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墨書 Inktalez
In the West Suburb, the temporary residence that had been abandoned for a day was back in use.
The meeting point was here. Zhang Quan made his way back at a leisurely pace. After being an undercover agent for so many years, it was hard for anything to stir his emotions. Yet, his eyelids kept twitching along the way. At one moment, he worried that Xiao Mu might get beaten and wouldn’t be able to handle it; at another, he feared that others would notice something off about Xiao Mu. After all, he was a newcomer, and crafting a flawless story wasn’t easy. Soon after, he began to regret it, thinking that the kid was still young and shouldn’t be led down this path.
The term "informant" wasn’t a flattering one. There was a joke within the Police Force that said the organization raised three sons: the police were biological, the undercover agents were adopted, while informants were picked up off the street. This joke carried its own weight; most informants weren’t good people, but they weren’t necessarily bad either. However, when they were used, no one treated them like humans.
Every time he recalled Xiao Mu’s foolish bravado, he felt anxious for him. The best trait for an informant was to be low-key, to make others overlook their existence. But Xiao Mu stood out too much; if he hadn’t revealed so many exceptional qualities, the task force would have likely sent him home long ago.
But now it was too late—like a bride being carried to her wedding or a mother-in-law stamping her feet; everything had already unfolded.
He returned to the meeting place with the same trepidation as if it were his first mission. Taking a taxi back, he had just gotten out when he saw those Pyramid Scheme members who had "captured" Xiao Mu. They were lifting him from the trunk like human traffickers weighing their goods, carrying him toward the rented Tycoon villa. Xiao Mu remained loud and defiant, kicking and shouting.
Zhang Quan hurried back into the courtyard. Upon reaching the entrance, he obediently stood aside. He Yuguo shot him a glance with a grim expression but said nothing.
No words were needed; today was about dealing with this little brat because his escape had frightened the entire organization into going underground.
Once Xiao Mu was handed over to Big Head and Gap-toothed, He Yuguo waved his hand to dismiss several of the Pyramid Scheme members who had captured him, slipping them some change as thanks. These were key members under He Yuguo’s command; they expressed their gratitude profusely before leaving and locking up behind them as they drove off in their dilapidated van.
Now looking at Big Head and Gap-toothed, who had been badly duped and still had swollen eyes, they menacingly held onto Xiao Mu. Big Head removed the rag from Xiao Mu’s head and grinned maliciously, “Run now, kid.”
As he spoke, he raised his hand to slap him. Xiao Mu shouted nervously, “Hey! Hey! Don’t hit my face! The boss wants to make money; it all depends on this face!”
That made sense. He Yuguo quickly intervened, “Right! Don’t hit his face.”
Xiao Mu managed to save his face and chuckled happily. He Yuguo looked at him with amusement but then suddenly turned serious and said directly, “Hit him on the butt.”
Big Mouth couldn't wait any longer and kicked Xiao Mu, sending him crashing onto the long sofa in the living room. Xiao Mu grimaced in pain, turning around to glare angrily, "Damn it, Big Mouth, your guts are bigger than your mouth. This outfit costs several thousand; it's all Boss He's hard-earned money... Look, you've dirtied it and torn my pants."
He Yuguo, known for his stinginess, felt the sting of the words. He stepped forward and slapped Big Mouth across the face, scolding, "You're really stupid. Clothes are worth more than people; how can you hit like that?"
"Oh, Mr. He, how should I hit then?" Big Mouth said, almost in tears, just as he had struck first.
"Strip him and beat him; damn it, how dare you run!" He Yuguo said fiercely.
Big Mouth took the order and rolled up his sleeves to approach. Xiao Mu backed into the corner of the sofa. As they grappled, pushing Xiao Mu into a corner with no way out, he suddenly shouted, "Boss He, I have important information to tell you... There’s a cop among us."
What? Zhang Quan nearly fainted from shock.
What? Big Mouth was taken aback, while He Yuguo felt his heart race with curiosity and asked, "Who?"
"That guy." Xiao Mu pointed at Big Head, who looked dumbfounded.
"Shut up! If he's a cop, then I'm the Police Flower," He Yuguo said skeptically. He swung his hand as if to strike again, but Xiao Mu interjected, "He's tipping off the cops; that's worse than being a cop."
"I've been arrested by the police before; I hate them the most," Big Head explained.
"Exactly! You've been arrested; who can guarantee there aren't cops forcing you... When they interrogated you, did they make you snitch on anyone else?" Xiao Mu asked.
"They did," Big Head replied blankly.
"See? There's potential for being a Traitor," Xiao Mu misquoted him directly to intimidate.
Before Big Head could say anything, He Yuguo glared at him, startling him. Xiao Mu added fuel to the fire, saying, "That day he followed me to the bathroom and told me to run quickly."
