Chapter 10 Good Fertilizer is Like a Golden Nugget
After returning from scouting the area at Jiapigou, Lao Dao immediately summoned Chu Yanxi to discuss the next steps of the plan. In his mind, Chu Yanxi was the strategist of the gang.
Chu Yanxi didn't disappoint him. He took a piece of charcoal and, while asking questions, drew a topographical map on an old newspaper. The map precisely marked the location of the warehouse, the guards' activity patterns, the surrounding mountain terrain, possible entry and exit routes, and multiple retreat paths. Old Dao and the men standing behind him stared wide-eyed in amazement, their faces showing signs of never having seen anything like it before.
"This is... a map?"
"The drawing is really good. I have to say, reading is quite useful."
"She even marked the retreat route? Miss Qiao is like an army commander in a war movie, hehe."
Even Lu Zhe, who was being used as a hostage and assistant, was secretly amazed. In such a dangerous situation, all his knowledge of legal provisions was useless, while Chu Yanxi was like a fish in water, even knowing about military affairs and surveying.
What Chu Yanxi wants now is to take command of this human trafficking gang, which is why he keeps showing his strength.
She graduated from police academy and is skilled in grappling techniques; in close combat, most people are no match for her.
She had recently gained Lao Dao's trust, so he didn't tie her hands or feet or drug her. She could easily take advantage of the guards' laxity to kill a few people and then escape from the hideout with Lu Zhe.
However, doing so carries significant risks.
Mr. Liu, the "matchmaker" responsible for selling women to buyers, once said: "Once you're in our Yushutai area, do you think you can escape?" This made Chu Yanxi realize one thing—human trafficking was rampant in the small town of Yushutai, with all sorts of intricate relationships. Perhaps those inconspicuous grocery store owners, small hotel waiters, street vendors, and even police station and town government staff were all informants for human trafficking gangs.
Chu Yanxi had read many cases of human trafficking in the 1980s. Many women went through great hardships to escape the clutches of their buyers, but they could not escape the surveillance of the villagers or even the entire town, and were soon sent back. Each time they tried to escape, they were beaten, and then subjected to increasingly severe torture and imprisonment until death or complete submission.
Moreover, Lu Zhe had also stated that the crime of human trafficking is generally punishable by imprisonment of up to five years. Only those with exceptionally serious circumstances are sentenced to more than five years in prison. Even during the crackdown, only a few ringleaders of this group were executed, while the rest served their sentences in prison.
If the original owner of Qiao Zhaoran were to express her opinion, she would definitely say: Compared to the sins and mistakes they committed, the punishment is too lenient. I am not satisfied! I want them... all of them to die!
What Chu Yanxi wanted was to create an even bigger and more sensational case to attract the attention of higher-level police, and then wipe out the entire human trafficking gang in Yushutai! He wanted all those who had bullied Qiao Zhaoran to receive the punishment they deserved!
To achieve this goal, the first step is to divide Lao Dao's team.
Eleven people is far too many.
Chu Yanxi raised his hand, his fingertip landing on a spot on the map: "Warehouse No. 3 in Jiapigou, red brick walls, asbestos tile roof, old-fashioned padlock, not difficult to deal with. It currently stores a batch of urea and phosphate fertilizer temporarily allocated by the county agricultural supply company, to be transported to various villages for distribution at the end of the month. There's only one guard, an old man surnamed Wang, who's a little hard of hearing and sleeps in the gatehouse next door at night. He likes to smoke a pipe and have a couple of puffs, right?"
The person who had scouted the location nodded: "Yes."
"Fertilizer?!" Before Lao Dao could speak, Hei Niu, Da Qiang, and the other thugs, all from farming backgrounds, immediately brightened up, their breathing becoming rapid.
They know all too well how scarce this stuff is in the spring!
Now that land is contracted to individual households in rural areas, who doesn't want to grow more grain? Good fertilizer is like gold! The supply and marketing cooperatives are in short supply of fertilizer, and the black market price is skyrocketing.
Old Dao was also invigorated, slapping his thigh: "Good, damn it, this was a worthwhile job. Urea and phosphate fertilizer are hard currency. Miss Qiao, tell me quickly, how do we get it? How do we get it out?"
