Chapter Seventy-Two: The Keeper of Order

To my surprise, the car stopped at Bright Moon Pavilion again. It wasn’t the place I expected—if this was truly a matter for discussion, surely it wasn’t the best choice. Even the private room hadn’t changed; it was still the same one where Yue Leiting had hosted Zhao Yuanqiao and the others last night. The only difference was that I had gone from being the host to a guest. Even so, I still had no idea who would be waiting for me inside.

It was Fang Yanan who opened the door. Dressed in well-fitted casual clothes, she looked spirited and valiant. I had considered all kinds of possibilities, but never did I expect to see Fang Yanan here.

Her expression was perfectly natural as she welcomed me in. Besides her, there were two others in the room.

Wei Yong was still seated where he had been the night before, his face wearing the same gentle, polite smile. When he saw me come in, he rose courteously and nodded slightly.

The other man had his back to me and stood up almost simultaneously with Wei Yong. As he turned, I was genuinely taken aback.

I had met Roddy yesterday, but today he seemed markedly different—more imposing, more resolute.

“Let’s introduce ourselves properly: Commander of the 27th Army, Roddy!” He extended his hand with forthright cheer.

I hesitated, for although his bearing clearly marked him as someone in the military rather than mere officialdom, I hadn’t expected him to be the commander of the 27th Army! If only Xiao Lianshan were here—he could have told me just how high the rank of an army commander truly was.

The 27th Army’s headquarters were in Rong City. Roddy was a man with thousands under his command, but that didn’t surprise me as much as the fact that such a powerful figure was so respectful toward Wei Yong. What kind of person was Wei Yong, really?

Roddy’s handshake was strong, his palm calloused from years of handling firearms—a man whose character could be read from his grip alone. As I’d discerned from his features, he was a decisive, no-nonsense leader with formidable execution and discipline. I could see why Wei Yong valued him.

“My apologies,” Roddy boomed, voice full of vigor, “as a military commander, it’s inconvenient for me to appear in certain places or meet certain people. That’s why I said I was a bureau chief yesterday, though you saw through it. Now that we’re acquainted, you should visit my headquarters sometime. I still don’t believe in fortune-telling, but you’re quite an interesting fellow.”

The “certain places and people” Roddy referred to were, of course, Yue Leiting and this very Bright Moon Pavilion. Which made me wonder—if this place was so inconvenient, why choose to meet here?

“Director Roddy—or rather, I should say Commander Roddy,” I replied calmly with a smile. “I didn’t know last night you had certain scruples. If I spoke out of turn, I hope you won’t mind.”

Roddy laughed heartily and showed me to a seat. He was about to introduce Wei Yong across from me, but I took the initiative and offered my hand.

“Secretary Wei, good day!”

Wei Yong paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly as he shook my hand. “If you could deduce Commander Roddy’s true identity, mine should be no exception. Since you know both our titles are mere formalities, why switch to calling him ‘Commander’ but still address me as ‘Secretary’?”

“Because your situations are different,” I replied evenly. “Commander Roddy’s title is a matter of discretion, while Secretary Wei simply doesn’t want his true status known. Since this is a business discussion, your identity doesn’t matter, and I know you don’t intend to reveal it.”

Wei Yong’s smile broadened as he released my hand. “Tell Yue Leiting: he is to continue searching for and excavating the Ming Fourteen Tombs, but must inform me immediately of any progress or discoveries.”

Of all the possible outcomes I had imagined before coming here, this was the one I had never expected.

“Secretary Wei, the matter of the Ming Fourteen Tombs is enormous. Brother Ting alone can’t bear the responsibility. Since the tombs belong to the nation, he’s willing to turn over all clues for the country to handle the exploration—wouldn’t that be better?” I said.

“You made the reason clear yesterday,” Wei Yong replied, raising his glass with a lingering smile. “Yue Leiting is a member of the underworld. If he knows of the tomb, others will too. The underworld has its methods, the authorities have their rules. By the time the government finds the tomb, it will likely be empty.”

“What do you expect us to do?” I asked, knowing I had no room to refuse.

“On the seventh of next month, Gu Xiaotian will host a contest. Whoever emerges the champion will win the Golden Dragon Tortoise. You must win this contest—the Golden Dragon Tortoise cannot fall into anyone else’s hands. You must claim it!” Wei Yong’s warm smile seemed effortless.

“Why must I be the one to win?” I pressed.

Wei Yong nodded meaningfully, his smile easily concealing all.

“I could arrest Yue Leiting today, but tomorrow another would take his place. For thousands of years, underworld societies have existed—they can never be eradicated. Their survival proves they have a reason and value to exist. If suppression doesn’t work, then the only option is to channel and control them differently.”

Suddenly, I realized I had underestimated Wei Yong. He was far more shrewd than I’d thought. As he said, arresting one Yue Leiting solved nothing; the underworld could not be wiped out. Without Yue Leiting, others would covet the Ming Fourteen Tombs just the same.

Wei Yong poured me a drink, speaking affably. “I happen to need someone who can command the underworld. Of course, that person must be both clever and capable.”

“Does Secretary Wei have a suitable candidate in mind?” I asked calmly.

“Yes—you,” he replied.

“Me?!”

“Of course, not yet. But after you win Gu Xiaotian’s contest, you will be!” Wei Yong smiled faintly.

At that moment, I almost admired Wei Yong. Compared to merely suppressing or dismantling the underworld, his solution addressed both symptoms and cause. The underworld was bound by codes and rules; with Gu Xiaotian presiding, everyone had a fair shot at the Ming Fourteen Tombs. If you lost, you had no cause for complaint. And if anyone turned treacherous, they’d be up against the entire underworld.

