Chapter 22: Ma Kui

"Who is it?" Hong Zhiyou drew his service pistol.

"Secretary Hong, it's me, Ma Kui."

Hong Zhiyou got up and opened the door.

Ma Kui walked in carrying pig head meat and two bottles of white liquor, his face full of gloom.

"Brother, going to sleep so early?" Ma Kui's mouth reeked of alcohol; he had clearly already been drinking.

"Captain Ma, it's so late, why haven't you gone home?"

Hong Zhiyou sat down in front of the coffee table.

"Go home? A man like me doesn't deserve a home."

"Drink with me."

Ma Kui opened the cold dish and poured the liquor.

"Still holding a grudge? Your career belongs to the Party-State, but your body is your own; don't push yourself so hard," Hong Zhiyou advised with a smile.

"Yeah."

"I've pushed myself for so many years, my whole body is covered in scars, and every night I'm in so much pain I can't sleep." Ma Kui pulled open his shirt; his chest was covered in old scars.

"Captain Ma is devoted to the country; I admire you," Hong Zhiyou flattered him.

"Heh, what's the use?"

"My heart is toward the bright moon, but the moon shines upon the drainage ditch."

"In this station, from top to..."

Ma Kui sighed deeply and, with a bitter smile, changed the subject:

"Hey, let's not talk about that. Brother, why don't you find a partner? Spending every day sleeping in the office won't do."

"I'd rather not suffer that."

"Passing through a thousand flowers without a single leaf sticking to me—isn't that a happy life?"

Hong Zhiyou raised his glass to him.

"Is that so?"

Ma Kui wore a smile, but his eyes were chillingly cold.

"You like my wife," he said suddenly.

"Captain Ma, you shouldn't joke like that." Hong Zhiyou put down his glass, his body slightly hunched, ready to draw his gun at any moment.

"You gave her fifty silver dollars."

"Fifty silver dollars—more than my annual salary." Ma Kui's gaze was piercingly sharp.

"Sister-in-law said you were tight on cash, so I lent her some. You were the one who told me to look after her more."

"I don't have any backers, so I just like to make as many friends as possible."

"Captain Ma is a Lieutenant Colonel; is fifty silver dollars too much to curry favor with you?"

Hong Zhiyou smiled with calm composure.

"The problem is, you also touched her." Ma Kui took a sip of liquor.

"You just say whatever comes to mind; where is the evidence?"

"Last time you took her home, my men saw it."

"Nonsense, that was absolutely a misunderstanding; perhaps someone is trying to sow discord."

"Is that so? I'm not a child who eats shit."

Ma Kui pointed to the insulated container still sitting on the coffee table.

He opened it.

Inside was red-braised mutton.

"I never eat mutton; she knows that. This was made for you."

"These past few days, she has been absent-minded."

"She even calls your name in her dreams. Adi has fallen in love with you."

Ma Kui's expression was somewhat pained.

My damn charm... Hong Zhiyou didn't know how to answer.

"A man like me has today but no tomorrow."

"A few days ago, I was in a firefight with the Red Tickets; the bullets flew right past my ears."

"Today at the Cao Gang docks, thousands of axes pressed down on me until I couldn't breathe."

"My life is destined to belong to the Party-State."

"Brother, if one day I'm gone, Adi will be left to you."

"She's a good woman, hasn't had any children yet; you won't be shortchanged."

Shallow mist welled up in Ma Kui's bloodshot eyes.

"Brother Ma, how could that happen?" Hong Zhiyou comforted him.

"I'm leaving!"

Ma Kui threw down his chopsticks, put on his hat, and walked out.

Hong Zhiyou saw him to the door.

The corridor was dim.

Ma Kui walked very slowly.

Like an old, wounded dog, desolate and lonely.

Inside the Zhang residence.

Fourth Master Zhang had long anticipated the arrival of Police Chief Li Hanyuan and Lu Qiaoshan.

After having someone serve tea.

Young Master Zhang presented two bundles of silver dollars; Li Hanyuan tucked them into his pocket and stood up to leave immediately.

He only took money.

The connection between the police station and the Cao Gang was always handled by Lu Qiaoshan.

"Old Lu."

"The dock warehouse contains Yang Wenquan's munitions; if this leaks out, it's not something you or I can bear."

"If you want to blame someone, blame that Captain Ma of yours for being blind."

Fourth Master Zhang's tone was cold; he clearly didn't take Ma Kui seriously.

"I know."

"To be honest, having messed up the job one after another, I'm embarrassed to even show my face at your door."

"But Wu Jingzhong has laid down harsh words; the perpetrators must be handed over."

"You don't want to make a scene and ruin Officer Yang's good work, do you?"

Lu Qiaoshan got straight to the point.

"If I don't hand them over, what can Wu Jingzhong do?"

"With Chief Li and Officer Yang backing us, those few guns of yours aren't enough to move us."

