Chapter 248: Eaten Bear Heart And Leopard Gall, Have You?!
“Alright, I got it. How much gambling debt does Zhao Si’er owe?”
Since Little Ear wasn’t around, he, as Big Brother, naturally couldn’t stand by idly.
Otherwise, who would risk their life for him in the future?
However, after redeeming him, he definitely had to give him a good lesson!
He had to make him learn his lesson!
If he refused to change after repeated teachings, then sorry, he could only kick Zhao Si’er out of the team.
A rotten gambler could do anything!
“.Three hundred silver dollars”
“How much?!” Cao Weida’s eyes immediately bulged round, and with a face full of disbelief, he dug at his ear: “You’re saying that bastard Zhao Si’er actually borrowed three hundred silver dollars from the gambling house?!”
Don’t think it sounds like not much; he casually threw around hundreds or thousands of silver dollars, as if three hundred was just a small amount.
But one had to know that for an ordinary patrolman, this sum was already an astronomical figure!
The police station paid salary not in silver dollars, but in union bonds!
Zhao Si’er’s monthly salary converted to silver dollars was only about 7 bucks!
Moreover, with the frequent overprinting of union bonds, their purchasing power was dropping step by step. Even though the higher-ups had raised the salary a bit, it still couldn’t keep up with the speed of price increases.
Even adding those allowances, its purchasing power was now only about ten silver dollars.
Three hundred silver dollars was a full thirty months of salary!
This was equivalent to Zhao Si’er losing two years’ worth of wages and allowances without eating or drinking!!
Sun Dahu shrank his neck and silently nodded in confirmation.
Thus, Cao Weida couldn’t help but curse angrily: “Damn it, that bastard Zhao Si’er doesn’t want to live anymore! Who gave him the courage to borrow so much money?! Did he eat bear heart and leopard gall?!”
“Is he tired of living himself, or does he want his whole family to starve to death with him?!”
Looking at the fuming Cao Ye panting heavily, Sun Dahu shrank his neck again, not daring to utter a single word.
He didn’t blame Cao Weida for being angry; he was pretty pissed too. But what could be done? They were all brothers from the same trench; he couldn’t just stand by and let him die!
After cursing a few more times and venting fiercely, he told Sun Dahu to go change out of the police uniform.
Then, he hurriedly ran into the office, and when he came out again, he had a Browning and a stack of union bonds in hand, and he had also changed his clothes.
To go redeem someone from the gambling house, he really had no face to wear the police uniform; it was too embarrassing!
“Sun Dahu, let’s go, take me to redeem him!”
Just as they were about to head outside, they were spotted exactly by Ono Shiota who had just gotten out of the car.
Seeing Cao Weida storming out angrily with a gun in hand, Ono Shiota asked in surprise: “Cao Sang, what’s going on? What happened?”
Cao Weida didn’t hide anything and recounted the whole story.
“So that’s how it is.” Ono Shiota immediately understood, then turned to the driver who had just gotten out of the car and chattered something, after which he turned back to Cao Weida and said:
“Cao Sang, you don’t have a sedan, and rickshaws are too slow. I’ve already told the driver; just take my car directly.”
“Oh, Ono-kun, you’re too polite. How could I impose?”
“With our relationship, no need for such formality. Cao Sang, go quickly; the sooner you go, the sooner you return. I have important matters to discuss with you.”
“Alright, then I won’t stand on ceremony. I’ll come back right after handling this! Sun Dahu, get in the car with me; we’re leaving now!”
On the road.
Cao Weida said: “Dahu, besides being Brigade Commander Cui Qi’s hometown fellow, what other news do you know about this Guo Dashuai? Tell me all at once.”
“Yes, Cao Ye. I’m not clear on this Guo Dashuai’s real name, but he’s a figure on the streets of Beiping’s Inner Seventh District.”
“From what I know, he has many businesses under him: cigarette stalls, gambling houses, black market—all involved. And I heard he’s sworn brothers with Liu Changjiang, the bandit leader active in the Changping District outside Beiping City, though I’m not sure if it’s true.”
Outside Beiping City, there weren’t just the Japanese Army and guerrilla team; there were also quite a few bandits and bullies running amok.
And after the little devils occupied Beiping, most of these bandits and bullies were incorporated, either into security regiments or security brigades.
A small portion kept a distant relationship with the little devils—none on the surface, but ambiguous underneath.
Like the bandit leader Liu Changjiang that Sun Dahu mentioned.
It was said he had connections with high-level officials in Beiping’s city government, but who exactly and whether it was true, no one knew.
Among them, a small portion with national integrity were either chased everywhere, hiding east and west all day, or eliminated and scattered.
“Yo, quite a few connections, huh. No wonder he’s so arrogant, calling himself some grand marshal.”
Cao Weida sneered, thinking to himself: Better not cross paths with me, or else I’d make him know why the flowers are so red!
For the rest of the journey, Cao Weida said nothing more, leaning back with eyes closed to rest.
