Chapter Forty-Six: Catching the Turtle in the Jar

Chapter 46: Catching a Turtle in a Jar

After settling Ruan Qingshuang and the others, Shan Hongning didn’t dare waste any time. He hurriedly drove back to the medicinal cuisine restaurant, dust still clinging to his clothes. Before leaving, he’d instructed one of his men to wait for them—once they finished their meal and were ready to go, he was to drive them back immediately.

Soon, Xiaofei arrived with Pang Gang from the hospital, just as Shan Hongning pulled up. Seeing everyone gathered, Xu Yun smiled faintly. “What do you want to eat? Eat your fill, then we’ll go get a bath.”

Kong Zhong and Lü Feng wore ashen faces, their hearts a jumble of emotions impossible to describe.

“Brother, why don’t we just eat at my place?” Shan Hongning suggested, puzzled. He was actually hoping to keep everyone at his hotpot restaurant to curry favor with the big boss lady and Officer Qin.

Xu Yun shot him a glare. “If I wanted to go, wouldn’t I have gone already? You think I want to save you money? Cut the nonsense. You run a hotpot joint—you must know where the good food is. Lead the way. Everyone, in the car!”

Impatience showed on Xu Yun’s face, and the three Tigers of South City immediately became cautious, treading on thin ice and not daring to speak out of turn. Once everyone was in the car, Shan Hongning took them to an eco-park restaurant, ordering the highest set menu at three hundred per person, plus two bottles of the most expensive white liquor.

Shan Hongning still didn’t understand why they had to go for a bath after eating, and he was quite perplexed. It wasn’t until the meal that he learned Xu Yun’s so-called bath meant going to Fan Nanjie’s Tropical Rainforest Bathhouse. He nearly had a mental breakdown.

Qiangzi explained everything he knew. “The Tropical Rainforest Bathhouse is Fan Nanjie’s pride and joy. He spent a lot of money greasing palms to open it. Every night, he goes to a VIP suite on the fourth floor to relax. After all, if he doesn’t enjoy his own girls, who will?”

“Get to the point,” Xu Yun knocked on the table.

“Er… right!” Qiangzi looked a bit embarrassed and continued, “Fan Nanjie keeps a lot of muscle in the bathhouse—partly to watch the girls, partly to handle deadbeat clients, and also because he’s cautious. He knows he’s made a lot of enemies over the years, so he never goes anywhere without protection.”

Xu Yun nodded. “So just go to the fourth floor.”

Qiangzi scratched his head. “Well… the fourth floor is for high-end clients only. You need a VIP card to get up there, and he’s always got two tough guys as bodyguards.”

“Which of you three has a card?” Xu Yun turned his gaze to the three Tigers of South City, completely unconcerned about the mention of bodyguards.

Kong Zhong and Lü Feng exchanged glances and shook their heads. Fan Nanjie was a greedy bastard; you had to put in twenty thousand just to get a VIP card, and the high-end girls charged thousands a session. After all, Hedong wasn’t Yanjing or Jiangbei—not a big city—and the Tropical Rainforest was no celestial club. The prices were ludicrous.

Seeing everyone looking at him, Shan Hongning forced a bitter smile. “I don’t have one either. I wanted to get one… but it’s too expensive.”

“You three drive such nice cars and can’t even spring for a bathhouse card? Fine, pool your money and get me a card then.” Xu Yun didn’t mind bleeding them for a little cash.

Since Xu Yun had spoken, none of the three dared refuse; they all nodded.

Arriving at the bathhouse, the three Tigers of South City actually coughed up the money to get Xu Yun a premium membership card. Then everyone went in to “bathe”—which really meant wandering around in bathrobes. Xu Yun quickly familiarized himself with the layout.

The first floor housed the main hall and some offices—the bathhouse managers, a dozen thugs, and two madams who managed the girls.

The basement was the real bathing area, decorated with a tropical rainforest theme—elephant-headed fountains, resin trees in the pools, giving it an exotic flair.

The second floor was a foot massage lounge with over twenty rooms for massages—Japanese-style bone setting, Thai massage, and so on. The so-called “small wellness services” took place here.

The third floor was for the notorious “major wellness”—only those with ulterior motives went there; in plain terms, it was for clients seeking pleasure.

The top fourth floor was the high-end members’ area. Without a card, no one was allowed in, so they didn’t go up.

Xu Yun’s objective was clear: to find the hidden door through which someone could sneak out. Each floor’s west corner had a concealed door leading to a hidden staircase, which descended directly to the west wall on the first floor.

Having found what he needed, Xu Yun didn’t waste any more time.

“Shan Hongning, you watch the front entrance. Lü Feng, you cover the back. Kong Zhong, you know roughly where the hidden door by the west wall is—shouldn’t be a problem for you, right?” Xu Yun smiled. “I’m giving you one hour. Go gather your men and quietly post them outside. Once things get chaotic inside, no matter if it’s a client, a girl, a thug, or Fan Nanjie himself—no one leaves. Understood?”

