The taxi crawled away from the city center. The driver occasionally glanced at the silent man who hadn't said a word since getting in.
But for the driver, anyone willing to take a cab from downtown to the suburbs was a premium customer!
After all, most people living in the area commuted between the city and outskirts on motorbikes.
And judging by the man’s attire, it was clear he wasn’t a local.
Hoping to make some extra cash, the driver struck up a conversation, commenting on HuMing's outfit enthusiastically.
"Hey, brother, your outfit looks like something straight out of a spy movie! But you better be careful—you're heading to the No Man’s Land, a place even the cops don't mess with!"
The driver tried his best to explain the perils of the No Man’s Land in his broken dialect.
But the man who had remained silent suddenly spoke, his voice steady and in perfectly local accent.
"The ruler of the No Man’s Land—is it the man named ChaChai?"
"Yeah, that’s him! No Man’s Land used to be complete chaos before he showed up. There were gunfights every day. When ChaChai came into power, he crushed all the unrest and brought order. Now, people there treat him like a god and willingly work for him."
The driver spoke highly of ChaChai, going on about the man’s deeds in No Man’s Land.
"Hey, have you heard about the 'Couple Case'? That’s probably the most satisfying thing ChaChai’s ever done!"
"The Couple Case? What’s that?"
"Ah, no surprise you don’t know—it was big news here, but ChaChai sealed the case. It’s still infamous around these parts."
"What happened?" HuMing was intrigued. From the driver’s tone, it seemed this was a key event that solidified ChaChai's reputation.
"Years ago, four young men broke into a house to rob it. When they saw the bride’s wedding photos, they got wicked ideas. They ambushed the couple when they got home, tied the husband up in one room, and assaulted the wife in another—right in front of him.
"They taunted the couple, saying if they cooperated, they’d let them go. The husband was forced to endure the sight of his wife being assaulted for eight hours straight, only for the men to kill him in the end. The wife was also murdered after suffering unimaginable abuse. Then those animals even stayed to eat a meal before leaving."
"The autopsy revealed the wife’s body was covered in injuries, and she was three months pregnant."
"Those scum never intended to spare them. They pretended to give hope just to crush it before the end. The wife died with her eyes wide open."
HuMing listened in silence, his expression unreadable.
This calm reaction surprised the driver. Most out-of-towners he’d told this story to would react emotionally, eagerly asking about what happened to the culprits.
The driver used such stories to stretch the trip out, earning himself a bit more money.
"So, in the end, ChaChai caught those four men, didn’t he?"
HuMing revealed the story's ending, causing the driver to pause for a moment before responding.
"Yes, ChaChai found them. Back then, he’d just taken charge, and many people still doubted him. This case became a huge event in No Man’s Land. ChaChai turned the place upside down to find those men.
"But what's interesting is that those men, when confronted by ChaChai, kept clamoring that they wanted the police to handle the matter. Among those four, one was a minor, and as you probably know, the law is quite lenient in cases .”
"But just when everyone thought the case would end with arrests, ChaChai pulled out his gun, shot off all their limbs, and threw them into the sea to drown! Back then, no one in No Man’s Land dared to do such things openly!"
"Someone tipped off the police about ChaChai, but for some reason, they didn’t act. After that, ChaChai’s reputation soared, and he became the undisputed ruler of No Man’s Land!"
HuMing stroked his chin, his gaze thoughtful.
The driver shook his head and sighed.
"But still, that poor couple! Their bright future was completely destroyed. Isn’t it a tragedy? If not for ChaChai, that minor would’ve been out in a few years."
ChaChai seemed to be a man with the people’s backing. If HuMing wanted to investigate further, dealing with him would be unavoidable.
And more importantly, HuMing strongly suspected that Ah Zhao’s death was linked to ChaChai.
Taking a deep breath, HuMing’s eyes hardened with resolve.
The car left the highway and turned onto a muddy mountain road. The taxi struggled, the driver cursing as he wrestled with the wheel.
By the afternoon, the blazing sun was high in the sky. HuMing sat in the swaying taxi, gripping the handle beside him for stability.
He thought he’d endure the bumpy ride all the way to No Man’s Land, but an unexpected twist awaited him.
"Dammit, a breakdown!"
The driver spat into the mud before stepping out to check the engine.
HuMing also got out, suitcase in hand, his gaze fixed on the distance.
Amid the dense forest, he could make out a towering building perched on a distant peak.
The driver noticed HuMing’s line of sight and chuckled.
"That’s ChaChai’s place. They say he often entertains high-ranking officials there. Nowadays, ChaChai even rubs shoulders with politicians—nobody dares cross him."
HuMing repeated the name, certain that this trip would inevitably lead to a confrontation with him.
Pulling a wad of cash from his pocket, HuMing handed it to the driver.
"Keep the change; consider it compensation for the repairs."
The driver’s eyes widened at the generous amount—it was worth two or three days’ earnings!
Hurriedly pocketing the money, the driver called out as HuMing began to walk away.
"Hey, be careful! The people in No Man’s Land don’t take kindly to outsiders. If they target you, you’ll be in real trouble!"