and muttered to himself, "Loyal. Truly loyal!" Long Wen looked at the delicate woman before him, and interest suddenly rose in him. These past few days, Xiangmei's emotions had risen and fallen along with Long Wen's. Seeing a smile on his face and the lustful way he looked at her, she too became impatient. The two embraced on the sofa. Clothes stripped from their bodies lay scattered across the living room floor beside the couch. Soul-stirring cries and moans echoed through the room.

Long Wen finished quickly and picked up the phone again.

"Hu Pan, come over!" Whenever Long Wen had business, he normally called the thug directly to his home. Few others knew where he lived. This was something Long Wen had learned from the boss. Even now, he did not know where the boss lived.

Half an hour later, the thug knocked on the door. Xiangmei looked through the peephole, and only after seeing it was the thug did she slowly open the door.

The thug was unusually warm when he saw Long Wen, as if they had not met in years. He was eager to tell Long Wen all about his recent brush with danger and wanted to receive praise from him.

The thug said, "Police from West City Police Station came to look for me at the entertainment city, but they happened to miss me. I went out and hid for a few days. Cuntoucao was arrested, but he was released a few days later. I think everything should be fine now."

"Do you know who it was?"

"Sister Mei at the entertainment city said it was Officers Lan and Lü. Later, Sister Mei said our matter had already been settled, so I figured it should be fine."

Long Wen said, "It's not enough for you to think it's fine. It's not enough for me to think it's fine either!" Long Wen put on airs and spoke mysteriously.

The thug asked, "Then what do we do now?"

Long Wen said carelessly, "The boss has the final say." In truth, the boss had already sent Long Wen word that it was safe now. He wanted to reward Cuntoucao especially. It was because Cuntoucao had kept his mouth shut that everyone had been spared.

Long Wen had taken Cuntoucao under his wing because he had seen that Cuntoucao was straightforward when drinking, fierce in fights, and loyal to friends. Cuntoucao's performance this time was fairly satisfying, so Long Wen decided to reward him on the boss's behalf. Long Wen handed the thug two envelopes.

"Hu Pan, this is a little reward. One share for you and one for Cuntoucao. This one is yours." The thug left the house with the envelopes, delighted. He weighed them and felt that the envelope given to him was thin while Cuntoucao's was thick. Dissatisfaction rose in him toward Long Wen. I've risked my life for Long Wen and charged ahead every time, yet in the end I'm not even treated as well as that rookie. He looked at the envelopes and saw that neither had a name written on it. So he decided on his own to give the thin envelope to Cuntoucao and keep the thick one for himself. Long Wen would not know. Blinded by profit, the thug forgot the consequences if the truth came out.

That night, the thug gave Cuntoucao the envelope containing the money.

Cuntoucao repeatedly refused, but the thug said it was a task Long Wen had assigned him. Cuntoucao had no choice but to accept it. What puzzled the thug was that Cuntoucao did not even seem to want the money. That was not Cuntoucao's usual style. The sudden change made it impossible not to be suspicious.

After the thug left, Cuntoucao tore open the envelope. Inside was a thick stack of hundred-yuan bills, ten thousand yuan in all. Cuntoucao thought for a while about what to do with the money.

Xiao Yanni flitted around before him like a butterfly. He thought of how Officer Tong had resolved his daughter's household registration and gotten him out of the rehab center. He thought of Officer Tong's patient, earnest advice. He had no reason not to turn over a new leaf. Cuntoucao put away the money and decided to find a secret opportunity to tell Officer Tong about it.