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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 118: Cross-Border Pursuit
Even Big Gourd couldn't figure out what was going on.
Brother Mu had suddenly disappeared, only to reappear just as suddenly, issuing an order to capture his own people, Jia Baoshi and Golden Treasure. He claimed these two were traitors, and they needed to be restrained first. Although there were doubts, the Gourd Brothers, who had already blindly followed Xiao Mu, executed the order without question. Erhu Lu led a group to apprehend Jia Baoshi, while Big Gourd's team surrounded Golden Treasure's shop. This time, they came in full force, with dozens of people crowding into Golden Treasure's store, watching intently and saying nothing. Even Golden Treasure, who was no stranger to rough situations, felt intimidated by the sheer presence of the crowd.
The four shop assistants were terrified into silence, occasionally glancing nervously at the female staff member. The girl looked like she might wet herself from fear. Fortunately, during this period, discipline had been tightened; otherwise, someone would have already made inappropriate advances. All five employees were searched for their phones and wallets. Golden Treasure kept glancing at the phone on the table with a look of dread. After trying to reason with them multiple times to no avail, Big Gourd remained unyielding.
"Big Gourd, what do you mean by this? If you need money, just say how much," Golden Treasure started again.
Big Gourd's expression twisted into a snarl as he replied, "You think I'm lacking in brains? Do I look like I'm short on cash?"
"Exactly! Hu Ge is now the Street Office's collector," one subordinate chimed in flatteringly.
Big Gourd pounded his chest in affirmation: "It's temporary! Hah! Even temporary workers are state employees. Don't move! Move again and I'll smack you!"
"What’s really going on?" Golden Treasure was frustrated. This gang of blind followers had resorted to such thuggish tactics—searching them and locking the doors—leaving him utterly helpless and clueless about what was happening.
When asked about it, Big Gourd scratched his head; clearly, he didn't know either.
Golden Treasure seized the opportunity: "How about you give me your phone? I can call Lame Brother."
"Shut up! Even the police don't know where Lame Brother is; how would you?" Big Gourd retorted.
"I really do know! If you don’t believe me, give it to me," Golden Treasure insisted.
"Can't you understand when I tell you to shut your mouth? You really think you can fool me?" Big Gourd lost patience and slapped Golden Treasure across the face.
Golden Treasure could only laugh helplessly: "Alright, alright! I don’t want the phone. I just want to know what this means and what you're trying to do. You have to tell me!"
"Another slap," Big Gourd said with annoyance. "Clearly, I don't know. Aren't you making it hard for me? Brothers, get something to stuff his mouth; he's talking too much."
A few ruffians rushed over, mixing some play dough into a ball and directly smearing it over Golden Treasure's mouth. Meanwhile, Big Gourd sneaked aside and called Xiao Mu, saying just one thing:
"Bro, what's going on? Have you learned to kidnap again... Hey, this job isn't bad; I think this kid has quite a bit of money..."
After hanging up, Xiao Mu pondered for a moment before putting his phone away and getting out of the car. Shen Lingchen followed him out, and Lin Qizhao got out as well. Once outside, Xiao Mu stopped and looked at Lin Qizhao. Shen Lingchen turned back and immediately understood, pointing at Lin Qizhao and saying, "Hurry up and take off your police uniform."
Oh, understood. Lin Qizhao quickly took off his short-sleeved police uniform, but once he did, he realized he had nothing else to wear; it was summer, and he was only in a thin shirt. He hurried to the back and knocked on the window of one of his subordinates who was in plain clothes, taking the clothes without argument. Then he ordered that both police cars be driven away.
At this point, they had returned to Cangji Village's old hideout—the KTV that had been sealed off. After Old Cripple left, no one had been managing it. Xiao Mu led the two through the alley inside while Shen Lingchen asked, "What exactly are we doing?"
"They're eager to drive me out of Suzhou and Hangzhou; there must be some secret they're hiding. Widow Ma, Mourning Hair, Old Cripple—all suddenly got into trouble. The police are pursuing them so tightly; what do you think the secret is?" Xiao Mu questioned.
"Stolen goods?" Shen Lingchen blurted out.
"Right, there should be a place where they hide stolen items. Those valuable things aren't easy to sell off; they definitely wouldn't want to throw them away and are even more afraid I'll dig them out," Xiao Mu replied.
"Stop going off track; right now, the main focus is finding suspects in the Wang Zihua case," Lin Qizhao quietly reminded him.
"If you're looking for that, then you're really off track. You need to find the thread to pull apart this web," Xiao Mu said as he led the two into the courtyard. It was dark as they walked a few steps and entered a room where a group of about ten people surrounded someone. Erhu Lu rushed over and asked warmly, "Bro, how are you? Where have you been? Ah, what happened to your face?"
