Master of Accidents
The storm raged within her, yet Qingcheng remained outwardly calm, revealing no trace of rage. She no longer seemed cold; instead, she was sweating profusely.
He was dressed as a member of the Green Gang, and his face was different from his usual makeup. Lu Hai had only seen him once, and if he went to assassinate him directly, Lu Hai might not recognize him.
Qingcheng habitually looked up to find a high vantage point. This place was adjacent to the dock, and was almost entirely comprised of two-story private hotels and small restaurants. On the other side was the expansive Huangpu River, leaving no place for an ambush.
Firing a gun on the second floor would be too risky, especially at night with few pedestrians around, easily exposing oneself. If the target isn't eliminated, one could end up getting themselves arrested – a net loss. But letting it go unchecked, aside from the distant Old Wang, the representatives nearby risk arrest.
Lu Hai replaced the courier he was intercepting online. The other couriers sensed something was wrong and certainly wouldn't dare to show their faces again. Even if they went back to report to Lao Wang, the interception mission would basically have failed. Once the representatives boarded the ship, the agents would close the dock, and the representatives would have no chance to escape.
Returning his gaze to Yu Xie, he realized that his brother's face had been alternating between red and blue after causing trouble for no reason. He guessed that the matter couldn't be resolved peacefully, so he decided to make use of this kid first.
"Sir, you should go back to the Chinese-controlled area to handle this. If you make too much noise, the foreign devils will be here soon," the policeman tentatively suggested.
"Kid, are you trying to teach me how to do things?" The mountain demon fiercely lifted the patrolman into the air.
“Hey, Brother Mountain Ghost, don’t get angry. Our family isn’t unreasonable. I remember there’s a rule called ‘taking the blame for someone else.’ If you brothers are really close, send someone to help the straggler take those three cuts and six holes.” Qingcheng’s eyes darted around. “However, taking the blame for someone else means suffering three times the pain.”
The Axe Gang members, who had initially been eager to fight, retreated upon hearing that they would suffer three times the pain. They could withstand three blows, but nine would be tantamount to suicide. Only Yu Xie remained motionless, though his toes were pointing outwards, suggesting he was still hesitating.
Those around him also advised him: "Brother Xie, why don't I drag Da Tian over and make him apologize himself? Jiu Dao is going to kill someone."
"No! My brother is injured and can't get out of bed yet!" Amin cried and begged for mercy.
"Get lost! He caused this mess himself. Do you expect Brother Xie to pay for it with his life? Er Gou, go drag that kid off the bed." A thug from the Axe Gang kicked Ah Ming away.
"Hmph, it seems your brotherhood is nothing more than this!" Qingcheng glanced at Yu Xie with a mocking look in his eyes.
Provoked, Yu Xie made up his mind: "Fine! I'll do it. I'm their eldest brother, so my mistakes are my mistakes. You tell me how to prepare."
“Brother Mountain Ghost, I don’t know much about these things. You have profound knowledge and have been in this business for a long time. Why don’t you take charge?” Qingcheng said modestly. “I only have one request: it must be done in a place where everyone can see it, so that our family’s authority can be displayed and others will not dare to offend us again.”
The mountain spirit, flattered, nodded repeatedly with a smug look on his face: "That's only right, Uncle-Master, you're too kind. Men, set up a stage for Yu Xie, we're going to invite the experts from the docks to watch a show."
Upon receiving the order, the Green Gang thugs immediately started beating drums and gongs, inviting everyone to watch.
Before long, the crowd surrounded Yu Xie in three concentric circles. The onlookers, with their hands tucked into their sleeves and their necks craned, resembled some kind of long-lived sea creature with a shell on its back. They whispered and jeering among themselves, one after another, one pressing down on another, and the noise grew louder and louder, just what Qing Cheng needed.
Scenes of bloodshed and violence are an addictive drug for most men. The moment they see someone about to be in trouble and bleed, no matter how busy they are, they will inevitably put down their work to take a look. Of course, the agents participating in the arrests were also men.
