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墨書 Inktalez
A loud thud echoed as a broken phone was smashed onto the ground, followed by a few heavy stomps from the person who had thrown it.
In a car parked at a distance, a man felt his heart race. He quickly pulled the driver’s attention; the signal on the small tracking device had vanished. The driver hurriedly started the vehicle and slowly drove past the two individuals who had just exited a restaurant. On the nearby street, the phone lay in ruins, trampled beyond recognition. The two exchanged glances and quickly reported back:
“Boss, those two destroyed the phone and are leaving. We can’t keep up.”
Orders came swiftly. The co-driver put down his belongings and, following the organization’s instructions, began to track them on foot. He sprinted for several hundred meters before spotting the two ahead, walking nonchalantly as if nothing had happened.
The two in front were:
Xiao Mu was smiling while Zhang Quan looked somewhat frustrated. Indeed, he hadn’t expected to be watched so closely. That one act of smashing the phone had drawn out their pursuers; without it, they might have remained undetected.
He muttered to himself, “I underestimated them. I should have realized that Tu Shenhao’s background as a scout means he knows how to handle this.”
“The most useless thing is being an armchair strategist after the fact,” Xiao Mu teased him.
“If you don’t do well today as our preemptive strategist, it won’t just be about being useless; I might not even have a way back to the team,” Zhang Quan replied with an expression of exasperation. It was hard to tell who was right or wrong at this point. He knew that Xiao Mu’s approach was flawed, yet he believed his reasoning was sound.
Thus, the police were pulled into the fray by their informant.
After walking for a while, Zhang Quan noticed they were being followed and warned, “They probably don’t trust us but are also wary of us escaping.”
“Of course they should be cautious; what if you run off to report us? They need to be prepared,” Xiao Mu replied without looking back, clearly unconcerned about that detail.
“Where do we start?” Zhang Quan asked.
“You really are clueless. I mean, Baldy, what cases have you worked on? I’m genuinely worried about your intelligence,” Xiao Mu said.
“I’ve dealt with violent robbery and murder cases; there are rules I can’t disclose,” Zhang Quan replied.
“No wonder you’re so dim-witted; you’ve been hanging around with petty thieves all day. Let me tell you, simple violent crime is the most primitive form of all criminal activity,” Xiao Mu scolded.
"You're getting anxious," Zhang Quan snapped. "Why don't you show me how to play in the modern world? Your idea of scamming Usury is good, but Usury isn't a fool; they won't just give you money for nothing."
"Why are you so anxious?" Xiao Mu's tone was calm.
"If I'm not anxious, then what? Just tell me where to start," Zhang Quan replied.
"We're almost there... haven't you heard?"
"Heard about what?"
"The place that handles certificates and seals is strong; just find any wall in China. The place that treats STDs is strong; again, just find any wall in China. The place that lends money is also strong; still, just find any wall in China... So, we've arrived. Every wall in China holds immense business opportunities; it's like a gold mine in the eyes of those in the underworld..."
Xiao Mu stopped. Not far ahead was an alleyway, its walls plastered with small advertisements, even the steps on the street were sprayed with ads.
One read: "Certificate processing, ready on the spot."
Another said: "No collateral needed, same-day loan approval."
A horizontal banner proclaimed: "For treatment of impotence and premature ejaculation, consult West Side Old Military Doctor."
Zhang Quan was stunned, unsure of what to make of it. Then Xiao Mu leaned in and whispered how to proceed. He rolled his eyes, but after a few threats from Xiao Mu, he reluctantly nodded. He took out his phone and began searching for freshly painted phone numbers on the curb and walls, finally dialing one with a simple message:
"Hello... can you help me get a certificate? It's urgent; I've lost my ID and can't check into a hotel or buy a train ticket."
...
...
Get a fake certificate?
That was too trivial for Zhang Quan; he scoffed at the idea. If he weren't truly at his wit's end, he might have actually pinned Xiao Mu down and given him a beating. This guy seemed so excited about doing something serious at first, but now he was dragging his feet.
Half a kilometer away from each other, it had to be said that the efficiency of these certificate services was quite high. In less than twenty minutes, a thin man wearing a long coat and baggy shorts appeared. He wandered around Taibai Road for two minutes before accurately locating his target.
