Golden Scale [EN]: Chapter 98

The Devil is One Foot Tall: How Could a Golden Fish Be Confined to a Pond?

“That’s too much!” Hou Longtao was frantic. He tried to move, but his hands were tied, and dirt was being shoveled onto him, making it impossible. “I… I f**k your mom! I have backing! You’ll be wiped out!”

“Stop, stop,” Long Er squatted at the edge of the pit, looking down at the pale man. “Heh, look at you now. You have this day too? Weren’t you fearless? Who’s backing you? Let me hear it.”

“I… I can’t tell you. It’s someone very high up, someone with connections!”

“Are you stupid? Instead of begging for mercy, you’re threatening me? Let me tell you, unless your backer is my godfather, I’m burying you today. Continue.”

More dirt rained down. Hou Longtao wasn’t a hero with unwavering faith, and he certainly didn’t want to die. Jumping off a bridge was one thing, but being buried alive was another. Besides, there were too many things in this world he still wanted to enjoy. “Don’t bury me! Don’t bury me! What do you want me to do?! I’ll do it!”

“Stop. Heh, my godfather wants you dead. I wouldn’t dare let you go. If I let you go, you’d come back for revenge, wouldn’t you?”

“Pah, pah,” Hou Longtao spat out the dirt in his mouth. “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare. I can’t beat Master Long. I admit defeat, I admit defeat.”

“Hahaha, admit defeat? Too late!” Long Er turned to leave, and his men started filling the pit again. Hou Longtao’s desperate curses echoed from the hole…

Three hours later, Hou Longtao drove a beat-up Chery back home. What had just happened was definitely the closest he’d ever come to death. The next week or so would be busy.

First, in the name of Dongxing Group, he donated 6 million RMB [Renminbi, Chinese currency] to Project Hope. This was the largest single donation Project Hope had ever received. Then, he donated 3 million RMB each to the All-China Women’s Federation and the China Disabled Persons’ Federation. Several Hongzhi classes [Special classes for underprivileged students] in Beijing also received his donations.

In addition to donating money, Hou Longtao also established the “Dongxing Scholarship,” which would provide financial assistance to 300 impoverished high school graduates each year to attend college. At the same time, “Dongxing High School” was also under construction, enrolling 100 junior high school graduates from disadvantaged families each year. Those who could pass the university entrance exam and were willing to sign an agreement to give Dongxing priority in employing them after graduation would have their college expenses covered by Dongxing. Those who didn’t get into college could return to their hometowns if they wished, or they could directly enter Dongxing’s factories for technical training and then be employed.

As an advanced role model, major newspapers naturally reported on Hou Longtao with extensive coverage, praising his “struggle.” He was a promising young man who had returned from his studies to serve his country. That was the trend now.

A talk show on Beijing TV even invited him to do a special feature.

Hou Longtao was quite eloquent. “There’s nothing to praise me for. Even if I donate ten million or twenty million, I still drive a Mercedes and eat seafood. Some laid-off workers and low-income families tighten their belts, and scrimp and save to save three hundred yuan a year to help children who have dropped out of school. Compared to them, there’s a difference in quantity and quality. They are the ones who truly deserve praise. It’s the responsibility of the rich to donate to give back to society. If they don’t donate, they should be condemned by all sides.”

After Hou Longtao’s Chrysler was hit last time, it disappeared and was probably disposed of. He simply ordered twenty-five H2s [Hummer H2s], one for himself, four for factory use, and the remaining twenty, half were given to the traffic management bureau and the other half to the Beijing Public Security Bureau. It would take some time for everything to be in place…

In a flat in the suburbs of Beijing, a man and a woman were watching TV. The woman suddenly jumped up from her chair and pointed at the program being replayed on TV. “This person, I know this person.”

“You know him?” The man was decent-looking, but a little listless. “The one donating money?”

“No, not know him, I’ve seen him.”

“Tch, if you really knew such a rich man, you wouldn’t have to work. Just seeing him once is enough.”