After leaving the enthusiastic crowd, Qingcheng lit a cigarette, took off his coat and hat and draped them over the broom. Backlit, it looked as if someone was really leaning against the wall smoking.
Easily evading detection, he quietly circled around to the back of the agents' car. There was no one inside; the agents were all drawn to Yu Xie's performance.
Through the dim light of a rusty kerosene lamp, she quickly scanned her surroundings.
The alleyway was only about four people wide, and cars took up half of the space. Dark green moss and gray-black mold crisscrossed the base of the walls. Two power lines ran along the base of the walls, and because they were close to the water and exposed to the elements, the conduits were severely worn and aged, with many irregular holes caused by gnaws.
Qingcheng mentally simulated the steps of the big bowl, tugged at the clothes drying pole in the alley, then climbed up the water pipe to the second-floor balcony, moved the flower pots on the railing, and even scattered some soil from the pots around.
Finally, open the car's gas tank, gently kick over the trash can in the alley, and let it lean against the back of the car.
After doing all this, Qingcheng dressed casually and returned to her original spot. She licked her lips and pretended to be excited as she watched Yu Xie stab her in the back. Since she was a member of the Green Gang, she had to act like one.
A member of the Green Gang squeezed through the crowd, respectfully clasping his hands in greeting: "Master, what brings you here? My master asked me to take you to the head of the table."
"It's alright, I can see better standing up. Oh, by the way, get me a pair of binoculars. I want to see the expression on that kid's face." Qingcheng gave the disciple his task.
"Alright!" The young man agreed and quickly brought Qingcheng a telescope.
Compared to the others' interest, Kiyosumi was more concerned about the agents' movements. She glanced at her watch out of the corner of her eye and realized that there was only half an hour left before the representatives were to board the ship. She felt a slight unease, as if a cat's claws were scratching at her heart. The cold wind made the feeling of irritation even more pronounced.
By slightly shifting the binoculars, Qingcheng saw that passengers were already queuing at the gate. Captain Liu also realized that he still had important business to attend to. He reluctantly turned back to look at Yu Xie and then summoned his men, disguised as agents, to set up a perimeter outside the gate.
The traitor Lu Hai followed Captain Liu closely. Qingcheng gripped her trouser leg tightly, unsure if her plan would succeed. If it failed, even if she was exposed, she would execute the traitor before he revealed any more information.
However, the most urgent task is to save Yu Xie. In this emergency, we have no choice but to use him as bait. We must not let him die. Qingcheng beckoned to the young man from the Green Gang: "Young man, I think Yu Xie has bled enough. Call an ambulance for him. Don't let him die in the concession. It will cause us a lot of trouble."
"Don't worry, sir. The head constable here is sworn brothers with our master, and we also have a big boss backing us up. Nobody dares to cause trouble for our family," the Green Gang member replied confidently.
“But his death won’t do our family any good either. Always leave a way out, so we can meet again in the future. Even if you’re a thug, you have to be a thug with principles. You can’t do anything that doesn’t benefit you. Here, use this to pay Yu Xie’s medical bills later. I respect him for being a man who suffered for his brother.” Qingcheng expressionlessly pulled out a wad of banknotes.
The young man from the Green Gang looked as if he had just realized something, and said with admiration in his eyes, "I've learned a lot, disciple. I'll go and do it right away."
On the stage, Yu Xie trembled as he grabbed the last dagger and, without the slightest hesitation, stabbed it straight through his waist.
Amid the cheers of the crowd, Yu Xie's hoarse voice rang out: "Everyone saw it, right? I, Yu Xie, have nine cuts and eighteen holes, not a single one missing. From now on, your Green Gang can no longer cause trouble for my brothers."
"That kid's got some skills," Qingcheng thought, "he avoided hitting my vitals with every strike." She was filled with curiosity about him; if she made it out alive tonight, she'd definitely investigate him thoroughly.