It was easy to find him. Xiao Mu was anxiously looking around, clearly having lost something important.
"Do you need proof?" the man asked as he parked the car by the roadside, showing a surprising amount of bravado.
Xiao Mu nodded. "Yes, I need something that looks somewhat like me. Otherwise, it’ll be a hassle to buy a train ticket at the hotel."
As he spoke, frustration etched on his face, the man noticed the young man's demeanor and lowered his guard. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick stack of identification cards. As he sifted through them while glancing at Xiao Mu, he muttered under his breath, "This kid looks pretty fresh; where am I supposed to find someone who looks just like you... close enough will do."
"Let me take a look," Xiao Mu said, reaching out to snatch the identification cards from the man's hand. The man was furious and was about to threaten this outsider when Xiao Mu suddenly smiled and gestured behind him. The man turned around just in time to see a burly figure charging toward him, while someone else shouted about catching a forger and recording everything.
"Oh crap, you're in for it now..." The man took off running, and Xiao Mu chased after him, shouting for him to stop and calling out "Police... don’t run!"
The chase wasn’t fast; after a few steps, Xiao Mu halted. The forger had already been scared out of his wits and was sprinting away.
Only then did Xiao Mu leisurely return, hopping onto the fake ID guy's motorcycle, which wobbled as it moved forward.
What was going on? Who was Contact? Why did they scare off so easily?
The two men in the car had been watching everything unfold and were puzzled. As they saw the young man riding away on the motorcycle, one urged, "Hurry up and follow him; we can't lose him now."
"It's fine; Tu Ge has let the Brothers loose," replied the driver.
"What’s happening? Hey, what about that big guy?" asked the co-driver.
The driver seemed confused and casually replied, "Why are you asking so many questions? How would I know? I'm not the boss here."
The two were baffled when suddenly their phone rang. They couldn’t make sense of what was being said on the other end, especially when Tu Ge scolded them for not keeping track. After circling four blocks, several cars from Car Brands finally gathered together. Only then did they realize that this guy was just messing with everyone; he was aimlessly wandering around without any real target.
"Wait a minute... look! He's answering a call." Another car pointed at Xiao Mu, who had stopped by the roadside to take a call. After finishing up, he accelerated on his motorcycle and sped off toward Taibai Road.
"Quick, keep up," the Co-Driver urged, seeming to sense something and hurriedly contacted Tu Ge.
They turned off Taibai Road, entered Happiness Street, and passed through Harmonious Community. Not far from where the transaction had taken place, deep in the old district's Alley, they stopped in front of an old residential building. As Xiao Mu parked the car, Zhang Quan went upstairs with him.
On the third floor was a small unit of a few dozen square meters. After locking the door behind them, Zhang Quan pointed to the bathroom. Xiao Mu peeked through the crack of the door and saw that it was indeed the young man who had sold the identity cards earlier. Baldy was fierce, having already subdued him, making him obediently squat beside the toilet.
They had lured him out and scared him away; in his panic, he hadn’t realized that they were not trying to capture him but rather to find his hideout.
Yes, hideout. Zhang Quan beckoned with his finger for Xiao Mu to follow him into another room. Upon entering, they were hit with a strong smell of ink. The table was cluttered with various samples of Qualification Certificates, Graduation Certificates, and more. A printer, scanner, and computer were all present—no wonder he was working with seasoned veterans from the police force. Zhang Quan had uncovered quite a bit of evidence from this place: one or two hundred identity cards and a pile of labeled bank cards, along with many half-finished fake documents that could easily be completed with a signature and a seal to become Renminbi.
"This hideout is pretty basic; I doubt even the local police would bother to catch them," Zhang Quan remarked.
Xiao Mu looked around as if pondering what to do next. Zhang Quan scoffed at him, saying, "No need to search anymore; this guy is a broke loser. He doesn’t even have a thousand bucks at home. I just asked—he's just started up, only been advertising for two days before running into us."
"That's enough."
Xiao Mu nodded, stood up with a pleased expression mixed with mischief, found the number he had noted down, and dialed:
"Hello… Is this my good brother from Microfinance Company? … Oh, of course I have something to discuss. Can I borrow some money? Forty thousand… My address is Happiness Road Harmony Community, Old Building of the Fifth Textile Factory, Unit Three, Room 302… Oh wow, thank you! You even provide door-to-door service? That's great; I'll be waiting for you."
