Hongdu Gang Fight

It had been half a month since Cuntoucao returned home from the rehabilitation center, and the Hongqiao Community streets had been calm and peaceful.

The night Cuntoucao was arrested, Long Wen was the most anxious.

Long Wen, also known as Long the Pockmarked, was in his thirties, stood at 1.6 meters tall, with thick, strong arms. He had been sentenced to six years for assault and battery. After his release, he worked as a security guard in Hedong Province. Three years ago, he returned to Tangdu City and, with the help of someone he claimed was a fellow townsman, opened a labor export and passenger transport company in the west of the city. He gathered a group of hoodlums to work the nightlife venues and also served as a part-time security guard for Hongdu Entertainment City, though he never actually worked a shift. Secretly, he was also involved in illegal activities.

When Long Wen heard about Cuntoucao's arrest, his greatest fear was that Cuntoucao would implicate him. He immediately fled to the neighboring city and hid in a friend's villa for over ten days, secretly monitoring the case.

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

Wilderness, the wetlands of the western city's dense forest.

A middle-aged man wearing a baseball cap, obscuring half his face, was leisurely admiring the lotus flowers in the pond from a bamboo shelter.

The lotus leaves were lush green, the flowers bloomed everywhere, and the surroundings were silent. If it weren't for its remote and neglected location, it would have been a wonderful place for a beauty to seek dreams.

Whenever Long Wen met the boss, it was in scenes like this, and the locations were always different. Following the location agreed upon via a disposable phone card, Long Wen walked up a slope covered in eucalyptus trees along a rarely used muddy path. He saw a person standing in the bamboo shelter by the lotus pond. From the back, he confirmed it was him.

The boss had said that they could only be within five meters of each other during meetings. He never spoke to people face-to-face, so Long Wen still didn't know what the boss looked like, only judging if it was him by his silhouette and voice from behind.

"Boss, I'm here!" Long Wen whispered, afraid of disturbing this benefactor who made him both fearful and grateful, with a hint of trepidation.

Long Wen clearly remembered that during his three years as a security guard in Hedong Province, he had dabbled in small-scale drug dealing on the side. Not only did he not make money, but he also caused a lot of trouble and accumulated significant debt. A local thug from Hedong, A'si, would often come to demand repayment, forcing him to constantly hide. In desperation, he decided to return to his hometown, Tangdu City, in Hexi Province, alone. Just as he was about to board a chartered bus back, a man calling himself Qiangzi approached him and handed him a bank card, saying it was from a boss who claimed to be a fellow townsman. He told Long Wen to go back to Tangdu and open a labor transport company, and that he would find him again in a few years.

Long Wen was overjoyed and profusely thanked him. At his lowest point in life, someone had offered him a lifeline. Long Wen never met this boss, nor did he know his name. Regretfully, he returned to Tangdu City. Following the boss's wishes, Long Wen scraped together enough money to buy two large buses and vigorously started a passenger transport company specializing in sending young people from Tangdu out for work.

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

The goods arrived safely in Tangdu City and were handed over to Fourth Brother, who was there to receive them. Fourth Brother gave him a generous reward.

From then on, Long Wen met Fourth Brother and learned that Fourth Brother was from the west of Tangdu City and ran a bookstore there, but secretly engaged in illegal drug trafficking for the boss. They rarely contacted each other, only meeting occasionally when the boss had special arrangements.

Long Wen keenly sensed the unusual nature of the goods the boss was transporting, but he dared not ask for details. A year later, the boss entrusted Fourth Brother to transfer some of the goods to Long Wen, asking him to start a business in Hongdu Entertainment City. Long Wen suddenly understood; there were no such things as free lunches, and the boss had finally revealed his sinister and dangerous true colors. This highly profitable business also allowed Long Wen to taste success, essentially returning to his old ways.

Long Wen thought about it and decided that since everyone benefited, he would agree. This continued until the present day. Long Wen and his crew became regulars at Hongdu's entertainment venues. Besides using long-distance passenger transport as a cover, their small-scale drug dealing business also flourished. Coincidentally, the current owner, Sister Mei, had been running Hongdu for two years without any incidents. If it had been previous owners, the establishment would have been shut down long ago.

Long Wen vaguely learned from Sister Mei that there was a powerful force supporting her. Several times, Long Wen's subordinates had gotten into fights and caused injuries in Hongdu, but they had always escaped unharmed. Sister Mei had spread the word that everything was fine, and at most, they just had to pay some money.

The boss still hadn't turned around. After a long pause, he said in a deep voice, "Long Wen, someone is causing trouble in Hongdu, trying to snatch food from the tiger's mouth. Go and sort it out!"

Long Wen understood immediately, accepted the boss's mission, and left the mountain via a different path back to the city. The boss had a rule: no returning the same way.

Long Wen's efficiency and execution were extremely high, which was why the boss trusted and relied on him. The boss had also confidently placed his own nephew, Scarface, under his command. However, after the incident by the Tangdu River, the boss made other arrangements for Scarface.

