Rebirth 03: Starting a Business After Giving Up a Secure Job

Chapter 31 Undercover Investigation and Planning

The guesthouse room was filled with smoke.

Lin Feng sat in a chair by the window, with seven or eight cigarette butts piled up in the ashtray in front of him.

The sky outside the window gradually changed from deep blue to inky black, and the streetlights lit up one after another; it was another night in the deep city.

He held a pen in his hand and drew a relationship diagram in his notebook, connecting the parts with various lines.

The relationship diagram includes Zhao Xiaohu, the owner of the True Colors Bar, his henchman A Biao, and singer Tang Lei.

Victim 1: A competitor, whose leg was broken after reporting the Bense Bar for alleged prostitution.

Victim 2: A competitor who had his ribs broken for poaching Tang Lei.

Next to the notebook was a copy of the Shenzhen Daily, which contained reports on the special campaign against organized crime.

The pen tip drew two heavy horizontal lines under the four characters "Provincial Supervision Group".

Lin Feng put down his pen and rubbed his throbbing temples.

We have fragments of information, but we still lack conclusive evidence and an opportunity to unleash all the evidence.

A knock sounded at the door, and Lin Feng got up to open it.

Lin Xiaoqiang arrived carrying rice noodle rolls, his complexion much more relaxed than a few days ago.

"Brother Qiang, come in."

The two sat down at the table and began to eat and talk.

"We've got some leads." Lin Xiaoqiang had been asking around for information about the victim these past few days. "The boss who broke his leg is named Chen Hai, from Chaoshan. He didn't go back to his hometown; he runs a small shop in Zhangmutou Town. I got the address from a comrade there."

"What about the other one?"

"The man with the broken ribs is named Liu Cheng, from Fujian. He's still in Shenzhen, running a small hardware store in Buji. I've also found out his address."

Lin Xiaoqiang paused for a moment, then said, "My brother called the store to test the waters. As soon as he mentioned 'True Colors Bar' and Zhao Xiaohu, the two of them hung up immediately. They were probably scared out of their wits."

Lin Feng nodded; this was expected.

"We're heading to Zhangmutou tomorrow morning. Qiang, fill up the gas tank."

"OK."

After several days of careful consideration, Lin Xiaoqiang decided to fully support Lin Feng's plan. Not for any other reason than the burning passion within him.

The next morning, before dawn, Lin Xiaoqiang drove his van with Lin Feng out of Shenzhen and headed for Zhangmutou Town.

Zhangmutou town is small, with messy streets and a mix of self-built buildings and old factories.

Following the address, they found a small shop in town called "Haixing Department Store".

The storefront was narrow, and the shelves were packed full. A middle-aged man with a slight limp was unloading goods at the entrance.

Lin Feng told Lin Xiaoqiang to wait in the car, then got out and walked to the shop entrance.

"Boss, I'd like a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes."

The middle-aged man looked up, saw that it was a young man with an unfamiliar face, but didn't pay any attention. He turned around and took a cigarette from the counter: "Seven yuan."

Lin Feng handed over ten yuan and took the cigarette.

He opened the cigarette pack, popped out a cigarette, lit it, and kept glancing at Chen Hai's legs.

"Boss, are you having trouble walking?"

Chen Hai didn't mind: "It's an old habit. Here's your change of three yuan."

Lin Feng took the change, lowering his voice, "Boss Chen, did you used to run a bar in Luohu, Shenzhen?"

Chen Hai's expression changed instantly: "How did you know?"

"Don't worry, Boss Chen," Lin Feng tried to dispel the other party's doubts. "I'm not one of Zhao Xiaohu's men, nor am I here to cause you trouble. On the contrary, I have a bit of a grudge against him now."

Chen Hai stared at Lin Feng, his eyes filled with doubt.

"I heard that a few years ago your bar was vandalized and your leg was broken. It was a deputy director named Wang from the Dongyuan Road Police Station who mediated the dispute, and you got some compensation for medical expenses. Is that true?"

