Chapter 127: Infiltrating the Gang (Part 3)

Three days later in the morning, Chen Shi was eating wontons at a dirty and shabby restaurant near the bus station. The chair creaked as he sat down, and when he looked up, two people, heavily disguised with masks and sunglasses, sat in front of him.

“Want a bowl?” Chen Shi offered.

“No,” replied Lin Dongxue from under her mask. Today, she had dressed like a man, her thick down jacket making her usually slim figure appear bulky. “Are you ready?”

“All set. You didn’t have to see me off. It’s not like this is a years-long undercover mission. I’ll be back in a couple of days.”

“Shh, shh, shh!” Lin Dongxue looked around nervously at the mention of “undercover.” “Don’t say that out loud.”

The other person was Peng Siyue, who handed over a syringe. “This is a diaphoretic. If they force you to take drugs, inject this and drink lots of water.”

Chen Shi pushed it back. “I can’t take anything with me. It’ll make them suspicious.”

“Alright, just remember to drink lots of water and urinate frequently. Whether you get addicted or not, go to the rehab center as soon as you get back.”

“Don’t worry, I have my own way.”

“Is your phone ready?”

“Yes, a new card, and I’ve memorized your numbers… Old Peng, you’re a bit long-winded today.”

“Come back soon, and be careful!”

Chen Shi nodded and turned to Lin Dongxue. “How’s the kid?”

“She’s amazing. Even on weekends, she gets up early to study. No trouble at all.”

“Don’t let her study all the time. Make sure she plays and watches TV. Tell her that eighth grade isn’t crucial; she can start studying hard in the last half of ninth grade. She’s too smart and diligent; she’ll be isolated by her classmates.”

“I know!” Lin Dongxue wanted to laugh.

Unaware of the context, Peng Siyue commented, “Is this what education philosophy has come to these days?”

“No, no, this kid is an exception… It’s getting late. I should go.”

“Take care!” Lin Dongxue and Peng Siyue said in unison.

After leaving the breakfast shop, Chen Shi crossed the street to a construction material market. This was the only reliable intel Xu Xiaodong had gathered during his brief undercover stint. On weekends, people desperate for money would gather here, and the insurance scam gang would come by. Their code was: “Friend, want to buy insurance?”

Being near the bus station, this was the worst area for public safety in Long’an. As he walked, Chen Shi saw several young men behaving suspiciously, one of whom kept eyeing a woman’s handbag.

Though he knew it wasn’t the time to play hero, Chen Shi couldn’t suppress his sense of justice. He approached the woman and struck up a conversation, “Nice bag, miss!”

She looked at him warily. Chen Shi whispered, “There’s a pickpocket behind you. Don’t keep your bag on your back.” Then he walked away.

In a corner of the construction material market, a group of migrant workers were squatting, holding job-seeking signs. As soon as someone passed by, they would raise their signs. Chen Shi went up and quietly asked, “Friend, want to buy insurance?”

“No, no, I don’t even have money for breakfast, what insurance?” one worker responded.

Chen Shi tried another. “Friend, want to buy insurance?”

“What kind of insurance? The insurance companies don’t sell to me, saying I’m in a high-risk job. City folks are so deceitful!” the worker replied.

On his sixth try, the person’s eyes widened. “Were you sent by Brother Yang?” A group of people sitting against the wall suddenly surged forward, clamoring, “Brother, my family urgently needs money!” “Pick me, pick me! I can’t even pay the interest on my loan. The creditors block my door every day.” “My daughter has been sick for years, just waiting for surgery. Have mercy!”

Chen Shi was surprised by the competition. He smiled wryly, “I’m also here to buy insurance. Looks like I found the right group.”

“Forget it!” The crowd dispersed in disappointment.

Chen Shi sat down among them, quickly distributing his pack of cigarettes. Through their conversations, he learned that these people had little education. They had come to the city after hearing from relatives and friends that selling an eye or a hand could earn tens of thousands, which seemed better than just selling a kidney.

When talking about their plans for the money, their dusty faces lit up with joy, seemingly unaware that the money would cost them an eye or a hand.

One villager said, “In our village, a guy cut off his hand with a chainsaw while chopping trees. He didn’t get a penny in compensation, and had to pay a lot for medical bills. Instead of getting hurt working, it’s better to sell a hand and enjoy life at home. It’s worth it!”

Chen Shi said, “But that means a lifetime of disability.”

“I have a wife and kids. Losing a hand won’t affect that.”

“You know, they’ll take a big cut of your insurance money, at least half.”

“They’re taking the risk. They deserve some profit. Without them, if I cut off my hand, it’s worth nothing,” the villager said optimistically. He then asked Chen Shi, “Young man, you look like a city person. Why are you selling your hand?”

Chen Shi smiled bitterly, “Gambling debts. I’m out of options.”

“That’s why you should never get involved with gambling, drugs, or prostitution.” For the next half hour, Chen Shi patiently listened to the villager’s lecture on the dangers of gambling.

A pickup truck arrived, and the crowd craned their necks. A skinny man in a leather jacket, pale as a sick person, and a burly man with a gold chain jumped out. The contrast between their figures was striking.

The skinny man approached and asked, “Friend, want to buy insurance?”

It was like a chemical reaction. The crowd surged forward, shouting, “Brother, my family urgently needs money!” “Pick me, pick me! I can’t even pay the interest on my loan. The creditors block my door every day.” “My daughter has been sick for years, just waiting for surgery. Have mercy!”

According to Xu Xiaodong, they only took ten people each time, once a week.

The skinny man pointed out individuals one by one, “You!” “You!” “You!”

The chosen ones climbed into the pickup’s bed, celebrating like high school top scorers. With few spots left, Chen Shi pushed through the crowd and shouted, “I’m strong and healthy. I can buy several insurances!”

The skinny man’s eyes lit up. He patted Chen Shi on the shoulder, “Get in!”

On the way back, everyone sat in the cold wind, happily planning how to spend their money. Chen Shi smiled outwardly but felt a pang in his heart.

They were taken to the suburbs, to an empty field with no buildings in sight. Another van was waiting there. The skinny man stopped the truck and said, “Our location is confidential. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

A man jumped out of the van, holding a stack of black bags. He put a bag over each person’s head, tied it tightly, and shoved them into the van.

Every time the van turned, Chen Shi counted silently, converting directions into numbers for easier recall. Judging by the increasing noise outside, the van seemed to be heading back to the city. It was all a ruse to make them think they were in the suburbs, but the place was actually in the city.