Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 302 The Cat in the Gang

All the workers at Jiexing Auto Repair and Maintenance Center knew that their boss was a very capable person.

His stricter management methods compared to 4S dealerships, coupled with more generous salaries and bonuses, earned him an excellent reputation among his employees. Furthermore, he was always willing to help anyone who asked him for a favor, making him a highly trustworthy figure in their eyes. He would even generously treat everyone to meals and drinks when the mood struck him, treating them like friends.

Even if you occasionally make a small mistake, he will wave it off as if he doesn't care at all, which makes him a truly excellent boss.

but……

In the eyes of ordinary employees, this boss Yang has another bad habit: he is very loyal to his friends.

Therefore, in addition to these diligent employees, the repair shop also had several so-called "brothers" who were paid but did no work. These people were all hooligans who did nothing but drink and fool around all day. They did nothing but brag and talk nonsense, and were supported by Boss Yang. It was really infuriating and hateful.

Fortunately, under Mr. Yang's control, they basically wouldn't come to the front to cause trouble, so the repair shop employees could only pretend they didn't exist, only occasionally sighing that Mr. Yang was too good to these people, etc.

Because of these few people, the employees were reluctant to go to the back yard. Everyone used the back gate of the repair shop as a boundary and went their own way, so things were relatively peaceful.

Of course, some employees would occasionally speculate about why Boss Yang kept these thugs around. But considering that Boss Yang owned more than one factory, and that he did need a few thugs for some things, they naturally understood.

Since it doesn't affect me, I'll just pretend I don't see it. It's not easy to earn a high salary these days, so I shouldn't create trouble for myself.

Everyone thought so, but sometimes these people would tamper with customers' cars, which was quite annoying. However, complaining to Boss Yang didn't get any positive feedback, so everyone could only pretend it never happened.

At most, I'll wipe the customer's car afterward to save the boss some trouble, which is enough to justify my salary.

Occasionally, when Mr. Yang saw an employee proactively doing extra work, he would even treat them to a meal separately if he was in a good mood. After this happened many times, everyone gradually accepted this as a minor matter.

Recently, a new, unfamiliar face came to the repair shop.

This man, whom Boss Yang called Ah Gao, was a pretty decent young man. He would usually help out at the repair shop by doing odd jobs and handing out wrenches, and his way of speaking wasn't as annoying as the others. It was just a mystery why he hung out with them.

Ah Gao wasn't helping everyone every day; sometimes he'd mysteriously disappear for an entire day, no one knew what Boss Yang had assigned him to do. Then one day he even brought home a stray cat, which became a hot topic of conversation among the employees during breaks. Everyone knew Boss Yang kept a leopard cat, and they secretly wondered if Ah Gao was trying to curry favor with him. Tsk tsk! Thick eyebrows and big eyes, quite the schemer indeed.

"Hey Gao, could you get me some 50W fully synthetic engine oil?"

After finishing his inspection of the customer's car, the experienced mechanic at the repair shop would casually call out to him. Even if it's just a few steps, it's always nice to have someone help you, especially since Ah Gao is indeed quite efficient.

"Hey! Mr. Li, is one bottle of engine oil enough for you?"

Zhao Zhigao brought over the engine oil, opened the cap, tore off the protective film, and handed it to the experienced mechanic. He never complained about being asked to do work, and his reliable and trustworthy demeanor was endearing.

"Okay, come and help me straighten the oil truck."

The experienced mechanic ordered Zhao Zhigao around, while casually glancing at the young thug harassing a female receptionist in the nearby office. That guy probably had his eye on the brand-new luxury van; hopefully, he wouldn't damage the client's car when he took it out to tinker with it that night.

"Are you guys going to drive cars again tonight? I'm telling you, Gao, don't always hang out with those people. It would be much better if you learned a trade from me. Having something to rely on will help you support your family in the future."

He couldn't help but offer Ah Gao a few words of advice.

"Ah."

Zhao Zhigao smiled and nodded, but said nothing more. He'd basically figured out the "sports car" excuse over the past few days. They were using a car, but actually transporting drugs; Brother Yang was indeed very careful in concealing their true intentions.

