Chapter 6

"Sure, please ask... "

"I am Officer Wen from the Wuling Police Station. Someone just reported a fight at your place. Have our officers arrived yet?"

"No, do you need to... "

"It's fine. We will take statements at the hospital. If necessary, we will ask for your assistance in the investigation. Thank you." Wen Jing hung up the phone. "It's fine, at least they didn't report it immediately."

"What if they report it tomorrow?" Shi Xiaobao was starting to feel scared.

"Xiaobao, don't be afraid. If Yan Gun doesn't report it today, the chances of him reporting it tomorrow are much lower. Besides, he's a thief, not a good person, and he probably has a criminal record. It's not surprising that he won't report it. Moreover, gang-related matters are usually handled within the gang. Since he's a gangster, he will still follow some gang rules." Wang Chong comforted him.

"Hehe, don't expect a small thug to follow gang rules. However, that guy is a thief, so he definitely has a criminal record, so he probably won't report it." Wen Jing smiled.

"That's good, I was scared to death." Shi Xiaobao had a look of lingering fear.

"Scared to death? You didn't look like that when you were slashing people!" Thinking of Shi Xiaobao's ferocious expression at the time, Wang Chong felt a chill. Fortunately, no one was killed, or things would have been uncontrollable.

Wang Chong and Shi Xiaobao chatted intermittently, while Wen Jing, who had a cleanliness obsession, washed in the bathroom for half an hour before coming out.

When the sky was just beginning to brighten, Wen Jing sent Wang Chong away, telling them to go home.

"Bro Chong, is Wen Jing acting strange?" After leaving, Shi Xiaobao stuck out his tongue at Wen Jing's door.

"What do you mean by strange?"

"When he was slashing people, he looked so scary..."

"Did you look cute when you were slashing people?"

"Cough, cough..."

"Alright, let's drop it. Be careful yourself. Don't wander around the streets for a few days, just to avoid trouble."

"Got it, got it."

After leaving Wen Jing's neighborhood, Wang Chong and Shi Xiaobao went their separate ways to go home.

When Wang Chong returned to his rental apartment, it was already bright outside. He bought a steamed pork bun nearby, ate it hastily, took a quick shower, threw away the blood-stained clothes, and lay down to rest.

The scene of slashing people played in Wang Chong's mind like a movie, over and over again.

Thinking of Shi Xiaobao's hysterical madness and Wen Jing's calm and ruthless killing, Wang Chong felt a chill down his spine. He never thought his two friends could be so violent and bloody.

Damn, it's true that one cannot judge a person by their appearance, just as one cannot measure the sea with a bucket.

In a daze, Wang Chong fell asleep. In his dream, he saw a mighty man commanding thousands of soldiers in battle. The army was like ants, clashing fiercely on the ground, blood flowed like rivers, and bodies piled up like mountains. Arrows flew like locusts, blocking the sky.

...

"Ah..."

Wang Chong suddenly sat up in bed, drenched in sweat, his shorts soaked through.

Should I go to work today?

Wang Chong looked at the sun outside, which was gradually setting, and hesitated.

Logically, he should avoid the spotlight for a while. If he was unlucky and was seen by Yan Gun's gang, things could get serious.

However, Wang Chong dismissed this thought.

First, Yan Gun's gang was not familiar with him. During the fight, it was very chaotic, and they might not remember his face. Shaving his beard would make him even less recognizable. Moreover, when he was at work, he wore a security uniform, and most people wouldn't pay attention to a security guard.

Second, after being beaten up yesterday, Yan Gun's gang probably wouldn't go to the Greek Mythology for fun today.

Of course, the most important thing was that Wang Chong needed to claim the big prize.

92,000 yuan!

Thinking of the huge sum of money about to be in his hands, Wang Chong felt extremely happy.

After washing up, Wang Chong put on his security uniform and went out.

"Uncle Liu, have you claimed the prize?" Before entering the Greek Mythology, Wang Chong went to the phone booth to report.

To Wang Chong, the newsstand at the entrance of the Greek Mythology was a hub of information.

"Claimed, sigh..." Uncle Liu looked dejected.

"Ha, Uncle Liu, buy more next time. There will be another chance." Wang Chong knew Uncle Liu was regretting buying too little and comforted him.

"Right, I'll buy a few hundred next time." Uncle Liu looked determined.

"Uncle Liu, I bought 2,300 yuan on number 23 yesterday." Wang Chong said proudly.

"You're just boasting. Manager Chen said you bought number 25, not number 23." Uncle Liu looked skeptical.

"What?!" Wang Chong was shocked and felt something was wrong.

"If you really won, everyone at the Greek Mythology would know."

"I really bought number 23, and I saw him write it down." Thinking of the nearly 100,000 yuan turning into nothing, Wang Chong became anxious and argued.

"Wang Chong, I saw Manager Chen's slip. You bought number 25." Uncle Liu looked at Wang Chong with sympathy.

"No, I bought number 23!"

Wang Chong looked frantic and hysterical.

Now, Wang Chong was sure that Manager Chen was trying to keep the prize money. He had seen Manager Chen write it down, and he had confirmed it to make sure there was no mistake. It was written in black ink on white paper, and he couldn't have been wrong, considering he had invested all his savings.

