Espionage codename: Shen Gongbao

Qingfu quickly poured wine for Wang Xuesen.

He didn't drink, grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, and leaned back in his chair to the side.

If Liu Fabao and Brother Sen have a falling out and decide to fight, Liu can just pick up a chair and crack Liu's head open.

Wang Xuesen raised his glass, looking earnestly at Liu Fabao:

"Brother Liu, I've long heard that Boss Zhang has two trump cards under his command."

"Fan Jiahu from Nanshi, Liu Shilong from Zhabei."

"This Fan Jiahu is the brother Fan Kaitai and Fan Huichun, and Liu Shilong is you, elder brother."

"As the saying goes, 'South brings prosperity, North brings fortune.' Your name is known throughout the land, and I am deeply honored to meet you today."

After saying that, he tilted his head back and downed the wine in one gulp.

The bottom of the cup was exposed, completely clean.

Liu Fabao's already ruddy face became even more radiant.

People who are out there trying to make a living are all about saving face.

For those in the martial arts world, reputation is their face, even more important than their life.

In Zhang Xiaolin's snobbish world, the Fan brothers, along with Yu Yefeng and Wang Wenhu, were the absolute core.

Among them, Fan Kaitai and Fan Huichun were particularly known as vanguards, daring to fight and kill, and ruling the South Market like local tyrants.

What about Liu Fabao?

In terms of social standing, he was of a high seniority within the Zhang faction, but in reality, he was at most a second-rate figure.

He was a high-ranking henchman under the Fan brothers.

He's not even as famous as the Fan brothers; he'd stand up straight and listen to them even if they farted.

But Wang Xuesen immediately hailed him as the King of Zhabei, on par with the Fan brothers, which truly flattered Lao Liu.

Liu Fabao picked up his glass, downed a mouthful, and quickly waved his hand:

"Brother, you're too kind. It's all just empty fame, nothing to be taken seriously."

Although he spoke modestly, his mouth was grinning from ear to ear.

Wang Xuesen put down his cup and said seriously, "No, no, it's not just empty fame, nor is it just polite talk."

"In my opinion, my eldest brother is truly a dragon among men."

"Now that Huang Jinrong of the Green Gang has retired and Boss Du has gone to Hong Kong, the Green Gang urgently needs a pillar like you to take the lead."

Liu Fabao coughed and quickly replied, "Brother, please don't speak recklessly. Boss Zhang is still here, isn't he?"

Wang Xuesen lowered his voice slightly:

"Zhang Laoda and Yu Yefeng are getting old, and the Fan brothers are brainless. The eldest brother is in his prime; it's time for him to start thinking."

He raised his hand to refill his glass of wine, and said unhurriedly:

"Besides, my brother has connections in the Special Higher Police, and he has friends like me and Director Li."

"In terms of connections and seniority, no matter what, he is truly the king of Zhabei, without a doubt."

Liu Fabao's face turned even redder.

He's a complete idiot, the King of Zhabei.

If he had a branch in Zhabei, and could have been assigned a casino, theater, or opium den, he wouldn't have ended up working for the Special Higher Police as Bai Junqi's lackey.

He initially served as an inner guard under Zhang Xiaolin, seemingly a trusted confidant and someone he valued highly.

Damn it, they only give me fifteen dollars a month.

Boss Zhang was notoriously stingy and had a terrible temper. He lived a life of luxury while yelling at his subordinates and frequently beating and scolding them.

Call him brother when you need him, treat him like a dog when you don't.

Not to mention him, even Lin Huaibu, known as the world's best marksman and Zhang Xiaolin's most trusted bodyguard, only earns twenty silver dollars a month.

Damn, a bag of rice costs 67 yuan in Shanghai now, it's really hard to even afford a meal.

What I didn't expect was that I thought I could turn my life around and live a good life after leaving Zhang Xiaolin and joining the Special Higher Police.

As it turns out, Bai Junqi is even more ruthless and stingy than Lao Zhang; the two are cut from the same cloth.

