Night.
The manager’s office.
A woman in a ladies’ suit was tied up on the floor. Hao Qing was emotionlessly staring at the few men in front of her. The Crew-cut and other managers of the bath parlor were not in the office. Only a few men in black were around, and they should be Ma Wentao’s trusted aides. Ma Wentao and Dong Xuebing were standing behind those men. Seems like Ma Wentao’s trust in Dong Xuebing had increased a lot.
Ma Wentao looks at the woman coldly. “Who sent you here?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” The middle-aged woman replied.
Ma Wentao snapped at the woman. “Stop wasting my time! Which Public Security station are you from? Are you from the Provincial Bureau?”
Hou Qing looks at Ma Wentao. “Are you Manager Ma? Public Security? How can I be from Public Security? I can’t sleep at night and come out for a walk. I wanted to go and get some food but could not find the elevator. Then I suddenly remember that this building does not have elevators. When I was looking for the stairs, a few men started chasing me. Manager Ma, I am telling the truth.”
Ma Wentao smiled coldly. “Why did you run?”
Hou Qing replied. “I am a woman, and so many men are chasing after me. Of course, I have to run.”
Ma Wentao sneered. “Don’t think we are idiots. Do you think we will believe what you said?” He paused and raised his voice. “Speak! Who had sent you to Hai Bing Bath Parlor? What is are you doing here?! Catching prostitution? Gambling? Also, which room on the third floor have you entered earlier? What are you looking for? If you come clean with us, we can still negotiate, or you will regret it!”
Hou Qing replied weakly. “What I had said are the truth.”
“You are asking for it!” Ma Wentao stepped forward and stomped on her right breast!
That is a woman’s vital point, and the woman almost fainted from the pain. She started coughing and gasping for air. “Cough... I... I am not... a police officer... cough...”
A man in a black suit slapped Hou Qing!
Slap! Hou Qing’s face swelled, and a red handprint was left on her pale face!
Slap! Hou Qing was given another slap! Blood was flowing out from the corner of her mouth.
“Speak!”
Hou Qing gritted her teeth and said. “I... I had come here to use the facilities... Cough... What do you want me to say?”
“You still don’t want to admit?!”
Ma Wentao was not surprised. The more this woman denied, the more he believes she is a police officer. He is also sure that this woman is not here to investigate prostitution or gambling. He stood above Hou Qing and stepped on her other breast with his leather shoe. It was so painful that Hou Qing screamed out in pain!”
Arrrghhhh!” Hou Qing screamed at the top of her lungs and fainted!
Ma Wentao is ruthless, and Dong Xuebing was clenching his fist in anger.
“Wake her up!” Ma Wentao ordered.
One of his men took a bottle of water and poured it on the woman’s head and face. Cough... cough... cough... Hou Qing choked on the water and woke up. But the injuries on her body made her weak.
Ma Wentao smiled coldly. “Are you going to talk?”
The woman replied weakly. “You all got the wrong person. I am not a police officer.”
Ma Wentao nodded and picked up a wooden pole.
Dong Xuebing saw it and pretended to be nervous. “Brother Ma, if she is really from the police, we.... Will it be too dangerous with what we are doing?” Ma Wentao waved his hand. He knew what Xiao Xie is worried about, as the latter does not know what is going on, and Ma Wentao has no intention of telling him now.
One minute...
Five minutes...
Eight minutes...
Screams of pain can be heard from the room.
Hou Qing was badly beaten up by Ma Wentao and his men. Her face was swollen with red handprints, and her top and pants were covered with shoeprints. She was stomped and kicked countless times, and blood was flowing out from the cuts on her limps and stomach. But she still insisted she is not from the police.
Ma Wentao frowned. He is afraid they might kill her and stopped the torture. “Watch her closely. I need to make a call!”
Ma Wentao left the room and entered another office to make a call on his mobile phone.
“Hello.” It was a stern middle-aged man’s voice.
Ma Wentao said politely. “Boss, something happened at the bath parlor.”
“Yes. I heard that you had caught a cop. What have you found out?”
“She refused to say anything.” Ma Wentao continued. “If she is an ordinary person, she would have spilled everything. I am sure she had received professional training and is a police officer.”
The man on the other line kept quiet for a while and said. “Xiao Ma, you had worked for me for many years. Why are you still so rash? From the start, what you had done is wrong. So what if she is a police officer? Why did you catch her? She wants to investigate us, just let her investigate. The items are also not kept there, and no matter how she investigates, she will not find anything. But once you catch her, you are telling her that you have something to hide.”
