Chapter 67: Chapter 66: A Non-existent Number...
The boss was in a meeting.
To be honest, back when law and order weren’t firmly established and the police hadn’t blanketed the streets with cameras, it was common for major regional companies to skirt the line—or even cross it outright.
Especially construction companies.
Never mind the sand and gravel quarries, the kind of outfits that would bring in goons to trash a competitor’s site and seize their territory.
Just look at the ordinary workers.
After getting paid, workers would often leave in large groups. This wasn’t like women going to the restroom together; it was purely for safety. In this day and age, if you didn’t stick together, there was a good chance you’d get robbed.
And if you happened to live somewhere like Little Island, a place that’s a bit on the superstitious side, you might even run into something out of Lu Ban’s Book.
There was a chance. Some people like to sleep facing the wall for a sense of security, but who’s to say there isn’t something inside that wall? While you face it, a body sealed in the concrete, mouth agape, its hollow eyes silently piercing through the cement to gaze upon your sleeping face...
This particular company had nothing to do with Lu Ban’s Book, but it was certainly connected to a loss of life!
The sixth floor of the company building.
BANG!
Wang Hu didn’t bother knocking. Face cold and expressionless, he kicked open the expensive conference room door with one swift motion.
As the door flew open, the five or six people inside froze, instinctively whipping their heads around to look.
As they turned, they were met with the sight of a squad of police officers flooding in.
"What are you doing!?"
"What is the meaning of this!?"
Watching the blue-uniformed police officers surround every corner of the conference room, the boss, Du Tao, felt his expression change.
He had just started to rise when a smiling Xu Huo pressed down on his shoulder, forcing him back into his seat.
"What do you think you’re doing!?"
"Du Tao, I presume."
Wang Hu ignored his belligerent tone. Voice icy, he glanced down at a list in his notebook.
"The 1994 construction site body."
"1995, three bodies found at a demolition site."
"1997, a fire at a competitor’s home."
"’97, ’98..."
He recited the list without a hint of hesitation, his tone flat.
Murder, dumping bodies, staging crime scenes...
Without a doubt, this high-and-mighty boss was an absolute butcher!
"I hear that before 1990, people on the streets all called you Brother Tao?"
After finishing the list, Wang Hu fixed his gaze on Du Tao.
"Heh. Wiping the slate clean and going legit. You’re pretty good at that, aren’t you?"
Du Tao remained expressionless, his eyes darting around the room as he tried to figure out who was behind this.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about. My entire history is an open book."
"It’s fine if you don’t know. You can just come with us."
Xu Huo chuckled, speaking nonchalantly.
It was perfectly normal for records to go missing before the year 2000. But Du Tao’s history? Not a single piece of information was lost. It was so complete, it looked like it had been fabricated from whole cloth.
"You have no right to take me!"
Du Tao’s face darkened as he resisted fiercely. "I want to see my lawyer!"
"This is illegal! You’re breaking the law!"
"I’m going to sue! I’m taking you to court!"
’Not coming?’
’That’s not for you to decide!’
A fierce look crossed Wang Hu’s face, and he was just about to order a forcible arrest.
But then...
"Looking for your lawyer?"
"Fine."
Xu Huo spoke with a wide grin, making Wang Hu pause. He slowly lowered his raised hand and watched quietly.
"I’ll give you your phone back. Go on, call. Call him right now."
As he spoke, Xu Huo placed the phone he had confiscated just moments ago on the table in front of Du Tao.
Stunned, Du Tao sat frozen in his chair. He scanned the people surrounding him, his heart sinking. He had no idea what kind of trick they were playing.
"Hmph. I hope you don’t regret this!"
He grunted, snatched up the phone, and under the watchful gaze of dozens of pairs of eyes, slowly dialed a number.
It was a string of numbers for a cell phone.
However, this was not his lawyer’s number.
After a long moment, a voice came through the receiver. Du Tao’s face lit up with joy, but before he could say a word, the line clicked and...
"BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and try your call again..."
’Not... not in service?’
’No, that’s not right...’
For some reason, Du Tao’s mind descended into chaos.
He peeked up and saw that Wang Hu and the others still wore blank expressions, silently watching his every move.
Gritting his teeth, Du Tao deleted the number.
He dialed it again. In the next second...
"The number you have dialed is not in service. Please try again later..."
Du Tao’s mind was in turmoil. His eyes wide, he stared at the screen, checking every single digit.
’The number is right... but it just won’t go through.’
His face was taut and his breathing grew ragged, his thoughts a tangled mess. He quickly deleted the number again.
He entered a new one.
"BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. The number you have dialed is not in service..."
Du Tao finally broke. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes, and his lips began to tremble.
His hands gripped the phone in a death grip as he frantically keyed in number after number.
Not in service...
Not in service...
Still not in service!
He tried seven or eight numbers in a row, and not a single one of them connected.
CLATTER...
The phone fell to the floor. Du Tao panted heavily, his eyes vacant. His hands trembled, and an icy coldness spread through his fingertips.
"It won’t connect... It won’t connect... This can’t be happening. What’s going on...?"
He trembled, fear flooding his eyes as he muttered to himself.
"Dialing? Why’d you stop?"
Xu Huo watched him with a grin.
He bent down, picked up the phone, and shoved it back into the man’s hands.
"I was looking forward to seeing who you’d manage to reach."
"Keep going."
I said, keep dialing!
By now, Du Tao’s mind was a complete blank. He couldn’t hear a word Xu Huo was saying; it was as if insects were buzzing in his ears.
’It won’t connect...’
’It’s impossible to get through!’
He knew what this meant...
’The power these people wielded...’
Suddenly, a crushing weight, as if a thousand pounds, descended upon his heart. The air around him felt like an invisible vacuum, suffocating him.
His eyes shot open, his core muscles tightening, but before he could make a move...
THWACK!
Xu Huo brought a fist down hard, knocking the escaping Du Tao unconscious.
"Take him away."
His smile vanished. Nearby, Wang Hu looked slightly disappointed; he had hoped a few fish might slip through the net, but he hadn’t expected the people from up top to be so efficient.
CLICK!
With the crisp click of handcuffs, a few officers came forward, cuffed Du Tao—who was now limp as a dead pig—and dragged him away.
The others in the conference room trembled, their faces a mask of pure, dumbfounded shock.
"What’s your name?"
Abruptly, Wang Hu paused and turned to the others in the room.
"I... I... My name is Ma Cheng."
"My name is Zhang Wei..."
The men quickly spoke up.
Wang Hu thought for a moment, realized their names weren’t on his list, and waved a dismissive hand.
"You’re coming with me. You can leave after you’ve given your statements."
The men nodded their heads furiously, like chickens pecking at grain.
With that said, Xu Huo and his men walked out without a second glance.
"Let’s go. Next one."
Wang Hu said as he got into the car.
"Next one?"
Xu Huo paused, raising an eyebrow.
"There’s another one?"
"What do you think?"
Wang Hu grunted, suppressing his anger.
"Why do you think Du Tao wasn’t afraid of lawsuits within the city?"
"Look."
Xu Huo took the list from him and sucked in a sharp breath.
’A judge...’
’A retired female judge.’
’This one... if she’s caught, and they dig in and don’t let go... a little bit of investigation...’
’The amount of dirt they’d uncover would be staggering!’
"Let’s go!"
As soon as Wang Hu spoke, the car slowly pulled away.
’This business...’
’...is far from over!’
No one who deserves it will escape. All those who washed themselves clean and went legit will be dragged back down into the mud!
The detention centers, the holding cells—they were going to be filled to the brim!
"Make the arrests!"