After a few seconds of silence, as if waiting for my reply, Zhang Zifeng, who heard no sound, cursed resentfully before reluctantly hanging up the phone.
At dawn, under the dim streetlights.
After coming to my senses, I did not take a taxi to Fengyang Road as Zhang Zifeng had said.
Instead, I called Cheng Minglang, who had already one foot in a taxi, and had him step back down.
Seeing that my expression was somewhat unusual, and recalling Han Jinlun's disappearance, Cheng Minglang seemed to have guessed something and asked with a frown, "What's wrong?"
"Did something happen to Han Jinlun?"
After nodding slightly, I did not tell Cheng Minglang the specific situation, but instead asked, "If your new friend had an accident because of you, what would you do in this situation?"
Although I didn't tell Cheng Minglang the specific incident and content, he still guessed some of it through his own deductions and my expression and reaction.
"Brother, do I need to ask you for the answer to such an obvious question? Of course, I should just go and stand up for my new friend without saying anything!"
"People like us who are out and about, righteousness comes first! It doesn't matter if it's a new friend or an old friend, we're willing to go through thick and thin for our friends!"
Before I could speak, Cheng Minglang asked again, "Don't tell me... Han Jinlun had an accident because of you, but you're not planning to save him?"
To be honest, for a moment, I really wanted to get into a taxi and have the driver take us to the train station, and then leave Longxi overnight.
After Cheng Minglang guessed it, I was instantly speechless.
"Damn it! Are all you gamblers so hypocritical! You call each other brothers to their faces, but then you turn your back and run away when your brothers are in trouble!?"
Seeing my silence, Cheng Minglang became agitated and growled, "Are you kidding me!? Han Jinlun had an accident because of you, and you not only don't plan to save him, but you want to run away?!"
"If I had known you were this kind of person, I would never have agreed to come out with you on Shan Ge's say-so!"
On the sparsely populated street, Cheng Minglang glared at me with red eyes, his face full of anger.
Upon hearing this, I offered no explanation and instead dialed Su Liuli's number without a word.
I don't know if it was because it was late at night, or if Su Liuli was really busy.
The call was only answered as the ringing was about to end.
"Hello, what is it? Didn't I tell you..."
Before Su Liuli could finish, I interrupted her with hurried words and a cold voice.
"Something's happened! Han Jinlun has been arrested!"
Upon hearing this, Su Liuli on the other end of the phone was stunned.
Ignoring the still-stunned Su Liuli, I immediately said in a rapid tone, "The person who arrested Han Jinlun is named Zhang Zifeng, also a gambler from Longxi. He also has a gambling team under him!"
"I know they are definitely after me, but they chose not to make a move on me. Do you know what that means?"
"What?" Su Liuli asked almost instinctively.
"It means that my act of catching gamblers for you has been exposed! Although they couldn't track me, they found Han Jinlun and took him into custody."
"Besides that, it also means that among the people you called to meet me earlier, someone's heart... is not with you!"
"Han Jinlun had an accident right after I helped you catch gamblers. This is definitely not a coincidence."
"During the few days when evidence was being collected at your establishment, Han Jinlun was with me almost the entire time."
"The people are after me. Even if they don't have information and data on my unfamiliar face, they can indirectly force me out through Han Jinlun!"
"So, there must be a ghost... among your people!"
I said, thinking clearly, while looking down and smoking.
After listening to me, Su Liuli remained silent for less than three seconds before saying in a deep voice, "You're very smart! To be honest, I've long suspected that there's a ghost hiding by my side!"
"And it's a greedy ghost who betrays from within and can never be satisfied!"
"While taking the salary I give, they secretly accept benefits from all sorts of evil spirits and give them a free pass!"
"If it weren't for this ghost turning a blind eye, no ordinary person would dare to come and cause trouble in my establishment!"
"Alright, I already have a rough idea of who that ghost is. Thank you!"
"Oh, right! You don't need to worry about Han Jinlun's matter. Since they've asked you to meet, you just need to give me the address."
"To cover up those trivial matters in the establishment, the mole even dared to extend their reach this far!"
"This time, even if they have someone to protect them, I'll let them know what the consequences of betrayal and fooling me are!!"
After speaking, Su Liuli hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, I immediately turned my gaze to Cheng Minglang beside me and said to him calmly, "If you really want to save him, you have to weigh whether you have enough strength!"
"Otherwise, rushing in so foolishly is no different from giving yourself up for nothing?"
As if he had heard some of the conversation, Cheng Minglang sneered dismissively, "Heh heh. I've never met anyone who could describe cowardice so elegantly!"
"Chen Xiang, if I may be so bold... you're not even as good as a woman!"
"Someone as selfish, cold-blooded, and unrighteous as you doesn't deserve to be in the martial world!"
Hearing this, I returned a cold smile to Cheng Minglang, "Heh heh. In the real martial world, where is there so much righteousness to speak of?"
"Saving Han Jinlun is a favor, not saving him is the norm."
"Believe it or not, if I hadn't successfully caught the gamblers for Su Liuli, she wouldn't even have answered my call tonight!?"
"Whether she answers the phone is her business, whether you save Han Jinlun is your business!" Cheng Minglang shouted at me with bloodshot eyes, "Han Jinlun helped you, but when he encountered trouble, you turned around and wanted to run away! Is there anyone like you!?"
Hearing this, even with my good temper, I couldn't help myself.
"Fine! You want to save him? I'll show you what the consequences of saving someone are! Come with me!!!"
After saying that, I walked to the side of the road without a word and started to flag down a taxi.
...
One o'clock in the morning.
After getting off the taxi on Shanshui Street, which was near Fengyang Street, I led Cheng Minglang into the destination on foot.
In the sweltering summer night, on Fengyang Street, except for one or two barbecue restaurants that were still open, all the shops had closed for business.
After shedding its hustle and bustle, the quiet atmosphere was filled with a subtle and solemn killing intent.
Before we even reached Fengyang Street, we saw a large group of people sitting at the entrance of a barbecue restaurant.