Ma Wentao’s face changed. “But the Police might already know, or they will not send their people here. Rather than letting that officer escape, we should find out from her what is the police going to do next.”
“If the police know about it, they will not send her alone to investigate. They will have a large-scale operation. They are only suspecting us, and if I am not wrong, many other people are on the suspect list. They should be investigating everyone on the list now. Because of you catching that officer, you had fallen into their trap. The police will be sending more officers to your place now.”
Ma Wentao apologized. “Sorry, Boss.”
“What’s the point of saying that? Since you had caught the officer, you must not let her go.”
“Yes. What should we do now? If the police know that their officer is caught by us, then we...”
“The police will not know what happened at the bath parlor for the time being. You must shift to another place as soon as possible. I will make arrangements for you, and it’s time to give up on that bath parlor. When we complete this deal overseas, the money we earn can last us for five to six lifetimes. This business is not worth mentioning. Remember, bring everyone who knows about this matter and don’t let them fall into the police’s hands.”
“I understand. I am prepared.”
“Yes. Bring that guy who knows how to validate antiques along.”
“What should we do with that female officer?”
“... bring her along. If anything happens along the way, you will have a hostage.”
“I understand.”
After hanging up, Ma Wentao made a few more calls to prepare for his escape. After that, he returned to the office and said something to his men. His men nodded and carried Hou Qing out.
Only Dong Xuebing and Ma Wentao remained in the office.
Dong Xuebing is worried about that woman’s safety and was anxious. “Brother Ma...”
Before Dong Xuebing could say anything, Ma Wentao said. “We need to move to a safer place. Xiao Xie, I will let you know everything since you will also know in a few days. My boss is preparing for a big deal and might be against the law. That’s why we must go overseas. You... will follow me first. If you are willing, I will reserve a spot for you to go overseas with us. Of course, if you are not willing, I will not force you.”
Dong Xuebing hesitated. “Go overseas and not come back?”
“Yes. Is there anything holding you back here?”
“No... but...”
“After the deal is completed, you will get a share. Don’t worry.”
Dong Xuebing pretended to be excited about this offer and said. “Then I will follow you in the future!”
“Ok!” Ma Wentao patted Dong Xuebing’s shoulder. “Go and pack your luggage! The car will be arriving soon!”
Dong Xuebing knows Ma Wentao might be trying to pull him over to his side. After all, Ma Wentao will still need Dong Xuebing’s antique authenticating skills in the future. He might also be trying to calm Dong Xuebing temporarily and painted a beautiful picture for him. After they are overseas, Ma Wentao might kill him to silence him. Nevertheless, this group of people will bring the stolen relics out of the country and had been preparing their escape in the past few days. Dong Xuebing does not have much time left!
Back in his room, Dong Xuebing sat on the sofa and packed his luggage.
In Dong Xuebing’s mind, he was thinking about how to leave a message for the police and get them to follow the cars leaving the parlor. The cars will bring them to the stolen relics, and also rescue that female officer. Dong Xuebing must send out this message immediately, but the phone in the room cannot call out, and he does not have his phone with him. Should he take the risk to borrow a phone from the second floor, or secretly make a call from one of the offices here?
Suddenly the door open.
A man in a black suit entered. “Manager Ma asked me to fetch you.”
Fine. Dong Xuebing’s heart sunk, as he knew he does not have any opportunity to contact the outside world. “Alright. Let’s go.”
Since Dong Xuebing has no way to contact the police, he stops thinking about it. Also, if he contacted the police now, he might mess everything up. If Manager Ma and his men discovered his identity, Dong Xuebing would not find the location of the stolen relics. Dong Xuebing should take one step at a time. The man in the black suit did not use the stairs in front, or the main door. Instead, he brought Dong Xuebing to a narrow stair and exited into the back alley from a small metal gate.
“Big brother, is the car here?” Dong Xuebing asked.
That man nodded. “The car is in front.”
“What about that female officer? What are we going to do with her?”
“She is in another car.”
Dong Xuebing was relieved to know she is still alive. “Why is she coming along with us?”
That man did not say anything, as he might not know the answer too.
The car is a Honda MPV, a brand-new Odyssey, and Dong Xuebing boarded the back. The first two rows were occupied, and he had to sit on the third row. The female officer and Ma Wentao are not in this car. They might have boarded another car, and after a while, the Crew-cut also boarded. The driver made a phone call and drove the car out through the back door.
