Chapter 19: Using An Incident To Kill

Rumors were flying everywhere, yet the people directly involved on both sides acted as if nothing had happened, showing no sign of movement.

Almost everyone knew: Little Red Robe was ruthless, Gate God Jiang was vicious. Everyone agreed that if the two clashed it would be earth-shattering.

Su Pingnan continued methodically consolidating his operation, now renamed Jinxiu Taxi Company.

Su Wenwen was sent away to Ertai Town — Su Pingnan knew from his previous life how Su Wenwen easily fell back to his old ways, so he was worried that might happen if he didn’t quickly send him elsewhere.

To the others, Su Pingnan spoke harshly: “We are businessmen in suits. None of you are allowed to take it upon yourselves to deal with this bullshit.”

Pleasure Forest.

Gate God Jiang’s entertainment complex in the southern district of Wucheng glittered at night with neon and debauchery. It was the city’s largest venue combining KTV, bars, and a disco, and its business was always booming.

People from all walks of life — the newly rich, opportunists, and sex workers — made it a bizarre, kaleidoscopic place.

Gate God Jiang sat upright in the best private room on the second floor, looking down at the crowd lost in wine and pleasure, sipping Rémy Martin at an unhurried pace.

In this era, Rémy Martin was regarded as top-shelf foreign liquor.

Gate God Jiang couldn’t tell exactly what made it special, but he simply liked it.

“Boss, Little Red Robe is here.”

An iciness flashed through Gate God Jiang’s eyes and his body stiffened.

“He actually dares to come here? How many of them?”

“Three.”

Gate God Jiang laughed heartily when he heard the number and relaxed. It seemed Little Red Robe was all show, after all. He was just about to make a move, but now they’d come begging at his door. He wasn’t Li Changhai’s dog — but as long as he was offered sufficient monetary compensation, he wouldn’t mind letting Su Pingnan off.

Zhang Tong followed behind Su Pingnan, his heart about to leap from his chest. Looking at the unflappable Yang Qianli, he felt his own behavior was somewhat shameful.

From the moment Su Pingnan entered, the place quieted down. Sensing the change in the atmosphere, the pretty female singer on stage stopped singing and watched the three men stride toward the second floor. She had heard of the man leading the trio before and, surprised by his handsomeness, froze for a moment.

Many inside recognized him. Word spread quickly among the patrons, and since they mostly lived within the same circles, they knew the pair’s history and fell silent instantly. The once lively hall became dead quiet.

“My, my! What a rare guest we have today! Didn’t it cross your mind that once you step inside here, you might not be able to leave again?” Gate God Jiang joked loudly, leaning back against a hostess.

Su Pingnan walked straight to face Gate God Jiang, sat down leisurely, and smiled: “With so many eyes on us and the fact that we’re in a place you own…if you had any brains, you’d know what to do.”

Gate God Jiang, no fool for making it this far, raised a hand to signal those gathering around them to step back, his tone icy: “It’s rare for Brother Red Robe to come here. What would you like to drink?”

Su Pingnan remained composed, signaled Zhang Tong to pour drinks, and said, “I’m a superstitious man.”

Tapping the table, Zhang Tong immediately set down the bottle and stood rigidly behind Su Pingnan.

Su Pingnan pressed both hands on the table, leaned forward, and whispered a few words in a voice only Gate God Jiang and he could hear.

Gate God Jiang’s face darkened. Su Pingnan rose tall, drained his glass, and walked out as confidently as he came in with Yang Qianli and Zhang Tong behind him.

Gate God Jiang’s expression turned sinister, when suddenly the loudspeakers downstairs blared deafeningly.

“Everyone, get hyped — tonight, Brother Red Robe is picking up the tab!”

“You bastard, you’re dead!”

The expensive Rémy Martin bottle shattered on the private room floor as Gate God Jiang cursed in anger.

Having reached the door, Su Pingnan seemed to sense something. He slowly turned his head with a defiant look — his left hand casually made a slow cutting-throat gesture.

The hostesses at the entrance were momentarily intimidated by his aura and only whispered among themselves after Su Pingnan had left.

“No wonder he’s nicknamed Little Red Robe.”

“Yeah, a real killer.”

Three days later at midnight, a massive traffic accident that shocked all of Tiannan occurred: an overloaded truck collapsed the Jinmen Bridge in southern Wucheng.

By coincidence, the notorious Gate God Jiang and over thirty members of his gang were all buried beneath the collapsed bridge, with no survivors.

The authorities quickly released a firm statement: the bridge had collapsed due to age and lack of maintenance compounded by an overloaded truck. As for the dead, they were labeled as possible gang members that had gathered illegally.

People in Wucheng were in an uproar. Li Changhai’s face turned ashen as he read the internal investigation files from the provincial public security and transport departments — it was presented as nothing more than an accident.

After a long look, Li Changhai sighed and spoke bitterly to his subordinates, “There’s no doubt about it, the man has skilled methods. He’s the most vicious in Wucheng, alright. That reputation is no exaggeration.”

No one knew what Su Pingnan had said that night or what role he had played in the incident. Yet his infamy nearly reached its peak because of what happened.

When Li Changhai’s assessment spread outside, everyone found it apt. Gradually, people instinctively became way more deferential toward Su Pingnan.

Only Su Pingnan knew the truth: it really had been an accident. All he had done was bring Gate God Jiang to a place where death was inevitable.