The selected vehicles are usually those with no accident records in the insurance system, making it difficult for traffic police to detect anything unusual, and they are unlikely to be stopped on the road.

Moreover, the vehicles used for each operation are different, the amount of goods transported each time is not large, and the transactions take place in remote areas without cameras. Therefore, this method of drug trafficking is indeed difficult to catch.

This amount of intelligence was insufficient for Zhao Zhigao to complete his undercover mission.

He memorized all the intelligence he had witnessed during this period, but dared not write it down, intending to find another opportunity to send it out.

After all, that was his real purpose for going undercover.

After helping the master craftsman finish his work, Zhao Zhigao saw him go to the break room to smoke, so he took the initiative to wipe away the grease that had gotten on him during the maintenance process. After tidying up the various wrenches and other odds and ends, he returned to Jian Ge's side.

"I've told you countless times, stop loitering around in front of me. Didn't Brother Yang tell you not to interfere with the normal operation of the repair shop?"

Jian Ge was already used to Zhao Zhigao's enthusiasm and futile efforts, and would only offer a few words of criticism as a matter of habit. As for taking it too seriously, there was definitely no need; they weren't doing anything particularly important, so there wasn't a lot of pointless rules.

"I just have too much free time."

Zhao Zhigao smiled honestly, looking as if he hadn't gotten used to making big money while being idle.

Jian Ge waved his hand and tossed a cigarette to Zhao Zhigao. Seeing the kid cautiously take it but not smoke it, he shrugged and said nonchalantly, "Come out with us a couple of times tonight, and you won't have the energy to mess around during the day. But today is different, so you should conserve your energy; we'll probably need you tonight. Sister Hua finally found that group, and we'll need you to hold things up tonight. Oh, and keep a couple more skewers in the trunk; you might need them."

"It doesn't feel as satisfying as wielding a knife."

Zhao Zhigao frowned and said, feigning displeasure, "Wouldn't it be better to get a couple of razor blades? They're much more intimidating than steel bars. To be honest, if I could get one with a sharp edge, I wouldn't even blink at three or five thugs."

"Knives are easy to detect, safety first. A chopstick is much better, it's long enough to stab someone quickly, and when you're done, you can just throw it in the scrap yard, and even a god couldn't find it."

Brother Jian chuckled.

Not wanting to talk too much with Zhao Zhigao, he quickly changed the subject, saying, "How's your cat? Still disobedient? I'm telling you, you really have too much free time. Why keep a cat? If you really like keeping animals, go find a boss and get a bull. Those things look fierce."

"Hehe, it's fine. It hasn't caused me any trouble, so I've just been taking care of it casually."

Zhao Zhigao chuckled and said, "Speaking of which, Brother Jian, who exactly is Sister Hua? I've been here for so many days and I've never seen her. Judging from your tone, she seems to be someone quite extraordinary? Weren't those out-of-towners supposed to be hiding their identities well? How did you manage to find her?"

"Sister Hua is not someone you can talk about. If you don't want to be drowned in the Zhang River, behave yourself and stop being so curious."

Unexpectedly, Brother Jian exhaled a puff of white smoke and waved his hand, rejecting Zhao Zhigao's curiosity. Just by looking at his expression, Zhao Zhigao could tell that this so-called Sister Hua was definitely not an ordinary woman; her position in the gang seemed to be quite special.

Zhao Zhigao, naturally patient, smiled and stopped asking questions, then obediently began preparing for the evening.

"Mimi, it's time to eat."

Back in his dorm, Zhao Zhigao poured some cat food into a ceramic bowl and casually called out to the cat. But most of the time, the cat ignored him. He didn't know why it slept so much; it always just curled up in a ball on the sofa, no matter when.

"Ow!"

Surprisingly, this time the cat obediently stood up.

Lin Ge stretched lazily, his head bowed, and he put all four limbs on the ground. This posture made his white fur tremble, and his tail became fluffy. It was only then that Zhao Zhigao realized that this cat had quite firm muscles and didn't look like an ordinary fat cat.

Lin Ge was sleeping soundly, so he shook his head to try and wake himself up.

