Lan Ya said she would rent a room at the hotel next to the hospital to rest, and come back at noon to relieve Jing Lei, who said it was fine, as she could manage on her own.
I felt useless, a grown man being looked after by two girls, yet unable to help myself.
Not long after Lan Ya left, a group of doctors and nurses came for a consultation, including people from rehabilitation. The doctors guided them to help me sit up. They told me to open my eyes, turn my head, lift my hand, and clench my fist. Although it was very strenuous, I could do it.
The doctor was pleased and said, "We didn't expect him to recover so quickly. We've never encountered someone with such strong self-healing ability after brain damage. He can truly be called a miracle in the medical field. Now, the main focus is on helping him with limb rehabilitation. If he continues at this pace, he should be able to be discharged in two to three days to recuperate at home."
I was supported by two rehabilitation doctors as I slowly got out of bed. They half-supported me as I took a step forward. My legs were completely unresponsive. If they hadn't half-supported me, I wouldn't have been able to stand at all.
The doctors continuously encouraged me, telling me I was doing well and urging me to keep walking. My legs felt like jelly, almost flailing, and I had no idea how to move them forward.
They had me walk in the room like this for about half an hour. Although most of the effort came from them, sweat poured from my head.
I felt like a baby learning to walk, needing to start from scratch to practice how to exert force and engage my muscles in movement.
They helped me onto the bed and told me to lie down and rest. Someone would come soon with a wheelchair to take me to the rehabilitation center for training.
I was annoyed that such simple actions were beyond me. How could I get up and do things?
Seeing my frustration, Jing Lei came over to comfort me, saying, "Don't rush. When you were in a coma, we had even less hope, and we still waited for you to wake up, didn't we? Now that you've regained consciousness, restoring limb coordination through exercise is just a matter of time. The doctor just said your limbs have no damage, and as long as your coordination improves, you'll be able to move freely, just like before."
I had heard the doctor say that, and I understood the logic. But the fact that things that were once so simple were now so difficult made anyone anxious.
Jing Lei was right; she wasn't trying to fool me. It was just that with so much to do, I couldn't even manage a simple limb movement. Forget about going to gamble for stones, I doubted I could even reach a stone gambling shop.
I felt a surge of anger, a lump forming in my chest, making it difficult to breathe or release my frustration.
Just then, a nurse pushed a wheelchair over and said they would take me out to the rehabilitation center to use some equipment.
Jing Lei and the nurse helped me up from the bed and, with some effort, got me into the wheelchair. They then pushed me to the rehabilitation center. Most of the training here was self-directed, using equipment to increase my support and coordination.
They first pushed me to the window, where there was a handrail. I could hold onto it and try to stand up on my own.
I gripped it tightly with both hands, but I couldn't muster the strength. After a few attempts, I still couldn't stand up.
Jing Lei encouraged me, "Don't be discouraged. You can do it. Only by standing up can you defeat your enemies. You need to recover your strength quickly. Lan Ya and I are women, and we need you, a man, to protect us. If you retreat, we will have no one to rely on and become lambs to the slaughter."
Gritting my teeth, I gripped the handrail with fierce determination, trying my best to stand up.
Jing Lei stood by, constantly encouraging me and cheering me on.
The nurse also kept shouting words of encouragement, attracting many people's attention. A few even came over to tell me how to exert force and use my body's strength to stand up.
Their encouragement was not in vain. I used all my might and managed to stand up!
Jing Lei applauded me excitedly, and the young nurse gave me a thumbs-up, praising me.
Gripping the handrail, I strained to move my body forward.
It was very difficult, and I almost fell. I gritted my teeth and endured, not allowing myself any slack. Even if I only moved an inch, a millimeter, any forward progress was a victory.
I shuffled forward step by step. Compared to before, I now knew how to exert force with my legs and how to channel my body's strength into the leg that was bearing the weight.
Leaning on the handrail, I gasped for air. In just a few minutes, I had moved less than a meter, and I was already drenched in sweat and out of breath.
I never imagined that actions I normally considered extremely simple would be so arduous.
Jing Lei poured me some warm water to rehydrate.
The warm water had salt in it, giving it a faint salty taste.
I had sweated a lot and needed to replenish my salt to prevent electrolyte imbalance.
I continued to push forward, gritting my teeth.
We arrived at Zhongmian Street at 5:30 in the afternoon.
I asked Wen Siqiang to wait for me in the car, and I would call him if there was a special situation.
I should buy Wen Siqiang a mobile phone; it would be much more convenient.
When I entered the room, Bo Gang was still sitting in his usual spot. He was wearing traditional Burmese attire and a headscarf. His bulky frame filled the rattan chair.
Looking at him like this, he didn't seem like a killer at all, but rather an old man from a foreign land.
It was a shame he wasn't just an ordinary foreign elder; his mind was filled with murder and robbery, and he only thought of money and profit.
He looked up at me and said, "That bastard Kong has connections everywhere. We were all outmaneuvered. He donated so much and suddenly became a hero in Myanmar, while we are neither here nor there, and even earned a reputation for incompetence. Now they've stripped me of my military command. I'm just a consultant for a government department. Damn it, if I can't fight guerrilla warfare anymore, I'll blow a hole in the sky and see if they still won't take me seriously!"