“Why are you so talkative? Not only have I seen him, but I’ve also argued with him, cursed at him.”

“Come on, he’s a returned student from the United States, a big boss, with status and culture. Would he argue with someone like you? You must be mistaken.” The man looked dismissive.

“What culture? He’s just a hooligan. I met him at the toll booth last time. He wasn’t driving properly, and a woman was giving him head.”

“Really? Are you sure? Is it definitely him?” The man suddenly became interested.

“Let me see, it must be him. He looks refined on the outside, but he’s filthy inside. What’s that called? A refined scoundrel? I’ll never forget the way he looked when he showed me that thing. He was so proud of himself.”

“Really?” The man stroked his chin, as if thinking about something. “He donated over ten million in one go. How much money does that guy have? If I had ten million, hell, even a million would be enough. That would be awesome…” No matter what his relationship with the woman was, this wasn’t the reaction he should be having at this moment.

“What are you muttering about?” The woman glanced at him. “Hmph, look at him, so hypocritical. The toll booth camera must have captured his ugly face. We should send it to the TV station.”

“Really!? It was recorded!? Do you have it? Do you have it?” The man jumped in front of the woman’s chair, knelt on one leg, and shook her leg, his face full of joy, excitement, and anticipation. “Quick, do you have it or not?”

“What are you doing? Are you crazy? Are you sick? Why are your eyes shining?”

“Do you have it or not?”

“Maybe I do. The tape was supposed to be kept for only five days and then reused, but he argued with me that day, and I got angry and kept the tape. I was going to send it to the Public Security Bureau after work to embarrass him, but when I got off work, I forgot about it. It’s been locked in my office drawer ever since. I wouldn’t have remembered if you hadn’t asked today.”

“Great! Bring it back tomorrow.” The man started jumping around the room like a child.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“We’re rich, we’re rich! Don’t you understand!?”

“Rich from what?”

“I bet he’d be happy to buy that tape back from us. One or two million, I don’t think he’d care.”

“You… you want to blackmail him?”

“Don’t use such harsh words. He’s a businessman, I’m just doing business with him.”

“What if he calls the police? We’ll go to jail.” The woman hesitated.

“Silly, what jail? He’s rich, and now he’s a famous good person, a philanthropist. If he calls the police, he’ll be exposing his own scandal. He wouldn’t be that stupid.”

“Is… is this okay?”

“What’s not okay? Think about it, I’m unemployed now, and you don’t like your job. We’ll take a million from him to use, and you won’t have to work anymore. You can enjoy yourself at home every day. He’s rolling in money. A million is just a drop in the bucket for him. And you said it yourself, he’s a refined scoundrel. It’s time someone taught him a lesson.”

“Are you sure? What are you going to do?”

“Don’t worry, just give me the tape, and you don’t have to worry about the rest. Go shopping at the mall these days, see what you want to buy.”

“Tch, as if the money’s already in our hands.”

“Hahaha,” the man laughed evilly. “By the way, tell me again, what was the woman doing for him?”

“Giving him head.”

“Hehe, we’ve been together for two years, and you haven’t given me head yet. How about it today?”

“Get lost, what are you thinking?” The woman angrily rejected the proposal…

Xiangshan Ski Resort is Beijing’s first dry ski resort and the only one in China. “Tyrannosaurus Rex” owns a large share in it. Every September, he would bring his children and a dozen of his men to play. On this day, it would no longer be open to the public.

This time they came relatively late, close to lunchtime, so they went directly to the Western-style fast food restaurant, only to find that it was already occupied by more than forty people, all with fierce expressions. Except for the seven people sitting around a round table in the center, who were the seven leaders of “Dongxing.”

“Brother Long, you’re late,” Hou Longtao picked up a paper cup filled with Coke from the table, sipping as he spoke. “We’ve been sitting here for a long time.”

