Special District 9

“He was backstabbed at a critical moment,” Yuan Hua pointed out with a frown. “He might try to get revenge on us.”

“If the Ma Family doesn’t know that he’s the culprit, he might still try to exact vengeance against us over this matter,” Yong Dong replied analytically.

“But even a fool can tell that the goods in the Ma Family’s warehouse were swapped by Little Qu. Do you think that lad would still head back to the Ma Family and try to pull something? Even if Old Ma is willing to spare him, I doubt that the hot-tempered Ma Lao-er would tolerate him. Taking a step back, even if Ma Lao-er is willing to tolerate him, do you think that the Police Bureau would simply let him off? This is a major case concerning the death of two medicine junkies, those officials desperately need someone to take the blame right now.”

Yuan Hua took a while to think about what Yong Dong had just said before he finally nodded his head in agreement.

“As long as Little Qu hasn’t lost his mind yet, he would choose to escape with the initial payment we gave him,” Yong Dong said. “We gave him quite a bit. There’s no need for him to put himself at risk at this juncture. He knows that the situation is already beyond what he can imagine, and a small mistake from him could very well cost him his life.”

“This still won’t do,” Yuan Hua shook his head as he spoke. “He’ll remain a threat if we leave him be. Old Ma has the backing of Old Li right now, so they might have means to get to that lad. The only way to ensure our safety is to silence him permanently.”

“Yeah, I agree with that too,” the bald man sitting around the mahjong table voiced his agreement.

Yuan Hua paced around the room for a moment before he turned to Yong Dong and said, “It’ll be safer if I entrust this job to you. You can deal with this while you lie low elsewhere.”

“Leave it to me,” Yong Dong accepted the job right away.

“Let’s end the game here for today,” Yuan Hua said. As he walked toward the door, he beckoned Yong Dong over, saying, “Follow me. Let’s have a talk.”

“Got it,” Yong Dong replied. He stood up as well and followed Yuan Hua out.

…

Ten minutes later.

Yuan Hua and Yong Dong entered Yuan Hua’s office. Yuan Hua walked over to the drawer and took out a stack of financial documents. He picked out an empty wage statement from the documents and wrote down the number ‘100,000.00’ on the paper and sealed it with his stamp before passing it over to Yong Dong.

“I don’t get it. What does this mean?” Yong Dong was a little dumbfounded as to what was happening.

“This is a portion of your year-end bonus,” Yuan Hua explained with a smile. “I’ll give it to you in advance first.”

“Is this appropriate?” Yong Dong asked in bewilderment. “Our business has been tight recently, and our sales have been dropping. If you give me a bonus individually, wouldn’t others think too much into it?”

Yuan Hua replied with a solemn voice, “Yong Dong, you are the one with the sharpest mind amongst the veterans who have followed me from the start. Whenever we face a crisis, you would always come up with ideas that allowed us to tide through it safely. Those who have contributed more should be rewarded more, don’t you think so? If the others are unhappy about this, tell them to produce some results for me too.”

A smile crept onto Yong Dong’s lips as he chuckled softly, “You seem particularly sentimental today.”

“Nay,” Yuan Hua replied as he walked over to the window. He poured himself a glass of wine as he explained, “I had a fight with Yuan Ke a few days ago. He said that the way our company operates is old-fashioned, that we resemble a bunch of gangsters fooling around. His words were extreme, but when I thought deeper into it, it does make sense too.”

Yong Dong listened to those words contemplatively.

“To create an empire, we need people like Baldie. But to guard an empire, we need people like you,” Yuan Hua looked at Yong Dong as he spoke. “Over the next two years, I’ll reinforce your standing in the group and gradually grant you some special privileges. As long as you don’t let down the company, I, Yuan Hua, will not let you down either.”

Yong Dong smiled in response to those words. “I didn’t stay here because of the bright future that our company has. It’s because you, Yuan Hua, are the boss. You are a person who values your subordinates, and I feel safe working for you.”

“Un.” Yuan Hua nodded his head solemnly.