Not having wiped off his makeup properly, Xiao Mu couldn't care less at that moment and angrily replied, "Just came back from putting on makeup; damn it! Almost got caught by the police."
Upon hearing this, Leftover Crowd erupted in flattery. Brother Mu is so brave; what do the police even count for? This group in the hideout made Lin Qizhao and Shen Lingchen feel both amused and helpless. Looking at Xiao Mu now, he had completely taken on the demeanor of a small underworld boss.
Jia Baoshi, caught in a bind, was feeling low when Xiao Mu entered. Erhu Lu, quick on the uptake, kicked him and asked, "Hey, Baoshi, you bastard, are you hiding something?"
"Bro, I..." Jia Baoshi hesitated.
"Baoshi, you really aren't being fair," Xiao Mu leaned in and said. "Lame Brother is in trouble, and we've been working hard to scrape together some cash in Binhai without forgetting to take care of you. You can't just turn around and sell us out, right? Tell me, on the night we got caught, who knew where I was eating... who did you tell?"
"I..." Jia Baoshi was suddenly at a loss for words.
Hearing this, Erhu Lu got angry. He rolled up his sleeves and started punching and kicking while cursing. "Damn it, so it was you! You knew how those cops were beating me down? Brothers, let's go!"
With a flurry of blows and stomps, the effect was immediate. Jia Baoshi curled up and shouted, "Yaya... stop hitting me! I only told Dog Brother; I didn't tell the police... Yaya, please stop... Dog Brother and Lame Brother are also my brothers..."
Xiao Mu separated the crowd and halted further interrogation. He squatted down and asked, "How much does Dog Brother pay you a month?"
"Two thousand."
"What do they ask you about?"
"Just what we're doing, how much we can earn, how many people there are... oh please... stop hitting me."
"And who else does he associate with?"
"I don't know... wait, I do know! Scallion Head, Dragon Well..."
This line of questioning felt like a street deal. Shen Lingchen and Lin Qizhao couldn't quite grasp it but had to admire the efficiency of the Underworld. Within minutes, they had extracted all the information: Baoshi, Scallion Head, Dragon Well—these were all connected to Golden Treasure, Dog Brother's trusted associates. Any news about this gang would be hard to keep from that one.
This was a hidden line operating in the shadows.
Suddenly understanding this connection, Shen Lingchen realized that Widow Ma and Mourning Hair were involved in surface-level business. He definitely needed a line like this in the dark to help him move goods and possibly connect with higher-ups. With this thought in mind, he felt an inexplicable excitement.
"Erhu, go get Scallion and Longjing ready. Baoshi, follow me," Xiao Mu said, and the group of ruffians dispersed in a hurry. Erhu Lu stepped out only to turn back, looking up and down at Lin Qizhao and Shen Lingchen. Just as Shen Lingchen was struggling to find a way to explain, Xiao Mu stepped in, saying, "I took in two little brothers."
"Too old, useless. What kind of eyes do you have, brother?" Erhu Lu clearly expressed his dissatisfaction.
Xiao Mu sternly told him, "You have some insight to see that they are useless... Use them for two days, then send them away. Now go."
"Got it." Erhu Lu accepted the order and left.
At that moment, only Jia Baoshi remained, looking battered and bruised. He obediently stood up, rubbing his body and keeping his head down, not daring to meet Xiao Mu's gaze. Shen Lingchen gave Xiao Mu a knowing look and shook his head; dealing with this person was quite inconvenient, but letting him go seemed risky.
Xiao Mu had his own way of handling things. He stepped in front of Jia Baoshi, lifted the young man's chin to examine him, and sighed, saying, "Baoshi, I treat you like a brother, but you treat me like a fool. I was almost thrown into the sea after being captured... It was you who informed them at Culinary School, wasn't it?"
"It wasn't me! Red Sister and Lame Brother have always been fine; I was with Dragon Well," Jia Baoshi replied.
"Then you shouldn't have acted like this... Forget it. Just let it go," Xiao Mu said. As he relaxed his tone, Jia Baoshi's expression eased as well. Who would have thought that Xiao Mu would pull out a stack of money from his pocket—about ten thousand or so? Jia Baoshi's eyes widened as he heard Xiao Mu ask, "So what were you doing there early that day when Hua Ying Logistics had trouble? You didn't sell out Mao Ge too, did you?"
"No, no! I went with Dragon Well to pick something up; they pulled me away from my bed," Jia Baoshi quickly denied.
"Really? How can I trust you?" Xiao Mu asked.
"Really! Dog Ge told me to go," Jia Baoshi insisted.
"Where did you take it? It wouldn't be hidden in Golden Dog's basement, would it? That's Mao Ge's stuff!" Xiao Mu said.
"I took it to the shop," Jia Baoshi replied.
