Chapter 49: Bing Ye, We’ve Found The Killer
“I went to dentistry, what do you want to eat in the evening?” Huang Meizhen pushed open the bedroom door.
“Anything is fine!” Chen Wuhong hurriedly put away the pornographic magazine and said perfunctorily.
“Then stew chicken in the evening, drink more chicken soup, it’ll make the body recover faster!” Huang Meizhen said with a gentle smile, then picked up the lunchbox and went out.
As soon as she left, Chen Wuhong’s thoughts came alive.
He had stayed at home for over a month, and his whole body was itching.
Mom brought lunch to dentistry every noon, usually helped out at dentistry in the afternoon, and came back with groceries in the evening.
She wouldn’t return until at least five o’clock.
Once his thoughts came alive, Chen Wuhong felt like a bunch of ants were crawling in his stomach, unbearably itchy.
He simply put on his clothes and took out a thousand bucks from under the bed.
“Play a little, then I’ll come back.”
As soon as Chen Wuhong went out on his crutch, he felt the weather had already started to cool.
It was already early January, daytime temperatures only in the teens.
Over this past month, he felt like he was cut off from the world.
But Chen Wuhong didn’t feel cold; his heart was filled only with urgency now.
“Haven’t gambled in so long, my luck must be super hot!”
Not far downstairs from Chen Wujun’s home, at the mouth of an alley, two henchmen were smoking.
“How long do we have to wait? Nothing to do every day here, is that guy dead? Hasn’t come out for so long.” One henchman complained irritably; both had been waiting here for ten days, just squatting every day.
“Don’t talk nonsense! Heard Brother Jun has a gambler big brother, probably him.” The other henchman reminded.
“I didn’t say anything about Brother Jun!” The first henchman said grudgingly, glanced into the alley, and upon seeing Chen Wuhong on crutches, quickly elbowed his companion.
“Hey, is that cripple him?”
The other henchman perked up at the words and took out the photograph from his pocket.
“It’s him!”
The two henchmen were a bit excited now; after waiting so long, they finally saw the target.
“Which leg do we hit?”
“His right leg is broken, hit the left leg!”
The two henchmen crouched at the alley mouth watching Chen Wuhong limp past on his crutch, then grabbed arm-thick wooden planks from behind, exchanged a glance, and quickly walked over.
Chen Wuhong heard a sound behind him and was just turning back when someone pushed him to the ground, his crutch flung aside.
After pushing him down, the two henchmen cursed loudly: “Fuck, a dead cripple dares to hit on my boss’s wife!”
“Today I’ll break your other leg.”
“Big brothers, you got the wrong guy, ah—!” After falling, Chen Wuhong heard the cursing, was instantly scared out of his wits, and hurriedly explained.
But before he could finish explaining, the two swung the wooden planks at his leg.
“Ah! Big brothers, big brothers, you really got the wrong guy!” Chen Wuhong rolled on the ground hugging his leg in pain.
“Wrong my ass!” One of the henchmen smashed another stick on Chen Wuhong’s leg.
Then glanced at Chen Wuhong’s face: “Wait, seems like we really hit the wrong guy?”
“Wrong my ass! It’s him!” The other henchman was still swinging the wooden stick down.
“No, that guy has a mole on his chin, he doesn’t!”
“Huh? Now that you say it, seems we really hit the wrong one… Well, tough luck for him! Serves him right, who let him look so much like that bastard!” The two henchmen discussed as they turned and walked back, disappearing in moments.
Leaving Chen Wuhong on the ground, face pale with pain, sweat pouring from his forehead, waving his crutch in the air, cursing loudly:
“Fuck your mothers! You bastards go die!”
……
In the warehouse, Chen Wujun practiced mud treading step in the sand pit, but his thoughts drifted away.
Walking in this knee-high sand pit had almost become instinct, his body naturally sensing the flow direction of the sand.
“Tiger Descends Mountain stance always stirs up one’s bloodthirsty and battle desires; luckily it only affects the most the first time, or it’d be uncomfortable not to find someone to fight.”
“Later practices still have influence, but far less than the first time.”
“Also, my physique has been getting more robust lately; family has asked me about it several times.”
“No way around it; people with great strength definitely have strong bodies. The more developed the muscles, the greater the strength. Those new technique martial artists are all covered in muscle too…”
While pondering, the mobile phone in the clothes by the sand pit rang.
Chen Wujun leaped out of the sand pit, sand cascading from his feet.
Not many people knew his mobile number; calls usually meant business.
“Brother Jun, it’s Ah Fei.”
“What’s up?”
“The task you assigned is done! The guy you said to break the leg—our guys saw the target today and broke his good leg.” Ah Fei recounted the matter.
“Got it!”
“How’s the gambling den lately?” Chen Wujun asked.
It had been a week since he last went to the gambling den; he figured things should be picking up there.
“Brother Jun, your idea is genius! The place has been getting busier these two days; gamblers from other spots are coming too! Yesterday’s rake alone was over 7000 bucks!” Ah Fei gave a thumbs up on the other end of the phone and said loudly.
Even though Chen Wujun couldn’t see it.
Ever since moving the job posting board over, workers looking for jobs started gathering near the casino.
Plenty of them were gamblers.
With low-stakes tables in the place, workers started playing small, then word of the voucher returns spread.
What were vouchers? Money.
Though not cashable, they were hope for these gamblers to recoup investment.
They weren’t handing out vouchers; they were handing out hope!
As word spread, more and more guests filled the place.
Ah Fei figured in a few more days, the gambling den’s daily rake could hit 10,000 bucks.
If Chen Wujun just had backing and could fight, that’d be one thing.
But knowing the gambling den’s situation, one brainstorm and an idea pops out, the place booms immediately—that’s what impressed Ah Fei.
Not just him; even the henchmen in the place admired it.
After all, good business meant benefits for them too.
“Good as long as the place is lively!” Chen Wujun smiled. “Notify me if anything comes up.”
After hanging up, Chen Wujun swung a fist.
“I’m indeed a business genius!”
This gambling den business wasn’t just his monthly income; it tied to hearts and face.
With the gambling den dead under him every day, what would others think, how would they see him?
Not even mentioning outsiders, even his own henchmen lacked spirit daily.
Now with the gambling den issue solved, his mind was at ease.
“But Eldest Son really can’t change his nature; leg not even fully healed and he’s off to gamble again. This time it’ll keep him bedridden at home for one or two months at least.”
“When he’s almost better, arrange for someone to break his leg again.”
Chen Wujun thought this was pretty good.
Eldest Son wouldn’t owe a buttload of loan shark debt anymore; he could stay home every day respecting parents, reading books, watching television.
Everyone would be happy.
The gate pushed open; Zhou Qing walked in from outside.
“Master!” Chen Wujun immediately tossed the mobile phone aside and hurried over.
Zhou Qing sized up Chen Wujun’s build and knew he’d put in hard work these days.
With Zhou Qing’s sharp eyes, he could spot any change in Chen Wujun instantly.
Now Chen Wujun’s upper body was gradually taking crane form, lats widening, while waist and legs were broader and thicker than before.
Changes from the crane form and tiger form stances.
“Today I’ll teach you Spirit Monkey Hangs Beam. This stance is based on Tong Bei Quan’s ‘ape form’, incorporating Taiji’s hanging top power; it stretches tendons and draws out power, force through four extremities. Master this stance, and you’ve mastered the upper level of body tempering kung fu.”
Chen Wujun’s eyes lit up with undisguised anticipation.
‘As I thought, heavy and light, hard and soft! Master these four stances, and the kung fu is in place. Next is water-grinding kung fu!’
Though called water-grinding kung fu, Chen Wujun felt his progress was still quite fast.
Since starting martial arts practice, his kung fu had advanced rapidly.
Faster than those practicing new technique.
He never quite understood why those people couldn’t learn it, why so few learned old technique.
……
At a teahouse outside the Walled City, Bing Ye placed a bag on the table.
“Uncle Wu, this is yours for the month! Two million total, count it!”
“I told you early on you don’t need to do this; I’m just here to drink tea and chat with you. After so many years of friendship, our relationship isn’t about money anymore.” The man called Uncle Wu wore a suit, about the same age as Bing Ye.
Moments later, Bing Ye personally escorted Uncle Wu downstairs with his men.
Bing Ye’s henchmen were all deferential too; everyone knew Uncle Wu was Bing Ye’s major backer back in the day.
It was Uncle Wu who put up the money back then, providing Bing Ye startup capital to break through.
Over the years, Bing Ye respected Uncle Wu the most.
Even after giving Uncle Wu dozens or hundreds of times return over the years, Uncle Wu said no more dividends needed.
Yet Bing Ye still sent Uncle Wu dividends every month per the original split.
After Uncle Wu left, Bing Ye prepared to leave the teahouse too.
A henchman hurried to his side: “Bing Ye, we found out!”
“Found out who in the Walled City did it!”
“Who is it? Where is he?” Bing Ye whipped his head around, eyes chillingly cold.
Brothers, monthly ticket please!