The way he spoke sounded like a fawning eunuch. Leaning against the doorframe, Zhang Quan waited for him to hang up before scoffing again: "You think those usurers are fools? You don’t even have an identity card that matches your face; do you really think they'll give you money?"
"A successful criminal should always ensure that others are dumber than you," Xiao Mu replied with a smile as he tossed a stack of identity cards into a box. It seemed he wasn't relying on any documents and was preparing to use facial recognition instead.
Zhang Quan watched him shake his head and went into the bathroom to deal with the seller of fake documents...
...
...
An hour later, when Tu Shenhao's Ling Zhibo arrived at the entrance of Harmonious Community, his subordinates gathered at the car to report: "Tu Ge, they've entered this community. This old district is too large; we can't find their exact location right now."
Tu Shenhao glanced at Yang Menglu, who had come along with the Co-Driver. His expression was filled with suspicion. They had been dining together when they were startled by this situation; after being calm for several days, things suddenly stirred up again without knowing what exactly had happened—especially since their phones had been destroyed. It seemed they were cutting off their escape routes.
"Tell me, what happened? How did the phone get destroyed out of nowhere?" Tu Shenhao asked.
His subordinate reported in a tangled manner that after leaving the hotel, the phone was inexplicably destroyed and there was no signal. He hurried to report, then saw him with a man named Contact, and then that man disappeared, along with the big guy. They quickly focused on the handsome young man, but he also vanished after they went around in circles.
How could they trace back to the reasons and causes? Tu Shenhao angrily rolled up the car window and said, "Hurry up and find them. Let me know when you do."
"Got it." With the order given, the two of them dove into an alley with several young men from the company, starting to search aimlessly in the area.
Tu Shenhao's car stopped at the street corner, and the two suddenly disappeared in such a manner; it was too unexpected for him. He suspiciously asked Yang Menglu, "What exactly happened?"
"They must have been disappointed with us and decided to leave," Yang Menglu replied with a faint smile, an expression that seemed unrelated to her.
"That can't be! How could they leave? Their ID cards, bank cards, cash—all taken away. They've been at that small hotel for three days; they must have spent all their money by now... How could they leave?" Tu Shenhao questioned.
"Could it be...?" Yang Menglu thought of something, her eyes widening. Tu Shenhao continued, "Planning to pull off a heist before leaving?"
"What else could they do? You've pushed them to this point," Yang Menglu said. Regardless of what they were forced into doing, it couldn't be anything good.
Tu Shenhao stroked his beard, looking somewhat awkward but then burst into laughter. He chuckled, "There are thousands of people at Liangshan, but only one hundred and eight heroes."
"What do you mean?" Yang Menglu asked, slightly displeased.
"What do you think? It's broad daylight in an old residential area where doors are right next to each other. How stupid do you have to be to target such a place? Besides, if they did go for it blindly, how would they even find any money?" Tu Shenhao criticized the actions of the two foolish thieves with his unique perspective.
Yang Menglu leaned forward slightly and straightened up, expressing her resentment. "It seems you're ready to completely give up on them."
She felt a bit reluctant about getting involved but also regretted it when she realized that these two had fallen so low that they could only afford to eat noodles from street vendors.
"There's really no need for regret; you should be glad you didn't bring such fools into this. The situation is too serious; I really don't feel comfortable involving outsiders. If it comes down to it, let He Fatty handle it," Tu Shenhao said.
"Then what are we waiting for? We can go back and rest," Yang Menglu urged. With her seasoned perspective, she estimated that today wouldn’t end well.
"No, no! Now I'm actually interested. Robbing a house isn't something you encounter every day. We won't have to wait long; they're eager to leave and might have already made their move..."
Tu Shenhao smiled, clearly excited and ready to watch a good show.
Unexpectedly, after more than half an hour had passed, the entire area remained silent. There was no commotion, no sound of police sirens, and not a single person in sight. Tu Shenhao was losing his patience when finally a call came in. They had located the motorcycle at the Old Building of the Fifth Textile Factory… and there was even more shocking news: his subordinate had seen Ma Tuchui enter with a group.