Sigh, life is just unpredictable.

Liu Fabao was filled with bitterness.

Qingfu stood to the side, spat out a mouthful of sunflower seed shells, and chimed in with a grin:

"That's what I advised Lao Liu to do too, to make preparations early."

"He's just low-key; he's afraid of hurting the feelings between the brothers in the gang, so he doesn't want to get involved in that kind of thing."

"Well, not entirely. It's mainly because I'm used to the Special Higher Police and I'm too lazy to put in that kind of effort. It's pointless to fight over things." Liu Fabao waved his hand dismissively, feigning indifference.

Wang Xuesen stopped there, not daring to push further, and nodded to change the subject: "That's true."

"Brother, to be honest, I've come today to ask you for a favor. Please do me a favor."

Seeing his humility and courtesy, Liu Fabao felt a surge of pride welling up inside him.

After being trampled on by Bai Junqi for so long, finally someone is treating him like someone important.

He patted the table, leaned back in his chair with an air of superiority, and began to boast: "Brother, speak freely!"

"I dare not speak of other things, but when it comes to the Green Gang, my words still carry some weight."

"Brother, didn't Lei Laohu from Zhabei and the Fan brothers from Nanshi give Director Li some territory a while ago?" Wang Xuesen went straight to the point.

"Director Li has always been grateful and wanted to visit Boss Zhang in person to express his thanks."

"I urge you, elder brother, to speak on my behalf and settle this matter as soon as possible."

Liu Fabao tapped his index finger twice on the table and nodded, saying, "I've heard about this too."

"Boss Zhang and Director Li are from the same Green Gang. The underworld isn't all about fighting and killing; there are also human relationships involved, aren't there?"

"It's normal for couples to break up and get back together."

Wang Xuesen smiled and gave a thumbs up: "That's exactly right!"

"As expected of the King of Zhabei, my elder brother is a man of great experience. His words are insightful."

"No one else would dare to take on this job. With Zhang's temperament, only a trusted confidant or someone with influence could deliver this message."

"Only when the eldest brother gets involved does this matter carry weight."

Liu Fabao, flattered and increasingly intoxicated, made countless promises:

"Don't worry, brother, I'll take care of this. Just wait for news."

"Director Wang, don't worry. With my brother Liu on the case, it's like having a thousand troops. It's guaranteed to be a success," Qingfu flattered.

"Haha, that's right, that's right!" Liu Fabao laughed triumphantly.

Wang Xuesen was overjoyed and raised his glass in another toast:

"Thank you so much, brother!"

As he spoke, he opened his briefcase, took out a wad of Chinese currency and five small yellow croakers, and handed them over with both hands:

"This is just a small token of my appreciation; please accept it, elder brother."

Liu Fabao's gaze was fixed on the table.

Good guy.

Put them all together and it must cost at least two thousand.

He hadn't seen so much money in a long time.

The last time I saw gold bars was a few days ago when I was cleaning Li Shiqun's goods, during a black market transaction.

That was Bai Junqi's money, so he was only responsible for moving the boxes.

Liu Fabao's eyes lit up, and his hand unconsciously reached out, but he pulled it back when his fingertips were still half an inch away from the banknotes.

No.

One must maintain one's reputation in the martial arts world.

He leaned back, crossed his arms, and waved his hand:

"Hey bro, what do you mean by this? You're looking down on your older brother, aren't you?"

"It's just a matter of passing on a message, why would I take your money?"

Wang Xuesen chuckled and pushed the money and gold bars forward again:

"Brother, as the saying goes: 'Money makes things go smoothly, and money makes even a pig's head rot.' With money, you're as powerful as a turtle, and without money, you're as humble as a grandfather."

"Brother, you are so righteous and regard money as dirt. I admire you greatly."

He changed the subject:

"But there must be expenses for taking care of my men and my family."

"If you want to acknowledge me as your younger brother, you'd better accept me quickly."

