The inside of the trailer was a complete mess.
Blood stained the floor crimson while Cheon Ji-young's clothes and accessories were scattered everywhere.
I looked around slowly while muttering to myself.
"So this is where she's been staying."
The nearest hotel was about two hours away so she must have spent most of her time here… It couldn't have been comfortable.
"Let's clean this up first."
Manager Ma directed the staff to start tidying the place.
"Don't bother with the blood. We're disposing of this trailer today anyway."
I had no intention of letting Cheon Ji-young keep using this trailer.
I couldn't just stand by while she was surrounded by such awful memories.
Once the basic cleanup was done Manager Ma led me to the trailer's sofa.
As I sat down they dragged in the men I'd picked out earlier forcing them to kneel before me.
"Hmm…"
Even on their knees the two still wore defiant expressions.
Looking at them I clicked my tongue. Their attitude really rubbed me the wrong way.
I flexed my wrist casually and held out my hand to Manager Ma.
"Manager hand me an axe."
Manager Ma passed me a hatchet with both hands.
I stood up and crouched in front of the two men.
Then I tapped the dull axe blade against the wrist of the man who'd dragged Cheon Ji-young out earlier.
"Which hand was it? The one you used to hit my sister?"
Not understanding what I meant the man asked back.
"What?"
"Never mind. No need to answer. I'll just cut them both off."
I shot Manager Ma a look. He grabbed the man's arm and pinned it firmly to the ground.
After confirming the palm was flat against the floor I swung the axe down.
"Arghhhh!"
The man's left hand dangled grotesquely exposing bone.
The dull blade hadn't severed it completely leaving the axe stuck halfway through the mangled flesh.
The man thrashed wildly but Manager Ma's strength kept him firmly pinned.
Drool dripped from his mouth as he screamed in agony.
I watched him dispassionately before pulling out the embedded axe and tossing it aside.
"One mouth is enough for talking. Handle that however you see fit."
I wiped the blood off my hands as I stood up. Then I smiled at the man beside him.
Unlike before he now looked completely terrified.
"From now on answer my questions. If you're even slightly slow to respond or try anything…"
I deliberately trailed off turning to look at the man being dragged away.
The remaining man followed my gaze.
Blood continued to pour from the unconscious man's dangling left hand.
The man gulped nervously. No need for further explanation after witnessing that.
I tossed the bloodied handkerchief on the floor and sat back on the sofa.
"Name."
"…Wei Dabao of the 14K."
"Why did you try to take Cheon Ji-young and Jo-mi?"
"The boss ordered us to bring in Cheon Ji-young and Zhao Wei. We were just following orders."
Having witnessed me cut off his colleague's hand without hesitation Wei Dabao answered immediately.
His tone was still arrogant but that wasn't important right now.
"Boss?"
"You won't escape us now. We'll chase you to the depths of hell. Repaying kindness with kindness and death with death – that's our organization's rule."
I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. Where did these idiots come from?
"Repaying kindness with kindness and death with death? You gangsters and your ridiculous posturing."
My open mockery clearly stung as Wei Dabao bit his lip hard.
"Stop talking nonsense and just answer my questions. Why did you try to take them?"
"I don't know the details. We just received orders to bring them in."
They kidnapped a famous celebrity without even knowing why? And in such a public place with so many witnesses?
I crossed my legs and looked down at Wei Dabao.
"This seems to happen often. Getting orders to kidnap female celebrities I mean."
"…Not often but occasionally."
The symbiotic relationship between the Triads and Chinese entertainment industry was well known.
Even famous actors maintained deep connections with the Triads some even serving as key executives.
"What were you planning to do after taking them? Force them to sign contracts for your movies? You must know those wouldn't be legally binding. This clearly isn't your first time."
"…"
Wei Dabao who had been talking freely suddenly clamped his mouth shut.
Well well something smells fishy here.
I signaled Manager Ma. Understanding my cue he picked up the discarded hatchet.
Seeing this Wei Dabao frantically started talking.
"We- we take photos and videos to use as leverage. Then we make them act in our productions and provide entertainment serv-"
Before Wei Dabao could finish Manager Ma swung the hatchet.
Wei Dabao who'd been nervously watching tried to pull his hand back but couldn't avoid losing some fingers.
"Arrghh!"
I raised my hand stopping Manager Ma who bowed slightly.
"Stop being dramatic and keep talking. It's your only chance of getting out of here alive. Make me ask again and this won't be the end of it."
I kicked over a nearby handkerchief.
"So you're saying you kidnap actresses take compromising photos and videos then use those to force them into your productions? And if that wasn't enough you make them provide sexual favors too… My sister you were going to do this to my sister?"
Wei Dabao covered his severed fingers with the handkerchief I'd thrown but it quickly turned red with blood.
Though my voice remained steady rage burned inside me.
How should I kill these bastards? What method would spread the right message?
"Shit this is insane. So where can I find this boss of yours?"
"He's in Guangzhou. But I don't know his exact location. He changes where he stays frequently…"
Wei Dabao answered through trembling lips though his tone remained respectful.
After losing his fingers his attitude had improved considerably.
These beasts only understand force.
"There must be a place they told you to bring them to."
"The boss doesn't see them directly. We handle everything first then report to him. The vice-boss is waiting at the location."
"So you're saying you don't know where the boss is? Then I have no reason to keep you alive."
"No no! The vice-boss will know where the boss is! I'll take you to where the vice-boss is waiting!"
Wei Dabao desperately tried to save his life.
He even casually offered to betray his vice-boss.
I smirked seeing how pathetically he was begging for his life after all that talk about loyalty.
