BPIFC -Volume 1 – Chapter 23 Returning to Nine Rivers

They had left Nine Rivers that morning, yet unexpectedly returned the very same night.

Because it was already so late, the Bureau couldn’t gather its own pilots and flight attendants in time. Sun Desheng ended up using his personal connections to hire an off-duty flight crew to handle the trip to Nine Rivers.

The crew was obviously not flying on a Bureau aircraft for the first time. The pilots quickly adapted to the plane, and several of the flight attendants even started joking around with Fatty Sun.

After takeoff, Yang Xiao wanted to discuss something with Sun Desheng. However, Fatty Sun deliberately kept his distance.

He wandered over to the group of flight attendants and began reading their palms one by one.

“Not that I’m saying anything, little sister, but you’ve got a great palm. The old palmistry books say that women with long, slender palm bones are destined for wealth and prosperity. Either your family is rich, or your husband will be rich.

What’s that? No boyfriend yet?

Well, isn’t that a coincidence? I’ve got a friend…

That’s right, Deputy Director Shen.

Nonsense, how is he forty? He’s actually two years younger than me. He just has some premature gray hair that makes him look older.

If you marry someone like him, you’ll be blessed.

As for Director Wu, the one who flew with you last time—forget about him. His son is already grown up…”

Unable to find an opportunity to speak with Sun, Yang Xiao reluctantly moved over to Che Qianzi.

“Kid, what happened last night was a misunderstanding. As long as this matter in the Nine Rivers Ghost Market succeeds, I’ll have a token of goodwill for you when we get back.”

Che Qianzi still hadn’t forgotten the grudge.

He glanced sideways at Yang Xiao and said:

“Get lost. Don’t annoy me. If there weren’t other people on this plane right now, I’d open the door and throw you out. We’ll settle our business when we get back. Don’t think this is over.”

Yang Xiao didn’t get angry.

Instead, he smiled awkwardly and said: “What if I told you I could find your master, Kong Dalong? Would that make last night’s matter disappear?”

“Oh?”

The young Taoist sneered.

“So you’ve investigated your father too? That old bastard owes me a few things as well. How about you take responsibility for his debts too? Just wait—”

Before Che Qianzi could finish, Yang Xiao interrupted:

“I’m not the same as Sun Desheng. Everything he can find out, I can find out too. And there are things I can uncover that even he can’t. For example, Kong Dalong was originally from Dandong. His real name was Kong Decai. At twenty-six, he went out to sea fishing with some elders. Their fishing boat capsized. Everyone thought the entire crew had died. Yet five years later, he suddenly reappeared in Huludao all by himself. By then he had changed his name to Kong Erkui. The name Kong Dalong was only adopted later, after he became a Taoist. His family eventually found him, but no matter how much they questioned him, he never revealed where he had been or what he had done during those five years.”

This was the first time Che Qianzi had ever heard any of this.

He had asked his master many times where he came from.

But every time, the old man gave a different answer, claiming to be from famous cities all across the country.

Eventually, Che Qianzi stopped asking altogether.

Seeing that the young Taoist was listening, Yang Xiao smiled again.

“Every few years, he’d disappear for a while. Then he’d show up in another city with a completely different identity. That continued until he met you. From that point on, he adopted the name Kong Dalong and became a Taoist priest. Then came his final disappearance, leaving you alone in Yanjing.”

Everything Yang Xiao was saying was new to Che Qianzi.

He had never imagined that the old Taoist had lived such a colorful life.

Just as Yang Xiao noticed the young man’s expression softening and was about to continue, Sun Desheng suddenly squeezed out of the crowd of flight attendants.

Pointing at Che Qianzi, he announced to them:

“This is my little brother. Not that I’m saying anything, but whichever one of you manages to chase him down, your family ancestors must be smoking with joy in their graves. He’s cultivated genuine virgin-boy skills. Forget women—he only eats male chickens, ducks, fish, and livestock. What’s mine is my brother’s. Whoever marries him in the future, I’ll cover everything. See this airplane? That’s the bride price.”

