The Heir to the Seven Killers in the City

Chapter 8: The Rookie

Perhaps because she needed someone to confide in under the circumstances, the bar owner explained Brother Rong’s background while she continued to cry. Qin Yu learned who this Brother Rong really was. This “Brother Rong” was a core member of the Fire Scorpion Gang. Rumor had it that he was the gang’s third-in-command. While the Fire Scorpion Gang wasn’t widely known among ordinary people in Jiangcheng, Qin Yu—who had once worked in a bar—knew exactly what kind of organization it was. Qin Yu looked at Sister Hong, his eyes narrowing slightly. Crouching down beside her, he asked, “Sister Hong, do you know where Brother Rong usually goes to hang out?” Sister Hong replied without hesitation, “Blue Hell.” Blue Hell wasn’t, of course, an actual hell; it was the name of a nightclub in Jiangcheng—or, to be precise, an entertainment complex. Everything at Blue Hell was expensive—the drinks were pricey, the cover charge was steep, and absolutely everything cost a fortune—yet business was always through the roof. That’s because, although Blue Hell is expensive, it’s worth every penny. Here, you’ll never be served counterfeit alcohol in fancy packaging, and no one will ever spike your beer with diuretics. At the same time, it’s absolutely safe to hang out here. Every underworld figure in Jiangcheng knows that Blue Hell is a no-conflict zone; if anyone has a dispute here, they’d be wise to settle it outside. If a fight breaks out inside Blue Hell, the consequences would be dire. Not many people know who owns Blue Hell; all that’s known is that none of Jiangcheng’s gangs would ever cause trouble there. Perhaps someone tried it a long time ago, but no one has done so in at least the past twenty years. This place is a paradise for underworld figures, and it’s also a sacred site in the eyes of every small-time thug in Jiangcheng who dreams of becoming one. Visiting Blue Hell has become something of a status symbol among Jiangcheng’s street gangs. Qin Yu arrived at the entrance to Blue Hell at 7:00 p. m. He first went to the parking lot to look for Brother Rong’s car. Brother Rong drove a red Jeep SUV, and Qin Yu knew the license plate number. After searching the parking lot, he found the car just as he expected. Qin Yu didn’t go inside Blue Hell to find Brother Rong; he chose to wait outside—not because he was intimidated by Blue Hell’s reputation, but because he was broke. Spending three hundred on an admission ticket just to find someone was way too damn extravagant for Qin Yu—the very thought made his heart ache. Around dawn, Brother Rong finally emerged from Blue Hell with two other men; all three were accompanied by girls. Qin Yu narrowed his eyes, stepped out of the shadows, lowered his head to put on a mask he’d bought at the night market, and then strode quickly toward Brother Rong’s car. When he was fifty meters away, Qin Yu suddenly broke into a sprint. Brother Rong, who was just about to get into his car, reacted quickly—all three men drew their guns from their waists almost simultaneously. The instant the black muzzles spewed streams of fire at Qin Yu, he suddenly curled up into a ball and slammed into Brother Rong with all his might, sending him flying! The impact was brutal. Brother Rong lay dazed on the ground, still unable to get up. Over there, the other two men had already been knocked down by Qin Yu; both were unconscious, while the three girls had long since fled in terror. Qin Yu picked up a gun from the ground and pointed it at Brother Rong’s head. “Get up!” Lying on the ground, Brother Rong said meekly, “Bro, what line are you in? Short on cash? Just name your price!” Qin Yu let out a cold laugh and kicked Brother Rong in the stomach—the blow nearly pierced his abdomen. Then, pointing the gun at him, Qin Yu said, “Get in the car, or I’ll shoot.” Hearing this, Brother Rong climbed into the car without a word, clutching his stomach. He was a seasoned veteran; just from Qin Yu’s tone, he could tell that if he didn’t obey, this man wearing the Sun Wukong mask would really shoot—and he definitely wasn’t joking. Veteran criminals know exactly what “knowing when to give in” means; scenes of “death before surrender” are only seen in movies and TV shows, but reality is completely different. Brother Rong sat in the driver’s seat, with Qin Yu holding a gun to the back of his head. The man’s body shook like a sieve. Qin Yu said, “Drive.” The red Jeep started up and pulled out of the parking lot. Qin Yu kept the gun pressed against Brother Rong’s head the entire way, occasionally ordering him to drive according to his instructions. At first, Brother Rong was quite obedient, but when the red Jeep reached the outskirts of the city, he began to get nervous. His eyes darted around frantically, but just as he was about to make a move, Qin Yu’s icy voice quashed his thoughts: “Don’t even think about pulling any tricks. One wrong move and you’re dead.” Brother Rong let out a bitter laugh and abandoned the idea. Following Qin Yu’s directions, the red Jeep arrived at an industrial park on the outskirts of the city, where there were an extraordinary number of abandoned factories. Brother Rong and Qin Yu got out of the car and entered an abandoned factory building. “I hear you’re the third-in-command of the Fire Scorpion Gang?” Qin Yu asked Brother Rong coldly. Brother Rong nodded; he was far braver than Wang Chuanyong had been earlier. After all, as a man who’d walked a tightrope between life and death, he wasn’t easily intimidated. Brother Rong’s gaze fell on the hand in which Qin Yu was holding his gun. His eyes widened for a moment, then a very strange expression appeared on his face. Qin Yu was taken aback by the look on Brother Rong’s face. Why was Brother Rong’s expression so strange? Because the emotions revealed by that expression were incredibly complex—there was anger, joy, a touch of self-mockery, and even a hint of indignation born of embarrassment. “You’re asking me?” Brother Rong arrogantly ignored the pistol in Qin Yu’s hand, jabbing a finger at him and saying, “Kid, are you asking me?” Qin Yu was taken aback. How had this guy suddenly gotten so bold? Had he gone crazy from shock? Just as that thought crossed Qin Yu’s mind, Brother Rong had already launched a punch straight at his face: “You bastard, you can’t even release the safety—damn it…” Caught off guard, Qin Yu took a heavy punch to the face, followed by a kick to his wrist that sent the gun flying from his hand. He hadn’t expected Brother Rong to be a trained fighter. A rapid-fire barrage of strikes landed on Qin Yu one after another; before he could even react, Brother Rong kicked him squarely in the chest, sending him flying. “Fuck!” Brother Rong kicked Qin Yu away, utterly speechless as he cursed furiously, “Sun Wukong? You’re still trying to play Sun Wukong for me? The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, huh? If you’re the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, then I’m the Buddha, for fuck’s sake…” Fuming with rage, he strode over to Qin Yu, who was lying on the ground, and stomped down hard on Qin Yu’s head: “Die for me!”