Chen Hai kept his head down and didn't reply. That memory was his deepest nightmare.

After a long silence, he finally spoke, asking, "What exactly do you want?"

"I want Zhao Xiaohu to go in, to avenge you, and of course, to vent my own anger." Lin Feng looked directly into his eyes and stated his purpose directly.

"Is there any record of what happened back then? Medical report, photos, police mediation agreement, any evidence that can prove he did it."

Chen Hai fell silent again. Having suffered at Zhao Xiaohu's hands years ago, he had too many concerns.

After a long silence, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice: "Young man, I advise you to give up. Zhao Xiaohu... you can't afford to mess with him. I spent three months in the hospital, lost my shop, and my wife left me. I accept it. Now I just want to keep this little shop running peacefully and finish my son's schooling..."

"I understand," Lin Feng nodded. "Nobody wants to cause trouble. But Boss Chen, have you thought about this? If people like Zhao Xiaohu continue to get away with it, your grievances from back then will forever remain just that—grievances. Nobody will remember, nobody will care..."

"I don't need you to show up. I just want you to give me the things you kept from back then, copies are fine. Diagnosis report, medical records, and if you have photos of what happened after I was beaten, that would be even better."

Write another statement explaining what happened and what happened after the police were called. I will submit this through other channels so it won't involve you.

Chen Hai's eyes darted around in a fierce struggle. Fear and the desire for stability clashed intensely with years of suppressed humiliation and resentment within him.

Lin Feng stopped urging him and just quietly smoked. He took out the cigarettes he had just bought from his pocket and offered one to Chen Hai as well.

"I have a few more photos," Chen Hai finally spoke, "photos of my leg taken at the hospital... I've also kept the diagnosis report."

"That's enough. Copies of the photos and diagnosis, and a statement of the situation. I'll give you five hundred dollars, consider it payment for these old things."

Chen Hai retorted sharply, "I don't want money!"

"This isn't hush money. You sold me the goods, and we're even. Whatever happens afterward has nothing to do with you. You're just a grocery store owner."

Half an hour later, Lin Feng returned to his car with a brown paper bag containing a copy of the diagnosis, photos, and a statement of the situation.

Chen Hai ultimately refused the five hundred yuan. With red eyes, he said, "If it works out... let me know."

Then he turned around and went back into the store, pulling down half of the roller shutter door.

On the way back to Shenzhen, Lin Xiaoqiang listened to Lin Feng's story and remained silent for a long time.

"Do you think this evidence... is enough to bring down Zhao Xiaohu?"

"No rush, this is just the beginning." Lin Feng looked out the window at the beautiful scenery, where the sunlight was just right.

That afternoon, the two went to Buji Town to find Liu Cheng, whose ribs had been broken.

Liu Cheng's hardware store is hidden deep in an alley full of repair shops, its storefront dusty and grimy.

Lin Xiaoqiang parked his car at the entrance of the alley.

Before getting out of the car, Lin Feng took the brown paper bag containing Chen Hai's report materials.

"Brother Qiang, stand behind me to the side later, keep a serious expression, like you're on a mission. Try not to say anything, and just follow my signals."

Lin Feng straightened his clothes, deliberately suppressed his smile, and then took a pen and clipped it to his shirt pocket.

Lin Xiaoqiang understood, put away his usual江湖气气 (jianghu qi, a kind of chivalrous demeanor), straightened his back, and followed behind Lin Feng.

The two entered the hardware store.

Liu Cheng was squatting on the ground counting a box of screws when he heard footsteps. He looked up and saw Lin Xiaoqiang's burly figure and Lin Feng's serious face.

"Boss, buying something?" Liu Cheng stood up and dusted off his hands.

Lin Feng didn't answer. His gaze quickly swept across the shop to make sure there were no other customers, and then he asked in a slightly official tone:

"Liu Cheng, right? Don't be nervous, we're not here to buy anything. We need to ask you about something."