Chapter 22: The Hunt

On a morning in Qingdong, as daylight began to seep in, the air was still tinged with a hint of moisture. Birds chirped joyfully, their clear calls beckoning the sleepy populace. Lush trees and fragrant grass painted a beautiful picture, while the city remained in slumber, with only a few individuals venturing onto the streets to prepare for a busy day ahead.

Sun Zhengtao, dressed in sports attire, had left home early. He boarded the first bus, setting off toward his destination. Having once again brought Lu Xiaoyu and his crew under control the day before, and with no signs of activity from the people in Mingzhou, it was time to reorganize the business. After all, with such a vast enterprise and so many brothers involved, one couldn’t simply live off past successes.

Sun Zhengtao lowered the brim of his cap, trying to avoid recognition while discreetly surveying the passengers on the bus. There were only a few people aboard at this hour: two or three young individuals clutching breakfast on their way to work, and some elderly folks heading to the market or the park to exercise. Feeling assured that no one was following him, he relaxed and focused on the scenery outside.

It had been a long time since Sun Zhengtao had taken the time to appreciate the refreshing beauty of a morning like this. His nights were filled with indulgence in the vibrant nightlife of the city, where the dazzling lights served as proof of his success—an experience unimaginable back in his hometown. Yet the charm of the daytime, with its fresh air and floral scents, had long since faded from his path of struggle.

He recalled how, when he first arrived in Qingdong, he would rise early like the young commuters, taking a bus from the suburbs to the city center. Unfortunately, he had been too exhausted to enjoy the scenery; he would fall asleep the moment he boarded and wouldn’t wake until his stop, as the call of sleep was more enticing than any view.

As time passed, more passengers boarded the bus, and soon Sun Zhengtao reached his destination. He stood up to get off and entered an office building, taking the private car that had been waiting in the underground parking lot to embark on his next journey.

Although he no longer had to worry about Lu Xiaoyu and his crew, Sun Zhengtao understood that it was still wise to be cautious; he could not guarantee that his brothers remained loyal.

Money, indeed, was a good thing. It allowed one to enjoy the best views, the finest companions, and the most exquisite food. Yet it could also be a bad thing. When he was broke and struggling, he had trustworthy brothers by his side, dreams of a bright future, and sincere smiles. Now, he often felt isolated, as if a knife could be plunged into his back at any moment.

A lingering question gnawed at him: what were the people from Mingzhou truly here for? They had been in Qingdong for quite some time, and he had dispatched someone to keep an eye on them from the moment they arrived. Yet to this day, there had been no signs of activity from them, aside from Haifeng’s visit to the city police department. Surely they weren’t just on a business trip for the sake of travel expenses?

Shaking his head, Sun Zhengtao decided not to dwell on these thoughts any further, opting instead to remain cautious and low-key. After all, in his line of work—fraud—being discreet was key. As long as he kept a low profile, even operating under the watchful eyes of the police, they wouldn’t catch on, and these distant officers would be powerless.

He drove around the city’s ring road, going around in circles from sparsely populated areas to bustling streets until the rush hour had passed. Once he confirmed that he had not been followed, he took a series of turns to arrive at a building in the west side of the city, parking in the lot.

After taking the elevator to the 22nd floor, he paused outside a room marked “Jinchuang Software” and knocked on the door. A young man in a brown T-shirt opened it and welcomed him inside.

“Boss, why are you here so early? You didn’t give us any notice, and we weren’t prepared at all. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Have you eaten? Should I send someone to get you something?” the young man said eagerly.

“No need to trouble yourself; I’ve already eaten,” Sun Zhengtao replied.

Then he turned to the young man and asked, “Xiao Huang, how has the company been running lately? Has anyone encountered any difficulties at work?”

“Everything is going well, no problems at all. The project is on schedule, and the new software updates are ready for you to pick up,” Huang Liang answered.

“Good to hear!” Sun Zhengtao said, pulling out a black suitcase and handing it to Huang Liang. “This is the reward for everyone; please distribute it.”

Huang Liang took the suitcase, called over a subordinate, and counted out the cash, sealing it in envelopes to hand out to the employees at their desks.

Looking at Sun Zhengtao, who was sitting leisurely in the boss’s chair, Huang Liang remarked, “Boss, you really don’t need to go through all this trouble every time. We could just do bank transfers for their salaries to save you from carrying a suitcase each time.”

Sun Zhengtao shook his head, saying, “It’s better to give everyone cash. The sight of real money is far more motivating than numbers in a bank account. As long as they do their jobs well, I can still handle carrying a suitcase. If our business truly grows to the point where a suitcase can’t contain everyone’s salaries, then we can consider bank transfers.”

Huang Liang nodded, deciding not to press the issue further. He added, “Boss, shouldn’t we find a few more people to expand the market? We’re all technicians, and relying solely on your old clients isn’t going to earn us much. It would be better to broaden our business and explore new markets. Our technical capabilities are solid, and we can handle more work. Our staff doesn’t even have to work overtime much anymore; it hardly feels like a software company anymore.”