"Consider this a small gift from me to my sister-in-law, nephew, and niece."

Qingfu chimed in, putting down the melon seeds in his hand:

"Yes, brother, the New Year is just around the corner. Your wife is buying new clothes, shoes, and socks for the kids and the elderly. All that New Year's shopping costs money, doesn't it?"

"We're not strangers, so please don't stand on ceremony."

"Hurry up and accept it."

These words struck a chord with Liu Fabao.

With prices soaring, our family isn't starving, but we're still struggling to make ends meet.

His wife kept nagging and scolding him for money to buy rice and clothes, but all he had were a few silver dollars.

Chinese New Year?

What will we live on?

Bai Junqi only received thirty silver dollars a month. He spent a lot on drinking with his brothers, so he couldn't bring back much money to his family.

His wife would occasionally remark, "What kind of Green Gang leader is he? I should have married a tofu seller instead."

It's really quite infuriating.

oops.

This means you've met a good person.

Liu Fabao felt a surge of heat in his chest, and his throat felt like it was blocked with cotton.

He stood up abruptly, raising his glass:

"It seems Xiao Fu was right. Brother Xue Sen is indeed a timely help, so straightforward and generous."

"Then I shall respectfully accept your offer, brother."

Thank you!

After saying that, he tilted his head back and downed the whole thing in one gulp.

"Of course, of course," Wang Xuesen replied, tilting his head back in a deep bow.

Qingfu, being very perceptive, refilled their drinks.

"Brother, I'll leave this matter to you. Please let me know as soon as Boss Zhang gives you any feedback, so I can make arrangements with Director Li in advance," Wang Xuesen said.

Liu Fabao patted the gold bars in his breast pocket and laughed heartily, "I've got it covered."

The three men drank wine and chatted over tea, and Liu Fabao started talking non-stop.

They talked about old times, from escorting goods with Zhang Xiaolin to the days of living on the edge of a knife at the dock, and the more they talked, the more excited they became.

Wang Xuesen listened patiently throughout, occasionally interjecting with a look of admiration, "Big Brother is awesome!"

But he praised Liu Fabao to the point of ecstasy, regarding him as a close friend, only regretting that they hadn't met a few years earlier.

……

Seeing that the conversation was almost over, Wang Xuesen secretly gave Qingfu a wink.

Qingfu swayed slightly, deliberately using the influence of alcohol as an excuse to say:

"Brother Liu, Director Wang, I have an idea, but I'm not sure if I should say it."

Liu Fabao waved his hand: "We're all on the same side, so spit it out."

"We three brothers have had such a great chat tonight, I think we should strike while the iron is hot and become sworn brothers so we can look after each other in the future. What do you say?" Qingfu grinned.

Liu Fabao paused for a moment, then turned to look at Wang Xuesen.

Wang Xuesen quickly waved his hand, his expression sincere but with a hint of unease: "This... I'm afraid I'm too insignificant to deserve this honor."

Upon hearing this, Liu Fabao felt a surge of warmth welling up inside him.

Is Wang Xuesen still a nobody with little influence?

The director of interrogation room number 76, a favorite of Li Shiqun, is the eldest son of the Wang family, whose father-in-law, the Su family, is a long-established celebrity in Shanghai.

Who am I?

A second-rate member of the Green Gang, who came from humble beginnings, had spent most of his life without ever having a proper branch of the gang.

When I encounter people from these high-society circles, I either feel like there's a wall between us or I feel extremely uncomfortable, and I always feel inferior when I talk to them.

To be able to become sworn brothers with Wang Xuesen would be a great honor.

He jumped to his feet, slamming his wine glass down on the table.

"What are you saying, brother!"

"If you have any respect for a rough man like me, I, Liu Fabao, am willing to become sworn brothers with you today!"

Wang Xuesen's face lit up with surprise, and he cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Really! I am honored that you have not abandoned me, elder brother. I am willing to drink the blood wine to swear an oath!"

