Special District 9

Yong Dong was seated in his car, listening to calming music. There was a relaxed expression on his face, and he even had the mood to look at the scenery from time to time as he exclaimed, “Look, the residential areas in Fengbei have plenty of semi-terraces, and all of them have quotes painted at the entrance. It looks really neat.”

The driver wiped away the sweat droplets from his forehead as he spoke helplessly, “Brother Dong, even a driver like me can tell that you’re in grave danger, but why don’t you look nervous at all?”

“Hahaha!” Yong Dong laughed. “What’s the use of getting nervous at a time like this? If our boss tells me that I don’t have to be here, I would kneel down before him and thank him right away. But the words I was waiting for never came, so what else can I do? Hahaha!”

“Sigh!” The driver shook his head and remarked, “It sure isn’t easy being in your place.”

Yong Dong patted the driver’s shoulder and said, “Don’t worry, brother! You’re just a driver, so nothing will happen to you even if a fight breaks out!”

“Un, un…!” The driver nodded tensely.

Yong Dong took out a box of cigarettes and lit up. He lowered the car window by a third and began smoking on it quietly.

A slight static sounded at this moment, and Baldie spoke through the walkie-talkie, “Yong Dong, don’t worry. We’re all by your side.”

Yong Dong chuckled to himself, not bothering to respond at all.

…

Time ticked by. Snow began falling from the dark sky.

Yuan Hua was gulping down water in frustration in his car as he glanced at his watch from time to time.

As soon as the clock hit ten, his ringtone sounded in the car.

Yuan Hua immediately tossed aside the water bottle in his hand and received the call, “Hello?”

“Boss Yuan, are you here yet?” Qin Yu asked with a smile.

“Do I still need to be present for a trade of personnel?” Yuan Hua replied with a frown. “You asked for two days, so I gave it to you. Now that time’s up, I hope that you won’t test my patience any longer.”

“Very well. As long as you’re willing to cooperate with me, I won’t waste everyone’s time,” Qin Yu said. “Where’s Yong Dong?”

“He’s already here,” Yuan Hua replied. “As long as you let us see Xing Zihao, he’ll get out of the car right now.”

“That won’t do, Boss Yuan. Xing Zihao is our only chip against you. How can we give him back before we even saw Yong Dong?”

“Fine. Let Xing Zihao come onto the call then,” Yuan Hua bargained with gritted teeth.

Qin Yu’s voice suddenly turned cold as he uttered, “Boss Yuan, I don’t think you understand the situation you are in. Are you still trying to take the lead here?”

Yuan Hua clenched his fists furiously.

“Get Yong Dong down the car. Within two minutes, I want to see him beneath the border signage. If you can do that, I’ll let Brother Zihao give a call to Old Xing,” Qin Yu said before hanging up the phone unhesitatingly.

Yuan Hua sat in the car and pondered for a few seconds before he instructed the subordinate sitting in the passenger seat, “Tell Baldie to get Yong Dong down the car and move over to the signage.”

“I’ll relay the message right now.”

…

Inside a car by the roadside.

Yong Dong had a cigarette hanging in his mouth as he grabbed his collar and said, “Un, I’m listening.”

“Get down the car and stand beneath the signage there,” Baldie quickly issued several orders. “Once you’re there, the driver will reverse the car back. However, you don’t need to worry about that. You’re still within sight.”

“Got it,” Yong Dong replied as he opened the car door.

The driver revved up the engine once more before suddenly calling out, “Brother Dong!”

Yong Dong turned his head around and looked at the driver.

“T-take care of yourself,” the driver said with a ghastly pale face. Nervousness was written all over his face as he spoke. “As soon as the higher-ups send the command, I’ll drive right in and take you away.”

Yong Dong was startled by the sudden words. He suddenly felt very warm inside. With a gentle smile, he said, “Thanks, brother.”

