Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 968 Xiao Bao goes to investigate again

Xiao Bao curled his lips at the old man squatting in the corner, his smile devoid of warmth, as if icy. He then turned and walked away. The old man watched Xiao Bao disappear into the alley, curled his lips in disdain, and puffed on his pipe. The sparks from the pipe flickered in the dim light, mixing with the smoke rings he exhaled before slowly dissipating in the cold wind.

Xiao Bao had planned to go around to the warehouse in the west of the city to check things out—Cuntu and the others were supposed to meet there, and it was almost time. But before he even reached the familiar alley, he caught sight of several unfamiliar figures in plainclothes loitering at the warehouse entrance. They stood tall, their eyes scanning the surroundings with the vigilance of hawks. Their aura of menace made it clear they weren't good people. He paused, instinctively taking two steps back to hide in the shadows of the nearby pile of debris. A sudden jolt hit him: Oh no! Something's wrong.

It was obvious they were doomed. Cunning Rabbit's group was experienced, so they shouldn't have made any mistakes. But given the situation... they were probably doomed. Xiao Bao gritted his teeth, nearly breaking them, and suppressed the panic that surged in his heart. He turned and headed towards the Public Security Bureau—he could only get some information from there, even if it was just a few words.

He found a familiar informant on the street corner. The informant was huddled in the corner of a wonton stall, slurping down a bowl of hot noodle soup. Xiao Bao pulled up a stool and sat down, pushing a bowl of wontons toward him. He lowered his voice and asked, "Did something happen at the warehouse in the west of the city last night? I heard quite a commotion."

The informant slurped his soup without giving it much thought. After all, Xiao Bao had been around for a long time, so it wasn't unusual for him to hear about underworld affairs. He casually spilled the beans on what he had heard: "Hey, that's right! I heard they busted a mercenary hideout. The people inside resisted like crazy, but they were all captured in the end. It's said that several of them died on the spot... By the way, why are you asking? Does this have anything to do with you?"

Xiao Bao clenched his chopsticks so hard his knuckles turned white and looked like they were about to crack. Although he had already prepared for the worst, the words "all taken down" still hit him like a sledgehammer hitting his chest, causing his entire body to ache. He didn't show any of that, but instead forced a cruel smile and said in a raspy voice, "What could it be? I had a grudge against those mercenaries before, and I was looking for a chance to get revenge, but someone else did it for me, saving me the trouble."

After saying that, he fished a few dollars from his pocket, slapped them on the table, and stood up to walk away, his steps so fast that he stumbled, as if something was chasing him. When he reached a secluded corner, he couldn't hold on any longer. He suddenly bent over, leaning against the wall, and spat out a mouthful of blood. The dark red blood splattered on the bluestone slab, like a strange flower blooming.

His chest felt like it was being torn open, the pain choking him and his vision blackening. He remembered what Zhang Du had said before they set out. The girl, blushing, clutching a freshly embroidered amulet, had said that after this mission was over, she would return to their hometown in the countryside with him, cultivate two acres of land, raise a few chickens, and never touch these sword-and-sword jobs again... But now, she was gone, everything was gone.

"Gu Nan..." Xiao Bao gritted his teeth, squeezing out these two words, his eyes fierce as if he wanted to kill someone, "It was you who did this! You actually have such great power!"

He had originally thought that Gu Nan was just an ordinary guy, and that as long as he could lure Ran Qiuye out as a hostage, he could easily control him. He had never expected this result. Not only were all the brothers he brought with him captured, but even the battle-hardened veterans of the Cunning Rabbit team met a tragic end... Who could he rely on from now on?

Xiao Bao slid down the wall and sat on the ground, his mind a tangle, like a tangled mess. If he could go back three days, he would never have accepted this mission—money, territory, nothing mattered as much as staying alive. But it was too late now; there was no turning back.

The cold wind rushed in through his collar, making him shiver and sober up a little. Now wasn't the time to be depressed; he had to find a place to recuperate first. Luckily, he still had some hidden money, which he had intended to give as a dowry to Zhang Du. Now... once his injuries healed, he would go find a few dozen brothers on the underworld. Even if it meant a fight to the death, he would have to settle this account with Gu Nan!

He struggled to his feet and stumbled toward the shantytown on the edge of town—a place where all sorts of people mixed together, where all sorts of people lived, a perfect fit for Tibetans. The dim streetlights stretched his shadow thin and long, swaying crookedly on the ground, revealing a desperate determination.

As Gu Nan entered the steel mill's gate, he saw Deputy Director Li, wearing a gray Mao suit, standing in front of a notice board, reading a notice. In his hand, he held an enamel cup, the rim of which was stained with brown tea. He paused, a smile immediately spread across his face, and he walked over to greet him:

"Deputy Director Li, what a coincidence? You just arrived?"

Deputy Director Li turned around and saw Gu Nan. His eyes widened for a moment. Last week, he'd heard this guy got beaten up in a warehouse brawl, and rumors were saying he was in serious condition. How could he be standing here now, unharmed, with not even a scratch on his face? His anger surged: Wasn't this a joke? The factory had even held an emergency meeting for him and nearly spent all their compensation on him!

But his face didn't show any of it. Instead, he smiled with wrinkles all over his face. He reached out and patted Gu Nan's arm, not too hard or too soft. "Gu Nan! You finally showed up! I heard that you were injured. I was worried about you. I even complained to the union chairman yesterday. If anything happened to you, what would happen to your wife and children at home?"

Gu Nan knew what was going on. He knew the other party was probably annoyed that the news of his death was too real, but he continued, "I'm sorry to have worried you, Deputy Director Li. It's just a minor injury. I'll be fine after two days of lying down. I didn't dare to tell anyone because I didn't want to worry the factory. I thought I'd report back once I'm better."

"What's there to report?" Deputy Director Li waved his hand, dropping his enamel cup onto the windowsill behind him with a clang. "Your safety is more important than anything else! Our factory couldn't do without a technical backbone like you. Who else but you could operate that imported rolling mill? Master Wang nearly ruined the mold the other day when he tried it."

Gu Nan nodded quickly: "It's what I should do. Deputy Director Li, don't worry, I will go to inspect the equipment today and ensure that production will not be delayed."

"That's right!" Deputy Director Li smiled even more warmly and patted his shoulder again. "Come to my office at noon. I asked the cafeteria to save some braised pork for you to nourish yourself. Let me tell you, your sister-in-law asked about it yesterday. She said she wanted to send some brown sugar to your child. Girls need a lot of nourishment."