The three looked at each other, not knowing what Xu Yun was up to, but still nodded.

“Brother Pang, you go with Shan Hongning. Xiaofei, you go with Kong Zhong. Qiangzi will partner up with Lü Feng.” Xu Yun assigned a supervisor to each group. “It’s all in your hands. If a single person slips past your post, just let me know.”

This made the three Tigers sweat even more. Clearly, Xu Yun didn’t fully trust them. But it was a good move—outside his presence, even they weren’t sure they’d follow orders precisely.

“Brother Yun, are you sure you can handle this alone?” Qiangzi, despite knowing Xu Yun’s skills, couldn’t help but ask.

Xu Yun smiled, pulled Qiangzi aside, and whispered, “Do you know why I asked you to watch Lü Feng?”

Qiangzi nodded. “He’s the least obedient.”

“You could say that,” Xu Yun replied. “I want to catch a turtle in a jar. All you need to do is hold your posts. Not even a client is allowed to escape.”

“Got it!” Qiangzi nodded.

After all, Xu Yun had never seen Fan Nanjie. With so many VIP suites on the fourth floor, how could he be sure Fan Nanjie wouldn’t slip out disguised as a client in the chaos? Besides, if the police raided the place, they’d need to catch him in the act.

Once all was arranged, Xu Yun went upstairs to “patronize” the business. The others went about their tasks. The three Tigers of South City left the bathhouse to call in reinforcements, and Qiangzi summoned a few trusted men and stationed them with the three groups.

Xu Yun took the elevator straight to the fourth floor. As soon as the doors opened, the difference from downstairs was stark.

“Good evening, sir,” greeted a pretty, fresh-faced girl standing by the elevator, giving Xu Yun a professional bow. Her short skirt revealed a flash of snowy thigh; her deep V-neck blouse was almost transparent, emphasizing her impressive figure.

Girl, what are you doing dressed like that?

Xu Yun flashed his premium membership card. “First time here, not sure what to do. Could you introduce the services?”

“Sir, you’re so funny.” The pretty girl didn’t look down on him for his loud shorts and flip-flops, keeping her professional smile. “Please, come this way. I’ll explain our services in detail.”

These women didn’t care if the client was handsome or stylish; all they cared about was the card in his hand. Even if the cardholder was penniless, the card itself represented a fortune. The thirty percent commission was all that mattered. Anyone who stepped onto this floor would be milked for every cent on that card.

In the corridor, aside from two neatly dressed male attendants, the rest were scantily clad, seductive women. Seeing Xu Yun, they all giggled coquettishly. Some teased the pretty girl beside him, “Eighteen, you’re lucky! Got such a handsome client. Want to bring a friend for a threesome?”

Number Eighteen glanced at Xu Yun. Seeing he wasn’t interested, she waved at her colleague, “If the client wants, I’ll call you.”

Soon, Xu Yun was led into a lavish suite. The giant round bed could easily accommodate three or five at once.

“Sir, would you like me to serve you?” Number Eighteen closed the door and swayed her alluring figure.

Xu Yun couldn’t help but praise her—this place’s girls were truly different from the streetwalkers on Bowen Street. She actually had some class; perhaps she even had a college degree. “Alright, you’ll do.”

She closed the door. “Then shall we take it step by step?”

“By the way, is Fan Nanjie here yet?” Xu Yun lounged on the bed. “Your boss.”

Number Eighteen paused. “You know Boss Fan?”

“I don’t,” Xu Yun shook his head, waving his membership card. “But he comes every night, doesn’t he? I thought I’d get to know him. I spend so much here—I should at least be able to bum a cigarette from him.”

She giggled behind her hand. “Sir, you’re so funny. Boss Fan isn’t stingy at all. But he won’t be here for another half hour or so.”

“Half an hour?” Xu Yun glanced at the wall clock. It was eight-thirty.

“Sir, how about we start with ‘Star Wars’?” She gave him a sultry look, lifting her ample chest. “This one’s on the house, free of charge.”

Damn, Xu Yun thought. They even charge separately for that?

He looked at this pretty, fresh-faced girl—what a waste of youth to end up here. Who knows whose daughter she was? If her family ever found out, their hearts would break.

Just as she leapt onto him, Xu Yun chopped her on the back of the neck. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed onto his chest, her voluptuous figure pressing heavily against him.

Soft, yes, but heavy as well. Xu Yun rolled her off, taking a deep breath. Half an hour was going to be tough. If he didn’t knock this seductive thing out, he really wasn’t sure he could control himself—her innocence wouldn’t survive.

After all, Xu Yun wasn’t a saint. Even being able to knock her out took a fierce internal struggle. If he didn’t have a room full of beauties waiting for him elsewhere, he wasn’t sure he could resist such temptation.