Encore③ · In the Name of the Father

Foreword:

I will dispel my deluded thoughts of countless eons and attain the Dharma body without enduring countless kalpas.

"Go on, drink when you're thirsty."

The Big Sister sat motionless in front of the Forty-Eight District Governor's family.

She neither laughed nor got angry; her emotions were almost imperceptible. She was someone who kept her emotions hidden, holding the diary in one hand and a pen in the other, like an ordinary junior clerk.

The head of the family, Luo Ben Van Persie, is forty-one years old and doesn't seem to understand what the Big Sister is saying.

"Go on?"

Lena, her thoughtful youngest daughter, was also surprised and astonished.

"Drink when you're thirsty?"

The Big Sister: "Is there something wrong?"

Luo Ben was quite puzzled, so he immediately explained, "Everything has been done as you wished, Anonymous—is there anything else you want to say?"

Lena chimed in, "Yeah, Big Sister!"

Before Lena could finish speaking--

Xue Ming immediately interrupted.

"Let's start with what you said last time. If you can't remember, I'll help you think of it."

The train restarts, heading from Eleventh District to Forty-Eight District, towards its starting point, just as everything goes through cycles, countless trials and tribulations in the past and future, similar events will repeat themselves, the same stories will be told again, but the tide of history will always surge forward with the long river of time—as Edward said.

We are born and live on so that our children will remember how to live and how to live better.

For Xue Ming, the Little Brotherhood or other drug dealers and gangs were not the focus; the focus was on Van Persie's family.

"Nameless" Luo Ben's face darkened. "You told me that as long as I cooperated, you would protect my family. I understand you wanting me to get on the armed train and ride with these barbarians from Guangling Zhixi. But now you're locking my family up with these criminals—I don't understand."

"It's not just your family," the Big Sister said bluntly. "It's also you, Luo Ben Van Persie —and don't try to distance yourself like you're detached."

Luo Ben was about to retort--

--The Big Sister pulled a Sig Sauer 1911 from Hasben's Molle gun holster.

As the cold bullets landed on the table, Luo Ben finally understood that this imperial secret agent, this Ming De guard, was not joking.

"Let me help you recall, Miss Lena," Xue Ming said calmly, "It's that sentence you said last time—"

"--It's called 'What's the use of being good at fighting if you're just out there? You need power!' That's all. What does 'power' mean?"

Xue Ming's gaze became aggressive, his eyes almost hurtful, capable of burning the skin of the family of three. His spirited eyes were like tiger's eyes, and when he locked onto Lena, he almost strangled her.

Lena's breathing became rapid.

Xue Ming pressed, "What do you mean? Tell me. Last time I left in a hurry, I was only focused on fighting with my Little Brotherhood, and I didn't have time to ask about this in detail. If you can't answer, I'll have your father answer."

Lena said tremblingly, "I don't know. I was just making things up."

Xue Ming looked at Mr. Luo Ben: "Nonsense?"

Luo Ben forced an awkward smile, but secretly he was seething with hatred.

"Yes, the child doesn't understand, he was just joking."

The matriarch of the Van Persie family, arm in arm with her husband, echoed her sentiments.

"Yes, yes, yes, just kidding."

Xue Ming then added, "Who taught her to talk nonsense? Did she learn it on her own?"

Lena finally hardened her heart, determined to pay for her foolish words, and suddenly Xue Ming: "Big Sister! You want my life, don't you?! Just come and take it! Don't hurt my father and mother! I said those words."

A hand wearing Black Gloves gripped Lena's mouth tightly. Xue Ming's attitude was nonchalant as he turned to Luo Ben and said...

"Your youngest daughter is beautiful, but it's a pity she has a mouth. I never meant to blame you, but she's full of nagging and complaints, and she's hopelessly stupid."

Luo Ben thought for a long time before finally understanding what the Big Sister meant.

--So, if she doesn't want to be blamed or punished, then it's a matter of money and power?

Really? Is this true?

Perhaps all she wants is an explanation, a pledge of loyalty.

After all, this War King is on her Little Brotherhood isn't smart enough to talk about her achievements in front of Ming De, she will probably run into obstacles in the Senate from now on. After all, she didn't come in through the main gate and didn't participate in the harvest season ceremony. She is a king who came in through the back door.

The same goes for Lord Cinder; people at the major trading posts never took these guys seriously.

If that's the case, things will be much easier!

Xue Ming was very patient, repeating himself like a broken record. "Luo Ben Van Persie, I'll ask you one more time. In this world, you need power. What does 'power' mean? Who are you talking about? What kind of power?"

The scenery outside the window flashed by.

--Mr. Luo Ben made a difficult decision.

He felt his mouth was dry, so he picked up his teacup and drank some soup and water, then cheered himself up and started chatting about friendship and riddles with the Big Sister.

"Yes, yes, yes, I was indeed involved in this."

