Chapter 33: Three Days

Xue Qiang sat before Xiao Ziguang, his face betraying a hesitation to speak. Once his subordinates confirmed the delivery of 1,000 PHS handsets, Xue Qiang placed a money bag on the table. "Ziguang, this is 500,000. Count it."

"Brother-in-law, you wound me with that suggestion," Xiao Ziguang replied, pulling the bag toward him, glancing inside, and zipping it shut.

As Xiao Ziguang rose to leave, Xue Qiang could no longer contain himself. "Ziguang, about that matter... did your father agree?"

"He didn't object. Find a suitable opportunity for Second Uncle to speak with him; it’s bound to happen." Xiao Ziguang said this deliberately to keep Xue Qiang on a leash. If he had agreed too readily, it would have seemed suspicious, leading people to overthink. He needed to keep Xue Qiang waiting.

Joy washed over Xue Qiang’s face. "Ziguang, from now on, we are brothers. If there’s ever anything you need, just say the word." He leaned in. "I heard you’re planning to take out Kong Ersheng. Do you have enough men? Do you need me to pull a few hands from the mine, or perhaps help you get your hands on some explosives?"

"Wait!" Xiao Ziguang’s eyes widened. "Who told you I was going to take out Kong Ersheng?"

"It’s all over the streets of Tianhai. They say you’re going to settle things with him within three days. The word seems to have come from Old Ghost’s subordinates; they’re all waiting to see you make a fool of yourself. Ziguang, you’re a member of the Xue family; you can’t let them look down on you!"

Different positions breed different attitudes. Furthermore, since Xue Qiang hoped to realize his own ambitions through Xiao Ziguang, they had formed a community of interests, and their relationship was currently very close.

Xiao Ziguang, however, was preoccupied with a different problem. Since the wind had already spread, if Kong Ersheng died, he would be the prime suspect. Moreover, even a peripheral figure like Xue Qiang had heard the rumors; if so, Kong Ersheng surely knew as well. His security would inevitably be tightened, making the assassination far more difficult.

The Xiling Trading Company had planted its flag and established the "Xiling Gang," effectively declaring war on the local powers of Tianhai City. The reason the local gangs hadn't made a move yet was that they knew Old Ghost had powerful backing; everyone was waiting for the players behind the scenes to act. After all, when two tigers fight, one is bound to be injured. Old Ghost controlled a district in Tianhai; if his gang were wiped out, everyone else could carve up his territory.

Most people wanted to sit back and reap the rewards. Even those who might have wanted to step forward chose to watch from the sidelines upon hearing that Xiao Ziguang was targeting Kong Ersheng.

Inadvertently, Xiao Ziguang realized with chagrin that he was not only being used as a pawn by Xue Ao but was also being roasted on a fire by Xiong Yaohui. If he failed to send Kong Ersheng to the afterlife within three days, he—the live-in son-in-law of the Xue family—would remain the laughingstock of Tianhai, an object of universal contempt.

Damn it! It felt as if everything had returned to square one. Xiao Ziguang was stunned to find that the mischievous hand of fate continued to grind him down; just as he thought he could make something of his life, a new obstacle would emerge.

After bidding farewell to Xue Qiang, Xiao Ziguang went to Zhou Huajian’s small room, where he found Zhou doing push-ups in his undershirt. The room, once cluttered with wine bottles, was now spotless. Zhou had shaved his messy hair, and as the sweat poured down his face, his sharp, intense eyes held a piercing glint that seemed to come from the depths of his bones.

Xiao Ziguang threw the money bag onto the floor. "500,000 in capital is ready. We have three days to pass judgment on Kong Ersheng. Give me your suggestions."

"I’ve heard the rumors too. For the past few days, Kong Ersheng has been hiding in his warehouse, accompanied by over twenty thugs and several firearms. Taking him out won't be easy."

"He’s hiding in the warehouse? Is that reliable?" Xiao Ziguang, who had been frowning, smoothed his brow as he heard this, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

"My former informant is working for him now. He saw with his own eyes that Kong Ersheng has fortified the warehouse, turning it into a bunker."

"That’s perfect! We can wipe them all out at once!" Xiao Ziguang’s lips curled upward. "I’ll buy a gas cylinder; you help me get some fertilizer..."

"What?" Zhou Huajian paused for several seconds before realizing what Xiao Ziguang intended. "It’s a good method, but how will you get the payload inside? Unless you drive a vehicle straight through the entrance." After thinking for a moment, he clenched his teeth. "Ziguang, if you’re really going to do this, I can drive the truck into it."

"What are you thinking? I wouldn't put you in such danger—that would be a waste of talent!" Xiao Ziguang traced a diagram on the table. "I know a technique for an 'air-dropped' gas cylinder. No one needs to take any risks."

Looking at the diagram, Zhou Huajian gasped. "Isn't this a 'conscienceless cannon'?"

"This is an upgraded version!" Xiao Ziguang grinned wickedly. "If they weren't huddled together in that warehouse, I wouldn't have a way. But since Kong Ersheng is hiding there, his life belongs to me!"

A supply warehouse is typically a steel structure several stories high. While they use massive I-beams for the frame, the roofs are usually made of sandwich panels, sometimes mixed with transparent sheets to allow light in. These materials are prone to collapsing under even moderate snow or wind. A gas cylinder weighing over a hundred pounds plummeting from the sky would certainly shatter the roof. Even if Kong Ersheng had thirty or a hundred men, they wouldn't survive such a judgment from above. Even if Kong Ersheng were made of iron, he would be blown into pieces.

Zhou Huajian gasped again, as if he could already see the mushroom cloud rising. He rubbed his nose. "Ziguang, you aren't just ruthless; you are exceptionally vicious."

"But after causing such a commotion, how do we clean up?"

Xiao Ziguang looked puzzled. "Why would I need to clean up? An explosion in the Xiling Trading warehouse—isn't that their own fault? They ignored fire safety protocols, leading to such a disastrous outcome. I must stand on the side of justice and condemn them!"

His soul, reborn into this world, possessed not only insights beyond this era but a level of shamelessness others lacked. What was clearly a despicable act sounded entirely different coming from his mouth.

Zhou Huajian suddenly felt a sense of anticipation for the future. To fight against the parasites within the system, one couldn't be too upright, or they would easily fall into traps. One couldn't be too evil either, or they would cross the line into criminality. Perhaps only someone like Xiao Ziguang—righteous and wicked in equal measure, thick-skinned, ruthless, and underhanded—could bring these parasites to justice and restore clarity to the skies of Tianhai.