The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 707 Unexpected Event: The Appearance of a Mysterious Man!!!
In fact, before accepting the mission, Liu Xiaotao had also learned a lot about the foreign city on the other side.

He knew about the small town across the street in the "Golden Three Region." Although the people there were Buddhists, the most eye-catching thing about the area was the gambling industry. Many people called Mong La a "man's paradise," a real-life city that never sleeps.
On the neon-lit streets, luxury cars are always parked in front of the 24-hour gambling dens, and wealthy customers dressed in gold and silver come and go, filling the air with the scent of money and desire.

Liu Xiaotao learned from the documents that the gambling industry in this border town was backed by a complex network of forces—from local armed groups in northern China to international money laundering groups, all of which had connections here.

What horrified him even more were the stories hidden in the shadows of gambling dens: some people became rich overnight and died on the street, some lost all the money they had worked so hard to earn and jumped off buildings, and some businessmen were driven to ruin by loan sharks.

Chen told Liu Xiaotao that almost every month, several unidentified bodies would be retrieved from the lower reaches of the Mekong River, “those were all customers who had lost money gambling.”

Those seemingly enthusiastic currency exchange vendors on street corners are actually informants for underground money changers, constantly tipping off gambling dens.

This is the real scene. Unlike the Hong Kong movies of a few years ago, the scenes of "gambling" were mostly in a decadent style: in the bustling gambling room, the dealers were sexy and beautiful, and the protagonist casually threw down chips on the D table, winning a lot of money in the blink of an eye and doubling his net worth.

Such stories can happen in real life.

"Nine out of ten times you play, you lose."

However, there are exceptions. Chen once told Liu Xiaotao a true story.

Some people have won six million dollars in one night and become famous overnight.

This man is Yao Yun, known as the "King of Gambling" in Asia.

Yao Yun made a living by gambling, transforming himself from a penniless young man into a well-dressed nouveau riche, which amazed everyone.

However, throughout history, the glory gained through crooked means has mostly had to be repaid.

Yao Yun's life can be described as both his rise and fall stemming from gambling.

He once became incredibly wealthy overnight and was extremely popular, but he was ultimately crippled and had his feet chopped off for gambling, leaving him naked and dying in the end.

The opera "The Peach Blossom Fan" sings: "I watched him build his magnificent mansion, I watched him host lavish banquets, I watched his mansion collapse! On this pile of green moss and blue tiles, I once slept in a life of pleasure; I've witnessed fifty years of rise and fall; the Wuyi Lane no longer belongs to the Wang family, and the ghosts of Mochou Lake weep at night."

"Gambling" is a process that leads people from fleeting prosperity to permanent ruin. This is probably why Chinese people have always avoided gambling like the plague.

Yao Yun is from F Prefecture, Jiangxi Province. Because his parents were both busy with work, he grew up with his maternal grandmother.

The elderly always dote on the child, and since he was the only son in the family, he became increasingly spoiled and unruly.

When Yaoyun was nine years old, he was sent to primary school.

This mischievous boy has a hard time sitting still, so his academic performance is naturally terrible.

However, although Yao Yun was not good at studying, he was very smart. He just refused to focus on his books and even hated studying.

As a result, Yao Yun's family transferred him to four different primary schools, but none of them could spark his interest in learning.

When Yao Yun’s father saw the boy’s clever and mischievous nature, his colleague once said to his father in private, “If your son could be obedient, he would be a dragon.”

If he doesn't obey, then he's a hopeless snake.

Yao Yun's father knew that the other party was subtly reminding him to discipline his child more strictly, but he was also very worried about his son's education.

Despite the efforts of Yao Yun's parents, they were still unable to ensure that their child completed compulsory education; Yao Yun dropped out of school before finishing primary school.

Once outside the constraints of school, Yao Yun was able to get into even more trouble.

His parents were constantly cleaning up his messes, and their lives were chaotic.

To make Yao Yun realize how hard life is and how difficult it is to earn money, his parents sent him to work on a construction site.

He was sixteen years old that year.

This was probably the most regrettable decision Yaoyun's parents ever made in their lives.

Before going to the construction site, Yao Yun was just a troublemaking teenager. After working on the construction site for a while, Yao Yun actually developed a hobby of gambling.

The work on construction sites is tedious and tiring, so when the workers have free time, they hide in the shade and play cards.

These people didn't play for much; they mostly used food coupons and grain coupons, just to relieve some of their fatigue.

Yao Yun initially just observed, but eventually fell in love with the feeling of getting something for nothing.

Soon, Yao Jianyun became addicted to gambling and lost all his food money, becoming a penniless man who barely survived by borrowing money.

Just when he was at his wit's end, someone told him that "gambling" is not something you can win by luck alone; you also need skill.

Some people can win many times, not necessarily because of good luck, but possibly because they cheat, and others can't tell.

The person who said those words to him meant to advise Yaoyun to stop gambling, because gambling is a business of swindling money.

But Yao Yun interpreted these words completely differently. His thought was: "If I learn the techniques before 'gambling,' wouldn't I be able to win every time?"

This was the first time Yao Yun learned about the concept of "cheating". From then on, he began to observe the actions of other people at the "playing" table and inquired everywhere about where he could learn cheating techniques.

Eventually, he heard that there was a master gambler named Yang Daguang in a certain underground gambling den, whose cheating skills were superb and his methods were flawless.

Upon hearing the news, Yao Yun was overjoyed. He borrowed some money from his sister and went to find Yang Daguang.

Later, he followed Yang Daguang around, serving him diligently, and finally learned some more sophisticated cheating techniques. Gradually, he was able to make a living by cheating.

Later, he even surpassed his master Yang Daguang in skill, and thus completed his apprenticeship.

Because the people around him were not very wealthy, Yao Yun could only win small amounts of money even when he won, so he was naturally not satisfied with that.

So he started looking for ways to get to know rich people, and once won 800,000 in four days.

Keep in mind that in the 1990s, an average worker's monthly salary was only a few hundred yuan.

At that time, 800,000 was basically an amount that could ensure a person's livelihood for a lifetime.

Yao Yun was still not satisfied, and he turned his attention to the seemingly wealthy areas along the southeast coast.

In a developed coastal city, Yao Yun opened a shop that appeared to be a legitimate business, but in reality, it was used to lure wealthy people into "gambling".

By gambling with the wealthy, Yao Yun made a fortune almost every day.

Whether it's luxury cars, mansions, or designer luxury goods, he buys them without batting an eye.

Later, Yao Yun became so wealthy that he needed bodyguards to go out and about.

With his smooth talk and smooth tongue honed over years of experience in the underworld, Yao Yun even managed to win over a very beautiful girlfriend.

His girlfriend is not only young, but also a college student.

At his peak, Yao Yun won 600 million yuan in one night, which made him famous in the gambling circle and earned him the nickname "King of Gambling in Asia".

On one occasion, Yao Yun and several friends conspired to set up a scheme.

They organized a gambling den for wealthy individuals on the high seas, and won millions on just one voyage.

After winning money, Yao Yun also had the idea of ​​stopping, after all, he had made enough money and could retire and enjoy life.

At that time, Yao Yun's life was truly blissful. His wife was young and beautiful, and he himself was quite wealthy, with more money than he could ever spend.

This dreamlike, happy life was shattered by an invitation.

The friend who had organized the game with him last time invited him to play again, this time with tens of millions of yuan.

Almost no one who gambles ever truly quits; once you're hooked, it's incredibly difficult to completely break the habit.

Yao Yun, who was already itching to spend money, was immediately struck by the huge sum of money and happily carried the money to the appointment.

At that time, he and his wife had just had a daughter. The young wife was worried about her husband's trip, but she couldn't stop him from having his addiction kick in.

Yao Yun never expected that this was a hunt specifically targeting him.

One of his assistants had long been bribed by the other party, revealing his timing and methods for cheating.

So, when he confidently cheated at the table, the person opposite him caught him red-handed.

