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Chapter 123: Cross-Border Pursuit 7
When the A Group Undercover arrived at the scene, they were stunned by the sight illuminated by the car headlights. Dozens of people were beating one individual, and amidst the chaos of rain, shouts, and cries, Shen Lingchen was already lost in the crowd. He shouted for Xiao Mu, but grabbed one person who wasn’t him, then another, desperately pushing forward until he finally caught hold of the nearest figure. The seemingly frantic Xiao Mu swung a brick at Shen Lingchen's head, but Shen Lingchen snatched it away from him. Soaked in rain and looking desperate, he struggled to stop the already fading gunman.
Bang… Bang… Bang… Bang…
Several shots rang out as warnings. The officers outside were stopped by Guo Wei. Shen Lingchen slapped Xiao Mu hard across the face, shouting, “Stop! If you kill him, do you want them all to come in?”
“Stop! Stop…”
“Stop… Stop…”
Shen Lingchen shielded the gunman, taking blows to his shoulders, back, and head. The gunfire finally jolted the crazed crowd back to reality. Those holding wooden poles and bricks looked on with extreme hostility, ready to pounce at any moment.
“Stop! This is a Heroic Act. If you kill him, it’ll be intentional harm… Xiao Mu, wake up…”
Shen Lingchen covered his head, half-kneeling on the ground as he protected the gunman, struggling to speak.
Someone suddenly cried out loudly; it was Liu Yang, who had also been shot. His wailing drew everyone closer. Xiao Mu pushed through the crowd to help Liu Yang, who had been shot in the abdomen, shouting hoarsely, “Get help… someone save him…”
As several police cars sped onto the scene, Big Gourd rushed towards them, kneeling in front of the headlights and repeatedly bowing his head. The surrounding Undercover agents tried to pull him away, but he refused to get up, crying until his voice was hoarse: “Help! Save my brother… I’ll go to jail; I’ll take his place… Please save him!”
“Hurry… I’ve learned first aid; there’s no time to get him to the hospital.” Guo Wei rushed over, assessed Liu Yang’s wound, and had him lean against a crumbling wall. He tore a piece of cloth to wrap around the wound and staunched the bleeding before hurrying towards the gunman who was being beaten mercilessly by the crowd. After a quick examination—checking for breath and feeling for a pulse—he noticed dislocated limbs and gasped: “He’s still alive… There are probably multiple fractures… Huh? Master, he’s Nie Qifeng.”
That was a notorious criminal; if it weren’t for this mob’s frenzy, he might have escaped long ago. Looking at Nie Qifeng, who lay there like a corpse, one would never have imagined that a once-heroic figure would meet such a pathetic end.
“Hah, at death's door, trying to kill witnesses,” Shen Lingchen chuckled bitterly. A sharp pain shot through him; he couldn’t stand up and collapsed heavily into the mud. When Guo Wei looked over, he saw that Shen Lingchen had a gaping wound on his head—a bloodied hole the size of a thumb. He tore off part of his clothing to stop the bleeding while Shen Lingchen wrapped it himself and gestured for him to check on that man.
That man… that man… Big Gourd was still wailing. Several officers checked on Erhu Lu, who lay in the rain and shook their heads slightly. But Big Gourd refused to believe it; he grabbed another officer and pleaded through tears: “Officer! Save my brother… I surrender; I’ll go to jail! Just save him; he hasn’t done much wrong… It was all me! If someone has to die, let it be me…”
He was covered in mud, bowing to everyone he encountered. When Guo Wei approached, Big Gourd clung to him as if he had found a lifeline. Guo Wei squatted down while Big Gourd knelt beside him. Guo Wei felt for his pulse, and Big Gourd, with a heart-wrenching sob, took Erhu Lu's hand and pressed it against his cheek, crying, "Old Two... don’t die on me. We promised to go abroad together and chase after foreign girls once we made it big... You said you would keep your word. What’s the point of me going alone... Old Two, I won’t fight with you anymore. Don’t die, don’t die. You be the big brother, and I’ll be the little brother..."
Guo Wei felt the pulse that had already stopped, checking his phone to see the dilated pupils. He knew it was hopeless now; there were bullet holes in his abdomen and chest, and the bleeding had ceased. Yet, looking at the heartbroken Big Gourd, he couldn’t bring himself to utter this painful truth.
