The gunshots weren't heard by just us— the officers on duty at the yamen heard them too.
Right after Chen Qiang took us away, two Jeeps flashing red and blue lights shot out from the Liuxiang Town yamen and tailed us from not far behind.
Chen Qiang stuck his head out of the Bluebird, waved at the HiAce van behind us.
The three vans immediately swerved sideways, blocking the road, cutting off the constables' Jeeps.
The armed constables banged on the windows. "Get out! All of you get the hell out! Hands on the back of your head! Hands on your head and squat down!"
My palms were soaked in sweat. In this underworld life, unless a big brother is really that big— so big his hands reach into government offices— no one dares not fear these constables.
For generations, civilians don't fight the officials. And in a way… we're bandits.
At the wheel, Goat-Beard kept stepping on the gas. The shitty Bluebird was shaking all over. A ten-minute drive was done in under four.
Once we left Liuxiang Town, I faintly heard Chen Qiang let out a breath.
The guan-sha had already been disassembled; the steel pipe and machete lay across his knees. His thumb kept stroking the blade.
Sometimes he'd glance at the four five-shot pistols at his feet. After hesitating a few times, he still gave up on the idea of using them.
The gunshot came not from the direction of the county seat, but from the countryside.
Goat-Beard slammed the brakes. I wasn't prepared— my body lurched forward and my face hit the back of the driver's seat.
I was just about to ask why he stopped, but Xu Rang had already flung the door open and bolted out.
Following where he ran, I saw a patch of grass by the roadside bent flat— and a huge pool of glaring fresh blood.
My mind went blank for a few seconds. But Chen Qiang and Goat-Beard had both thrown their doors open and rushed out. I didn't have time to think either— grabbed my machete and ran.
Chen Qiang lit a cigarette, then followed the trail of crushed grass, walking and assembling the guan-sha at the same time.
I trailed behind him, unable to see his expression, but knowing full well— he had made up his mind to kill.
Was this blood Liuzi's? Were those earlier shots the bullets that hit him?
Those other three guns… were the three gunmen Chen Qiang planted outside town ahead of time?
And how did Liuzi get word and escape early?
A string of questions spun in my head, but this wasn't the time for thinking.
We followed the trampled grass and soon saw a staggering figure ahead, dragging one leg, stumbling through the weeds.
Not far behind him, a burly man in a military coat walked unhurriedly, holding a five-shot pistol.
Liuzi had been shot in the leg— a bullet had torn through it, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
The man following him wasn't in any hurry— as if waiting for us to arrive.
Chen Qiang shouted, "Liuzi! Stop walking. Save your strength for the road down there— don't let anyone cut in front of you at the Naihe Bridge!"
Hearing Chen Qiang's voice was the last straw that broke the camel's back. Liuzi collapsed like a tiger whose spine had just been yanked out.
The gunman turned and walked away the moment we arrived. From beginning to end, he only gave Chen Qiang a small nod— not a single word.
The sky was bright by now, but he wore a felt hat covering most of his face. All I saw were a pair of triangular eyes— cold and snakelike.
I didn't look at him for long— because Chen Qiang had reached Liuzi and pressed the blade of the guan-sha to his neck.
Liuzi lay on his back, staring upward. His eyes were empty— not looking at any of us.
Only when the cold blade touched his cheek did he seem to return to himself. He slowly shifted his gaze to Chen Qiang— and let out a dry laugh.
"You came. You finally came, Chen Qiang."
Two big brothers of Liuxiang Town— ten years of open and secret struggle. One now a defeated dog, the other the victor.
The fallen one was calm, quietly awaiting his end.
The winner wasn't smug, nor condescending.
The bullet had hit an artery in Liuzi's thigh. Even if we didn't touch him, he was doomed.
His face was paper-white. He said weakly, "I remember the first time I saw you— '82. You were just a dumb kid, sixteen or seventeen, tailing Chu Jianghai everywhere."
"Cocky, hating everyone. I even smacked your head once and told you to buy me cigarettes. Who'd have thought after Chu Jianghai died, you'd climb step by step and become a big brother."
"Today you take me out. After this, you'll be the only boss in Liuxiang Town. Bald Qiang… are you happy?"
His words came out broken and breathless. A small puddle of blood had already formed beneath him.
The killing intent in Chen Qiang faded. He looked tired— really tired. He lit a cigarette, then squatted and stuck it between Liuzi's lips.
Then he sat down beside him.
"Liuzi… don't hate me. You took over the bus station, you had money, you had men. If I kept jumping around Liuxiang Town, you would've killed me sooner or later."
Liuzi's lips trembled. He'd lost too much blood— about to pass out.
He sucked weakly at the cigarette. "Heh… cough… heh. Why would I hate you? You're right. I was getting ready to take you out too. You just moved earlier. My time's up. I can't live past today. It's fucking fate—I should've been taken out by you."
"I couldn't sleep at that woman's place tonight. Something felt wrong. So I planned to hide in the countryside, gather my guys, and wrestle with you properly."
"Didn't expect you to move so fast— and so vicious. But that's how we are— in this damn business— you've gotta be ruthless, you've gotta be quick. Quicker than the constables' bullets. Or one day your skull ends up gone."
I stood beside them holding the machete. Maybe it's true— when a man's dying, his words soften.
Seeing Liuzi like this, I suddenly couldn't hate him anymore.
Earlier, I had imagined— once we caught him, I'd hack his leg first, for meddling in my business with Chen Xiang and forcing me onto this path.
But now, as he lay dying in front of me, I couldn't summon any hatred— only wanted this to end.
By the time the cigarette burned short, Liuzi was barely breathing. His chest rose and fell faintly.
Half-dreaming, he murmured, "Bald Qiang… give me one more cigarette… since 1990 we haven't had a proper drink together, not even a proper smoke… give me one more…"
Chen Qiang took out the pack— exactly four cigarettes left.
He gave one to me, one to Xu Rang, one to Goat-Beard, and lit one for Liuzi.
He didn't light one for himself.
Liuzi couldn't even smoke anymore. Blood soaked his lower body, his chest barely moved.
Before the cigarette finished, he died.
Chen Qiang removed the stub from Liuzi's lips, took one last deep drag, and exhaled a huge cloud of smoke.
"Liuzi… if there's a next life— don't be a human. And even if you are— never join the underworld again."
He pressed the butt out with his palm, picked up the guan-sha, and walked away.
The three of us weren't stupid— we wouldn't leave our cigarette butts behind. Each of us took ours and left.
The sun was high. I hadn't swung my blade once— and Liuzi was dead.
Cause of death: shot through the femoral artery, bled out.
The big brother who ruled Liuxiang Town for more than ten years died in a patch of weeds outside town.
If there's a next life— I don't know whether he'd still choose to be human. But I'm sure— he'd never choose this life again.
Chen Qiang didn't take us back to Liuxiang Town— drove straight to the county seat.
After we left, the man in the military coat and felt hat rode a motorcycle and fired two shots at the constables' Jeeps.
Ballistic comparison later showed those two bullets matched the bullet that hit Liuzi's thigh.
Same gun.