"What is Ma Tuchui doing here?"
"Who is Ma Tuchui?"
"He's here to collect debts for Usury... Hey, could it be that these two are involved? Did they borrow money from Usury?"
"Is that possible?"
"Not likely. Those people are not like banks; they wouldn't have bad debts on their hands."
Tu Shenhao and Yang Menglu exchanged stunned glances, their understanding of the situation exceeded…
At that moment, Xiao Mu had opened the door to welcome the salesperson sent by the Usury company. A man with an irregularly shaped head entered, accompanied by two subordinates who looked like lowlifes. As soon as he spoke, it became clear he was indeed a prime example of scum.
"You need to borrow money?" the man who introduced himself as Ma asked. Upon seeing Xiao Mu, he continued, "With a face like yours, why bother borrowing? Just flash that face; there are plenty of rich women willing to pay, ha ha."
The three of them burst into laughter. Xiao Mu had already changed into the tattered clothes of the Fake ID Guy and humbly replied, "So it seems my face is my guarantee for repayment."
"No, that won't do. We don't engage in skin trade… Show us around," Ma Ge said.
This was a pre-loan inspection, and these people's judgment was sharper than that of bank salespeople. The small two-room apartment was old-fashioned and sparsely furnished; the side room was cluttered with equipment, and in the bathroom stood a big man clumsily fixing a faucet, claiming to be a friend of the borrower. After taking a few glances around, the three men looked at Xiao Mu with unfriendly eyes.
"This place is rented, right?" one of the subordinates asked.
"Yes," Xiao Mu answered honestly.
"You're not a local, are you?" another one asked with a smirk.
"Right, big brother has a good eye," Xiao Mu praised.
"I dare say, even if you gave me an ID, it would be fake," Ma Tuchui gritted his teeth, speaking angrily.
These things couldn't escape the eyes of the experts; in a place like this, everyone knew what kind of trouble could arise without even trying to hide it.
Xiao Mu honestly replied, "To be frank, big brother, I have many documents, including my own, and none of them are real."
Hearing this, even the Zhang Quan ones in the restroom nearly burst out laughing. They couldn't fathom what kind of environment could produce someone like Xiao Mu, who could talk so freely without a care.
"Hey, I'm just amazed. This kid is quite something... You've come to waste my time; what do you plan to do about the transportation fee for the brothers who came here for nothing?" Ma Tuchui was furious now, his true colors showing. Someone like him was not even in the lending business. He stepped forward and grabbed Xiao Mu, saying, "Do you think we're the People's Bank? You think you can just trick us into lending you money?"
The gesture stopped when Xiao Mu intervened, holding out several hundred-dollar bills with a disdainful expression as if he were giving alms to a beggar. He shouted angrily, "Transportation fee—five hundred is enough... If you don't want to lend it, what do you mean by looking down on me? As if you're the only ones who can lend money... Where's the door? You can leave on your own."
Wow, this was bold. The loan salesperson, who was used to groveling for money, was momentarily stunned. Ma Tuchui rudely picked up the money but then felt embarrassed. Damn it, this seemed worse than being on the street; in a moment of shock, he threw the money back on the table and said, "It's not that we look down on you. You're renting a place, you're from out of town, and you don't even have an ID. If you take my money and run, who am I supposed to complain to? At least find a local to vouch for you."
"I don't have a guarantor, but I still have my reputation."
Xiao Mu began to take action. He pulled out a box filled with various IDs and bank cards. He said, "You can see for yourselves; this is what I do. My business has just started; how could I possibly leave after being raided by the police?"
He continued, "Also, I've got a rental contract; I've paid two years' rent but only been here for four months. Am I stupid enough to lose my rent and leave?"
Of course, there were also printers, computers, steel stamps, and fake ID templates among other things. "Look at this," he said. "Each one ranges from two hundred to five hundred. Our craftsmanship is the best in the city. If it weren't for our credit card cash advance services and handling large credit card applications, would you give me money just to see if I need it?"
The two loan salespeople blinked as they watched Xiao Mu display his items; they were likely evaluating their worth. Ma Tuchui stared at him for a while; his hostile demeanor faded away as he subconsciously began to change his mind. This young man's demeanor was truly extraordinary. With such a flourishing business and multiple operations going on, surely he had no problem repaying tens of thousands?
