Actually, Cao Yang had a better way to solve this — just call the Chaozhou Gang boss directly.
He'd met the boss before, even drank with him. One call from Jie, and this little problem would be settled.
But Jie wasn't involved this time, and Cao Yang didn't want to bother him for every little thing.
Crash! Another group of men burst out of the casino. Seeing their comrades sprawled on the ground, they drew their cleavers and charged at Cao Yang and Xia Dongdong.
Xia Dongdong panicked and ran. After a few steps, she realized Cao Yang wasn't following. Glancing back, she saw him standing calmly — the men hadn't made a move.
Cautiously, she tiptoed back. Cao Yang was speaking with a man who must be the casino manager, sizing him up from head to toe.
"I've seen you at the Fulin Restaurant. You're Tang Shaojie's man," the manager said.
He'd been at the banquet with the gang boss, witnessed Cao Yang becoming Tang Shaojie's disciple, and knew this was the man who had taken out the Henan gang leader.
Cao Yang nodded. "Good that you recognize me. I mean no harm — just want to ask about two people."
The manager glanced at the men lying on the floor and thought: No harm? If it were anyone else, he'd be dead already.
But Cao Yang… not only was he Tang Shaojie's man, he was strong enough to take down Liu Zhenhu and his crew. No need to offend him.
"Who are you looking for?" the manager asked coldly.
Cao Yang pulled out the printed photos. "These two."
The manager's face twisted with anger. "Damn it! I'm looking for those two bastards too!"
He fumed as he explained that the two had exchanged 200,000 in counterfeit cash at his place, earning him a scolding from his boss.
"And have you found them?"
"Of course not. If we had, they'd be dead!"
Cao Yang frowned. "No leads at all? What about the card handler who brought them here? Didn't you investigate him?"
"The handler ran too. I suspect they're working together."
"You have no info on the handler either?"
"Nope. Just know his name is Bai Wei, from Shanwei. We call him Ah Wei."
With a name and hometown, tracking him would be easier.
"How old?" Cao Yang asked.
"Not sure… maybe 25 or 26."
"Thanks," Cao Yang said, patting him on the shoulder. "We'll have a drink together sometime."
The manager twitched. Drink my ass! If you weren't strong and if it weren't for Tang Shaojie, you'd be dead already!
Cao Yang strode off, Xia Dongdong jogging to keep up.
"Hey! Don't walk so fast!" she called.
Cao Yang stopped, watching her little figure run. His chest heaved with each breath — he dared not imagine the view from inside.
"What are you looking at? Move your filthy eyes away!"
She scolded him while zipping up her jacket. But as she exhaled, it stretched again.
"Annoying! I'm cutting this off sooner or later!"
Cao Yang looked at her face. "You're not loyal at all. Just ran like a rabbit, leaving me to face all those people alone!"
"I thought you'd run too. Didn't expect you to just stand there like an idiot."
"And you're impulsive, too. Always fighting. We should be methodical, observe secretly, probe carefully, move steadily, cautiously…"
"Shut up!" Cao Yang snapped.
"With your method, we'd still be investigating a hundred years from now," she said.
"My method is simple, rough — but effective!" Cao Yang said, locking eyes with her.
"What are you doing?" Xia Dongdong stepped back and instinctively tugged her zipper.
"I've got the lead. Now it's your turn." Cao Yang told her to use her police connections to check out Bai Wei, the card handler.
Having a cop with them helped. With just the name, hometown, and approximate age, she could get the info with one call. Efficient.
Soon, Bai Wei's info appeared on her phone: a man from Xiatuo Village, Shanwei.
"Tomorrow, we find Bai Wei. Only then can we find the two men."
Xia Dongdong nodded, then asked curiously: "Why didn't the gang hit us earlier? The leader seemed to know you?"
"You don't recognize me?" Cao Yang asked.
"You're famous?"
"Aren't you a police officer from Guancheng?"
"I'm provincial-level," Xia Dongdong said, puffing up proudly, then quickly shrinking back as if to hide.
Cao Yang nodded. Only outsiders wouldn't recognize him. Recently, he'd caused a citywide uproar. Even if you didn't know him personally, you'd have heard the name. Xia Dongdong wasn't surprised.
The two sat at a street-side food stall. Cao Yang observed her with interest.
She was beautiful, modestly dressed, yet he could see her curves — full chest, firm hips. She was the kind of woman any man would want.
If it weren't for Jie's warning beforehand, he might have assumed she was punished by her superiors — a gorgeous agent sent alone to investigate the counterfeit gang because she refused some unsavory "favor."
But Jie had said she was likely on a mission to polish her credentials. That meant she had an unusual background.
Why send her alone to Guancheng? Cao Yang guessed the other teams didn't want her — too risky. So she went solo. Whoever solved the case would still see her name in the credits.
Jie had him accompany her — partly to get intel on the counterfeit gang, partly so that if they found anything, the "white-shirt leader" would get credit, repaying him for previous help.
If nothing was found, protecting Xia Dongdong was enough. If she got hurt, even the white-shirt would be in trouble.
"You're not some 'official second-generation,' are you?" Cao Yang asked bluntly.
Xia Dongdong froze, put down her chopsticks, mumbling, "Who told you that?"
"No one… just a guess."
"I'm not a second-gen. I passed the police exam on my own merit!"
"Hey, I was just asking. Why so worked up?"
"I'M NOT EXCITED!!!"
Rice shot from her mouth onto Cao Yang's face as she shouted.
"Right, right… you're not excited. I'm excited," he said.
"Let's change the subject!"
Cao Yang wiped his face and diverted the topic. "Where will you stay tonight? We're heading to Shanwei tomorrow."
"No idea… anywhere's fine."
"Okay, I'll go with you."
"What do you want?" Xia Dongdong became alert. She was staying at a hotel just because she had nowhere else to go. Cao Yang, a long-term undercover, wouldn't be staying in a hotel, right?
This guy looked… sleazy. She'd better stay on guard.