stonecrandall Chapter 16 Everyone worships Guan Yu; we are all one family.
Chapter 16 Everyone worships Guan Yu; we are all one family.
How could he possibly be willing to sit down and cooperate with the police?
No matter what, Ni Yongxiao is the current head of the Ni family and a ruthless figure who ranks among the top in the entire underworld.
How could he possibly want to see the police?
But what happened next completely exceeded his expectations. Not only were the gates of the Ni family villa wide open, but Ni Yongxiao himself also came out to greet them.
Ni Yongxiao's smile deepened, especially when he saw Chen Yongren in the crowd.
"Ah Ren, you're back."
Chen Yongren pursed his lips and remained silent.
Ni Yongxiao didn't take it to heart. In his view, the fact that his half-brother was willing to come back with him was already the best possible start.
After a brief introduction, Ni Yongxiao immediately instructed the servants to prepare hot tea.
Although it wasn't the first time Chen Yongren had met Ni Yongxiao, he still couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief every time he saw him like this.
This is Ni Yongxiao, the notorious underworld boss who strikes fear into the hearts of countless people.
But when he looked at the man from left to right, from top to bottom, he saw him as a refined and gentle scholar.
Ni Yongxiao's scholarly air seemed to emanate from his very bones.
Gentle and refined, peaceful and easygoing.
From any angle, he looks like a well-read scholar.
To put it bluntly, he was just a pale-faced scholar who couldn't even kill a chicken.
No wonder Gandhi, Guo Hua, and their ilk dared to harbor thoughts of rebellion back then.
Anyone who saw Ni Yongxiao like this for the first time would probably feel contempt and dare to have any thoughts of rebelling against the Ni family.
This guy is clearly a scholar.
With a polite smile that also hinted at a hint of inquiry, Ni Yongxiao asked, "Officers, what brings you here today? What can I do for you?"
Upon hearing this, He Chu immediately corrected him.
"Not two officers, but three."
Ni Yongxiao's expression flickered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and asked:
"You mean, Ah Ren is a policeman too?"
He Chu spoke with a faint smile on his face.
"When you first met him, didn't you know he was studying at the police academy?"
Ni Yongxiao turned and stared intently at Chen Yongren, his expression unreadable. After a long while, he suddenly laughed and said:
"That's fine too."
Chen Yongren was completely bewildered and had no idea what was going to happen.
He Chu clapped his hands lightly and began to speak.
"We're here today mainly to discuss two things with Mr. Ni."
He glanced around the living room and began to speak.
"How about we talk privately, just the two of us?"
Ni Yongxiao looked quite surprised and asked:
"Of the three officers, isn't Inspector Lu the highest-ranking?"
Lu Qichang immediately spoke up:
"What Inspector Ho means is what I mean."
He pointed towards the side hall and said,
"You two are welcome to do as you please."
Ni Yongxiao's surprise deepened. He Chu was about the same age as Chen Yongren, yet he was able to make all the decisions in this situation.
He immediately stood up, a polite smile on his face, and began to speak.
"I'd really like to hear what advice Mr. Ho has for me."
He Chu spoke calmly.
"I wouldn't presume to offer advice, but I do have a few private words I'd like to discuss with Mr. Ni alone."
The two of them then got up and walked together to the villa's open-air balcony.
Ni Yongxiao took out a box of slim cigars from his pocket, handed one to He Chu, and the two lit them. They remained silent for a moment amidst the swirling smoke before he spoke first, asking...
"Officer Ho, you can say whatever you want now. It's safe here, no one will hear you."
He Chu slowly exhaled a smoke ring and spoke softly.
"What are your true feelings about Ah Ren becoming a policeman?"
With a gentle smile on his face, Ni Yongxiao began to speak:
"fine."
"Really, it's great."
"When my father was still alive, he always told us siblings to be good people, walk the right path, and live our lives well."
"From when we were young, he repeatedly warned us that we must never go into the underworld, never get involved in gangs, and we must not touch any of the family's shady businesses."
"One of his favorite sayings is, 'What goes around comes around.'"
Upon hearing this, He Chu spoke frankly without any hesitation.
"I have absolutely no good feelings towards Ni Kun; in fact, I feel deep hostility towards him. He spent his entire life in the heroin business, destroying countless families and causing countless deaths and broken homes."
"The most ironic thing is that he spent his whole life in the mire of the underworld, yet he insisted on letting his children live a peaceful and ordinary life."
"Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you..."
"However, to be fair, Ni Kun has indeed done a very good job in educating his children."
"Your eldest son became a doctor who saves lives, your eldest daughter married into a respectable family and lives a peaceful life, you are a high-achieving student who returned from overseas, and even Ah Ren, although he was a bit idle on weekdays, never stepped into the underworld."
"In any case, this is something to be thankful for."
Ni Yongxiao frowned slightly and asked:
"Why did Ah-Ren become a policeman?"
He Chu's face instantly darkened, and he said coldly,
"Because there's some bastard who wants to infiltrate the gang as an undercover agent, then use his relationship with you to get your attention, and finally plant him in the core of the Ni family as an undercover agent close to you."
