The car pulled into the parking lot of the Maple Forest Late Hotel, but Yang Wei still gripped the steering wheel, hesitating to turn off the engine. Sitting inside, he lit a cigarette, his mind torn with indecision.
Back in the day, the four brothers of Three Rivers Estuary had been legendary. Which middle school boy hadn’t heard of them? Just the mention of the names "Mei, Lin, Yang, Xie" could settle any brawl among students. But times had changed—only fools still resorted to violence. The four brothers had scattered, each going their separate ways. The youngest, Xie Shaobing, had died in a car accident while fleeing. The eldest, Mei Dong, had made a name for himself in Macau but dared not return to Three Rivers Estuary. That left Lin Kai and Yang Wei skirting the edges of the law, working as loan sharks. Loan-sharking was already a shady business, but now Lin Kai was dead, and Yang Wei’s stunt of forcing Fang Guoqing to drink urine had escalated into a protest march. The police were out for blood. If he didn’t cooperate, they’d dig up all his dirty laundry, and a prison sentence would be unavoidable.
Luring Mei Dong back for the police—whether out of loyalty or self-interest—was something Yang Wei couldn’t bring himself to do. But Director Zhang had made it clear: if Mei Dong wasn’t caught, Yang Wei would be the one going down. At his age, with a family to think about, faced with this impossible choice, Yang Wei decided to sacrifice his brother.
He stubbed out his cigarette, turned off the engine, and stepped out of the car, heading toward the hotel.
The call he’d received earlier had come from one of Mei Dong’s henchmen, saying that "Brother Dong" wanted to meet at the Maple Forest Late Hotel. Yang Wei had immediately reported this to Song Xing, who didn’t send anyone to meet him directly but instead instructed him via WeChat on what to do next. Song Xing had also reassured him not to worry—it was unlikely Mei Dong would show up in person, probably just sending an underling. Yang Wei just needed to play along and avoid raising suspicion.
Entering the hotel lobby, he took a seat on one of the sofas and dialed the henchman’s number. The man answered and asked him to wait a moment.
Meanwhile, the police were watching everything unfold in real time through the hotel’s surveillance cameras.
After a short while, a young man in his twenties stepped out of the elevator and scanned the lobby. Their eyes met, and the young man approached politely, asking, “Are you Yang Wei?”
A plump middle-aged woman sitting nearby glanced up at them.
Yang Wei nodded. “Yeah, that’s me.”
The woman turned away, thinking to herself how bold some men were these days, openly admitting to impotence in broad daylight. And the fact that these two were meeting here—well, their intentions were obvious.
Sure enough, the young man immediately said eagerly, “Let’s go up to the room.”
The woman snorted disdainfully in her mind, watching from the corner of her eye as the two men entered the elevator.
The young man swiped his keycard, and they rode up to the eighth floor, entering one of the rooms. Inside, another man with a stern expression immediately blocked their way, holding out his hand. “Hand over your phone.”
“What’s this about?” Yang Wei scowled, irritation flashing across his face.
The cold-faced man remained unmoved, while the polite underling who’d led him there smiled and explained, “Brother Yang, Brother Dong’s in a sensitive position right now. We’re responsible for his safety—if anything happens, we’ll lose all face. You’re his brother, so we hope you’ll understand. We’re just doing this for his sake. Don’t make things hard for us underlings.”Two men—one cold, the other warm—stared at him, giving him no chance to object. He pursed his lips and reluctantly handed over his phone, thinking to himself that he had already deleted all contacts related to the police, so there shouldn’t be any issues. The cold-faced man took the phone, used Yang Wei’s finger to unlock it, and then checked the contents right in front of him while the enthusiastic younger guy kept apologizing repeatedly. After several minutes of searching and finding nothing unusual, the cold-faced man powered off the phone, pocketed it, and told Yang Wei he’d get it back when they left. Then, the cold-faced man frisked Yang Wei thoroughly before the two finally relaxed.
Soon after, the young man began probing with small talk: “Brother Yang, how exactly did Brother Lin Kai die?”
“Ah, I don’t know either. The police are still investigating, and they won’t share any details. All I know is that Lin Kai’s body was found in an empty lot, and his car is missing.”
“I heard the police detained you for a whole day yesterday?”
Yang Wei froze, realizing that Mei Dong had already gathered information through his own channels. Song Xing had warned him not to lie to Mei Dong—except about cooperating with the police—and to tell the truth to avoid raising suspicion. Yang Wei took a sip of water, sighed, and angrily said, “I almost couldn’t get out of those damn cops’ custody!”
“What happened?” the young man asked with apparent concern.
“After Lin Kai went missing a few days ago—before we knew he was dead—he’d been collecting a debt from Fang Guoqing. Dong knows him. I thought Lin Kai had pushed Fang too hard, and Fang had someone deal with Lin Kai. So I went to Fang Guoqing, forced piss down his throat, and made him tell me where Lin Kai was. But after I left, Fang and his whole family took to the streets with their workers, protesting that they were being harassed by gangsters. The situation blew up, and the police arrested me. Later, when Lin Kai’s body was found and it became a murder case, they finally let me go.”
The young man grinned and asked, “But if Fang Guoqing’s matter wasn’t resolved, why did the police release you?”
“Because I paid! A full 300,000!” Yang Wei said bluntly.
“Who’d you pay?”
“Wang Ruijun, the head of the Criminal Investigation Division in charge of the case. As soon as I got arrested, I pulled strings and slipped him 300,000. Otherwise, there’s no way I’d have gotten out so easily. He even said that since my case hadn’t been submitted to the prosecutor’s office for arrest approval yet, he could get me out. If it had gone to the prosecutor, no amount of money would’ve worked.”
