Qingmu, Yuris, and all these people before him were mercenaries.
And this had to do with the situation in the Philippines.
According to statistics, the continuous conflicts between anti-government armed forces and the government in the Philippines have led to long-term political instability, especially in the southern island of Mindanao. Kidnappings, armed conflicts, and extremist incidents were frequent. Although there had been recent improvements, as recently as early 2015, the Korean government had issued a special travel warning for the region.
So it was even worse during the years Luo Ren was there. Rules and order were completely thrown to the wind. The pearl-like islands surrounded by azure waters had become the “most dangerous tourist destination” in the eyes of international tourism organizations, as well as a breeding ground and paradise for speculators, adventurers, and all kinds of evil.
Kidnappings targeting the wealthy and foreign tourists were rampant, often demanding ransoms of tens of millions of dollars. The enormous profits attracted more forces equipped with modern weapons. According to some reports, even police personnel were involved in many kidnapping cases, taking a share of the profits.
Thus, private armed groups like the one Luo Ren later joined came into being.
He explained to Mu Dai: “Mercenaries aren’t just cold-blooded killing machines as most people think. The word ‘mercenary’ indicates that it’s a business relationship.”
These private armed groups that fought against kidnapping gangs were like unofficial police departments. Although they also charged high fees, they became a lifeline that people were more willing to trust in the uncontrollable current.
Luo Ren mocked himself: “There’s a saying: ‘High ambitions, but low status.’ I always had certain principles, which, honestly, were just me being pretentious. For instance, in underground fighting, even though I was already doing it, I always tried not to be too ruthless, fooling myself by thinking I was leaving some leeway for myself and others. And as a mercenary, while risking my life for money like everyone else, I hoped that the money I earned could bring me some peace of mind…”
Mu Dai said, “Maybe that’s what Qingmu and the others saw in you.”
Luo Ren thought for a moment, then nodded: “Perhaps.”
In their line of work, death and injury were inevitable. Qingmu and Yuris went to the underground fighting arena to scout for new blood for their boss.
In their circle, there was a popular saying: The strongest combat techniques in the world don’t come from competition champions or heroes, but from those emotionless machines in the black market who possess extraordinary killing skills with bare hands.
So, before meeting Luo Ren, the two of them, along with other brothers, had already spent some time wandering through Mindanao’s underground arenas, critically rejecting one person after another.
Yuri’s reason for rejection was usually: “Not as handsome as me.”
While Qingmu would say, “This person has no soul.”
Yuris snorted at Qingmu’s tone: This Japanese man who liked to talk about Zen was practically an artistic man when not armed. In his leisure time, he either played with his ukulele or recited some inexplicable sentences.
For example: “Old pond, frog jumps in, splash.”
Yuris didn’t know it was Matsuo Basho’s famous verse and thought it was stating the obvious: of course, there would be a splash when jumping in, because frogs can swim, unlike himself, who would flail about wildly when jumping in for fear of drowning.
So, getting these two to agree on something was difficult.
Later, Qingmu said to Luo Ren, “Luo, I think you’re a person with principles. No matter what we do, no matter how bad our circumstances are, principles remind us that we’re still human—you’re different from them. They’re money-making machines; you’re a money-making human.”
In the roaring fighting arena, Qingmu asked Yuris to pay attention to Luo Ren.
Yuris, with his colorful headscarf like an Indian girl in a sari, twirled his pocket monocular, a lollipop in his mouth, as he judged Luo Ren: “Asian, yellow skin, he doesn’t have dark, shiny muscles full of masculine power like mine…”
In the arena, the Thai boxer delivered a heavy punch, and Luo Ren fell heavily.
Qingmu became anxious: “Yuris!”
Yuris grinned at him, showing teeth as white as light: “We agreed, if he’s not as handsome as me, he can’t pass…”
Before he could finish, he suddenly lifted his headscarf, revealing a gun barrel pointing outward. Before Qingmu could react, ta-ta gunshots rang out. Yuris made strange calls, whistling, excited beyond measure…
Mu Dai laughed. She liked Yuris’s mischievous and unrestrained nature.
“Did they both rescue you?”
Luo Ren nodded, then shook his head: “It wasn’t that simple. Later, the boss of the private armed force stepped in—the arena owner certainly didn’t want to offend him, but regardless, he would show respect to someone with armed forces.”
He didn’t continue. The meeting between these two behind-the-scenes figures wasn’t just for him but also led to a series of investments, collaborations, blood transfusions, and amateur competitions. Capital and capital are naturally intimate partners who fall in love at first sight.
What happened next was natural: joining mercenary training, armed combat, and confronting various kidnapping forces at the request of clients. Money came like a tide. It’s no exaggeration to say that the bed was piled with boxes of cash underneath. Once, he and Yuris argued over something, and they threw money boxes at each other. Suddenly, one box broke open, and American dollars, green bills, fell like snowflakes.
Both instantly forgot what they were arguing about. Life was so wonderful—it was raining money. What could be more satisfying?
And Qingmu, leaning against the doorframe with a bowl of meat soup, watching the battle, still couldn’t help but recite his haiku: “Under the tree, meat strips, vegetable soup, cherry blossom petals falling…”
…
Luo Ren’s eyes suddenly grew hot.