After saying those words, the driver began to drive away, leaving Yong Dong to walk alone to the border signage by the roadside.

On the left of the road was Nanyuan Residential Area, and to the right was a vast wilderness. Vaguely, one could see the gigantic walls and metal fences that demarcated the border between Special District 9 and the Development District.

Standing beneath the signage, Yong Dong scanned his surroundings, but he couldn’t see a familiar face at all. He didn’t feel nervous inside, just despairing helplessness.

If Old Ma were to leap out right now and fire at him, where could he run to?

In a dirty alley by the roadside, Yuan Hua stood behind a wall as he looked at Yong Dong fixatedly. He picked up his phone and dialed Qin Yu’s number.

…

Di ling ling!

A ringtone sounded.

By the side, Old Cat reminded with a frown, “Your phone is ringing. Pick it up.”

However, Qin Yu simply stared at the screen without moving at all.

“What are you thinking about?” Old Cat exclaimed. “Hurry up and pick up the phone!”

Qin Yu shook his head and replied, “It’s from Yuan Hua. I’m not picking it up.”

Old Cat was taken aback. He wasn’t sure what was running through Qin Yu’s mind at this moment, so he didn’t dare to say too much either.

Qin Yu licked his lips as he pressed on the ‘Decline’ button. A few moments later, Yuan Hua’s call came in again, but he simply declined it once more.

Inside the alley.

Yuan Hua cursed in exasperation, “Shit! What the hell are they thinking about? Why aren’t they picking up my call?”

On the other hand, Qin Yu waited for around two minutes before he turned around and said, “Old Cat, pass me your phone.

…

Beneath the border signage.

Yong Dong’s right hand was slotted in his pocket as he scanned around his surroundings while holding onto his phone.

Di ling ling!

It was at this moment that a ringtone sounded.

Taken aback, Yong Dong glanced leftward and saw a flicker of light behind a boulder by the road.

In the alley.

Baldie ran over anxiously and asked Yuan Hua with a frown, “Why isn’t the other party moving at all?”

“I gave him a call, but he isn’t answering,” Yuan Hua said. “Don’t bother about this now, just keep an eye out of Yong Dong. Regardless of whether they pick up their call or not, they’ll have to fetch Yong Dong eventually. Got it?”

“Understood!”

Baldie nodded before walking to the side to communicate the orders with his brothers through the walkie-talkie.

Meanwhile, Yuan Hua hid behind the wall and continued eyeing the signage intently.

On the road.

When Yong Dong saw the flicker of light behind the boulder, he hesitated for a brief moment before he began making his way over. Behind the rock, there was a phone lying there.

He hesitated for a moment before he bent down to pick up the phone and answered it.

“Hello, Brother Dong!” Qin Yu’s voice sounded from the other side of the phone.

Yong Dong stared at the screen of the phone in silence.

“Brother Dong, why aren’t you talking at all?” Qin Yu asked with a light tone.

“Where’s Xing Zihao?” Yong Dong asked.

“I must say that I’m quite surprised. You were the one who fought the defensive war in Dirt Street. You were the one who protected the company’s interest. You were the one who schemed the Ma Family into its current pathetic plight,” Qin Yu spoke with a chuckle through the phone. “Yet, in the very end, Yuan Hua didn’t reward you for your effort, and instead, he chose to sell out you instead. I really wonder why you choose to work with a person like that. Are the two of you related by blood?”

Yong Dong was silent for a moment before he replied, “What are you driving at?”

“Brother Dong, even I can’t stand how Yuan Hua is treating you,” Qin Yu remarked lightly. “Why don’t you turn off the microphone, and let’s work together to pull one over him? What do you say about that?”

“Trying to turn us against one another?” Yong Dong sneered coldly.

“All it takes is a shout for me, and a bullet will be put through your head in the next moment,” Qin Yu pointed out lightly. “After the job is done, I’ll leave right away and ask Yuan Hua to trade for Baldie two days later.”