Chapter 53: Zhou Jing Hui’s Betrayal
Snake received a call from Zhang Feng, leaving him momentarily stunned. He had never taken Chen Xue Wen seriously, assuming he was just another reckless young punk who needed a quick lesson to be put in his place.
But reality had completely defied his expectations.
After several confrontations, he had barely managed to touch Chen Xue Wen, while his own men had suffered significant losses. Worse yet, they had even injured a journalist. If the incident escalated, things could spiral out of control.
So, the moment he got the call, he immediately reached out to Feng Leopard, instructing him to pull back his men at once.
At the time, Feng Leopard and his gang had already smashed a massive hole into the entrance of Brothers Game Arcade and were moments away from storming in. Frustrated but left with no choice, they cursed under their breath and withdrew.
Meanwhile, Zhang Feng and his squad quickly arrived on the scene. Seeing the battered Wang Gui Wen and the shattered camera, Zhang Feng grimaced. This situation was messy.
Luckily, the film roll had been destroyed. Without evidence, no one could prove who was responsible.
Acting swiftly, Zhang Feng secured the scene and took Wang Gui Wen in for questioning. After handling the formalities, he secretly called Snake and warned him to keep his men in check. It was best to let the situation cool down before making another move.
Snake, upon hearing this, was livid, his face darkening with fury. But he had no choice but to comply, ordering Feng Leopard and the others to hold off for now.
Feng Leopard frowned. “Snake, it’s just a small-time journalist. Why are we so afraid of him?”
Snake shot him a glare and snapped, “Damn it, if it was just a journalist, I wouldn’t care at all!”
“What I fear is someone using this as leverage against us!”
“But you were smart to destroy the film roll. No evidence, no case. This will eventually blow over. Don’t stress.”
Feng Leopard nodded but clenched his teeth. “That bastard, Chen Xue Wen, must have orchestrated this whole thing.”
“I didn’t expect that little punk to be so devious.”
“My brother is still in the hospital fighting for his life, and I’m sure it was that bastard’s doing.”
“Snake, what’s the plan?”
Snake smirked coldly. “You’ve been with me long enough. Do you really need to ask?”
“Anyone who dares stand against us only has one fate.”
“We can’t smash his store, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take care of him personally.”
“Once he’s released tonight, take some men and finish the job.”
Feng Leopard grinned wickedly. “Got it, Snake. Just leave it to me.”
“Tonight, no matter what, that punk is done for!”
—
It wasn’t until after 4 PM that Chen Xue Wen was finally released from questioning.
He returned to Brothers Game Arcade, where Lai Hou and Wang Zhen Dong were lounging by the entrance, chatting idly. Inside, only a few customers were playing. However, many shop owners from nearby businesses had gathered outside, watching from a distance, eager to see how things would unfold.
As soon as they spotted Chen Xue Wen, Lai Hou and Wang Zhen Dong hurried over.
“Brother Wen, how did it go?” they asked with concern.
Chen Xue Wen chuckled. “As expected.”
“Zhang Feng must have taken Snake’s bribe. He was clearly biased in their favor.”
“After taking my statement, he only detained two of them and let the rest go.”
“And as for our compensation? Not a single word about it.”
Lai Hou sighed. “Brother Wen, honestly, considering how far we’ve gotten, we should be thankful things aren’t worse.”
“Snake’s people haven’t come back to cause trouble all afternoon.”
“We should probably give up on the compensation.”
Chen Xue Wen shook his head. “They destroyed so many of our machines. How can we just let that go?”
Lai Hou and Wang Zhen Dong exchanged glances. Was he really planning to provoke Snake even further?
Chen Xue Wen stepped inside the arcade and checked the day’s earnings, frowning. “The numbers are terrible.”
“How did we only sell twenty-something bucks worth of game tokens?”
Lai Hou shrugged. “Brother Wen, we just opened. People will come to play video games, but real profits come from the slot machines.”
“Those take time to attract regulars. We can’t expect results overnight.”
Wang Zhen Dong nodded. “Besides, Snake’s Electronic Dynasty is right across the street. His place is massive and luxurious. The wealthier customers all go there.”
“And after today’s two incidents with Feng Leopard, people think our place isn’t safe. No one dares come.”
Chen Xue Wen looked towards Electronic Dynasty, contemplating. “The beginning is always the hardest. No need to rush.”
“Since business is slow today, let’s close up early and go home.”
Lai Hou and Wang Zhen Dong nodded.
By 6 PM, they had locked up the arcade, hopped onto two motorcycles, and headed home.
The moment they left, a message reached Feng Leopard.
Hearing that Chen Xue Wen and his crew had left, Feng Leopard’s eyes gleamed with malice. He grabbed his blade and spat, “Gather the boys. We’re cutting that bastard down tonight!”
Snake, however, shot him a sharp look. “Hold it right there.”
Feng Leopard hesitated. “Snake, what’s wrong?”
“Didn’t you say to take care of him?”
Snake’s voice was cold. “Are you an idiot?”
“It’s just past 6 PM—rush hour. If you block the streets now, you’re asking to get caught.”
Realization dawned on Feng Leopard, and he awkwardly scratched his head. “Snake, I… I got a little too worked up.”
“Damn it, that bastard really gets under my skin.”
“The hospital just called. My brother pulled through, but he’ll be bedridden for six months. That bastard went too far! I swear I’ll cripple him!”
Snake waved him off. “Kill him for all I care, but keep it quiet.”
“This time, a journalist got involved. If this blows up, it’ll be bad for all of us.”
Feng Leopard quickly nodded. “Got it, I’ll handle it carefully.”
Just then, the door opened, and a man walked in.
Snake’s face twisted with disdain.
Feng Leopard stood up, glaring at the newcomer. “Zhou Jing Hui?”
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I was just about to come looking for you. That bastard Chen Xue Wen is running a business under your name! You better have a damn good explanation!”
The visitor was none other than Zhou Jing Hui.
Zhou Jing Hui forced a bitter smile. “I came here specifically to explain that.”
Turning to Snake, he lowered his voice. “Snake, can we talk in private?”
Snake studied him for a moment before waving his hand, sending his men out of the room.
“Spit it out.”
Snake’s tone was ice cold.
A flicker of irritation crossed Zhou Jing Hui’s face, but he masked it quickly, forcing a smile as he stepped closer.
“Snake, I came to warn you about Chen Xue Wen.”
“If you’re planning to take him down tonight, be careful.”
“That bastard is cunning. He might have set a trap for you.”
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation