Tang Baiqing's Suggestion

Late that night, at around eleven thirty, an SUV pulled to a stop in the warehouse yard near Haiyan Pit. Yu Mingyuan got out alone and went inside, his brow furrowed.

In the main building's living room, a group of workers were changing out of clothes soaked with seawater. Su Tianyu stood by the door, having just finished a call with Kong Zhenghui.

"The cargo's gone, and so are the men?" Yu Mingyuan asked bluntly as he entered.

"Yes. They hijacked the cargo out at sea and took everyone on Zhang Hao's boat," Su Tianyu explained again. "They had six speedboats and over thirty men, all masked and armed with spearguns and long forks."

"When will Bai Hongbo and Kong Zhenghui get here?" Yu Mingyuan asked after a pause.

"They're on their way. My family's coming too."

"All right. Come with me, then." Yu Mingyuan nodded.

"Okay!" Su Tianyu turned and instructed, "Mizi, keep an eye on things here. I'm heading out with Mr. Yu."

"Got it."

In the yard, Yu Mingyuan opened the car door and settled into the passenger seat, leaving Su Tianyu to drive.

After they left the bungalow compound, Su Tianyu asked, "Where to?"

"Back to the company," Yu Mingyuan replied, phone in hand.

Su Tianyu nodded and drove toward Lush Forest Avenue.

On the way, Yu Mingyuan made several calls in succession, then fell silent in the passenger seat. Su Tianyu asked with a slight frown, "What did Tang Baiqing say?"

"He's waiting for us outside the company." Looking at Su Tianyu in frustration, Yu Mingyuan asked, "Stealing the cargo is one thing. Why take the men too?"

"Either they wanted to intimidate us, or someone in Zhang Hao's group recognized the hijackers," Su Tianyu replied after some thought. "They were wearing masks, after all."

Yu Mingyuan nodded slowly and sighed. "Let's talk to Tang Baiqing first."

Su Tianyu glanced at Yu Mingyuan and asked bluntly, "Mingyuan, can he actually protect us or not?"

"You're convinced the Dock Gang took the cargo?" Yu Mingyuan countered.

"There's a very good chance it was them," Su Tianyu replied.

Yu Mingyuan said, "Let's see what Tang Baiqing has to say."

"They've taken my family members. If the Dock Gang did this, getting our people back comes first, Mingyuan." Su Tianyu spoke to Yu Mingyuan without hedging or embarrassment.

Yu Mingyuan glanced at Su Tianyu and nodded slowly.

At around eleven thirty, Su Tianyu stopped the car outside the Mingyuan Trading Company's office building. Tang Baiqing immediately opened the door and got in alone.

"Did you ask them?"

"I did. The Dock Gang said they knew nothing about it." Nothing had been going Tang Baiqing's way lately, and he looked particularly haggard, his complexion poor.

"Could they be lying?" Yu Mingyuan asked.

"The Dock Gang probably wouldn't lie to me." Tang Baiqing waved a hand. "It might have been some street criminals, or someone around the docks got greedy and acted without clearing it with their bosses."

"If they wanted money, why take hostages?" Yu Mingyuan frowned. "They've taken five people from the Su Family and the Bai Family. That's way over the fucking line."

"I called the Dock Gang's Hall Master, Wei Xiangzuo, and their Gang Leader, Xu Hu. They said they're looking into it," Tang Baiqing reassured him. "If someone around the port did it, word will turn up sooner or later. Besides, they only took a few workers. Keeping them serves no purpose! They probably want something. They'll negotiate eventually."

Yu Mingyuan stayed silent.

Tang Baiqing loosened his collar and took out his cigarette pack. He glanced at Su Tianyu in the driver's seat, then said quietly, "Su, step outside for a moment. I need a private word with Mr. Yu."

Su Tianyu paused, but said nothing more. He opened the door and got out.

Inside the car, Tang Baiqing lit a cigarette and looked up at Yu Mingyuan. "Actually... someone from the Dock Gang came to see me yesterday."

"What did they want?" Yu Mingyuan asked, somewhat surprised.

"They wanted to discuss our sea freight business, but I've been so overwhelmed with family matters lately that I didn't give it much thought." Tang Baiqing took a drag. "The Dock Gang said they initially thought we were only doing a short-term operation with small volumes, so they let us take deliveries at sea as a favor to me. But lately, our shipments have been getting bigger and our management more organized. We're clearly running this as a long-term business, and that's made them a little jealous."

"Go on."

"The Dock Gang wants in. They want a cut of the cargo," Tang Baiqing added.

"How much?" Yu Mingyuan asked.

"At least twenty percent," Tang Baiqing replied.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Yu Mingyuan raised his eyebrows. "The Su, Bai, and Kong Three Families already take thirty percent, and you take another thirty. If I give the Dock Gang twenty on top of that, will this company make any profit at all? I might as well be running a charity!"

Tang Baiqing was silent for a while before lowering his voice. "Mingyuan, if you make your living at sea, you can't get around the Dock Gang. Every industry has its own methods and rules. When you reach too far and make too much profit, people are naturally going to get jealous. You know how the Dock Gang operates. They're like the Changqing Company-both are organized criminal outfits. They don't just have influence on the streets. They have plenty of their own people in the Coast Guard Team and customs too. They can do me a favor, but they can also refuse. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Yu Mingyuan paused for a long time. "Are you saying they hijacked this shipment?"

"No, that's not what I mean." Tang Baiqing waved a hand. "I did ask Wei Xiangzuo and Xu Hu, but both said they hadn't ordered anyone to do this. What I just told you was only what they discussed with me yesterday."

Yu Mingyuan stayed silent.

"Anyone can handle the hauling. Honestly, you're giving the Su, Bai, and Kong Three Families a little too much of the profit." Tang Baiqing paused briefly. "If you're in this for the long haul, you can't avoid the Dock Gang. You might as well give them the hauling work."

"What are you suggesting?"

"Use whoever's useful," Tang Baiqing replied.

"Kick those three families out, is that it?" Yu Mingyuan asked bluntly.

"That would work out better." Tang Baiqing nodded.

Yu Mingyuan gave Tang Baiqing a long, searching look. After considering it for some time, he replied, "Tang, you're sure the Dock Gang didn't lie to you, right?"

"Fuck, you don't even trust me?" Tang Baiqing replied, exasperated. "Should I call Wei Xiangzuo and Xu Hu right now so you can listen for yourself?"

"No need."

"The Dock Gang didn't necessarily do this. Someone might have gotten jealous and hired people to hijack the cargo for ransom," Tang Baiqing said as he smoked. "The docks are a mess. Hardened criminals and desperate outlaws are everywhere."

"We can discuss who gets a stake and who gets kicked out later." Yu Mingyuan turned toward him. "Let's find our people and the cargo first."

"All right. I'll push the Dock Gang for an answer," Tang Baiqing replied with a nod. "If someone around Zhannan Dock really did this, they'll definitely be able to find out."

Somewhere in Zhannan District, Zhang Hao and the other four were pinned to the ground, covered in blood.

"You fucking dared to fight back and send word, huh? Think you're tough?!" A burly man stomped on Zhang Hao's head several times, then waved a hand and ordered, "Lock them in the dog cages and dunk them in the pond."

A few minutes later, Zhang Hao and the others were locked in cramped dog cages. Several men carried them over and threw them into an artificial saltwater fish pond.

With his lower body submerged and blood pouring from his thigh, Zhang Hao was already slipping out of consciousness. Another worker held him up as he murmured, "I... I know who they are..."