Chapter 53: Darkness within the Gloom
Page (1/3)
“Boss, look.”
The men following the Fat Man stopped at once, eyeing the path ahead warily.
In his haste to escape, the Fat Man ran straight into them. He was about to curse when he followed their gaze and looked ahead.
They had come face-to-face with an undercover police officer, only six people away. He was dressed in ordinary clothes. Under different circumstances, the Fat Man would never have guessed that he was a cop. But after receiving Can’s warning by text, they could hardly believe that a stern-faced man who kept glancing in their direction had come to watch the concert.
With guilty consciences, they recognized him immediately. Even if he was not a policeman, they would have treated him as one.
“Boss, what do we do?”
The men standing in front of the Fat Man panicked at once. There were too many people here, making it difficult to run. They could not get out in a short time. It was practically the same as announcing that they were bound to be caught.
Getting caught selling drugs meant a heavy sentence, especially since what they had just traded was purer than powder and far more potent—the latest drug, Imagine.
“How the hell should I know? How did the police find out we were here?”
The Fat Man seized the hem of his shirt, heedless of whether the image of the girl printed on it would be stained, and vigorously wiped the sweat already beading on his face.
“Damn it, move. We’re sitting here. You go sit over there.”
Perhaps wiping away the sweat had eased some of his tension. Instead of merely fretting, the Fat Man grabbed a nearby fan by the collar and hauled him to his feet.
The fan had already been annoyed that the Fat Man was blocking his view. But after taking in the man’s bulk and noticing the few unsavory-looking companions beside him, he did not dare say a word.
When the Fat Man suddenly lifted him off the ground, the fan wanted to protest, but one look at that fierce, murderous expression sent the words retreating back down his throat. Thoroughly displeased, he moved farther inside.
The other fans met with the same fate. Knowing better than to challenge trouble while it was in front of them, they surrendered their seats to the Fat Man and his men.
“Sit down.”
The Fat Man pulled one of his men into a seat.
The others did not understand, but when their leader gave an order, they could only obey. Besides, they had already walked into a dead end. Inwardly, they wondered whether their boss had given up on escaping.
“Take out the gun. Don’t let anyone nearby see it. Make sure only that policeman does.”
The Fat Man kept his eyes fixed on the stage and issued the order calmly. Becoming the leader of these men and carrying this shipment to a deal had required more than mere weight.
His men assumed that their boss intended to resort to force. Without hesitation, one of them smoothly drew a gun from his waistband and held it out. Pretending to stand on the right and watch the performance, he actually kept his eyes on the policeman and gave the weapon a slight wave.
The spectacle onstage, the surrounding fans’ cries, and the allure of the beautiful girls left everyone else with no attention to spare.
Page (1/3)
Page (2/3)
Apart from the police, none of the audience noticed what was happening. Even the people sitting beside the fans who had been driven away had no idea they had been forced to leave; they assumed the seats had been changed voluntarily.
The gun in the Fat Man’s subordinate’s hand was held out in plain sight, and he even raised it slightly. Yet the gesture was seen only by the undercover officer, who believed his disguise to be flawless.
“Captain, they’ve drawn a gun.”
The officer naturally had no idea that the Fat Man had shown it to him deliberately. He immediately reported the situation through the hidden microphone near his ear.
“Find a seat and sit down at once. If you can’t find one, withdraw first. Whatever you do, don’t let them discover you. They’re desperate enough to fight back. The same goes for the other team. No one is to act rashly.”
Jack’s brows drew tightly together. The lighting and cramped space prevented him from clearly observing what was happening among the crowd. Hearing his subordinate’s report, he could only issue orders with the safety of the civilians as his first priority.
“Boss, why did he leave?”
One of the Fat Man’s men noticed that the undercover officer had withdrawn.
“Probably had to take a piss.”
The Fat Man let out a long breath and wiped the sweat from his face.
“Boss, what do we do now?”
The man glanced toward the exit. He did not believe the policeman had really abandoned the operation because of a full bladder. And there was no way only one officer had come, was there?
“Listen to a song first. Don’t panic.”
The Fat Man patted his subordinate on the shoulder and tightened his grip on the black travel bag in his left hand.
A row behind the Fat Man—
“Boss, why did those men suddenly sit down? Could it be they never received the message?”
One of Chuan Ling Feiqi’s men looked at his leader in confusion as they passed behind the Fat Man and his group.
The undercover officer who had confirmed Chuan Ling Feiqi’s identity was sitting beside him. Pretending to be a fan watching the performance, he periodically craned his neck toward the stage, while keeping his ears pricked to catch every word of their conversation.
Hearing his subordinate, Chuan Ling Feiqi stopped, puzzled. Could Can have deceived them? Impossible. This was not the sort of matter anyone could joke about. His eyes turned toward the Fat Man with whom he had just completed the transaction.
At that moment, the Fat Man happened to turn around as well. He gave Chuan Ling Feiqi a meaningful look, secretly pointed toward the man sitting beside him, then drew a finger across his throat.
The gesture was perfectly hidden by the bodies of Chuan Ling Feiqi and his companions, so the undercover officer beside him saw nothing.
Chuan Ling Feiqi was no novice in the underworld. He understood the Fat Man’s meaning at once. He turned back and cast a brief glance at the “fan” beside him. Although his view had been blocked, the man showed no irritation or impatience. He merely stretched his neck, searching for a gap through which he could see the stage.
Chuan Ling Feiqi signaled to his men, then bent down slightly.
Page (2/3)
Page (3/3)
“Friend, could I borrow your lighter?”
Chuan Ling Feiqi lowered his head and whispered into the undercover officer’s ear.
“What? Sorry, I don’t have one.”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, the officer panicked inwardly. He pretended to search his pockets and answered with forced calm.
“Oh. I’ll ask someone else.”
Chuan Ling Feiqi smiled and slowly straightened.
As he rose, his body seemed to be jostled by someone, sending him unsteadily toward the disguised officer. His hand clutched the fabric over the man’s shoulder. The cloth pulled tight, revealing the outline of a gun beneath the jacket.
“Ah… sorry. Bye-bye.”
Chuan Ling Feiqi whispered into the officer’s ear.
He crouched down, exchanged a glance with his companions, and together they bent low and made their way toward the exit.
“Report your current situations.”
Jack stood at the back row of the crowd and spoke into his miniature earpiece.
“The target has sat down. We don’t know what he intends to do.”
“I can’t see the target. He’s disappeared from my line of sight. Field Mouse, what’s your situation?”
“Field Mouse?”
“Field Mouse?”
“Send someone over to take a look.”
Jack’s brows knitted tightly. A terrible premonition welled up inside him.
At the place where Chuan Ling Feiqi had just departed, the undercover officer was slumped in his chair, both hands clamped over his stomach. In the dim light, dark liquid covered his hands, dripping drop by drop from the chair. A puddle had already formed on the floor and was steadily spreading.
The two fans beside him were standing and waving glow sticks at the idol onstage. Still thrilled, they screamed along with the rhythm, entirely unaware of what had happened beside them.
Page (3/3)