In fact, the trouble in Hongdu was related to the tightening of checkpoints and increased inspections during this period.

After Li Dongfeng inspected the provincial border crossing, Director Wu discovered a clue in a photograph. The checkpoints were practically useless. To avoid work, the duty police officers often had auxiliary police wear police uniforms to perform inspection duties. Since the auxiliary police lacked the legal authority, they lacked confidence and often didn't open the trunks of many vehicles or didn't inspect them at all, allowing criminals with ulterior motives to slip through.

Upon discovering this loophole, Gao Weimin strictly ordered the checkpoints to rectify the situation, held the checkpoint supervisor Du Ce responsible, and reassigned inspection personnel to strictly control this major provincial thoroughfare, ensuring that drugs and other contraband would not enter or pass through.

After Du Ce received an administrative warning from the city bureau, he went to Gao Weimin's office to discuss his ideas: "I admit that management was not strict, but the temporarily assigned personnel are undisciplined, and the execution of each team varies. Management is difficult, and some situations are beyond my control. I suggest forming a specialized team..."

Gao Weimin comforted him a few words and then fell silent.

The checkpoints changed immediately. The entry and exit points were sealed off, and the price of drugs in Tangdu's market soared. Long Wen and Brother Zhang Tou's gangs clashed fiercely over the control of Hongdu's drug market.

On the night of the Hongdu gang fight, Long Wen was actually watching the battle from the third-floor balcony of the Dream Tea House.

The thug and Cuntoucao had already received the news: the troublemakers in Hongdu were Rabbit and A'chun, subordinates of Brother Zhang Tou. On the road that Rabbit and A'chun would inevitably take to Hongdu, at the east corner of Hongdu Square, they set up an ambush.

Twelve-thirty, late at night, the city was quiet.

A'chun and Rabbit emerged from Hongdu, both heavily intoxicated, supporting each other as they stumbled towards the east corner of Hongdu Square.

There were no people left in the square. The streetlights in the center illuminated the entire square. In the oblique light, A'chun and Rabbit's shadows intertwined, stretching and shortening in leaps.

About ten meters away at the east corner of the square, the thug and Cuntoucao, hidden in ambush, were moving towards the center of the square.

The thug signaled Cuntoucao to attack.

Cuntoucao darted out from the darkness, holding an iron bar. He instantly rushed behind A'chun and Rabbit and, catching them off guard, struck A'chun hard on the back of the head. A'chun lost his balance, staggered a couple of times, clutched his head, and curled up on the ground.

Rabbit, who hadn't even reacted, hastily turned around and roared, "What are you doing, what are you doing!" He fumbled for a long, thin machete and swung it at Cuntoucao.

He was then followed by the thug, who swung his iron bar, knocking the knife out of Rabbit's hand. It fell to the ground with a clang that echoed far. Long Wen, standing in the Dream Tea House, heard it clearly.

Rabbit cried out in pain, "Ouch!" Without a weapon, he was chased by the thug in circles. Cuntoucao also came to help, blocking their escape route. A'chun, who had been knocked unconscious and was lying on the ground, woke up. He sat on the ground, holding his head, still shaken, and watched Rabbit, who was trapped.

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

Facing two opponents eyeing them menacingly from front and back, Rabbit lost his fighting spirit. He deflated like a leaky balloon and slumped to the ground, begging, "Please, sirs, let's talk things out. If we've offended you anywhere, please forgive us!"

Cuntoucao, known for his ruthlessness, stepped forward and kicked him twice more. The thug quickly stopped him, saying, "Is Hongdu a place for you to interfere?"

Rabbit understood what was happening. "We had a misunderstanding, like the Dragon King's temple being flooded by the Yellow River. Please overlook our actions, and we promise we won't dare to stir up trouble here again."

"Go back and tell your Brother Zhang Tou that this place isn't his to meddle in!" the thug said, his face contorting, his eyes glaring fiercely at Rabbit.

Rabbit dared not look up, glancing sideways. "Yes, yes, I'll tell him when I get back!" He hobbled over to A'chun, and they supported each other as they limped away from the square, leaving behind a scene of a pathetic retreat.

Long Wen stood in the Dream Tea House, watching the thrilling fight in the square. His heart skipped a beat, and a look of exhilaration from witnessing the battle involuntarily appeared on his face. However, a hint of worry remained hidden in his heart.

Actually, Cuntoucao didn't know why he was hitting A'chun and Rabbit. He only took orders from Long Wen; whoever Long Wen told him to hit, he would hit. If anything went wrong, Long Wen would be responsible anyway.

With Rabbit and A'chun scattered, Long Wen revealed a sinister smile.

Cuntoucao and the thug returned victorious. The thug proudly reported their success to Long Wen: "We beat Rabbit and A'chun badly. They won't dare to cause trouble here again." Long Wen was somewhat satisfied with their actions, but he casually reminded the thug, "The point was to teach them a lesson, don't blow things out of proportion!"