Xue Ming: "What is it? I need you to explain it to me in person."

"I know who's behind the drug trafficking taxes, insurance premiums, and a whole host of money laundering companies." Luo Ben swallowed hard, nervously eyeing the seats in front and behind him. When he met the gaze of the Star Realm Gang's matriarch, he suddenly looked away.

Those were his loyal lackeys. In the power struggle with the Little Brotherhood, he had given these lizardmen the green light more than once, supporting this illegal drug trafficking group and the Little Brotherhood their dogfight.

He manipulated urban development in Forty-Eight District, since land is the source of wealth. He also played a significant role in the corruption of investment banks, funds, construction projects, and the drug trade.

"Not convenient to say?" The Big Sister raised her gun. "Are you embarrassed to continue with this in front of outsiders?"

Luo Ben fell silent, his eyes filled with suspicion.

The Big Sister strode quickly toward the Star Realm Gang's lizardmen.

She raised her gun, and heard the mistress's vicious curses.

"Nameless man! You promised me! If I help you, you will..."

Bang--

The reptile's head split into several pieces and flew out of the train window.

The eldest son was begging for mercy.

"No, no, no! No! No, no, no! Big Sister! No! No!"

Bang--

The children followed their mother to the cemetery, which wasn't far away; judging by the train's speed, it was only a few dozen meters away.

The youngest son tried to resist, attempting to seize the gun, but the Big Sister kicked him back to his seat, leaving him unable to move as he was pressed against the corpses of his relatives.

The heavy pressure from the high boots, nearly seven hundred pounds of force pressing down on its soft throat, could only produce whimpers.

Bang--

It's a pity that this youngest son couldn't be buried with his family.

His eyeball flew into Miss Lena's bodice, startling the femme fatale so much that she tore open her blouse. His eyeball was like a burning ember. She panicked and tried to fend him off, finally giving the foolish rich man a good hug before angrily throwing the filth out the window.

The Big Sister, her face mostly stained with red and white substances, looking like a living Yama, returned to Luo Ben.

"Are you not nervous now? You can explain in more detail."

As she took off her gloves and wrung out the blood from the cuffs of her prison uniform, she finally picked up her diary again and waited quietly for the consul to speak.

Luo Ben, from the "Transportation Engineering Department," began to stammer, "Administrative specialists in groups three, five, and seven; engineering groups 1114, 11157, and 11185."

"There are 217 law enforcement commissioners in the legislature. The archives are on the fourth floor of the West Suburbs Prosecutor's Office. There's a safe on the fourth floor with the combination 175019S11S; everything is inside."

"Wait a minute." Xue Ming quickly wrote down this information. "Mr. Luo Ben, I still don't understand."

She shook her head, utterly disappointed.

"Are you writing a pledge of allegiance to me? What's your relationship with these people?"

Most of the professional titles read aloud don't include names.

-- Insignificant people don't deserve to have names; Luo Ben wouldn't even bother to remember them.

"I can't say anymore! I can't say anymore!" The governor suddenly became agitated, trying to bargain. "Nameless! If I keep talking, many people will die! Then Forty-Eight District will be left without anyone to use! How will you explain this to Ming De!"

A long time passed, about a minute.

--Until Luo Ben's anger subsided and he was enveloped by fear.

The nameless Big Sister, like a cast-iron sculpture, recounts her observations of the city to the governor.

"My investigation into the Little Brotherhood began in the Westgate district, because three of its leaders came from there, all of whom were Bolivians. It's a predominantly Latino area."

She refilled Luo Ben's tea, gripping her gun tightly.

"There were sixteen workers from one end of the street to the other. They sold drugs, and they not only had to give a cut to the Little Brotherhood, but also pay insurance premiums to the militia. I went up to them and asked, 'Boss, how much money do you make in a year?'"

Immediately, Xue Ming's expression changed, as if she had a sudden urge to perform, and she began to act as if she were mourning.

"Isn't it all just about surviving? Where's the money to be made? It's good enough to pay rent and cover food and drink."

Xue Ming returned to normal and continued telling the story with Luo Ben.

"Even a lowly appetizer vendor like this has to give gifts to get into his local cousin's network of connections. His monthly income is around 16,000 shards, which is quite substantial."

"The purchase price is 8,800. The gang takes 20%, and the militia's insurance premium is 20%. It's charged according to the station's highest standards. It's the same price as weapons and contraband."

"How much is left, Luo Ben? How much is left?"

Luo Ben Van Persie certainly understands this, but he dares not say it.

"Besides you jackals and tigers crawling on people, sucking their bones and marrow—" the Big Sister tilted her head, her eyes growing increasingly terrifying, "—there's also a whole bunch of little devils grabbing laborers, grinding their teeth, and sucking their blood."

