Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Great Slacker Jin Biao

Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Great Swindler Jin Biao

The Wenhui and Hongnan districts in Hedong City were now basically united under the banner of the South City Three Tigers. Everyone was anxious about whether the medicinal restaurant would be reclaimed by Weng Qing. Because of Xu Yun’s words, Dan Hongning sent one of his men to quietly gather information. When the group heard that Xu Yun had actually bought the medicinal restaurant, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

That location might not have been valuable when Weng Qing first bought it, but after the city built the Yi River Plaza and three large residential complexes sprang up around it, property prices soared. Even if the few of them pooled their resources, buying the place outright would be tough.

“Brother Yun really is a man of means,” Lu Feng couldn’t help but sigh. Comparing oneself to others is truly a path to misery. The first time he’d seen Xu Yun, he’d dismissed him as a petty street punk. Now, looking back, how laughable that seemed.

Kong Zhong frowned. “This doesn’t sit right with me. Even if Weng Qing was foolish enough to sell the property, Jin Biao doesn’t lack for money. It looks like they’re trying to expand into our southern territory—why would they sell?”

“Good point.” Dan Hongning nodded, turning to the scout. “Are you sure Brother Yun wasn’t joking when he said that?”

The underling shook his head. “I can’t say for sure…”

“Oh, right. My cousin works at the property office. I’ll call her and ask; maybe she knows something.” With that, Kong Zhong stepped outside the smoke-filled room to make his call.

A few minutes later, he returned, his face filled with astonishment.

“Well? Did you find out?” Lu Feng and Dan Hongning asked in unison.

“Everyone at the property bureau’s heard about it—someone bought a storefront for a hundred bucks. The guy was wearing flashy beach shorts and a skull-print T-shirt—who else could it be but Brother Yun…”

Damn! The group was stunned—truly, the world is full of all sorts of characters. Brother Yun had actually dared to scam Weng Qing out of her property; Jin Biao certainly wouldn’t let this go easily.

“Heh…” Dan Hongning let out a bitter laugh. “Brothers, following Brother Yun was a one-way street from the start—either we ascend to the heavens or plummet to the depths.”

Lu Feng gritted his teeth. “What can we do now? If Jin Biao comes for us, we’ll just have to stand our ground.”

…

Jin Biao was by no means a small-time crook like the South City Three Tigers. His dominance over the two eastern districts of Hedong City was no stroke of luck; his exploits alone were enough to strike fear into the hearts of the criminal underworld’s younger generation.

Ten years ago, the gunfight on Tianhua Road shook the entire city. Dozens of cars on each side, over a hundred men, and the boss of Tuoshan District was shot dead on the spot. The police did not dare respond, lacking the strength to intervene. Jin Biao became famous overnight, seizing control of all the prime commercial streets in Tuoshan District.

Every local remembers the shotgun rampage and arson on Tuoshan’s commercial street five years ago, and the armed murder at Guangming Cinema in Jingxuan District—major cases that shocked the entire city. These were the first high-profile assaults by an external force against the eastern districts.

But three days later, the leader of that force was found strangled and thrown from the thirteenth floor of the Champs Hotel, his body mangled beyond recognition. Everyone knew who was behind it, yet even the police couldn’t find any evidence.

There was also the time Jin Biao’s crew besieged a major restaurant, prompting the police chief himself to step in. The restaurant owner agreed to leave Hedong City, and only then was the matter settled. The police chief lost his job over that incident, replaced by the current Chief Chen.

Only after Chief Chen took office did Jin Biao’s gang stop causing major disturbances. Now, every entertainment venue and bathhouse in the eastern districts was under his control, as well as the most prosperous commercial street in Tuoshan District—more than enough to make him fabulously wealthy.

Though Jin Biao had stayed out of major trouble in recent years, his legendary deeds lived on, securing his position as one of the top three crime lords in Hedong City.

He had a nearly bald head, a sagging, fleshy face, a slightly overweight build, sword-like eyebrows, beady eyes, and a bulbous red nose—altogether, a rather grotesque figure. Yet this was Jin Biao, the man who ruled the city’s eastern districts.

At fifty, Jin Biao no longer had the reckless fury of youth. Even after hearing that his wife and child had suffered a setback in Wenhui, he remained calm and collected.

“Boss, just say the word and I’ll lead the boys to hack down anyone in the south who dares oppose us!” Zhao Sanlai had followed Jin Biao for twenty years, from the days when Jin Biao was still an unknown street punk. He was Jin Biao’s most trusted lieutenant.

Jin Biao sipped his tea, brows furrowed in thought for a long while before he spoke. “Didn’t you hear what your sister-in-law said? This time, the opponent’s no pushover. Even Wenwu’s master wasn’t a match. Hmph, who’d have thought Weng Qing would finally meet her match.”

Zhao Sanlai curled his lip in disdain. “Boss, with all due respect, you and the missus treat that Zuo Leng guy like he’s some big shot. So what if he’s tough? If I get impatient, one shot and he’s done!”