Chu Yanxi was already confident and spoke calmly and clearly: "We can't just rob it by force, it'll make too much noise and alert the militia in the nearby villages. We'll mix some sleeping pills into the cigarettes, have someone pretend to be lost while visiting relatives or asking about grain prices, and offer them to the old man under the pretense of stopping for a chat. Old Wang loves cigarettes, he'll definitely be tempted by cigarettes with filters, and just a few puffs will be enough to make him sleep until noon the next day."
"After taking him down, our men quickly went in, used tractors to haul the things away, and took the abandoned mine tunnel to the west. Although it was bumpy, it was well-hidden. The key was to be fast. From taking action to withdrawing, it had to be completed within forty minutes. The next patrol of militia from the commune would probably pass by the nearby intersection around that time."
Having Chu Yanxi devise the criminal plan was far more sophisticated than Old Dao and his group of uneducated, roughnecks, which excited Old Dao immensely, his eyes gleaming with greed. However, as the one in charge, he remained cautious: "The sleeping potion I have can knock someone out, but it has to be dissolved in water. Will mixing it into cigarettes work? That old guy is too cunning!"
Daqiang's gloomy gaze lingered on Chu Yanxi's face for a moment: "That old man Wang is a heavy smoker; he can't resist cigarettes. I just don't know how he put that sleeping pill in the cigarette. Oh, by the way, doesn't Miss Qiao know how to make anesthetics?"
At this moment, Lao Dao remembered that Chu Yanxi had mentioned during their first meeting that she could make explosives and anesthetics. He immediately looked at Chu Yanxi: "You come! Make an anesthetic right away, the kind that can be mixed into smoke."
Don't let Lao Dao's lack of education fool you; he loves listening to storytelling, especially "Water Margin," which he's listened to over and over again. Lin Chong had to give some kind of "pledge of allegiance" to become an outlaw; since Chu Yanxi has joined them, she should also contribute something to ensure she doesn't betray them.
"Okay." Chu Yanxi nodded in agreement. The explosives were already made, so what difference would a little bit of anesthetic make?
With the initial plan drafted, Lao Dao and his men were thrilled, as if they could already see bags of fertilizer turning into piles of cash.
Chu Yanxi changed the subject: "Brother Dao, spring plowing is the time when fertilizer is needed. The agricultural supply company lost such a large batch, so they will definitely investigate closely. Moreover, this stuff is large and conspicuous. We must have reliable downstream buyers who can quickly distribute and take it all. We absolutely cannot ship it all at once, as that would be too easy to expose us. We must carefully consider every step, from transportation and storage to distribution."
Old Dao's smile faded slightly as he looked at Da Qiang, who was frowning beside him: "Da Qiang, can Lao Guai in the neighboring province handle this shipment?"
Daqiang was a smart man; he used to be the gang's strategist, but now that Chu Yanxi had taken that position, he was a little resentful. When Lao Dao asked for his opinion, he immediately replied, "Lao Guai eats everything, but when it comes to hot food, he'll haggle even harder, offering at most 60% of the market price."
Black Bull immediately chimed in, "Sixty percent? That's too ruthless! We should find a few different downstream buyers locally and break it off as soon as possible."
Old Dao, impatient with these details and feeling somewhat irritated, waved his hand and said, "Never mind that for now, let's get the fertilizer first!"
Over the next two days, under close surveillance, Chu Yanxi used the limited raw materials that Lao Dao had obtained to prepare a potent sleeping potion, and soon produced a white powder.
The underling nicknamed "Monkey," who had tried to touch Chu Yanxi's face at the dinner table, became the first test subject. After taking a puff of a cigarette laced with white powder, he fell unconscious in less than three seconds and didn't wake up until three hours later.
Seeing this effect, Lao Dao slapped his thigh: "Damn! Miss Qiao, you've got some skills. I spent a lot of money to buy sleeping pills first. Now, it's great that you can make them in half a day. Impressive."
After saying this, Lao Dao looked at Chu Yanxi with a hint of barely perceptible wariness. This girl's sleeping pills were so potent; he couldn't let her hoard them and harm him. Thinking this, he called Daqiang over and whispered a few instructions. Daqiang's eyes darted between the powder and Chu Yanxi's face before he nodded.
Next, Chu Yanxi's entire process of preparing the medicine was strictly monitored, for fear that she would intercept the sleeping pill powder.
Under the watchful eyes of several people, Lu Zhe silently assisted from the side, his heart pounding with anxiety.