"That's nonsense! I didn't say that," Big Head insisted.
"Then how do you explain my escape? You're so big that you could easily take me down with just a finger. There's no way I could have run away; clearly, you let me go," Xiao Mu replied.
"No, no... you spat that chili in my eyes," Big Head explained urgently, but it was no use against Xiao Mu. Xiao Mu pressed on, "What about the two of you? If I spat in your eyes, you should have taken me down beforehand... At the very least, you failed your duty to watch over me, right? Don't think I don't know; you and Big Mouth were watching the women coming in and out of the ladies' room, weren't you? Don't even try to deny it!"
"This... this..." Big Head stammered. Of course, they had been watching the women, but that had nothing to do with this situation. Unexpectedly, this also touched a nerve with He Yuguo. Considering how these two usually indulged in drinking and gambling without doing their jobs properly, he swung his hand and slapped Big Head, making him see stars. Big Mouth was too scared to grab Xiao Mu.
Xiao Mu would not let it go. He pointed sternly at Big Mouth, saying, "Boss He, I think he has issues too... When we were eating lamb offal, I wrapped a handful of chili in a napkin. He was so busy eating that he didn’t even notice. How much do you pay him each day? Just letting him come here to eat."
Big Head was furious and retorted, "As if you're the only one who doesn't eat!"
"By the way, Boss He, they are talking behind your back, saying you only eat and don’t do anything else, which is why you're so fat," Xiao Mu turned the conversation around and placed the blame on He Yuguo. He Yuguo glared at Big Mouth, who quickly explained, "I was talking about him."
"Of course! What does it matter who is who? Boss He has always emphasized that we are family. You guys clearly don't treat him like a parent," Xiao Mu scolded. Big Mouth stuttered in response, "Who says I don’t? I do."
"You think of yourself as a parent? Or do you think of yourself as Boss He? What are you trying to be? Speak up! I can see you don't take Boss He seriously; you just want to make some easy money, right? So what are you trying to be?" Xiao Mu pressed aggressively.
Big Mouth was at a loss for words; somehow it felt wrong to say he was "being" anything.
With a shrinking expression, He Yuguo was now furious. He slapped Big Mouth twice and cursed, "Damn it! I knew you two idiots wouldn't do anything good."
Big Mouth felt like crying without tears. Clearly, it was Xiao Mu who said that Boss He only ate and didn’t do anything else, yet here he was getting slapped instead.
Not only did he get beaten, but it was also quite a thrashing. He Yuguo dealt with Big Mouth and Big Head, giving them a thorough beating. These two unfortunate brothers, being soft-hearted and easily intimidated, didn’t dare to utter a word.
The situation had taken a dramatic turn. Zhang Quan watched in shock, feeling a mix of amusement and disbelief. The project team had spent an entire night brainstorming, but none of them had anticipated this outcome. He also discovered a new trait of Xiao Mu: his verbal skills were sharper than any weapon. The way he framed others and cast blame was seamless; just look at his innocent expression—clearly, the fault lay with Big Head and Big Mouth.
He Yuguo was visibly exhausted after dealing with the two, fuming as he glared at Xiao Mu. It felt like a warning to others, and it seemed that Xiao Mu wouldn’t escape unscathed either. Xiao Mu quickly approached, eager to appease him. “Boss He, I am definitely loyal to our organization.”
“Shut up! You scared the hell out of me when you ran off, you know that?” He Yuguo snapped.
“That just proves my loyalty even more! I was only scared of running home; I would never leak the organization’s secrets. Besides, I’m part of this too! I came back, didn’t I? I still have to run errands for you,” Xiao Mu said earnestly, his expression honest and his tone trembling with anxiety—it was truly pitiful and heart-wrenching.
The feeling of having survived a disaster was magnified infinitely, and it indeed proved that this kid hadn’t revealed anything about the organization. He Yuguo relaxed slightly but then remembered the trouble this situation could cause, which reignited his anger. He shouted, “Don’t act all innocent; do you think I won’t deal with you?”
“I dare you, but it’s not worth it, Boss He,” Xiao Mu replied, his thin arms and legs clearly not enough to withstand any real punishment.
“Then why did you run? Have we treated you poorly? You eat well and live well; we treat you like family!” He Yuguo scolded.
This was a critical issue—leaving the organization without permission was serious business. Without a good excuse, he would still face consequences.
Zhang Quan felt anxious as he watched Xiao Mu’s face fall into despair. The reason slipped out of Xiao Mu’s mouth: “I was scared.”
“Scared of what? Scared of the police? You haven’t done anything illegal or touched any money; what’s there to be afraid of? It seems to me you just don’t want to stay,” He Yuguo cursed.
