082 "Du Gu Shiji, the Spear King of Baozhou"

Right now, Yang Ying wanted nothing more than for that mongrel Li Jie to die. Nothing else mattered.

“All I want to know,” he spat, “is whether you, Han Zitong, have what it takes to get this done.”

“Second Young Master, Madam has already given instructions—”

“Cut the crap. I’ve already called my mother. She told me to calm down. The only way I’ll calm down is if that mutt is dead.”

Han Zitong fell silent. He truly disliked the man before him. As Chief of Security for the Kaihuang Group, he only wished to answer to the family patriarch. The longer he worked for this second son, the more he feared he’d be dragged down to his level.

“Second Young Master, perhaps I should call in some friends from the underworld. If we act directly, we’ll catch their attention—things are already stirred up.”

“I don’t care about your excuses. I only want results.”

Yang Ying’s face was dark as he picked up his tablet once more, eyes drawn to a particular Weibo post that stood out. Though he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he was certain that mangy mongrel from Jiangnan had posted it on purpose! Usually, he never made a peep on Weibo—every time he did, he’d get hounded by “Wang Tianxian’s” fans. But suddenly, these past two days, he’d been unusually active. The moment “Geumgangsan Entertainment” in Korea made a move, Li Jie couldn’t wait to boast online? Intolerable!

“And that Park In-yong, the bastard—without our Yang family’s investment, he’s just a nobody! No sense of gratitude! Let’s teach him a lesson too!”

“Yes, Second Young Master.”

Han Zitong sighed inwardly. He’d better inform the eldest son, just in case they thought he was siding with the second. Still, he had to find someone suitable to deal with Li Jie. It couldn’t be just anyone—they wouldn’t be up to the task. Too professional, and they’d provoke hostility from Sanjiang Province.

Leaving Ren Shou Hospital, Han Zitong pondered for a while before calling an old friend. “Shiji, are you free?”

“Got a job for me?”

“The Second Young Master has something tricky.”

Han Zitong frowned slightly. “The target is young, but freakishly strong. I had four veterans, each with three years’ service, taken down in seconds.”

“No weapons?”

“There wasn’t a chance. Things are tense now, but the madam’s given her consent, so I thought I’d have someone test the waters.”

“Test the waters?” Suspicion crept into the man’s voice. “That hard?”

“He’s worth tens of millions.”

“Half a million.”

“Alright, I’ll send you the details. There are some things you should pay attention to... hard to explain, but there’s something odd about him. Check the files, especially the videos.”

“Fine.”

Sitting in his car, Han Zitong sent over the information. Not long after, he received a message from “Du Gu Shiji” confirming receipt.

In Zhuque Street East, Lunu County, North Zhili, there was a peaceful courtyard nestled in the bustle. Inside a study, a lean, close-cropped man stared at his monitor, multiple screens displaying footage of Li Jie. After reviewing them, he dug deeper—Li Jie wasn’t just a student at Jianye College of the Arts, but also the owner of Creative Ability Ltd. Based on recent news, Li Jie’s assets were likely well above ten million—possibly thirty or forty million in cash.

“Make it fifty million,” he muttered.

He picked up his phone and dialed. “Raise the price.”

“How much?”

“Two and a half million.”

“I’ll have to check.”

“Fine.”

After the call, in the VIP ward at Ren Shou Hospital, Han Zitong reported to Yang Ying, “Second Young Master, the man I contacted wants to raise his fee to two and a half million after seeing the files.”

“Give it to him!” Yang’s eyes glinted viciously. “If he can kill that mutt, I’d pay twenty-five million!”

“Rest assured, Second Young Master, this man is reliable.”

“He’d better be,” Yang Ying replied coldly. Distrust gnawed at him; he doubted Han Zitong’s words. He summoned Li Lingbo.

When Li Lingbo arrived, Yang Ying asked, “Have you heard of Du Gu Shiji from Lunu County?”

“Boss, have you been targeted? You’d better inform the family!”

“Why? Is he that formidable?”

“A ruthless enforcer, not well-known outside North Zhili, but his work is flawless—never failed a job. Expensive though, upwards of several hundred thousand per hit.”

“Never failed?”

“Not so far. Grew up in an orphanage, extremely cautious, an excellent shot. Some call him the ‘Gun King of Baozhou.’ He has no police record, and the ‘Peace Society’ has been trying to recruit him for their South American operation. If the Paraguay branch opens, he’ll be the boss.”

Like a living “encyclopedia of the underworld,” Li Lingbo summed up Du Gu Shiji’s skills and background in a few words, even sketching out his prospects.

“He’s got ties to the Peace Society too?”

“These underworld types have all kinds of connections—not just to the Peace Society, but even cults. Whoever pays is the boss. That’s the business.”

As he spoke, Li Lingbo peeled an orange, placing it carefully on a tray, then asked in a low voice, “Second Young Master, is there an assignment?”

“Send that mutt to hell.”

Stuffing a slice of orange into his mouth, Yang Ying sneered, “That mutt’s an orphan too, isn’t he? If he gets killed by another orphan, it’s just dogs eating dogs, isn’t it? Hahahahaha…”

“If that happens, the rights to ‘Creative Ability’ might fall right into your hands. Given the market, I’d say that kid’s made about thirty million.”

“Heh,” Yang Ying chuckled. “You underestimate him. That dog’s luckier than you think—he’s raked in over sixty million! Damn it, I can’t stand people who show off and get away with it!”

“Either way, he’s dead. Cross you, Second Young Master, and there’s nowhere to hide.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear…”

Beaming with satisfaction, Yang Ying nodded, then suddenly remembered something. “And what about that bumpkin Du Yao? He’s working for Li San’er now?”

“Yes…”

“Damn it! I always knew Li San’er was a bastard!”

Yang Ying’s eyes flashed with malice. If the Longyou Group and Kaihuang Group weren’t allies, he’d have already destroyed Li Shude.

“Daring to go against me—he’ll get his soon enough!”

As Yang Ying ranted, Li Lingbo kept up his flattering act. Once outside, he made a call: “They’ve hired the ‘Gun King of Baozhou,’ Du Gu Shiji, from North Zhili. He might be targeting the Crab.”

“Lunu County?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ll handle it.”

“Good.”

After hanging up, Li Lingbo didn’t even touch the steering wheel as his car automatically headed for the nearest bathhouse. He’d left in a hurry today, driving a purebred North American Cadillac “Bathhouse Emperor.” Arriving at the spa, the car’s navigation took over—auto-parking, auto-ordering the deluxe massage package.

As soon as Li Lingbo parked, news had already reached Guangling, where a message was sent to Li Jie’s personal phone: “Second Young Master Yang has hired the ‘Gun King of Baozhou’ to kill you.”

Li Jie read the text with a deadpan expression, which slowly twisted into something deranged. Then he posted on Weibo: “This week, we’ll accelerate filming of ‘Black Cat Detective’!”