The thug tried to take credit, thinking he would receive a reward from the boss this time. Long Wen said, "This is a small matter, no need to bother the boss." Long Wen acted like a big boss, full of swagger.

Ever since the thug and Cuntoucao started following Long Wen, they had never met the boss, and Long Wen only saw 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? These were questions they always wanted to know but dared not ask.

After hiding for more than ten days, Long Wen returned and curled up in his private villa, wearing pajamas, sitting by the tea table, and listlessly sipping the Longjing tea his boss had rewarded him with. Long Wen believed in the boss's influence in Tangdu City, but before it was finally confirmed, he was still a little uneasy.

"Honey, after helping the boss smooth things over at Hongdu Entertainment City this time, are you going to dismiss it with just a box of Longjing?" A woman's voice came from the bedroom. Her inherent greed was disgusting. A woman emerged from the door, her golden curly hair shining brilliantly. Her slender legs were clad in a goose-yellow ultra-short mini-skirt, showcasing her perfect figure. This woman was none other than Xiangmei, Long Wen's woman.

"This tea is top-grade, more precious than gold. Only royalty receives such a reward!" Long Wen felt honored to be valued by his boss, a feeling others didn't have.

"I'd be a fool to believe that. Money is the real deal!" Xiangmei's mouth was full of the smell of money.

"Go away, don't butt into men's business!" Long Wen's domineering nature was fully displayed in front of the woman.

Long Wen slowly made a phone call: "Hu Pan, has Cuntoucao returned?"

The thug replied, "He's back!"

Long Wen asked, "Did he say anything?"

The thug said, "A friend of mine told me he only admitted to using drugs and didn't spill a single other word!"

Long Wen's anxious heart finally calmed down. He let out a long sigh and muttered to himself, "Loyal, so loyal!" Long Wen looked at the delicate woman in front of him, and his interest was immediately piqued. These past few days, Xiangmei had been riding the emotional rollercoaster with Long Wen. Seeing the smile on his face and him looking at her lustfully, she also became impatient. The two embraced on the sofa. Clothes, stripped off, were scattered on the living room floor and by the sofa. The living room echoed with ecstatic cries and moans.

Long Wen finished quickly and picked up the phone again.

"Hu Pan, come over!" Long Wen usually called the thug directly to his home when he had something to discuss. Very few others knew his home address. Long Wen had learned this from his boss, and he still didn't know where his boss lived.

Half an hour later, the thug knocked on the door. Xiangmei looked through the peephole and, seeing it was the thug, slowly opened the door.

The thug greeted Long Wen with unusual warmth, as if they hadn't seen each other in years. He was eager to tell Long Wen about his perilous experience and hoped to receive praise from him.

The thug said, "The police from West City Police Station came looking for me at the entertainment city, but they just missed me, so I went out and hid for a few days. Cuntoucao was arrested but got out a few days later. I think we're in the clear."

"Do you know who it was?"

"I heard from Sister Mei at the entertainment city that it was Officers Lan and Lu. Later, Sister Mei said our matter had been settled, so I figured we were in the clear."

Long Wen said, "It's not enough that you think it's okay, and it's not enough that I think it's okay either!" Long Wen put on an air of superiority, being deliberately mysterious.

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

Long Wen said nonchalantly, "The boss decides." In reality, the boss had already sent Long Wen a message: they were safe now, and he wanted to specially reward Cuntoucao for keeping his mouth shut, which had allowed everyone to be protected.

Long Wen had taken Cuntoucao under his wing after seeing his straightforwardness when drinking, his ferocity in fights, and his loyalty to friends. Cuntoucao's performance this time was satisfactory, and Long Wen decided to reward him on behalf of his boss. Long Wen handed the thug two envelopes.

"Hu Pan, this is a small reward. One for you and one for Cuntoucao. Yours is this one." The thug was overjoyed and took the envelope out of the room. He weighed it and felt that his envelope was thinner than Cuntoucao's, so he felt a sense of dissatisfaction towards Long Wen, thinking that he had risked his life and charged ahead for Long Wen, only to end up being less valued than this junior who had just joined them. The thug looked at the envelope; there was no name written on it, so he took it upon himself to give the thinner envelope to Cuntoucao and keep the thicker one for himself. Long Wen wouldn't know this way. Driven by greed, the thug forgot the consequences of his actions being exposed.

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

Cuntoucao repeatedly refused, but the thug said it was a task assigned to him by Long Wen. Cuntoucao had no choice but to accept it. What puzzled the thug was that Cuntoucao didn't want the money, which was completely out of character for him. His sudden change made one suspicious.

After the thug left, Cuntoucao tore open the envelope. Inside was a thick stack of hundred-yuan bills, amounting to ten thousand. Cuntoucao thought for a while about how to handle the money.

Xiao Yanni flitted around him like a butterfly. He thought of Officer Tong who had resolved his daughter's household registration, rescued him from the rehabilitation center, and his earnest advice. He had no reason not to turn over a new leaf. Cuntoucao put the money away and decided to find a secret opportunity to inform Officer Tong about the matter.