“Hou Longtao,” Tyrannosaurus Rex laughed. “You’re really brave. Knowing I want you dead, you still dare to come here. I wish you were one of my men.”

“Brother Long flatters me too much,” Hou Longtao spread his arms. “I brought so many brothers with me, what am I afraid of? Isn’t Brother Long afraid?”

“That’s a strange question. You think having more people can scare me? This isn’t a sparsely populated area. If you wanted to fight a big battle with me, you wouldn’t choose this place.”

“Brother Long, to be honest, you can’t kill me now. Just to protect my life, I’ve already spent over thirty million. I have social influence. I’m someone who can’t disappear. What about you?”

“Is it that foolproof?” Tyrannosaurus Rex took off his gold-rimmed glasses and blew on them.

“Not one hundred percent, and I also think my life is worth more than thirty million, but for you, it’s still too risky, right?”

“What do you want? Just say it.”

“Let’s talk in a quiet place. The way I treated you when you went to Chusheng last time, treat me the same way today.” Hou Longtao, Da Pang, and Wu Da stood up, their intentions clear.

“Qingying, Changqing, come with me.”

“Okay.” Situ Qingying and Long Da answered at the same time.

“Everyone, go back to the cars and wait for us,” Da Pang turned back and instructed the rest of the Dongxing members, then prepared to follow his master.

“Wait!” Shen Yi suddenly shouted, blocking Hou Longtao’s path and reaching out to pat him down.

“What are you doing!?” Hou Longtao brushed the man’s arm away. “What are you groping for?”

“Let me see what you’re hiding.”

“I’m not gay, let that girl come over and touch me, and I’ll touch her too.”

“F**k your mom!” Ever since Situ Qingying first saw Hou Longtao, her eyes had never left him. Her gaze was as if she wanted to skin him alive. Now, provoked by his words, she finally couldn’t hold back. If there weren’t so many people around, she would have pounced on him.

Shen Yi insisted on searching Hou Longtao, then searched the other two, finally pulling a folding knife from Da Pang’s pocket. “What’s this!?”

“Are you stupid? What is this?”

“Brother, you’re too careless. You can’t relax when dealing with these bastards. They don’t have any sense of honor.” Shen Yi threw the knife aside.

Tyrannosaurus Rex nodded approvingly at his brother. “Changqing, you stay here. Second, come with me.”

“Wait, wait,” Long Er shouted. “You searched my brother, shouldn’t you be searched too?”

“This is my territory. If I want to hide something, can you prevent it?” Tyrannosaurus Rex glanced darkly at the impudent child. “I don’t have anything. Don’t you believe me?”

“If Brother Long says he doesn’t have anything, then he doesn’t. He’s an elder. If he really plotted against us like that, it wouldn’t sound good.” Hou Longtao seemed quite relieved, and took the lead in following the other party out of the restaurant.

The six people arrived at an empty bar and billiards hall. As soon as they entered, Hou Longtao, without waiting for Tyrannosaurus Rex to turn around, pulled a pistol from his suit. With a raise of his hand, “Bang!” A stream of blood shot out from the man’s back.

“Ah!” The middle-aged man was knocked forward two steps by the bullet, his hands propping himself up on the bar, struggling to turn around, his mouth full of blood. “You… you…”

Hou Longtao walked up with a smile, his left hand supporting the man’s shoulder, the gun in his right hand pressed against his heart. “Brother Long, farewell.”

Two more shots rang out. Tyrannosaurus Rex’s eyes widened, his body slowly sliding down the bar, collapsing onto the floor.

As early as when Hou Longtao fired the first shot, Da Pang had already knocked the stunned Situ Qingying unconscious with a palm strike, then carried her under his arm like a bundle.

Hou Longtao took off his blood-stained suit, throwing it along with the gun to Shen Yi. “Brother Yi, you take care of the rest.” After he finished speaking, he followed his two brothers towards the back door of the bar.

“Young Master, you’d better not leave.” Shen Yi raised the gun at the three young men.