At this moment, Lu Zhe's mind was still replaying the words Chu Yanxi had quietly told him the night before.
“Listen, before they loot the warehouse, Lao Dao will definitely make you call the cultural station to let them know you're safe. You have to seize this opportunity. You can't just ask for help directly; you have to use your brain to figure out how to get the information out.”
Lu Zhe was entrusted with an important task, and he was both nervous and excited. He repeatedly went through the process in his mind, striving to ensure that nothing went wrong.
—Oh, right, my mother in this world has passed away, but Lao Dao's people don't know that. When calling the leaders of the Cultural Bureau, I can naturally mention my mother, saying that she is not in good health and asking them to visit her.
Station Chief Wang is very enthusiastic, but not very vigilant. You can casually complain about not being used to the local environment, then emphasize that you still need to do research in several nearby villages and towns. This way, if the Cultural Bureau reports it to the police, the search can focus on the nearby villages and towns.
Chu Yanxi's judgment was very accurate. On the morning of the day of the operation, Lao Dao really did bring Lu Zhe back to the post office.
Lu Zhe maintained an honest and timid demeanor, explaining to Chu Yanxi that he was currently conducting field research in several nearby villages and towns, but was experiencing some discomfort due to the change in environment. Station Chief Wang on the other end of the phone didn't seem to suspect anything immediately, only offering a few routine words of concern and telling him to take care of himself.
As for Deputy Director Zhao of the County Cultural Bureau, when Lu Zhe told him to visit his mother, he remained silent for a moment, then hung up the phone without saying anything.
Back at their hideout, Lu Zhe's back was soaked with sweat, but his heart was pounding with joy.
That night, the moon was dark and the wind was high.
Operation Jiapigou proceeded as planned.
Daqiang knocked out the guard, Lao Wang, with a cigarette laced with drugs. The group quickly pried open the warehouse lock and struggled to load the urea and phosphate fertilizer, which were piled high inside, onto the tractor. The whole process was tense and busy, and they successfully completed it within the scheduled time. The tractor roared and disappeared into the darkness of the abandoned mine tunnel.
After succeeding, in the dilapidated courtyard of their hideout, Lao Dao and his gang surrounded the pile of fertilizer bags, which resembled a small mountain. They were so excited by the pungent yet exhilarating smell of ammonia that they could hardly contain themselves.
However, after the initial excitement subsided, they faced a problem: with so much fertilizer piled up in the yard, they were afraid of getting damp and exposed to the sun. How could they sell it?
A heated argument soon broke out in the courtyard.
Hei Niu and his group wanted to quickly sell their goods locally at a low price and cash out. Da Qiang, however, thought selling locally was too risky and advocated contacting Lao Guai, even if the price was lower, it would be relatively safer. The two sides argued back and forth, blaming each other. Greed and fear intertwined, completely washing away any joy of their success.
Inside the storage room, Chu Yanxi listened to the commotion outside with a calm expression.
Lu Zhe looked at her nervously: "They're arguing."
Chu Yanxi nodded and said softly, "As expected. Alliances are most easily broken when faced with interests. They're like carrying a hot potato right now, unable to get rid of it, yet also uneasy about it. Once internal conflicts arise, our opportunity will come."
Although Chu Yanxi's face was expressionless, the slight upturn of her eyes revealed her inner joy to Lu Zhe. Lu Zhe asked, "Did you do this on purpose, letting them steal the fertilizer?"
Chu Yanxi glanced at him and thought to herself that this person wasn't too stupid.
Lu Zhe stared intently at Chu Yanxi's face, not missing a single change in her expression: "Fertilizer isn't selling well, internal strife has started, and once things fall apart, fewer people will be guarding us, which will increase our chances of escaping, right?"
Chu Yanxi: "Don't panic, just wait."
Lu Zhe felt that he and Chu Yanxi were allies in the same trench: "What's your plan? Don't keep it to yourself."
Chu Yanxi shook his head: "The matter was accomplished in secrecy."
Lu Zhe shut his mouth, silently reciting the criminal law articles in his mind. Having worked as a divorce lawyer for so long, he could recite the marriage law fluently, but he was a bit rusty on the criminal law articles. Since transmigrating, he had been dealing with criminal offenses all the time, so he should pick them up quickly, lest he really become a useless person.
A note from the author:
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