Chapter 56: Taking In Du Jiu

There was quite a commotion at the entrance of Jinxiu Pavailion. It was common to drink late into the night in Wucheng, so even though it was very late, a large circle of people had gathered.

Zhang Tong froze when the fight first broke out, but by the time he snapped back to reality, the situation had calmed down. His eyes were red—five of them had come out of the restaurant together, three had fought. Xiao Zhuang had gone to get the cars, and he was left standing there like an idiot.

Without a word he strode straight toward the surrounded Du Jiu with only one thought in his mind: either kill the man or be killed by him.

Su Pingnan held him back, smiled faintly, and turned to look at the unusually fierce assailant before him.

“Is that necessary?” Su Pingnan asked calmly, pointing to the crowd around them. Most of them were people from Jinxiu Group, and had Du Jiu tightly surrounded with savage looks on their faces.

Du Jiu looked around. Things were now beyond hope. He shook his head resignedly.

Su Pingnan glared at Yang Qianli and hissed softly, “There are too many people—keep the weapons.”

Yang Qianli nodded, stared at Du Jiu for a few seconds, then reluctantly left with several men who were armed.

“You were here to kill me?” Su Pingnan asked.

Du Jiu answered truthfully, “Here to take your arm. Your right one.”

Su Pingnan smiled and said, “Like Chen Liu of the Siharen?”

Du Jiu didn’t speak, but his quiet demeanor already said it all.

“You can’t leave.”

“I have to go.”

Su Pingnan’s gaze was steady and his tone even calmer, “I said, you can’t leave.”

Du Jiu looked at the people around him—their toughness exceeded his expectations. He shook his head bitterly. “I admit defeat. I’ll give you my arm as compensation.”

The man was indeed ruthless. Having said that, he grabbed his own left wrist with his right hand and twisted hard—an agonizing crack of bone rang out.

Du Jiu’s face went pale. Cold sweat rolled down his cheeks from the pain, falling to the ground and quickly melting into the snow.

“Can I go now?”

Su Pingnan took a cigarette, tossed it into his mouth, and patted his pocket but found no lighter.

He waved, and an eager underling immediately stepped forward to light it for Su Pingnan.

“Hah.” He exhaled a long plume of pale smoke and said in a low voice, “When you came looking for me you probably already knew who I am. When I say you can’t leave, you simply can’t.”

Studying Du Jiu’s clothes closely, Su Pingnan said, “A lone operator like you doing solo runs—you must have made a fair amount. Your clothes aren’t isn’t just a bunch of imitation goods.”

“But the fact that you’re desperate for money and you’re in a hurry to leave only shows you have someone or something you’re worried about. Too bad—you can’t go.”

Du Jiu’s eyes were bloodshot as he said, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll become desperate and do something reckless?”

Su Pingnan looked at Li Changhai among the onlookers, whose eyes were like a venomous snake’s, and smiled as he said softly, “I understand one principle—once something can’t be reversed, you go through with it all the way.”

He nodded to the panting Guo Guangyao, then turned away smiling, “Take him to the police, we can talk if he gets out.”

Du Jiu’s hoarse screams and Su Wenwen and the others’ angry shouts rose up, while Su Pingnan remained calm and greeted Li Changhai, “Mr. Li, sorry for the spectacle—these lawless fellows really are out of control.”

Li Changhai almost vomited his dinner from disgust. He nodded begrudgingly even as he cursed inwardly, “Lawless fellow my ass—you’re damn well the biggest lawless fellow in Wucheng.”

When Su Wenwen came back to report, his face was a bit bruised and swollen. Du Jiu’s strength was indeed formidable—despite having his other arm broken as well, he still knocked down more than a dozen men before being subdued.

“Brother Nan, what should we do with Du Jiu?” Su Wenwen asked.

Su Pingnan said, “Do you know why I wanted him sent in?”

“Yes—too many onlookers. We’re not the same as him.”

Su Pingnan nodded with satisfaction, then wore a hint of melancholy. “The underworld—there won’t be one anymore. People like him still live in the underworld fantasy, and they’re destined to be eliminated.”

Su Pingnan felt this man reminded him somewhat of his former life, and was briefly filled with emotion.

“Brother Nan—should we?” Su Wenwen’s eyes brimmed murderously, but Su Pingnan shook his head.

“There’s someone else behind this—matters of the Sihairen can wait. I’m actually quite interested in this man. Help me find out who he really is.”

“Alright.”

After Du Jiu was arrested, no matter how the police interrogated him, he said nothing. His only worry now was his own younger sister.

Also in the detention center were several errant gamblers. At first they were thinking of making trouble—the leader, Brother Long, cleared his throat a few times and felt embarrassed when Du Jiu not even glance at him. Just as he considered whether the brothers should teach the guy a lesson, a cold word from the guard cut him to the bone.

“This guy’s brutal—he injured a number of people right in front of Little Red Robe,” the guard said. “So you’d better behave.” The gamblers immediately kept to themselves again. A man who dared to tangle with ‘Wucheng’s toughest’ wasn’t worth provoking. After that, Du Jiu enjoyed a rare few days of being treated like a big boss.

Half a month later, on the evening before Lunar New Year’s Eve, Du Jiu was released.

Upon exiting the detention center and walking for ten-odd minutes, he saw more than ten neatly lined black SUVs and dozens of men in identical black suits standing silently at the intersection.

Su Pingnan stood in front of the lead vehicle in a bright turquoise suit, a cigarette between his lips, grinning as he watched him.

Du Jiu’s whole body instantly tensed, his eyes darting sideways as he scanned the surroundings, looking for any possible escape route.

“I need a driver—are you in?” Su Pingnan called out without seeming to notice Du Jiu’s tension.

“You want to hire me?”

“Yes.”

“I’m expensive—you can’t afford me.”

Su Pingnan nodded to Yang Qianli, and Yang Qianli tossed a bag toward Du Jiu without any expression.

Du Jiu was a bit bewildered as he opened the bag with one hand. There was quite a lot inside.

A key, a blank school registration form, and a kidney-donor contract from Tiandu Hospital.

Du Jiu’s expression changed instantly. He stared at Su Pingnan and asked slowly, “What do you mean by this?”

Su Pingnan flicked away his cigarette butt. “That’s the price of hiring you.”

“She’s there?” Du Jiu asked.

Su Pingnan pursed his lips and said, “In the house that key opens—waiting for you when you go back.”

Du Jiu stood for a long time without speaking. Yang Qianli patted his shoulder. “At the rate you’re going, you’ll die out there sooner or later. The boss says you’re the most purehearted member of the underworld he’s seen, so he wants to treat you with the greatest sincerity he has—why not accept it?”

“What if I don’t agree?” Du Jiu asked.

Su Pingnan smiled, serene as a cloud. “Then let’s pretend we’ve never met.”

Du Jiu spent a long time thinking about it. Su Pingnan watched him patiently. He knew that once a man like this agreed, he’d be handing over his life—and so he was in no hurry.

“Alright—this life is yours now.” At those words Su Pingnan and Yang Qianli laughed loudly, and Du Jiu slowly revealed a long-missed, genuine smile.