Bo Gang was indeed a brute, solving problems impulsively without thinking. Although we were using him this time, if he had played his cards right, the benefits he could have reaped would have lasted a lifetime. How did he mess it up so badly?
I looked at him and asked, "What are your plans?"
Bo Gang replied, "What plans do I have? Let's get our business started quickly. I need a large sum of money to build my army. You have to solve this for me!"
What kind of logic was this? He was building an army, and I had to pay for it. This was naked thuggery.
I said, "Now that Kong is back, will he let me off? He's watching my every move. If we touch this now, it's a dead end!"
Bo Gang retorted, "This is all I have. Should I let it rot instead of cashing it in? I don't care what you do, you have to find a way to get it done, or you won't have your life, nor your wives' lives!"
This was outrageous, threatening my family. They always brought them up, my weak spot, my Achilles' heel, hitting the mark every time.
I said, "It's not easy, but I have an idea. The rough stone business here is doing very well, and there's a huge demand for finished products domestically. As long as you get the rough stones, I'll help you sell as many as you have, even for free. I won't take a cent from you."
Bo Gang said, "Rough stones? Where am I supposed to find rough stones? Unless I rob for them!"
Rough stones are a business, a trade, requiring investment. Yet, he went straight to robbery.
I forced a wry smile. Dealing with this kind of person, there was no reasoning with them.
Bo Gang said, "I have to go back. Get started on what I told you. Someone will contact you in the next couple of days!"
I replied, "You also need to consider what I suggested. You have channels there, you can definitely get stones. As long as the quality is good, this amount of money is not a problem. Why take the risk of a death sentence on a treacherous path when you have a clear road?"
He said, "I'll think about it. In any case, help me make money quickly!"
With that, he got up. I quickly took my leave. Dealing with people like him was like dancing on the tip of a knife; the sooner I left, the better.
I went outside and got into the car. I told Wen Siqiang, "Let's go back to Da Shijie."
Wen Siqiang didn't say a word and started driving.
Sitting in the car, I felt troubled. I still hadn't sorted things out with the Crown Prince. His father had been released, which should have eased some of the pressure from Bo Gang. But now, it was just escalating, making it suffocating.
I needed to find a breakthrough to unravel this intricate situation. Otherwise, the three of them would be like a windlass, slowly grinding me to death.
When I returned to the office, Lan Ya asked, "Is something wrong? You look so serious."
I replied, "Yes. Bo Gang has illegal goods that need to be cashed out through us. Otherwise, he'll target my family! I suggested he supply us with rough stones, which would be a win-win and not illegal. Guess what he said? He said he doesn't have rough stones, unless he robs for them! Rough stones are a business, acquired through trade, but he wants to get them by force!"
Lan Ya said, "This Bo Gang is ultimately a menace. We should discuss this with Brother Bao. It's best to eliminate him, otherwise, he'll push us to a dead end."
I agreed, "Yes, I was thinking the same thing on the way. We must find a way to get rid of him!"
Lan Ya picked up the phone and called Brother Bao, asking him to come discuss how to deal with Bo Gang.
Just then, Wen Siqiang came in and said that the people we had summoned for training had all arrived, and asked if we should begin.
I told Lan Ya that I would go to the training class first and that she should tell Brother Bao when he arrived.
We had selected thirty people in total, primarily for security and service. They were divided into two teams, and two private rooms were set aside for their training.
They gathered in one room waiting for me. We would then split them into separate classes.
I went over and gave them some instructions regarding the opening of the new company and the etiquette for dealing with people. I saw Xiao Hong in the service staff team; she was responsible for this group.
The security team also had a team leader, an old employee from Da Shijie named San Zi. He was big and dark, and knew some martial arts.
I had them split into two groups, with one group going to another room.
The remaining security team members had simpler training. A mat was placed in the center of the room. They would pair up for sparring matches. Those eliminated would wait, and the winners would advance to the next round.
Those eliminated in the first round would be taken by the team leader for intensive training over ten days. After ten days, there would be a second competition, and the bottom five would be eliminated.
Elimination didn't mean dismissal; they would simply be assigned to ordinary positions. The important positions would be filled by the winners.
The female staff mainly received etiquette and Mandarin training. I specifically hired an etiquette teacher from a training company to teach them.
At this moment, my phone rang. Lan Ya said Brother Bao had arrived at the office.
I hurried over to meet Brother Bao.
Brother Bao, likely having heard the situation from Lan Ya, had a grave expression, similar to mine. He must have felt the seriousness of the matter. This Bo Gang was putting immense pressure on us.
Brother Bao said, "We'll meet with Brother Qing tomorrow and discuss Bo Gang in detail. If we're going to deal with him, we need to find his stronghold first. I heard from Brother Qing that he hasn't been back to that waterside villa in Yangon since the last time we dealt with him. He likely has bases along the border. Brother Qing has already deployed informants to scout his activities there. Once we figure it out, we should eradicate him completely! Unlike Kong, whom we couldn't kill, creating an enemy. If we can't kill Bo Gang in one go, we'll be the ones to die."
I nodded. Yes, if we couldn't kill him in one go, our lives would be on borrowed time.
Bo Gang came from a guerrilla background and had experience in jungle warfare. The mountainous terrain of Myanmar was rugged, treacherous, and inconvenient for transportation. He could defend or attack, making it very disadvantageous for us. To deal with him, we had to put in a hundred times more effort; we could only win, never lose!