“Boss, we finally got the rescue note delivered,” reported Cao Liu to Ke Yixiong on the second day of the Chinese New Year.

Damn it, that girl surnamed Xia was as stupid as a pig. To make the act more convincing, they even had to arrange for someone to pose as a customer. Even without having “Please Help Deliver This Message” written on her face, it took Xia Hongxia from before the New Year until after to finally hand the rescue note to Cao Liu’s planted helper.

Was this caution?

No, it was cowardice!

The people at the small salon only beat and starved her a little, and Xia Hongxia was already frightened. The salon people said that if all future “goods” were as manageable as Xia Hongxia, even plain-looking ones would do. Cao Liu had seen many fierce women before, but rarely one as cowardly as Xia Hongxia.

Ke Yixiong trimmed his nails with a small knife. “I don’t think Boss Du is in much of a hurry either.”

Du Zhaohui had offered a million-yuan reward last time, and no one had claimed it yet, making Boss Du’s reputation soar in Yang City’s underworld. If Du Zhaohui didn’t have so many bodyguards, such blatant flaunting of wealth would surely have made people want to kidnap him for ransom.

But this time, regarding the search for the Xia family members, Du Zhaohui merely sent word asking people in Yang City to keep an eye out. He hadn’t mentioned any reward amount. Ke Yixiong had picked up on Du Zhaohui’s true meaning – his previous show of concern for his bodyguards had all been an act. Well, Boss Du wasn’t entirely part of the underworld; having a reputation for loyalty was good but not essential.

If it were Ke Yixiong, and Cao Liu’s family went missing, he would help search for them. He saw Cao Liu not just as a subordinate but as a brother. Boss Du viewed his bodyguards as merely paid employees, so naturally his attitude was different.

“Boss, what do you suggest?” Cao Liu asked sheepishly, feeling embarrassed that his strategy hadn’t worked.

Ke Yixiong thought for a moment, unwilling to give up after all their preparation without making some money: “Let’s watch the situation and proceed with the original plan. Keep pressuring them, make Xia Dajun more anxious.”

If they couldn’t connect with Du Zhaohui, Ke Yixiong’s group would have to demand more money. The anxiety of having family missing for a day versus a month was different. They hoped this Xia Dajun truly cared about his family members – the brothers had been busy for quite a while, and at least everyone should get their share of the money.

…

Xia Ziyu wasn’t particularly concerned about whether her uncle’s family could be found. However, she was very concerned about Xia Dajun constantly spending money to find them.

She was confident that Du Zhaohui would value her, especially once her words were proven true in March. At that time, she would casually mention it to Du Zhaohui, speaking with absolute certainty:

“I’ve discussed the missing persons case with Boss Du, and he agreed to help. It’s not about how much money we spend; we need Boss Du’s help.”

Xia Dajun breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I’ll give you the money first. When are you going back?”

Unlike Grandmother Xia, Xia Ziyu was a university student. She had to return to her studies and couldn’t stay in Peng City indefinitely.

Although Xia Dajun was reluctant to part with his niece, who showed such care and understanding for him, he couldn’t hinder her future.

“In a few more days. Uncle, I’ll stay with you a while longer. You should focus on your rehabilitation and try to recover soon.”

Du Zhaohui wouldn’t need a disabled bodyguard, and Xia Ziyu hoped her uncle could be of help. Moved by her words, Xia Dajun gave her ten thousand yuan before she left Peng City.

Grandmother Xia was heartbroken. Although Xia Dajun could now give her spending money, he wouldn’t hand over all his earnings to her anymore.

Xia Dajun had indeed progressed. He gave money to Xia Ziyu because she was an educated university student. He couldn’t deny that Grandmother Xia was just a short-sighted village woman who would tightly hold onto any money given to her, refusing to spend a penny on others.

Working as Du Zhaohui’s bodyguard, Xia Dajun couldn’t embarrass the young master. The clothing expenses weren’t small, and there were other costs… If he needed to help fellow villagers, could he ask his mother for money? Grandmother Xia might give it!

Behind Xia Dajun’s back, Grandmother Xia called Xia Ziyu aside:

“Ziyu, you used to be so filial to grandmother-“

“Grandmother, I am and will always be most filial to you, but my parents need this money. If you and my uncle hadn’t caused trouble, Zhang’s shop wouldn’t have closed, and my father wouldn’t have gone to the provincial city where his hand got injured, right? Now that my Second Uncle is giving me money to open a shop, how could I possibly give that money to my Uncle? My parents will use it for legitimate business, while Uncle gambles it away. I heard he lost a lot of money playing cards in the village. You haven’t told Second Uncle about this, have you?”

Xia Ziyu’s sharp tongue left Grandmother Xia speechless.

How could she mention Hong Bing’s gambling debts in the village now? If Dajun got angry and refused to help find people, what would she do? Once they found Hong Bing, she could slowly get Dajun to help pay off his debts.

Wasn’t he earning three thousand a month?

It would be paid off in less than two months!

“Don’t tell your Second Uncle. Keep the money if you want it. You girl, you’ve grown distant from your grandmother.”

Sigh, she couldn’t rely on her eldest son’s family.

Even Xia Ziyu couldn’t be counted on.

Fortunately, Dajun was still filial.

Grandmother Xia wasn’t stupid; having just arrived in Peng City, why would she want to upset Dajun?

…

This rat-catching operation was much more difficult than the first one in Min Province.

The first operation had been lightning-fast, catching the smugglers completely off guard. This time, the smuggling boat was equipped with weapons of a notably higher caliber, showing the smuggling gang’s increasing boldness. Zhou Cheng’s team captured the boat but paid a heavy price.

Was the mission successful?

Yes, very successful – they seized the smuggling boat.

The full cargo and the captured smuggling gang members, both sellers and buyers, were all caught cleanly this time.

These smuggled goods, roughly estimated, were worth even more than those from the first operation in Min Province.

But the mission was also a failure.

Many team members were injured, with two seriously wounded.

What Zhou Cheng found most unacceptable was that Shi Kai… had sacrificed his life.

Zhou Cheng had pushed Majai to block the door, and the man had been shot several times by the smugglers’ accomplices. Zhou Cheng thought Majai was certainly dead. Who knew Majai had a grenade? They had already fought their way into the wheelhouse and dealt with the others. Majai was lying at Zhou Cheng’s feet when Shi Kai noticed Majai’s hand move. He instantly pushed Zhou Cheng away and threw himself on top of Majai.

With a deafening explosion, Shi Kai died instantly without leaving any last words, blown apart by the blast.

When the commanding chief brought people aboard to assess the situation, several men wept as they tried to piece together Shi Kai’s scattered limbs. Zhou Cheng stood there, feeling as if he were submerged in seawater.

The chief patted his shoulder:

“Zhou Cheng, this was an accident. Comrade Shi Kai’s sacrifice was honorable!”

Was it an accident?

Shi Kai had trusted him so much – why hadn’t he noticed something odd about that skinny smuggler?

Shi Kai had been wearing a bulletproof vest, but his neck was severed by the blast.

Zhou Cheng’s arm was still bleeding as he painfully raised it to salute Shi Kai’s remains – from now on, he would carry the weight of Shi Kai’s life on his back.