“Damn it,” Hou Longtao turned around, without a trace of surprise on his face. “You really are a bastard.”

“Hehe, it’s just that you’re brainless. If I didn’t avenge my brother, how could I convince the others?”

“No one will believe you can kill the three of us without any losses.”

“Have you forgotten how you dealt with the Four Tigers of Dewai? You can shoot yourself, and so can I.”

“You… how do you know?”

“You’re afraid of death, let alone your subordinates. I wonder if you got the maximum profit in this deal between us? They’ll rush up as soon as they hear the gunshots. Let’s not waste any time.” Shen Yi glanced at the insurance again, then raised the gun even higher…

It turned out that after Long Er left the construction site that day, he didn’t go far, but entered a nearby forest, where a Lexus 300 was parked. A crack was opened in the rear window. “How is it?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Are you sure?”

“In my opinion, he’s not someone who’s not afraid of death.”

“Hmm…” The person in the car pondered for a few seconds. “Let’s talk terms with him.”

When Long Er returned to the construction site, the man lying sideways in the pit had his legs completely buried, leaving only half his body and most of his head exposed. His loud curses had turned into soft muttering.

“Pull him up.”

“Yes.” Several people jumped into the pit and dug the man out.

Hou Longtao’s usual suave appearance was gone. His face was covered in sand, snot, and tears, and his crotch was wet. He was trembling all over, his legs giving way as soon as he got up, kneeling on the ground.

“What a hero!” Long Er gave a thumbs up. “Hahaha, you look great now.”

“You… are you f**king with me?”

“Hehehe, don’t say that yet, hurry, hurry, take Young Master to change.”

Hou Longtao was helped into a villa that had already been built and decorated, probably a model house.

When he came out of the bathroom, he had changed into a brand new suit and regained his shrewd and capable image, but his face was still a little pale. Someone led him to the living room. Long Er was sitting on a large sofa, smoking. “Young Master, sit down, let’s have a good chat. Everyone out.”

“What exactly are you playing at, Second Brother?”

“Come, have a drink,” Long Er got up and poured Hou Longtao a glass of foreign wine. “Young Master, tell me the truth, do you think you have a chance to go against my godfather?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Hmph, are you as ruthless as him? Such big words? Think about it, you wouldn’t have been able to return to the city alive today.”

With a “Pa” sound, Hou Longtao smashed the glass on the wooden sofa armrest, even cutting his own hand. He grabbed a piece of broken glass and jumped up, straddling Long Er, the sharp end of the glass lightly inserted into his neck. “Don’t move, just send me away. I’ve already died once, I might as well die with you.”

The incident happened suddenly, and Long Er had no room to resist. In fact, he hadn’t even reacted. Plus, he felt a pain in his neck, and then a heat, knowing that he was bleeding, he didn’t dare to act rashly. “Young Master, don’t mess around, let’s talk nicely. I’m here to do business with you today.”

“What business?”

“Let me go quickly, it’s too dangerous this way.”

“F**k you, it’s just cutting off your trachea.”

“Don’t, don’t,” Long Er looked at the murderous intent in the other’s eyes, knowing he wasn’t joking. “My godfather is ruthless, you’ve greatly offended him, he will definitely kill your whole family, your relatives and wives, none of them will escape.”

“Still threatening me? I’ll kill you first, then kill his whole family.”

“No, no, I’m not threatening you, we can cooperate, plot great things together.”

“Cooperate?”

“Yes, think about it, if I really wanted to kill you, you would have died just now. If I wasn’t really looking for you to cooperate, I wouldn’t have let my men go out.”

“Hmph,” Hou Longtao seemed to be moved by Long Er’s words, pulling the broken glass out of his neck, but not moving away, obviously still wary.

“Honestly, I believe you also know that you are no match for my godfather, even if you really fight to the death, there is a very small chance of winning, it will inevitably pay a heavy price, and most likely will be devastated, right?”

“So what?”

