Chapter Fifty-Three: Brother Chao, I Will Not Lose...
Chapter Sixty-Nine: Brother Chao, I Will Not Lose...
At this moment, Yang Yilin spoke up, “Zhuo Nan, what about the matter of protection money?”
This was the question on everyone’s mind—three hundred thousand a month. Ghost Man Chao was practically robbing them...
“Pay it. The day after tomorrow, hand it over. Long Kun, you’ll take care of everything regarding this,” Zhuo Nan said.
“Brother Nan, three hundred thousand a month—how will our brothers manage?” Long Kun hurriedly asked.
“We’ll talk about it later. For now, give him the money. We’re still no match for Ghost Man Chao,” Zhuo Nan replied truthfully. Everyone knew it in their hearts. As Black Bear had said, they were just a bunch of petty hoodlums from the market...
“All right, everyone, out. Stay sharp... Vice President Yang, you stay.” Zhuo Nan addressed the group.
Everyone guessed Zhuo Nan had more to say to Yang Yilin, so they quietly left the office. When only the two of them remained, the atmosphere grew awkward. Zhuo Nan spoke first, “I’m sorry about tonight.”
Yang Yilin was puzzled. “Why apologize?” she asked softly.
“You’re my employee, and I failed to protect you. I feel responsible,” Zhuo Nan shrugged, helpless.
Yang Yilin’s emotions were complex, hard to articulate—similar to how she felt when she first met Zhuo Nan, but even stronger now. She hoped for words of concern, yet feared hearing them. She shook her head, “It’s all right... I was just scared at the time.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t happen again. You’re my employee, and I’m responsible for your safety,” Zhuo Nan said seriously.
“Is that so? Thank you.” Sensing Yang Yilin’s subdued mood, Zhuo Nan thought she must still be shaken. He said with concern, “Rest a bit. I’ll head out first. Tonight, I’ll arrange for someone to take you home.”
“All right, thank you.” Her reply was brief. Zhuo Nan smiled, opened the door, and left Yang Yilin alone in the office...
Zhuo Nan found Long Kun and told him to arrange a few men to escort Yang Yilin home after work. Having finished these tasks, Zhuo Nan left the bar...
In the office, Yang Yilin sat alone on the sofa, asking herself, “What’s wrong with me...?”
After leaving the bar, Zhuo Nan didn’t go home. Instead, he wandered aimlessly through the streets, touching the pager in his pocket. Lan Qian hadn’t contacted him for two months. Perhaps she truly never wanted to see him again...
Walking, Zhuo Nan thought, “Ghost Man Chao, three hundred thousand—I won’t give you a penny.”
“Brain, I need your help. I want to deal with Ghost Man Chao,” Zhuo Nan said inwardly.
“No problem,” the Brain responded quickly.
“Why aren’t you stopping me?” Zhuo Nan was surprised at the Brain’s support.
“Why should I? Ghost Man Chao as boss only brings harm, but you’re different. You’ve always wanted to lead the underworld onto a better path,” the Brain replied.
Zhuo Nan laughed at himself, thinking, “You sure think highly of me.”
“It’s not that I think highly of you, but that you’re fundamentally a decent man... Of course I’ll help you,” the Brain replied with a smile.
“Well, thanks. Is there a way to find Ghost Man Chao?” Zhuo Nan asked.
“Finding him isn’t hard. The key is, when you deal with him, what next? Can you unite the Deqing underworld immediately?” the Brain countered.
Zhuo Nan pondered, “Seems unlikely...”
“Exactly, you know it’s not possible. So instead of eliminating him, it’s better to control him,” the Brain continued.
“Control him?” Zhuo Nan was enlightened, a faint smile curling at his lips...
Two days later, Long Kun carried three hundred thousand in cash and took Zhuo Nan to meet Ghost Man Chao. It was Zhuo Nan’s first time seeing Ghost Man Chao, and he was nothing like Zhuo Nan imagined—a Mediterranean hairstyle and a round belly, the name Ghost Man Chao didn’t fit him at all...
Long Kun sat to Ghost Man Chao’s right, while Zhuo Nan stood behind Long Kun like a bodyguard. “Brother Chao, here’s three hundred thousand. Please have someone count it,” Long Kun said, opening the case and presenting it.
Ghost Man Chao squinted at Long Kun and gave Black Bear a gesture. Black Bear stepped forward, took the case, and started counting. Ghost Man Chao chuckled, his face benevolent; Zhuo Nan thought he looked just like a neighborhood committee secretary...
“Black Bear, don’t bother counting—I trust Long Kun more,” Ghost Man Chao said with a smile.
“Yes, Brother Chao,” Black Bear replied respectfully.
“Haha, thank you, Brother Chao.” That was Long Kun speaking. Pay the money, and still have to thank him—unbelievable...
