Chapter 64 All That Effort for Nothing

Cao Yang sat in the back seat of the Mercedes-Benz, closing his eyes to rest. His wounds were not fully healed yet, but Tang Shaojie had ordered him to go and work for him today.

They traveled in a convoy of three vehicles—two Mercedes-Benz sedans and a van—led by Sun Xiao.

As they approached the city exit, police officers came over to question and inspect them. However, after a brief exchange with Sun Xiao, they were waved through without any search.

The cars left Wancheng and sped all the way toward the provincial capital.

Cao Yang did not know their destination, nor did he know what task they were going to perform. When he asked Tang Shaojie, he was told that Sun Xiao would brief him when the time came.

Cao Yang guessed it must be a hit, and likely targeting someone very difficult to eliminate, otherwise Tang Shaojie would not have gone to such lengths to bring him along.

The vehicles drove into the provincial capital and pulled over near a residential area of luxury villas.

"Brother Xiao, can you tell me what this is all about now?"

The other underlings had dispersed, leaving only Sun Xiao and Cao Yang inside the car.

Sun Xiao lit a cigarette and tossed one to Cao Yang.

"Nothing major. We're just abducting a girl."

"It's that simple?" Cao Yang was surprised. Was a matter this trivial enough to warrant calling him?

"Just that simple. What, did you think it would be difficult?"

"Is this girl's background unusual? Are there elite bodyguards protecting her?" Cao Yang persisted, refusing to let it go.

Sun Xiao blinked. "Not really. Her family has some money, but as for bodyguards, we haven't heard of anyone formidable protecting her."

"Then is a task like this even worth calling me?" Cao Yang felt that Tang Shaojie was using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Sun Xiao glanced at him with displeasure. "Stop being so full of yourself, acting like you're the most invincible person in the world."

Cao Yang smiled sheepishly and changed the subject. "Why abduct this girl then? It surely isn't for extortion, right?"

"The girl's father is a real estate tycoon who frequently plays at our casino and owes us over ten million yuan without paying it back. Not paying is one thing, but he's also been going around spreading rumors that our casino swindled him. Jie-ge cannot tolerate such defamation of our reputation, so he ordered us to snatch his daughter to teach him a lesson and scare him straight."

At that moment, the walkie-talkie crackled. Hearing the transmission, Sun Xiao pushed open the door and got out of the car.

Seeing this, Cao Yang hurriedly followed.

"You're still injured. Just wait in the car for us."

"Huh? You don't need me to go?"

"Someone as badass as you obviously needs to be kept for the grand finale. If anything unexpected happens, you can step out then."

Sun Xiao teased with a smile, making Cao Yang feel rather awkward.

After they left, Cao Yang sat alone in the car, smoking while he waited.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit him. Now that they had left Wancheng, this was the absolute best opportunity for him to escape.

Once he fled like this, he would be like a dragon returning to the sea, and no one would ever be able to find him.

He shook his head, brushing the thought away. Putting aside the fact that doing so would betray Tang Shaojie's trust, the main reason was that he did not want to become a wanted fugitive. If he ran away now, Tang Shaojie would certainly not help him clean up the mess afterward.

Inside the villa's security guard station, several guards had already been knocked unconscious, and Sun Xiao's underlings had changed into security uniforms to impersonate them.

Sun Xiao sat leisurely in the guardroom smoking a cigarette. At his feet lay a large sack; their mission was complete, and the girl was struggling inside the bag.

"Brother Xiao, let's get out of here!" an underling reminded him. The person had already been kidnapped, so why stay here?

Sun Xiao shook his head indifferently. "Wait a little longer."

The underling was puzzled, unsure of what they were waiting for, but since the boss didn't volunteer the information, they didn't dare ask.

Sun Xiao kept his gaze fixed on the vehicles not far away. Kidnapping the girl today was only a secondary objective; the primary mission was actually to test Cao Yang.

Before they left, Tang Shaojie had instructed him to create an opportunity for Cao Yang to escape. If Cao Yang didn't run, they would pretend nothing had happened; if he fled, they were to execute him on the spot.

Sun Xiao waited for half an hour, but Cao Yang hadn't even opened the car door—evidently having no intention of leaving.