"happy!"

Liu Fabao rolled up his sleeves, stuffed his fingers into his mouth, and gritted his teeth.

clap clap!

A few drops of blood were squeezed into the wine glass.

He's neat, clean, and looks like a seasoned veteran.

Wang Xuesen took a deep breath and followed suit.

I bit my finger, and it hurt!

It's not broken.

Bite again.

It's still not broken.

That heroic spirit of "swearing an oath by drinking blood" shattered completely in that instant.

Liu Fabao stared at him with his mouth agape.

Qingfu also looked at him.

Wang Xuesen was immediately embarrassed.

He really didn't expect that biting one's fingers was a skill; most people couldn't bite through them.

Snapped!

Qingfu snapped out of his daze, grabbed the cup beside him and smashed it. He then picked up a sharp shard and handed it over with a grin:

"Director Wang, use this."

"Thank you." Wang Xuesen chuckled dryly, took the fragment, and lightly traced it on his thumb.

Blood beads appeared.

He quickly squeezed two drops into the cup.

Qingfu did as he was told, placing three cups of blood wine on the table.

Liu Fabao shoved the three cups of wine together in the middle, ready to follow the rules of the underworld: "Come on, let's combine the three cups into one and drink this blood wine together..."

"Big brother!"

Seeing the situation was turning bad, and fearing that the guy might have syphilis, Wang Xuesen quickly grabbed his own glass and raised it high:

"Elder brother and third brother, we swear to be brothers today, with this vow as our pledge, that we will share both good times and bad!"

Qingfu, the quick-witted fellow, also raised his glass and shouted, "Big Brother!"

"Second Brother!"

Almost simultaneously, the two tilted their heads back and downed the blood wine in their cups in one gulp.

Liu Fabao's hand froze in mid-air.

He originally intended to mix the three cups of blood together and drink them separately.

This is the old custom; only by drinking blood wine together can one be considered to have sworn brotherhood.

But those two rushed to finish their drinks one after the other, leaving him no choice but to pick up his own glass and chug it down.

Also, the eldest brother should have been the one to swear the oath first.

He is the eldest brother.

However, Wang Xuesen beat him to it with a single sentence: "Eldest brother and third brother above."

A hint of displeasure flashed through Liu Fabao's mind.

But then I thought about it again, and these two weren't people from the martial arts world, so they didn't understand the rules of the martial arts world, which was understandable.

Forget it.

"Second brother, third brother." Liu Fabao grinned and patted Wang Xuesen on the shoulder:

"Sharing happiness and hardship together."

"Big Brother!" Wang Xuesen and Qingfu responded in unison.

The three of them sat down again and ate and drank for a while longer.

Liu Fabao couldn't stop talking.

The conversation started with the old stories of Zhabei Wharf and then moved on to the private anecdotes of Zhang Xiaolin's concubine, which was quite fascinating.

Wang Xuesen cooperated throughout, laughing when he should and scolding when he should, occasionally interjecting with a comment like "Big Brother is still the most knowledgeable," which made Liu Fabao feel very comfortable.

Only after they had drunk their fill did Wang Xuesen give Qingfu a look, signaling him to escort Liu Fabao downstairs.

A moment later, Qingfu returned, rubbing the back of his head, and said:

"Damn it, I get slapped on the back of the head by Bai Junqi every day, I'm almost brain-dead from all the beatings."

"I was just thinking I had something to tell you, but I forgot."

"Little Fatty, do you have enough money?" Wang Xuesen smiled.

"That's enough," Qingfu waved his hand.

Wang Xuesen nodded, picked up his coat and put it on: "I have to go, it's not appropriate to stay here any longer."

Qingfu got up and saw him to the door, then suddenly muttered something in dissatisfaction:

"When can we two brothers get along openly and honestly?"

"I'm sick of playing your rival so many times."

Wang Xuesen turned and glanced at him: "Soon."

After taking two steps, he stopped again: "By the way, don't call me 'Timely Rain' outside anymore."