"Oh, you took it to the shop." Xiao Mu felt relieved and secretly pleased. He slapped the stack of money into Jia Baoshi's hands and said, "Medical expenses. Don't say Wood Master isn't righteous; take this money and get lost. Don't let me see you for a month. Tonight I'm going to confront Golden Dog; if you leak anything next time, I'll send you funeral expenses. Now scram."
He waved his sleeve and left. As the three of them stepped out the door, there was a thud behind them. Turning around, they saw Jia Baoshi kneeling on the ground, crying out like he had lost someone dear: "Brother, I'm sorry... Brother, thank you... Brother, I'm sorry..."
Xiao Mu turned around, leading the two away, leaving the bewildered local behind in sorrow.
They got into the car and drove off. At this moment, Lin Qizhao had already begun to revere Xiao Mu as a deity. He opened the car door, shooed the driver away, and invited Xiao Mu to get in. Afterward, he took a seat in the back. As the car started moving, he excitedly asked, "It seems this must be the loot that Ma Yubing and Mao Shiping failed to dispose of in time."
"Definitely. I was wondering why they were so eager to get me out of Suzhou and Hangzhou; they must be afraid I would uncover their secrets," Xiao Mu replied.
"Thank you, Xiao Mu. You came back after all; I knew I didn't misjudge you," Shen Lingchen said.
"Stop pretending. At this point, if I hadn't returned, you would have issued a wanted notice. If you couldn't find the suspect, you'd take it out on the informant—that's the most straightforward approach," Xiao Mu remarked.
"How could that be? What do you take me for?" Shen Lingchen said deliberately, glancing back at Lin Qizhao, who dared not speak up.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Mu continued, "Then you're foolish; go ahead and issue the wanted notice. This move should be made. Did you catch anything from what Jia Baoshi said?"
"Leaked information; it was leaked before the operation began, and the loot was moved," Shen Lingchen replied.
"There were rookies involved in today's crime. I suspect they had ulterior motives and planned to divert attention by making these newcomers take the fall," Xiao Mu stated.
"That makes sense. Someone took photos of you from behind, and several inspectors from Antique were reported. The method used to sabotage the circuit in the underground garage at the crime scene is consistent with two years ago," Lin Qizhao reminded them.
"Then we should definitely issue a wanted notice; go ahead," Xiao Mu insisted.
"Is that appropriate?" Lin Qizhao suddenly felt embarrassed.
"Do it; it's a delaying tactic. Someone will enjoy seeing that," Shen Lingchen added.
"By the way, under the guise of a wanted notice, we could even lock up my biological father and stepmother; isolating them would be best," Xiao Mu suggested.
"Huh?" Lin Qizhao was taken aback.
"Do as I say," Shen Lingchen said firmly. He understood that this was another way of expressing love.
They arranged everything swiftly, racing towards their destination...
When they arrived, they had switched to a civilian vehicle, requisitioned on the way. Getting out, Xiao Mu led the two of them confidently into the shop at the entrance of Commercial Street. As soon as the door opened, Shen Lingchen was startled to see dozens of people inside, all bowing and saying in unison, "Brother Mu has returned."
This scene also took Lin Qizhao by surprise; the strong underworld vibe mixed with a gangster style was intimidating.
Xiao Mu nodded in acknowledgment. A group of thugs from the Liuying Guerrilla Team had been following him closely, their shared experiences of making money binding them tightly together. As he entered, the crowd automatically parted to create a path leading directly to Golden Treasure, who was seated behind the counter.
Golden Treasure had his face smeared with colorful clay. Upon seeing Xiao Mu, he quickly stood up but was unexpectedly held back by Big Gourd. He hurriedly stammered, "Mu... Brother Mu... what’s going on?"
"What do you mean what's going on? I sincerely invited you to join me in building a civilized city, but you really let me down by plotting against me behind my back. You got me caught and almost didn’t let me come back," Xiao Mu replied.
Golden Treasure was confused. He had clearly been summoned by his superiors; how could that be considered being caught? He asked in bewilderment, "That can't be right. Didn't you get promoted?"
"But I don’t want to be promoted; I like it here... Tell me, did Jia Baoshi tell you where we were eating, and then you informed someone?" Xiao Mu questioned.
"I..." Golden Treasure looked at the situation and quickly changed his tune: "No way?"
Xiao Mu pressed his phone and played a recording of Jia Baoshi's words. Upon hearing it, Big Gourd's anger flared up; he suddenly understood why he had been inexplicably caught that day. He stomped his foot angrily, shaking Golden Treasure until he cried out for help. Big Gourd fumed, "Damn it! So it was you who got me beaten up by the police."
Shen Lingchen and Lin Qizhao were both sweating nervously. This rowdy group would be difficult for even the police to handle; their only hope now rested on this underworld leader to resolve things.