"Uncle Lu, we can pay the medical expenses, but we absolutely will not hand over the people."

Zhang Shaobai sneered arrogantly.

"Do you really have to make the relationship so tense?" Lu Qiaoshan was so angry he wanted to slap him.

"Section Chief Lu."

"If someone respects me an inch, I will respect them a foot."

"Wu Jingzhong ruined my business; if I still let his people run wild at the docks, the people of Jinhai will think I, Zhang Si, am made of mud."

"How would I manage the docks in the future?"

"The garrison and you are like fire and water; I have no choice but to pick a side. If I cave in now, what would Officer Yang think of me, and how would I continue to do business?"

Fourth Master Zhang toyed with his meditation beads and gave a calculating, dry laugh.

"That's right, Huang Jinrong and Du Yuesheng could cover the sky with one hand in Shanghai."

"As the person in charge of Jinhai, the Zhang family can't just lower our heads and kowtow whenever we please."

"I think we've been too kind; without using some methods, I'm afraid your Station Chief Wu won't know who really calls the shots in Jinhai."

Zhang Shaobai echoed the sentiment.

Damn it, I've fallen into a trap... Lu Qiaoshan stood up and cupped his hands to the two of them:

"Gentlemen, if you don't hand over the people, Wu Jingzhong will finish me off."

"Chief Li won't have it easy either."

"I'm begging you, just hand over a few people so I can report back; can you continue your power struggle after that?"

Lu Qiaoshan was almost ready to kneel to them.

"We can give you people." Fourth Master Zhang and his son looked at each other.

"Clap, clap!"

Zhang Shaobai clapped his hands.

Immediately, two men dressed in black shirts with murderous expressions walked in.

"Section Chief Lu, there's no problem with arranging for these two to enter the station to assassinate Hong Zhiyou, is there?" Fourth Master Zhang asked in a deep voice.

"When?" Lu Qiao asked.

"Tonight."

"Tonight? That's too rushed," Lu Qiao said.

"It must be tonight.

"For one, Wu Jingzhong just flexed his power, and he and Hong Zhiyou surely think we will be wary and lower our guard.

"What's important is executing Hong Zhiyou tonight, killing the dog to show the master.

"Only in this way will Wu Jingzhong know who really calls the shots in Jinmen!"

Master Zhang Si said coldly.

As the local emperor of Jinmen, in his world, one is either a friend or an enemy.

Since Wu Jingzhong is an enemy, there is naturally no need for courtesy.

In this world, strength ultimately does the talking.

"You..." Lu Qiao was speechless.

"Chief Lu, do you know why it wasn't someone from the Military Police or the Garrison Command who came?

"Because Wu Jingzhong is afraid of me; he is just putting on an act.

"He thinks I will give him face?

"Heh, no, I will only make him recognize reality and spit out everything he has swallowed."

Master Zhang Si said, full of confidence.

As an old veteran of the underworld, he had grasped Wu Jingzhong's mindset.

Wu Jingzhong sent Lu Qiao to demand the person just to seek an explanation and appease the emotions of Ma Kui and the others.

It is just a pity that he encountered him.

Master Zhang Si was very clear that the north belonged to Fu Zuoyi's people.

Commander Fu belongs to the Shanxi-Suiyuan clique, not Chiang's direct line, and has always been at odds with the 94th Army in Jinmen, so it is impossible for him to intervene in Jinmen's affairs.

If the 94th Army is kept stable, victory is assured.

Even if Wu Jingzhong wanted to mobilize the 94th Army through the Garrison Command.

That would also be impossible.

Because the supreme commander of Jinmen, Chen Zhangjie, is Fu Zuoyi's man; unless a special envoy from Jingling comes, Chen Zhangjie cannot command Mou Tingfang and Yang Wenquan at all.

Master Zhang Si calculated the whole circle and could not think of anyone else in Jinmen who could touch him.

Since he is not afraid, why yield, why endure.

The underworld is inherently a place of life and death.

Today, he will kill this dog, Hong Zhiyou.

If Wu Jingzhong does not behave, he will just slaughter him tomorrow.

At worst, he can frame it on the Red Party, or find a scapegoat, and it can be easily resolved.

They are crazy, they are crazy... Lu Qiao was drenched in sweat.

"Chief Lu, can it be done?" Zhang Shaobai drew his service pistol and glanced at him sideways.

"It, it can be done," Lu Qiao said timidly.

This group of people did not even hold the Station Chief in their eyes.

Killing him would be even easier than killing a chicken.

A wise man does not fight when the odds are against him.

"Then what are you standing there for? Go do it."

Zhang Shaobai waved his hand, and two killers flanked Lu Qiao on the left and right, putting him into the car.

Dear big bosses, daily request for love, request for abuse, use recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, and tips to whip me hard.

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(End of this chapter)