Ni Yongxiao's body stiffened abruptly, then he asked in a deep voice:
"Who?"
He Chu spoke with a mocking smile,
"Didn't you already know that?"
"Why pretend you know nothing here?"
Ni Yongxiao suddenly smiled, his face still appearing gentle and refined, but the cold glint surging deep in his eyes was enough to send chills down one's spine.
"Thank you for informing me, Inspector Ho. I will find someone to give him a proper 'greeting'."
Ni Yongxiao then suppressed the coldness in his eyes and asked with a hint of curiosity:
"Did Inspector Ho tell me about this so he could use me to get rid of this person?"
Upon hearing this, He Chu immediately scoffed, his face full of disdain.
"I'm a police officer. If I want to deal with someone, all I need to do is follow the proper procedures and go through the whole process. That's enough to make him suffer and he won't be able to take it anymore."
"Why bother with all that trouble, having you do it for me?"
Ni Yongxiao stared at He Chu, his eyes full of surprise. He had never expected He Chu to say such a thing.
But he had to admit in his heart that every word He Chu said was the truth.
If the police are really determined to target someone, even if that person has something to hide, or even if they are completely innocent and have done nothing wrong, just going through all the rules, regulations, and legal procedures will be enough to overwhelm you and make you unable to withstand it.
For example, they might find some excuse to take you back to the police station for 48 hours to assist with an investigation.
For example, when you are handling important matters, they may come to your door, show their credentials, and ask to take you back to cooperate with an investigation.
For example, they might come to your door every few days to check whether all the permits and licenses for all the properties under your name are compliant...
On the surface, these actions seem to cause no real harm to a person.
But as soon as the police come to your door or take any action, what will the people around you think of you?
Will they secretly keep their distance from you, or even gradually distance themselves from you and become completely estranged?
These things, you don't even need to think about them, you know they're bound to happen.
Ordinary people have neither the time nor the resources to waste time and fight with officials.
Similarly, the police would not use this method to target a specific person unless it was absolutely necessary.
What surprised Ni Yongxiao even more was that He Chu was so young, yet his actions were so mature and composed, and his meticulous mind was completely unlike someone the same age as Chen Yongren.
Ni Yongxiao suppressed his thoughts and asked with some confusion:
"Officer Ho, you specifically asked to meet me alone today just to talk to me about this?"
He Chu slowly shook his head and said:
"What we just ate was merely an appetizer."
"Alright, now let's get down to business."
"Regarding your father's death, who is the murderer you suspect?"
Ni Yongxiao's expression changed instantly. He subconsciously clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, before slowly relaxing them.
"I don't know, I've already hired a private investigator to check."
"Unfortunately, we haven't found anything yet."
He Chu spoke calmly.
"How could it not be found?"
"In this world, there are no secrets that can be kept forever, and there is nothing that can be kept hidden forever."
"The first suspicious point in this case is—"
"Ni Kun is a gang leader who has dominated the underworld for many years and is also involved in the heroin business. He has made enemies all over the place in his life."
"The buyers he harmed, the competitors who stole his business, and the subordinates who relied on him for their livelihood—any one of them could be his mortal enemy."
"A person like him will always have a bodyguard by his side, no matter where he goes, and they will never leave his side."
"But what happened? The gunman killed him more easily than walking down the street, without encountering the slightest obstacle."
Ni Yongxiao fell silent instantly, not uttering a word.
This was a fact he knew perfectly well in his heart, but he had always been unwilling to delve into it.
He wanted to pretend he was deaf and dumb, but He Chu wouldn't let him remain silent.
"Mr. Ni, tell me, what exactly is the reason for this?"
Ni Yongxiao remained silent for a long time before slowly raising his head and asking a question in return.
"What does Inspector Ho think is the reason?"
He Chu didn't beat around the bush at all and spoke directly.
"Those bodyguards took other people's money!"
Ni Yongxiao's body jolted, completely unexpected that He Chu would speak so bluntly. He forced a dry laugh and said,
"Is Inspector Ho so sure?"
He Chu spoke with a hint of mockery,
"How many years have those bodyguards who have been with your father, risking their lives for him?"
"Those were his closest confidants, his most trusted confidants."
"Ni Kun has been in the underworld for decades. His friends know better than anyone his daily routines, where he goes, and what his habits are."
"Over the years, those bodyguards have protected him, and there has never been the slightest mishap."
"To say that they didn't discover the gunman or notice anything unusual that day is utter nonsense."
"The only explanation is that they took bribes and deliberately turned a blind eye, letting the gunman in."
"Otherwise, how could those few gunmen have gotten close enough to kill Ni Kun?"
Ni Yongxiao's voice immediately turned serious as he asked,
"Does Inspector Ho mean the killer must be someone my father's bodyguard knows?"
He Chu slowly shook his head.
"The gunman who actually carried out the attack may not be the real killer; more likely, he is just a tool sent by the mastermind behind the scenes."
"If someone who can reach this position still has to do these kinds of things personally, then they're really a failure."
"The real mastermind must know these bodyguards, and may even be able to talk to them. They may have made them tempting promises and paved the way for their escape."
