The Republic of China: I, Xiangzi, a Hero in a Chaotic Era

These words struck Liu Siye's heart like a final verdict.

He could no longer hold on, his knees buckled, and he collapsed heavily to his knees with a thud.

The hard brick floor made his knees ache, but he didn't care.

Liu Siye braced himself with both hands on the ground and touched the ground with his head, making a dull thud.

"Chief Liu... Chief Liu..."

His voice was hoarse and tearful, but no tears came out; only desperate howls escaped his lips.

"I never expected... I never expected this beast to be so heartless... She actually abandoned me... I'm her own father... She's just a hypocrite..."

He spoke incoherently, cursing Tiger Girl over and over again, his voice echoing in the empty room, sounding particularly desolate.

Liu Jiaxiang watched his performance without any change in expression.

When Liu Siye's sobs gradually subsided, leaving only suppressed gasps, he impatiently waved his hand, as if shooing away an annoying fly.

"I didn't come here to hear that."

His voice turned cold, as if it were mixed with ice shards.

Liu Siye's sobbing stopped abruptly, and his body, which was lying on the ground, stiffened for a moment.

"Before, because of what you did..."

Liu Jiaxiang leaned forward slightly, his gaze pressing down on Liu Siye's hunched back as if it were a physical object.

"I spent a lot of money just on treating my superiors at the police station to meals and entertainment. Now look what's happened."

He paused, pronouncing each word clearly.

"Your daughter ran off with the money. The officials upstairs are very unhappy with me, and now I'm in a very passive position."

Master Liu raised his head, his face covered in a mixture of snot and cold sweat, his eyes filled with fear and pleading, his lips trembling as if he wanted to say something.

Liu Jiaxiang didn't give him a chance to speak, and continued, his voice not loud, but carrying a chilling meaning:

"You'd better have some real money to settle things. Otherwise..."

He drew out his words slightly.

"I'll find an executioner from the previous dynasty and have him slice you to pieces, one cut at a time. Do you believe me?"

He spoke the words "sliced ​​to death" casually, yet they were like two red-hot irons, searing into Master Liu's heart. The executioner of the previous dynasty... the slow slicing... just imagining that scene was enough to make one's soul fly away.

Old Master Liu trembled violently, like a withered leaf in the autumn wind. He scrambled forward half a step, his hands flailing wildly, his voice shrill and distorted with extreme fear: "Chief Liu! Chief Liu! Even if I were the bravest person in the world, I would never dare to lie to you! I wouldn't, I would never dare!"

He was panting heavily, as if he had used all his strength to squeeze the rest of his words out of his throat:

"Besides the car manufacturing business... I, I have a sum of money... a lot of money!"

Liu Jiaxiang's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, his body still leaning slightly forward, his gaze fixed on Fourth Master Liu, signaling him to continue.

Master Liu swallowed a non-existent saliva, his Adam's apple bobbing violently:

"It's...it's in a Citibank safe deposit box. A total of...a total of twelve thousand silver dollars in banknotes, plus...plus ten large yellow croakers!"

His heart bled as he uttered that number. It was his life savings, his last penny to save for his funeral, painstakingly accumulated bit by bit through countless brushes with death and ruthless calculations. Now, he was to be slaughtered like meat on a chopping board.

But he had no choice.

Tiger Girl absconded with the five thousand silver dollars and valuables that were on the surface. If he still couldn't bear to part with what was in the safe, he might be dragged out and "stripped alive" in the next second.

The car factory was his lifeline, but with his life gone, his lifeline rotted away.

He raised his head, his bloodshot eyes filled with a humble pleading, the wrinkles on his face distorted by extreme ingratiation:

"This...this large portion is all for you and the gentlemen above. I...I only ask that you leave me two thousand silver dollars, just two thousand...After I get out, I'll run the car factory and live off it in my retirement...Is that alright?"

After he finished speaking, he stared intently at Liu Jiaxiang's face, trying to catch even the slightest hint of relenting or agreement from that expressionless face.

This was his final test, and also the only slim chance he could have gotten himself out of. Two thousand silver dollars was nothing compared to the twelve thousand silver dollars and ten large yellow croakers. If Liu Jiaxiang agreed, perhaps... perhaps this deal was somewhat legitimate, and perhaps he, Fourth Master Liu, could truly have a way out and make a comeback with the car factory.

Upon hearing this, Liu Jiaxiang did not answer immediately. He hesitated for a moment, then lowered his eyelids slightly, concealing the cold glint that flashed in his eyes.

Old fox.

Sure enough, even on the verge of death, he didn't forget to play tricks.

Liu Siye's words, seemingly heartfelt, actually contained a hidden veil of sarcasm.

The contents of the safe were "easy money." If Liu Jiaxiang nodded at this moment and agreed to leave the two thousand silver dollars to Master Liu, it would immediately arouse Master Liu's suspicion.

What kind of people were these police officers in the Republic of China era? They were ruthless and greedy, squeezing every last drop of profit out of you. They had no reason to spit out the meat that was already in their mouths.

Agreeing too readily makes it seem like a trap set to trick people into revealing the safe's location.

Master Liu was gambling, betting that Liu Jiaxiang was greedy by nature, and betting that this "windfall" would be enough to make the other party temporarily put aside his murderous intent, spare his life to run the car factory, and make a steady profit.

If Liu Jiaxiang agrees, he will have to think twice about whether there is an even deeper pitfall hidden beneath this "way out".

In a flash, these thoughts crossed Liu Jiaxiang's mind.

He raised his eyes, and a look of deep impatience and a hint of offended anger appeared on his face.

"You old bastard,"

He chuckled, his voice filled with undisguised sarcasm.

"Quite greedy."

Master Liu's heart tightened.

Liu Jiaxiang leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and looked at the object of his gaze as if it were a piece of trash.

"What do you need so much money for, you old man with no children? Are you just inviting trouble?"

He paused, his tone turning cold and commanding.

"Having a car factory is enough for you to survive."

He ignored Liu Siye's instantly ashen face, tapped his fingers on the table, and urged him on:

"Hurry up, stop talking nonsense. Tell me, how do I open the safe, and where is the token seal?"

Liu Jiaxiang's words, spoken with greed and crude logic, perfectly embody the image of a greedy police officer eager to devour his prize and impatient with maneuvering.

Sure enough, upon hearing this undisguised demand and seeing the impatient expression on Liu Jiaxiang's face that seemed to say "Stop arguing and pay up," the last bit of doubt in Master Liu's heart dissipated.

It's not a trap.

The taste is just right.

This kind of behavior reveals the true colors of those officials.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief; his nerves, which had been stretched to the limit, seemed to relax slightly.