Chapter 209: Ding Li Comes to Find Lao Wai

I completely ignored Lao Wai's crying, pretending to rummage in my pocket for something.

Lao Wai's two eyes rolled around wildly.

Then he said, 'Brothers, let's talk things out nicely, let's discuss this properly, okay?'

'Hand over the mimi incense quickly, or I'll kill you and then crush you,' I said harshly.

'If I hand it over, brothers, will you really let me go? You won't go back on your word, will you?' Lao Wai asked.

'We won't go back on our word; people on the road keep their promises. As long as you hand it over, you'll be fine—just leave quickly,' I said.

Lao Wai unwillingly pulled a sealed bag out of his pocket.

Inside, it was wrapped in oil paper.

It looked like the mimi incense.

I snatched it straight from Lao Wai's hand.

Then I held it in my hand.

Lao Wai then asked, 'Brothers, when will you give me the fifty thousand?'

'Let me check the goods first,' I said, and opened the sealed bag.

Then I unwrapped the oil paper.

A tempting fragrance emanated from the package.

At first it smelled fragrant, but the more you smelled it, the stinkier it got.

I quickly took out the white crystals from inside.

I placed them in a tissue.

I dissolved them with a little water.

I looked at Lao Wai.

'Is this stuff genuine or not?'

'Heaven and earth as my witness, I've never sold fake goods, brothers—please believe me,' Lao Wai pleaded urgently.

'Fine, then let's test the goods,' I said, and then

I prepared to press the tissue to Lao Wai's nose.

Lao Wai shouted even more happily.

Just then, suddenly a pounding on the door sounded from outside.

And someone shouted,

'Come out quickly and release Lao Wai!'

Lao Wai clearly heard it too, and he looked at me and smiled.

'Brothers, your friend from the road has arrived—what should we do?'

I ignored Lao Wai; Shangguan Zhuren had already come out of the house.

I hurriedly stepped in front of him.

Shangguan Zhuren then said, 'Who are they, banging on the door in the middle of the night?'

I said, 'Lao Wai's friend, Shangguan Zhuren, I'll open the door.'

I then opened the main gate of the courtyard.

At that moment, more than ten people rushed in, led by a young man in his thirties.

He directly angrily asked me, 'Where's Lao Wai? Hurry up and release him.'

I looked at this person,

and said, 'I have some private business with Lao Wai; your forced entry into a private residence is illegal.'

That person sneered, 'Hmph, what law? I'm not afraid. In the old city district of Zaocheng, I am the law.'

He had a big mouth.

Lao Wai had already run out of the house and quickly ran up to that person.

'Brother Ding Li, you came just in time; otherwise I'd be done for. Hurry and save me.'

'You're Ding Li, right?' I asked.

'Yeah, what's up? No matter what grudge you have with Lao Wai, that's all in the past. Now I'm taking Lao Wai away. Since he's with me, I'll protect him,' Ding Li said coldly.

Lao Wai shouted from the side, 'They still have to pay me; they snatched my mimi incense. I won't leave without the fifty thousand.'

I looked at Ding Li and thought, 'This guy looks pretty upright; it's a shame someone like him is also mixing in society.'

I suddenly realized he mixes with Mao Hai from Zaocheng, and that Mao Hai has an unusual relationship with Shi Yong.

I decided to test Shi Yong.

So I said, 'Ding Li, right? I'll mention a person—see if you know him.'

'Who? You say,' Ding Li said, looking at me.

'Shi Yong. Do you know him?' I said.

'Shi Yong, Brother Yong—I certainly know him. May I ask how you're related to him?' Ding Li's tone was no longer so cold.

I said, 'Shi Yong is my friend; if you don't believe me, I'll call him now and let him say a few words to you.'

After saying that, I asked Shangguan Zhuren for his phone and began dialing Shi Yong's number.

After a long while, Shi Yong finally answered the phone; it seemed he was sleeping soundly.

'Hello, Shangguan Zhuren, what's up?' Shi Yong asked over the phone.

I said, 'Shi Yong, it's me—Ding Li has shown up at your door; talk to him for a moment and tell him to leave quickly.'

After saying that, I handed the phone to Ding Li,

Ding Li said respectfully, 'Brother Yong, it's so late, sorry to disturb you. I want to ask if you know these two.'

Shi Yong shouted on the phone: "Ding Li, these two are my friends; he has some private matter with Lao Wai. Don't ask, just go quickly."

"All right, Brother Yong, I'm leaving now." Ding Li said and then hung up the phone.

Ding Li looked at Lao Wai, then said: "Lao Wai, what private matter do you have with this elder brother? Settle it yourselves; I won't interfere. Sorry for disturbing you late at night; I hope you, elder brother, will be forgiving."

I will definitely come to apologize tomorrow evening.

After saying that, Ding Li clasped his fist and bowed to me.

I also clasped my fist in return,

Then I said: "All right, Brother Ding Li, I'll treat you to drinks tomorrow evening."

Lao Wai wanted to go with Ding Li, but Ding Li directly refused.

Lao Wai, voice choked with tears, said: "Brother Ding Li, you can't abandon me; they will take my life."

Ding Li completely ignored Lao Wai and disappeared into the night.

At that moment I closed the door,

I said to Lao Wai: "Please have a seat inside, Lao Wai."

Lao Wai said helplessly: "Is there no law left?"

Hearing Lao Wai say that, I laughed.

After entering the house, Shangguan Zhuren took out a cigarette and gave one each to me and Lao Wai.

I said: "Lao Wai, don't sigh and groan; the bewildering incense has already been handed over. As soon as it's daylight, we'll let you go; we won't harm your life."

Shangguan Zhuren directly asked: "Have you got the bewildering incense in hand?"

I nodded,

Shangguan Zhuren then said: "Don't worry, we won't harm your life; we just want to ask for some bewildering incense to get something done."

Lao Wai then said: "What about the money? We agreed on fifty thousand. If you don't give me the money, you might as well take my life."

This Lao Wai really cares only about money, even to the point of not caring about his life.

Shangguan Zhuren said: "The money is already prepared; we said we'd give it to you, and we will definitely do so."

I said at this point: "Let's talk about the money later; I haven't inspected the goods yet."

Lao Wai shouted: "It's the genuine article, no need to inspect!"

I completely ignored Lao Wai,

then I picked up the tissue from the table and pressed it over Lao Wai's nose,

Lao Wai made no sound, kicked his legs, went limp, and collapsed onto the ground again.

In one day, twice, Lao Wai has already been knocked out by the bewildering incense two times.

Shangguan Zhuren looked at Lao Wai sleeping on the ground,

and said to me: "This stuff is so amazing. Let me have a look."

I took out the sealed bag and handed it to Shangguan Zhuren,

Shangguan Zhuren opened the sealed bag, and a fragrance wafted up to his nose.

Shangguan Zhuren said: "It smells really good."

After saying that, Shangguan Zhuren's body began to sway.

I quickly resealed the sealed bag,

"Shangguan Zhuren, hurry and wash your face, otherwise you'll faint."

Upon hearing that, Shangguan Zhuren immediately turned on the faucet and washed his face,

"Wow, that's powerful. Who made this stuff?"

"The person who made it is already dead." I handed Shangguan Zhuren a towel.

Shangguan Zhuren wiped his face,

"Jianqiang, we can't stay here too long; too many people know about this, which is not good; we must leave quickly."

I said: "I want to meet one more person before leaving; I feel this person might be useful to us."