The trip was uneventful. When the car stopped in front of Bao Li Lai Gambling House, Cao Weida immediately pushed open the car door and got out, striding toward the gambling house.
Sun Dahu didn’t dare slack off and hurriedly followed.
Inside the gambling house, a man in his late twenties was tied five-flowered to a chair, his face full of dried blood.
A man in his forties, face full of fat, stood before him, smoking a cigar and looking at him coldly:
“Zhao Si’er, half a shichen has already passed, and no one’s come yet.”
He was none other than Guo Dashuai, as mentioned by Sun Dahu.
“I’ve urged you several times before to pay back the money, but you kept delaying. I’ve given you several chances, but you didn’t cherish them.” Guo Dashuai’s eyes were full of viciousness,
“I’m telling you, if you still can’t pay today, I’ll have to chop off your hand!”
Zhao Si’er was shocked and wailed in pain: “Big Brother, Big Brother! Wait a bit longer; Master Lian will definitely come save me!”
“Heh, I don’t believe a word you say!” Guo Dashuai snorted coldly, waving the hand holding the cigar lightly: “Beat him!”
“Don’t! Big Brother, I’m not lying to you! Ah~~”
Just as Zhao Si’er was being beaten bloody, a shout came: “Stop!!”
It was Cao Weida arriving just in time.
Looking at Zhao Si’er who was tied up and beaten beyond recognition, Cao Weida looked expressionlessly at Guo Dashuai, who simultaneously looked back at him.
Guo Dashuai grinned with interest: “Yo, it’s Cao Weida Patrol Officer. Didn’t expect to trouble you to come personally. Forgive my poor hospitality!”
The other recognizing him didn’t surprise Cao Weida; for someone like Guo Dashuai with a dense network of connections, it would be strange if he didn’t know him.
“Guo Dashuai is too polite. Dahu, untie Zhao Si’er.”
With a cold face, he had Sun Dahu untie Zhao Si’er, then pulled out some paper from his pocket and threw it over: “Go wash your face clean!”
Seeing Cao Weida come personally to redeem him, Zhao Si’er was deeply moved and also extremely ashamed. Ignoring the pain on his body, he grabbed the paper and stumbled to the toilet.
He took out the prepared stack of union bonds from his pocket and threw it on the table, then sat down on a chair and lit a cigarette for himself.
A younger brother nearby immediately questioned: “What does this mean, Patrol Officer? We want silver dollars, not union bonds!!”
At these words, Cao Weida suddenly looked up, staring at him coldly: “Are you saying you don’t accept union bonds here?”
“Then can I take it that you’re openly challenging the Imperial Army?!”
“Yo, trying to play tough with me, huh! Brothers, we don’t want this money today; beat him up…”
Cao Weida’s face darkened, his hand already reaching into his pocket.
Sun Dahu was also ready to fight with a face full of anger.
“Old Six!” Guo Dashuai stopped him in time. His eyes flickered a few times, and he said gravely: “He’s already paid; consider the debt settled.”
Cao Weida coldly stared at Guo Dashuai. After Zhao Si’er came out, he signaled Sun Dahu to support him, then once again fixed a vicious gaze on the opposite Guo Dashuai.
“I hope this is my useless brother being incompetent on his own, not someone setting him up.”
“Let’s go.”
That icy gaze made Guo Dashuai somewhat uneasy. After they left, he called over Old Six with a gloomy face,
“Tell me honestly: did that patrolman come to gamble on his own, or did you set him up!”
“This…” Old Six’s gaze dodged.
Fine, no need to answer; he already knew!
Taking a deep breath, he slapped the back of Old Six’s head, gnashing his teeth in annoyance: “Did I or did I not tell you to investigate clearly before acting? Don’t cause me trouble!”
Old Six seemed to sense something wrong and quickly admitted fault: “Big Brother, I got it, but I really didn’t expect that Cao Weida would personally come for a little patrolman!”
“Besides, no matter how arrogant Cao Weida is, what of it? He’s just a Japanese dog’s lackey; why fear him!”
“I…” Guo Dashuai was furious to death. If only it were that simple!
Forget it, no point talking to these blockheads; pure waste!
Thinking of that vicious gaze from Cao Weida when he left, Guo Dashuai felt waves of palpitations and inwardly fumed at Old Six for causing trouble!
Seeing him still making excuses, his anger erupted with a fierce slap across his face, his expression ferocious as he said:
“Do exactly as this old man says; where’s all this nonsense from!”
“Get lost now! Seeing you pisses me off!!”
Old Six was slapped but didn’t dare show anger, hurriedly covering his face and slinking away.
In the sedan, Sun Dahu sat up front on his own. Cao Weida took out cigarettes, lit one for himself, then threw the rest to Zhao Si’er.
“Thanks, Cao Ye.”
Though he had washed his face, Zhao Si’er still looked somewhat disheveled. He took the cigarettes, drew one out, and passed one to Sun Dahu and the driving little devil.
Cao Weida took a puff and said calmly: “Tell me, what exactly happened? How did you end up owing so much money?”
“.”