Sun Zhengtao chuckled, “Isn’t it good to let everyone have it easy? Do you want to turn me into a ruthless capitalist who profits by squeezing employees? I understand your intentions, but there’s no need to make things so tough for everyone. Just let them do their jobs as usual.”

Pausing, he continued, “I know everyone wants to earn more, especially with the rising housing prices and the increasing cost of living in Qingdong. It’s tough to get by without earning a little extra. Rest assured, there’s no need for you to worry about business development; that’s not your concern. I am already considering a salary increase. Just keep morale high and ensure everyone works diligently; I won’t shortchange them.”

Huang Liang, satisfied with this assurance, had no further objections. He instructed a subordinate to bring in a portable hard drive, saying to Sun Zhengtao, “Boss, here’s the latest software update program. It’s all set; you just need to take it to the clients for installation.”

Sun Zhengtao accepted the hard drive with a nod and prepared to leave. Suddenly, a loud crash echoed, the sound of shattered glass from outside.

Sun Zhengtao and Huang Liang rushed out of the office, only to see the broken glass door. A group of people in black stood in the room, and at their center was Sun Zhengtao’s old acquaintance, Lu Xiaoyu.

A flicker of panic crossed Sun Zhengtao’s face as he wondered how Lu Xiaoyu had found him. Before he could speak, Huang Liang exclaimed, “Who are you people? What right do you have to smash our office door? Xiao Zhao, call the police!”

Lu Xiaoyu looked at Huang Liang, his eyes gleaming coldly as he smiled, “Sure, call the police! Boss Sun, I’ve brought your ledger with me. Once the police arrive, we can all leave together. Last time, you handed me over, and I walked away unscathed; this time, we’ll see if you can still get out.”

Hearing Lu Xiaoyu’s words, Sun Zhengtao told Huang Liang not to call the police and turned to Lu Xiaoyu, saying, “Let’s talk inside; don’t embarrass yourselves here.” With that, Sun Zhengtao stepped into the inner room, and Lu Xiaoyu followed with two of his men.

“What do you mean by this, Lu Xiaoyu? Bringing so many people and smashing the door, what are you trying to accomplish?” Sun Zhengtao asked, anger rising.

“If I didn’t do this, would you even talk to me today? You probably wouldn’t even let me through the door! After all, this is your precious domain; you wouldn’t want us old buddies to know about it!” Lu Xiaoyu retorted.

“How did you find this place?” Sun Zhengtao inquired.

“Thanks to the help of your good brother! Bring him in!” Lu Xiaoyu commanded his subordinates.

Moments later, a man was dragged in front of Sun Zhengtao. The newcomer was covered in dust, his hair disheveled, and bruises marked his face—clearly, he had been beaten severely.

Sun Zhengtao squinted at the figure, realizing it was Zhou Yu, and his anger surged. He shouted at Lu Xiaoyu, “What do you mean by this, Lu Xiaoyu? You should know better than to harm my people! You think you can just bully me, Sun Zhengtao?”

Lu Xiaoyu glanced disdainfully at the crumpled Zhou Yu on the floor and replied, “You treat him like a brother, but he sees you as a fool. You asked how I found you? Simple: he planted a tracker in your shoe. No matter where you go, I can find you!”

Sun Zhengtao looked from Lu Xiaoyu to Zhou Yu, then took off his shoes to inspect them. When he lifted the insole from his left sneaker, he discovered a hidden compartment. He pried it open and pulled out a tracker.

“Zhou Yu, what is this? Did you plant it? When did you do this? I treated you well; how could you betray me like this?” Sun Zhengtao demanded.

With a smirk, Zhou Yu lowered his head and said, “You treated me well? You lack courage and strategy but still sit in the boss’s chair, ordering me around. Why should I listen to you, a fool?”

“Indeed, I planted the tracker. I knew you liked to keep insoles in your shoes, so I placed one in each pair to track the locations of your technical and expert teams, intending to replace you. But alas, fate was not on my side; I underestimated Lu Xiaoyu, and my perfect plan has turned into someone else’s victory,” Zhou Yu confessed.

Lu Xiaoyu looked at Zhou Yu slumped on the floor, filled with disdain. He knew that if it weren’t for this person, he would not have fallen out with Sun Zhengtao, and the bonds of friendship among their tight-knit group wouldn’t have frayed.

Lu Xiaoyu instructed his men to take Zhou Yu away, then turned to Sun Zhengtao and said, “This is your great helper, your strategist. Don’t you know who you’re surrounding yourself with? Your brothers are turning against each other, and your company is falling apart. Can’t you see? Do you think you can rest easy just by keeping your technical and expert teams intact? Have you considered how your brothers feel? Do you really believe you can maintain your position as boss?”