He'd been with Zhao Zhigao for three days now, and hadn't made a single move. In other words, even if Zhao Zhigao treated him like an ordinary stray cat, the idea of ​​a rendezvous was out of the question. But just as Zhao Zhigao possessed the patience of an undercover agent, Lin Ge was equally patient. At least until it was confirmed that Zhao Zhigao could maintain his police dignity and sense of mission even after being drugged, Lin Ge still harbored a slight, malicious apprehension towards him.

Poison is no joke. Countless people with strong wills have been ruined and their families destroyed by it. Even if Lin Ge trusts Zhao Zhigao, he must still consider the importance of his own life and the mission.

"I'm going out to work tonight, so you stay here and don't wander off, understand? Hammerhead is the one staying here today; he's a troublemaker, so be careful not to get thrown into the hot pot."

As Zhao Zhigao tidied up his things, he casually gave some instructions.

He didn't really know why he said those things to a cat. He just felt that in this den of iniquity, there had to be a normal way to vent. Even if it was just a cat, it would let him know that he was still a normal person.

"Ow?"

Lin Ge was stunned for a moment. After three days of fooling around, were they finally going to do something serious with the criminal gang?
"What the hell are you yelling for? Can't you meow like a normal cat?"

Zhao Zhigao chuckled and complained to Lin Ge, then checked that the gloves were secure. He wrapped two more sheets around his stomach to protect against punctures, tightened them, and then prepared to set off.

This time, Lin Ge didn't stay in the room, but quietly followed them out.

"Go back, stop fooling around."

Seeing the cat follow him out, Zhao Zhigao quickly shooed it back into the room.

Unfortunately, this cat was never obedient. No matter how Zhao Zhigao tried to scare it, it would still walk out on its own. After trying to stop it twice and realizing he couldn't, and with Brother Jian outside urging him on, Zhao Zhigao had no choice but to turn around and go downstairs.

Why did you bring a cat here?

Seeing the cat jump into the car with Zhao Zhigao, Brother Jian glared at the guy impatiently. They were going to negotiate, to fight, and maybe even kill someone—what was the point of bringing a cat along?
"Um... Brother Jian, I'm sorry... this cat is a bit disobedient."

Zhao Zhigao was also embarrassed. He had never intended to cause trouble for the criminal gang using such methods, and he couldn't understand what was wrong with the cat. It was truly fearless; killing a cat here was an easy task for anyone.
"Wow!"

Lin Ge looked up and called out to the people in the car, while simultaneously scanning the faces of everyone inside.

The seven-seater van was packed full, each person looking menacing yet somehow benevolent. Even a burlap sack lay discarded in the aisle, its contents clearly visible—a series of metal cylindrical objects. A sharp steel blade pierced through the sack, revealing threaded steel bars and a sharply sharpened bevel. Like a carpenter's razor blade, it was terrifying whether used for stabbing or slashing.

Given the length of a human arm and the weight of this thing, it could easily injure or even kill someone. And repair shops are never short of mechanical devices, so manufacturing this thing would be very simple.

Lin Ge immediately understood that they probably weren't there for negotiations this time.

"what happened?"

Just as Lin Ge was acting unreasonably, and the people in the car were holding back from violence out of respect for Zhao Zhigao, there was a knock on the window of the car opposite. When it was opened, Brother Yang's impatient face was revealed.

Unlike the kind and friendly boss he was during the day, who chatted with every employee, Brother Yang's face was ashen and his expression extremely gloomy. His eyes swept unhappily across the car, and following everyone's gaze, he spotted the cat.

"Why is this cat here, Gao?"

Brother Yang's tone was chilling, as he prepared for his next move. He needed to intimidate his opponent with his imposing presence from the very first moment he appeared.

"I'm so sorry, Brother Yang!"

Zhao Zhigao was genuinely embarrassed. It had nothing to do with being an undercover agent; it was just that this cat had made him look so ashamed. He had entered Brother Yang's sights as a henchman, but now he was acting like a fool, and he didn't know if it would have any repercussions.

He bent down to grab Lin Ge, but Lin Ge nimbly dodged and slipped under the last seat of the van, staring at the smelly big feet inside with his bright eyes.

