A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Chapter 977 Long Xing's Considerations

Looking at his injuries, Gui'er was both anxious and angry: "Quickly have Dingxiang find some medicine and treat his injuries first." She turned to Wu Mingqiang, her eyes firm, "A Si was able to escape, which means that Ouyang Bao's side is not a monolithic entity. Brother Wu, we need to hurry up and think of a way to rescue Brother Chen and Professor Xu before Long Xing replies."

Wu Mingqiang nodded: "I'll send someone to investigate again. As long as we know where the person has been moved, we'll find a way to take action."

The next day, Wu Mingqiang rushed to the shantytown and found the brothers, A Guang and A Zong, asking them, "How is it? Any news?"

The two men said with difficulty, "Brother Qiang, he is an official, and we are just ordinary people. We don't dare to urge him if we haven't heard from him. Please wait patiently."

Wu Mingqiang nodded outwardly and said, "That's true." Then he took his leave, but inwardly he didn't think so. Yesterday, A-Cheng rescued A-Si, which must have touched a nerve with Ouyang Bao. This time, he's probably already conducting a city-wide manhunt. He's taking a huge risk whenever he goes out now, so he's disguised himself, wearing a silk robe he wouldn't normally wear, along with a melon-shaped hat and round-framed glasses, looking exactly like a wealthy landowner who just came to Hong Kong from the mainland.

Now he needs to race against time to win over Longxing. If all else fails, he plans to act alone. As long as Ouyang Bao is dead, Miss will be safe. Otherwise, Ouyang Bao is like a beast that has already bared its fangs. Once found, he probably won't let them go.

After leaving the shantytown, Wu Mingqiang pondered for a moment and then arrived near the police station. He wanted to urge Xiao Huang in person, but he was afraid of running into Ouyang Bao and his men and being recognized, so he could only squat down at a distance to see if he could catch someone.

After waiting for about half an hour, a group of people came out of the police station. Wu Mingqiang looked up from the shadows and saw that Xiao Huang was among them. The middle-aged man who was not tall but had a strong presence was probably Long Xing. He led a group of about seven or eight people, stopped at the entrance for a while, and then turned and walked into a teahouse diagonally opposite the police station.

Wu Mingqiang hurriedly followed, but stopped abruptly when he reached the door. He noticed someone lurking suspiciously, trailing behind the group from a distance. The person then looked around, seemingly waiting for someone, but didn't see the person he was looking for. So, he turned and slipped into the restaurant.

Who could it be? Who would dare to follow a police officer from the police station? Could it be Ouyang Bao? Wu Mingqiang hesitated for a moment, followed behind the man, and after getting a clear look at his appearance and confirming that he had never met him before, he felt relieved and entered the restaurant.

This restaurant may not have a large storefront, but it's very popular. Regular customers always head straight to the second floor, where carved mahogany screens partition off private seating areas. Vermilion pillars are adorned with gold-lacquered lotus scrolls, and glass palace lanterns with dangling tassels cast dappled light on the blue brick floor. Although it's not yet mealtime, the place is already packed. Wealthy merchants in long gowns and ladies in cheongsams chat and laugh, while waiters with white towels draped over their shoulders move about, loudly announcing and serving dishes. The kitchen is bustling with steam, the clanging of pots and pans mingling with the aromas of tea and roasted meats, creating a lively atmosphere.

As soon as Wu Mingqiang got to the second floor, he regretted it. He found that the upstairs tables were all large, with several people sitting together. People like him who came alone usually sat at small tables downstairs. Coming up to the second floor, he was very conspicuous no matter where he sat.

Just as he was wondering what to do, a waiter came over and greeted him warmly: "Sir, are you alone? Would you mind sharing a table with me?" He then led him to a table against the wall.

There was already someone sitting at the table. Wu Mingqiang then realized that setting up a table meant sharing tables. He looked closely at the person sitting there and realized that it was the person who had followed Long Xing and his group up.

However, if he backed down at this point, it would arouse the other party's suspicion. So, he took a step forward and sat down opposite the man as naturally as possible, nodded in acknowledgment, and then said to the waiter, "Two signature dishes, two bowls of rice, and a pot of wine, please." This is a universally applicable ordering method. The man opposite him only glanced at him without saying a word. The waiter quickly noted it down, then turned to the man opposite him and asked, "What would the boss like to eat?"

The man opposite him was clearly not that wealthy. He was wearing a light gray, slightly worn homespun long gown. When the waiter asked him, he hesitated for a moment before saying, "Let's start with a pot of oolong tea."

"OK, just a second."

After the waiter left, the two fell silent. However, the man opposite him was focused on Long Xing and his group's table. Wu Mingqiang happened to have his back to Long Xing and his group, so he couldn't turn around to look, lest he arouse the suspicion of the man opposite him. He could only strain his ears to listen.

Long Xing and his group were numerous, filling the table completely. It seemed they had reserved the table in advance, and the food started being served as soon as they arrived. Long Xing called to his men, "Come on, brothers, eat up."

Soon Wu Mingqiang's food was served, and he ate slowly and deliberately, while the person opposite him seemed a little embarrassed, drinking cup after cup of tea.

At Long Xing's table, people were clinking glasses and drinking. Wu Mingqiang was also sitting there, pouring himself a drink. After a few rounds of drinks, Long Xing's table gradually put down their chopsticks and started drinking and chatting.

"Xiao Huang, do you think that's reliable? Have you met him in person?" Long Xing's voice asked.

“I’ve seen it, Xing-ge. If you don’t believe me, go ask Xiao Wu. He’s a pretty straightforward guy. I also had someone check, and they do indeed have a pawn shop on that street. I heard the business is pretty good, with a good reputation. They offer more discounts than regular pawn shops, but it’s not open recently. I took a peek, and the two guards are the brothers that Leopard found outside. It should be true.”

How do you know that's Ah Bao's man?

"What's the big deal? Those two guys owed loan sharks outside and came to the police station to ask Brother Leopard for money. I just happened to run into them. Anyway, they're both gambling addicts, they'll do anything for money."

Long Xing remained silent after that.

After a while, Xiao Huang's voice came again: "Brother Xing, you've been suffocated by Brother Leopard these past few years. He's been targeting you at every turn, and he'll dig a pit for you whenever he gets the chance. This time you finally managed to get in touch with Mr. Zhang, who has connections with the foreign inspector. If you don't seize this opportunity and let Brother Leopard become the police chief, will we still have a place in the police station in the future?"

The others chimed in, and Xiao Huang added, "And this guy surnamed Wu even promised that if you agree to team up with him, he'll sponsor you. Aren't you just worried about not having enough money?"