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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 98: The Moon High, the Wind Dark
What is the Black Society? Xiao Mu finally understood.
It is a world hidden from the light, governed by rules beyond normal imagination. Just like his own experiences.
He had originally wanted to test his father's attitude but ended up falling into a trap; he had hoped to scrape by comfortably but instead stood out; he had planned to make some money and escape, only to find himself sinking deeper. And all this happened without him realizing it. Just a moment ago, he had been calmly discussing matters with Red Sister and Old Cripple, and now they were enemies.
His hands were bound, confined in a small box barely large enough to move in. He couldn't even sit up straight. In this situation, he knew that all struggles and cries for help were futile, much like being trapped in a pig cage after coming out.
Fear crawled over him like a venomous insect, sweat pouring down his forehead and body, yet a chilling sensation seeped into his bones. Especially when he faintly heard Black Steel's cries for help, it sent shivers down his spine.
Was he really going to die like this?
What did death mean? In his mind, it was an abstract concept—lying in a graveyard beside his mother? That scene seemed quite serene.
Or perhaps it was those crimes he had encountered before? In the field of Judicial and Criminal Psychology, those students with morbid interests would challenge their limits with gruesome murder photos. Xiao Mu had once taken on that challenge: he remembered sitting calmly at a table while looking at a circle of dismembered bodies.
But facing death for real felt entirely different.
A person, a life, like dust, like raindrops, like insects... In the vast world of Yun Yun, your existence or disappearance changes nothing. He inexplicably felt a twinge of sadness. It had been so long since he left home; they had truly been cruel, no longer searching for him as they once did. That was his deepest concern, and now it was the thing he least wanted to think about.
Fear slowly transformed into sorrow; the sorrow that flowed against the current gradually morphed into despair.
He suddenly realized that he had never truly loved anyone. He had wandered through the neon lights and wine-soaked nights without ever knowing the taste of love. At this moment, he couldn't recall even one lover who mattered to him.
To him, life was pale, degenerate, and muddled; by the end, there was almost nothing worth reminiscing about.
No, there was a little. He strangely thought of Lu the Madman, the one he had understood and sent to prison. Now he felt an overwhelming envy towards him. Even at his lowest point, he had a confidante who shared his fate, while he himself had nothing worth remembering.
“Damn it, in my next life I want to be a terrorist—live boldly and die decisively. I can't stand being this pathetic.”
He spat at himself in disdain, yet a cool tear slipped from the corner of his eye.
At that moment, his pocket vibrated. Oddly enough, his phone hadn’t been confiscated. He turned his hand awkwardly to retrieve it, struggling greatly before finally grasping it tightly as if it were a lifeline, afraid to move even slightly…
The vehicle drove through the dark night and turned into an area with towering cranes. The person trapped in the container felt themselves being lifted down and transported to another location. They were set down heavily and then everything went still. The sound of a whistle and the ferry could be heard, but their faint cries for help went unheard.
After a long time, they felt the vibrations of the boat starting up and the rocking of the water. Inside the container, Xiao Mu felt utterly defeated.
Indeed, knowing too much would not end well, and he had guessed correctly—he was truly going to be taken to Sea…
……………………
……………………
Abandoning the ship for a speedboat, the vessel maintained a steady pace. Inside the brightly lit cabin were three remaining individuals: Old Cripple was drinking while Brother Five—or Brother Wu—leaned against the sofa with his feet propped on the coffee table, lost in thought. The third person sat on the sofa, bored and smoking.
They waited in silence for a long time, only hearing the gentle sea breeze outside. The impatient one on the sofa finally spoke up, “Is it really necessary to make such a fuss? If we’re going to betray him anyway, we might as well just throw him overboard.”
“Tongs, don’t interrupt Brother Wu while he’s thinking. This is serious; Panzi has been caught. Whether he can hold up under pressure is another matter,” Old Cripple replied.
The one called Tongs appeared a bit flustered as he asked, "Panzi is going to turn against us; that could be quite troublesome."
