Time is of the essence, and in planning a confrontation, every moment counts. Zhang Mao knew this, so the next morning he summoned me to a hotel business suite. It was in a tall building, the kind you’d find in a four or five-star establishment. Upon entering the suite, there were two rooms: a bedroom for rest, and a living area outside. The bedroom also had another door.
After we were inside, Zhang Mao brought a safe from beneath a wardrobe and placed it on the nightstand next to the bed. I looked at him, my face questioning.
“I’ve come with sincerity,” he said.
Zhang Mao then produced a familiar round, red lacquer box from his pocket. Inside were seven Qianlong Dynasty thumb rings. He casually tossed the fake jade thumb ring onto the bed and then placed the box into the safe, setting a password of 172737 in front of me.
“Brother Mao, what is the meaning of this?”
“Call Lin Han. Tell her to bring that jade thumb ring.”
“Have you thought about the price?”
When I asked, Zhang Mao’s expression soured. “The police are cracking down. I can’t stay in Xi’an for long. If Lin Han wants 15 million, give her 15 million.”
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Hearing Zhang Mao’s words, I didn’t immediately call Lin Han. Instead, I probed, “Brother Mao, does ‘Logical Paradox’ know about what you’re doing?”
“What’s that to you? As long as you can make money, isn’t that enough?”
I smiled easily. “That won’t do. How would I know how deep the waters of ‘Logical Paradox’ run? If I truly offend them, my subsequent plans will be affected. If you don’t tell me the truth, I won’t dare to proceed with the transaction.”
Pressed by my relentless questioning, Zhang Mao’s face turned ashen. He had no choice; he had to speak.
“Yes, my master designed that elderly scam for the Paradise Art Collection Company. I didn’t make money for the organization, and instead, the police raided the place. The organization won’t let me off.”
This was the worst-case scenario. I had set up Zhang Mao precisely to find the ‘X driver’ and the main base of ‘Logical Paradox’. If Zhang Mao was acting entirely on his own, independent of ‘Logical Paradox’, then there would be no need for me to dupe Lin Zhijun in front of him; I could have just arrested him.
Was all my effort in vain? I didn’t want that. I couldn’t let Yu Xiaoluo arrest Zhang Mao. I had to find a way to sell Zhang Mao out to ‘Logical Paradox’. If I were to do this, I couldn’t simply agree to Zhang Mao’s demands. Having figured this out, I smiled calmly and changed my plan. “Brother Mao, you’re putting me in a difficult position. If this plan continues, I’ll be in danger too.”
“If I don’t help you, you won’t find anyone in Xi’an who dares to impersonate a police officer.”
Zhang Mao wasn’t stupid; he hit my weakest point. Without him, my plan wouldn’t work. But for me, it was more than that. Without him, I couldn’t find ‘Logical Paradox’. If I couldn’t even locate their base, finding the mysterious ‘X driver’ would be a pipe dream. I had considered this worst-case possibility yesterday. Bad luck. The worst had happened, rendering my plan aimless. However, I had already thought of the only solution: using Old Tie as a pawn. He could connect with the ‘X driver’. This was the last thing I wanted to do, as it meant dragging Old Tie further into the mire.
“Brother Mao, you’re making things very difficult for me. Who knows if this ‘Logical Paradox’ you speak of won’t trouble me?”
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Zhang Mao wasn’t dull. He smirked. “You want to negotiate.”
“The 15 million is for Lin Han. I want a portion of your 15 million.”
Even now, I hesitated about using Old Tie’s connection. I was numbly following the plan I’d devised yesterday, but it felt wrong.
Zhang Mao, unaware, thought I was speaking the truth and gritted his teeth in anger. “Tang Nan, you’re extorting me!”
“Yes!”
“Fine, if you want money, I’ll give it to you. I’ll give you two million.”
“Two million? Are you trying to appease a beggar? I want 10 million. Zhang Mao, I’ve been more than generous to you. I’m leaving you 5 million to escape.”
Zhang Mao was thoroughly enraged and shouted, “Fine, we’ll go our separate ways!”
“Fine!”
Ultimately, I made my decision: I wouldn’t involve Old Tie. Yes, Old Tie had killed someone and was on the wrong path. But I still hoped to persuade him to turn himself in. Then, I could find a way, and perhaps one day, he could walk out of prison alive.
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Since the negotiation had failed, there was no reason to stay. I turned to leave, but Zhang Mao grabbed me. He was contorted with rage but still controlling himself. “Tang Nan, you win. You’re formidable. The transaction is as you say. Call Lin Han now.”
I wasn’t going to call Lin Han. I had decided not to use Old Tie. Moreover, judging by Zhang Mao’s attitude, he was cornered. I might as well subdue him and notify Yu Xiaoluo to arrest him. Just as I was preparing to make a move, I heard a loud bang. Someone had kicked the door in. I glanced at Zhang Mao; cold sweat poured down his face, his complexion terrible. Clearly, he had no idea what was happening either.
The door burst open, led by a middle-aged man, rather slender, wearing glasses. Behind him were three people: two looked like local farmers, and the third was Old Tie, whom I recognized.
Upon seeing the refined, bespectacled man, Zhang Mao trembled, his voice laced with fear. “Senior Brother, why are you here?”
“I heard you did something shameful and came to see. I’m afraid you’ll disgrace Master’s lineage.”
Zhang Mao wiped his sweat. “Senior Brother, that scheme was busted. I was thinking of how to compensate for the losses. So, I and Brother Tang Nan devised a plan to trick Lin Zhiyuan.”
The bespectacled man chuckled and motioned for the two farmers to grab Zhang Mao. He then slowly approached and placed a cigar cutter on Zhang Mao’s ring finger. A cigar cutter is used to slice off the end of a cigar; criminals often use them for torture.
“Speak, are you trying to escape responsibility?”
“No, no!”
The bespectacled man remained silent, smiling as he squeezed the cigar cutter. His movements were slow. Zhang Mao’s finger began to bleed.
“Senior Brother, I really didn’t plan to leave. Truly, truly.”
The bespectacled man smiled and released his grip. Zhang Mao let out a long sigh of relief. However, the bespectacled man suddenly attacked, with a *snap* he severed Zhang Mao’s finger. At the same time, someone beside him covered Zhang Mao’s mouth, preventing him from screaming as he writhed in agony, trembling uncontrollably.
“Zhang Mao, I always trusted you. I believed that even if your schemes were exposed, you would find a way to compensate the organization for its losses. After all, you and I are both favored by Master. But look at what you’ve done! You bought a plane ticket to Chengdu and obtained a visa under another identity, preparing to flee from Chengdu International Airport.”
*Wuuu…*
Zhang Mao couldn’t speak. The bespectacled man gestured for the person holding Zhang Mao to release him. Zhang Mao whispered, “Senior Brother, how did you know?”
“Didn’t Master say we should be adept at discovering talent around us? This brother, Tie Zhi Shan, was sent by Master to be by your side. Is he inferior to you? No, he’s not. He’s someone Master is considering. And you, you treated him as a traitor. Fortunately, this brother is both loyal and intelligent. He followed you, sensed your intention to flee, and informed me. If not for that, by the time I discovered your deceit, you traitor would already be enjoying a comfortable life in some developed country.”
“You…”
Zhang Mao glared at Old Tie, unable to speak.
I also looked at Old Tie. Given his understanding of me, he must have seen through my plan. Yet, Old Tie had never exposed me. Furthermore, he had used my plan to eliminate rivals. He saw both Zhang Mao and this bespectacled man as obstacles, intending to remove them and use his own abilities to enter ‘Logical Paradox’. I would rather stop my plan than have Old Tie sink deeper into the abyss. But Old Tie, at this moment, was like a diver executing a perfect dive into the pit.
“I truly didn’t wish for us to meet like this, but I have to help the organization compensate for its losses, don’t I?”
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Saying this, the bespectacled man took out a handkerchief, wiped the blood from the cigar cutter, and placed it on the ring finger of Zhang Mao’s other hand. Zhang Mao struggled, but it was in vain, as he was held by people far stronger than him. Seeing his struggles were futile, Zhang Mao began to tremble all over.
“Speak, what’s the password?”
“172737!”
The bespectacled man used the password to open the safe and smiled in satisfaction. He slowly removed the cigar cutter from Zhang Mao’s finger. Zhang Mao’s pupils widened, terrified the bespectacled man might suddenly strike again. His ring finger was gone. After removing the cigar cutter, the bespectacled man meticulously wiped it again with the handkerchief before saying with a smile, “Actually, I don’t like bloodshed either, but what can be done, Junior Brother!”
“Take him away. Remember to wear the police uniform I prepared when you bring him back.”
The bespectacled man ordered two people to escort Zhang Mao away. Zhang Mao, terrified, tried to kneel, but the two men lifted him like a chicken.
“Senior Brother, spare me, spare me!”
“Don’t say that. I’m a schemer, not a murderer. And your fate is not yet decided. I’ve already requested instructions from Master, and he will make the final decision.” With that, the bespectacled man removed his jacket and draped it over Zhang Mao’s bloody hand. He handed the cigar cutter to another person. “After my Junior Brother leaves, if he makes any noise, cut out his tongue.”
Zhang Mao was truly terrified and left quietly with the men.
Once everyone had left, the bespectacled man handed the handkerchief to Old Tie and said with a smile, “Blood splashed on my leather shoes. My back isn’t good; help me wipe it clean.”
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Seeing Old Tie’s troubled expression, I snatched the handkerchief and squatted down to wipe the bloodstains on the bespectacled man’s shoes. I fawned, “Brother, shall we continue our plan?”
“Very sensible!”
The bespectacled man first praised me, then looked at Old Tie with displeasure.
“Let him go. Having him here bothers me and makes me uneasy.”
The bespectacled man’s eyes darted. “Tie Zhi Shan, go downstairs and wait for me.”
After Old Tie had left the room, the bespectacled man said with a fake smile, “You’re Tang Nan, aren’t you? You and this Tie Zhi Shan are in cahoots, right?”
My heart sank as I met the sinister gaze behind the bespectacled man’s lenses.
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