Chapter 234: Two Hundred Thousand to Buy One's Life

In the large warehouse.

Xiao Yucheng looked at the dozens of people detained with him, anxious beyond measure. With so many "suspects" together, he didn't know when he could be interrogated a second time, much less when he could make a phone call.

With his child alone at home, Xiao Yucheng was so worried he couldn't calm down. His gaze frequently scanned the surroundings, already looking for any chance to escape.

After enduring painfully through the entire night, Xiao Yucheng hadn't found any escape opportunity, but just as his spirit was about to break, the man who had beaten him yesterday brought people into the room.

The man came to Xiao Yucheng's side, hands behind his back asking: "Have you reflected well?"

"Reflected, yes, yes!" Xiao Yucheng immediately nodded: "Brother, take me out first - let's talk outside."

The man smiled, waving to the guards: "Come, remove his cuffs, I'll take him out to talk."

......

Ten minutes later, Xiao Yucheng was taken to a dilapidated SUV.

"Brother, I understand the rules. Like this - let me call a friend, then I'll have him contact you later to send you some of this..." Xiao Yucheng discreetly made a money-counting gesture to the other.

The man smoked and smiled, looking Xiao Yucheng over replying: "Brother, I see you're quite honest - let's speak plainly."

"You say, you say!" Xiao Yucheng nodded.

"Your matter isn't small. No matter how you explain, you worked for the Chi Army, right?" the man replied pointing at Xiao Yucheng. "Now the Chi Army has been completely incorporated into the Mofi official army - you're suspected of serious military espionage. Also, after the control order came down, materials that passed through your hands were still flowing - this also violated the law."

Xiao Yucheng immediately replied: "Brother, before the control order came down, I had already sold off all materials - their flowing now has nothing to do with me!"

"No use explaining to me - what's important is whether the law believes your testimony. If others inform on you, saying you sold after the control order came down, then you'll have to go to prison," the man replied with a light smile.

Xiao Yucheng was speechless.

"Brother, don't be afraid - this matter isn't unsolvable," the man took a drag on his cigarette, saying softly: "With so many laborers arrested, who committed crimes and who didn't - those above are also unclear. Your matter can be handled, but requires money."

Hearing it could be handled, Xiao Yucheng immediately asked: "How much?"

In the smoke-filled car, the man stared at him, holding up two fingers: "Two hundred thousand."

"How much?!" Xiao Yucheng was stunned.

"Two hundred thousand can handle it, and household registration won't be a problem," the man replied stubbing out his cigarette. "Brother, listen to me - spend money to avoid disaster!"

"I... I'm just a laborer - where would I have two hundred thousand?!"

"How don't you have it? You dealt in materials in Xinaluo for so long - can't come up with two hundred thousand?" the man demanded frowning.

"My son is sick..."

"What use is saying these things?" the man interrupted directly. "Aren't my words clear enough? You want to avoid disaster, you must pay. If you don't pay, then once someone is willing to pay, you'll go in."

Xiao Yucheng was completely stunned - he couldn't understand why Dragon City, which he had always wanted to return to, was now so absurd and dark.

"Money lost can be earned again - life lost, what use is money? What do you say?" the man asked again.

Xiao Yucheng couldn't understand, couldn't comprehend why after responding to the call and leaving thirteen years of his youth in Xinaluo, he had become a suspect upon return.

Frustration, anger, confusion and a series of negative emotions impacted Xiao Yucheng's heart, but after long thought, he still calmed down. He had to get out now, otherwise his child would have no one to care for him.

Xiao Yucheng clenched his fists: "Fine, I'll go gather the money."

"Good, I'll give you two days to gather money - if you can't come up with it, then... then I'll have no way, understand?"

"Mm, I understand," Xiao Yucheng nodded.

"Er Bao, follow him," the man said pointing to the burly man in the passenger seat.

"Good," Er Bao nodded.

"Don't even think about running - otherwise you won't know how you died," the man warned pointing at Xiao Yucheng before turning to call to the brothers beside him: "Send him out through the back courtyard."

"Ay!" The lackey nodded.

......

On the street beside the office compound, over ten private cars were parked with people sitting inside.

In a van, a sleazy middle-aged man asked a laborer: "Where's the money?"

"Here, here!" The other took out a money bag and directly handed it over - the amount was around 250,000.

The sleazy middle-aged man with a cigarette in his mouth roughly counted the cash and waved directly saying: "Fine, you can go."

"Brother, I'm in the clear now?" the laborer asked with injuries all over his face.

"In the clear - your household registration will be done within a week at most," the other replied impatiently saying: "Hurry and go."

After their exchange, the laborer got out of the car. His surname was Wang - he was the secondhand dealer who had called Xiao Yucheng earlier about investing, and after being arrested, he had informed on Old Xiao, thereby reducing his own "handling fee" by fifty thousand.

On the street, similar conversations were happening in every car as bags of money were collected.

About two hours later, a large van came by, collecting money car by car, gathering all the laborers' "ransom money" together to take away.

The money-carrying van left the street and after driving for half an hour, entered the Materials Control Department's office location in Longkou city district. Four white men then opened the back gates letting the van in.

After a while, several of Karl's men came over smiling, checked the at least 4-5 million in cash in the van, and nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, very well done."

"Cigarette, officer...!" The idle social person responsible for running errands took out his cigarette pack bowing and nodding.

Under the policy, blatant personal coercion, blatant taking money to handle matters, one-stop service - like a vampire clinging to the just-rising but still very weak Dragon City, sucking its energy.

......

After leaving the detention site, Xiao Yucheng immediately called Zhao Weihu, but the latter was busy and had no time to answer. Finally Old Xiao had no choice but to send him a text message: "Big Brother, I need fifty thousand yuan - can you lend it to me?"

After a while, the other replied: "Card number."

After sending the message, Xiao Yucheng was sent home by Er Bao. He immediately took his key and pushed open his door: "Ming Ming, Dad's back...!"

After calling several times with no response from inside, Xiao Yucheng became somewhat panicked. He quickly searched the room but didn't see his child, and saw his son's normally used nebulizer thrown on the table - checking it, he found the medication inside was used up.

An ominous feeling rose in Xiao Yucheng's heart as he pushed open the door and rushed downstairs, asking around under Er Bao's surveillance.

At a breakfast shop entrance, the owner pointed to the street not far away saying: "Last night, I saw your son playing ball with some children there, then didn't see him again."

Hearing this, Xiao Yucheng ran like mad toward that side, preparing to ask the children on the street.

Not far ahead, in a supermarket, a patrol officer said to the owner: "Do you know that child's father?"

"Haven't seen him - what's wrong?"

"Couldn't save him - need to find his family!" the officer replied.

As the two were talking, Xiao Yucheng ran in: "Excuse me, did you see a group of children playing ball here last night?"

......

At the Yu family home.

Bai Hongbo packed his luggage while saying to Zhou Tonghui: "You're not coming with me? I heard Old Triangle is a man's paradise!"