"Damn it! That brat doesn't even answer my call?"
Hao Zhibin was sipping beer while repeatedly dialing the number.
"Brother Hao, your skewers are ready."
The barbecue vendor came over with a bunch of steaming lamb skewers.
Hao Zhibin licked his lips and said with a smile, "Your stuff still tastes the best. I can never forget it! What's been going on lately? I've passed by here several times and didn't see you setting up your stall."
"Hey, it's been really strange lately!"
The vendor looked around warily, then pointed at the men smoking and chatting behind the vending machine. "See those guys? Every time I set up my stall here for a while, they'll come over all cocky and look for trouble. If I don't leave, they'll beat me up!"
He pulled up his pants, showing the bruises on his calves.
"It's really weird today. They've just been standing there without making a move."
Hao Zhibin looked in the direction the vendor was pointing and suddenly froze.
Weren't those the lackeys who had stared at him in the hotel before?
A strong sense of guilt washed over him, making his hair stand on end.
He had just wanted to come and enjoy some street food every day, but he never thought he'd bring trouble to an innocent person. It was really wrong of him!
"Maybe they saw you're good at self - defense and didn't dare to come over. Hahaha."
The vendor was quite open - minded. He took out a cigarette and offered one to Hao Zhibin. "Don't you plan to go back to the police station? You used to take good care of my business. You often brought people here to drink and have fun."
Hao Zhibin waved his hand with a bitter smile. "That job is not for humans. If it weren't for my uncle being the police chief, people would have walked all over me long ago."
"Life is good now! It's all thanks to the eldest young master of the Bo family. He gave me a job as a secretary in Zhong's Oil, a big enterprise. I can earn tens of thousands a month. The work is easy and I can get off work on time."
He deliberately raised his voice so that those men could hear.
Sure enough, they whispered to each other for a while and then left.
"That's good. Everyone has to make a living. You..."
The vendor's words were cut off when Hao Zhibin pulled him over.
"Don't say a word! I'm being targeted. Later, you pretend to quarrel with me and then leave this place quickly! I'll have to trouble you to give this to the second young master of the Bo family tomorrow morning. Please!"
He quickly stuffed the USB drive hidden in his sleeve and a few bills into the vendor's apron pocket, his eyes urgent and anxious.
He had a strange premonition that he might not be able to escape today.
"Ah? What are you doing?"
The vendor was startled by his actions and didn't know what to do.
Seeing those men coming back, Hao Zhibin put on an act.
"I've already said you put too much salt. You still don't admit it?"
"... I think it's just right."
The vendor saw Hao Zhibin winking at him and had to play along reluctantly.
"Just right my ass. Refund my money! Hurry up!"
"Hey, it's a small business. Could you stop shouting? I can roast a few more for you if you want, but I can't refund the money!"
Hao Zhibin sneered. "Can't refund it, right?"
With that, he picked up his coat from the plastic stool and ran away.
The vendor chased after him for a few steps but soon stopped, gasping and muttering.
"What bad luck! The first customer of the day eats for free!"
When he came back cursing, he ran into those men hiding in the corner. They all looked fierce, with eyes that seemed to be able to devour people.
"Do you know that man just now?"
The vendor was furious. "I've only met him a few times. He used to be a policeman and often brought people here. Gentlemen, would you like some skewers?"
The men looked at each other without saying a word.
"If you dare to hide anything, I'll cut out your tongue!"
"Hey, no, no. I really don't know him well!"
The vendor was so scared that he almost knelt down.
"Chase him quickly, or he'll get away!"
The leading man shouted, then led his men and disappeared into the night.
Hao Zhibin looked at the dark alley behind him. His throat was dry from running. "Cough, cough. I haven't run for so long that my body can't keep up."
"A bunch of weaklings. They still want to catch me."
Just as he bared his teeth and turned his head, he was surrounded by four or five men who suddenly appeared in front of him. His expression immediately fell.
"Guys... Let's talk it out. Don't get excited!"
The man sneered. "Didn't you say we're weaklings? Now let you see how weak we are. Attack!"
Thanks to his former police training, Hao Zhibin easily dealt with the five men.
Just as he wanted to take the opportunity to escape, he was suddenly electrocuted and fainted.
"Despicable..."
He spat out these two words unwillingly and then fell backward.
When he woke up again, he was in a windowless room.
Hao Zhibin was now tied to a chair. Thick ropes were wrapped around his body again and again, leaving no room for him to break free.
Click. The door was opened.
"Captain Hao, long time no see."
He raised his eyes and looked at the person in front of him in disbelief.
"Xiaokang? Weren't you fired by the eldest young master?"
"Without you, I wouldn't have ended up like this!"
He tore open his clothes to show his chest. The healed and hideous flesh there looked like a terrifying mask, extremely horrifying.
Xiaokang smiled bitterly. "If I hadn't sworn my loyalty to the eldest young master with my life, I might be on my way to the underworld by now."
"We're really fated to meet each other everywhere."
Hao Zhibin twitched the corner of his mouth. "It seems you have a big grudge against me. You've sent people to watch me for a long time, right? What do you want to do? Settle a personal feud? Aren't you afraid that the eldest young master will get rid of you too when he finds out?"
Fortunately, he had been sharp - eyed enough to copy the evidence of the company's recent illegal cooperation projects onto the USB drive and give it all to the barbecue vendor.
Otherwise, if he really died now, Bo Jingyu would never know about it.
"I really want to kill you. I wish I could tear you to pieces!"
Xiaokang gritted his back teeth, his eyes burning with anger.
"Ha, then go ahead. Give me a quick death. I didn't expect to live much longer anyway. Don't worry. I'll go to King Yama in advance and say a few bad words about you so that we can meet in hell!"
Hao Zhibin's provoking words completely enraged him.
"Still so stubborn when you're about to die. Don't you know where you are now?"
Xiaokang slapped him hard and picked up a dagger, ready to slit his throat.
"Brother Kang, you mustn't be impulsive!"
"Yeah, don't forget the eldest young master's order!"
Two of his subordinates quickly came over to stop him and pleaded with him earnestly.
"If it weren't for the eldest young master's sake, I'd definitely kill you!"
Hao Zhibin looked at him contemptuously and didn't say a word.
"Bring the stuff here."
Xiaokang calmed down and told his subordinate to bring over a tray.
"Don't use anesthesia. Just put it in directly."
The subordinate looked at him in surprise. "But he'll be in so much pain that he'll go into shock. It's very dangerous. We can't do it!"
Hao Zhibin looked back and forth between them, then craned his neck to look at what was on the tray. It was only a microchip as small as half a fingernail.
Xiaokang saw his blank expression and easily curled his lips. "He used to be a captain. What kind of pain hasn't he endured?"