“Boss.”

“Boss is back.”

Cao Six tried to secretly hide the introduction letters on the table, but Ke Yixiong had already picked them up.

Human trafficking wasn’t a big deal to Ke Yixiong – he was in the underworld, not running a charity. Expecting high moral standards from him was impossible. He felt he wasn’t completely heartless since he managed to keep his men from killing people.

As for tricking people into forced labor, at worst the employers wouldn’t pay wages, but they’d still provide food and shelter – what more could they want?

Life wasn’t easy for anyone, including those in their line of work!

Looking at the introduction letters, Ke Yixiong understood why Cao Six didn’t want him to know.

“That happened so long ago. You think I still care?”

Ke Yixiong sneered. Cao Six sheepishly slapped his mouth, “I was being petty, not understanding Boss’s level!”

Ke Yixiong hadn’t completely forgotten Xia Xiaolan.

But now they had virtually no connection. During the National Day celebrations, when Xia Xiaolan appeared in close-up on television, Ke Yixiong knew they could never be together.

When she was just a pretty girl doing business in Yang City, Ke Yixiong thought that since he had some status around the train station, being friends wouldn’t be too much to ask – weren’t a gangster and a private business owner quite compatible?

But a beautiful Huaqing University student who appeared on TV would have to be crazy to associate with gangsters.

While Ke Yixiong didn’t know Xia Xiaolan’s current situation, Chen Xiliang was doing very well, beyond just running stalls and wholesale business – he was reportedly starting his clothing factory. Some said Chen Xiliang had at least a million in savings. Ke Yixiong thought this number was exaggerated, but he must have had several hundred thousand.

Since meeting Xia Xiaolan, Chen Xiliang has risen far above his wholesale vendor status. A year ago, Chen Xiliang wasn’t as wealthy as now.

Even if Ke Yixiong wanted to contact Xia Xiaolan, he had no opportunity. To save time, she now flew instead of taking trains, only briefly passing through Yang City’s Baiyun Airport before heading to Peng City. Ke Yixiong hadn’t run into her.

Thinking back to their dispute, he had truly been blinded by beauty.

“Follow the usual procedures, but no killing. Everything else is up to you.”

Ke Yixiong tossed down the introduction letters, uninterested. Xia was a common surname, and Yunan Province surely had many Xias. He hadn’t connected them to Xia Xiaolan.

Seeing the boss didn’t care, and personally hated anyone named Xia, Cao Six immediately served the Xia family drugged food that night – the Xias, always ready to take advantage, naturally wouldn’t refuse free food.

Though they were staying in a low, shabby building with poor conditions, Xia Hongbing urged their kind-hearted comrade while holding his bowl:

“Brother, help us get the Border Region Permit. When we find my second brother, we won’t forget your kindness. He’s making big money working for a Hong Kong boss!”

You can’t expect a horse to run without feeding it hay.

Old Mrs. Xia was too stingy to pay for lodging. Xia Hongbing, having mixed with gamblers, was quite smooth and knew kind words cost nothing, using them now to placate their helper.

While the drugged food hadn’t yet taken effect, Cao Six’s subordinate played along:

“Friends help each other on the road. Mutual assistance is natural – mentioning rewards is too formal.”

There would be no chance for rewards. Once the drug took effect and they woke up, they’d be forced to work for their buyers. The young one might fetch a good price – though plain-looking, she was young.

Xia Hongbing grew urgent, “Really, my second brother works for Hong Kong’s Boss Du in Peng City. The messenger said something about Sheng Rong Group…”

“Hongbing, come here!” Old Mrs. Xia called from inside.

Xia Hongbing ran in.

Old Mrs. Xia complained, “Stop talking carelessly outside.”

Were they stupid? Free help wasn’t good enough? They had to keep mentioning rewards. Old Mrs. Xia hadn’t even seen Xia Dajun’s earnings but already considered that money hers, painful to share even a bit.

Someone was foolishly helping them with the “Border Region Permit” without asking for money, yet Xia Hongbing volunteered empty promises, naturally making Old Mrs. Xia anxious.

Cao Six’s subordinate listened through the door crack as mother and son argued, almost laughing.

Damn, selling such people wouldn’t weigh on anyone’s conscience. What kind of people were they, always trying to take advantage of? They deserved to be scammed!

Inside, Xia Hongxia belched, “Dad, Grandmother, stop arguing. Why do I feel dizzy?”

Once she mentioned it, the other three also felt sleepy.

Wang Jingui’s eyelids grew heavy. As soon as she closed her eyes, she began snoring loudly.

After about ten minutes, Cao Six walked into the small courtyard.

“All unconscious?”

“Yes, Brother Six, all passed out.”

Cao Six’s subordinate eagerly opened the door and kicked each person – none woke up. The drug was potent; they wouldn’t wake for several hours.

The crooked-faced old woman was most annoying. The subordinate wanted to kick her a few times to vent but, seeing her age, feared accidentally killing her.

“Brother Six, what about the old one?”

“Take her to the suburbs, dump her in some village. She probably won’t starve. You know what to do with the other three – the buyers are already lined up.”

The subordinate snickered. Dumping such an old woman in a village – even without identification papers, kind villagers would feed her. By the time she found her way back to Yang City, who knows how long it would be. These outsiders couldn’t distinguish Yang City’s streets, and the illiterate old woman wouldn’t find this place again.

“Brother Six is so kind-hearted! Hehe, earlier that man was bragging, and the old woman argued with him. They talked about finding Hong Kong’s Boss Du of Sheng Rong Group in Peng City…”

They were better at bragging than con artists.

Cao Six initially wanted his subordinate to stop talking and get to work. The people were already being loaded into the car when he realized Sheng Rong Group sounded familiar.

“Which Sheng Rong Group? The Hong Kong businessman offering the million-yuan reward? Wait, don’t send them away yet!”

Cao Six was usually quite cautious.

Ke Yixiong’s gang had avoided trouble because they didn’t kill people and didn’t mess with those they couldn’t afford to offend.

When Du Zhaohui was ambushed on his way to the airport, several attackers died on the spot, but some escaped. Since the police hadn’t caught them for so long, Du Zhaohui privately offered a reward – substantial money for bringing him live captives.

The total reward reached a million yuan – who in Yang City’s underworld wouldn’t be tempted? Not only could Cao Six not produce over a million, but even Boss Ke Yixiong couldn’t. Their business was truly small-time.

Cao Six reported up: “Boss, even if we sold Sheng Rong Group’s people, no one would know, but couldn’t we extract some money from Boss Du?”

Ke Yixiong looked at him like he was an idiot. “How could some farmers from another province have connections to a Hong Kong boss? Even if there was a connection, it would be marginal – why would Boss Du pay the ransom?”

Ke Yixiong didn’t want to risk it.

Someone who could offer a million yuan reward to catch people wasn’t someone to mess with. Ke Yixiong had heard the Hong Kong Du family came from a triad background. Trying to scam them – Ke Yixiong feared they’d bite off more than they could chew.