Seeing this, Brother Yang also became very impatient.

Being wasted time by a cat, which only created an awkward atmosphere, was hardly conducive to what was about to happen. So, exhaling the cigarette from his mouth like a flying sword, Brother Yang waved his hand: "Ignore this guy, cats are all crazy. As long as it's not in the way, leave it alone. Let's go, let's hurry. Ah Gao, show me what you've got later. We absolutely have to let these out-of-towners know that Zhangzhou City, and even Chu Province, is not a place they can set foot on!"

"Okay, Brother Yang!"

Zhao Zhigao nodded without hesitation, a fierce smile appearing on his lips.

The others also sneered, each trying to intimidate Brother Yang. Putting everything else aside, the share of a territory is finite; if outsiders take it, they'll have less. Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents—wouldn't they fight to the death?
"Out-of-towner...you're out-of-towner too, aren't you? Heh...so you've divided up Zhangzhou City, huh? What do you all think my territory is?"

Lin Ge grumbled unhappily from under the chair.

To be honest, even if this minivan isn't cheap, the smell of so many smelly men crammed inside is really unpleasant for a cat.

The stench of feet, sweat, cigarettes, alcohol, and even the pungent smell of betel nut made Lin Ge extremely uncomfortable. To avoid being noticed from outside, he dared not open the car windows, making the interior even more stuffy.

One idiot got bored and pulled out a pack of cigarettes to offer to everyone. Even though the windows shouldn't be opened, the bunch of idiots still brazenly started puffing away, making Lin Ge feel even more suffocated and miserable.

But because of the mission, he couldn't choose to leave.

Besides, the car had already started moving, and it was going quite fast. Even if Lin Ge wanted to leave, it would be too late.

He could only squat unhappily under the chair, listening to these people ramble on about women and games. Who would have thought that these drug dealers would also be such a gaming addict? Spending tens or hundreds of thousands on legitimate games was one thing, but there was this green-haired guy who spent over 80,000 on a web game, just to become the top player in his server and be called "Big Brother." Being the top player across the entire server was impossible; these kinds of games actually required even more money to win.

"Monkey, aren't you spending your money a little too carelessly?"

Brother Jian couldn't help but speak up. Even as a drug dealer, he still couldn't understand this way of spending money. Even though he also spent money like water, throwing money into this nonsensical stuff... Did he really think that people who did bad things didn't care about the cost?

"It's fine. You can't take it with you when you die. Besides, I'm a lackey in real life, so at least I can experience being a boss online, right?"

Green Hair chuckled, not caring about saying such things in front of Brother Jian. To be honest, they were a low-class gang; expecting any real hierarchy like in the movies was a joke. Getting paid to work, doing drugs, and indulging in pleasure—that was their true nature.

In other words, the crimes committed were so serious that being caught would definitely result in a bullet, which is why no one chose to back down.

Big Brother Yang uses the same tactic to recruit his men: first, he uses the death penalty as leverage to trap you, and you'll naturally obey and dare not leave. Then, he bribes you with money and women, and the underlings become obediently loyal.

"So criminal gangs are this carefree?"

Lin Ge said he was amazed; it was the first time he had ever seen such a serious gang-related crime. Why did it look so low-class?
But that’s right!

If a guy is truly capable of building a tight and loyal criminal organization, why bother with drug trafficking? Nothing makes more money than this stuff.

It's only because drugs are so attractive to addicts that they can't give them up even when faced with the threat of criminal law. Otherwise, wouldn't these people be easily wiped out by the police?

As Lin Ge was lost in thought, the car soon left the city and entered a winding mountain road in the suburbs.

This area was once a gypsum mining region, providing substantial financial resources for the development of Zhangzhou City. However, mineral resources are finite, and with related resources no longer scarce, traditional factories have gradually disappeared and lost their vitality, and the hum of machines has ceased.

Due to over-exploitation, this area is clearly no longer habitable. Brother Yang's choice of this location for the negotiations was also deliberate; the countless small paths that large trucks used to traverse here make it ideal for both escape and concealment.

(End of this chapter)