“Absolutely not! My fear comes from deeper issues, Boss He; you don’t understand how much I’ve suffered,” Xiao Mu lamented dramatically.
“What exactly is going on?” He Yuguo asked as he noticed the child’s distress. Curiosity piqued within him, subtly shifting his mindset once again.
"How do I explain this?" Xiao Mu pointed at Zhang Quan. "I'm afraid of him."
"Huh? What's wrong with me?" Zhang Quan was taken aback; this was outside the script, and he couldn't handle it, so he could only play dumb.
"Exactly, what did he do to you?" He Yuguo asked skeptically.
"He... he... he tried to molest and harass me," Xiao Mu gritted his teeth, pointing with deep hatred. His expression was so pained and trembling that it looked as if he had already been assaulted.
The two who had been slapped burst into laughter. Zhang Quan's face turned red, and he opened his mouth but couldn't explain himself. He Yuguo was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter. Xiao Mu complained, "You're still laughing at me."
He Yuguo's anger dissipated as he curiously asked, "What exactly did he do to you?"
"I'm scared of him... It's him who sneaks into my bed at midnight, stands at the door while I'm showering, always staring at me... His gaze is terrifying... He even said..." Xiao Mu spoke in fear. Zhang Quan interrupted urgently:
"Stop talking nonsense, or I'll kill you."
As soon as Zhang Quan said this, he realized it was wrong; they both said it simultaneously. Xiao Mu had already mastered his way of covering up his verbal tics. Hearing them speak in unison left Zhang Quan dumbfounded, and he vaguely understood that he had been led into a trap by Xiao Mu.
Xiao Mu pointed out, "You heard that, Mr. He? He's threatening me like this."
Indeed, He Yuguo looked at Zhang Quan's awkward expression and recalled his experience in prison; the more he looked, the more Zhang Quan resembled someone who had been through something unspeakable. He stepped forward, scrutinizing the imposing Zhang Quan. Zhang Quan explained awkwardly, "Mr. He, don't listen to his nonsense; how could I possibly be that kind of person?"
"How could you not be that kind of person? Of course, you wouldn't admit it," Xiao Mu mocked.
"I didn't do anything; what am I supposed to admit?" Zhang Quan retorted angrily.
"Then just do it. You won't admit it, right? You want to deny it, don't you?" Xiao Mu casually remarked.
"Of course, I deny it..." Zhang Quan replied, and laughter erupted from upstairs.
Then his face fell as he realized he had fallen into a trap again. Whether he denied it or admitted it, it felt like an acknowledgment.
He Yuguo glanced at Yang Menglu and Professor Lu upstairs, furious. He slapped Zhang Quan twice and kicked him twice while cursing, "Baldy, if you're feeling frisky, at least find a female to go after. Don't come at a guy; this isn't prison. It's disgusting!"
"Mr. He... I'm wronged! I..." Zhang Quan covered his face in disbelief. It didn't hurt; he just felt humiliated.
"You deserve to be wronged. With such a high salary, you can't even keep an eye on someone," He Yuguo said. After causing such a ruckus, his anger dissipated. Turning back, he saw Xiao Mu smiling cheerfully. Xiao Mu quickly said, "Mr. He, if there's anything you need me to do that I can't handle well, you can punish me later, okay? These idiots are useless; I can manage alone."
"Go back to your room," He Yuguo waved his hand dismissively. Having passed this hurdle lightly, Xiao Mu excitedly responded and ran off. The other three stood there dumbfounded, and He Yuguo kicked them a few times while cursing them to keep watch. If they let anyone escape again, he'd make sure they regretted it.
The trio of misfortune lowered their heads as they went upstairs, brushing past Yang Menglu. Big Head covered his face in frustration and said, "Weren't we supposed to beat that guy up? How come we ended up getting hit instead?"
"Yeah, why did the fire end up burning us?" Big Mouth added angrily.
Zhang Quan stifled a laugh and complained to the two of them in a mock-serious tone, "Exactly! It's infuriating; they don't treat us Brothers like human beings at all."
The three of them lingered at the door while Xiao Mu hid in the room, sitting against the wall and laughing so hard that his features scrunched up and his whole body shook...
Lu Hongbo and Yang Menglu were smiling, having narrowly avoided a scare that turned into a farce, and they never expected it to end this way. At this moment, He Yuguo had calmed down, feeling revitalized, and naturally shifted his focus back to making money.
"Now you see how capable this kid is? He managed to shift all the blame onto those three unfortunate souls," Lu Hongbo said with a laugh. Yang Menglu added an explanation, "Mr. He, you've also become one of his test subjects."
"Oh right, I was actually planning to give this kid a good talking-to," He Yuguo said, momentarily stunned. However, he soon felt relieved; after all, it was hard to stay angry. He chuckled and remarked, "As long as we found him, that's what matters. If we hadn't found him, the loss would be minor compared to the anxiety we'd have to endure."