Ni Yongxiao's body stiffened again, then he lowered his voice and asked in a deep voice:
"A promise of safety to protect their lives?"
He Chu raised an eyebrow and asked in return:
"Otherwise, what else could it be?"
"Ni Kun was, after all, the head of the Ni family. How could the Ni family not retaliate fiercely after he was shot and killed?"
Ni Yongxiao's face was as black as ink, and he gritted his teeth as he spoke.
"I can't find those bodyguards anymore."
He Chu showed no surprise whatsoever, as if he had expected it all along.
"Isn't this something that was expected?"
"After doing this, staying means certain death."
Ni Yongxiao remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement with He Chu's words.
He Chu paused for a moment, then asked again,
"In your heart, who do you truly believe killed your father?"
Ni Yongxiao stopped beating around the bush and spoke directly.
"The five gang leaders under my father."
"The day my father was murdered was the 14th, which happened to be the day when the five branches of the family were supposed to hand over their accounts to the Ni family according to custom."
"Once my father died, they had a legitimate reason not to pay money to the Ni family anymore."
He Chu nodded slowly and began to speak.
"They were originally subordinate to the Ni family, and it was only natural for them to hand over their profits to the Ni family according to the rules."
"If you refuse to pay the debt, you'll be breaking the rules of the underworld."
"If they are truly determined not to pay, then it's a clear indication that they want to break away from the Ni family and rebel against the sect."
Ni Yongxiao looked at He Chu and asked,
"Is my suspicion reasonable?"
He Chu didn't answer directly, but instead asked a question in return.
"What are your true thoughts?"
Ni Yongxiao's voice instantly turned cold, carrying a chilling edge.
"What else could it be? Someone is just trying to take advantage of this situation to fish in troubled waters."
"The 14th was the day to settle accounts, and it just so happened that my father died on that very day."
"With my father alive to keep them in check, they naturally wouldn't dare to make any trouble and would behave themselves."
"But once my father died, the mountain that had been weighing on their heads was gone, and their minds naturally became more active."
"Perhaps, the thought of taking his place has already taken root in his mind."
He Chu nodded again and spoke.
"Our police force shares the exact same view as you."
"This case wasn't committed by external enemies of the Ni family at all; it's more like an internal conflict, a complete case of double-crossing."
"Among the five big shots under the Ni family, it's hard to guarantee that none of them will take this opportunity to step on the Ni family to rise to power and replace them."
Ni Yongxiao took a deep drag on his cigar, slowly exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, and asked...
"Isn't this kind of infighting and killing among gangsters something your police force always welcomes?"
Upon hearing this, He Chu immediately scoffed.
"What happened? A vicious criminal case involving a shooting in the street?"
"Or is it something that caused widespread panic among ordinary citizens?"
"Even a powerful figure like Ni Kun, who had dominated the underworld for decades, couldn't save his own life. He was shot dead on the street—not just shot."
"What will ordinary people think? Where will their sense of security come from?"
Ni Yongxiao looked surprised, clearly not expecting He Chu to say such a thing.
He Chu continued, his tone tinged with mockery.
"Those foreigners who control Hong Kong are only thinking about making money from this place. They have no intention of actually cleaning up the chaos in the triads."
"In such a tiny city, there are over a hundred gangs, both overt and covert."
"A street less than a hundred yards long might be home to two or three different gangs."
"Are triad forces really that hard to eradicate completely?"
"Bullshit!"
"It's just that the people at the top aren't willing to really put in the hard work to rectify the situation."
"If we're truly determined to crack down hard, where in Hong Kong will these triads have any room to operate?"
Ni Yongxiao remained silent for a long while before slowly asking,
"Then why did Inspector Ho choose to help the Ni family?"
"As far as I know, the police have always turned a blind eye to these kinds of feuds and infighting between gangs."
"Many similar cases end up being left unresolved."
"Why are you taking this so seriously this time, and even willing to help me?"
The police force has always been happy to see gangsters killing each other and fighting amongst themselves.
As long as their struggles don't affect ordinary citizens or disrupt public order, no one will care if any of these gangsters die.
He Chu looked at him and slowly began to explain.
"People in our line of work, whether they're from the legitimate or illegitimate world, all worship Lord Guan."
"We who serve in the government worship loyalty; you who roam the world worship righteousness."
"But whether it is loyalty or righteousness, in the end, they are two sides of the same coin. The most taboo thing is betraying one's master and forgetting gratitude."
"A traitor like this, who would betray his own people and even kill his own boss, is hated by everyone, whether in the legitimate or criminal world. No one can tolerate him."
"These kinds of people are the biggest destabilizing factor in society."
He suddenly grinned and continued,
"What you just said is only half right."
"Our police force is indeed happy to see you gangsters engaging in petty skirmishes and double-crossing."
"But it is limited to small-scale conflicts that do not affect ordinary people."
"Our police force has always pursued only two words—stability."
"The stability and peace of the whole society."
"A traitor like this, who dares to kill even his own boss, is definitely the most restless and uncontrollable dangerous factor, and must be completely eliminated."