“You’re welcome,” Ghost Man Chao waved his hand, his eyes settling on Zhuo Nan. He then asked Long Kun, “Is this young man your subordinate?”
Long Kun nodded, “Yes, Brother Chao. The kid’s inexperienced. Come, greet Brother Chao!”
Zhuo Nan stepped forward, bowed his head, and said, “Hello, Brother Chao.”
“Hahaha... Not bad, young man.” His expression suddenly turned cold, “I hear you beat four of my men in the lockup?”
Long Kun hurried to explain, “Brother Chao, it was a misunderstanding.”
“Did I ask you?” Ghost Man Chao was clearly displeased with Long Kun’s interjection. Long Kun fell silent...
At this point, Zhuo Nan spoke, meeting Ghost Man Chao’s gaze without flinching, “I did it. Brother Chao, what do you plan to do?”
“Hahaha... The young fear nothing. You’ve got guts. I have a deal for you—are you bold enough to take it?” Ghost Man Chao squinted, staring at Zhuo Nan.
Zhuo Nan laughed, showing no fear, “Thank you for the opportunity, Brother Chao.”
Ghost Man Chao was momentarily surprised, then burst out laughing, “Young man, you don’t even ask what the deal is, yet you agree?”
“Is there any need to ask, Brother Chao?” Zhuo Nan countered.
“Good, you’re interesting.” Ghost Man Chao turned to Long Kun, “Long Kun, your subordinate is impressive.”
Long Kun felt a chill. This man was his own boss, after all. With a forced smile, he replied, “Brother Chao flatters him... But what exactly does Brother Chao want Zhuo Nan to do?”
Zhuo Nan didn’t ask, but Long Kun had to. As the boss, he had to inquire...
Ghost Man Chao picked up a purple clay teapot and took a sip, then spoke coldly, “A boxing match. If you win, I’ll return the three hundred thousand. If you lose, you hand over your bar.”
Long Kun was shocked. Ghost Man Chao’s scheme was ruthless. Long Kun was tough, not afraid of death; he stood up, staring at Ghost Man Chao, his voice icy, “Brother Chao, what if we refuse?”
“Haha... Long Kun, do you think you can walk away?” As Ghost Man Chao finished, thirty men armed with machetes burst in from outside.
Now, Zhuo Nan and his crew were caught between a rock and a hard place. Zhuo Nan surveyed the surroundings, smiling, “Kun, we’d have to work a long time for three hundred thousand. Let’s fight—there’s nothing to fear.”
Long Kun panicked, thinking, “Brother Nan, you can fight, but underground boxing is deadly...” He wanted to object, but Zhuo Nan gave him a look. Long Kun sighed and said, “All right, Brother Chao, we accept. But I have conditions.”
Ghost Man Chao glanced at him, “Speak.”
Without hesitation, Long Kun said, “If we win, we go our separate ways. I don’t ever want to see your men in my bar again.”
“What did you say... Damn it...” No sooner had Long Kun finished than Black Bear jumped out, cursing.
“Black Bear, this isn’t your place to speak,” Ghost Man Chao waved his hand, silencing Black Bear. Then he told Long Kun, “Fine, if you win, we go our separate ways. If you lose, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Brother Chao, I will not lose...” That was Zhuo Nan’s parting words.
“Brother Nan, how could you agree to Ghost Man Chao? Underground boxing is lethal...” As soon as they left Ghost Man Chao’s villa, Long Kun voiced his concern.
Zhuo Nan kept his head down, flipping through the information Ghost Man Chao provided about his opponent—a black man, a former professional boxer from country M. Before coming to country Z, he fought in underground matches across Southeast Asia, never losing a fight. Out of fifty-two matches, he killed fifty-one opponents; the sole survivor was now an imbecile, unable to care for himself...
Hearing Long Kun’s words, Zhuo Nan closed the dossier and smiled, “Tell me, if I hadn’t agreed, would Ghost Man Chao have let us go?”
Long Kun was momentarily stunned—it was true. But he had his own ideas, “Brother Nan, what’s there to fear? If Ghost Man Chao comes for us, we’ll fight back.”
Zhuo Nan raised his brows, “With what? How many do we have? How many does he have?” This question left Long Kun speechless, unable to reply.
Seizing the moment, Zhuo Nan lectured Long Kun, “We have fewer than thirty men, he has at least three hundred. What can we fight with? Long Kun, always use your brain, think more, observe more... In the future, you’ll be the boss of the Deqing underworld. If you keep being so impulsive, how can I trust you to handle everything?”
Long Kun was bewildered, wondering, “Does Brother Nan mean for me to become the boss? But what about Ghost Man Chao?” In that instant, Long Kun understood—could it be that Brother Nan was planning to deal with Ghost Man Chao? He looked at Zhuo Nan in confusion, and Zhuo Nan nodded slightly...