"Whether he turns or not, it's a dead end. I think he knows the stakes. He only cares about stealing, not selling; he just wants to hand over his own assets... It's fine; he was chased down by the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Public Security. Sigh, things have become increasingly greedy over the years, and there are so many things we don't even know about," the driver sighed, deeply regretting the situation.
"In our line of work, there's only one way to go until the end; there's no time to pull back," Old Cripple remarked, pouring wine for the driver and casually handing a glass to Tongs.
However, Tongs was not in the mood to drink. He quietly asked, "What will happen to Mourning Hair and Widow Ma?"
"Catch them in the act, catch thieves with stolen goods; without any evidence, no one can do anything to them. They'll be out soon enough," the driver replied, taking a sip of champagne and commenting regretfully, "These two aren't much either. Their greed is growing while their wits are shrinking; they're just afraid of losing out... One of their subordinates even has a police informant and puts their business right in front of him. They're really living on borrowed time."
"Black Steel probably doesn't know about the shipping channels, right?" Tongs said.
"Not knowing is about the same. That operation they've been running for years will likely have to be abandoned; they'll have to start all over again," the driver said with some frustration. After countless games of cat and mouse with the police, he understood the changes well—once any hint was revealed, they would be watched closely. Being watched closely had a special meaning for the police: it meant they would keep an eye on you until you made a mistake, watching until you were doomed.
"It is time to change locations," Old Cripple said with a sigh.
Tonight was certainly the last chance for a clean slate before moving. In these final moments, Old Cripple frequently glanced at the driver's expression, trying to discern any clues from his fluctuating demeanor and speculate whether they really intended to deal with Xiao Mu.
"Old Cripple, are you worried about him?" the driver laughed.
"Oh dear, I can't say for sure. I was originally planning to return to Binhai to check Xiao Mu's background, but I didn't expect Panzi to get into trouble... What surprised me even more is that this kid is actually a rich second generation. I really thought he was just a little rogue hanging around casinos," Old Cripple said, genuinely concerned for him.
Tongs added with a smile, "Are there any rich second generations who aren't rogues nowadays?"
"Haha, that's true. He's quite special; he's a rogue who knows how to use civilized means. We've been hiding for so long that I thought it would be hard to find anyone left; surely everyone had scattered. Who would have thought he'd gathered my crew, Widow Ma's crew, and Mourning Hair's crew together? It's unbelievable! If you broke my head open, I wouldn't have guessed they ended up at a technical school," Old Cripple chuckled, always amazed by Xiao Mu's actions.
The driver couldn't help but laugh when he heard about the Xiao Mu organization and their group of thugs extorting people.
At this point, Tongs recalled something and asked, "By the way, the day before the incident, Panzi called Old Li saying he ran into Eccentric Character, who was even more cunning than him and wanted me to see for myself... Could it be him?"
"Yes," Old Cripple nodded, glancing nervously at the driver.
At that moment, Tongs also turned to look at the driver, uncertainly asking, "Brother Wu, did you really take them all out?"
"Mm," Brother Five nodded in agreement.
"Then why go through all this trouble? We're almost at international waters. We could just throw them overboard; why pay those snakeheads?" Tongs remarked, realizing it wasn't the right time to voice his opinions.
The driver didn't mind and pointed to two electronic devices on the coffee table. Checking the time, he noted that over two hours had passed. He teased, "I need to confirm who exactly is behind them and ensure they are indeed treacherous people so I won't feel guilty about my actions."
His words were profound, and the driver was known for his principles. Tongs and Old Cripple clearly didn't understand. He stared at the electronic devices and slowly explained, "When a bird is about to die, its cry is sorrowful; when a person is about to die, their words are kind... A person only reveals their true soul when they reach the utmost despair... To put it simply, regardless of whether someone appears noble or ragged, until that final moment of death, you will never know if their soul is noble or base, brave or cowardly..."