Jin Biao took a deep breath, recalling the Tianhua Road battle a decade ago. If Zhao Sanlai hadn’t shot the enemy boss, Jin Biao might be lying in a grave now. Ten years had passed in a flash.

“Sanlai, things aren’t like they were ten years ago,” Jin Biao mused. “Guns are strictly controlled now—you know how Wang Shunxi from the south went down? It was because he hid firearms in that damned dog track. If he hadn’t, the police would’ve been as powerless against him as they are with us.”

Zhao Sanlai remained disgruntled. “Let me take two hundred men—if I don’t level that medicinal restaurant, I’ll change my surname!”

Jin Biao sipped his tea again. “Bring the brothers, and take the guns too. I want to see what kind of man this is, who can frighten my woman like that.”

He knew his wife well. Having spent his youth on the streets, Jin Biao understood Weng Qing better than anyone. She’d once been kidnapped by rivals, stripped naked, and still cursed them out. For her to be scared now—it was almost unbelievable.

“Who’d have thought that after Fan Nanjie and Wang Shunxi fell, a woman would rise to power in the southern districts—and not even Su Yanqing?” Zhao Sanlai sneered. “The South City Three Tigers never submitted to anyone, but now they obey a woman.”

Jin Biao finished his tea, pulled out a cigarette, and Zhao Sanlai lit it for him.

“Call everyone who can fight for lunch tomorrow at the Yutang Restaurant—my treat. Once we’re fed and watered, we’ll go take the southern districts.” Jin Biao took a drag, exhaling smoke slowly. “Those so-called South City Three Tigers are just three mutts in my eyes.”

Zhao Sanlai grinned; nothing made him happier than fighting for territory. But ever since Jin Biao took over the eastern districts five years ago, his youthful fire seemed to have cooled, especially with the savvy new Chief Chen in office. They’d been lying low for a long time.

“Boss, leave this to me—no need for you to get your hands dirty,” Zhao Sanlai said, rising to present incense to the altar of Lord Guan. After three respectful bows, he placed the incense in the holder.

Jin Biao scoffed. “What’s the use of worship? Haven’t I earned everything with my own hands?”

Thinking of his son being beaten half to death, Jin Biao felt a surge of anger. On the first and fifteenth of every month, he’d always paid respects to Lord Guan, but now he uttered such words that Zhao Sanlai was stunned.

What Jin Biao did next shocked him even more. Jin Biao strode over to the altar he’d worshipped for twenty years and kicked the statue of Lord Guan to the ground. It crashed, shattering into pieces, and a cloud of ash billowed out, filling the room with dust.

“B-Boss…” Zhao Sanlai was speechless. For people in their world, this was the height of sacrilege.

Jin Biao sneered, looking at the shattered statue, thinking, If you can’t even protect my son and my woman, why should I worship you?

“Sanlai, do you know why I never got a tattoo?” Jin Biao’s gaze flashed coldly.

“No idea.” Zhao Sanlai was stumped. He’d always wondered—back when they were young, everyone had dragon and tiger tattoos, but Jin Biao’s skin was unmarked, making him seem unlike a gangster at all.

Jin Biao snorted. “I’ll tell you now. From my first day on the streets, I swore to be a man worthy of bearing Lord Guan on my back. I wanted to tattoo him only after ruling Hedong City. But now, it seems I’ll have to do it sooner. From now on, I won’t worship—I’ll become Lord Guan myself!”

These words left Zhao Sanlai so shocked he couldn’t utter a syllable.

“Come, let’s go to the tattoo parlor.” Jin Biao strode out.

The fragments of the shattered idol lay quietly on the floor as a chill ran down Zhao Sanlai’s spine. He shuddered; to tattoo Lord Guan on one’s back was only for men of unbreakable will—most who dared had come to a bad end, superstition or not. At least from what Zhao Sanlai knew, those who did had rarely met with good fortune.

…

While Jin Biao prepared for an all-out assault on the southern districts, his opponents were no strangers to survival in the underworld. Years of experience taught the South City Three Tigers that they needed to prepare in advance, or they’d be caught off guard.

Of course, they didn’t dare tell Xu Yun, for fear he’d scold them for stirring up trouble. But safety came first, so Kong Zhong made a plan. The Three Tigers gathered all the brothers who could fight, each bringing their own crew—a move to ensure they’d have enough fighting power for tomorrow.

Lu Feng and Dan Hongning both knew Jin Biao was not the kind to swallow a loss, so they agreed with Kong Zhong’s plan. Tomorrow, their people would assemble near the medicinal restaurant. If Jin Biao and his men dared to come, even if they couldn’t win, they’d make sure he knew that those in the southern districts weren’t cowards.

A great battle was about to erupt, one that would decide the fate of the southern districts. If Jin Biao won, he would become the most powerful crime lord in Hedong City. If he lost, he would be left with nothing.