Chapter 122: Gotta Make Jia Zhangshi A Necromancer?
“Pfft~”
Cao Weida covered his mouth and laughed. He wanted to say that he really didn’t mean to laugh; he just couldn’t hold it back.
The clearly somber atmosphere was largely ruined by Old Luo’s “headbutting Arhat” move.
“Hiss~~”
Old Luo rubbed the bumped spot and kept sucking in cold air, but his face looked hopefully at him: “Master, why are you here?”
“Of course to pick you up and get you out.” Cao Weida signaled to the little devil who had come along with him. The little devil understood, took out the key, and opened the door.
He didn’t stop there, but kept opening one room after another.
“Old Luo, are you okay?” After Old Luo came out, Cao Weida hurriedly looked him up and down.
“I’m fine, I’m fine. Thanks for your concern, Master. They didn’t torture us; we’re all good.” Old Luo let out a big sigh of relief in his heart. Although he believed Cao Weida would come to rescue him, it was definitely different now that he was actually here.
This matter concerned his life and the lives of his comrades, after all.
Who knew if some unexpected change might occur?
For example, if the little devils went back on their word, or if Ono Shiota wasn’t a match for Goto Kenji, or something like that.
As long as things weren’t completely settled, no one knew what the final outcome would be.
But obviously, the result was good.
“Master, you’ve gone to so much trouble. I knew you wouldn’t abandon us.” As he spoke, he intentionally or unintentionally glanced at the comrade who had come out, whose face looked a bit embarrassed.
“I should be the one apologizing to you all. You suffered this undeserved disaster because of me. You’ve been through hardship.” Cao Weida grinned and said:
“We’ll head out later and go to Tai Feng Lou to give you a welcome banquet!”
“No, no, no, that’s too expensive.”
“Hey, that’s nothing. Just listen to me.” Without giving him a chance to argue, Cao Weida grabbed his sleeve and headed out. After just a couple of steps, he heard cries for help from the next cell:
“Cao Ye, Cao Ye!”
“Hm?” Cao Weida turned to look. A disheveled, filthy man had crawled to the cell bars and was looking at him with a face full of surprise.
“Who are you?”
“Cao Ye, it’s me, Jia Guangzheng! I’m the resident of the courtyard at 95 Nanluoguxiang. You saved me last time!”
“Ah? Jia Guangzheng?” Cao Weida was stunned. He walked a couple of steps closer for a better look. The man’s face, who knew how long since it had been washed, was pitch black with grime, and his matted hair was more outrageous than a kill-matt style. He looked for a long time but couldn’t recognize the original appearance.
Plus, he’d only seen the man once before, and that time he was also disheveled and filthy. How could he remember what he looked like?
Jia Guangzheng excitedly said: “Yes, yes, it’s me, Cao Ye. I’m Jia Guangzheng. My neighbor He Daqing, he even cooked for you!”
Cao Weida raised an eyebrow. “How do you know he cooked for me? I don’t remember telling you.”
“This…” Jia Guangzheng hemmed and hawed, unsure whether to say it. Considering his own life was at stake, he finally gritted his teeth and sold him out: “He Daqing said it himself. Before, when the police station came to search, they searched He Daqing’s home and wanted to get some benefits. He Daqing is a cook, as you know, and he had some grain stored at home.”
“Later, He Daqing said he knew you and had cooked for you. Those black skins—no, the bosses—those bosses said they remembered seeing him at your banquet, so they didn’t give him trouble.”
Cao Weida understood. To put it bluntly, He Daqing had just used his name to bluff and bully.
He didn’t mind that. As long as it wasn’t using his name to do evil, bluffing for self-preservation was understandable.
“Oh, alright then. So how did you end up getting caught here?”
He found it strange in his heart. Looking at Jia Guangzheng’s wretched state, if he hadn’t happened to come here, in a few more days, the man might have been done for.
Could it be some so-called heavenly intervention at work, insisting on turning Jia Zhangshi into a necromancer?
Jia Guangzheng looked embarrassed, tugged at his wounds, and immediately sucked in a breath of cold air. “I… I went to Bada Hutong for some business, fell asleep, and by the time I headed back, it was already dark.”
Cao Weida twitched the corner of his mouth. Going to Bada Hutong for “some business” my ass!
What else could it be but looking for miss?
“Then why not just stay there overnight? Why head back in the dark?”
“Cough cough… well, staying overnight there costs extra. I spent a lot last time, emptied my family fortune, and really have no extra money left.”
Great, so he had money for whoring but not for overnighting? Had to experience fast food culture, huh?
“So what do you want by shouting for me now?”
“Cao Ye, look, could you show some mercy and take me out too?” Jia Guangzheng pleaded with his eyes. “As long as you save me, I’ll work like an ox and horse for you in my next life.”
Cao Weida frowned. What ox or horse? What use would that be to him? Something practical would be best.
“Why didn’t your family come save you?”
Jia Guangzheng looked a bit guilty: “They don’t even know I’m locked up here… And besides, we really have no money at home.”
Got it, so it was about the payoff, huh?
