I couldn't possibly admit it, so I chuckled coldly, "Heh! You can investigate me, but I can't investigate you?"
"Originally, your messy affairs had nothing to do with me, but since you're treating me like a sucker, don't blame me for being impolite!"
"From start to finish, I never provoked you first! Yet you, relying on your position at the Ying family's gambling ship, have been relentlessly aggressive after I exposed you."
"It's one thing to think too highly of yourself, but underestimating your opponent… will come with a price!"
Upon hearing this, Kang Muru's face immediately turned ashen: "I, I didn't want it to be like this!"
"Who knew that all these guys who were letting things slide were actually devils who eat people without spitting out bones!!!"
"Devils!? Heh! Interesting."
Hearing Kang Muru's words, Old Dog Zou's expression flickered slightly, and then he immediately smiled sinisterly, "On Mr. Ying's account, I'll give you a chance to come out on your own."
"I'll count to three! Just three!"
"If you don't come out, I'll have someone pack you up and sink you in Wenzhou Port tonight!"
Are there really gamblers who aren't afraid of death?
Absolutely! But Kang Muru certainly wasn't one of them!
Earlier, when he dared to hold a knife to me and threatened to take me with him if I didn't give him money, it was because he saw money on me, a glimmer of hope to recoup his losses!
But facing someone like Old Dog Zou, a vicious villain whose hands were stained with countless lives, try saying the same thing to him?!
The reason Old Dog Zou could monopolize usury in more than half of Wenzhou's underground casinos was all earned through real fights and real knives!
The scar on his head was from an incident years ago when he went alone to collect a debt from a gambler who kept saying, "I have no money, only my life," and that single knife earned him the full payment after the gambler sold his house.
Facing such a stubborn gambler who refused to admit his debt, Old Dog Zou never spoke a word from beginning to end.
He only said this before taking the knife to his own head.
"I was injured and bled in your home. Whether you send me to the hospital or not, I'm telling you upfront, starting from today, I'm moving in here!"
"When you clear your debt, I'll leave!"
"Otherwise, you'll cover all my food, clothing, and necessities!"
"And if you think one knife isn't enough, once the wound scabs over, I'll do it again!"
"You're not afraid of dying, but are you afraid of me dying in your house?"
It was this timely knife that made the fearless gambler understand fear and immediately surrender.
From then on, Old Dog Zou became famous, and his business grew larger and larger.
Of course, it's impossible for the current Old Dog Zou to stoop to self-harm anymore.
Moreover, he no longer handles debt collection personally; his subordinates do it.
The only reason he was willing to come was due to Shen Mengqing's influence.
It's not unreasonable for Shen Mengqing, who was a "lantern keeper" in Ruichi, to know Old Dog Zou.
If someone wanted to rig the game in Ruichi, it wouldn't have been possible without Shen Mengqing's approval.
In the end, no matter how formidable Old Dog Zou was, he was just a bottom-tier rogue in the underworld.
If he wanted to make money, he had to maintain good relationships with people at various venues.
Besides, what casino owner, whose establishment ran smoothly year-round, wouldn't have some backing?
Therefore, people like Shen Mengqing were usually the ones Old Dog Zou tried his best to curry favor with and appease.
From the moment I was held hostage and my personal freedom was restricted by Kang Muru, I never intended to find anyone else to help me escape.
Because I knew that the person who tied the bell must untie it.
To deal with a reckless gambler like Kang Muru, only Old Dog Zou could overcome all difficulties with a single move!
To put it bluntly, even if a person had no house or car, as long as they were alive and healthy, Old Dog Zou had a way to make them confess!
...
As expected, without daring to resist or struggle, Kang Muru surrendered very readily, his head hanging low as he walked out of the room.
Looking at Kang Muru, who seemed to have lost all will to live, Old Dog Zou, without any unnecessary words, directly reached out and slapped him twice, then sternly barked, "Er Gou told me you were quite tough yesterday!"
"You didn't answer calls, didn't reply to messages, I thought you were kidnapped by aliens?"
Hearing this, Kang Muru shivered and forced a smile that was more like a cry, saying sheepishly, "Brother Gou, I was just trying to figure things out."
"Don't worry! Just give me one more day, and the money, I, I... I can definitely return it tomorrow..."
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Old Dog Zou, not wanting to hear any more, said coldly, "I don't have that much time to bicker with you here!"
"Since you don't have money to repay now, stop with the extra nonsense and come with me directly!"
Upon hearing this, Kang Muru's face turned completely pale, and he stammered, "But, can I... not... not go?"
Ignoring Kang Muru, Old Dog Zou waved his hand. His subordinates understood immediately, swarmed forward, grabbed Kang Muru, and dragged him out.
After greeting Shen Mengqing and me, Old Dog Zou also turned and left.
After Old Dog Zou left, I immediately thanked Shen Mengqing.
"Thanks! I'll treat you to supper tonight!"
However, Shen Mengqing ignored my words and turned to walk out in her high heels.
I knew in my heart that she had likely deduced what I had been doing recently from the day's events.
Without letting slip a single word to her, I knew without even thinking what my intentions were.
With that in mind, I immediately chased after her.
Following Shen Mengqing, I walked and said, "Big Sister, are you eating supper or not? You have to give me a definite answer!"
At this moment, playing dumb was the best strategy.
Apologies were useless!
"What supper are you still talking about!?"
"I even taught you my ultimate skill of 'flying cards,' yet you're secretly guarding against me like I'm a thief. Is that interesting or not?!"
As she spoke, Shen Mengqing, in her high heels, was making a clacking sound as she walked onto the main road by the hotel.
Seeing her unlock her car with the key and about to open the door to get in, I quickly stepped in front of her, looked at Shen Mengqing, and asked rhetorically, "Then what do you want me to do?"
"Tell you the truth, and then worry about whether you'll go tell Yang Yuanyuan?"
Hearing this, Shen Mengqing was stunned for a moment, then immediately replied coldly, "Chen Xiang, what do you mean?"
"Why are you afraid of me telling Xiao Yuan?"
"You dealt with Kang Muru, isn't it just to prove your innocence?"
Hearing this, I laughed: "Innocence!? Heh! Well said, 'innocence'!"
At this point, I decided not to hide it anymore.
I laid it all out, recounting everything that had happened on the gambling ship in detail.