"Good, you're a real man! From now on, our family will keep to ourselves and your Axe Gang." Mountain Ghost, with a cigar in his mouth, clapped and cheered excitedly.
The emotions infected all the onlookers present. Everyone was still immersed in Yu Xie's heroic spirit, and the cheers rose one wave after another. Qingcheng saw the red light reflected from the lens, silently put down the binoculars, stood in the noisy crowd, and clapped along with everyone, a slow smile on her lips.
Boom!
A deafening roar shook the earth, sending onlookers sprawling across the dock. They covered their ears and stared at each other in bewilderment, no one knowing what had happened, until… a pale hand, mixed with fragments of red bone and flesh, slammed down on someone's head.
ah! ! !
Beep, beep—
The police officers, startled, blew their whistles. The piercing whistle, combined with the screams of people running around in panic, and the crackling explosions amidst the towering flames across the street, created a scene reminiscent of the end of the world.
The severed hand caused quite a commotion in the crowd. The junior agent, having lost his superior, had long since abandoned the Communist Party and ran far away with the main force. At this time, the Indians with red heads finally arrived and set up a cordon at the dock.
The joy of achieving their goal surged through them like a wild beast, giving them a dizzying feeling, like being blinded by a flash of light. Qingcheng was already used to their inefficiency; the real problem was that the dock was under control and none of the ships could sail tonight.
A northerly wind blew across the river, instantly filling her nostrils with a burnt smell, which was quite unpleasant. Reason returned in an instant; she shouldn't linger. Qingcheng covered her mouth and nose with her scarf and, following the crowd, ran non-stop up to a two-story restaurant. The diners on the second floor were all leaning on the railing, pointing and gesturing at the scene of the incident.
Using her binoculars, Qingcheng immediately saw the scene. The entire vehicle was engulfed in scorching flames, and she could vaguely see the figures of people burning inside. Scattered bamboo poles surrounded the vehicle, and the crackling sounds were the strange noises from the burning bamboo poles.
Only then did Qingcheng truly feel relieved; her plan had succeeded. The irregular holes in the power lines gave her inspiration.
It's currently winter, and the rats, lacking food, have been gnawing through electrical wires, so the rat infestation in this area must be quite severe, which explains the numerous gaps in the wires.
The overturned trash cans will undoubtedly attract many gray creatures, and when the agents return, they will find the car crawling with gray rodents.
Based on her interactions with them, Captain Liu and his men are not afraid of rats. People who are not afraid of rats will definitely drive them away first. Captain Liu will not do it himself. Only Da Wan would do such rough work. When he drives away the rats, he will most likely be tripped by the bamboo pole that has been pulled out in advance, since she calculated the angle based on his height and stride.
Then the long bamboo pole would be swung down to the flowerpots on the second floor, but she didn't want to use the flowerpots to hit people; that would be too childish. The falling flowerpots would just hit the rusty kerosene lamp.
Due to the force, the kerosene lamp would swing like a pendulum, striking the decorative stone slab, sparking, and perhaps spilling a little kerosene. The small door of the oil tank would also be opened long ago.
Whether they're sitting in the car or standing next to it, if someone smokes at that moment... Boom!
Hehe, with the bombing, the police will definitely take control of the dock, killing two birds with one stone.
Woohoo, woohoo—
The ambulance siren interrupted Qingcheng's thoughts. Perhaps because it was called early, the ambulance arrived even before the fire brigade, and soon a red fire truck joined the firefighting team.
"There are still people alive! Someone come quick!"
The tension that had just eased instantly tightened. Qingcheng held her breath and raised the binoculars again. On the white stretcher lay a man with charred skin, glass shards stuck in his face, and a pool of blood was reflected in the sheet to his right.
Since the survivor was covered with a white sheet, Qingcheng couldn't see his clothes clearly. Was he Captain Liu or Lu Hai? They could only rule out the taller Da Wan for now.
