Xu Ke had just finished a call with Brother Long when news from the Jin family came through.
"Jin Zhengxiong isn’t just scum, he’s a beast. Do you know what he did? He actually committed the heinous crime of burying people alive." Brother Long received the news from his men and felt a burst of rage ignite above his head.
"Can you believe there’s someone so devoid of conscience? Burying people in a mine, and the family was compensated with only thirty thousand yuan. What can you do with thirty thousand in today’s world? One piece of my clothing costs more than that. This old bastard is truly despicable." Brother Long was fuming on the other end of the line. Xu Ke, who received the call, squinted slightly, and the danger emanating from him increased rapidly.
For a moment, the car was filled with Brother Long’s voice, "I can’t stand it, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. That’s over thirty lives, thirty families ruined by that old beast. Everything he has now is tainted with human blood, and those thirty-some families are living such miserable lives."
As if remembering something sad, Brother Long spoke with a nasal tone, and Xu Ke even heard Brother Long blowing his nose. The dark aura around him momentarily stopped flowing, and his expression twisted, unsure whether he should be angry or amused.
"Alright, don’t be sad anymore. We didn’t know about these things before, but now that we do, we can’t just stand by. Let’s start by sending some daily necessities to each family. Don’t do anything else for now. Once I handle this matter, I’ll help them reclaim what Jin Zhengxiong owes them over the years." Xu Ke said with a reassuring tone.
"I knew Xu, my brother, you wouldn’t leave them alone. I’ll have my guys buy some rice, flour, and oil to send over immediately. It definitely won’t interfere with your plans." Brother Long’s voice sounded much more robust, with less nasal tone.
Xu Ke’s expression softened instantly. Although Brother Long’s hands weren’t clean, he was a man of principles. He never did anything shameful and even as the uncrowned king in the darkness of this city, he had an emotional side, often moved to tears by certain events.
"I’ll send you these files to your email later. Don’t show any mercy to that old beast," Brother Long instructed indignantly.
"Don’t worry, I never intended to spare him." Xu Ke slowly reduced the speed of his vehicle, stopping alongside other cars waiting for the green light.
"After delivering the supplies to those families, have your guys send the evidence to my email and then pull back. Don’t do anything unnecessary that might alert them. Bai City isn’t your territory, so avoid unnecessary trouble. Leave the Jin family to me; I won’t let Jin Zhengxiong off easily." Xu Ke assured Brother Long.
"Got it. Rest assured, I won’t hold you back." Hearing Xu Ke’s promise, Brother Long felt much better. The air seemed less suffocating, and he felt completely at ease.
The two exchanged a few more words before Xu Ke hung up. The red light was counting down, with only three seconds left. Xu Ke restarted the car, ready to move off, but at that moment, the passenger door suddenly opened, and a fragrant figure slipped in.
The red light suddenly turned green, and Xu Ke had no choice but to drive off with a sullen face.
The girl in the car wore a white lace dress, her black long hair smooth and straight, with thin bangs slightly covering eyes as bright and innocent as a young deer’s.
At that moment, the girl seemed relieved to have escaped from something, took a gentle breath, and looked at Xu Ke with eyes sparkling, like a stream shimmering in the sunlight.
"Someone was chasing me just now; they wanted to take me away. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have known what to do. Thank you so much. My name is Lu Xiaoxiao, what’s yours?" Her voice was as clear and captivating as her gaze.
She was like a cheerful lark, chattering away, quickly recounting her story as if she were a carefree young girl ignorant of the world.
She explained that she was a student from a neighboring city, here to collect scenic photos, unaware she would encounter some abductors intending to snatch her. Fortunately, she was clever and met a good person, managing to escape to Xu Ke’s car.
"Why aren’t you speaking? Do you have any water in the car? I’m a bit thirsty." Lu Xiaoxiao stuck out her tongue, making an adorable expression.
"Get out." Xu Ke pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped.
"Huh? What did you say?" Lu Xiaoxiao widened her eyes, looking innocently at Xu Ke.
"I said get out of the car." Xu Ke turned his head, looking coldly at Lu Xiaoxiao, his eyes devoid of any emotion.
"I’m all alone, with nothing on me. You’re just going to leave me by the roadside? What if something happens to me?" Lu Xiaoxiao said incredulously, reaching out as if to grab Xu Ke’s sleeve and act coy, but under his cold, oppressive stare, she hesitated and even her expression stiffened.
"Do I need to repeat myself? Get off my car." Xu Ke reiterated.
"But I’m not familiar with this place, I’m scared alone. Can’t you at least take me to the police station? Please, I’m begging you," Lu Xiaoxiao pleaded with a pitiful expression.
However, the scenario Lu Xiaoxiao imagined, where Xu Ke would soften, didn’t occur. Instead, his expression grew even more unpleasant.
Xu Ke didn’t waste words. He got out of the car, walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and despite Lu Xiaoxiao’s resistance, he quickly dragged her out of his car and closed and locked the door.
"I don’t care who sent you, but you’d better stay away from me from now on. Show up again, and you’ll regret it." Xu Ke said with a fiercely intimidating gaze at the seemingly naïve girl.
He released her arm and retrieved a gray handkerchief from his pocket, meticulously wiping each finger.
"What are you talking about? I don’t understand a word. Are you paranoid or something? Just because you’re driving a Lamborghini doesn’t mean anything. You’re not only mentally deranged but also heartless. I asked you for help, and this is how you treat me? You won’t even take me to the police. If they capture me, torture, beat, or even kill me, you’ll be one of the executioners responsible for my death." Lu Xiaoxiao shouted at Xu Ke, tears welling in her eyes.