Chapter Two: The Path to Success 32. The Battlefield of Sales (Part Seven)

My brain was forced to shift back into gear, compelling me to conjure up a new strategy. After a brief moment, I had it figured out. I said to the thin man, "Look, brother, there is no point in us dragging this out. Someone is bound to pass by eventually. If I ask a passerby to call the police, you two are well and truly finished."

Seeing the thin man waver, I pressed on: "In reality, you are just acting on someone else's orders for money. Is it really worth ruining your lives over such a small sum?"

The thin man and the fat man exchanged glances; it was clear my words had struck a chord.

I kept the thin man pinned as I crouched down to retrieve the dagger from the ground. Striking while the iron was hot, I continued: "Under the current circumstances, you haven't actually caused us any harm. If you are caught by the police, you would only serve three to five years. But if you had actually stabbed or killed my brother, things would be far more complicated."

I directed this comment at the fat man, and I saw his hands begin to tremble.

"You are likely first-time offenders. I will give you a chance: do me a favor, and I will let you go. I promise I won't call the police."

"What kind of favor?" the two asked in unison.

"Just go back and tell the person behind this that you have already taught us a lesson and that we have agreed not to cause them any further trouble. As for everything else, we will handle it ourselves."

"It's that simple?" the thin man seemed skeptical.

"What else? Do you even have the leverage to negotiate with me? Rest assured, I am a man of my word; I will not report you."

The thin man hesitated, looked at his companion, and finally nodded.

"Good, brother. You are a straight shooter. We'll call this a case of friends made through a fight. I won't hold this against you, as I know you were just following orders."

The thin man struggled slightly, clearly wanting me to release him. I loosened my grip on his arm, though I did not let go entirely.

"Don't be impatient. I said I would let you go, and I will. But one at a time. You," I said, gesturing to the fat man with my left hand, "drop the dagger and go first."

The fat man looked at the thin man with trepidation. The thin man, though clearly reluctant, saw no other way and nodded. Upon seeing this, the fat man dropped the dagger and bolted. It was astonishing to see a man of his girth move with such speed. In moments, this wind-like man vanished into the darkness at the end of the alley.

The thin man began to grow anxious. With him now completely at our mercy, he feared we might change our minds.

At that moment, Lin Xiaolong seemed to snap out of his daze. He walked over and kicked the thin man, whose face contorted in pain from the blow and the strain on his twisted arm. Still feeling unsatisfied, Lin Xiaolong said to me, "Director Wang, we can't let him go. It's too easy for him." The thin man slumped, his spirit broken.

"Forget it. This isn't really his problem, and besides, you wouldn't want me to go back on my word."

As I spoke, I released his arm. It had been twisted for so long that it had gone stiff, so I gently guided it back into a natural position.

This took the thin man by complete surprise. He seemed unable to believe I had truly let him go until I had fully released him. Perhaps he realized that since I had spared him while I had the upper hand, I certainly wouldn't call the police after the fact, so he had no reason to doubt me further. This thirty-year-old man, overcome with emotion, actually fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. He stammered, "Thank you, boss, for your magnanimity. I will turn over a new leaf. If you ever need me for anything in the future, just call."

I finally relaxed and said, "Just remember the favor I asked of you. As for the rest, simply mending your ways will be the best repayment."

The thin man nodded through his sobs, then paused, as if remembering something. He stopped crying and said, "That... that person who sent us was..."

I waved my hand, signaling him to stop. "I no longer care about that. I have no intention of wading through these murky waters any longer; if I can't afford to provoke them, I can at least avoid them. Go."

The thin man bowed once more and limped away. I called for Lin Xiaolong to leave this place of trouble immediately and return to the hotel. After all, there was no telling if the fat man would return with reinforcements. Regardless, it was best to be cautious.

Of course, I didn't explain to Lin Xiaolong why I had let the thin man go. Sending them to the local station would have been pointless; I didn't know if Li Qiang had ties there, and even if he didn't, without substantive injuries, the police would likely treat it as a minor brawl or public disturbance. Furthermore, since Li Qiang was the mastermind, knowing his plan had failed, he would only try to silence them or escalate his attacks on us. A stalling tactic was better—mislead Li Qiang for now, flee Jiyang, and plan our next move once we were safe.