If it were Lu Hai, it would be troublesome. Qingcheng became more and more panicked. She immediately squeezed out of the crowd and ran towards the ambulance through the back door. At the exit of the alley, the blue lights were just a stone's throw away.
Suddenly someone grabbed her arm. Qingcheng acted faster than she thought, and with a "whoosh," she pulled a gun from her ankle. Before the enemy could react, the empty muzzle was pointed at the man's heart.
The young man from the Green Gang in front of him raised his hands in terror: "Master...Master, it's me. Yu Xie isn't in this car, he's over there."
Her heart felt like it was being squeezed and spun around, but Qingcheng dared not show a trace of emotion on her face. She put away her gun and said in a cold tone, "Young men, be careful. I thought someone was going to assassinate me."
Following the direction the boy had pointed, Qingcheng saw Yu Xie's lonely stretcher placed on the cold road, with the Axe Gang brothers rubbing his arms, probably trying to keep his body temperature warm.
The survivors of the explosion were already on IV drips and about to be taken into ambulances. Qingcheng frowned, her gaze turning cold as she looked at the thugs: "What happened? Why did someone else get in the car we called first?"
"The doctor said that the other man's injuries were more serious, while Yu Xie's were all superficial wounds. He's already stopped the bleeding and isn't in any danger," the Green Gang member replied.
In a flash, only the three words "kill him" remained in Qingcheng's mind.
"Bullshit! They clearly looked down on Yu Xie because of his tattered clothes, which is why they saved that person first. The car we called is meant to save our guest, otherwise you're not allowed to drive. Do you understand what I'm doing?" Qingcheng's cold gaze swept over the ambulance. No matter who the survivor was, they all had to die.
The young man from the Green Gang nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with even stronger admiration.
Upon receiving Qingcheng's instructions, the young gangster revealed his true nature, calling on several of his brothers nearby. The group grabbed a water pipe from the roadside and smashed the ambulance window.
The surrounding police officers wanted to step forward to control the situation, but when they heard the name of the Mountain Ghost, they froze in place, looking at each other in bewilderment. In addition, the explosion had not yet occurred when they called the car, so the young man naturally said that Yu Xie should be saved first.
Other Green Gang thugs joined in the commotion, and one daring thug pulled the survivor's stretcher out of the vehicle, arrogantly threatening the medical staff not to provide any assistance.
Finally, the medical staff, fearing the thugs and with the police failing to act, had no choice but to take Yu Xie away. Now, lying on the ground is a survivor on the verge of death.
Tomorrow's headline will be: The Green Gang is squeezing out medical resources, leading to the death of a seriously injured patient.
Her mouth was filled with the taste of rust. Qingcheng pinched the back of her hand and closed her eyes in pain. Behind her identity lay enormous power, which she could use to cause irreversible damage to other people's lives.
Holding power is not romantic! Taking a deep breath, Qingcheng forced herself to open her eyes wide to discern the identities of the survivors.
The sheet covering the survivor slipped halfway off during the tug-of-war, revealing a bandaged severed hand and a quilted long shirt riddled with tears. He was the traitor Lu Hai. Some muffled gurgling sounds came from his mouth; only when you got closer could you hear him saying, "I don't want to die."
The sound of the river crashing against the embankment grew louder and louder, while his voice grew weaker and weaker until it could no longer be heard. A pale blue shadow enveloped him completely. Lu Hai's eyes were open, and he died with resentment in his heart.
Waiting for her former comrade to die was like being slowly tortured to death for Qingcheng. She felt no pleasure whatsoever. She forced a bitter smile to suppress the nausea in her stomach. So what if it was Lu Hai? It only proved that she hadn't killed the wrong person. Right, she was killing people, "people," her own compatriots!
There's also Captain Liu and Da Wan; I didn't intend to kill them.
But we haven't done anything wrong. We just want our country to be better and our compatriots to live a good life. Why are they trying to kill us? The spies don't consider me a compatriot. If I fall into their hands, I'll be the one who dies. Thinking this way, Qingcheng felt a little better.
