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[Blue Star Calendar, July 18, 2010]
[Gregorian Calendar, Sunday]
[Summer Calendar, Gengyin Year, Sixth Month, Seventh Day. Auspicious for praying for blessings, auspicious for relocation]
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[Area 14121]
In front of the internet cafe, a man looked at the tightly locked, closed door and scratched his head in confusion, "If I remember right, before closing for a break, Wang Defa's internet cafe would usually post a notice three days in advance. Today's still Sunday, the busiest day of the week, and it's closed without any warning? Forget it, I'll come back and take a look tomorrow."
After muttering a couple of lines, the man confirmed that no one around was paying attention to him, then quickly left.
Inside the warehouse next to the internet cafe were Wang Defa's whole family, and also a tall, big built man wearing a gray, worn hoodie.
Thunk! Thunk!
The burly man sitting across from Wang Defa had his head lowered. One hand pressed on the leather case at his waist, while the other stabbed a knife into the table, then pulled it out, then stabbed it in again, producing a rhythm that wasn't very regular.
"Mom… what's wrong with Uncle She today? I'm scared…"
Wang Defa's daughter whispered softly, her timid gaze falling on the big man.
The son lying in his wife's arms was crying loudly, wailing nonstop.
Wang Defa's wife tightly hugged both children to her chest, staring at the big man with a face full of fear.
Wang Defa stood in front of his wife and children, shielding them, his eyes fixed sorrowfully on the burly man in front of him.
Cold sweat streamed down Wang Defa's forehead, slipping past the corners of his slightly twitching mouth and disappearing into his thick, messy beard.
Wang Defa asked in a trembling voice, "Old Snake… is there really no room to talk this over?"
Thunk! Thunk!
The tall man continued his mechanical motion, silently shaking his head.
Wang Defa's eyes were bloodshot, "Old Snake! We've known each other for more than ten years! You really can't give me a way out?"
Then his hoarse voice sounded, "A-Fa, you know the rules. You took the boss's money, but you didn't tell the boss everything. The day you made that choice, you should have expected today's outcome."
"I—"
"A-Fa, those two silver coins, you shouldn't have spent them."
After hearing this, Wang Defa clenched his teeth, helpless beyond words, "I have to feed my family too! The internet cafe business keeps getting worse. I can't even afford the electricity bill anymore, and the boss refuses to give me money. What was I supposed to do? What was I supposed to do?"
"A-Fa, at this point, it's useless no matter what you say."
Wang Defa closed his eyes in despair.
He really wanted to give up.
This period of time, he had been far too tired.
After sending off Qin Siyang, who was both a god of wealth and a bringer of disaster, he hadn't planned to use those two silver coins. He wanted to keep them as a last lifeline for his children.
But for some reason, recently, Area 14121 had become far more turbulent than before.
District Chief Pan Youguang was taken away by the military, the former director of the Administration Bureau Feng Shouben was killed, the internally appointed director of the Education Office Zhou Xing was killed, and the successor director of the Administration Bureau Qian Wenzhao was transferred away.
The frequent reshuffling and bloodletting among upper level officials made many people believe that this area was no longer a quiet, stable fringe district. As a result, fewer people came to his internet cafe to do business.
With fewer customers, the boss received less information and offerings, and Wang Defa was left out in the cold.
Even so, the boss still refused to let Wang Defa close the internet cafe, and harshly demanded that he be responsible for his own profits and losses.
Gradually, Wang Defa's income couldn't cover his expenses. Left with no choice, he used the silver coins Qin Siyang had given him.
A large sum of money with an unknown source made the boss realize that he might have taken on "private work."
The work Wang Defa did required absolute loyalty and secrecy. Since Wang Defa wanted to eat from both sides, the boss had Old Snake finish him off.
Wang Defa was utterly exhausted in body and mind. He really wanted to just accept death, but he couldn't.
Because behind him was still his family.
"Fack your goddamn rules! After the apocalypse, what rules are there left to talk about? It's nothing but killing the donkey once it's done pulling the mill! Old Snake, if following the rules means taking my life, I accept it. But why the Fack did you bring my wife and kids here? What does that mean? According to the rules, punishment doesn't extend to family! If you won't let me live, at least let my wife and children live! They're innocent!"
Thunk! Thunk!
After hearing this, Old Snake sighed again. "A-Fa, you should know that the one who wants to kill your wife and children isn't me."
"I know! But didn't you just talk to me about rules? The one who said killing me was to establish the rules is him, and the one who said wiping out my entire family wouldn't break the rules is also him! He's a facking mongrel bastard!"
Perhaps feeling guilty, Old Snake continued fiddling with the knife in his hand, not lifting his head to look at Wang Defa.
Wang Defa excitedly pointed behind him at his family, "You've held my daughter and my son before! You've even played with them! I'm begging you, let them go! They really don't know anything! I've never talked about work at home!"
Wang Defa stepped forward and grabbed Old Snake's wrist, hard as an iron barrel, his face twisted as he said, "Old Snake, show some mercy! Spare my family! I'll leave a suicide note and have A-Zhong and A-You give you a generous reward, alright?"
Old Snake finally raised his head, looking at Wang Defa with a complicated expression full of sympathy. His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he stopped himself.
Thunk! Thunk!
He lowered his head again and continued fiddling with the knife.
Old Snake was a cold blooded killer. Having known him for many years, Wang Defa had hardly ever seen changes in his expression.
That brief glance just now let him see a look on Old Snake's face he had never seen before.
It was genuine remorse toward an old friend, and pity.
Wang Defa's gaze shifted from anger to confusion, and then to overwhelming shock.
His hand clamped tightly around Old Snake's wrist, trembling violently, "Old Snake… A-Zhong and A-You too, they're going to die as well?"
Old Snake kept his head down, playing with the knife, saying nothing.
Wang Defa snatched the knife from Old Snake's hand, "Old Snake! What the Fack kind of rule is this now? A-Zhong and A-You have never even been to my internet cafe! Why do they have to die too? Do you really not have even a shred of humanity?"
Old Snake looked despondent. One hand still pressed on the leather case at his waist, while the other pointed out the window, "A-Fa, there are people watching me outside. I'm sorry."
"When the boss does things, there are never any leaks."
Wang Defa released Old Snake's wrist. The knife he had just grabbed fell to the ground as well. He staggered back two steps, wearing a bitter smile, "If that's the case, then why haven't you made your move yet?"
"I'm waiting for you."
"Waiting for what?"
Old Snake picked up the knife, his gaze deep, yet filled with implication, "A-Fa, didn't you say the silver coins were payment Qin Siyang gave you? If you can prove that the silver coins were given to you by Qin Siyang, then everything, everything will be different. Do you understand what I mean?"
"You mean… for me to find him?"
After hearing this, Wang Defa's wife immediately shouted, "Wang Defa! I heard Qin Siyang is incredibly powerful now! Hurry and contact him, have him save us!"
"If I could find him, would I have fallen to this point?", Wang Defa said dully, "He changed his phone, doesn't reply to forum messages. I've completely lost contact with him…"
Ding! Ding! Ding!
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