As he spoke, images of Black Steel's pleading face and Xiao Mu's sinister expression flashed before him—indeed, they were a pair with appearances starkly different from their true natures.
At that moment, the electronic device crackled to life with Black Steel's voice:
"...Hello? Hello... Is this Captain Chen? I-I am Xu Gang. They want to kill me... Yes, yes... It's Old Cripple. I don't know the others... Brother Five showed up; he's at the Seaside Dock, just boarded a ship not long ago. You have to come save me... Chen Team, I'm your informant; you can't just ignore my life! I still have a wife and kids at home; they know I tipped you off and will definitely silence me..."
On the other end of the line, his cries were heart-wrenching. Yet on Brother Five's face was a sickly smile as he softly said, "This foolish kid has overestimated his worth; informants aren't protected by law; the police won't acknowledge you."
The call ended abruptly. Another call came through—likely Black Steel, who had waited too long and felt hopeless, desperately trying to reach out for help. The driver had already made up his mind and calmly stated, "Cut off his signal; such treacherous people are not worth mourning."
Tongs heard this and picked up the phone. The ringing electronic device abruptly stopped, indicating that the person on the other end had hung up.
At that moment, Brother Five, or Brother Wu, seemed to be waiting for something. Right, what about the other one? It was impossible for him not to notice the deliberately left behind phone. He couldn't just wait to die in such a dire situation, could he? However, it seemed like they had been waiting long enough. Checking the time, it was already Four O'Clock in the Morning. Even he couldn't hold back any longer and curiously remarked, "Is this guy a bit foolish? He can't possibly not notice the phone, right?"
"Impossible, I sent him a text reminder," Tongs replied.
"But we've been at Sea for so long now and still no response?" the driver said.
"I think he's fine. He's young and not that complicated. Besides, he has a keen eye; if the police had his insight, we might be in real trouble," Old Cripple offered a fair assessment, though he was mistaken.
Tongs countered, "But he can't be a rich kid just wandering into our den, can he?"
"I can explain that. He's a complete mess—drinking, gambling, you name it—kicked out by his father. His mother is Ex-Wife, and his father remarried... In the wealthy circles of Binhai, he's quite notorious. Half of them know him through Usury. He colludes with Usury to get money from his father by writing IOUs... Ha ha, it's quite bizarre. I was shocked to find out he's with you guys," the driver chuckled.
Hearing this, Old Cripple felt somewhat reassured, but Tongs couldn't accept it and asked warily, "He can't be an undercover cop, can he?"
"Not likely; however, he could be a target of police interest," the driver laughed.
"And you?" Old Cripple asked cautiously.
"I need to confirm first. If there's any connection, I'll have to take him along," the driver said, a smile flickering across his face as he slammed the cup down on the tea table. At that moment, a voice came through the electronic device…
It was the voice of Xiao Mu, weary and weak, sounding as if it had reached the depths of despair.
"Hello, who is this?" a stranger's voice replied.
"Assistant Yan, it's Mulin Shen."
"Oh... Young Master, hello, hello. Where are you?"
"Ha ha, please don't call me Young Master. I'm not really a Young Master... Assistant Yan."
"I'm here, what do you need?"
"How is everything at home?"
"Everything is fine, all good."
"That's good to hear."
"Young Master, where are you? I'll come pick you up... It's been so long; your father should have calmed down a bit. He's a man of action rather than words. I believe he wouldn't be so heartless after all; blood is thicker than water..."
"No need for that. Please don't tell him... Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Of course, what is it?"
"My mother's grave, at the Western Suburb Purple Bamboo Forest Cemetery. You know it, right?"
"Understood."
"I might be gone for a long time, perhaps never to return. Every year in July, remind my dad to visit the grave and check on my mom, okay? She was good to your family when she was alive, always treating you and your dad like relatives... When I was little, we were poor, and I didn't understand. My mom worked herself to death, enduring her illness, unwilling to spend money or let my dad worry... I know I have no right to interfere in my dad's personal life, but after all, she was his First Wife, my mother... He may have married someone else and found happiness, but I refuse to believe that there's no place for my mom in his heart anymore... He hasn't even gone to the cemetery once..."