"One last question. Who hit my sister? Was it that guy from earlier?"
"It wasn't me! I was assigned to take Zhao Wei and she didn't resist because she knew who we were. But Cheon Ji-young's manager fought back. So that guy stabbed him as an example. When the manager fell Cheon Ji-young screamed and he slapped her. I really didn't do anything!"
Wei Dabao anxiously watched my reaction as he trembled.
What should I do? Should I just kill him here?
Just then Manager Ma's phone rang. He checked the number before answering.
After a brief conversation in hushed tones he approached me with the phone.
"Boss it's Hao Xun."
I nodded and took the phone.
― "Mr. Chairman it's Hao. Have you been well?"
"I was doing fine until now. But at the moment everything's gone to shit."
I heard Hao Xun take a sharp breath over the receiver.
He was probably surprised given how politely I usually treated him.
― "What? What do you…"
"I said I'm fucking pissed. Listen carefully Hao Xun."
― "…"
"I know why you called but we'll discuss that later. First we need to handle something else. Have you heard of 14K? They're also called Yan Zi Fang I believe."
Hao Xun answered immediately.
― "They originated in Hong Kong but recently they've become a Triad operating across Hong Kong and Macau from their base in Guangzhou."
"Do you or your people have any business connections with these bastards? You better not because I'm planning to wipe them all out."
― "What happened?"
I briefly explained the situation to Hao Xun.
― "…So you're saying they tried to kidnap your sister? No that's insane."
"They probably didn't know she was my sister. Or maybe they don't even know who I am. Known or unknown that's not what matters right now. What matters is they tried to lay hands on Ji-young."
Hao Xun fell silent for a moment at my cold tone.
Then he asked very carefully.
― "Do you know who ordered it? 14K's boss Wan Kuok-koi is currently in prison."
"What? Is that true?"
― "Yes. He was imprisoned due to the war in Macau. Too many people died during their war with Wo On Lok. When police started investigating Wan Kuok-koi did something crazy. He tried to stop the investigation by bombing the vehicles of Macau's Police Commissioner Intelligence Bureau Chief and the lead detective. The government sent in the military after that incident and he was arrested. From what I know he received a twenty-year sentence."
This was different from what I'd heard. Still holding the phone I asked Wei Dabao.
He was clutching his injured hand and trembling.
"Hey I hear your boss is in prison? Did you lie to me?"
"No no! Boss Wan Kuok-koi is in prison but Zhou Zhuhua is our current boss!"
Wei Dabao raised his voice as if wronged.
Then he hastily added.
"I don't know who you're talking to but Boss Wan Kuok-koi has no real power anymore."
I heard Hao Xun click his tongue over the phone.
"Did you hear that? He says someone called Zhou Zhuhua is the new boss."
― "Him as boss? Impossible. He doesn't have that kind of capability. I know exactly who he is. He's good at business but he doesn't have the backing for something like this."
Hao Xun went on at length.
"Well we'll find out the truth when we meet him. Anyway everything else is on hold until this is resolved. There seem to be some high-ranking officials involved too. I just hope it's not Chairman Hu Jintao or Premier Wen Jiabao. That would end our relationship. Same goes for you Hao Xun."
― "Mr- Mr. Chairman. I'll handle this. I've arrived in Shenzhen. It won't take long to reach Guangzhou. When we meet…"
It seemed Hao Xun had come all the way to Shenzhen to meet me.
He knew well what would happen if I took matters into my own hands.
That's why he urgently offered to handle it himself but that wasn't what I wanted.
"Hao Xun. I have no intention of resolving this through dialogue. This involves my family. You know better than me what would have happened if I hadn't come to China and if I hadn't found them?"
― "…I'll personally catch them and bring them before you. Could you pass the phone please?"
I held out the phone to Wei Dabao.
"Take it."
Wei Dabao respectfully took the phone and held it to his ear.
"Who is this? What? Vice-Chairman Hao Xun? Yes yes I understand. Yes."
He nodded repeatedly answering submissively.
Raising an eyebrow at Wei Dabao's reaction.
Judging by his response Hao Xun must have quite some influence in the Black Society.
Wei Dabao passed the phone back to me.
― "Mr. Chairman. I'll head there now. I'll arrange everything capture Zhou Zhuhua and the vice-boss then contact you. Please give me a chance."
Hao Xun's voice was practically pleading.
Initially I'd planned to kill them all myself but seeing him this desperate maybe I should give him a chance.
I remained silent until he called out anxiously then spoke again.
"Can I trust you? You're not trying to hide anything?"
― "No sir. They have absolutely no connection to our organization."
"Alright. Come over then. Manager Ma will give you the location. Also we need some cleanup done here."
― "Yes. I'll bring the cleaners too."
I passed the phone to Manager Ma.
Manager Ma finished talking with Hao Xun while I looked down at Wei Dabao.
"How do you know Hao Xun? Is there some connection with your organization?"
"No no! Vice-Chairman Hao is just well-known as a major figure in the Chinese Black Society."
"Hmm. Is that so? Well since Hao Xun is coming when he arrives you'll take us to where you were supposed to bring the actresses. Then I'll let you live."
"Th-thank you! Thank you!"
At the mention of sparing his life Wei Dabao repeatedly bowed his head. He seemed to have forgotten his pain ready to perform a full bow if left unchecked.
After the call ended I spoke to Manager Ma.
"Get this one treated and keep him under watch. Gather everyone else in the trailer. Hao Xun will handle the cleanup when he arrives."
It seemed best to leave the aftermath to Hao Xun. After giving instructions I stood and left the trailer.
(End of Chapter 476.)