“Manager Ma wants everyone to wear sunglasses.”
The driver took out a bag full of sunglasses and passed it to the passengers.
Wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night? Dong Xuebing and the Crew-cut had some hesitations but did not say anything. When everyone received the sunglasses, they realized these are not sunglasses. The lens covered half of their faces and could not see anything. Something was painted over the lens and did not allow them to see anything.
The Crew-cut frowned. “Old Sun, what is the meaning of this?”
The driver, Old Sun, replied. “It is the boss’s instructions. Just bear with it and don’t remove the sunglasses on the way.”
The Crew-cut kept quiet after he heard it was the boss’s instructions.
The driver added. “Oh, all of you must give me your phones.”
Everyone’s phones were given to the driver, and he switched them off. At the traffic lights, he took out the SIM cards and threw them out of the windows.
Dong Xuebing felt the boss behind Hai Bing Bath Parlor is well prepared. The sunglasses is to prevent the passengers from leaking news of the location, and using sunglasses is better than blindfolds, as it will not be suspicious.
Since Dong Xuebing cannot see anything through the glasses, he starts thinking about his plans.
An hour passed.
Dong Xuebing felt the car stopped suddenly, and the lights from the side of the glasses were gone. The car should have entered a dark place, and there is a musty smell. It should be a big warehouse. Bam! Someone opened the door, and he could hear someone talking but could not make out what they are saying.
“Everyone can alight now.” It was the driver. “You all can remove the sunglasses.”
Dong Xuebing took off the sunglasses and saw they are in a warehouse.
When everyone got out of the vehicle, the driver boarded a Toyota SUV and asked everyone to board it. Dong Xuebing, the Crew-cut, and the rest looked at each other quietly and boarded the SUV. The Odyssey is a seven-seater, and the Toyota SUV can barely fit all of them. The driver saw everyone had boarded the SUV and made them wear the sunglasses again, before driving off.
One hour...
Two hours...
Three hours...
The car seems to be traveling along small roads along the mountains, and they switched vehicles three times!
Dong Xuebing was exhausted and could see sunlight from the corner of the glasses.
The third vehicle slowly came to a stop. “Ok. Everyone can get off now but don’t remove the sunglasses. Someone will bring you all in.”
Dong Xuebing heard the car’s door opened and footsteps. After a while, someone pulled Dong Xuebing by his arm and brought him out of the car. Dong Xuebing could not see anything, and the surroundings are quiet. This should be a secluded place, and he could smell the sea. They should be somewhere near a river or port. Dong Xuebing is not familiar with Hebei Province, and even if he can see, he will not know where he is now. Furthermore, they have driven around for a few hours, and they might have left Hebei Province.
That man brought Dong Xuebing down a flight of stairs.
A few minutes later, Ma Wentao said. “Remove the sunglasses.”
Dong Xuebing took off the sunglasses and was blinded by the lights. He narrowed his eyes and saw they are in a spacious basement, and there are several rooms there. In the basement, there are about a dozen people, and Ma Wentao is standing not far away. But Dong Xuebing did not see anyone that looks like Ma Wentao’s boss.
Ma Wentao looks at them. “It is not that we do not believe you all. This is to protect ourselves.”
Everyone did not say anything.
Ma Wentao cleared his throat and nodded. “All of you do not need to know what is going on. Boss is upstairs right now, and he can see every one of you. If you all performed well, you all would be rewarded. It’s the same rule. All of you will be paid based on your performance.” Ma Wentao said.
Dong Xuebing was looking around to look for that female officer.
About fifteen minutes later, Ma Wentao said. “Alright. You all can rest in the rooms here.” After that, he walked up the stairs and left the basement. Dong Xuebing knew there would be people watching over the exit, and they are not allowed to leave the basement.
The Crew-cut was the first to enter a room.
The rest of the people saw him and start to pick their room. Some of them, who are close, chose to rest in the same room.
There are lots of empty room, and Dong Xuebing choose the one furthest in the basement. The room is bare, and roaches are crawling in a corner. There are a bed and a table but does not have a bathroom and has a musty smell.
Dong Xuebing looked around the room and sat on the bed.
The stolen relics should be nearby, but Dong Xuebing’s priority is the female officer. No matter how precious those relics are, they are not as important as that officer’s life. He needs to find a way to rescue that woman, or she would be killed.
How should Dong Xuebing save her?
Dong Xuebing must save her and not raise suspicions.