Yuris was gone now. This man, who had emptied a magazine of bullets for him, generously given him his pocket monocular, and fought with him over money boxes, on a quiet afternoon, floated silently in the swimming pool, blood spreading from around his body, blooming into a blood-colored, ferocious rose.
Inevitably, continuous successes offend many people. One side’s gain is another’s loss, and the most brutal and troublesome opponent was the Leopard.
It was already dark. Luo Ren turned onto the exit ramp. The navigation indicated that they should leave the highway here, cross provincial and county roads, pass through a small county town, and then get back on another highway.
The road to the county town gradually became brightly lit.
Mu Dai made several phone calls, first to her senior brother Zheng Mingshan, asking about their master’s condition. Unexpectedly, Zheng Mingshan directly passed the phone to Plum Blossom Ninth Lady.
Plum Blossom, Ninth Lady said, “How could I die so quickly? Before I’ve clarified everything with you, even if the messengers of death came to my door, I’d give them two kicks and make them wait outside.”
Mu Dai smiled, and then asked softly: “Master, is there anything you’d like to eat or drink? I can buy it and bring it back.”
Plum Blossom Ninth Lady said, “I want to drink the strong liquor from that distillery at the crossroads in Baoding City back then. The owner was from Liaodong and brewed excellent strong alcohol. Once in the mouth, it was like a line of fire, burning from the throat to the stomach.”
After saying this, she chuckled lightly, then hung up.
Mu Dai held the phone, dazed, thinking, Isn’t this making things difficult for me?
Then she felt melancholic: Master was remembering alcohol from several decades ago. It seems this time, her end was near.
Next, she called Cao Yanhua.
On the other end, it was as noisy as a market. Mu Dai heard someone monotonously chanting: “Boxed meals, fruits, mineral water, make way, make way, boxed meals, fruits, mineral water…”
Cao Yanhua said indistinctly, “Little Master, I’m eating a boxed meal. When we arrive in Chuxiong tomorrow, will Brother Luo drive to pick us up?”
…
Finally, she called Huo Zihong, who was taking a long-distance sleeper bus back to Lijiang with Yi Wansan. On the phone, she explained to Mu Dai that Yi Wansan wanted to recover early, as the fifth ominous bamboo slip needed to be returned to the flow quickly. Additionally, Luo Ren had entrusted them with some matters.
Throughout the call, the sound of the rooster came through the receiver: “He… do… luo, he… do… luo…”
Yi Wansan cursed nearby: “Damn it, lethargic like a ghost during the day, energetic at night, active at night and dormant during the day—are you a vampire?”
…
After hanging up, Mu Dai turned to look at Luo Ren. They had entered the county town, and traffic was somewhat congested, with the car speed noticeably slowing. Luo Ren looked ahead, with the outside lights casting shadows on his face, concealing all expressions.
Luo Ren had been silent for a long time. He had talked a lot, then suddenly fallen into silence. Some narratives stirred up blood clots in the heart, requiring a long time to settle and quiet.
Mu Dai asked him gently: “Do you want to rest?”
“No need.”
“Do you want to eat?”
“I’m not hungry.”
Mu Dai persisted: “But I’m hungry. Can we stop to eat?”
Luo Ren glanced at her without speaking, but the car pulled over and slowly stopped.
This place was somewhat like the degenerate street in Nantian that combined dining and entertainment, but on a larger scale and more popular.
The street was lined with food stalls, bustling with the clinking of glasses. Mu Dai and Luo Ren chose a home-style restaurant and sat under an outdoor canopy. As the night grew darker, the lights grew brighter, and others who depended on this street for their livelihoods began their work.
There were singers carrying speakers and microphones, selling songs with song lists in hand, eyes bright, especially targeting couples.
One came to their table: “Handsome guy, want to request a song? Ten yuan for one, twenty yuan for three.”
“No, thanks.”
“Your girlfriend is so pretty. Request one song. We have many classic old songs, like ‘Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Roses’…”
“No, thanks.”
The person became irritated and walked away, cursing: “Stingy!”
Mu Dai lowered her head and ate her rice.
Then a little girl selling roses came over, only five or six years old, carrying a basket: “Big brother, buy a rose for your sister, five yuan.”
Mu Dai continued eating with her head down, but her gaze secretly drifted to the girl’s basket. The roses inside were fresh, with dew on the petals, the stems green, with prominent thorns—as if saying that even the best love has thorny wounds.
She had never received roses from Luo Ren. Five yuan, really not expensive.
She heard Luo Ren say, “No, thanks.”
The little girl persisted, standing on tiptoe: “Brother, please buy one, it’s only five yuan. I haven’t made a sale today…”
Someone had probably taught her this line. A child so young probably didn’t even understand what “making a sale” meant.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Luo Ren pause, then take out his wallet to get money.
So it seemed he was going to buy a rose after all. But her first rose, coming so reluctantly, was a bit disappointing.
She saw the little girl take a flower from the basket. One with a half-open bud, gorgeous and seductive.
Despite her disappointment, she couldn’t help but curve her lips slightly.
Suddenly, she heard Luo Ren say, “Keep the money, but not the flower.”