Chapter 115: Crashing the Party

After some flirtatious banter, unconstrained by propriety, Yuan Xiaoying once again cautioned him. She noted that the city's political landscape was currently volatile and unpredictable; given his skills, he must not let himself degenerate due to a moment of indulgence. After all, he was now, in every sense, a member of a high-ranking official’s family—a genuine brother-in-law to the police.

"Although she didn't say it outright, I can tell from her tone that she must have caught wind of something regarding the city's underworld," Liu Jingye mused. "With the fall of the Huangchao Syndicate, some major power is surely looking to move in. This city isn't just about a booming tourism industry; it has cargo ports, lucrative maritime resources, and countless high-end venues and nightclubs. In short, it’s a massive piece of fat, and every wolf and pig in the region is eyeing it, hoping for a taste."

Yuan Xiaoying knew that with Liu Jingye’s background and combat prowess, he would never be content managing a small countryside inn. Coupled with his meddlesome nature, he would easily be drawn into the storm. If that happened, it would put her, as the local police station chief, in a very difficult position.

Unfortunately, her concern and warning came too late. No sooner had she hung up than a call came in from the gang’s boss, Lin Shengnan.

The message was simple: "Get out here!"

Curious, Liu Jingye walked outside to see a beat-up red Santana parked at the curb, looking like an old taxi retired over twenty years ago. It was the standard-issue vehicle for low-level thugs, right alongside the rusted-out minivan.

Erniu was at the wheel, and Lin Shengnan sat in the passenger seat. She rolled down the window and jerked her head, signaling him to get in. Liu Jingye ignored her, walked straight to the driver’s side, and unceremoniously tossed Erniu into the backseat.

"This wreck is perfect—no need to worry about scratches or dents, and the streets are empty in this downpour," Liu Jingye thought excitedly. "I didn't get enough of a thrill driving Yuan Xiaoying's police cruiser earlier."

He sat in the driver’s seat, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. He shifted gears, flicked the turn signal, and took off.

As the car cruised along, Liu Jingye asked Lin Shengnan smugly, "Well? My driving skills aren't half bad, are they?"

Lin Shengnan looked at him, bewildered, failing to see what there was to brag about. He continued, dissatisfied, "It’s just a shame this piece of junk doesn't do my driving justice. This old clunker has no power and it's rattling like crazy. We should buy a decent car; we can't be stingy with money—it’s bad for our reputation."

As he spoke, he hammered the accelerator. The car shuddered, and the engine let out a strange, agonizing roar. Erniu poked his head forward from the backseat, looking awkward. "Big Brother, it’s not that the car lacks power or is making noise... it’s just that you’ve been driving in first gear the whole time."

Liu Jingye was instantly mortified. Lin Shengnan let out a snort of laughter from the passenger seat. He hurriedly tried to shift gears, only to have the engine stall out completely.

Furious, Liu Jingye jumped out of the car and shoved Erniu back into the driver's seat, bluffing, "Does someone of my status really need to drive himself? Why else would I have you lackeys?"

Erniu stifled a laugh, while Lin Shengnan didn't hold back, laughing until she was doubled over. Liu Jingye’s face flushed red. As an all-around talent, driving remained his lifelong pain. He really needed to find time to go to a driving school, but he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself from shooting the corrupt instructors who demanded bribes.

"Alright, alright, enough laughing. What exactly do you need me for?" Liu Jingye asked, feeling awkward. Still, it was the first time he had seen Lin Shengnan laugh so radiantly; she was truly beautiful.

Lin Shengnan composed herself to save him some face in front of the underlings. She said seriously, "I just got a call from 'Brother Xian.' He wants to meet up for a chat. His tone didn't sound friendly, though. I suspect he’s annoyed that our job today failed and that we walked away with a hundred-thousand-yuan deposit, and now he wants a piece of the pie."

"By the way, what exactly did you guys do today?" Liu Jingye asked.

Erniu chimed in, "We didn't do anything. We planned to follow the original scheme and circle the scene in four cars, but as soon as we arrived, we saw police swarming the area. We didn't dare tempt fate, so we took off."

Liu Jingye chuckled to himself. That must have been the result of Yuan Xiaoying’s advance report. She could have easily apprehended Huang Guangzong, but her greed for glory had caused unnecessary trouble. Still, he had spanked her for it, along with some "extra punishment," so he trusted she had learned her lesson. If she did it again, he would just have to "punish" her some more.

"I never imagined Huang Guangzong would actually try to hijack the prison transport, only to be gunned down by the police on the spot," Lin Shengnan said. "We made that hundred thousand way too easily. Now that the client is dead and Brother Xian can't get his cut, he’s targeting us."

"We might still need someone like him in the future. If he’s smart enough to know his place, giving him a small commission isn't out of the question," Liu Jingye remarked. In the underworld, connections and first-hand intelligence were everything, which was exactly how people like Brother Xian survived.