He waved his hand, and a group of underlings hoisted the burlap sack, threw the girl into the van, and then the entire crew started their engines and headed home.

"We're heading back already?" Cao Yang asked in bewilderment.

What was he even brought here for?

He had been told he was coming to work for Tang Shaojie, and he had even prepared himself mentally for murder, only for it to be a kidnapping.

A kidnapping was fine, but from start to finish, his services weren't required at all. He had come along for absolutely nothing!

"What else did you expect?" Sun Xiao asked with a teasing smile.

Cao Yang opened his mouth, remaining silent.

Sun Xiao patted him on the shoulder. "I heard that once we get back, Jie-ge is going to officially take you in as his underling. That means we'll be brothers. There will be plenty of chances to work for Jie-ge in the future, so don't sweat a minor hiccup like this."

Upon hearing Sun Xiao's words, the driver and the underling in the front passenger seat both turned back to look at Cao Yang, their eyes filled with envy.

Cao Yang was speechless. Seeing the envious looks on their faces, he thought to himself: Is becoming Tang Shaojie's lackey really all that great?

And look at the way Sun Xiao phrased it—that there would be plenty of chances to work for Jie-ge in the future, as if he was dying to do chores for him. He had only come along to repay a favor.

Cao Yang wasn't particularly keen on becoming anyone's subordinate, including Tang Shaojie's.

However, since the offer had been made, it wouldn't look good to refuse, especially after the man had done him such a massive favor.

...

Over an hour later, the group returned to Lushan International, and Cao Yang was summoned to Hu Qing's office.

"Sister Hu, you were looking for me?"

"Yes, you handled things quite well this time. Deserving of praise."

Hu Qing patted him on the shoulder, giving her affirmation.

Cao Yang felt a blush of shame; he hadn't done a single thing other than walk through the motions.

Hu Qing smiled without explanation. The "handling things well" she referred to was the fact that Cao Yang hadn't run away, though Cao Yang himself was completely oblivious to their underlying intentions.

She stood up and tidied her things. "Come out with me."

The two of them went downstairs, got into a car driven by A-Le, and headed to the city's largest shopping mall.

Cao Yang assumed she was here to buy things and that he was merely meant to carry her bags.

Hu Qing purchased two high-end suits worth tens of thousands of yuan.

Then, at a luxury watch boutique, she bought a wristwatch priced at over a hundred thousand yuan.

"Go try on the clothes and the watch."

Cao Yang was stunned. "Huh? You bought these for me?"

"Who else would I have bought them for?"

"This... this is far too expensive. I can't accept this."

"Is it expensive? Or are you just too poor?"

That remark hit a raw nerve, leaving Cao Yang looking embarrassed.

"Sister Hu, I haven't earned any of this, I really can't take them."

"If I give them to you, just take them. Stop fussing around like a woman."

Hu Qing feigned anger and said, "Tomorrow, your Jie-ge is hosting an initiation ceremony for you at Fulin Restaurant. If you don't dress decently, it reflects poorly on all of us."

Cao Yang felt a slight pang of emotion. He went into the fitting room, changed into the suit, and strapped the watch onto his wrist.

When he stepped out and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he was almost moved to tears by his own handsome reflection.

"Not bad at all!" Hu Qing smiled as she straightened his lapel. "You look the part now, like a proper gentleman."

"Thank you, Sister Hu," Cao Yang expressed his gratitude. Aside from his mother and Li Yan, this was the third woman who had ever bought clothes for him.

"Don't call me Sister Hu, it sounds too distant. Call me Sister-in-law from now on. After tomorrow, we'll all be family."

"There are some things your Jie-ge finds inconvenient to say directly, but I need to tell you."

"Your Jie-ge mentioned that you have a bit of youthful arrogance, and he suspects you might not be joining his ranks entirely of your own free will."

"Your Jie-ge isn't someone who takes in subordinates easily. In all his years in the underworld, he has only accepted six underlings in total, and every single one of them was taken in only after a long period of observation and mutual understanding."

"Once he accepts you as his man, as long as you never betray or sell him out, he will treat you like his own younger brother. That's why so many people are desperate to join his camp. Don't harbor any resentful thoughts."