"Isn't it good to be a timely help? You've always been generous." Qingfu was taken aback.

Wang Xuesen rolled his eyes at him: "Timely Rain (a nickname for a friend) betrays his brothers? Have I ever betrayed my brothers?"

"Brother Gongming, aren't you just deliberately trying to trick me?" Qingfu snorted in dissatisfaction.

Wang Xuesen didn't respond to that.

He walked to the top of the stairs, then, remembering something, turned back and said:

"My master brought some ham from western Hunan, and I've left it all for you. It's in the usual spot; you can take it yourself later."

Qingfu's eyes lit up... If there's food, then everything's fine. Let them rip us off.

"You should exercise more; look how fat you've become."

Wang Xuesen gave a few instructions and quickly went downstairs.

He opened the car door, got into the passenger seat, and found Zhan Shen dozing off in the driver's seat: "Why did it take you so long to get out?"

"I became sworn brothers with Liu Fabao," Wang Xuesen said casually.

Zhan Shen turned his head and looked him over with a bored expression: "Just how many good brothers do you have?"

Wang Xuesen fastened his seatbelt and said casually, "The brothers I've made are all fake, but yours are real."

This isn't hypocrisy.

Becoming sworn brothers is a popular trend in the martial arts world these days.

Those who are doing well don't have many sworn brothers; they're even embarrassed to greet people when they go out.

He even paid respects to Boss Dai and Chairman Chiang.

Of course, when it's time to sell, they won't even blink.

Wang Xuesen wouldn't actually sell out people, but frankly speaking, it was a transaction of interests.

Yu Yefeng is three years younger than Zhang Xiaolin, but he still calls Zhang Xiaolin "godfather".

He called out "Dad" and instantly rose to become a powerful figure in the Green Gang, gaining immense influence.

These days, if you get into trouble and someone takes the blame or protects you, you're even closer than your own father.

The more plastic brothers like Liu Fabao, the better.

When it comes to getting things done, although money is still the main tactic, calling someone "brother" makes things a little bit easier.

Some connections aren't about how much money you have; without them, you can't even get a glimpse of the door.

Zhan Shen was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "Are we brothers?"

Wang Xuesen turned to look at him: "Isn't that right?"

Zhan Shen stared blankly ahead: "I haven't seen you call me 'brother' even once."

Wang Xuesen rolled his eyes at him, cleared his throat, and said:

"Brother Shen, could you please step on the gas and take me to House Number Two?"

"That's more like it." Zhan Shen chuckled and turned the key.

He floored the accelerator, and the car shot forward:

"Hey bro, hold on tight."

……

House number two is Li Lu's small villa.

Counting the days, it's been a few days since he last came.

Wanjia was already asleep when she got home at this time.

He still cherishes his wife, and it's inappropriate for him to go back and bother her in the middle of the night.

Li Lu didn't care.

They can be called upon to serve you at any time.

Her job doesn't really have strict hours anyway, so if she works late, she can just wash the sheets and take a nap at home tomorrow.

Wanjia couldn't manage; she still had to spend her days with Pingping and play cards, so she couldn't afford to lose her energy.

As a master of time management, he has always been quite skilled at coordination.

The car was parked at the entrance of the alleyway with Western-style houses.

Wang Xuesen opened the car door and turned back to give a word of advice:

"You can sleep in the car for a while. I need to talk to Ms. Li about something. I'll be down in a minute."

Zhan Shen looked at him expressionlessly.

This "immediately" means it took at least an hour.

Rotten person.

dross.

He cursed Wanjia in his heart.

After Wang Xuesen's figure disappeared into the porch, Zhan Shen didn't rush to sleep.

He parked the car in a secluded spot, got out, and walked around the villa with his gun in hand.

There were no lurking figures, no suspicious movements.

After confirming that it was safe, he returned to the armored vehicle, locked the doors and windows, placed the gun on his lap, closed his eyes, and lay down.