Chapter 3: Fate's Watchful Eye
He'd been in the game for ages, and the cops had been breathing down his neck the whole time. He'd been in and out of the station more times than he could count, but he always waltzed in and out like he owned the place. He played it safe, always weighing the risks. If something was too risky, he'd rather ditch it. That's why, while other mob bosses were going down like flies, he was cruising down Easy Street, living the high life.
He believed in one thing –
What goes around, comes around.
But alas, you can't outsmart fate. And he sure as hell didn't see the undercover cop coming. His ship didn't just sink, it capsized spectacularly.
"Bighead, Bruiser, you guys are here," a burly guy in a leather jacket sauntered up from behind, carrying two bags of hot milk.
"Boss Ding," Bighead stepped aside to let him pass.
Wang Zhiyuan's heart skipped a beat. He knew that name. Back when he was Zhou Zhaotao, he had his fair share of run-ins with this tough-as-nails cop, Ding Shuqing.
Ding seemed preoccupied, glancing at some papers before heading into his office.
Bighead followed him in, "Got a case?"
Ding replied nonchalantly, "When don't we?"
Bighead quipped, "The day we take down Zhou Zhaotao, Hou Yuankun, and Qian Haiyang, we can finally kick back."
Ding laughed and tossed some papers at Bighead's chest, "Dream on, buddy. This is some police discipline stuff from upstairs. Perfect for daydreamers like you. Read it, and write a couple of reflections. Oh, and Bruiser, you too."
Wang Zhiyuan chimed in, "Two reflections?"
Ding shot back, "If you wanna write two, be my guest. Write one for Tadpole too. She's been working her butt off with us, and she finally has a date. We gotta give her some space. That's what being a good comrade is all about."
Bighead blurted, "Who's my second one for?"
"Me, of course," Ding said with a smirk. "Gotta suck up to the boss if you want that promotion."
"Man, that's cold!" Bighead exclaimed. "I feel like I've walked into a den of thieves."
Ding retorted, "If you think I'm bad, go join Zhou Zhaotao. He's got the cars, the girls, the bling. He's got it all, except a soul."
"Hell no. I'd rather freeze my ass off in my boxers than live it up in a five-star hotel wearing a coat paid for with innocent people's lives," Bighead declared.
Ding gave him a thumbs up, "That's the spirit!"
Bighead grumbled, "You gotta have guts to be a cop. This job's a grind, and good luck finding a wife."
Ding pointed at Wang Zhiyuan, "See, Bruiser's been standing here all quiet, doing his job. That's the spirit!"
Wang Zhiyuan forced a smile.
Bighead, finally voicing the question that had been nagging him, asked, "You okay, man?"
Wang Zhiyuan played it cool, "Just didn't get enough sleep, I guess."
Ding tossed him an orange, "Here, have this. It'll wake you up."
Bighead tried to snatch it, but seeing Wang Zhiyuan's expression, he backed off. "Where are Hat, Beanpole, and Tadpole? Carrot Top quit, but those guys aren't thinking of jumping ship, are they?"
Ding replied, "Hat and Tadpole pulled an all-nighter, so they're coming in later. Beanpole's got the day off – something at his kid's school. Don't worry, we've got a couple of fresh-faced rookies coming in."
Bighead rolled his eyes, "Not that I was worried." He noticed Wang Zhiyuan just fiddling with the orange, "You gonna eat that or just play with it?"
Wang Zhiyuan wasn't big on fruits, except for melons – watermelon, cantaloupe, you name it. He handed the orange to Bighead, "Here."
Ding chuckled, "Don't baby him. The guy's in his thirties, for crying out loud."
Bighead shot back, "Bruiser's not that young either. In a couple of years, he'll be thirty. We'll all be pushing forty, so no one gets to make fun of anyone."
Wang Zhiyuan's heart skipped a beat. His ID clearly stated he was born in 1976. He should be over thirty. How could he be turning thirty in a couple of years?
"Bruiser, you spacing out?" Bighead nudged him. "Boss Ding's talking to you."
Ding chimed in, "Just checking in on your personal life. If you need anything, just say the word. If you've got a date like Tadpole, we'll cut you some slack."
Wang Zhiyuan blurted out, "What's today's date?"
"April 4th, 2004," Bighead replied, then looked puzzled. "You losing it? Don't even know what year it is?"
Ding gave Wang Zhiyuan a weird look.
Wang Zhiyuan gave a half-hearted smile and plopped down on the office's only couch.
Ding and Bighead shrugged it off and got back to work, leaving Wang Zhiyuan lost in thought.
April 4th, 2004…
Wait a minute…
Wang Zhiyuan's face turned pale. He whipped out his phone to make a call, but the office phone rang.
Ding picked it up, his face turning serious.
Wang Zhiyuan, growing anxious, stepped outside and dialed a number he knew by heart. But the call wouldn't go through.
This can't be happening.
He redialed frantically. The phone should have been charged.
"Who are you calling?" Ding and Bighead suddenly burst out of the office.
Wang Zhiyuan hung up, "Oh, just a friend. Where are you guys headed?"
Ding was already heading downstairs, "I'll fill you in on the way."
Bighead clapped Wang Zhiyuan on the back, "Something went down at Zhou Zhaotao's place."
Wang Zhiyuan wasn't surprised at all. Because he remembered it clear as day - three years ago, on this very day, something big went down in his apartment. And that incident set off a whole domino effect - including his reliance on Li Xingchen.
"What happened?" he asked, playing his part.
"Boss Ding didn't say. We're heading to the scene," Bighead replied.
Once in the car, Ding finally spoke, "Zhou Zhaotao is dead."
Wang Zhiyuan was so shocked he blurted out, "Who?"
"Zhou Zhaotao!" Bighead was equally stunned. Neither of them noticed Wang Zhiyuan's face turning white as a sheet.
Ding continued, "There was an explosion at his apartment. He got blasted out the window, fell twenty-something stories, and then got run over by a car. Talk about overkill."
Bighead, regaining his composure, exclaimed, "Serves him right! Karma's a b*tch! For a guy like him, dying once ain't enough. He deserved to die a hundred times over. Right, Bruiser?"
Wang Zhiyuan was gripping the edge of his seat, staring blankly out the window, not uttering a word.
Ding and Bighead exchanged a glance in the rearview mirror, puzzled by Wang Zhiyuan's reaction.
Ding tried to strike up a conversation a few times, but Wang Zhiyuan wasn't biting.
They pulled up at Wang Zhiyuan's apartment building, "Seaview Luxury Apartments," which was swarming with cops, reporters, and Zhou Zhaotao's cronies.
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