Liangliang rushed to the hospital after receiving Lu Yao's call.
"Brother Jian, you're awake, how are you feeling?"
Liangliang had been extremely worried during Yang Jian's two-day coma, not only about Yang Jian's condition but also about what to do next.
Afeng and the other six were staying here, and he didn't know how to arrange for them, nor was he sure if the police would find them.
"Liangliang, any news about Wu Laizi?"
"Wu Laizi has fled, likely to the South China Sea. I've asked a relative there to inquire about his whereabouts."
"Your relative?"
"Yes, many people from our Luogang area are in the South China Sea, either running kilns or involved in transportation. We're all part of the same circle, so finding someone isn't too difficult. Besides, Wu Laizi would surely go to Hong Xing for help, which narrows down the search."
"Good. Tell your relative that the reward of one hundred thousand yuan is still valid if they find Wu Laizi."
"Brother Jian, there's no need to mention the reward. It will only alert him. It's not difficult to find him discreetly."
"Alright, you keep an eye on this. What about Zhang Liang and the others? Did they surrender?"
"Yes, Zhang Liang, Gu Ning, and Yao Ji surrendered to the town police station together the morning before yesterday. Ye Sen was apprehended last night. Wu Laizi was officially put on the wanted list by the police this morning, and Teacher Fan from Experimental Middle School was also taken away by the police."
Lu Yao exclaimed from the side, "Teacher Fan was arrested too? Why?"
"Yao Ji identified Teacher Fan at the police station as someone who had been cooperating with Wu Laizi to monitor you, reporting your movements to him. The incident that day was also because Teacher Fan provided Wu Laizi with information that Sister Hui had picked you up, ultimately leading to the tragedy. She's considered an accomplice."
"Why? I never offended her. Why would she want to harm me?"
"I don't know the specific reason. Sister Feng learned this information from her acquaintances in the police station."
"Yaoyao, you should go back and rest. You have such dark circles under your eyes. You've been working hard these past two days. I feel much better. There's no need for you to stay here constantly. Go back to school. Wu Laizi has fled, and no one will bother you anymore."
Yang Jian felt a pang of concern seeing Lu Yao's state. He knew she was blaming herself, but Wu Laizi was the culprit, and she shouldn't carry such a mental burden.
"Then I'll head back first. I'll bring you dinner tonight."
Lu Yao didn't hesitate. She was indeed very tired. Sister Hui hadn't woken up yet, and the pressure on her was immense. Fortunately, Yang Jian had woken up, which finally allowed her to relax her tense emotions.
After Lu Yao left, Yang Jian continued to inquire, "Liangliang, the police haven't investigated the fight at the roller skating rink, have they?"
"They have, but they have no leads. Yao Ji and the others haven't told the police about being kidnapped. They all consistently admitted to being injured at the roller skating rink, which shows your warning worked. Their attitude is quite good."
"Mm, when it comes time for mediation, have my brother-in-law write a letter of understanding for them to avoid jail time, though economic compensation will be unavoidable."
"Brother Jian, do Afeng and the others still need to stay here?"
Yang Jian pondered for a moment. "Since we went to the trouble of inviting them here, we should make full use of them. You start making arrangements to deal with Baoguo. He's in cahoots with Wu Laizi and also wants me dead."
"Baoguo has probably fled too. I have a friend who's a regular at the casino. He said he hasn't seen Baoguo at the casino for the past couple of days."
"He's guilty as charged. Since he's run off, let's smash his casino. It's a place that harms people anyway, and there's no need for it to exist."
Unable to catch Wu Laizi and Baoguo, Yang Jian's anger had nowhere to be vented.
Liangliang understood his feelings and didn't try to dissuade him, simply going to carry out the task.
Hancheng, Toudao Street.
In a luxuriously decorated office building, a casino with over thirty gamblers was set up on the second floor. Song Jianhao was personally dealing. His luck was good today, and Emperor Company had already won over a hundred thousand.
According to the usual rules, the gambling session should have ended at ten in the evening. However, the casino owner, Fugui, was in high spirits. He was gambling himself and had lost quite a bit, so he requested the session to continue.
The brothers Fu Ping and Fugui were the most powerful triad bosses in the Hanjiang District, ranking in the top three in the entire Hancheng underworld.
This casino was where Fugui kept his subordinates. He himself would occasionally come to play.
Today, when he proposed extending the session, Song Jianhao dared not refuse. Although he had won money, he felt a bit uneasy and had to grit his teeth and continue dealing.
By midnight, Emperor Company had won over two hundred thousand. Song Jianhao was thinking that with this money, he could buy a new car tomorrow. But Fugui still showed no signs of stopping.
Song Jianhao couldn't hold back any longer. "Mr. Gui, it's twelve o'clock. Let's play again tomorrow?"
Fugui, in his thirties, was about 1.68 meters tall, plump, with a round face and small eyes, looking very amiable. "Alright, let's play again tomorrow. But I need to check the dice. Today was too strange. I suspect you're cheating."
Song Jianhao's face changed drastically. "Mr. Gui, you can't say things like that. These dice were provided by both of us. How could I cheat?"
Fugui waved his hand, and a middle-aged man in his forties came from behind him, holding a pair of strong scissors in his left hand and preparing to grab the dice on the table with his right.
Seeing this, Song Jianhao quickly covered the dice with a teacup. "Mr. Gui, I have no objections to checking the dice, but please do it yourself so everyone can bear witness."
The people gambling on the scene all had some wealth and status. Song Jianhao wanted them to speak up for him, as he sensed Fugui was deliberately picking a fight. This middle-aged man with scissors was likely a cheat; if he touched the dice, they would surely be altered, and he would be unable to defend himself.
By having Fugui conduct the inspection, he wouldn't have to worry about Fugui's ability to alter the dice. Cheating wasn't something anyone could learn; it required high talent, strong psychological fortitude, and extensive, tedious training. A boss like Fugui clearly wouldn't deign to learn such underhanded skills.
Song Jianhao had clearly underestimated Fugui's shamelessness. With another wave of his hand, two burly young men from behind directly pinned Song Jianhao onto the gambling table.
Si Xi and the others watched helplessly as Song Jianhao was subdued, not daring to move a muscle, all of them terrified into silence.
The middle-aged man, in front of everyone, lifted the teacup, then picked up a die from the plate. As if performing a magic trick, he held the die between his thumb and index finger and displayed it to the crowd. "Everyone, watch closely. These are the dice from the gambling table. I will now cut this die open in front of everyone to prove whether it's rigged."
All the gamblers widened their eyes, watching his hands. Si Xi and the others also watched nervously. They were the most worried. If there was a problem, they wouldn't be able to leave today. However, with so many people watching, the other party shouldn't be able to alter the dice.