Cao Weida rolled his eyes.
Normally, he wouldn’t bother with this nonsense. Knowing full well curfew was strictly enforced at night, yet he couldn’t control his dick and went out to fool around—that was purely asking for death!
It’s not like there wasn’t one at home. Sure, she was a bit old and maybe a bit loose, but a hole was a hole. No need to be picky.
But…
With a glance from the corner of his eye at Old Luo, he nodded and said: “Alright, but listen up—this is the last time. If you get caught again for pulling this shit, I won’t care.”
Jia Guangzheng was overjoyed. “Don’t worry, Cao Ye. Once I’m out, I’ll be cautious and discreet. Except for work, I definitely won’t step out the main gate or the second gate.”
What do you think you are, some noble young miss? Not stepping out the main gate or the second gate.
“Alright, alright, just remember what you said.” Too lazy to listen to his bullshit, he muttered a couple of words to the little devil. The little devil knew Cao Weida was a big shot now with deep connections, so he was naturally happy to do a favor.
After leaving the dungeon, Old Luo, back on solid ground, squinted his eyes at the intense sunlight, shielding them with his hand. Once he adjusted to the light, he sighed: “I guess I’ve walked through the gates of hell once, huh?”
Those mottled bloodstains in the basement were from their compatriots, some even their revolutionary comrades.
But now, they had either defected or long since sacrificed themselves.
Thinking of this, he felt a bit sad inside.
“Let’s go. The cars are arranged.” Cao Weida patted his shoulder and led the group of workers out of the Special Higher Police main gate.
From a distant corner, upon seeing Old Luo and the others come out, Zheng Chaoyang let out a huge sigh of relief, the worry in his eyes gone, and quietly left.
At the entrance, a row of rickshaws was lined up nearby. As soon as Cao Weida and the others came out, Wen San’er came running up obsequiously.
“Cao Ye, as per your instructions, I’ve called a total of ten rickshaws.”
It was quite a coincidence—Cao Weida had run into Wen San’er again on his way to the Special Higher Police. At the time, he was in a hurry to pick people up, so he had Wen San’er call ten rickshaws to the Special Higher Police, and he’d pay double the cost.
Wen San’er had wanted to cozy up to Cao Weida anyway. Forget double fare—even normal price, he’d be happy.
“You’ve been through hardship, San’er.” Cao Weida smiled at him. Wen San’er had a hard life, but to be fair, he was somewhat loyal. Though the loyalty was short-lived, it was still decent.
“What are you saying, Cao Ye? You’re too polite.” Wen San’er grinned until his eyes nearly disappeared. “So, Cao Ye, shall we get everyone loaded up?”
“Yeah. First, take them home to change clothes, then bring them to the Tai Feng Lou area.” His gaze turned to Old Luo: “Old Luo, I’ve arranged Tai Feng Lou. You’re more familiar with the workers, so you organize them when the time comes. I’ll head over shortly.”
“That works, but this is too expensive.” Old Luo felt a pang of heartache. Ten-plus people eating at Tai Feng Lou—how much would that cost? If it were him paying, he’d never splurge like that. Sending that money to the organization could feed a hundred or so people for three or four days.
Cao Weida’s gaze shifted to the limping Jia Guangzheng. “San’er, take him to the courtyard at 95 Nanluoguxiang. After dropping him off, you head to Tai Feng Lou too.”
Wen San’er’s eyes lit up. “Got it, Cao Ye. Don’t worry, I’ll get him there fast and steady!”
Cao Weida inwardly griped: Who asked you to go fast and steady? He wouldn’t get a single hair out of it—pure loss.
But thinking about how he’d made a good amount off him last time, he didn’t mind much. “Alright, sorry to trouble you. Go on.”
After seeing off Old Luo and the others, Cao Weida hurried to Scarface’s place.
By now, Scarface’s home was under lockdown—no one allowed in or out without permission.
Ono Shiota and Fujita Sosuke were all gathered in the courtyard, with Scarface and his wife’s corpses laid out in the center. The coroners were examining the two bodies.
A woman in her twenties was being held back at a distance, crying. She was clearly Scarface’s family.
Fujita Sosuke beckoned to the woman, and she was brought over.
“Madam, are you Scarface’s concubine?”
The woman nodded through her tears. “Taijun, you must help me find the killer. My man is dead—how am I supposed to live now? Waaah…”
Impatience showed on Fujita Sosuke’s face. He didn’t care whether Scarface lived or died. He snapped: “Shut up! No more crying! Answer what I ask, and nothing else!”
The woman’s crying stopped abruptly. She fearfully glanced at Fujita Sosuke, then quickly lowered her head, not daring to cry anymore, though her shoulders still shook.
She felt despair in her heart—not because she was heartbroken over Scarface’s death. She had no real feelings for him. She’d married him simply out of greed, wanting to live well off her decent looks.
The key was, with Scarface dead, who would save her brother?
Her parents were long dead, and her brother was the only male in the family. If something happened to him, their line would end.
Most crucially, when she got older, who could she rely on for support?
