Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
In the evening, the car crawled into Zhengmin Road, moving at a snail's pace. Pedestrians, motorcycles, tricycles conducting business, and even vendors carrying baskets of vegetables and fruits crowded the bustling street to the point of being impassable during peak hours.
As the clock struck six, marking the height of rush hour, Ma Yubing was not in a hurry. He leaned out of the window to take a look. The neon-lit billboards flashed in vibrant colors, and a sea of heads swarmed as far as the eye could see. From his experience, he pondered that this was a high-risk area.
Indeed, it was a high-risk zone, a gathering place for transient people—a prime territory for thieves and con artists. Naturally, it was closely monitored by the police. Although he had never engaged in skin trade, he understood well enough that the hustlers under Old Cripple faced losses almost daily. They were either chased by hotel security or beaten up by patrolling officers. If they were unfortunate enough to be taken back to the police station, it would be even worse; they would get beaten and have to pay fines. All the hard-earned money from days of work could end up funding their time at the station.
Thus, this was a dead zone—especially for newcomers looking to gain experience. If they didn’t endure a few beatings, they wouldn’t be considered qualified.
But no matter how one thought about it, it was impossible for a newcomer to leap several levels and perform better than seasoned veterans.
“Ma Ge, what are you looking at? We’ll have to wait; there are too many cars,” one of his subordinates asked out of boredom.
“I’m just observing. In this godforsaken place, even our Brothers can’t find any opportunities to make money,” Ma Yubing replied curiously. He was particularly interested in any bizarre methods that could exploit loopholes for profit.
“It’s probably just that sort of thing—the crew under Lame Brother; what else could they be doing?” his subordinate remarked. It boiled down to two of humanity's oldest professions: prostitution and thievery.
“But I just can’t see how they could rake in substantial cash. You know how low-end Old Cripple’s bar is,” Ma Yubing said. His subordinate laughed; it was indeed very poor quality, akin to street-level services catering solely to casual customers with small gambling habits.
So barely making ends meet was one thing; becoming wealthy was entirely out of the question.
“I can’t figure it out,” his subordinate chuckled and added, “Anyway, I see Lame Brother is grinning like an idiot.”
“It’s truly bizarre; these days you encounter all sorts of strange characters,” Ma Yubing mused aloud.
His subordinate laughed again and said, “It’s still not quite right; it shouldn’t surprise you, Ma Ge.”
“Surprise? Not really. I’m just worried they might act recklessly. Didn’t Brother Five say that our ability to enjoy ourselves today isn’t due to our skills but rather restraint? Not every penny can be taken,” Ma Yubing stated solemnly. Upon hearing Brother Five's name, his subordinate looked on with admiration and agreement.
After twenty minutes of slow progress, they finally turned into the entrance of Cangji New Village. By this time, the sky had darkened. The driver was maneuvering through the crowded parking spaces, searching for a spot. Just as he parked and was about to get out, Ma Yubing suddenly grabbed him, gesturing towards the window.
The driver’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. Three figures approached, and the one in the middle was none other than the Pretty Boy who had sought refuge that day. It wasn’t just him who was surprised; it was the two men flanking him—thugs who worked for Old Cripple. These were the kind of scum that could only be described as the dregs of society, foul and tough, feared and avoided by everyone. They had faces that even the police would struggle to crack. Yet here they were, following the Pretty Boy like loyal dogs, one joking with him while the other lit a cigarette for him. The Pretty Boy clearly didn’t smoke but pretended to hold one.
The trio laughed and chatted as they passed by the car, heading straight for the Rolling Stone Bar owned by Old Cripple.
“What’s going on? Looks like this guy has some connections,” Ma Yubing remarked in astonishment.
To win over such lowlifes, one either had to beat them into submission or pay them off. Since it was clear that no fighting was involved, it must have been the latter. This seemed to indicate that Old Cripple had indeed struck gold; otherwise, these thugs wouldn’t be so close to him. Ma Yubing signaled his subordinate to call Old Cripple. After a quick phone call, Old Cripple appeared at the corner, leaning on his cane.
The two men got out of the car. It had been a long time since they had left behind this chaotic urban life—the noisy streets, smoky alleys, and various people hustling for a living gave a sense of familiarity amidst strangeness. Especially Old Cripple; as he walked down the street, several heavily made-up women greeted him, causing Ma Yubing and his subordinate to burst into laughter.
Heroes grow old, their ambitions fade; Ruhua age, their clientele dwindles. They could only linger in these smoky back alleys—how could one not feel a wave of nostalgia?
