The dirt road in the countryside was bumpy, and I was getting a little carsick. On top of that, not knowing what Chen Qiang meant by "flattening" the fish farm made me feel uneasy.
Xu Rang was driving, Goatee was in the passenger seat, and Chen Qiang and I sat in the back.
Chen Qiang hadn't said a word, just staring out the window.
It was a winter night in 1995, pitch black except for the scattered lights of the village.
I felt terrible and couldn't help but let out a groan.
Chen Qiang turned his gaze from the window and smiled. "What's wrong, Number Two? Carsick?"
I smiled awkwardly. "This road isn't smooth. The bumps are getting to me."
Chen Qiang paused slightly, then said meaningfully, "No choice, Number Two. once you've chosen this road, no matter how bumpy it is, you have to grit your teeth and walk it to the end!"
Chen Qiang's sudden sentimentality left me stunned. I didn't know what was going through this society boss's mind.
Xu Rang pulled out a cigarette, lit it in his own mouth, and then passed it to me.
"Number Two, here. Take a drag to settle your stomach. You won't want to puke after that."
I took the cigarette skeptically, took a deep drag, and then... leaned out the window and puked my guts out.
I felt much better after emptying my stomach. I lightly kicked the back of the driver's seat and cursed with a laugh, "Xu Rang, you son of a bitch. Is that how you treat your own brother?"
Chen Qiang and Goatee burst out laughing at my reaction, and the atmosphere instantly became less oppressive.
I took the opportunity to ask, "Brother Qiang, about tonight's business... what's the plan exactly?"
Chen Qiang just kept smiling and said nothing.
Goatee answered instead. "Number Two, don't panic. Tonight, we're handling business, not people. If Tumor knows what's good for him and stops messing with us, we'll let it slide."
Handling business, not people.
That put my mind at ease a little. Mixing in society is about "mixing"—getting by.
It's not about fighting and killing at every turn. You aren't indestructible. Even if you're the biggest boss in the world, if a knife goes into your heart, you'll die just the same.
Especially since I was just a small-time nobody.
Xu Rang snorted. "Tumor treats this fish farm like it's made of gold. He sends fish to the county seat every month. He must be pulling in at least twenty thousand a month."
Twenty thousand. That number made my eyes red with envy. Although the era of the "ten-thousand-yuan household" was passing, an income of twenty thousand a month was still astronomical in Liuxiang Town.
Goatee laughed coldly. "Yeah. Couldn't he just guard his fish farm and live a peaceful life? No, he has to play the big boss, handling this guy today, handling that guy tomorrow."
"He's asking for death!"
Goatee turned around and looked at Chen Qiang gravely.
"Boss, this fish farm is Tumor's lifeblood. He's definitely got people watching it. Should we call Xu Feilin and get some guys from the county seat to help?"
Chen Qiang shrank his neck into his collar as if he were cold, still wearing that same grin.
He gently lifted his jacket, revealing what was at his waist.
Upon seeing it, Goatee shut his mouth immediately. I broke out in a cold sweat.
There was a pistol tucked into Chen Qiang's waistband!
The reason for my cold sweat was simple: that pistol was exactly the same kind the cops carried.
Some younger friends might not be familiar with that era. Before 1996, guns weren't exactly rare.
Back then, department stores even had counters selling air rifles. It wasn't until the Gun Control Law was enacted in 1996 that they started confiscating civilian firearms.
I had played with guns a few times growing up—hunting rifles that shot iron sand, air guns that shot steel BBs. But compared to the Type 54 "Black Star" at Chen Qiang's waist, those were just toys.
Hunting rifles, muskets, air guns—unless you pressed them against someone's temple and pulled the trigger, it was hard to kill anyone.
But the Type 54 Black Star used by the police put a hole in you with one shot. That was a tool meant for taking lives.
This was standard-issue equipment. No matter the year, it was illegal. Before '96, you could get away with homemade guns and air rifles, but not this.
I've never set foot in the northern underworld, so I don't know when society bosses up there started favoring guns in their disputes.