Yao Yun was shocked and before he could even try to explain himself, he was knocked unconscious with a blow.

When Yao Yun woke up in pain, she found herself in a hospital bed, having lost both legs and three fingers.

Not only did he become disabled, but he could no longer even use the hands he relied on for a living. Yao Yun's life plummeted from that point on; he was crippled, penniless, and his wife and children left him—a complete waste of his efforts…

After telling Yao Yun's story, Chen said that he had seen too many similar things here. He handed Liu Xiaotao a document containing shocking information about gambling dens across the street.

Liu Xiaotao closed the document and tapped his fingertips lightly on the table.

As dusk settled outside the window, it bathed his profile in a dark golden glow.

He recalled the middle-aged man he had seen three years ago during a mission—wearing a suit and tie but with unfocused eyes, clutching a crumpled passport and pacing around customs, repeatedly muttering, "Lend me another 100,000 to make up for my losses."

The person in charge of the entry and exit checks whispered that this was the seventh "high-roller" he had seen this month who had gambled away his entire fortune across the street.

"Alas, human nature is greedy; we must strengthen people's anti-Party consciousness!"

"Do you know who Lang San is going to see?" Chen nodded and changed the subject.

Liu Xiaotao shook his head and said, "Aside from knowing that he was going to enter the country soon, we know nothing else about him, which greatly increases the difficulty of our arrest."

Director Chen seemed to suddenly remember something. He turned to look at Liu Xiaotao and said, "Oh right, a few days ago we received a report from above saying that a very important person from the mainland has recently returned to our area."

This person has a shady background; their social background is very complex.

Our superiors have instructed us to closely monitor this man's every move here. Do you think he might be connected to Lang San's entry into the country?

"Oh, where is this person right now?" Liu Xiaotao asked immediately, his mind racing. What a coincidence!

He had a feeling that the two people were very likely connected in some way.

Since Lang San was willing to risk coming here personally, the person he wanted to see was no ordinary soldier or crab general; it must be a heavyweight figure.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaotao immediately perked up and said to Director Chen, "Regardless of whether it has anything to do with Lang San, we must keep a close eye on him."

"Let's go back and take a look."

Two days later, the mysterious figure from the mainland arrived in the small county where the arresting officers were stationed. He was accompanied by a trusted confidant and four bodyguards.

At the same time, Lang San also appeared at the hotel across the street.

Liu Xiaotao could not contain his excitement; the number one flour dealer in the "Golden Three Regions" had finally appeared.

He asked the command center for instructions, saying that if Lang San did not enter the country, he would lead his men to arrest him. This time, he could not let Lang San escape under any circumstances.

However, Liu Wu did not agree to Liu Xiaotao's action plan and instructed him to remain still and try to capture Lang San and the mysterious man when they met.

Later, Liu Xiaotao learned that this mysterious person was actually a second-generation rich kid from a certain province, with a strong background and many companies under his name.

The police have been watching him for a long time but haven't found any important evidence of his crimes. So they want to take advantage of his visit to try and catch him red-handed.

However, this made Liu Xiaotao and his team's arrest operation even more difficult.

Upon receiving news of Lang San's appearance, Chief of Staff He Qiu led several elite troops, including Li Xiaoxue, to provide emergency support.

Judging from the current situation, the mysterious man is accompanied by four bodyguards, and Lang San also has four or five people with him, so once they start fighting, it will be a fierce battle.

The mysterious man suddenly crossed the border into the other side on the second night after arriving in the small town. The arrest team had prepared several contingency plans beforehand.

This included Lang San and his group meeting overseas, so Liu Xiaotao led his men to the other side as well.

Upon arriving here, Liu Xiaotao discovered that this place, known as "Little Hong Kong," was just as prosperous as some towns in China.

Hotels and entertainment venues are densely packed along both sides of the street, with neon lights flashing everywhere, all in an effort to attract "high-roller" customers from China.

The people being followed entered a gambling den.

To avoid alerting the enemy, Liu Xiaotao told the others to wait outside while he went in alone to check the situation.

From the outside, the place was not conspicuous, with four guards at the entrance wearing "Aka" badges.

However, they don't interfere with people coming and going; they seem to be just for show.

When Liu Xiaotao first stepped into the gambling den, he was astonished by its luxurious interior.

The large crystal chandelier, the spotless bright marble floor, and the magnificent decorations all around.

As soon as Liu Xiaotao stepped through the glass revolving door, a uniformed staff member came over to greet him warmly.

After dealing with the waiter, Liu Xiaotao noticed that the people in front of him had disappeared.

This establishment has many VIP rooms, which are not open to ordinary guests.

Liu Xiaotao took out a hundred-yuan note and handed it to a waiter, then asked softly, "Which room did those gentlemen who came in just now go to?"

"Oh, those gentlemen went to the back hall. Let me take you there!" the waiter said happily, accepting the tip.

Liu Xiaotao nodded and followed the waiter through a corridor to the lobby.

He quickly surveyed the entire hall and saw that there were more than twenty baccarat tables arranged in a staggered manner. Half of the tables were occupied by customers playing, each with a pile of chips of various colors next to them.

The target they were tracking was playing in front of a table, so Liu Xiaotao found a nearby table and sat down.

The waiter beside him said, "Sir, would you like to exchange your chips?"

Liu Xiaotao took out a few hundred yuan from his pocket as activity funds, handed it to the waiter, nodded, and said, "Give me a few to try my luck."

Although he was talking, Liu Xiaotao kept an eye on the actions of those people out of the corner of his eye.

He realized that these people weren't there to "gamble"; they didn't exchange many chips and were just playing casually.

The waiter quickly brought over a plate of about a hundred chips and gently placed it in front of Liu Xiaotao.

Liu Xiaotao pretended to be generous and casually tossed him two chips, which thrilled the waiter. This customer was truly a "big spender," and in no time, he had three hundred yuan in his pocket.

"Thank you, sir. Best of luck!"

Liu Xiaotao was sitting at this table with four other people playing. He glanced at the display board in the middle of the table; half of the cards had already been dealt.

The dealer was a very beautiful woman. She said in Mandarin, "Anyone else want to bet? If not, we'll continue dealing cards." After saying that, she started drawing cards from the dealing box.

Liu Xiaotao held two chips in his hand and kept an eye on the group of people out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly, he noticed two people walking out of the VIP room, saying a few words to the mysterious man, and then going back inside.

Then, those people got up and started to walk out, seemingly to leave the place.

Liu Xiaotao quickly covered his collar with his hand and whispered into the microphone hidden inside, "The guest is leaving, be ready to greet them."

Seeing that the target he was following had left the hall, Liu Xiaotao pushed the chips aside and smiled at the woman opposite him, saying, "You're very beautiful, these are for you."

After saying that, he got up and walked outside, and behind him came the woman's voice of gratitude.

After leaving the venue, the people who were following them did not go anywhere else, but went directly back to their hotel in the country.

"I don't understand why this guy crossed the border. Why didn't he meet with Lang San? Did he discover something?" Liu Xiaotao asked worriedly.

He Qiu frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "I don't think so. Our plan is so meticulous that they won't notice it so quickly."

We should not make a mistake; instead, we should remain steadfast and adaptable to any situation.

"okay!"

“In that case, we’ll split into two groups to monitor Lang San and this mysterious man separately,” He Qiu said, changing the plan again. “Also, I’ll go and coordinate to get some more manpower.”

Later, after Liu Xiaotao and his team captured and interrogated the mysterious man, they learned that their trip to the other side was to show Lang San their sincerity.

The mysterious man came to discuss establishing a smuggling channel for flour with Lang San, not to bring the goods himself.

However, this time when they crossed the border, the arrest team was caught off guard and almost thought something had gone wrong.

The next morning, the mysterious man hosted a banquet at the most upscale restaurant in the county town, and the person he invited was none other than Lang San, the "big flour merchant".

Upon receiving the news, He Qiu arrived with backup, and he also brought a squadron of WJ soldiers, completely surrounding the hotel.

(End of this chapter)