…………………………………
…………………………………
On the third floor behind a window, two tall men craned their necks to watch. Xiao Mu was polishing shoes; his adaptability was impressive as he quickly settled into his role. This underworld scene was quite interesting—who would have thought that the seemingly harmless Cripple was actually the boss around here? Meanwhile, those two fierce-looking thugs were merely lackeys who preferred to live off others without lifting a finger; they had tattooed themselves and relied on their looks to make a living.
The two men seemed to have their eyes on a woman again. Xiao Mu casually asked, “What are you looking at, Big Gourd?”
They hailed from Northeast China, specifically Gourd Island, where they were given nicknames—Big Gourd for the taller one and Erhu Lu for the shorter one.
Big Gourd grumbled in a low voice, “The boss is here.”
He referred to Cripple; Xiao Mu had no way of knowing his full name or background. Those closer called him Old Cripple or Lame Brother—he was essentially the ringleader among local ruffians and courtesans. His business wasn’t particularly thriving; most of the women he recruited were aging and unattractive, unable to find work in high-end establishments anymore. They could only rely on heavy makeup to entice naive out-of-town customers who had never seen such things before.
Seeing the two of them so focused, Xiao Mu got up to take a look. "Oh, Ma Ye is here?"
"What the hell, you know Ma Ye?" Erhu Lu exclaimed in surprise.
"Of course, I'm the one sent by Ma Ye to help Lame Brother," Xiao Mu stated proudly.
"Right, that makes sense. With skills like yours, you must be hanging out with Ma Ye," Big Gourd flattered Xiao Mu.
Xiao Mu humbly smiled and said, "I haven't been around for long... Actually, I just arrived and didn't expect Ma Ye to have such a strong presence in this city. Who's that next to you, the one with the punk hairstyle?"
"We just call him Black Steel," Big Gourd replied.
"Wow, he really is black," Xiao Mu laughed.
"Not just his face; he's even darker inside... Last time, a group of Jiangxi people tried to take over Cangji's business and even captured Lame Brother. You wouldn't believe it—Black Steel came with just three people and stood right here in our alley. He said one thing: either get lost immediately or you'll end up killing Old Cripple and then it's game over for you. Choose wisely," Erhu Lu recounted with admiration. The outcome was that all those trying to seize territory had retreated; those who were bold feared the reckless, and those who were reckless feared nothing. In this line of work, only the ruthless thrived; hard work and honesty led nowhere.
"Wow, I didn't see that coming..." Xiao Mu leaned against the window, grinning as he looked at the pair of Gourd Brothers and teasingly asked, "Hey, I say, Gourd Brothers, just making small change here won't cut it; you need to roll with Ma Ye!"
"Oh no, we're not good enough for that," Big Gourd said shyly.
"Ma Ye's subordinates are all big shots; we wouldn't even make the cut," Erhu Lu added, equally bashful.
Both seemed a bit embarrassed about their own status. Xiao Mu smiled and said, "I think you two are pretty impressive."
"Tsk, that's a joke. The real players are those who keep a low profile and stay silent. Look at us with our shaved heads and tattoos; even the police know we're just fools watching over things," Big Gourd self-deprecated. Erhu Lu chimed in with his own self-mockery: "We don't even make it onto the stage; we're not as dark as Street Office. Rent, management fees, sanitation fees—every year they go up. If you don't pay, those old ladies and gentlemen will come knocking at your door."
The implication was clear: the Black Society was far more corrupt than normal society. Their logic was quite interesting; it seemed there was something about Xiao Mu that resonated with them. He pondered for a moment about how to engage further with Big Gourd and Erhu Lu but ultimately decided against it. These two only recognized Renminbi and likely wouldn't understand where Widow Ma truly made her money.
"Let's go, stop looking. Work hard, and one day, you Gourd Brothers will reach the position of Ma Ye," Xiao Mu called out to the two. Erhu Lu, lost in thought, murmured, "Wow, what would it take to get to that position?"
"It's simple. No one would dare to call Big Gourd or Erhu Lu when they see you," Xiao Mu replied.
"Call what?" Big Gourd asked, confused.
"Call you Lord Gourd," Xiao Mu laughed and walked ahead.
The two who had yet to become Lord Gourd followed eagerly, one asking Xiao Mu to teach them a couple more tricks, while the other mentioned that Brother Chicken from Luyi New Village was going to discuss negotiations with them that evening. Xiao Mu readily agreed and led the two downstairs. At that moment, Ma Yubing and his companions entered the bar. He hesitated for a moment but pretended not to notice and left first.
