In broad daylight, under the gaze of hundreds, Shen Hua was shot dead. The incident quickly sent shockwaves through the entire Xinhe District, especially in the Chengguan area, where almost everyone was discussing it.
Those who knew Shen Hua said the kid deserved to die. Over the past two years, he had become increasingly arrogant, relying on Hong Xing's influence. Particularly on the banks of the Da Xinhe River, sand truck drivers had all suffered at his hands, and sandpit bosses under Zhou Tao had been beaten by him.
People who didn't know him, upon learning he was Hong Xing's cousin, showed no sympathy. This was mainly because Hong Xing and Bao Guo had become too powerful in recent years, and none of these underworld figures were good people.
As for the perpetrator, rumors circulated that it was a professional killer, and the identity of the mastermind was a subject of much speculation, as Hong Xing had offended too many people.
Some said it was Zhou Tao, as his losses had been the greatest in the past two years. Hong Xing and Bao Guo's influence had almost monopolized the sandpits, and Shen Hua was the direct implementer.
Some suspected the Yu family of Dong Sheng Group. Hong Xing had recently pushed the Yu family to the brink, forcing them to cede twenty percent of their shares in their concrete mixing plants just to operate, otherwise, no one dared to deliver sand.
Furthermore, in the real estate sector, Hong Xing had also begun to compete with the Yu family, and they truly hated Hong Xing's influence with a burning passion.
Others suggested that Hong Xing's enemies from Nanhai had come to carry out the act, killing Shen Hua as a warning.
Wu Wangchun was also a suspect, as his casino had been ruined by Hong Xing and Bao Guo, resulting in heavy losses.
However, more people believed it was Yang Jian who had acted, as a series of major incidents recently had linked Shen Hua to the Li Jian Company.
Especially the fire the day before yesterday, the police had ruled it arson, and had even arrested a suspect, making the instigator behind it all obvious.
It wasn't just Yang Jian who would seek revenge when faced with such a situation; anyone would find it unbearable, making Shen Hua's death seem inevitable.
Chengguan, People's Hospital morgue.
Almost all members of the Hong family were present. Shen Hua's parents wept inconsolably over their son's cold body.
Hong Xing stood beside his aunt and uncle, head bowed, unsure how to console or comfort them. Facing his cousin's death, although he was filled with grief and wanted to tear the killer to pieces, a trace of fear lurked in his subconscious.
If the killer had been targeting him today, could he have escaped that shot?
The answer was no, because Shen Hua's physical condition was much stronger than his, and he had even trained in Sanda, making him capable of handling several people without issue. Moreover, he had been surrounded by over a hundred people at the time.
Even under such circumstances, the killer had easily shot him dead and calmly left. Hollywood blockbusters wouldn't dare to portray such a scene.
But reality was this cruel. It was his first time witnessing the terror of a professional killer, and he realized he needed to keep a low profile from now on.
"Xingxing, come out for a moment."
Hong Xing's father, Hong Yushu, pulled his son outside with a look of anger.
Before Hong Xing could steady himself, Hong Yushu slapped him across the face: "What the hell have you been doing? I told you to stay in Nanhai and not get involved in the affairs of your hometown, but you wouldn't listen.
Now look, Shen Hua is dead, how will you face your aunt?
And you've made yourself hated by everyone in Xinhe these past two years, putting me in a very difficult position. I was supposed to be promoted to deputy district chief at the beginning of the year, but because of your terrible reputation, someone reported me to the higher organization department.
With today's incident, I've been pushed onto the front lines. I probably won't get promoted in this lifetime.
Do you know that because of your reckless behavior, you not only cost Shen Hua his life but also ruined your father's career? It's likely the Disciplinary Committee will want to talk to me soon."
Although Hong Xing was arrogant and overbearing outside, he was obedient in front of his father and dared not retort.
Seeing his son remain silent, Hong Yushu softened: "I also have responsibility in this matter. I should have stopped you when you wanted to come back to take over the local projects. Otherwise, you wouldn't have become so inflated. Do you know who killed Shen Hua?"
"It should be Yang Jian, and Zhou Tao is also a strong suspect."
"Yang Jian is a desperate man, and Zhou Tao is a veteran underworld boss. Why would you provoke them? Aren't your businesses big enough?"
"Dad, what's the use of saying this now?"
"So what are your plans? You're not thinking of seeking revenge, are you? I'm telling you, drop that idea immediately."
"But Xiao Hua can't just die like this!"
"What do you want to do? They effortlessly took Xiao Hua's life in front of hundreds of people. Is your skull harder than Xiao Hua's? Will bullets not penetrate it?"
Hearing this, Hong Xing fell silent again. The fact was, no matter how formidable you were, you couldn't defend against a professional killer's assassination.
Not to mention professional killers, Yang Jian himself possessed terrifying combat power. If he were to act personally, it would be difficult for Hong Xing to defend himself.
And then there was Zhou Tao. Although he was currently suppressed and dared not retaliate, he was an old hand in the underworld. Even if he couldn't win in a direct confrontation, he had money. He could easily spend a few million to hire a professional killer.
"Listen to me clearly. After handling Xiao Hua's funeral, you will immediately pack up and return to Nanhai. Do not come back without my permission."
Hong Yushu gave a firm order this time. If he let him stay in Xinhe, who knew what other accidents might occur.
"But what about my businesses in Xinhe?"
"Forget them. That Bao Guo isn't a good person either. He's been using you all along. Cut ties with him completely this time, have no further dealings."
Hong Yushu was unaware of Brother Mao's existence. Hong Xing's rapid expansion in Xinhe was greatly influenced by Brother Mao's instigation.
"Alright, I'll leave after taking care of the family matters."
Hong Xing dared not defy his father's will. He now knew that he had affected his father's career prospects, and if he didn't stop now, the consequences would be even more severe.
As the father and son reached a consensus and were about to go inside, Hong Xing's phone rang. It was his younger cousin, Shen Bing.
"Bingbing, have you departed yet? If you can't get a plane ticket, just drive back."
Hong Xing assumed Shen Bing knew about his brother's death.
"Xing Ge, what are you talking about? I didn't say I was coming back. I'm calling you because something has happened here."
"What happened?"
"Someone impersonated the police and smashed up our club. The losses are very significant."
Hong Xing gasped: "When did this happen? Were there any injuries?"
"Just ten minutes ago, twenty to thirty people impersonating police stormed the casino. Our people didn't dare to resist and had to flee the club. Unexpectedly, their target wasn't to disrupt the operations, but to smash up the club. No one was injured, but not a single facility in the club is intact. It will cost over a million to restore everything.
I just called the local police station, and they didn't dispatch anyone. So this was a targeted attack on the club. I wonder which force it was?"
Shen Bing briefly recounted the incident.