Chapter 224 — Strange Moves

"You useless piece of trash! Old Yan and I have nothing between us but mutual interest — I did him favors, and he does things for me, one job for one debt repaid. If I send him out over a trifle like this, isn't that making a mountain out of a molehill?" Zou Tiandi was furious at his son's failure to live up to his blood. How could this boy be such a spineless coward?

"If it's such a trifle, then let it go..." Zou Ruoguang said weakly.

"Enough! I don't need you for this. Get out of my sight!" Zou Tiandi waved him off in a fury. This son had not a shred of the dominance he himself had shown in his youth — craven, clinging to life at any cost.

Zou Ruoguang, as if granted a royal pardon, turned and fled back to his room, leaving behind a Zou Tiandi boiling with rage.

Zou Ruoming had heard the entire exchange outside his room, and he had seen the wounds on his brother's hands as well. He was thoroughly dejected; it seemed his plan would have to be postponed. In the state his brother was in, how could he possibly help him snatch anyone?

For a delicate business like this, Zou Ruoming would not trust anyone but his elder brother to handle it in person. So it was that by Monday morning he was still sunk in gloom. Summoned out by Zhong Yongliang, he was reminded of the plan again and grew all the more listless.

"Brother Ming, that plan I mentioned — how are the preparations coming along?" Zhong Yongliang pulled out his cigarette case and offered Zou Ruoming a cigarette.

"Don't even mention it..." Zou Ruoming waved his hand in frustration. "My brother has run into some trouble on his end and can't help me with this. I'm stewing over it right now. I'm afraid the whole thing will have to be pushed back!"

Zhong Yongliang was secretly overjoyed at Zou Ruoming's words. His original idea had been to have Brother Black Panther help Zou Ruoming snatch the girl, then lure Wei Zhao there and let Black Panther finish him off. But if Zou Ruoming's men were present, it would be awkward for Black Panther to make his move.

Still, he could hardly bring it up directly. If he suddenly said to Zou Ruoming, "Let me find the men to snatch Tang Zhi for you," Zou Ruoming would certainly grow suspicious.

"Brother Ming, this is no time to drag your feet. If you delay and that brat Wei Zhao beats you to the punch, you'll be the one losing out big!" Zhong Yongliang began administering a strong dose of medicine to Zou Ruoming.

"You've got a point. Damn it all to hell, but I can't very well do this with my own hands!" Zou Ruoming said with some difficulty. "Liang, do you have anyone suitable on hand?"

"Me? Brother Ming, you're not asking me to help you kidnap someone, are you? If my dad found out, he'd beat me to death!" Zhong Yongliang said, feigning reluctance. "You know about that business with Brother Black Panther..."

Zou Ruoming nodded. Of course he knew about the Black Panther affair — Zhong Yongliang had surely taken no small scolding at home over it. But at the moment, Zhong Yongliang was the only one he could turn to. "Liang, you've got a grudge against Wei Zhao too, haven't you? Why not help me out this time? That brat Wei Zhao put Brother Black Panther in prison, and that's what got you chewed out. He's your enemy too!"

"You've got a point there!" Only then did Zhong Yongliang nod in what seemed like deep agreement. "All right, Brother Ming, I'll help you this once!"

"Now that's what a real brother sounds like!" Zou Ruoming was overjoyed and clapped him on the shoulder. "When can we move?"

"Tonight at the earliest, I suppose. I'll make some calls to gather people in a bit," Zhong Yongliang said. "But Brother Ming, do you have a place to do the job?"

"I do. There's an abandoned, half-finished building in the North District — hardly anyone goes there normally. It's a hangout where my brother and the boys go to let loose!" Zou Ruoming said. "It's on Honghua Road in the North District."

"Oh, I know that place!" Zhong Yongliang nodded. "Brother Ming, wait for my good news!"

"Brother, I won't forget this loyalty. From now on, you and I are blood brothers — no two ways about it!" Zou Ruoming clapped Zhong Yongliang on the shoulder, beaming.

"Don't mention it, don't mention it..." Zhong Yongliang gave a couple of perfunctory replies and headed for the school gate, cursing under his breath. Used as a pawn, and he still had to thank me for it.

In the small street behind the school, Zhong Yongliang ducked into a random IC card phone booth and dialed the number Brother Black Panther had left him. He laid out tomorrow's plan to Black Panther, who agreed without a moment's thought — as long as they could lure Wei Zhao there, anything was fine by him.

Snatching a single person? This was hardly new territory for Brother Black Panther. On the contrary, he did it often enough to have the whole routine down pat.

After giving Black Panther his instructions, a cruel smile flickered at the corner of Zhong Yongliang's mouth. Wei Zhao, you thought you could fight me. This time I'll not only have your woman toyed with by others — I'll make you watch as your girlfriend is toyed with to death, and then watch yourself die the same way...

But the problem he had to consider now was this: how to lure Wei Zhao out, and out to that abandoned, half-finished building.

He certainly could not just march up to Wei Zhao and tell him to go check out the unfinished building himself. Setting aside whether Wei Zhao would believe him, even if he did, delivering such a sudden warning might make Wei Zhao suspect he was behind it all — and then pound him first.

Zhong Yongliang frowned as he walked toward the classroom, still unable to think of a workable plan. Just as he reached the door, he spotted a student from another class sneaking a report to Wang Zhifeng, the dean of students. A flicker of contempt crossed Zhong Yongliang's lips.

He despised nothing more than people who snitched behind others' backs — no skill to it whatsoever, utterly classless... Wait. Snitching? Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning splitting open a clouded sky, the answer dawned on Zhong Yongliang!

Zhong Yongliang walked over and clapped the snitching student on the shoulder. "Brother, much obliged!"

"Zhong Yongliang, what are you doing?" Wang Zhifeng frowned and barked.

"Nothing, Director Wang. I just deeply admire classmates brave enough to report wrongdoing!" Zhong Yongliang gave Wang Zhifeng a nod and headed quickly for the classroom.

Wang Zhifeng was baffled. What had gotten into Zhong Yongliang? Since when did he admire tattletales? But Wang Zhifeng didn't press the matter — Zhong Yongliang hadn't done anything egregious, and out of consideration for the boy's uncle who sat on the school board, it was best not to come down too hard on him.

Wei Zhao sat at the back of the classroom, listlessly listening to Kang** go on at great length about Xiaofen. He yawned, and out of the corner of his eye noticed Zhong Yongliang heading his way.

Huh? Wei Zhao blinked. What was this guy coming over for — itching for trouble, deliberately inviting misery? Neither Zhang Naipao nor Gao Xiaofu sat on this side. With Zhong Yongliang heading straight over, he could only be coming for Wei Zhao.

Sure enough, Zhong Yongliang opened his mouth — but the attitude behind those words left Wei Zhao stunned.

"Wei Zhao!" Zhong Yongliang called out with a grin, struggling to make his smile look as amiable and harmless as possible.

"Got a case of facial paralysis? Want me to cure it for you?" Wei Zhao stared at the beaming Zhong Yongliang in utter bewilderment. Had this guy's brain been squeezed between two doors?

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