………………
Ma Yubing and his subordinates arrived filled with suspicion. They were invited upstairs by Old Cripple, who ordered several small dishes from the neighboring restaurant. As soon as they entered the room, Old Cripple was exceedingly polite, bringing out his prized liquor and showering compliments on Ma Yubing and Black Steel.
"Wait a minute, Old Cripple. Let's set the drinks aside for now; we came to ask you something," Ma Yubing said as he sat down, blocking Old Cripple's enthusiasm. Old Cripple paused for a moment and casually asked, "What can't be discussed over the phone?"
"No, no... I just wanted to ask what exactly is going on? That... what was that kid's name again? Black Steel?" Ma Yubing inquired.
Old Cripple didn't even remember the name Black Steel but quickly caught on and replied, "Oh, you mean Young Master Mu?"
"Yes, yes, that's the young master who can do anything," Ma Yubing said seriously. "Old Cripple, we've been brothers for over a decade now. It's not easy to settle down; don't get into any trouble again."
"What do you mean? What trouble?" Old Cripple asked, bewildered.
"Are you playing dumb? In this place of yours, if you make a couple of thousand a month, that's impressive enough. And you're sending me fine liquor?" Ma Yubing remarked.
This place was shabby and hadn't been renovated in years. While it seemed like a venue for singing and drinking on the surface, everyone knew what really went on behind closed doors. Ma Yubing certainly had an idea of how much could be earned here.
Old Cripple was taken aback, exclaiming, "Widow Ma, you sent this person to me, and now you're asking me?"
"Not my person; I thought they had been chased away long ago," Ma Yubing explained the situation. The implication was that she had taken them in out of righteousness but felt that this individual had dubious origins and had been thrown into the most dangerous situation. Who would have thought that the person tossed into the pit could turn things around?
"Oh, I see," Old Cripple chuckled, sitting down with a smug expression. "Looks like I'm lucky. You two really don't recognize a gem when you see one. Having this person around is more profitable than keeping a few pretty girls."
"Hey, Lame Brother, what exactly are you doing?" Black Steel asked curiously.
"Go take a look in the backyard," Old Cripple replied.
Ma Yubing and Black Steel both stood up and opened the drafty window. In the messy backyard, two of Old Cripple's men were assigning tasks, a man and a woman teaching another how to go about things. A rundown vehicle was parked outside, and after some discussion, the three from A Group got into the car and drove off.
They were off to make money.
Ma Yubing and Black Steel both knew that once night fell and people got in the mood, business would pick up. However, all they could see were a few women whose figures had clearly deteriorated, obviously at street level. Surely they weren't planning to drive these women to the construction site to serve migrant workers?
"This is how you're making money?" Black Steel was astonished.
"Yep, that's right," Old Cripple confirmed.
"Isn't it hard to find someone with such tastes? Old Cripple, where did you recruit these people? Should we start calling them aunties?" Ma Yubing asked with a mix of amusement and disbelief.
Old Cripple was completely serious as he told them, "Yep, I recruited older women who have lost their looks—no one wants them. This solves a big employment issue for us… You two don’t believe me? Just these three can bring in several thousand."
"Tell us how you did it," Ma Yubing said with curiosity.
"Yeah, Lame Brother, let's learn from this," Black Steel added, now intrigued.
Old Cripple proudly pulled out a card and tossed it onto the table, pointing at it and saying, "You wouldn't believe it, but it's all thanks to this thing."
It was a solicitation card, something everyone had seen before—nothing new or flashy. Ma Yubing held it in his hand, looking at the printed images of the girls. They were dressed quite modestly: one in a schoolgirl outfit and the other as a flight attendant, not revealing anything at all. The text read:
"Call 139＊＊＊＊＊ for a romantic encounter; you know what I mean."
Yet this was precisely what left Ma Yubing, an old hand in the game, puzzled. He turned to Black Steel and asked, "Do you understand this?"
"It's just solicitation; they call it 'compensated dating' in a more cultured way," Black Steel replied, bewildered. Ma Yubing stared at the card and said, "Right? Even if they try to be civilized about it, it's still a shady business. Is it really worth all this effort? You're just trying to fleece those passing by."
Black Steel chuckled, but Old Cripple shook his head dismissively and said, "You're outdated. What you're talking about is illegal. In my line of work, let's not even talk about making money; breaking even would be good enough."
"Hey, wait a minute. How exactly do you do this? I'm not getting how you operate," Ma Yubing said, confused. Black Steel's interest was piqued.
Old Cripple laughed heartily, throwing out a few jabs at Ma Yubing before finally revealing that there were indeed ways to do this that weren't illegal…
Comment 0 Comment Count