Free Web NovelChapter 119: Chapter 118: White Dragon in Fish’s Guise, Ten-Mile Foreign Field
CREAK—
The grating sound of a cell door opening echoed down the corridor.
Fu Juemin strolled out of the cell, casually handing his felt hat and overcoat to Big Cat. The young guard who had unlocked the door for him watched, a look of surprise on his face.
Driven by a stubborn curiosity, he peered into the cell. His blood ran cold when he saw the death row inmate’s corpse lying stiffly on the floor, its head smashed open like a rotten melon.
"Congratulations on your breakthrough, Young Master."
Big Cat said calmly, following behind Fu Juemin.
Fu Juemin didn’t comment, merely smiling as they walked toward the prison exit.
They hadn’t gone far when a middle-aged man with a rather distinguished air hurried over to greet them.
Compared to the average guard, the man’s uniform jacket had an extra, handsome black velvet collar.
This was Zhu Hongjian, the prison director of the Public Concession Prison.
Zhu Hongjian was all smiles as he greeted them obsequiously, "Did you enjoy yourself today, Young Master Fu?"
Fu Juemin stopped, and Big Cat smoothly produced a fountain pen and checkbook, handing them to him.
Fu Juemin scribbled a few lines, tore out the check, and handed it over with a smile.
"I seem to have made a mess of your cell again, Prison Director Zhu. I’m afraid your men will have some cleaning to do."
"Young Master Fu, you’re being too formal.
What’s such a trivial matter between friends? It’s not even worth mentioning."
Though Zhu Hongjian’s words were demure, his hands were anything but. He deftly took the check from Fu Juemin and glanced at it, but his eyes widened slightly when he saw the amount.
"Young Master Fu... isn’t this a bit too much?"
"You’ve been so accommodating these past few days, Prison Director Zhu. Just a little something to thank you. Consider it my treat for tea."
Fu Juemin tucked the pen into the inner pocket of his suit, his tone casual.
"From the sound of it, Young Master Fu... you won’t be coming back?"
Zhu Hongjian’s face filled with regret. He couldn’t help but sigh. "What a shame. I even put in a word with the prison in the French Concession. I was just about to have a few inmates transferred over..."
His expression was genuine. God knows why this wealthy Young Master of the Ding Family had suddenly taken an interest in death row inmates, but Zhu Hongjian had treated it purely as a business opportunity.
They were just condemned prisoners who’d be dragged out and shot sooner or later anyway. Keeping them alive just took up space and required guards. With someone helping him "clean them out" ahead of schedule, it actually saved him trouble.
These past few days, Zhu Hongjian had been raking in so much cash his hands felt weak. The extra income he’d made was nearly half a year’s salary.
And now, just like that, his client was gone. What a shame...
Still, despite his inner disappointment, he remained as obsequious and polite as ever.
Zhu Hongjian personally escorted Fu Juemin from the maximum-security block to the main gate. Along the way, they saw that nearly every cell was occupied; it was no exaggeration to say the prison was overflowing.
"You’ve been busy lately, Prison Director Zhu."
Fu Juemin remarked casually as his gaze swept over the cells. "Still rounding up those members of the Revolutionary Faction who stole the gold?"
Zhu Hongjian nodded, a hint of resignation in his voice. "Orders from above. We’re just the ones who have to carry them out."
They passed an interrogation room, and Fu Juemin paused to watch for a moment. The small door kept opening and closing: a prisoner, beaten half to death, would be tossed out, and the next would be immediately shoved in. The cycle repeated, and the few guards were so busy they didn’t even have time for a sip of water.
It was just like a scene from a slaughterhouse, with hogs being weighed and butchered one by one.
This scene wasn’t just playing out in the Public Concession Prison. The Patrol Offices of the major Concessions, the Public Security Bureaus outside the Concessions—they were all "booming with business" right now!
The cause was a single event: last month, a steamship from overseas named the White Dragon arrived in Shenghai.