If Yue Leiting were arrested, nothing would change. Others would still seek the tomb. Wei Yong didn’t need to exhaust himself guarding against everyone; he only needed to control the winner to monitor the tomb’s movements.

“And if I lose?” I asked thoughtfully.

“In my eyes, there are only two kinds of people: useful and useless. Yue Leiting is the latter.” Wei Yong smiled easily, as if everything was in his grasp. “Which do you want to be? You’re smart enough; I needn’t say more.”

To Wei Yong, Yue Leiting was dispensable. That was why he was now beset on all sides, liable to be arrested at any moment. The meaning was clear: if I lost, I’d share Yue Leiting’s fate.

The atmosphere was stifling. I stepped out to the restroom for some air. What Wei Yong had presented was not a choice. He had never intended to give me any leeway; if I lost, Yue Leiting would be arrested, and worse, Xiao Lianshan, Aunt Lan, and Yue Qianling would all be implicated. The game was already deadlocked: my only way forward was the path Wei Yong had laid out; any other step would mean utter ruin.

I splashed cold water on my face to clear my head. As I looked up, I saw a server from Bright Moon Pavilion washing his hands nearby. I watched him as I turned to leave but then walked back.

“Luck isn’t with you today,” I told him quietly. “Best keep your mouth shut and stay out of trouble, or misfortune will follow.”

The server froze, not understanding. By the time he came to his senses, I had already left.

When I returned to the room, dishes were being served. The server carrying them in was the one I’d met in the restroom. He seemed not to recognize me. Fang Yanan stepped aside to let him through, accidentally knocking over a wine glass, which shattered on the floor.

“Sorry, please add the cost of that glass to the bill,” Fang Yanan said apologetically.

“It would be best if you paid for it now. That glass is worth a hundred yuan,” the server said awkwardly.

“What? This glass costs a hundred yuan?” Fang Yanan asked, astonished.

“I’m just trying to save you money. If our manager finds out, it’ll cost more than a hundred,” the server replied indifferently.

“One glass for a hundred yuan?” Roddy bent down, inspecting the fragments. “Is it gold, or silver-plated? By your tone, a hundred’s a bargain. Go fetch your manager—I’d like to see just how much I’ll have to pay.”

“Five hundred yuan. That’s Bright Moon Pavilion’s rule!” the manager declared haughtily as he entered.

“Are you running a restaurant or a den of thieves? Five hundred for a glass? Why not go rob a bank?” Roddy asked angrily.

“Mind your words. We’re an honest business; everything is clearly priced. You break it, you pay for it,” the manager replied, chin held high.

“And if we refuse to pay?” Wei Yong, silent until now, asked with a smile.

“If you don’t pay...” The manager sneered, full of insolence. “Do you even know who owns this place? Ever heard of Shen Jiangchuan? He’s the boss of Bright Moon Pavilion—connected to both sides of the law. If you dare walk out without paying, I doubt you’ll make it out the door.”

“I really don’t feel like paying. In fact, I’d like to see if we can leave your Bright Moon Pavilion,” Wei Yong replied calmly.

“If you want to try, be my guest. We’ll see,” the manager retorted, turning on his heel.

Wei Yong said no more about the earlier matters, as if he’d forgotten them entirely. After our meal, as we left, we found the entrance packed with people—clearly summoned by the manager. As soon as we stepped out, they surrounded us.

“I’d like to see just how tough you are—trying to leave without paying. You think this is a game?” the manager jeered, swaggering out from the restaurant.

Wei Yong’s expression didn’t change; he simply kept his gentle smile. Suddenly, more than a dozen military trucks rumbled up to the entrance. Over a hundred armed, disciplined soldiers leapt out, subduing the assembled crowd.

“Reporting to the Commander! Guard company assembled—awaiting orders!”

Roddy glanced at Wei Yong, as if awaiting his nod. Wei Yong smiled and nodded in reply.

“There are three floors in this Bright Moon Pavilion. Start from the first floor and smash everything—leave nothing untouched!” Roddy commanded with authority.

“Yes, sir!”

The manager was instantly panic-stricken. He had never imagined the man before him was a military commander. He wanted to protest, but it was too late. Over a hundred soldiers, following orders, charged inside. In less than half an hour, the grandest restaurant in Rong City was reduced to rubble.

The manager dared not breathe as he was brought before Wei Yong.

“I was blind and offended you, leaders. I deserve to die—I deserve to die. If you have any requests, please, just say the word; I’ll do anything,” he pleaded.

Wei Yong strolled over to him, speaking with gentle indifference. “From now on, do business honestly. I have no other requests. Just tell Shen Jiangchuan he has one month to restore Bright Moon Pavilion exactly as it was today—so I can smash it again. Then we’ll call it even.”

I knew that Wei Yong’s grand display wasn’t for the manager’s benefit, but for mine. His power and authority were undeniable—no one could defy his will without sharing the fate of Bright Moon Pavilion.

“Secretary Wei, I will win the contest!” I took a deep breath and said steadily. I wasn’t capitulating out of fear, but because too many fates hinged on the outcome. I couldn’t let anyone else get hurt.

“I’m glad you see it that way,” Wei Yong replied, smiling with satisfaction. “Then I’ll be waiting to hear your good news. I hope we’ll have the chance to meet again.”

I nodded silently. Wei Yong’s final words—hoping we’d meet again—were a reminder: if I won the contest on the seventh, he would see me again. But if I lost, I would never see Wei Yong again. For a useless person, he would never waste even a moment of his time.