“With my help, you can solve the problem without any damage.”

“He’s your godfather, he has raised you, you want to betray him? What’s the benefit to you?”

“What godfather or not, in this day and age, money is the real father, whoever blocks my path to wealth, I want them dead.”

“Hmm,” Hou Longtao nodded, seemingly agreeing with Long Er’s statement. He retreated to the sofa he was originally sitting on, throwing away the broken glass. “What path to wealth is so attractive that it makes you take the risk?”

“Hehe, I knew Young Master was a smart man, he wouldn’t let go of the opportunity to make a fortune, what else could it be, of course it’s this.” Long Er used his right thumb to push against one nostril, and inhaled forcefully with the other.

“Those Yunnan people?”

“You know?”

“Is there anyone in the underworld who doesn’t know?”

“That’s true.”

“Tyrannosaurus Rex isn’t interested?”

“He’s old-fashioned, now if you want to play big, you have to play with this stuff [drugs].”

“If you’re not careful, you’ll lose your head.”

“Hehehehe, how could it go wrong? We don’t have to worry about the source of goods and transportation, we only care about distribution. In Beijing, no one cares.”

“Then what do you need me for?” Hou Longtao nonchalantly picked up a cigarette from the table and lit it.

“If I want to do this, I have to get rid of the people who are in the way, but he is naturally cautious, and always brings a group of people with him, there is no chance to attack, and his other subordinates are very loyal, I can’t win them over; he wants to kill you now, you must strike first, but you are not strong enough. He is our common enemy, and we are both unable to deal with him alone, but if we two cooperate from the inside and outside, we will definitely succeed with one blow. My godfather always thought you were a man of honor, how about doing it again like last time at ‘Dongxing Chusheng’?”

“How about it? It’s not good, you can’t make the decision.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hmph,” Hou Longtao’s face showed a disdainful expression. “Who do you think you are? You’re worthy to talk to me about this kind of thing?”

“Why are you talking like that? You were so scared that you wet your pants just now, and now you’re acting arrogant?” Long Er was a little at a loss. “Without me, you can only dream of getting rich. I’ll tell you, either send me away now, or go get your boss to see me.”

“You… you… you…” Long Er was a little at a loss.

After about twenty seconds of stalemate, applause suddenly came from the corner of the stairs. “Hahaha, good, good, good, worthy of being the Young Master of ‘Dongxing’, you really have insight.”

“Shen Yi? I didn’t expect it, I didn’t expect it.” Hou Longtao looked at the short, fat man coming down from upstairs, shaking his head slightly in surprise.

“You didn’t expect it was me?”

“I thought you were just a veteran, I didn’t expect you were his younger brother.”

“How did you see that Second isn’t in charge?”

“It’s too simple, he has an older brother above him, he’s not even the chief of the second generation, let alone whether he has the guts to do such a big thing, even if he really removes the obstacles, it won’t be his turn to be in charge.”

“Thorough, I’ve been watching your performance through the camera upstairs, I didn’t want to come out to see you, but you’re really not a pushover.”

“Let’s not talk nonsense, let’s get straight to the point, how will we split the profits after it’s done?”

“Don’t you want to know how to do it first?”

“You’ve been planning this so carefully, I believe you already have a plan, I’m not in a hurry to know.”

“Okay, very good, no wonder my brother values you so much. After it’s done, I and the Yunnan side will split the profits fifty-fifty.”

“What about me?”

“You? I’ll help you get rid of a major problem, isn’t that a reward?”

“Hahahaha,” Hou Longtao suddenly laughed loudly, tears coming out of his eyes. “Oh, Brother Yi, do you still think I’m a kid wearing open-crotch pants? You’ve shown me all your cards.”

“Hehe, I’m borrowing your place to make a fortune, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t let you get something, all of my brother’s old places, I’ll give them all to you.” Hou Longtao didn’t say anything, got up and left… (How Could a Golden Fish Be Confined to a Pond?)