I saw a few people huddled together in front of me, heads bowed, muttering something. They were different from the others. While everyone else moved quickly with relaxed expressions, these men had darting eyes and shifty looks, clearly up to no good.
Whatever these people were discussing, it had to be something illicit or criminal; they certainly weren't discussing stone gambling. Even if they weren't the ones I was looking for, they were undoubtedly plotting some mischief.
I crept closer. I overheard one of them say, "See that guy in the parka? He's got a good amount of cash on him. We'll go in order as planned. Got it?"
My guess was right. Stone gamblers often carried cash. Large sums were usually transported in briefcases, making them difficult targets. However, smaller amounts, say two to three hundred thousand, were often carried on person. This event was chaotic enough, making anyone vulnerable to opportunistic thieves.
They clearly had a method. The mention of going in order suggested this wasn't their first time doing this.
I followed the man who had spoken, evidently their leader. The others seemed to be waiting for his instructions.
The best strategy is to catch the leader first. If necessary, I'd take him down, and the rest would be easier to handle.
This man was about thirty, lean, with triangular eyes, a pointed chin, and wore a baseball cap. He took a couple of steps, deliberately pulling his cap down lower, and hunched over as he approached the person they were talking about.
The target appeared to have just arrived, eager to search the raw stone piles.
The pointed-chin man quickly moved forward. As he reached the target, he stepped on his heel. The target's shoe was caught, and he stopped abruptly, turning back angrily to yell, "Are you blind?"
The pointed-chin man quickly apologized. The target, clearly in pain from being stepped on, grabbed the pointed-chin man by the collar and said fiercely, "I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let it slide. Normally, I'd have you tasting my fists."
The pointed-chin man bowed repeatedly, offering profuse apologies. Just then, two men suddenly emerged from the side, seemingly by accident. One stumbled, leaning against the target. The target immediately reached out to steady him. I saw it clearly: in that moment of stumbling and steadying, the money in the target's pocket had changed hands, now in the thieves' embrace.
I walked over and tapped the pointed-chin man on the shoulder, saying, "What a coincidence, running into you here. It's time you paid me back the money you owe."
He froze, staring at me blankly, utterly bewildered. I noticed security guards approaching from behind me. I gestured and told the guards, "Keep an eye on my friend's associate here, make sure he doesn't move. My friend and I need to settle a score."
The guards understood. They grabbed the man who had just stolen money from the gambler and called for reinforcements, quickly subduing the thief.
The gambler, still unaware of what had happened, looked at me and said, "I knew this kid wasn't good! You guys sort it out, I still need to gamble on stones."
I replied, "Brother, you'd better not leave yet. The show isn't over. If you leave, the play can't continue."
He looked confused. Hearing my words, he reluctantly stayed put.
The pointed-chin man anxiously said to me, "You're talking nonsense. I don't know you at all. When did I ever owe you money?"
I said, "How could we not know each other? With your appearance, I'd recognize you over anyone else. A year ago, you borrowed a hundred thousand yuan from me, promising to repay it by the Spring Festival, but you disappeared. We looked for you everywhere. I never expected to run into you here today. Since you're here gambling on stones, you must have money on you. So, pay me back."
The pointed-chin man retorted, "I'm not here to gamble on stones, and I don't have any money on me. Besides, who are you? When did I ever owe you money?"
I said, "Are you trying to renege? I have an IOU, you can't deny it. By the way, this is a place for stone gambling. If you're not here to gamble, then what are you doing here? Stealing?"
The pointed-chin man was startled, "You're spouting rubbish! Why would I be here to steal? I'm just here to watch the excitement."
I pointed to the man the guards had apprehended and said, "That's where you're wrong. Isn't that your associate?"
The pointed-chin man replied, "I don't know him. Are you suspecting him because he's with me?"
The apprehended man, hearing this, panicked and quickly said, "Brother, you can't abandon your little brother!"
The pointed-chin man was furious, wishing he could slap him to death. I said, "Stop acting. My friend, check your pockets, did you lose anything?"
It was then that the gambler began to understand. He quickly patted his pockets. Indeed, his money pocket was empty. His face turned pale.
I said to the pointed-chin man, "Trying this routine with me? You didn't do your homework before coming here."
The pointed-chin man still tried to deny it. I instructed the guards to search his associate's clothes. They found two bundles of hundred-yuan bills, totaling over a hundred thousand yuan, in his embrace.
I asked, "Where did this money come from?"
The man lowered his head, secretly glancing at the pointed-chin man. The pointed-chin man subtly signaled him, presumably telling him not to confess.
The man whispered, "This is my brother's money, we're here to gamble on stones."
I looked at the pointed-chin man. He nodded, stubbornly saying, "It's my money. I'm also here to gamble on stones."
At this point, laughter erupted from the crowd, their feeble denials clearly unconvincing.
I walked over and punched the pointed-chin man in the face. He stumbled back. If it weren't for the crowd around us, he would have fallen.
I grabbed him by his collar and said, "Shall we find a place to talk?"
The pointed-chin man instinctively flinched, clearly pained by my punch.
I didn't let go, pulling him towards the gambler and saying, "Perhaps you'd prefer to let this gentleman handle it?"
He quickly waved his hands, saying, "We were wrong. It was us. We beg you, brothers, to let us off the hook. We promise not to come to your establishment again."
I had the guards return the money to the gambler and reminded all the gamblers to keep their money safe. I handed the pointed-chin man over to the guards, telling them to escort him and his accomplices out, record their names and ID numbers, and ban them from the stone gambling base forever.
All the gamblers applauded. Amidst a chorus of curses, the guards escorted the petty thieves, who were dodging the angry fists of the gamblers, outside.
Just then, I saw Wen Siqiang pushing through the crowd. He quietly said to me, "Boss, they've arrived."
I was startled. I had been so focused on dealing with the current situation that I had forgotten about finding the people I was looking for.
I asked, "Wu Guodong's men?"
Wen Siqiang nodded. "Yes, quite a few of them. I deliberately brushed against them earlier. They're all armed. They don't look friendly. If they cause bloodshed here, it's possible..."
I knew what he was implying even before he finished. Causing a bit of chaos was one thing, but any harm could have dire consequences, potentially leading to the closure of the entire venue!
No one would risk their lives in a place where their safety wasn't guaranteed.
It seemed Wu Guodong was intent on a direct confrontation with me.