The ship was said to be carrying a national salvation fund raised by supporters overseas for the revolutionaries back home—a massive hoard of golden bricks that filled half the ship!
But for some unknown reason, as soon as the White Dragon docked in Shenghai, the gold on board vanished into thin air.
Once the news got out, the entire city of Shenghai erupted into a frenzy.
From the Westerners, high officials, and compradors at the top, down to the Patrol Police, gangs, and street vendors at the bottom, everyone was scouring the city for the gold, ready to dig three feet into the ground or dive into the Huangling River to find it.
And because the funds had been escorted by masters from the overseas "Hong Jun," they were supposed to have been received by members of the Revolutionary Faction upon arrival at the port.
That was why the Patrol Police were now arresting so-called revolutionaries all over the city. If you looked even slightly suspicious, they’d slap the label of "revolutionary dissident" on you, drag you away, and torture you for the location of the gold...
As the group was about to exit the prison, they saw guards dragging in several more prisoners.
Though they were new arrivals, their faces and bodies were already covered in wounds. They had clearly been interrogated once before.
"Sir! Sir... Is it a crime to have the surname Yu? I’m really not with the Revolutionary Faction, and I don’t know anything about any gold..."
"My family’s Yu’s Cured Meats has been on Sancheng Road for over thirty years! We’ve always been honest businessmen... Sir, this is a terrible injustice!"
"Sir, I—I’m really just a fishmonger!..."
Fu Juemin watched the crying, protesting prisoners get cursed at and shoved inside. He frowned slightly and glanced at Zhu Hongjian. "Prison Director Zhu, when did your criteria for arrests change?
Is it not just the Revolutionary Faction anymore? Are you arresting anyone named Yu, and even fishmongers?"
"Heh heh..."
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Zhu Hongjian’s face. He gave a dry laugh but said nothing, simply continuing to lead the way.
Outside the gates of the Public Concession Prison, the Ding Family’s car was already waiting. A light snow was falling, blanketing the world in white.
Big Cat stepped forward, slowly draped the overcoat over Fu Juemin’s shoulders, and spoke in a level tone, "...A few days ago, Patrol Police from the major Concessions and men from several gangs cornered and killed a Hong Jun master who escaped from the White Dragon at Bai Du Bridge.
Before he died, he deliberately revealed a clue, claiming the gold’s whereabouts were connected to... ’Yu’?"
Fu Juemin’s eyes glinted as he heard Big Cat answer the question he had just asked Zhu Hongjian.
He adjusted his collar and spoke coolly, "And people believe the words of a dying man?"
Big Cat replied calmly, "Someone will determine if the clue is real or not. The people at the bottom have always just followed orders."
"Is the Qinglian Gang involved in this?"
"Yes. The Madam specifically instructed that with so many unsavory characters in Shenghai lately, the Young Master should be extra careful, no matter what you do."
"Mm."
Fu Juemin nodded, then got into the car with a placid expression.
The driver in the front seat respectfully asked for their destination. Fu Juemin glanced at his watch, thought for a moment, and named a place: "To the Wenhe Theater."
...
「Half an hour later.」
The "heart" of the Shenghai Public Concession had always been known as the Ten-Mile Foreign Field, a gilded cage that devoured gold.
And at this moment, Fu Juemin was standing at the very beginning of this ten-mile stretch of vice and glamour.
To his left was Shenghai’s largest commercial artery, Jing’an Road.
Most of the foreign firms, banks, stock exchanges, and chamber of commerce buildings were located on this street.
To his right was Pike Road, lined with top-tier restaurants and hotels.
Behind him were the top luxury dance halls and nightclubs, such as the Xianlido and the Pleasure Palace...
Fu Juemin stood at the intersection of these three roads, under a large sign with two words in gold on a black background: Wenhe Theater.
CLICK—
The solid gold lighter made a pleasant sound as Fu Juemin lit a cigarette, standing casually in the light, swirling snow.
Nearby, a dozen or so men from the Qinglian Gang stood guard on either side, while the over-two-meter-tall Big Cat held a black umbrella over him.