As the cries began to fade, the scene naturally divided into two camps: one gathered around Shen Lingchen, where the gunman Nie Qifeng lay; the other encircled Erhu Lu, with Xiao Mu sitting beside him, repeatedly wiping the rainwater off Erhu Lu's face with his sleeve—wiping it dry only for it to become wet again.
He recalled arriving in Suzhou and Hangzhou when this scoundrel handed him a small card with a sly grin.
He remembered Erhu Lu’s excitement when he first learned about extortion, his eyes shining brightly.
He vividly recalled scene after scene; not a single good memory surfaced. Yet he would rather see that scoundrel smiling wickedly than witness Erhu Lu lying there peacefully with closed eyes, never to open them again.
As he stroked Erhu Lu's face, something inside him burned—a pain that was unbearable and filled him with anguish. Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably as he struggled to find an outlet for his anger.
At 22:55, Cangji reported from the scene that gunman Nie Qifeng had been severely injured and captured. During the arrest process, several unemployed individuals were injured—one severely and another dead. An ambulance was en route to the scene.
Given the seriousness of the case situation, Commander issued an immediate capture order for He Shi, nicknamed Cripple.
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"Old Cripple... hurry up and turn back... they’ve all turned traitor," Li Derli shouted as he ran through the rain.
"What do you mean traitor? Who turned?" Old Cripple asked incredulously over the phone.
"Who else could it be? Those bastards you raised," Li Derli replied.
"Shut the hell up, they're just the cats and dogs tied to my feet. Do they dare to turn against me?" He Shi said skeptically.
"You're just being ridiculous. That bunch of idiots has already joined Young Master Mu in rebellion. I barely managed to escape, and I still don't know what happened to Tongs," Li Derli replied.
It seemed that they had caught on to the problem and urgently asked, "Old Li, what's going on?"
"Niezi has fired a shot. Now the entire Cangji area is swarming with police cars... We need to get out of here quickly. Inform Brother Wu; this place is completely finished. Brothers, go your separate ways," Li Derli said before tossing his phone aside.
The phone fell into the puddle by the roadside, flickered a few times, and then the indicator light slowly went out.
This cunning figure did not linger behind Alley; he waited until another wave of police cars passed before emerging, running along Zhengmin Road. There, he hailed a taxi and disappeared into the rainy night...
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The body bag was gently zipped up, Big Gourd cried until he fainted. Xiao Mu called for someone to pull him away, but as soon as he tugged, Big Gourd woke up again, continuing to cry and clinging to the body bag.
People couldn't move him, so they pulled at Big Gourd, and seeing him cry so heart-wrenchingly, they ended up crying together.
In the car, Xiao Mu asked someone to stay with Liu Yang. That youthful face still looked like a child. When Xiao Mu held his hand, tears streamed down Liu Yang's face as he said, "Brother, it doesn't hurt... Gourd Brother is dead; please don't leave us behind."
"I won't," Xiao Mu comforted him, patting his head. But when he turned his face away, he wiped away his own tears first.
A figure blocked his path—it was Shen Lingchen, bandages wrapped around his head and arms. He looked at Xiao Mu, who had bloodshot eyes and said, "Are you satisfied now? Why are you stopping me?"
Not being able to personally kill Nie Qifeng had become Xiao Mu's greatest regret. Shen Lingchen's eyes burned with intensity as he disdainfully replied, "Close enough. Nie Qifeng has several fractures and a severe concussion... You really didn't go hard enough."
For Xiao Mu, Shen Lingchen had a brand new understanding; he was far from the harmless facade he presented. When it came time to fight, there was no hesitation at all. If there had been even a moment of doubt, Shen Lingchen thought, this Strange Person of the Jianghu would have had every chance to escape the encirclement.
"That was you stopping me; otherwise, I would have killed him myself," Xiao Mu said.
"No, what I mean by not being dark enough is that their people still have... either this kind of thing happens again, or we eliminate future troubles. What do you think?" Shen Lingchen asked.
"Do you think I have any objections?" Xiao Mu replied fiercely.
"Follow me," Shen Lingchen said.
He led Xiao Mu straight to an ambulance. On the stretcher lay Nie Qifeng, just revived by a shot of adrenaline. He was biting on the tube, his body covered in injuries. When Xiao Mu's face drew near, Nie Qifeng reacted violently, gasping and his voice cracking, but it was clear he spat out a harsh threat: "Just wait for me to kill your whole family."