Even though everyone knew Sun Desheng was joking, the flight attendants joined in with the teasing.

Che Qianzi, who had little experience with women to begin with, immediately felt his face burning.

Without even looking in a mirror, he knew he must be red as a monkey’s backside.

Yang Xiao had wanted to continue the conversation, but after that, there was no opportunity.

Amid the laughter and commotion, they finally arrived in Nine Rivers.

Sun had already arranged for personnel from the Fifth Office to receive them.

However, Yang Xiao’s presence in Nine Rivers could not be discovered by the underworld officers.

He didn’t get into the vehicle. Instead, he disappeared alone into the crowd waiting at the airport.

After getting into the car, Sun Desheng asked the investigator assigned to receive them:

“How’s Director Ouyang doing? I heard he came here for some kind of treasure. Did he get it yet?”

Since Sun Desheng had once been the Bureau Chief himself, the investigator dared not conceal anything.

While driving, he answered:

“Our director has been occupied with this matter all day. The other side’s asking price is too high. They don’t want money—they want a trade involving rare heavenly treasures and spiritual materials. Director Ouyang is currently contacting headquarters and hoping for support.”

“Support from Secretary Yang?”

Sun chuckled.

“That won’t be easy. Director Ouyang should’ve come to me for help. Or Yang Xiao. And if all else failed, there’s still Director Wu from the Sixth Office.”

Then he suddenly changed his mind.

“Forget the hotel. No need to see Director Ouyang yet. Let’s go directly to the Ghost Market.”

The investigator immediately changed routes.

Just before midnight, the car finally stopped on the street where the Ghost Market was held.

Since opening time had not yet arrived, the street was deserted.

There were no buyers and not even a single vendor in sight.

However, the prime spots along both sides of the street had already been claimed with piles of miscellaneous items.

Once midnight passed, it would become exactly like it had been that morning—hundreds of small vendors holding oil lamps while buying and selling strange goods.

Following Sun Desheng’s instructions, the driver stayed in the car to wait.

Meanwhile, Fatty Sun pulled Che Qianzi along as the two casually strolled deeper into the street.

At that moment, a figure appeared ahead.

It was the old man whom Che Qianzi had beaten badly before dawn.

The old fellow was holding a large broom and sweeping the street with his head lowered.

He seemed to have forgotten them.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up briefly before returning to his work.

Sun pulled out a cigarette and offered one to him.

“Brother, have a smoke and take a break. My little brother and I are thinking of setting up a stall here ourselves. Not that I’m saying anything, but we don’t know the rules. Who should we talk to?”

As he spoke, he stuffed the remaining half-pack of cigarettes into the old man’s pocket.

“Zhonghua cigarettes!”

The old man looked flattered.

Pointing toward the spot where the hunchbacked wonton seller had been the previous night, he said:

“It’s not time yet. Wait until after midnight. Go find a man named Liu Zhian over there. A stall costs twenty yuan per day. Monthly rental is six hundred.”

The old man was still wrapped in bandages, with bruises and dried blood visible across his face.

When Sun asked about his injuries, the old man sighed.

“Not afraid of being laughed at. I’ve got a sleepwalking problem. Had an episode last night. Almost strangled myself to death.”

Just as he finished speaking, the clock struck midnight.

The old man suddenly stopped talking.

The unfinished words seemed to be swallowed back down.

A moment later, it was as though he had become a different person.

When he looked at Che Qianzi again, his eyes were filled with terror.

His body involuntarily retreated several steps.

“You recognize me now?”

Che Qianzi immediately noticed the change.

Stepping forward, he stared directly at the old man.

“Then you know why we came back. I’m not going to hit you. Last night we were still negotiating. Let’s continue. Once we get what we want, we’ll leave.”

“The thing you want?”

A gloomy voice suddenly echoed out of the darkness.

“Do you even know what I want?”

Following the direction of the voice, they saw a man standing there in a black overcoat.

No one knew when he had appeared.

Neither Sun Desheng nor Che Qianzi had sensed his arrival at all.