"However, he doesn't seem to be coming with good intentions. It’s not just about the money; he wants to intimidate us. It’s a classic case of 'courtesy before force,'" Lin Shengnan said. "He told me he’s bringing a few friends to check out our turf. They’re currently at the bathhouse, and Hu Ming is trying to entertain them. I'm afraid they’ll cause trouble, so I brought you along to take a look."

Liu Jingye nodded. It felt natural, as if he were already a core member of this small gang, and providing support was simply his duty. Having Lin Shengnan come to fetch him felt as domestic as a wife calling her husband to tend the fields.

Lin Shengnan looked calm, as if she had forgotten the goodnight kiss from their last encounter. He couldn't tell if she had gone to the pharmacy to buy arsenic yet.

Erniu drove quickly, and the car no longer rattled—because he actually knew how to shift gears.

They arrived at the bathhouse. Business was booming on such a rainy day, and the parking lot was packed. Two dilapidated minivans, looking like scrap metal, stood out among the other cars. Liu Jingye laughed immediately, "Looks like there are people doing even worse than us, but there's quite a crowd of them."

He walked behind one of the minivans and took a look; there were wooden clubs and steel pipes tucked under the seats—the standard kit for low-level thugs.

Lin Shengnan led the way to the second floor. The first floor was the bathing area, the second was the lounge and buffet, and the floors above were for "special services."

Before they even entered, the lobby manager approached them, looking terrified. "Sister Nan, a group of over twenty people arrived earlier. They claim to be your friends. Brother Ming is entertaining them, but they’ve been eating, drinking, and ordering girls, and now they’re saying you should foot the bill. What do you think?"

"Just as I thought—trouble," Lin Shengnan’s face darkened. She told the manager, "I'll handle this. Have the staff and other customers leave for now."

The manager obeyed immediately. Lin Shengnan turned to Liu Jingye, who was wearing a faint smile. "So, I can just put this consumption on your tab?"

Lin Shengnan sneered, "I can even scrub your back myself!"

Looking at the boss's sinister grin, Liu Jingye suspected she might use sandpaper to scrub his back, so he quickly pointed toward the dining area. "Let's focus on the business at hand."

Lin Shengnan huffed and led the way in. Although Liu Jingye admitted to himself that he had joined this small gang, he remained composed and intentionally kept a low profile. First, he didn't want to steal the spotlight from Lin Shengnan, who was the boss and the one in charge; second, he didn't want to be too conspicuous.

The buffet area was large and well-stocked, but it was nearly empty; after all, people didn't come here for the food.

As soon as they entered, they saw Brother Xian sitting by the window, eating fried chicken and drinking beer while watching the rain, likely daydreaming about his lover in outer space.

"Brother Xian, you're here! My apologies for the lack of hospitality," Lin Shengnan said, taking the initiative to welcome him. "Hey, where’s Hu Ming? Why isn't he looking after you? How rude."

Brother Xian stood up, wearing a friendly smile. People like him, who were like universal lubricants, survived on their connections and usually avoided offending others.

"Sister Nan, you're too kind. I’m the one who should apologize for barging in and eating and drinking for free," Brother Xian said politely. "As for Brother Hu Ming, he’s looking after my friends. They just returned from out of town, and I wanted to welcome them back properly, so I brought them to your place to show some support."

Lin Shengnan’s expression didn't change, but she was grinding her teeth inwardly. *Support, my foot—he’s charging the bill to my account.*

"Who the hell do you think you are, trying to demand money from my boss?" Just then, a shout came from the doorway, followed by two sharp slaps. A figure stumbled into the room—it was Hu Ming.

Hu Ming stood up, his face burning with rage, his fists clenched tight. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and the marks of a slap were clearly visible on his cheek.

Two shirtless men wrapped in bath towels walked in, looking mockingly at his clenched fists. "What’s the meaning of this? You want to fight us?"

As they spoke, a crowd of more than twenty men surged in behind them. They were all shirtless, wrapped in bath towels, and covered in colorful tattoos of crabs and mantis shrimp—like a grotesque art gallery. They were young, the oldest barely over twenty, the youngest only seventeen or eighteen. They had a raw, reckless edge to them, but lacked the seasoned ruthlessness of true gangsters.

"Hu Ming, come here," Lin Shengnan said, worried he would suffer further.

Hu Ming turned, saw his people, and felt a surge of grievance. His anger flared up, and seeing Liu Jingye gave him a sense of security.

"Boss, Brother..." Hu Ming said, covering his face.

Liu Jingye nodded, and Lin Shengnan signaled him to stay quiet. The situation was now crystal clear.

Brother Xian had brought this crowd here. He claimed he was there to "show support," but he was really there to smash the place. He had racked up a huge bill on her tab to test her reaction, then had his men beat Hu Ming to apply pressure, all to probe their strength before attempting to extort them.

The underworld was governed by the law of the jungle, and "black eating black" was common. In the past, even the smaller gangs had to pay protection money to the Huangchao Syndicate.

Truth be told, Lin Shengnan and her group couldn't handle these twenty-plus men. If they fought, it would be a desperate struggle with little chance of victory. But their side had the biggest wild card of all: Liu Jingye.