"Every grievance has its source; debts must be repaid. I'll handle this myself... Big Gourd, take everyone outside." He found a rope and tied up Golden Treasure. Big Gourd felt a bit worried, but Xiao Mu shot him a glare. The obedient thug immediately ushered everyone out while the remaining four staff members stood quietly against the wall with their hands on their heads.
At that moment, Xiao Mu began, leaning in to ask Golden Treasure, "Golden Dog, what should we do about our grievances?"
"We're all family here; what grievances could there be? How about I call Lame Brother and let him talk to you?" Golden Treasure was no fool.
Certainly not a fool, knowing so much. Xiao Mu's face darkened as he replied, "The problem is, this business is mine now. I can't talk to Lame Brother."
You're overstepping, Golden Treasure whispered, "Brother, listen to me. You can't afford to mess with those people."
"True," Xiao Mu said with a smile. "So I need to gather more resources before I run. I heard Mourning Hair has hidden treasures in your hands; give me half, and we can escape together."
"Oh dear, that's what you're after." Golden Treasure was frightened and began to tremble, his lips quivering as he said, "Wood Master, your life is tough; my little life is at stake! Who dares touch Brother Five's things? You know what happened to Xu Gang; I don't believe you're unaware of that."
"But if you don't listen to me, you won't know what will happen to you... Search," Xiao Mu said. Golden Treasure was intimidated and tried to get up but was forcefully pushed back down by Xiao Mu's foot on his knee, causing him to groan in pain.
It was easy to find; behind the shelves was the entrance to the basement. After prying open a lock and lifting the iron cover, Shen Lingchen and Lin Qizhao descended the stairs. In this underground warehouse filled with piles of toy packaging, they opened two wooden crates and their faces lit up with surprise.
Boxes of watches, bracelets, luxury brand bags, and neatly categorized jade pieces and accessories. As they opened another box, Shen Lingchen laughed and said, "These thieves even spared no effort on shoes."
A box of women's shoes caught Lin Qizhao's eye as he remarked, "Designer women's shoes... They specialize in stealing luggage and luxury villas; they take everything they can get. Don't underestimate these shoes; a pair can cost thousands."
"Heh heh, these rascals have met their match," Shen Lingchen chuckled uncontrollably.
"What should we do next? I suggest we avoid using the local police force for now. This gang is deeply rooted; they might have connections with our people. If it gets out, it will definitely alert others," Lin Qizhao advised.
"Quickly assemble a team... I do have some local police I can use. We need to secure this place and keep it confidential. I'll handle it; you stay here," Shen Lingchen instructed as he turned to head upstairs but found Xiao Mu still tormenting Golden Treasure. He had tied him up with more ropes, removed his shoes, and stuffed his socks into his mouth—messing with this troublemaker would not end well.
He beckoned Xiao Mu over and whispered instructions. Xiao Mu looked astonished as he replied, "You want me to guard this place? Are you joking? With so many people around, what if the patrols see us? That would be a hassle."
"No choice; Binhai is dispatching people and it will take over an hour. I can call for local support in about half an hour or so, but we must keep it under wraps and conduct a swift interrogation," Shen Lingchen stated.
"Alright, hurry up." Xiao Mu sent him off, and Shen Lingchen got into the car and drove away. At the entrance, things were a bit awkward; there was a large crowd gathered under the eaves, all waiting. It was troublesome because these were the same people who usually ran around when the police chased them. If they were caught helping the police, Rogue Master Jiang's reputation would be ruined.
Big Gourd approached and asked, "Bro, what should we do? We can't stay here too long; if the patrol sees us gathering like this, they'll chase us away again."
As soon as he finished speaking, two police cars with flashing lights arrived. Xiao Mu felt like crying and said, "Damn it, what bad luck... Everyone inside the store!"
In the chaos, just as they relaxed a bit inside, one of the thugs glanced over and shouted, "Crap, Golden Dog has run away!"
"Quick, catch him!" Xiao Mu panicked and rushed inside. Golden Treasure had just been untied by a store clerk and was running towards the back. In a fit of desperation, Xiao Mu grabbed a chair and threw it at him, hitting him squarely in the back. Golden Treasure let out a cry and fell down, causing the clerks to scream in fright while being overwhelmed by the rushing thugs.
"Hurry... push them all down!" Xiao Mu opened the iron cover to the basement and pushed Golden Treasure along with several clerks down into it. Just as he secured the cover with a wedge, the group of thugs started retreating as someone shouted, "Bro, the police are coming!"
They barely held on for half an hour; not even a few minutes had passed before seven Patrol Officers arrived. Seeing that it looked like a disturbance was happening here, several of them brandished their batons and rushed into the store...
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