…

In the city area.

Along a street near an old residence, Ma Lao-er was seated inside a car. He waited for around ten minutes before Little Liu brought a young man who was around the same age as him over.

“Let’s get down,” Ma Lao-er said as he opened the car door and alighted from the vehicle.

Along the street, the young man Little Liu brought over fidgeted nervously on the spot as he said, “Bro, I really don’t know about what he did.”

“Don’t worry, we’re here just to ask you a few questions,” Little Liu said.

While the two of them were talking, Ma Lao-er had already walked up to them. Without any warning, he grabbed the young man’s collar and pushed him against the wall as he asked, “Do you recognize me?”

“I-I do!” the young man replied with a pale face. “W-what’s wrong, Brother Lao-er?!”

“I want to find Little Qu. Do you know where he is?” Ma Lao-er grabbed the young man’s shoulder tightly as he asked with a livid face.

The young man immediately replied frantically, “Brother Lao-er, I really don’t know where he is. I haven’t talked to him since yesterday!”

Ma Lao-er snapped his finger, and Liu Zishu immediately pulled out his gun and pressed it against the young man’s head.

“B-b-brother Lao-er, p-please, let’s not do this…”

“I’ll ask you one more time. Where is Little Qu?” Ma Lao-er asked hoarsely. “I don’t have the patience to play with you, so you better give me an answer that satisfies me.”

The young man could feel the cold barrel of the gun pressing against his temple, and the stench of gunpowder choked up his nose. His legs went a little wobbly as he muttered weakly, “H-he… I think he went to Fengbei.”

“Why?” Ma Lao-er asked.

“We have a friend who works in a casino over at Fengbei,” the young man gulped down a mouthful of saliva as he replied. “He has a place to stay if he goes there.”

Ma Lao-er was silent for a moment before he asked, “Is this what Little Qu told you personally?”

“N-no!” the young man shook his head and replied. “Little Qu has never been truly opened up to anyone before. I only know that he’s heading to Fengbei because that casino friend of ours called me today and asked me if I’m interested to visit him together with Little Qu… But I have some issues to settle at home, so I rejected him.”

“The three of you are close friends?”

“Un. I have known that friend for more than ten years now,” the young man replied.

“Where is he right now?”

“Brother Lao-er, I know that Little Qu has offended you, but that friend of mine…”

“I’m only looking for Little Qu. I have no intention of going after you or your friend,” Ma Lao-er replied with a frown. “You just have to tell me the location.”

The young man thought deeply for a moment before he lowered his head and replied, “He’s working in Fengbei’s Pas Entertainment City.”

Ma Lao-er eyed the young man intently as he asked, “You aren’t lying to me?”

“No, definitely not!” the young man shook his head in a fluster. “I have heard of your reputation. There’s no way I would dare lie to you.”

“Fine,” Ma Lao-er said with a nod. He turned around and shouted, “Little Liu, bring him over to our spare warehouse at Dirt Street to stay for a few days. I’ll let him go after I find Little Qu.”

“Brother Lao-er, what do you mean by this? This isn’t fair! I have already told you what I know, so why are you still imprisoning me?!” the young man pleaded with horror in his eyes. “Please let me go back. My father hasn’t been doing well recently. I still need to prepare his meal tomorrow morning…”

“I’ll get someone to settle your father’s meals,” Ma Lao-er said as he walked back to his car. “I need to take some safety precautions in case someone dares to sabotage me. I’ll let you off as long as I manage to find Little Qu.”

The young man widened his eyes as he trembled in fright. “Brother Lao-er, no… G-give me a moment, don’t go… L-let me think for a little longer to recall… I lied! That friend of ours isn’t working in Pas Entertainment City but in Duke Carnival!”

Liu Zishu walked up to the young man and kicked up without any mercy, “You think that you are the only ones who can play tricks, huh?”

“Bro, I don’t dare to do it anymore. I swear that I’m telling the truth this time!” the young man kneeled onto the floor as he cried desperately.

…

Two hours later.