Chapter 94: The Lackeys Who Cannot Decide Their Fate

On the seaside gravel road.

Xu Hu looked at his brother lying on the ground, slashed over twenty times, his eyes empty, his expression blank.

Bai Hongtao was Bai Dabiao's flesh and blood, but wasn't Xu Er the brother who had lived through thick and thin with Xu Hu?

Emotionally speaking, Xu Hu's heartache, shock, anger, and various negative emotions at this moment were no less than Bai Dabiao's. Since the two brothers had joined the dock gang, no matter how inhumane Xu Er's actions were outside, he had always obeyed his big brother without question.

One word from his big brother, and Xu Er hadn't even returned to Dragon City for New Year's Eve, staying outside the district to personally handle the Liang Feng matter - this was enough to show the relationship between the brothers.

After holding it in for a long time, Xu Hu clutched his chest and said to the middle-aged man beside him: "Call... call Gu Tongshan, tell him my brother is dead, now, immediately!"

......

Around 4 AM, in Dragon City's urban area.

Yu Jinrong, wearing a suit, walked out of his apartment building and bent down to get into a car bearing military plates.

In the back seat, a man in civilian clothes, with his hands inserted in his sleeves, asked Yu Jinrong: "You're going?"

Yu Jinrong immediately waved his hand: "I'm a civil servant after all. For me to go sit down with the dock gang and Gu Tongshan would be giving them too much face."

The middle-aged man pondered for a while: "Then let Little Feng go."

"Alright," Yu Jinrong looked down at his watch. "Little Feng will go, shall we find a place to drink some tea?"

"Good," the middle-aged man nodded and looked up to order: "Let's go, back to my place."

With that, the car left the Yu residence, heading straight for a villa near the garrison troops in the suburbs.

......

In Longkou District, in an apartment building.

Gu Tongshan frowned and said softly to Xu Hu: "If they're at the garrison, don't make a move first. I'll call the higher-ups immediately."

"How long will it take?" Xu Hu pressed.

Gu Tongshan held back for a while: "Half an hour at most."

"Fine, I'll wait for you," Xu Hu hung up the phone.

"Damn it!" Gu Tongshan cursed through gritted teeth. "Yu Jinrong is too fucking arrogant, directly killing Xu Er. He's definitely not just after that bit of sea business."

"Yes, what do you suggest we do?"

"Never mind, I'll make a call to the military side..."

"Ring ring!"

Before he could finish speaking, Gu Tongshan's phone rang first: "Hello? Old Zhang!"

"The battalion commander Little Feng from the Third Battalion by Dragon River just called me, wants me to arrange a meeting with you, to talk," The caller was also an elder of the Dock Workers General Association with extensive connections.

"What does he want?"

"Obviously speaking for the Yu family. Will you meet?"

"...!" After pondering for a while and pacing around the living room, Gu Tongshan replied: "Yes, I'll bring the navy people with me."

"Alright then, I'll arrange the place, you just need to go there."

"Good," Gu Tongshan hung up the phone.

On the sofa, the man who had been strategizing looked up and asked: "What does it mean that the garrison is stepping in?"

"Obviously, they're testing our backing relationships," Gu Tongshan considered for a while. "I'll go get dressed, let's go together."

"Alright!"

Ten minutes later, Gu Tongshan and his companion went downstairs and drove to the meeting place.

......

Inside Patrol Post No. 04.

Kong Zhenghui patted Su Tianyu's shoulder: "Come on, let's go to the bathroom."

Su Tianyu was stunned for a moment but followed.

The two left the barracks together and came to the outdoor toilet. Su Tianyu undid his belt and asked softly: "What's up?"

"Do you think the garrison can really protect us?" Kong Zhenghui asked.

"Why do you ask that?" Su Tianyu replied very calmly.

"Damn it, though Xu Hu runs the streets, the people behind him... we definitely can't afford to offend them," Kong Zhenghui said somewhat worriedly. "Xu Er is dead, this will definitely blow up. If the people behind Xu Hu also get angry and think we went too far, can the garrison still protect us?"

Su Tianyu looked at him: "You mean to say that the Yu family's relationship with the garrison might not be as solid as the dock gang's relationship with customs, right?"

"Yes, exactly that," Kong Zhenghui nodded. "The Yu family just came to Dragon City, but the dock gang is different. They've controlled the port for over ten years, managing the territory for those above, creating profits... simply put, they're pure vassals, black gloves. You understand my meaning?"

Su Tianyu nodded slowly.

"Mingyuan stayed behind, which means the Yu family will definitely protect us," Kong Zhenghui continued. "But what if the garrison only protects the Yu family and not us? What do we do then?"

Su Tianyu once again deeply felt that Kong Zhenghui was truly a meticulous person - no matter the situation, he always thought about problems very rigorously.

"If the garrison doesn't look after us and those above can't fucking negotiate, then even if we return to the city we won't escape the dock gang's knife," Kong Zhenghui said with a very ugly expression. "If things go badly, our whole families might have to run."

Su Tianyu fastened his belt and patted Kong Zhenghui's shoulder, replying: "Sometimes, thinking too much only torments yourself. We're just lackeys now, you don't need to worry about what the boss should worry about. We've already killed the man, what's the use of thinking about these things now?"

"How will you know what to do next if you don't think about it?"

"Go ask your father - he hesitated for so long but finally brought down the knife. What was he thinking then?" Su Tianyu asked in return.

Kong Zhenghui was stunned.

"...What haven't those three old men been through? What you can think of, they can think of too," Su Tianyu said softly again. "We've already done it, so stop fucking worrying. However those above handle it, we just listen. If the dock gang really forces us to run, I can guarantee you that Xu Hu won't have it easy either."

"What do you mean won't have it easy?"

"I don't have thousands of brothers, and I'm not some sitting hall or gang leader," Su Tianyu replied softly. "But after fighting for two years, I do have some friends."

With that, Su Tianyu walked toward the exit.

Kong Zhenghui pondered for a while before suddenly shouting: "Did you fucking just wipe your piss hands on my shoulder?!"

The two walked out of the bathroom one after another, and just as they were about to return to the barracks, they suddenly saw two cars stop on the road outside the patrol post.

Kong Zhenghui was stunned for a moment: "They've found us."

"Of course, why else would Boss Yu have us come here? There's only one fucking garrison patrol post in this area, even an idiot would know where you'd run to," Su Tianyu stood in the compound looking at the two cars with their lights off, his hands behind his back as he said: "Tonight, we'll see who's tougher - our boss or Xu Hu's godfather!"

......

In the urban area.

A military vehicle stopped at a trade office under the Dock Workers General Association, and the battalion commander surnamed Feng went up to the second floor alone.

Inside the building, Gu Tongshan and six or seven prominent elders of the dock gang sat together with difficult expressions, discussing in low voices.

Outside the city, Xu Hu sat in his car and answered the phone: "What's the word?!"

"They're at the garrison patrol post, I saw the cars in the compound," the lackey replied.

Xu Hu hung up the phone and turned his head to say: "Move the men, surround the outside completely!"