Xiao Mu on the phone lost control, sobbing and choking on words that felt like they might be his last.
"Young Master, I understand. Please don't get upset; I will definitely tell your father..."
"Thank you, Assistant Yan. I know I've caused you trouble before; I'm really grateful. It won't happen again."
"It's nothing, Young Master. What’s wrong with you?"
"Nothing much... Just promise me that if my dad forgets about me and my mom, and doesn't even want to visit her grave once, could you go see her for me? She's all alone and so lonely..."
"Okay, no problem. I promise..."
"Thank you... Thank you..."
The call ended, leaving only the sound of a dial tone.
The signal on the phone disappeared; this was the final farewell.
In the cabin, there was silence for a long time. The Old Cripple stared blankly, Tongs was shocked, and Brother Five, who had been preparing to verify his judgment, forgot to hide his expression in astonishment. A man weeping in despair was pleading with others to do something completely unrelated.
Is it ridiculous? Not at all. The driver's face slowly took on a solemn expression, as if he were reminiscing about something lost.
Old Cripple saw the flash in the darkness, reminding Tongs, who spoke up, "Brother Wu, it's time."
"Oh." The driver snapped out of his melancholic reverie and replied mechanically.
Tongs cautiously asked, "Have they all been transported?"
He was referring to the people in the boxes. After a moment of thought, the driver said, "If we cut the grass without removing the roots, trouble will surely follow. Black Steel must be eliminated, but the other one is a bit troublesome. It would be clean to get rid of him, but it goes against my principles; he really has nothing to do with this matter. However, if we don’t eliminate him, he’ll know that Black Steel has fallen into our hands."
Old Cripple and Tongs listened quietly, realizing for the first time that Brother Wu's decisive style had changed; he was starting to hesitate.
After a brief pause, the driver, Brother Wu, decisively said, "Let’s take a gamble. Let’s bet on his life. Tongs, you come."
As if reluctant to make this decision, Tongs smiled and felt in his pocket for a coin. He flicked it up with a clink; the coin traced a line of light as it spun upward before rapidly descending, landing on the low table in front of the driver. He reached out to cover it and looked at the other two, asking, "Old rules: heads means life, tails means death... Do you want heads or tails?"
"Heads," Old Cripple said.
"Heads," Tongs echoed.
The two were unexpectedly in agreement and spoke in unison. Brother Wu gently raised his hand to reveal the coin pressed beneath it; it was indeed heads up.
He glanced at Tongs with a smile and asked, "Did you let it go?"
"You can still decide; just flip it over if you want," Tongs replied with a grin.
The driver who held the decision raised his hand and tossed the coin back into Tongs' palm. He smiled and said, "I’ll also choose heads... Let’s get to work."
He leaned against the sofa with a complex expression as Old Cripple and Tongs took their leave.
On the dimly lit surface of the sea, a fishing boat awaited, pulling a heavy box aboard with a rope. Immediately, Tongs, like a monkey, tugged on the rope and climbed onto the fishing boat. He was greeted by two men dressed as fishermen, their faces obscured by thick beards, resembling masks that covered most of their faces.
In this place, trust was based solely on one thing: money.
A thick stack of bills was tossed to the other party, who inspected it briefly before stowing it away. Tongs said, "The winds are strong and the waves are high. We'll handle things once we reach the Open Sea. Same old rules: leave no trace and destroy everything."
The two men nodded and muttered something in their native tongue. Tongs glanced at the box that had been stomped on at the edge of the boat, whistled for Old Cripple, then stepped back a few paces, picked up speed, and leaped onto the yacht's deck, just managing to grab Old Cripple's outstretched cane.
As the two boats separated, they drifted further into the silent Sea, gradually leaving behind only a faint light swallowed by darkness...
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