"In areas like Xiaoximen, which has the worst public security and the highest crime rate, popular shops need to cultivate relationships with city shop management specialists. Unlike Lawrence, who can relax and simply compete for land through auctions."

"Six murders have occurred in six years, all centered around just one opium den. Do you know what I saw? My eyes are sharp. Do you think I'm blind?"

"Every year when a store's lease expires, Zhanbang and the store management specialist will hold a secret auction. It's a bidding process for stores where prices are not publicly disclosed and are not advertised."

"Take the first prime shop at the entrance of the second alley in Xiaoximen District, for example. After the owner's father died, he took over the shop. Just after the New Year, he gave gifts and money to the management officer. The next day, his wife and children were skinned and their bodies hung on the archway for public display. The business he relied on for a living fell into someone else's hands."

"When I found him, he was talking nonsense and acting strangely—saying that the gift had already been sent, so why wasn't it used? The gift had clearly been sent, so why wasn't it used?"

"Yes, but he didn't give enough, he wasn't generous enough, and when he knelt before you, he wasn't as devoted as others—perhaps because his father didn't teach him how to kneel properly."

"Luo Ben Van Persie!"

Xue Ming was so angry he was trembling.

"What does this have to do with drug dealers! What does it have to do with what they sell!"

Luo Ben dared not reply.

The Big Sister immediately regained her composure, as if the beast within her that she had been unable to contain just moments before had now been tamed and all her anger extinguished.

"You're the biggest drug lord." The Big Sister patted the governor's face. "I gave you a chance, but you failed miserably."

Lena was terrified and cried. She had never seen such a ruthless person. He could go back on his word so easily, and he didn't even blink when he killed someone. It was as easy as swatting a cockroach while cleaning the room, and he would even smile with a strange sense of pleasure.

The Big Sister kindly advised, "If you keep reciting dish names to me, you won't be able to name anything substantial. Like these small fish and shrimp—"

She picked up the journal and showed it to Consul Luo Ben.

"--Kill one batch, and another batch will come. I know what you're thinking. It's just a few dogs that died. If too many die, we'll just go to another dog farm and buy a thousand or ten thousand. You seemed very angry and furious just now."

"I don't understand, Mr. Luo Ben, where does your anger come from?"

"What do you mean by 'many people will die'? What does that mean? Do you know more than just these few titles? Are you just afraid to say it and trying to hide it from me? Are you the ringleader of a clique of thieves?"

"Will I survive?" Luo Ben Van Persie asked calmly, as if he were about to give in. "Will I survive, Big Sister?"

"After thinking it over, why don't you write it?" Xue Ming handed over the logbook. "Whether we survive or not isn't up to me—you need to be quick and ruthless when you write. My teacher is [Detective King], you've heard of Victor, right? If he praises your talent, saying you're eloquent and brilliant, you should be able to survive."

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" That's exactly what Luo Ben was waiting for. "Yes! That's exactly it."

As the old saying goes, "A wise man submits to circumstances." Now that he has fallen into the hands of the War King, the other party is still talking about endorsement. This should at least give Ming De an explanation.

His eyes reddened, he took the logbook, and wrote down the name of his maternal uncle.

"What are you doing!" The lady of the Van Persie family immediately became agitated. "He's my own brother! Have you gone mad!"

Seeing the crazy woman grab the pen, Xue Ming raised his gun and asked her another question.

"How much does Madam know?"

Luo Ben struggled desperately, pushing his wife of many years away. "What does she know?! All she knows is how to bully others and enjoy herself!"

Bang--

The bullet shattered Van Persie's wife's skull.

Xue Ming followed up, and said something with a complicated and melancholy expression.

"To sacrifice one's own family for the greater good—this will dispel your deluded thoughts for countless eons, and allow you to attain the Dharma body without enduring countless eons—it is an immense merit."

"Yes. Yes. Yes, yes, yes." Luo Ben felt a strong hatred when he saw his wife's slumped body, but it all turned into pleasure.

It was as if his wife's death was so perfectly timed, just enough to atone for his sins.

Xue Ming glanced at Lena again--

"--How much do you know, Miss Lena?"

Lena, a clever girl, was now in tears and dared not say a word, answering whatever her Big Sister said.

"I know, I know everything! I'm important! I'm valuable! Big Sister! Big Sister, please don't kill me!"

Xue Ming continued, "You're not in a hurry, are you?"

Lena: "Yes, yes, yes"

Xue Ming continued, "You won't try to steal your father's pen, will you?"

Lena: "Yes! I won't steal it! He can write whose name he wants! I also know things he doesn't know! I definitely know more than he can write!"

At this point, Luo Ben turned around and glared fiercely at his own daughter.

Xue Ming sat back down in his seat.

--He made a Buddhist gesture with both hands, very devoutly.

Hasben had been watching for a long time, suddenly realized what was going on.

The Big Sister doesn't believe in Buddhism, so she wouldn't care about merit.