Chapter 133: Gaining Trust
After dinner, the thin guy took Chen Shi up in the elevator to the ground level. It was already dark outside, and fireworks were lighting up the sky in the distance.
The thin guy muttered, “Why are there fireworks when it’s not a holiday?”
“Maybe someone’s celebrating,” Chen Shi guessed, glancing in the direction of the Quansheng Building.
“Rich people showing off!” the thin guy scoffed.
Outside, Chen Shi noticed a young couple across the street and a vendor at a pancake stall grinning at customers. These people were actually undercover cops, likely called in by Lin Dongxue from another team.
Seeing his comrades made Chen Shi feel more at ease. With just a shout, they could all storm in and arrest these guys.
But it wasn’t time yet. If they didn’t take down the higher-ups, this gang would quickly regroup, making future efforts even harder.
They got into the car and drove for an hour to a quiet street on Shihouzi Road. Chen Shi said, “I’ll handle this alone.”
“We’ll wait for you,” the thin guy said, pulling out a flask to get high while waiting.
Chen Shi had been to this street often for late-night snacks, so he worried about running into someone he knew. He pulled up his coat collar and walked back and forth, comparing each passerby to the photo in his hand.
A man staggered out of a bar, clearly drunk.
That’s him!
Chen Shi hesitated, not wanting to hurt anyone. After a few seconds, he walked over and slapped the man hard, spinning him around.
The man sobered up instantly and, seeing Chen Shi, asked nervously, “The insurance guy?”
“Brother Yang sent me.”
“Make it look real, or the insurance company won’t pay.”
Turns out, the man himself was the beneficiary!
Chen Shi didn’t have the heart for this. He said, “Lie down, cover your head, and brace yourself.”
The man laughed and pointed at Chen Shi, “Professional!”
Following instructions, the man lay down, and Chen Shi began to kick and punch him. The man gritted his teeth, occasionally groaning. Passersby saw and ran away in fear. Judging by the feel of his kicks, Chen Shi was sure he had broken several ribs before stopping.
“S…satisfying!” the man mumbled.
“Let’s work together again sometime! Bye.”
Worried about the police arriving, Chen Shi ran back to the car. The thin guy, now high, was sprawled on the seat, drooling. “So fast?” he slurred.
“It was just a beating. Move to the passenger seat; I’ll drive.”
As they switched seats, the thin guy offered the flask, “Want a hit?”
“I’m driving.” From the rearview mirror, Chen Shi saw a few suspicious men. “Are they watching me?”
The thin guy, now dazed, said, “Yeah.”
“Are you watching me too?”
“Sort of. It’s just procedure, not that Brother Yang doesn’t trust you.”
Back at the hideout, Brother Yang wasn’t around. Chen Shi returned to his room to watch TV, but with only a few basic cable channels, it was boring.
Two days of tedious life passed. Then Brother Yang called Chen Shi to his office, holding a document. “Impressive! You beat him badly without injuring any vital organs. The client got his 100,000 yuan payout.”
“Only 100,000?”
“After our cut, just 50,000. Gamblers are hopeless. Anyway, here’s your next task. Take a look.”
Chen Shi took the contract. It was a life insurance policy with the wife insuring her husband. It had the husband’s signature, likely forged, and the payout was 5 million yuan, just as the thin guy had mentioned.
There were also photos of the insured, taken from various angles.
“I need to kill this man?” Chen Shi asked.
“Make it look like an accident.”
“That’s easy. Just push him off a building while he holds a towel.”
“My challenge for you is to make it a car accident. Staging car accidents is a must-know skill for every agent here. The thin guy is an expert; you can ask him.”
“No need. I’m good with cars. Just remove the brake pads.”
“Not just remove them. It has to look unintentional.”
“Replace the original with old brake pads?”
“Smart. That’ll work, but control it well to ensure he dies in the crash… You’re promising. Now go prepare. There’s a Fu Yuan Auto Shop on Guang’an Road, one of my places. Just mention my name for what you need.”
“Is the thin guy coming with me?”
“That idiot got high last night and is still out cold. I told him not to mess with that stuff. Women are fine, but no drugs. Don’t lead him down that path. I don’t want a team full of junkies. I’ll kick him out eventually!”
“I won’t touch it.”
“Good. You’re promising!” Brother Yang patted Chen Shi’s shoulder warmly.
Chen Shi went alone this time. Standing by the roadside, watching the traffic, he felt the pressure of undercover work. He just wanted to crack the case.
Crossing the street, he ordered a pancake from the undercover cop’s stall, whispering, “They want me to stage a car accident. This is my last act to gain their trust.”
“Lin and the insured are waiting at his home,” the vendor replied, handing over the pancake.
“Someone’s tailing me. Make sure they don’t get caught.”
“I’ll pass it on. Don’t worry… That’ll be five yuan.”
Chen Shi bit into the pancake, “This is worth five yuan?” He handed over a hundred yuan. “Keep the change.”
He wandered around for a bit, then headed to the auto shop on Guang’an Road. “Brother Yang sent me,” he said.
The mechanic wiped his hands and handed Chen Shi a set of keys, “This one’s for the target’s car, and this is for his garage.”
“Thanks.”
“Get your tools from over there. If you need modifications, I’ll handle it.”
Chen Shi selected the necessary tools, and the mechanic checked them. “I’ll grind these brake pads for you.”
After grinding, the brake pads didn’t look thinner. “Will they work?” Chen Shi asked.
“Trust me, they’ll snap after a few uses. We’re professionals.”
“Thanks.”
“You know how to fix cars?”
“Yes, I’ve been driving for years.”
By evening, Chen Shi arrived at the target’s neighborhood, pretending to browse a magazine in a bookstore until the target appeared. He then walked into the gated community.
The target lived in a villa with an attached garage. After waiting five minutes, Chen Shi used the keys to enter the garage, only to find someone inside.
He quickly ducked inside, locking the door behind him. Unless the tailing men had X-ray vision, they couldn’t see what was happening inside.
The light flicked on, revealing the task force team. Lin Dongxue rushed over and hugged Chen Shi, overwhelmed with emotion.