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墨書 Inktalez
"Not yet enough," Cao Mingzhe said as he exhaled the last wisp of smoke. "I need to find Song Guilong and bring him out."
I took a deep breath. The divergence in thoughts and purposes between Cao Mingzhe and Xiao Guolin was growing wider. I couldn't understand either of their perspectives because I couldn't accept one premise: that Song Guilong was still alive. But then, Cao Mingzhe dropped a bombshell that left me reeling.
"Song Guilong is either under the control of Eternal Gate or has taken control of it himself. When we go down this time, we might end up in heaven or hell; you need to be mentally prepared for that."
In an instant, I felt the ground spin beneath me. If Cao Mingzhe's speculation was true, regardless of which possibility it was, I felt we would be unable to complete our mission. Trying to snatch someone from the powerful and complete Eternal Gate, or convincing someone to relinquish the power of Eternal Gate, seemed utterly unrealistic.
What confused me the most was actually Eternal Gate itself—what on earth was it?
I realized I could no longer continue questioning Cao Mingzhe; he had already provided me with more information than I could process in a short time. I needed to take a moment to think things through. My head felt like it was about to explode.
I waved my hand at Cao Mingzhe. I thought my pale face and expression had startled him; he nervously asked, "Zhang, are you feeling unwell?"
I nodded. "I think I've caught a chill. I need to go back and rest for a bit."
"There are rooms here; I'll arrange a suite for you."
"No need," I waved my hand dismissively. "I'm like a hen laying eggs—I prefer my own nest; I won't sleep well in a different place."
Clearly, my refusal displeased Cao Mingzhe; it lacked finesse. People like us, who had spent years digging in the wild, wouldn't care whose bed we slept in or whose blanket we used. As long as there was a place to rest, we could fall asleep quickly.
Cao Mingzhe huffed. "Fine, I'll have someone take you back."
After making a phone call, he told me, "Alright, the car is waiting for you downstairs. Keep what we've discussed between us; especially around those close to you. Sharing it with anyone else could put them in danger; you should know better."
I nodded. Of course, I understood that. However, I thought that even if I didn't share it, I had already harmed someone or perhaps several people. Some were already beyond saving.
I stumbled out of the room, and just as I was about to close the door, Cao Mingzhe called out, "Stay strong!"
I paused for a moment. Perhaps my mind was too muddled to understand what Cao Mingzhe meant—was he calling my name or encouraging me to pull myself together?
In my confusion, I turned back to Cao Mingzhe and said, "I will."
Honestly, no one calls me that; it could easily lead to misunderstandings. People who know me call me Qiangzi, regardless of age. Even my younger cousin calls me that. Some call me Brother Qiang, while others simply call me Qiang, though that last one is reserved for Zhou Xingxing, who never used that name before associating it with some insect. After that, I stopped liking it.
Cao Mingzhe chuckled lightly. "Before you officially join the Task Force, I've arranged for a contact person for you. He'll be responsible for your communication with the Task Force. You can have him handle anything you need."
"Okay." I forced a smile. "Just tell Old Cao that he can call me anything but 'stay strong,' alright? It’s misleading."
"Got it. Strong."
I turned in annoyance and stepped out the door, completely forgetting to ask who the contact person was. However, when I reached the first floor, I found out—he was waiting for me in the lobby. A familiar face, someone who once claimed to be mine: Vietnamese A San.
"Brother Qiang! I've missed you so much!"
Looking at A San's overly dramatic expression, I replied coldly, "Where's the car?"
A San shrank back slightly. "It's ready. It's right outside."
As I walked to the entrance and took a look, the car looked familiar. A black Mercedes SUV was parked in front of the hotel; although there was no one inside, the engine was running. It seemed this contact person also moonlighted as a driver.
I wrapped my coat around me and circled the vehicle.
"Brother Qiang! Stop staring; that's your car."
"Damn it! Aren't you guys supposed to have plenty of money? Why are you commandeering my car?"
"There's been a misunderstanding; it's not Brother Qiang. Mr. Cao bought this car, paying the original price."
I couldn't help but laugh when I heard that. What a fool! I never expected Huang Hai to be so cunning, selling a car that's about seventy to eighty percent new at the price of a brand-new one. But then I thought again; he seemed too timid in this place, not even letting anyone in. How could he possibly trick Cao Mingzhe?
Of course, this had nothing to do with me. I was too busy worrying about the daily meals for the three of us and our future rations to remember anything about the car.
"Who sold it?" I asked, puzzled.
"Brother Gang did. Didn't he tell you?"
Got it. I immediately understood what had happened. Huang Hai must have gone to him, whining about being broke, and Fatty, with his crafty ideas, quickly sold the car to Cao Mingzhe. This was great; they sold the car but still got to use it, plus they even got a dedicated driver. What a profitable deal!
But then I felt uneasy again. Where's the money?
If the car was sold at its original price, it should be over a million. Yet here I was, starving and begging for scraps, feeling like I was seeing my long-lost father whenever I spotted Nest. Where on earth did the money go?
I glanced at A San but didn't dare to ask. After all, I was a boss too; how could I go around starving and begging? How would I maintain my reputation?
"Back to the shop," I said coldly to A San.
By the time we returned to the shop, it was already late at night. As soon as I swung open the car door, I got out. While I was busy opening the yard gate with a clatter, A San parked across from the shop and jumped out of the car, running back.
In the dead of night, there were no streetlights in the alley. I fumbled in the dark to open the main door and turned around to see A San standing behind me. I asked him, "Is something wrong?"
A San shook his head. "No."
"Then why are you still here?"
"Mr. Cao asked me to follow you."
I stared blankly at A San for a while.
"Damn, is it really necessary to send someone to keep an eye on me? Has Old Cao lost his mind?"
A San's face trembled. "Brother Qiang, I'm one of your people."
I had always been resistant to this kind of talk, especially after Cao Mingzhe showed up. That guy immediately switched sides, acting like a loyal dog, but an unfaithful one at that. Now, with my anger flaring, I wasn't about to give him any face.
I pointed directly at his nose and asked, "If you're my person, why are you trembling? Feeling guilty, huh?"
"Brother Qiang, I'm shaking all over. It's freezing; this place is too cold. You know as well as I do that we don't have temperatures like this where I'm from. I've lived over thirty years without experiencing this kind of chill."
I took a look and realized he was right. His lips were quivering uncontrollably. It couldn't possibly be this cold in Vietnam or Laos.
I really didn't want to keep him around. But then I thought about it: keeping someone who might betray me close was safer than pushing him away; at least I could keep an eye on him. Liu Squad Leader was a cautionary tale—I couldn't afford to make the same mistake again.
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