"My son! How could you make me, an old man with white hair, bury my black-haired child? Ah~"
"Waaah, Lao Liu, why did you leave me like this? What will happen to the children at home? How am I supposed to feed them?"
The mournful cries caught Qingcheng's attention. She saw a simply dressed mother-in-law and daughter-in-law wailing over a stretcher covered with a white sheet. To them, Captain Liu was a filial son, a good husband, and the pillar who supported their family.
Clang! The "fairness" that Qingcheng had learned since childhood shattered in the face of reality. Tonight, she destroyed three families and saved several comrades. She didn't like killing, but because they were on opposing sides, she had to kill. She could foresee the tragic life of the Liu family, orphans and widows, after losing their pillar of support—all because of her.
Her heart was trembling, but the surrounding situation didn't allow her to catch her breath. Leaning against the cold cement wall, she wanted to smoke a cigarette to calm down, but her trembling hands couldn't light it no matter what she did.
The cigarette was clutched tightly in her hand, her conflicted emotions seeming to tear her in two. Qingcheng now fully understood that revolution was painful, inevitably mixed with filth and blood, requiring all sorts of lowly and troublesome work, and was by no means as interesting as the poet imagined.
Everything seemed to have changed, yet nothing seemed to have changed. Under the deep blue screen, Gao Junxiao slapped Lei Shanhai hard on the head. Behind them was the gate of the police station.
Shan Hai, clutching his aching forehead, looked unusually ashamed: "I won't do it again next time."
"If you dare to do it again, I'll beat you to death." Gao Junxiao raised his hand again and said through gritted teeth.
"Yeah, I really won't do it again." Shan Hai humbly covered his head. "I'm sorry for troubling you to get me out so late at night. How about I treat you to a late-night snack?"
"Do you still have money?" Gao Junxiao asked sarcastically.
"How about you lend me some first, and then deduct it from my military pay next month?" Shan Hai grinned, forcing out an awkward smile.
"Get lost! You still want to eat midnight snacks? You've got some nerve." Gao Junxiao said, suppressing his anger. "Go back and reflect on your actions. I'll settle the score with you tomorrow."
"Oh, then lend me some travel expenses. Longhua is a bit far from the city center." Shan Hai said shamelessly, extending his left hand.
Gao Junxiao wiped his face and said with a forced smile, "Why don't you take your 11 (walking) back? Otherwise, I'll cripple your 11. Attention! Ready! Go!"
Shan Hai was startled by the instruction and wished he could turn into a wisp of smoke, disappearing in less than a minute. "That brat," he thought, "thank goodness I had someone watching him beforehand, otherwise he would have caused a huge uproar and ruined his annual leave."
A biting northwest wind blew, and Gao Junxiao felt hungry from anger, so he simply found a small stall to grab a bite. Several men eating around him were gossiping.
"Hey, I heard that the Shiliupu Wharf was bombed and several bosses died."
"Who's so bold?"
"I don't know, but there are rumors that it was done by communists, as retaliation for their indiscriminate arrests."
"No way, these days communists are like rats in the street, who would dare to show their faces?"
"You've all misheard. I heard that the Green Gang and the Axe Gang were fighting at the dock. The Green Gang called an ambulance to treat their own brothers, but then an accident happened. They refused to give the ambulance to the injured from the explosion, which delayed their treatment and caused them to die."
"Oh, what you heard is more reliable. It's not surprising that this thug likes to bully men and women."
"Although it's a bit unethical, it's about first come, first served, right? The Green Gang doesn't seem to have any major problems with what they did. So why didn't anyone call an ambulance after the explosion?"
"Nonsense, if you see an ambulance at the scene, would you go looking for another one?"
"Exactly, who knew this car was called by the Green Gang? It's just that guy's bad luck."
When the teasing gossip reached Gao Junxiao's ears, his temples suddenly started throbbing, and he lost all appetite for a late-night snack. He had to rush back.
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