Chapter 109: Scheming and Counter-Scheming, The Guest Has Been Invited

Wang Jianming operated with such discretion that he had no fear of police scrutiny, but Luo Feng was a different story. When Wang arrived during the day, he was clearly intent on forcing Luo Feng to agree to his terms. Luo Feng’s expression was grim. After I sent the young boy upstairs, I sat down beside him. Luo Feng undoubtedly understood why Wang had chosen to pay a visit in broad daylight.

Wang nodded at me in greeting, then turned his attention to Luo Feng, signaling that it was time to discuss their partnership. It turned out that before I arrived, whether by design or coincidence, Wang had only engaged in small talk, deliberately waiting for me to return before bringing up the collaboration.

Luo Feng lit a cigarette and gestured for Wang to proceed.

Wang stated that he had considered my demands and was now willing to share his plans in detail. Skipping the pleasantries, he told us straight out: he had people on the inside at customs.

"Money makes the world go round. I will have the drugs pass through customs in batches, rather than all at once," Wang told me. Anyone else might have swallowed his story and flattered him, praising his influence within the customs department. But he was dealing with Luo Feng and me.

Having already grown suspicious, I found his explanation unconvincing, though we chose not to expose him. Upon reflection, Wang was running out of time, and this was the best excuse he could conjure. He further explained that he wasn't smuggling the goods by sea because he had received intelligence that the police were monitoring all major illegal entry points, waiting for smugglers to walk into their trap.

I smiled. "Master Ming is truly a man of stature, with such well-informed sources."

Wang urged us to set our minds completely at ease. He said the shipment was coming from Southeast Asia. Once the goods reached the port, Luo Feng would only be responsible for providing security; once the shipment reached customs, Luo Feng’s men could withdraw entirely. After that, Wang would handle everything himself, ensuring that even if the police made an arrest, Luo Feng would not be implicated.

I feigned concern. "What if you sell us out?"

Wang let out a hearty laugh. "Do you think that in all these years, my shipments haven't been intercepted by the police even once?" He explained that should the police intervene, those captured would naturally keep their mouths shut and serve as scapegoats. His eyes narrowed, and he added with a cold, ruthless edge, "If they dare to speak, not only will they lose their lives, but their families will as well."

Luo Feng showed a flicker of disdain for Wang’s tactics, yet he pretended to be impressed, giving a thumbs-up. "Master Ming, truly a brilliant strategy."

Wang was deceiving us, and we were deceiving him. Sometimes, this kind of mutual maneuvering is far more dangerous than open conflict. I feigned hesitation, claiming we still couldn't be fully at ease since the stakes were so high, and any mishap would be difficult to manage. Wang caught my drift and smiled, assuring us that money was no object.

I exchanged a look with Luo Feng, who named a substantial sum. After a brief hesitation, Wang agreed. However, he quickly added a thought-provoking caveat: "But, if anything goes wrong with this shipment while it’s in the port area, Luo Feng, you will have to take responsibility."

Luo Feng stood up. "Master Ming, what is the meaning of this? How can I possibly give you a guarantee for something like this?"

Wang waved his hand in a seasoned, dismissive manner, telling Luo Feng not to be anxious or overthink it. He explained that as long as Luo Feng put in his best effort, there would be no problems; he simply meant that if Luo Feng were negligent and something went wrong, he would hold him accountable.

Just as Luo Feng was about to erupt, I shook my head. Wang was clearly applying pressure; he was deeply invested in this operation and feared that a lack of attention from Luo Feng might lead to disaster. Because Wang couldn't control the variables within the port area, he was forced to rely on Luo Feng.

"When do we move?" I asked.

Wang provided a date. I felt a slight sense of relief; there was nearly a month left before the deadline. For me, a month was a long time, but for a major drug trafficking operation, it was somewhat rushed. I gave my consent, telling Wang to go home and plan thoroughly, and to notify me once the details were finalized.

I told Wang that because Luo Feng was being watched by the police, it wasn't suitable for him to keep coming here, nor for Luo Feng to frequent his home. I promised that once he notified me, I would go to his courtyard house in Luo Feng's stead to finalize the details.

This was all in preparation for rescuing Wang Yazhuo.

Wang asked if I would go back on my word. I shook my head. Leaning on his dragon-headed cane, he stood up. "Good. We are all people of standing in the underworld; I trust you."

As soon as Wang and his men left, I dropped the smile from my face. "I am not a man of the underworld," I said with a scoff.

Luo Feng, showing no signs of nerves, laughed. "If Wang Jianming knew we were playing him, he’d probably be spitting blood."

"He forced our hand, so he has no one to blame but himself. We have a month. I will rescue Wang Yazhuo before I leave Chongqing, trade for the secrets, and send her back to Wang. Since he needs you, he will likely choose to sweep the matter under the rug," I told Luo Feng.

Luo Feng nodded. "And what about the port? Do we really help him?"

"Let's prepare for now. If it turns out not to be drugs, we might help out to build some goodwill. I also want to get to the bottom of his affairs and see who exactly he is escorting through customs. It might even be related to that anonymous source," I replied.

After consulting with Luo Feng, the afternoon had already passed. All that remained was to wait. I stopped going out to investigate—I wasn't in a hurry, though Chen Fan certainly was. After two days at home, Chen Fan could no longer contain himself, stating that his superiors had issued a strict order to close the case as soon as possible.

This case had already caused a massive uproar in Beijing, with rumors circulating endlessly. The police had repeatedly reviewed surveillance footage and analyzed forensic evidence, and they had met with Z and Zhou Sheng's parents countless times, yet they had no leads. Chen Fan asked me how my investigation was going. I frowned. "Didn't I tell you to focus on the police's attitude toward Luo Feng? Why are you so obsessed with this case?"

Chen Fan replied with a hint of grievance, "Brother Han, I am a police officer, after all."

I scoffed. "Now you remember you're a police officer? If you're a cop, why are you so cowardly? Keep doing as I say and keep a close watch on Tang Jia. When it's your turn to shine, I'll let you know."

Speaking of Tang Jia, Chen Fan mentioned that she hadn't been feeling well lately but was still insisting on going to the police station, though the person in charge of the Kuman Thong case had been replaced. I breathed a sigh of relief. After hanging up, I joked to Luo Feng that the child Tang Jia was carrying with Gong Yuanhai had come at just the right time.

With Tang Jia pregnant, the pressure on Luo Feng might ease up a little.

Over the next two days, I visited Wang Jianming's courtyard twice, trying every way I could to get close to Wang Yazhuo. But the place was too crowded; I couldn't find an opening, and I didn't even know where she was being kept, let alone how to get her out.

Wang was very meticulous about the plan, spreading out a pile of maps and going over every detail with me, emphasizing how careful we had to be at the port. Because of this caution, our progress was slow, and after two days, we hadn't made much headway.

Z hadn't called me again. According to Chen Fan, Charlie was almost ready to be discharged, and Z had been staying in his hospital room, not daring to leave his side for a moment. With his bodyguards no longer enough to make him feel secure, Z had demanded police protection. The squad issued an order, noting that since several attacks had occurred around Z’s inner circle, they had to ensure his safety until the killer was caught.

Finally, that afternoon, Luo Feng’s subordinates at the port reported that they had found the person I was looking for. It was said that the man had resisted at first, but Luo Feng had him bound and smuggled through the harbor. He was already on his way to Beijing and was expected to arrive tomorrow.

I smiled, knowing that the person who could help us crack the case had finally arrived.