Sun Zhengtao, hearing Lu Xiaoyu’s words, sank back in despair, collapsing into a chair. Lu Xiaoyu, Lü Yue, and Zhou Qiang were turning against him, Zhang Zhijun had betrayed him, and his most trusted aide, Zhou Yu, had planted a tracker on him. Now the technical team was exposed; if Teacher Song found out, he would certainly stop helping him. He had lost his last trump card. He truly felt abandoned and alone, once a king now reduced to prey on someone else’s chopping block. What right did he have to remain in the boss’s position?

Sun Zhengtao said to Lu Xiaoyu, “Fine, I’ll admit defeat. You can have the position of boss; can I leave now?”

Lu Xiaoyu replied, “Don’t worry, I won’t make things difficult for you. After all, we were once brothers who endured hardships together. But you can’t leave just yet; I still need your help with a few things!”

Sun Zhengtao looked at Lu Xiaoyu, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to leave today without satisfying Lu Xiaoyu’s demands. He sighed and asked, “What do you want me to do? Just say it!”

Lu Xiaoyu pointed outside and said, “First, tell the people out there that I’m taking over here from now on!”

Sun Zhengtao nodded, calling Huang Liang over and informing him that Lu Xiaoyu was now the boss. Huang Liang glanced between Sun Zhengtao and Lu Xiaoyu, nodded reluctantly, and left the office.

Then Sun Zhengtao asked Lu Xiaoyu, “What else?”

Lu Xiaoyu said, “Call Zhang Zili and tell him to hand over the people and resources; from now on, everything will be managed by the company.”

Sun Zhengtao scoffed, “You expect me to get Zhang Zili to hand over the people? Can I even walk away after that? Shengcai’s people have already been taken by you. If Zili hands over the rest, will you spare us?”

Lu Xiaoyu replied, “I’ve said it before: we are brothers who endured hardships together. I won’t make things difficult for you, but the company can’t let you run rampant anymore. Besides, if I truly wanted to eliminate you, do you think Zhang Zili could save you? Lü Yue and Zhou Qiang have already gone to find Zhang Zili. I just don’t want to see brothers turning against each other.”

Sun Zhengtao, realizing his power was dwindling, knew that further resistance was futile, so he called Zhang Zili.

Once Sun Zhengtao hung up, Lu Xiaoyu presented his final request: “One last thing: you need to tell me where the expert team is.”

Sun Zhengtao smiled wryly and replied, “You’ve come well-prepared this time, but you’ve miscalculated one step. The expert team is different from the technical team; I can’t tell you where they are. No, to be precise, I don’t even know where they are. They contact me.”

Lu Xiaoyu, recognizing that Sun Zhengtao had no choice but to be honest at that moment, said, “Alright, I believe you. I still consider you a brother, and the company still has a place for you. I just don’t want it to end like this. I apologize for my earlier actions; I was left with no choice. I hope you won’t hold a grudge. Now, shall we go?”

“Where to?” Sun Zhengtao asked.

“To ‘Juhongmen.’ I’ve already told Lü Yue and the others to bring Zhang Zili to ‘Juhongmen.’ I’ll notify Shengcai and Zhang Zhijun shortly. Let’s head over there, sit down together, and think about our plans for the future,” Lu Xiaoyu replied.

Sun Zhengtao gave a bitter smile and said to Lu Xiaoyu, “You’ve already got what you wanted. Is there still a need to go there? Do I even have the right to attend?”

Lu Xiaoyu looked at Sun Zhengtao, who had once fought alongside him for survival but now appeared so defeated. The spirited confidence he once had was nowhere to be found. Lu Xiaoyu wished they could return to the past, with everyone united in brotherhood, working hard for their future. But now, they were at each other’s throats over money, and the camaraderie of old had faded away.

“Sun Zhengtao, you are my brother, the big brother who led me into this world. I will never forget that. I remember all the good you’ve done for me. Perhaps you think I’m seizing power today. But really, I just want you to return to the person you used to be—the one who was loyal and righteous. I hope you won’t let the presence of certain people make you suspicious of your brothers,” Lu Xiaoyu said.

He paused, then continued, “Do you remember how we first arrived in Qingdong? The four of us, dressed in rags and with empty pockets, gazing at this bustling city, filled with envy and wondering when we could have a home here?”

“We worked together, struggled together, yet still faced uncertainty about our next meal. It was you, Sun Zhengtao, who led us into this line of work and helped us prosper. Though it was illegal, I, Lu Xiaoyu, never regretted it. At least now, I don’t have to go hungry or sleep rough. I decided then that I would stand by you. But you distanced yourself from everyone because of Zhang Yu. You have no idea how heartbroken I felt!”

Hearing Lu Xiaoyu recount their difficult past and the bonds of brotherhood, Sun Zhengtao felt a stir in his heart. Indeed, they had once been so united; though they had no money, they were never troubled by it, fighting fiercely to make life better. What had gone wrong now?

Sun Zhengtao stood up and patted Lu Xiaoyu on the shoulder, saying, “Enough. I realize my mistakes. Let’s gather together like we did before.”

Lu Xiaoyu nodded, and the two walked out the door together.