"You can only move your mouth now; I'm giving you a chance to speak," Xiao Mu said coldly, his expression as hard as iron.
Nie Qifeng slumped down, haunted by the nightmare of being swarmed and beaten by countless people, which shattered all his confidence. He stared blankly at Xiao Mu and whispered almost inaudibly, "Why... why..."
"Are you wondering why I'm a police informant? Because informants are at least human, while others in your eyes are just pigs and dogs, to be manipulated however you please. They serve you merely for survival, while you take anyone's life whenever you want... Ever since you stuffed me into that wooden box, I've been waiting for the day I could send you on your way," Xiao Mu said fiercely, his voice chilling.
Fear washed over Nie Qifeng's face as his gaze gradually fell; he couldn't dare to meet Xiao Mu's piercing eyes.
After a moment, Shen Lingchen signaled for Xiao Mu to ask questions. The sharp tongue of an informant was far more powerful than any interrogation. Xiao Mu spoke up: "Tongs, tell me who is behind you? I know it's not Rong Wu."
"Heh... heh..." Nie Qifeng laughed hollowly, his eyes glazed over as if mocking.
"That laugh is truly unpleasant... You're so stupid. Let me ask a simpler question: how did you end up in Suzhou and Hangzhou?" Xiao Mu inquired.
Nie Qifeng continued to laugh but was clearly unable to respond any further.
"I understand," Xiao Mu said, "so proud of yourself. The stolen goods from the transfer haven't gone far yet. Are you planning to take everything here with you?"
Nie Qifeng's eyes flickered as Xiao Mu turned and left the vehicle without asking any further questions. Shen Lingchen chased after him, and Xiao Mu directly told him, "You won't get anything out of him. Someone with that kind of antisocial personality needs to be approached slowly... He's not alone; there should be others connected directly to Golden Treasure."
"They should have come with Li Derli; both disappeared at the same time, but there's no trace of Li Derli. That person must be waiting for a pickup," Shen Lingchen said. The information was already chaotic, and finding clues amidst the confusion was the only way to catch these elusive fish.
At this point, Xiao Mu glanced back at Nie Qifeng, and they both realized simultaneously, "Li Derli is trying to slip away by himself?"
"Guo Wei... the map," Shen Lingchen called out.
Guo Wei responded and came over, looking disheveled, his upper body in tatters as he held a tablet and handed it to Shen Lingchen under the rain. Under the umbrella, Shen Lingchen wiped his hands and examined the tablet. It displayed a real-time police deployment map showing roads, bridges, stations, and docks marked with different flashing red dots, indicating that checkpoints had already begun operating. The entire network had effectively sealed off all major traffic routes leading in and out of Suzhou and Hangzhou.
"Are you saying that today's stolen goods from Binhai are with Li Derli?" Shen Lingchen asked.
"There's no mistake; they plan to transfer both sets of stolen goods together and then make a clean getaway. As long as Nie Qifeng and Li Derli escape, everyone above them should be safe," Xiao Mu rapidly organized his thoughts. Rong Wu rarely showed up; the main roles of Brother Five were played by Nie Qifeng and Li Derli. The blame for Wang Zihua's case would fall on a group of newcomers led by Xiao Mu, allowing the entire organization to turn danger into safety.
"They can't leave by land; that only leaves this place," Shen Lingchen pointed towards the dock.
"Right, the sea is their forte," Xiao Mu said thoughtfully as he looked up at the sky. While Shen Lingchen picked up his phone to notify home, Xiao Mu rushed towards a group near the fence, persuading Big Gourd's crew.
Seeing this situation unfold, Shen Lingchen attempted to stop Xiao Mu. He could never bear to see Xiao Mu sink into the company of such people. But this time he hesitated; everyone was irreplaceable in their own way. He knew that only Xiao Mu could see the glimmers of potential in those who were destitute and deceitful. In their most desperate moments, these faint sparks combined into a dazzling lightning bolt.
At that moment, even the officers present looked at the drenched drifters with a layer of respect in their eyes.
Thus, Shen Lingchen did not intervene but silently followed him. As Xiao Mu walked slowly toward those people with difficulty, bent over slightly, one by one they stood up. They looked at Xiao Mu with complex expressions—confusion mingled with lingering doubt. At this moment, it was clear he did not belong to this marginalized group; however, that did not matter because he still approached them.
"Help me find someone named Li Derli; he's currently fleeing toward the dock," Xiao Mu said, his voice growing weaker.
"He came with the gunman who killed Erhu Lu. He will take the sea route, but he won't go to the dock; he will definitely be anchored somewhere along the coastline waiting for a pickup boat, probably a fishing boat or a yacht, related to Sea smuggling... Gather the Brothers, help me catch him and hand him over to the police, let him die and rot in prison..." Xiao Mu said, perhaps overwhelmed by the presence of police cars and the fear from the recent gunfight, or perhaps filled with doubt about what he had done. The looks directed at Xiao Mu grew more complex, and no one responded.
"I know you won't believe me anymore. I'm begging you, help me one last time... That shot was meant for me; Erhu Lu died in my place... But I would rather it had been me than him... I'm begging you for Erhu Lu..." Xiao Mu sobbed as he slowly knelt down.
Not just kneeling, but collapsing under the weight of life itself, he fell to the ground, lying softly in the rain, his hands pressed tightly against his waist, where the light revealed a pool of crimson.
At that moment, all doubts crumbled. The crowd surrounded him and lifted him up. Big Gourd wiped his tears and urgently asked, "Bro... wake up... we’ll listen to you... really, we’ve always listened to you..."
Shen Lingchen then realized something was wrong. He leaned closer and touched Xiao Mu's damp body, feeling something sticky at his waist. Lifting his shirt revealed a gaping wound under his ribs; blood had been flowing for who knows how long.
"Guo Wei... save him... someone hurry here; there's another person shot," Shen Lingchen shouted.
A group of police rushed over and worked together to lift him into a nearby car, chasing after the ambulance that had just left.
Big Gourd watched as the police car drove away. In that moment, he bent down to look at Erhu Lu lying quietly. He gently pulled up the body bag and murmured through gritted teeth: "Brother, wait for me."
At that moment, he no longer hesitated. He took his people and silently left. The scene was still being investigated; a police officer reached out to stop them but was pushed aside. Officers on perimeter duty tried to dissuade them; they still needed to take statements. However, dozens of furious thugs brushed past the police and strode away from the scene.
No one stopped the group of dozens.
As Big Gourd walked away, he loosened his belt, which held a piece of gold foil; he wiped his wristwatch clean as he passed it along; rummaging through his pockets for jewelry and money, Big Gourd collected everything valuable on him and handed it to a nearby brother:
"Notify everyone to come out; whoever knows about smuggling or running goods by sea; whoever knows where they board and disembark, I’ll pay for information... Find Li Derli; whoever finds him gets a reward; we’ll do as Big Brother says."
The person who returned the items to Big Gourd said nothing. This band of mourners had their own way of operating, disappearing into the rain and night.
Darkness was indeed their world.
At eleven oh five PM, a Buick approaching the Su-Hang Expressway exit left Xue Xiaohong stunned as she saw the scene ahead. Six rows of police cars lined the exit, their red and blue lights flashing silently, and the pouring rain added an extra layer of grimness to the atmosphere.
"It's over," she said, banging her hands on the steering wheel, tears threatening to spill. "Lame Brother, we're done for."
"Niezi is finished... Just get out and turn yourself in. Your situation isn't too serious; you'll be out in two years. Find a man and live a good life," Old Cripple said from the passenger seat, his tone somber.
"But what about you, Lame Brother?" A flicker of emotion surged within Xue Xiaohong.
"Our crimes are too severe. Surrendering or not, it's a dead end for us... See you in the next life," Old Cripple replied expressionlessly.
As the car door opened with a click, the sound of gunfire echoed as a warning. A loudspeaker blared, "You are surrounded! Raise your hands and exit the vehicle."
With her hands raised high, Xue Xiaohong slowly stepped out. Instantly drenched by the rain, she felt her heart race at the grim scene before her. The entire exit was surrounded by police cars; between each vehicle and under the dark sky, countless officers and guns were aimed directly at her.
Bang... A gunshot rang out. She glanced back one last time before collapsing to the ground.
At eleven ten PM, a report from the Suzhou and Hangzhou Exit 0013 stated: Suspect He Shi has committed suicide by gunshot.
This once formidable criminal, now severely injured, remained resolute. He shot himself in the jaw, blowing off half his head, brain matter splattering everywhere—a gruesome sight...
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