Chapter 229 — A Direct Knockout

Zhong Yongliang was thoroughly miserable. His image as Young Master Zhong was ruined today, beyond saving. The heir to the Liangbai Group, no less, beaten to a pulp in his own family's hotel. If word of this got out, how could he ever show his face in society again?

Still, at the thought that Wei Zhao would soon be sent to the afterlife by Brother Black Panther, Zhong Yongliang reined in his anger once more.

This time he did not bother playing the lackey. He went to the parking lot, got into the car himself, and did not open the door for Wei Zhao. Wei Zhao did not mind; he opened the door himself and settled into the passenger seat.

Since he had already laid his cards on the table with Wei Zhao, Zhong Yongliang no longer cared whether Black Panther's side had succeeded. Even if they hadn't, going to wait a while would do no harm. Whether Wei Zhao tried to stop Zou Ruoming was none of Zhong Yongliang's concern either.

It was a pity he could not let Wei Zhao suffer a little before dying, but matters had come to this pass, and there was nothing to be done about the pity.

"Buzz, buzz..." Zhong Yongliang's phone vibrated twice.

Zhong Yongliang instinctively reached for his phone to take a look, but he suddenly remembered Wei Zhao beside him, and his outstretched hand hastily withdrew.

"Oh? A text from Black Panther? Take it out and let me see." Wei Zhao shot Zhong Yongliang a glance.

"This... all right..." Zhong Yongliang gloomily fished out his phone and handed it to Wei Zhao. He finally understood what it meant that a wise man does not fight when the odds are against him. Refusing to show Wei Zhao would only earn him a beating.

And this Wei Zhao, when he hit people, always picked the tender, painful spots that would not kill or maim. It hurt Zhong Yongliang terribly, yet never enough to knock him out cold. Provoking Wei Zhao was simply inviting suffering.

Now that their faces were torn, Zhong Yongliang did not dare go too far. Wei Zhao had seen through his schemes completely, and he had nothing left with which to threaten Wei Zhao.

"The matter is done." Those were the only words on the phone screen, but Wei Zhao could be certain this was the message sent by Black Panther.

"Drive. Hurry up." Wei Zhao casually tossed Zhong Yongliang's phone onto the dashboard in front of the driver's seat.

Zhong Yongliang wanted to stall for time, but he feared displeasing Wei Zhao, so he could only stomp hard on the accelerator. In any case, rush hour had passed and there was little traffic on the road.

"Zou Ruoming?" A somewhat hoarse voice came from the other end of the line.

"Speaking. Might I ask if you are one of Young Master Zhong's men?" Zou Ruoming had been waiting near the unfinished building all along for Zhong Yongliang's people to contact him.

"Yes. I've already reached the unfinished building. Where are you?" the other party asked.

"I'm nearby," Zou Ruoming said. "Good. I'll wait for you in front of the unfinished building!" The other party hung up before Zou Ruoming could say anything more.

Zou Ruoming hurried over at a run to the front of the unfinished building. But when he saw clearly who stood there, he could not help but freeze for a moment.

Brother Black Panther?! It was actually Brother Black Panther? What was he doing here?

Yet Zou Ruoming's surprise lasted only a moment; his face quickly returned to normal, while inside him great waves surged! Zhong Yongliang could actually command Brother Black Panther to do his bidding!

The news of Brother Black Panther's escape had already been reported on television, and Zou Ruoming had seen it. But in his view, the first thing Black Panther would do after breaking out was leave Songjiang; there was no way he would stay here waiting to be caught.

But things had turned out otherwise. Brother Black Panther was actually still helping Zhong Yongliang, coming to seize Tang Zhi for him, which left Zou Ruoming deeply puzzled.

But Zou Ruoming said nothing. None of this was any of his concern. Why Black Panther had not yet fled—he could not care less. What he cared about was whether Tang Zhi had been captured.

"Brother Black Panther, hello, I'm Zou Ruoming!" Zou Ruoming trotted over eagerly to Brother Black Panther and spoke respectfully.

"You know me?" A glint of menace flickered in Black Panther's eyes.

"I'm Brother Zhong's sworn brother, of course I've had the honor of meeting Brother Black Panther!" Zou Ruoming's heart clenched. "Brother Black Panther, what I'm doing today is illegal. You've got to watch the door for me..."

"Mm..." Only after hearing Zou Ruoming's words did the expression on Black Panther's face soften somewhat.

Zou Ruoming let out a long breath of relief. Black Panther was an escaped convict. He'd recognized him now -- what if the man didn't trust him and killed him to silence him? But Zou Ruoming was no fool either. He quickly made a point of announcing that what he was doing today was also illegal. So they were two of a kind. Whoever reported the other would go down with him!

"Brother Black Panther, what about that Tang Zhi..." Seeing that Black Panther didn't intend to raise the matter again, Zou Ruoming's thoughts drifted back to Tang Zhi. In truth, whether Black Panther ran or not, and where he ran to, had absolutely nothing to do with him. He had no desire to meddle in such nonsense.

"She's fainted. I've already fed her the medicine. She's in that van right there!" Black Panther pointed to an old white Nissan van without license plates parked not far behind them. The van was ancient, clearly a relic of at least twenty years past. "Shall I help you load her in?"

"Then I'll trouble Brother Black Panther!" Zou Ruoming's legs were unsteady from overindulgence. Carrying a person up an unfinished building with no stair railings -- he wouldn't dare. What if they fell and she was killed?

Black Panther tossed Tang Zhi casually into an empty room, then turned and headed back downstairs.

"Motherfucker, this damn place doesn't even have electricity -- pitch black, can't see a thing!" Zou Ruoming groped his way upstairs, sat down on a broken step, fished a small pill bottle out of his pocket, tipped out a pill, and swallowed it.

Perhaps feeling one wasn't enough, Zou Ruoming thought it over, then tipped out a second pill and swallowed that too.

This was a top-grade aphrodisiac imported from ***, supposedly powerful enough for three hundred rounds from a single dose -- the kind male porn actors took. Zou Ruoming had a secret affliction: impotence. Reckless living in his youth had left him unable to perform, and now he had to rely on powerful drugs to boost his prowess every single time.

Moreover, the drugs he used had grown ever stronger. Ordinary ones no longer had any effect.

Having taken two pills this time, he figured he could last a good hour or two, hehe... Zou Ruoming let out a thoroughly lewd chuckle. Tang Zhi, oh Tang Zhi -- in a little while, Brother's going to serve you properly! Let you taste what I'm made of!

After finishing his pills, Zou Ruoming sat on the steps waiting for them to take effect. He wasn't in any rush to check on Tang Zhi. She'd been knocked unconscious and wouldn't be waking any time soon.

"Wei Zhao, Brother Black Panther is waiting for you right up ahead. Do you dare get out of the car? Your wife Tang Zhi is up in that unfinished building, hehe... If you're too late, I'm afraid Zou Ruoming will..." Zhong Yongliang parked the car beside the unfinished building and pointed toward the white van not far ahead. But before he could finish, a punch from Wei Zhao -- BANG -- knocked him clean out.