"Make sure you're ready; this kid is slicker than a monkey," Lu Hongbo warned.
"So... should we continue using him? There won't be any safety issues, right?" He Yuguo asked cautiously.
Yang Menglu shook her head and replied, "No worries. If there were going to be problems, he would have run to the police by now. You think we could still find him?"
That made sense. Thankfully, Lu Hongbo reminded him to inquire about the source of the money found on the kid. He Yuguo explained that the rascal had sold the several thousand yuan LV belt they bought for him for just a few hundred. They still needed to check if that was indeed the case.
They decided to set that matter aside for now as the three of them discussed things in the hall. Meanwhile, upstairs, Zhang Quan kept an eye on the three of them; old troubles had passed, but new ones were brewing.
Except for Xiao Mu, who was an oddball, this group involved in Pyramid Schemes was tougher than any gang he had encountered before. For instance, they had strict hierarchies; lower-ranking members showed more respect to their superiors than eunuchs did to emperors. Their discretion was impeccable; they never leaked any information. The discipline here was incredibly strict—no wandering off alone, no casual phone calls, no random conversations—making even someone as fierce as him feel like a trapped eel.
As it stood, there was no way to know what they were discussing. Moments later, the three of them ascended the stairs together. According to protocol, their subordinates had to stand several meters away. He Yuguo opened the door while Lu Hongbo and Yang Menglu entered slowly. Inside the room, Xiao Mu sat cross-legged on the bed, diligently studying The Scrolls of Parchment.
"Hello Mr. He, hello Professor Lu, hello Yang Beauty," Xiao Mu greeted each of them with a nod and an expression that left no room for criticism.
"Whether you're genuine or just pretending, if you try to slip away again, I'll peel your skin off," He Yuguo warned with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Understood! I'll remember that, Mr. He. As long as there are no issues here, I actually quite like this environment," Xiao Mu replied with a smile. This made Yang Menglu chuckle lightly; her beautiful smile revealed two rows of perfect teeth as she shot Xiao Mu a flirtatious glance that seemed to suggest nothing had ever happened between them.
Lu Hongbo's expression was far from pleasant. He reached out, took several books from Yang Menglu's hands, and tossed them onto the bed. Xiao Mu looked at the titles and saw that they included "Square and Circle" and "The Greatest Salesman in the World," all motivational books. Those vague principles were like a universal remedy, applicable in any field. Xiao Mu couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, I've never studied this seriously before!"
"You have two days to learn. If you can't memorize it thoroughly, you'll face the consequences. The sales manual contains a list of corresponding organizations; different groups use different materials. If you mix them up and say the wrong thing on stage, you'll have to bear the consequences. Prepare a few pots of strong coffee for him; if he slacks off or tries to cheat, make sure to give him a good beating. Do you understand, Mr. He?" Lu the Madman laid out a rather intense study plan.
Xiao Mu dared not speak up; he knew others could be easily fooled, but Lu the Madman was not one to be deceived. As he flipped through the list, Xiao Mu exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, Dongsheng Enterprises, American EFT, Network Chain Operation, Chinese Distance Education... Different organizations require different materials. Professor Lu, you should be careful; teaching your apprentice could lead to your own downfall."
"You are still far from being my apprentice. If it weren't for the police keeping a close watch, I could have given you this opportunity... Not only would I give you this chance, but Yang Beauty would also accompany you. If you mess it up during your turn as host, don't blame me if life chews you up," Lu Hongbo replied, though he was somewhat worried that this business was advancing too quickly.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Mu wasn't concerned about messing things up. He closed the books and asked, "Since I'm going to work sincerely, you can't let me do it for free, right? We all know how things work; this setup won't last long. I can't end up with nothing while you all profit immensely."
"Haha, look how smart this kid is," Lu Hongbo chuckled.
"I was just about to tell you that the Chief Lecturer's income is based on a commission of two to three percent of the purchase amount for each order," Yang Menglu added with a smile. As Xiao Mu gazed at her radiant smile that seemed to brighten the room like spring sunshine, she continued, "This money will be split fifty-fifty between us. It's quite good—at least several thousand per event, possibly even tens of thousands."
"Oh, then I might as well comply... You all can rest assured and leave me to study. It seems like I might earn a monthly salary of a hundred thousand this time! Hahaha..." Xiao Mu hugged the books and laughed wickedly as if he were delirious with joy.
The three quietly exited the room, where the sound of recitation had already begun to echo loudly. This voice continued from morning until noon and then from noon until evening, pausing only briefly during meal times. What made Zhang Quan even more anxious was that every so often someone would bring in strong coffee, making Xiao Mu seem almost manic as he spent an entire day and night memorizing his lines...
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