"Let's cut to the chase, brothers," Xiao Mu said. "Transportation fee—since we've met today and made friends, if there's business in the future, come directly to me. This is a clear deal... Here are my business cards..." He distributed them to the three men while offering up the transportation fee—this was nearly all of Xiao Mu's assets.
Ma Tuchui looked Xiao Mu up and down several times but didn't leave. He formally told his two subordinates, "Give him the money."
Xiao Mu's confidence and generosity, along with his thriving business, finally won him over.
"I don't have an ID. Even if I give you one, it's fake," Xiao Mu said deliberately.
"I recognize your face, not the ID... The interest is two and a half percent per day, for ten days... Over there, just sign here, put your thumbprint, and I'll keep a photo of you. In this place, there's no money that Ma Tuchui can't get back."
"Hey... I'm borrowing forty thousand, but this is only thirty thousand?"
"The interest is deducted first."
"That won't do. You're deducting ten thousand all at once; I'm still short."
"Not bad, right? Just sign the loan agreement as proof. If you borrow again, just write another one..."
"This is too much; you should have said it earlier."
"If I had told you in advance, what if you didn't sign? Cut it out."
Xiao Mu slammed the table and glared while shouting about usury. The three men were unbothered; they cursed as they pleased but insisted on getting their money. You had no choice but to comply. They wrote a loan agreement for forty thousand but directly deducted ten thousand in interest. The three of them took photos of valuable items and left triumphantly. Xiao Mu, feeling dejected, escorted them down the stairs. They warned him, "Kid, behave yourself. If you don't pay back on time, watch out for us tearing down your hideout."
Xiao Mu was afraid of everything except for the hideout being torn down. He stifled a laugh as he returned upstairs and closed the door, bursting into laughter for a while. At that moment, Zhang Quan was already dumbfounded; that thirty thousand was real money. Without even an ID, he had taken it from the usurers just like that. He pocketed the cash and went into the bathroom. As he pulled back the shower curtain, he saw Fake ID Guy's mouth taped up, struggling to speak.
Zhang Quan casually tore off the tape from Fake ID Guy's mouth. "Damn it! You guys are heartless; you've pawned me to the usurers!" Fake ID Guy exclaimed tearfully.
"Then should I call the police for you?" Zhang Quan asked.
"Ah, no, no! Big brother, please let me go! How can you be so heartless? You're pushing someone to their death!" Fake ID Guy was terrified; it would be better to be pawned to the usurers than this.
Suddenly, Zhang Quan made a choking gesture around his neck and hissed, "Don't resist; just sleep it off... You'll wake up and walk away by yourself. Usurers are way worse than the police."
The man slowly lost consciousness as he was choked out. Xiao Mu watched with excitement but nervously asked, "He won't die, will he?"
"Don't worry; he'll wake up in less than an hour," Zhang Quan said as he laid him flat and checked his pulse and breathing before getting up to leave.
"Hey, Baldy, teach me that move," Xiao Mu said excitedly as he chased after him.
"With that mouth of yours, who knows how many people you'll end up scamming, and you still want to learn this," Zhang Quan said with a hint of sternness.
"Having a skill isn't a bad thing... I've only borrowed a little. Give me another day, and I can pay back several times over," Xiao Mu replied dismissively.
"If someone catches you, you're asking for trouble," Zhang Quan said, turning back to glance at Xiao Mu. To be honest, the kid seemed timid, but in some ways, he was bold enough to make Zhang Quan uneasy.
"Look at you. If we leave, where will he go looking for us? If we can't leave, there will naturally be someone to pay him back. You're just too anxious," Xiao Mu said with a smile as he took a seat on the back of the motorcycle. Zhang Quan rode the bike, and the two of them buzzed out of the alley, heading toward their next destination.
Half an hour later, Tu Shenhao's men witnessed something that left them dumbfounded. The two had returned to a small inn and then quickly rented a Honda Fit, heading straight for the highway. At that moment, Boss learned about Ma Tuchui's lending activities. It was clear they were trying to flee after scamming Usury out of thirty thousand dollars.
What talent! With just their silver tongues, they managed to con Usury. Tu Shenhao was stunned by the news and couldn't comprehend how they pulled it off for quite some time...
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