Wang Chong immediately used the phone booth to call Manager Chen, but as soon as he started speaking, Manager Chen recognized his voice and hung up.

Wang Chong made at least ten more calls, but Manager Chen didn't answer. Eventually, he turned off his phone.

Wang Chong couldn't focus on work, waiting for Manager Chen in the Greek Mythology, feeling like each day was a year. However, Manager Chen never showed up.

Wang Chong's mood got worse and worse.

To outsiders, Wang Chong was a timid, somewhat cowardly, and cunning young man. However, this was only when his interests were not threatened.

Yesterday, when Wang Chong stood up for Shi Xiaobao, he took the lead, which was a typical representation of his character. When he learned he would be beaten to death, he immediately became reckless.

Wen Jing once evaluated Wang Chong: strong, patient, with a strong will, his eyes would light up when he saw something good, he would bide his time when bullied, he would roll on the ground when being unreasonable, and he would go all out when angry, and he would laugh slyly when being cunning.

Both Wen Jing and Shi Xiaobao knew that when Wang Chong was angry, the consequences were severe.

Now, Wang Chong was angry.

If it were 300 or 200 yuan, Wang Chong would have swallowed his anger. Even if it were 3,000 yuan, with his patient nature, he wouldn't have confronted Manager Chen. However, this was not 300 or 200 yuan, or even 3,000 yuan, but 92,000 yuan, plus his principal, 94,300 yuan, which was a huge sum of money for Wang Chong.

Wang Chong spent the rest of the day in agony.

What to do?

What to do?

What to do?

Wang Chong kept asking himself how to deal with this situation.

If it were a small thug like Yan Gun, Wang Chong would have no hesitation in taking a knife to collect the debt. However, Manager Chen was not a small thug. Although he wasn't a big boss, he was very influential in the underworld. Many big bosses who came to the Greek Mythology for entertainment were his friends.

Rashly using violence to collect the debt would give others a handle, as no one would believe he had bet 2,300 yuan, not even Uncle Liu at the phone booth.

In everyone's eyes, Wang Chong had never bet more than 5 yuan.

If he wanted the money, he needed evidence.

Evidence!

Wang Chong's eyes lit up. He remembered that when Manager Chen wrote the slip yesterday, his fountain pen ran out of ink, and he had to borrow a ballpoint pen from Uncle Liu at the phone booth.

It was certain that Manager Chen's fountain pen and Uncle Liu's ballpoint pen were different colors, meaning the slip should have two colors. Moreover, Uncle Liu had a record of the debt and could testify.

In addition to the slip, the surveillance cameras in the hall had recorded the entire process.

The surveillance footage might not show the specific writing, but it could prove that Manager Chen used two pens.

If Manager Chen forged the slip, he might overlook the two colors!

"Manager Chen, you'll regret messing with me!"

After clarifying his thoughts, Wang Chong immediately ran to the surveillance room, downloaded the footage of Manager Chen changing pens, and then went to the phone booth to tell Uncle Liu the whole story.

Wang Chong had to convince Uncle Liu, as he was a key figure. If he could convince Uncle Liu, Wang Chong would have the support of the community. Uncle Liu was the "news broadcast" of the area, and once he knew something, the neighbors would know too.

To force the shameless Manager Chen to give in and pay up, he needed to undermine his credibility among the bettors. Since Manager Chen made extra money by writing slips, he needed to maintain his reputation. If he lost it, he couldn't continue in this circle.

Uncle Liu's phone booth had an old laptop, a gift from his granddaughter to keep him entertained. He usually used the Greek Mythology's Wi-Fi to watch news and movies.

After Wang Chong described the situation in detail and opened the video he had uploaded, Uncle Liu, who was well-informed, believed him.

"That damn Manager Chen, I knew he looked suspicious when he started working here. He's a slick talker, and he's not a good person. Wang Chong, don't worry, Uncle Liu supports you. Keep this ledger as evidence... Yes, I'll sign to confirm..."

For Uncle Liu, a retired official with a strong sense of justice, he wouldn't take Manager Chen seriously.

Righteously indignant, Uncle Liu wrote a few bold characters on the ledger: "True! Uncle Liu."

"Uncle Liu's handwriting is so good!" Wang Chong praised.

"When I was a secretary to the township chief, I practiced these two characters the most to prepare for leadership... " Uncle Liu looked nostalgic, with a hint of melancholy.

"..." Wang Chong quickly left, knowing that if he stayed, Uncle Liu would start talking. According to Uncle Liu, he had the potential to be a county party secretary, but he retired as a township chief's secretary.

Finally, it was time to go off work.

During this period, Manager Chen never showed up, and Uncle Liu began to badmouth him to the neighbors.

Through Uncle Liu's efforts, not only the street but also the employees of the Greek Mythology knew that Manager Chen had cheated Wang Chong out of a large sum of money. Even some of the hostesses knew.

Many people expressed sympathy for Wang Chong, while more asked him for tips on betting and inquired if he had any inside information...

End of page

Start of page

End of page