Chapter 2187 - 1186: Jian King City (Part 2)

Just as he was about to take out the Magic Artifact, a heavy thud of big leather shoes sounded from behind, followed by someone cursing:

"All of you stop right there. Making trouble on my turf—are you people looking to die?!"

It was the ship’s captain, coming down the ladder from above with a flashlight in hand, several fierce-looking crew members trailing behind him.

There were rules on the ship: whoever came aboard had to obey the captain’s orders. Seeing the captain arrive, the Bald Head and his men didn’t take things any further. They just glared viciously at Yang Xiao, then turned and walked toward the captain.

"Captain Cai Mo, I mean no offense to you, just teaching someone a lesson, nothing serious." As he spoke, the Bald Head took half of the cash, jewelry, and other valuables he’d looted from Boss Chen, and stuffed them into the captain’s pocket.

The whole motion flowed smooth as water, natural as if it were ordained, and the captain didn’t even look at him. He pointed at Yang Xiao, then at the beaten middle-aged man and woman, waved his hand, signaling them all to follow him out.

"Heh, you’re done for. Just wait to be tossed overboard as fish food!" The woman following the Bald Head jeered gloatingly.

Yang Xiao, the Esoteric Contact Officer, Boss Chen and his daughter, and that swaddled baby were all led out of the dark, gloomy cabin; but their destination was not the fish, they were brought up to the better-appointed upper deck.

Turning into a narrow corridor, a room appeared on the left, and at the far end there was another door marked Captain’s Cabin.

"You go in here. Don’t come out unless there’s a good reason." The potbellied captain casually pointed at the room on the left, fixing his gaze on the bruised and swollen Boss Chen as he ordered.

"B-but... we don’t have money to pay for this room." Boss Chen was telling the truth; he understood the rules here—staying in a room like this cost a hefty sum.

"When I tell you to go in, you go in. Someone’s covering your room fee." The captain’s face was all slabs of flesh, and his tone was anything but polite.

"But..."

Boss Chen looked like he still wanted to say something, but as soon as the captain gave the word, whether he agreed or not, a crew member behind him shoved Boss Chen and his daughter into the room and locked the door from the outside.

"Go keep watch outside. If anyone stirs up trouble again, throw them off the ship." The captain instructed his subordinate in halting Mandarin.

Having received his orders, the burly crewman nodded, then turned and left.

Once the crewman was gone, the captain continued to lead Yang Xiao and the others forward, all the way to the Captain’s Cabin. He then pushed the door open and stepped aside respectfully. The next second, as he looked into the cabin, Yang Xiao’s pupils couldn’t help but contract.

"Brother Tai!" Yang Xiao cried out.

At the moment there were two people in the Captain’s Cabin, one sitting, one standing. The one sitting was an old acquaintance of Yang Xiao’s—Tai Wenqin.

Back when he and Professor Cui first came to Myanmar and Thailand, Tai Wenqin had been the Provincial Office’s hired guide and Bodyguard. Along the way he’d done his duty with utmost care, leaving a deep impression on Yang Xiao.

Moved by his loyalty and courage, Professor Cui had wanted to take him back to the country for further prospects when they left, but Tai Wenqin refused. In the end, he only asked that the professor entrust him to the Cannibal Buddha so he could get himself a position in the Esoteric Sect. Yang Xiao hadn’t expected it to be him coming to rendezvous.

"Yang, long time no see." Tai Wenqin stood up and walked toward Yang Xiao.

"Brother Tai, I never thought you’d be the one picking me up!" Seeing a familiar face, half of the anxiety in Yang Xiao’s heart eased.

"I know everything that just happened. You don’t need to worry about this matter." Tai Wenqing turned his head to look at the captain standing at the door and ordered in a commanding tone: "Captain Cai Mo, those bastards down below are yours to deal with. Once the ship reaches calmer waters, throw them all overboard. Remember, don’t cause too big a commotion."

"Rest assured, Mr. Tai, I know what to do." The captain answered with utmost respect.

"Tibo Ren, you go help him." Tai Wenqing jerked his chin at the other man in the room.

With their orders given, the captain turned and left, and the other man quickly followed, neither of them wasting a second.

The Esoteric Contact Officer who’d come aboard with Yang Xiao was tactful enough to leave as well, closing the door and saying he’d keep watch outside for them.

Only now did Yang Xiao notice that on the table in the Captain’s Cabin were several small televisions—the old boxy kind—each playing scenes from the lower cabins. In one of the screens he even spotted the Bald Head and his crew.

No wonder the captain had stepped in to stop them in time; turns out every move he’d made since coming aboard had been under Tai Wenqin’s watch.

"Brother Tai, how have you been these days?" Ever since leaving the Esoteric Sect, Yang Xiao had lost contact with Tai Wenqing.

"Everything’s fine. Thanks to you, the High Priest has been looking out for me. Right now all the clandestine cargo runs between the Esoteric Sect and the Patrol Defense Office are under my charge. This ship is one of the routes." Tai Wenqin pointed down at the deck.

Yang Xiao could clearly see that Tai Wenqin’s condition was much better than before—his spirit was vigorous, and he even seemed a bit plumper. Obviously, life had been treating him well.

Yang Xiao was also an official of the Patrol Defense Office and knew how lucrative this kind of under-the-table cargo traffic was. With just a flick of his fingers, Tai Wenqin could rake in a fortune; it was a cushy post.

Meeting again, the two couldn’t help but think back to the days when they’d fled for their lives together on Dharma Sect territory. At this, Tai Wenqin sighed, shook his head, and said, "It’s a pity about Dean Sheng. Someone poisoned him, and his own Magic Artifact backlashed on him. I hear he’s in bad shape... this might... might be the last time you ever see him."