The Heir to the Seven Killers in the City

Chapter 3: Seeking Revenge

“Where is Wang Chuanyong? Don’t make a sound—one scream and I’ll snap your neck.” The icy voice pierced Huang Laosan’s ears, and then he saw the man’s left hand pick up the stainless-steel cup he’d left on the nightstand—only for the man to crush it flat in an instant! Huang Laosan’s eyes bulged in terror—how could he not be afraid? Crushing a stainless steel cup with just one hand—was this even human? At the same time, he recognized the speaker’s voice—it belonged to the same young man who had greeted him just a few days ago. He was a delicate-looking teenager, eighteen or nineteen years old. It was Huang Laosan himself who had stuffed that boy into a burlap sack, then, together with Wolf Brother, carried him through the rain to the riverbank and tossed him into the water… “A ghost!” The thought popped into Huang Laosan’s mind. His whole body began to shake like a sieve, and he felt a damp, warm patch beneath him—he’d been so terrified that he’d wet himself. The human psyche is a strange thing—people aren’t afraid of other people, yet they fear ghosts, not realizing that the human heart is far more terrifying than any ethereal, elusive ghost—far, far more terrifying. Qin Yu slightly loosened his grip on Huang Laosan’s neck. Huang Laosan was finally able to catch his breath and immediately cried out in a low voice, “Spare my life! Spare my life!” Qin Yu had no idea that this Huang Laosan was one of the men who’d thrown him into the river that day. But after sneaking into this pyramid scheme hideout, he’d observed the windows of every room—and this was the only person who’d stuck in his mind. He knew this man wasn’t a “trainee” but a member of the pyramid scheme organization, which was why he’d singled out Huang Laosan. “Where’s Wang Chuanyong? This is your last chance,” Qin Yu said coldly. Huang Laosan immediately cried out, “I don’t know where Brother Yong is…” Upon hearing this, Qin Yu snorted coldly. That single snort nearly made Huang Laosan wet himself again; he hurriedly said, “I don’t know, but Wolf Brother definitely knows—yes, he definitely knows!” Qin Yu frowned. “Who’s Brother Wolf?” Huang Laosan replied, “Brother Wolf is the head enforcer under Brother Yong…” The image of a man flashed through Qin Yu’s mind, and a murderous glint instantly flashed in his eyes. “Is this guy bald on top, very tall and burly, with a large black mole on his left cheek—and hair growing out of that mole?” Huang Laosan nodded frantically like a chick pecking at grain: “Yes, yes, yes—that’s him!” Qin Yu asked, “Where is he?” Huang Laosan said, “Shuangliu Street! He must be on Shuangliu Street right now!” Qin Yu got a little annoyed as soon as he heard that: “Shuangliu Street? Are you telling me to search an entire street?” Huang Laosan’s voice trembled as he said, “Bishui Lantian—he must be at Bishui Lantian…” In Jiangcheng, when Shuangliu Street is mentioned, most people’s faces take on an ambiguous expression. This is because, just as its name suggests, Shuangliu Street is a red-light district. Since the late Qing Dynasty, this old street has been a hub for Jiangcheng’s nightlife and entertainment. Although it isn’t as famous as the banks of the Qinhuai River in Jinling, no one who visits Jiangcheng is unaware of it. After the founding of the People’s Republic, this street—which the people of Jiangcheng viewed through a “pink-tinted” lens—fell into obscurity for a time, but it began to thrive again several decades ago. However, the brothels and pleasure houses of yesteryear have since been replaced by bathhouses, foot massage parlors, and nightclubs of all sizes. “Blue Water, Blue Sky” was a bathhouse. On Shuangliu Street, it certainly didn’t rank among the top establishments, but given the man nicknamed “Wolf Brother’s” taste and the depth of his pockets, he could only afford to hang out at a place like this—a lower-middle-class establishment. If you asked him to spend money at “Blue Hell” at the end of Shuangliu Street, he simply couldn’t afford it. Having just enjoyed the therapist’s services, the tall, burly man puffed on a cigarette, grumbling under his breath. As a former street thug, his mental fortitude far surpassed that of Huang Laosan, who came from a farming background. At the very least, he hadn’t suffered nightmares over dumping a teenager’s body; although he’d been on edge for a while, his main fear was that the body would be discovered and alert the police. A few days passed without any reaction, and there were no reports in the local news about a body being found, so he felt much more at ease. A knock sounded at the door of the private room. The man got off the massage table, cursing under his breath, and went to open it. The moment he saw the teenager in black standing there, his eyes widened in shock: “You…” Before he could finish his sentence, he was struck hard in the stomach with a fist. The man, who had practiced martial arts for a few days, instantly collapsed to his knees. It felt as if an eight-pound sledgehammer had smashed into his stomach; his internal organs churned violently, and the pain was so intense he nearly passed out. Just then, the teenager in black lifted his massive frame with one hand, dragged him into the room, and shut the door behind him with a backhand motion. Qin Yu’s questioning style was straightforward—or perhaps one might say blunt and brutal. The cold, sharp voice in his mind, which had guided him through the transmission of the *Seven Slayings Sutra*, had, to some extent, shaped his character; the Qin Yu of today had become far more unyielding inside. The slightest hesitation in answering a question resulted in a finger being crushed—yes, crushed. After two fingers had been crushed, this “Wolf Brother” was no longer a wolf at all, but had become a stray dog wagging its tail and begging for mercy, answering every question obediently. Watching the man before him kowtowing like a garlic press, Qin Yu’s heart swelled with murderous intent, but he did not kill him. He had no intention of wasting his first kill on a thug like this. Qin Yu walked out of the “Blue Sky, Clear Water” Bathhouse, looked up at the bleak moon in the sky, exhaled a long breath, and then vanished into the darkness. As the leader of a pyramid scheme, Wang Chuanyong was clearly a clever and cunning man. Such people always have multiple hideouts, so Wang Chuanyong never lived at the scheme’s headquarters like the others. He rented apartments in several locations across Jiangcheng, and aside from his closest confidants, no one knew where he spent his nights. Black Wolf—also known as Brother Wolf—knew only that Wang Chuanyong was staying at the Fuhua Residential Complex tonight, but he didn’t know which building Wang Chuanyong was in, let alone which floor or apartment number. However, Black Wolf did give Qin Yu one piece of useful information: Wang Chuanyong was with Jiang Rongrong tonight. This news made Qin Yu’s heart clench for a moment, but he quickly let it go. There is no greater sorrow than a heart that has died. Qin Yu had completely given up on Jiang Rongrong; the love he once felt was gone. While he was being beaten unconscious, Jiang Rongrong had stood there watching from start to finish, her face bearing a look of contempt the entire time. Now, Qin Yu felt nothing but hatred toward her—overwhelming, seething hatred. It was Jiang Rongrong who had originally introduced him to Wang Chuanyong’s pyramid scheme. Looking back now, it was crystal clear what this woman had been up to all along—she had never loved him at all; she had merely been using him. After draining his life savings, she even tricked him into joining the pyramid scheme. How could anyone be so heartless?