He watched the streets whizz by outside the car window while murmuring to himself, "As long as I give the word to Master Qin Si, everything will be alright."
Thinking this, Qiu Tu picked up his communicator, ready to call Master Qin Si.
But unexpectedly, before he could make the call, Master Qin Si's call came through first.
Looking at Master Qin Si's number on his communicator, Qiu Tu hesitated for a moment, but eventually answered the call.
As soon as the call connected, Master Qin Si's voice came through, clearly agitated, as though he was suppressing anger, "Qiu Tu! I want to make a deal with you!"
"A deal?" Qiu Tu glanced at the rearview mirror and asked, "What kind of deal?"
Master Qin Si said vehemently, "I've realized that you're not a good partner at all!"
"You're treacherous and deceitful, taking pleasure in betraying people! Working with you, who knows when you'll betray me and even help you count the money!"
"Luckily, for all your planning, you missed one thing!"
"All you thought about was taking advantage of the chaos to rescue your sweetheart Qin Shuman, but you forgot that after rescuing her, she'd still be in my hands!"
"I'm telling you! Release my wife and kid now! Otherwise, I'll kill Qin Shuman!"
Upon hearing Master Qin Si's words, Qiu Tu was taken aback for a moment.
"Fourth Master, you've misunderstood, Qin Shuman is not my sweetheart," he said.
"At best, we're just two lonely souls who exchanged some deep conversation late into the night. That's all."
"In times of chaos... when there's only the body, how could there be any feelings?"
"Hold her hostage all you want, but she cannot threaten me."
Master Qin Si roared, "Stop talking crap!"
"Do you really think you can hide your affair with Qin Shuman from me!?"
"If you had no feelings for her, would you still remember to have me rescue her in today's situation?"
"You're fooling no one!"
Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu let out a "haha" and laughed,
"Fourth Master, you really have misunderstood. I asked you to save her for only two reasons."
"First, to legitimately allow you to attack and kill an investigator, severing your means of retreat."
"Second, to make you offend Yan Chen. You've abducted his mistress; do you think with his personality, he would let you go?"
"As for Qin Shuman, if you want to kill her, go ahead."
"After all, she's of no use to me now."
Shocked by Qiu Tu's candid words, Master Qin Si hesitated, and his conviction wavered.
Just then, Qiu Tu added, "However, Fourth Master, I honestly didn't expect that even at a time , you'd still be double-dealing."
"It seems... I have been too lenient with you."
Pausing briefly, he continued indifferently, "Choose one of your two children. Which one will you keep?"
Master Qin Si was first stunned, then he became hysterical, "Qiu Tu, you dare to threaten me?! Do you believe I will kill Qin Shuman right now!"
Qiu Tu laughed, "Alright then. Your eldest son will be the one to die."
With that, he hung up the call with a "click."
No sooner had he hung up than the communicator rang again within a second.
Qiu Tu glanced at it—it was Master Qin Si.
Master Qin Si called again.
Qiu Tu hung up again.
Master Qin Si called once more.
This time, Qiu Tu finally answered.
Master Qin Si's tone had finally lost its edge as he spoke ingratiatingly, "Agent Qiu. Look, I was just joking with you, why'd you take it seriously?"
Qiu Tu chuckled, "Fourth Master is truly a gang leader, able to bend and stretch. But say whatever you have quickly, I still have orders to give to my subordinates...."
Without a hint of compassion, he began to count down, "5."
Master Qin Si paused for a second, not yet comprehending, and Qiu Tu continued, "4."
Master Qin Si called out in a hurry, "Qiu Tu! Qiu Tu!"
Master Qin Si said in a panic, "Money! All the money my wife and child carry with them, I'll give it to you! All of it!"
Qiu Tu was amused, "Fourth Master, you sure know how to offer flowers in tribute to Buddha."
"Your wife and child are already in my hands, and naturally, the money and house deeds they carry belong to me. Do I still need you to give them to me?"
Master Qin Si hurriedly explained, "This money you take directly will always be under the table."
"I can write a letter of employment commission and stamp it with my seal and handprint. It will prove that I have hired you, and all this money is the reward."
"Such a document has legal effect at City Hall as well. Can't the money be laundered then?"
Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu was clearly tempted. He pondered for two seconds before smiling and saying, "Fourth Master, it's a pleasure to cooperate."
Having said that, he added, "However... I have one more condition."
Master Qin Si, "What condition?"
Qiu Tu said with a smile, "Now, take out a knife and stab Qin Shuman!"
Master Qin Si was stunned, "What?"
Qiu Tu repeated loudly, "I told you to stab Qin Shuman!"
He explained, "Although I don't know why you've misunderstood the relationship between her and me."
"I don't want to give you, or her... any illusions."
"As to where this stab lands, that's up to you."
"Whether she lives or dies is in your hands."
Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Master Qin Si on the other end of the communicator slowly turned his head, his face full of disbelief as he looked toward Qin Shuman, who was tied up hand and foot, sitting beside him....
It seemed Qin Shuman had also heard the conversation between the two. Leaning on the car door, her eyes gazing at the scenery flying by outside the window, she said indifferently, "I've always said I'm not important to him, and you still didn't believe it."
Qiu Tu's urging voice came through the communicator.
Master Qin Si's mouth twitched, and he pulled a dagger from his waist, aiming it fiercely at Qin Shuman's shoulder and stabbing!
"Puchi!" The dagger plunged deep into Qin Shuman's shoulder blade.
Qin Shuman grunted, her beautiful face contorted with pain.
With a grim face, Master Qin Si let go of the dagger, then said to Qiu Tu on the other end of the communicator, "Qiu Tu, I've completed your task."
Praise from Qiu Tu came through on the other side of the communicator, "Well done."
"Next, continue with the plan and head to the Milan Hotel, where someone from the Security Department will meet you."
"As for your wife and child... as long as you cooperate well, I will ensure their safety."
"So, Fourth Master, don't get any more foolish ideas...."
After speaking, Qiu Tu hung up the phone.
Listening to the "beep... beep..." on the receiver, Master Qin Si's expression shifted unpredictably.
After a moment, he turned to look at Qin Shuman, who was in pain and as pale as death, and hissed, "I've been in the Jianghu for so many years, and I still have a knack for judging people."
"He truly doesn't care about whether you live or die."
Qin Shuman leaned against the car door, her face painfully pale, but she showed no emotion at all....
Meanwhile, Qiu Tu, having hung up the communicator, threw it onto the passenger seat, cursing, "What a class act, playing games with me!"
Master Qin Si's biggest mistake was seriously underestimating Qin Shuman's place in Qiu Tu's heart.
Qiu Tu did indeed have a "very close" relationship with Qin Shuman and would choose to help her if it was within his power, but... only if it didn't stand in Qiu Tu's way.
His experience of two lifetimes had taught him that in chaotic times, a man could have many women beneath him, but none in his heart, or at least... not apparently so.
Because... that would be the most fatal weakness.
After making all his calls, Qiu Tu then focused on driving.
Ten minutes later, he arrived at the Investigation Bureau building.
As soon as he got out of the car, a Political Department Investigator dressed in a black uniform ran up to him.
He opened the door for Qiu Tu and saluted him as Qiu Tu got out, "Greetings, officer. The minister asked me to meet you here!"
Qiu Tu smiled and asked, "Oh? Where is the minister then?"
Thanks to Warm Sun Giant for the 100,000 reward. Congratulations to Warm Sun Giant for becoming the Silver Alliance of our book! The boss is generous; I wish the boss good health, a happy family, all the best, and abundant wealth!