But in my memory of the Southwestern Jianghu, aside from ruthless bandits and homicidal maniacs, society bosses rarely used guns to handle business.
Guns only really became rampant in the years just after the millennium. Back then, anyone who was anyone in the underworld played with guns.
In those years, countless bosses were "handled"—shot dead by some nameless nobody while eating a bowl of noodles on the street.
Dead on the spot.
Chen Qiang lowered his jacket, covering the pistol at his waist, and said indifferently:
"I said tonight is for handling business, but if someone blocks me from handling business, I can handle people too."
Hearing Chen Qiang's words, my breathing grew heavy. I prayed silently that no one would die tonight!
The rest of the journey passed in silence. Around eleven o'clock at night, we finally arrived outside the fish farm run by Tumor and Chen Xiang's father.
The fish farm was almost the size of a small lake, surrounded by a wire fence with dim light bulbs hanging every few meters.
Beside the road leading to the farm, there were several makeshift shacks where a dozen young men were eating grilled fish and drinking alcohol.
These must be the men Tumor left behind to guard the place.
While we were still some distance away, Chen Qiang told Xu Rang to stop the car and let one of the HiAce vans take the lead.
Chen Qiang lit a cigarette, pulled a gleaming machete from behind the seat, and handed it to me.
"Number Two, Tumor said he wanted your legs, said he was going to handle you to death. Today, his fish farm is right there, and your big brother is right behind you, backing you up. You do what you think is right."
I swallowed hard and took the machete Chen Qiang offered.
Tumor, you bastard. Would it kill you to let me off? Did you have to force me onto this road of no return?
Chen Qiang reached out and pressed the back of my head, touching his forehead to mine.
"Number Two, if you don't want to be a piece of trash for the rest of your life, getting handled by anyone who feels like it, then show some spirit tonight. Make them fear you. Let them know that you, Chu Shanhe, are a somebody in Liuxiang Town."
Before I could react, Chen Qiang rolled down the window and roared, "Fuck them up! That son of a bitch Tumor wants to handle me, Chen Qiang?!"
"Get them! Fuck them up good! Let that bastard Tumor know who rules the heavens and the earth!"
As soon as his voice fell, the lead HiAce shot forward like an arrow from a bow.
In less than a minute, it smashed directly into the grill rack by the fish pond.
Two men couldn't dodge in time and were dragged under the wheels, letting out ear-piercing screams.
Then the doors of the three HiAce vans slid open. The first things to emerge weren't people, but blades.
Gleaming machetes flashed, hacking at the men who hadn't even had time to react, as if chopping vegetables.
In an instant, blood flowed across the ground, and many men were cut open.
Chen Qiang opened the door and stepped out. I followed him, machete in hand.
Chen Qiang raised a finger, pointing at two fleeing figures—one old, one young.
"That's Chen Xiang's old man and Tumor's cousin. Number Two, go handle Tumor's cousin for me."
I hesitated. I had no grudge against Tumor's cousin.
Seeing my hesitation, Chen Qiang's face quickly turned cold.
Xu Rang hurried forward, dragging me along as we chased after the pair.
"Boss, it's Number Two's first time handling business. It's normal for him to be a bit shaken. I'll take him with me."
I followed numbly behind Xu Rang, feeling a sense of loss. Is this the jianghu? Is this society?
Today I chase others with a blade; when will it be my turn to be chased by others with blades?
Chen Qiang's booming voice rang out from behind us. "Alright, stop chopping! Drag them over here and make them kneel. If anyone dares to move, bleed them dry—I'll pay for the life!"
Soon, Xu Rang and I caught up with Tumor's cousin and Chen Xiang's father.
Xu Rang kicked Chen Xiang's father to the ground. The old coot had never seen such a scene and was already trembling with fear.
The moon was out tonight. By the moonlight, I saw Tumor's cousin's face.
A teenager, not much different in age from me. His eyes were filled with rage as he looked at me.
Almost reflexively, I raised my hand and brought the blade down on his shoulder.