Chapter 1

Seven o'clock at night, Zhanan Port, near a private warehouse.

A light drizzle was falling, and dark clouds hung over Dragon City. Further out at sea, the rain seemed heavier, and occasionally a bolt of lightning split the dark night sky.

Several cars stopped in front of the warehouse rented by the gambler Lao Pi. Kong Zhengqi, along with the finance officer and several casino staff members, got out of the cars, holding umbrellas.

"Clatter!"

Lao Pi squatted down, lifting the roller shutter door with effort, and a faint musty smell wafted out. The warehouse wasn't large, but the ventilation wasn't good, and there were patches of mold on the walls.

Rows of goods sealed in wooden crates were stacked in the warehouse. The quantity wasn't huge, but the crates looked relatively new. According to Lao Pi, these were smuggled electronics. Although they lacked proper documentation, they could be circulated into the market with a little maneuvering.

"It's been raining non-stop lately. These things of yours aren't damp, are they?" Kong Zhengqi glanced into the warehouse and couldn't help turning to ask Lao Pi.

"Several million worth of goods – how could I let them get damp? They came by sea. These packing crates are specially made. Not a problem at all," Lao Pi explained. "These things are all made by big factories in District One. You can't get them without connections. Brand new, no problems. You can open them up and check."

"Alright, then let's open a crate and take a look." Kong Zhengqi raised his chin, and two security guards stepped forward, using crowbars to pry open one of the crates.

Inside the crate were rows of brand-new cell phone boxes, neatly arranged like blocks of tofu. A staff member pulled out one of the boxes, tore off the plastic wrapping, and handed it to Kong Zhengqi.

Kong Zhengqi opened the box, tossed it aside, and took out the phone inside. The phone was heavy and looked very similar to the most popular model on the market, but the brand printed on it was different.

"What brand is this?" Kong Zhengqi asked as he fiddled with the phone. "I've never seen it before. Is it a knockoff?"

"Don't worry, definitely not a knockoff," Lao Pi quickly said. "If it was that cheap stuff, I wouldn't have gone to so much trouble smuggling it over here, would I?"

Kong Zhengqi pointed to the logo on the phone. "Then why is the brand different?"

Lao Pi explained, "This batch is specially supplied to the military, internal models. A small brand is easier to get a contract with. You know."

Kong Zhengqi listened to the explanation while turning on the phone. The operating system and feel were indeed no different from the original brand.

Lao Pi pointed at the phone, introducing it: "Try it out. The stuff inside is exactly the same. And it has increased water resistance and drop resistance. The quality is even better than the regular models. There are plenty of buyers in the market who specifically like to collect this kind of thing. I was originally counting on this batch to turn things around, at least sell for more than five million..."

Looking at the old gambler's expression, Kong Zhengqi didn't respond, simply handing the phone to the finance officer next to him. The finance officer took the phone and carefully took several photos, finally sending them out.

A while later, the finance officer received a phone call, and the other party told him the market price and wholesale price of this type of phone.

"Zeroing! Beep beep beep!"

The finance officer took out a calculator and started calculating on the spot, quickly arriving at the retail value of the batch, which was about four million. However, because it was used to pay off debt, there would be some depreciation.

Ten minutes later, the finance officer calculated the amount and whispered a few words in Kong Zhengqi's ear.

Lao Pi watched them, looking slightly nervous.

After they finished talking, Kong Zhengqi thought for a moment and said to Lao Pi, "This batch of goods will offset two million of your debt."

"That little?" Lao Pi was sweating profusely, quickly saying, "My goods..."

Kong Zhengqi waved his hand, interrupting Lao Pi, "That's it. Sign the contract if you agree, or pay back the money directly if you don't."

Lao Pi gritted his teeth. "Alright, two million!"

"That's the spirit!" Kong Zhengqi's face broke into a smile again, and he reached out and patted Lao Pi's shoulder. "But I have to say this upfront: if this batch of goods doesn't sell, I'll give it back to you exactly as it is, and you'll have to pay back the money, understand?"

"Understood." Lao Pi nodded. "There's definitely no shortage of buyers. Don't worry."

"Alright, let's check it out, and if there are no problems, we'll sign a contract." Kong Zhengqi said, waving to the staff.

Several security guards immediately entered the warehouse. With so many goods, they certainly couldn't check them crate by crate. They could only select a portion for random inspection. Soon, they opened seven or eight crates, confirmed that there were no problems, and gave Kong Zhengqi an "okay" sign.

"Alright, if there are no problems, pack them up!" Kong Zhengqi ordered, turning to look at Lao Pi. "Let's go."

Lao Pi nodded and followed him back to the business car next to them. A legal department employee had been waiting for a long time. According to the agreed payment, he used a portable printer to print out two copies of the contract and handed them to the two men for review.

While the two men were looking at the contract, the staff carried the heavy wooden crates one by one, loading them into the van next to them.

A staff member, panting heavily after carrying two loads, couldn't help but shout at Lao Pi in the car, "Lao Pi, did you put lead balls in these crates? Why are they so heavy?"

"Oh, there are moisture-proof boards inside the crates," Lao Pi explained. "The stuff was transported by water, and it's the rainy season recently. Can't do without the moisture-proof boards. These things are quite expensive, but it's also a hassle to take them out. Why don't you give me a little more discount..."

Kong Zhengqi raised his head and glanced at Lao Pi. "I want the goods. If you feel bad, take those boards out yourself."

"Forget it, forget it. They're all yours." Lao Pi sighed, picked up a pen, and signed his name with a flourish.

The two men signed the contract, and Kong Zhengqi took the goods and returned to the casino.

...

An hour later, the batch of goods was piled into the warehouse behind the casino, which, besides the large wooden crates, also contained some miscellaneous goods.

For the casino, this method of collateralizing goods was not uncommon. Many gamblers who couldn't pay their debts would often mortgage valuable jewelry, goods, cars, and even their houses to the casino as repayment.

For Kong Zhengqi, this trip was just a part of his daily work and he didn't take it to heart.

...

At the same time, Dragon City Police Hospital.

"Click!"

Hou Guoyu used a key to unlock the handcuffs used to restrain Zheng Guang. The burns on the latter's body had not yet healed, but they did not affect his ability to move.

Zheng Guang sat up, leaning on the bed, and looked up at Su Tianyu.

Su Tianyu pointed to Dai Quan, who was standing next to him, and instructed Zheng Guang, "You go with him. Find the person who planned this behind the scenes, and you can redeem yourself."

Zheng Guang sized up Dai Quan and slowly nodded.