章 480: Chapter 480: I Also Love Conversations
When I heard his name in Chinese, I didn't recognize it, but seeing his face made everything click.
This was Alvin Chau, the man destined to become the king of Macau's casinos.
He would later own over twenty casinos in Macau alone, becoming a true titan of the industry.
And he didn't stop at gambling. He ventured into entertainment and film, succeeding there as well.
Which means this guy's claim of having nothing to do with our situation could just be a lie to save his skin.
"Zhou Zhuhua—or should I say, Alvin Chau?"
"What? Yes! That's right. Please spare me! I have absolutely nothing to do with this situation."
As Zhou Zhuhua crawled toward my legs, Manager Ma stepped in to block him.
Without emotion, he stomped on Zhou's outstretched hand.
"Ugh!"
"Stay back. Someone like you isn't worthy of touching him. Understand?"
When Zhou Zhuhua nodded, Manager Ma lifted his foot from the hand.
"Nothing to do with this? The 14K's deputy leader tells a different story. He says you ordered everything."
"No, no! I haven't even entered the entertainment industry yet!"
Manager Ma brought over a chair and placed it behind me. As I sat down, I continued speaking.
"Can you prove it? That you have no connection to this?"
"That… that…"
Proving you didn't do something was never easy.
Zhou Zhuhua hesitated, knowing this fact all too well.
"You'll need to prove it. Otherwise, as the leader you can't escape responsibility."
"It's true! I don't know why the deputy leader did this, but I'm working hard to establish myself in Macau. After Boss Wan Kuok-koi was arrested our influence completely vanished. To regain that…"
Though Zhou Zhuhua tried earnestly to explain his situation, I cut him off without mercy.
"I don't care about your circumstances. Just prove you didn't give the order. If you can do that, I'll at least spare your life."
"How… how can I prove it?"
"That's your problem to solve."
After my cold response, Zhou Zhuhua continued with a trembling voice.
"I… I never wanted to be the 14K's leader. Originally, Boss Wan Kuok-koi planned to make Gao Jun'er the leader."
Zhou Zhuhua spoke while looking at Hao Xun rather than me.
"Vice Chairman, you know how the Triads value lineage, don't you?"
Hao Xun nodded.
"The members staged a mass revolt, refusing to accept Gao Jun'er as leader. That's how I ended up in charge. Me, who'd been managing Macau under Boss Wan Kuok-koi. So why would I order the deputy leader to do something this big?"
Seemingly agreeing with Zhou Zhuhua's words, Hao Xun nodded and added an explanation for my benefit.
"Among the Black Society, especially the Triads formed in Hong Kong and Macau, this tendency runs deep. They place great importance on legitimacy—whether someone's from within the organization or not. It's not uncommon for leadership to be passed down to sons."
Legitimacy won't put food on the table, yet these gangsters sure love that stuff.
I remained silent, just listening.
"Wan Kuok-koi likely secured his safety in prison by agreeing to pass leadership to Gao Jun'er. But when the members rejected that, they pushed for Zhou Zhuhua as leader instead."
"Let's say that's all true. Then there'd be no reason to make Gao Jun'er deputy leader, right?"
I directed the question to Hao Xun, but Zhou Zhuhua answered.
"Let me explain that. Not every member revolted. So Boss Wan Kuok-koi called me to prison. He asked me to take leadership and accept Gao Jun'er as deputy leader. In exchange, he'd give me complete authority over Macau."
I processed their story in my head.
Wan Kuok-koi used Zhou Zhuhua as a figurehead to prevent members from leaving.
Gao Jun'er handled everything while Zhou Zhuhua focused solely on maintaining influence in Macau.
Their story seemed highly probable. I turned to Hao Xun with a question.
"Vice Chairman, why do you keep taking Zhou Zhuhua's side? Did you know each other before?"
"No. This is my first time meeting him."
"Then why do I get the feeling you're supporting him? Almost like you're involved somehow."
"…I just don't like unnecessary bloodshed. Though when killing's needed, I'll do it."
I'm not fond of killing uninvolved people either.
But this case involved Cheon Ji-young.
"Tell them to come in."
"Understood."
Following my order, Manager Ma brought in two staff members.
"Don't kill him, but get everything he knows."
"Yes, Boss."
Better leave this to the experts. I turned to leave.
"Shall we go meet the deputy leader?"
"Wait, please!"
Zhou Zhuhua called out desperately, but I ignored him and left the office.
As we walked to where Gao Jun'er was held, Hao Xun asked,
"Are you going to kill him?"
"Even if he knew nothing, he's still 14K's leader."
"It'd be a waste to just kill him. Using him well could make entering Macau easier. After all, without Stanley Ho's permission—Macau's Emperor—you can't even start a business there."
"That man's called Macau's Emperor?"
Hao Xun nodded. A flash of ambition seemed to cross his eyes.
"Yes. He's held casino licenses and monopolized the market for forty years since the 60s. Though the monopoly was recently ended, his influence has only grown stronger."
"So Vice Chairman wants to enter Macau."
No wonder he kept defending Zhou Zhuhua. He had his own agenda.
"That's right. Though the market's open now, it's still hard to enter from mainland China. American capital is already building hotels there. Ironically, Chairman Ho strictly prevents mainland Chinese from entering."
As we talked, we reached the room where Gao Jun'er was held.
When the door opened, I saw Gao Jun'er tied up.
He was in much worse shape than Zhou Zhuhua.
"He must have resisted hard. He's nearly dead."
"My apologies. Killing is easy, but subduing someone takes twice the effort. Many of our men were injured in the process."
Fair enough. Besides, we just needed him alive for information.
Nodding, I stepped inside.
"He's still breathing."
Though faint, he was thankfully still breathing. That would do.
"Gao Jun'er."
Gao Jun'er reflexively turned toward my voice.
His face was so swollen he could barely open his eyes.
"Was it really Zhou Zhuhua who ordered Cheon Ji-young's kidnapping? He claims it wasn't him."
Gao Jun'er slowly nodded.
"Y-yes. I received orders from Boss Zhou Zhuhua to kidnap actress Ch-Cheon Ji-young. I didn't know about the Black Dragon Society connection. I just followed orders. Please forgive me. Spare my life."
Whether in China or Korea they're all the same—ruthless when killing others but begging for their lives when death comes knocking.
"Isn't Liu Han your boss? That's what I heard."
"…I've cut ties with Boss Liu Han."
Though brief, Gao Jun'er hesitated. Seizing that moment, I pressed harder.
"That's different from what I know. I heard Liu Han and Wan Kuok-koi made a deal to make you 14K's leader. In exchange, they promised Wan Kuok-koi a comfortable prison life and eventual parole. Isn't that right?"
"No, no! I know nothing about that!"
"Then you'll have to die. Well, I can always beat the truth out of Liu Han."
"Please spare me! Please!"
Despite Gao Jun'er's desperate pleas, I gave Manager Ma a slight nod.
"Kill him. We'll get the rest from Liu Han."
Following my order, Manager Ma immediately picked up a steel pipe from the floor.
Terror flooded Gao Jun'er's face.
"Wait, please."
"Got something to say?"
"…"
"Kill him."
I turned away without hesitation. Hao Xun's face had hardened when I looked at him.
"Why that expression? Did you expect a lengthy interrogation?"
"…No."
"Then relax. I enjoy conversation too. But that's for talking with people. What's the point in talking with beasts who are worse than animals?"
"Are you going after Chairman Liu Han?"
Hao Xun's tense expression seemed to stem from the mention of going after Liu Han.
"You said it yourself—he seems to be behind this."
"That's true. But we have no proof. It's just my suspicion. Chairman Liu Han is different from Zhou Zhuhua."
As we talked, the dull thuds continued.
Manager Ma was thoroughly pulverizing Gao Jun'er.
He seemed intent on killing him slowly rather than ending it quickly.
It showed just how angry Manager Ma was.
No reason for me to stop this.
"Wait… I'll tell… everything…"
Gao Jun'er spoke with a dying voice.
"Manager, pause for a moment."
Manager Ma immediately stopped. Only then could we hear Gao Jun'er's labored breathing.
"Can't hear you well. Speak clearly."
Manager Ma opened a water bottle and poured it over Gao Jun'er's face.
"I'll… tell everything."
The water seemed to help, as Gao Jun'er managed to speak slightly better.
"Now we're talking. If I don't like what I hear, you'll become dog food. If you want to experience being eaten alive, that's your choice. Give me the answer I want, and I'll give you a quick death."
Trembling with fear, Gao Jun'er hung on my every word.
His quivering lips finally moved.
"B-Boss Liu Han did send me here. He told me to… to take over 14K."
"What about this incident? Was it Liu Han's order or Zhou Zhuhua's?"
"I did it alone. Neither Boss Zhou Zhuhua nor Boss Liu Han knew about it."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"It's… it's true!"
I turned to Hao Xun. His expression had already hardened, anticipating what I'd say.
"Now we have testimony."
"…"
Hao Xun sighed and asked Gao Jun'er:
"Did Liu Han really send you here? This isn't just about you dying. Answer carefully."
"It's all true. He ordered me to take over 14K. Said it was arranged with Boss Wan Kuok-koi. I planned to remove Boss Zhou Zhuhua once I'd gained the members' trust."
"You mean kill him?"
Gao Jun'er shook his head vigorously.
"No, not that. The plan was to keep him confined to Macau, not kill him."
"Ah… This is getting messy. So Liu Han ordered the kidnapping of celebrities?"
"No! That was all me!"
"Hey! Think that makes sense? You acted without your boss's permission? Unless you had other thoughts…"
Suddenly seeming to realize something, Hao Xun let his words trail off.
Gao Jun'er avoided Hao Xun's gaze.
"You asked someone else."
"N-no!"
"Why hide it now? Just tell us straight."
"…"
Gao Jun'er clamped his mouth shut. I moved closer and crouched before him.
I met his eyes as I spoke. They were filled with terror.
No matter how long I looked, he just trembled in fear.
"Staying stubborn till the end. How annoying. Manager, just grind him up for the fighting dogs. Though they might be too refined for this trash. Let's wrap this up and go."
No point trying to get more information from someone like this. I stood up without hesitation.
Manager Ma picked up the steel pipe again, and seeing this, Gao Jun'er spoke urgently:
"I know! It was Wanda Group!"
Why's Wanda Group coming up now?
"Wanda Group, with Wang Jianlin as chairman? The Princelings?"
"Yes…"
Hao Xun closed his eyes with a sigh. I felt the same way.
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