This, of course, was the script the police had given him. They had reasoned that if Mei Dong had already gathered intel, he’d know Yang Wei had been arrested and then released. Only a same-day release would convince Mei Dong. If Yang Wei had been held for days, Mei Dong would’ve learned the severity of the case—that once it reached higher authorities, no amount of money could secure his release—and would’ve suspected Yang Wei had turned informant. The best explanation for Yang Wei’s release was bribing the police, but who to name as the recipient? Zhang Yi’ang personally designated Wang Ruijun, whose reputation fit the role. Wang Ruijun had raised his hand and sworn repeatedly that he’d never taken dirty money, but when the higher-ups wrote the script, what could he change?The young man nodded. Based on his experience, this reasoning seemed quite realistic. He thought to himself that if Yang Wei were an undercover agent, the police script would typically mention some higher-up taking bribes, not just the immediate supervisor.
Yang Wei sighed again, "But I'm also worried. I'm technically out on bail. If the police continue to secretly investigate me, it'll be troublesome. Like today, I was afraid I might be followed. I don't care about myself, but I don't want to drag Dong Ge into this."
The young man smiled confidently, "Don't worry about that. No one's tailing you."
Just then, the phone in the room suddenly rang. The young man instantly lost his smile and exchanged a glance with Yang Wei before walking over to answer it. A woman's voice came through, "Sir, would you like a massage?"
"You have massage services in this hotel?"
"We're on the third floor, at the spa center. You can come down and try it out."
"Oh, no thanks."
After hanging up, the young man chatted with him for another ten minutes or so before heading into the bathroom. He pulled out his phone and made a call. A few minutes later, he returned to the room and asked, "Brother Yang, come with me to see Dong Ge."
"Where is Dong Ge?"
"You'll know when we get there."
With that, the poker-faced man stepped out first, scouted the area outside, then came back and knocked three times on the door before leaving again.
Only then did the young man lead Yang Wei out. They didn't take the elevator but instead used the fire escape to reach the tenth floor. Arriving at a room, the young man knocked three times. When the door opened, he stepped aside and entered the adjacent room. Inside, Yang Wei saw a man in a vest smoking a cigar. Upon seeing him, the man broke into a familiar smile.
"Wei Zi!" Mei Dong stood up, arms wide open, and gave Yang Wei a big hug.
"Dong Ge..." Yang Wei looked at him somewhat uncertainly.
Mei Dong laughed and explained, "I had some cosmetic surgery a few years back. I look different now. At first, even I barely recognized myself, let alone you. But you get used to it after a while. What do you think? Handsome upgrade, right? Hahaha."
Though his face was completely different from the Mei Dong in Yang Wei's memory, his voice remained as familiar as ever. Mei Dong still carried himself like the big brother he was, warmly welcoming him. Despite the years apart, their brotherly bond was still strong. Mei Dong had always valued loyalty, and the thought of betraying him made Yang Wei feel even more ashamed.
"What's wrong?" Mei Dong noticed his mood shift and his tone grew serious.
Yang Wei lowered his head and explained, "So much has happened recently. Lin Kai is dead, and I don't want to stay in Three Rivers Estuary anymore."
"Alright then. After we take care of A Kai's funeral, you can come with me to Macau. I may not be as big as the bosses there, but I can certainly provide for a few brothers. If you're serious about leaving, come with me first, and I'll arrange for your family to join later."
"But once we leave, coming back won't be easy."
"Brother, life outside isn't easy, but it's not as hard as you think. Take me, for example. I know the police have me on their wanted list, but as soon as you told me about A Kai, I came right away. Didn't expect me to be this fast, did you?"
"Yeah... How did you get here so quickly?""I was already in Hangzhou handling some business these past few days. As soon as I got your call yesterday, I rushed right over."
"But... but you were wanted by the police... how did you get back into the country?"
Mei Dong waved his cigar-clutching hand dismissively, looking smug. "That's a secret, but since we're brothers, I'll tell you. I entered through proper channels, completely aboveboard."
"Ah?" Yang Wei, inexperienced in such matters, was baffled.
"I have some business dealings here, but if I entered the country myself, I'd definitely get caught. Sometimes, though, things can't be resolved without me coming in person. A friend later introduced me to a solution—I found a lookalike brother here in the country and paid a fortune to get plastic surgery to match his appearance. The technology these days is incredible; if you're willing to spend the money, even ID photos won't give you away. Every time I need to enter, he clears customs first and stays in Macau. Then I use his documents to get in, handle my business, and swap back with him afterward. The cost of maintaining this setup isn't small, I tell you."
"So that's how it is." Yang Wei felt even more guilty hearing Mei Dong lay out this elaborate deception so openly. His discomfort grew as he met Mei Dong's gaze.
"Is there something else on your mind?" Mei Dong's expression darkened as he noticed the unease in his younger brother's demeanor.
"N-no, nothing."
Mei Dong fixed his eyes on him, placing a hand on his shoulder solemnly. "We're brothers. You called, and I came because I've always believed brotherhood is what matters most! Tell me the truth—did the police put you up to this?"
"N-no!" Yang Wei panicked, and Mei Dong saw it all in his eyes, his jaw tightening.
Just then, the room phone rang. Mei Dong shot him a wary glance, hesitated for a moment, then stood up and answered the desk phone.
"Hello, sir. Would you like a massage?" came the voice of Zhou Qi, the Hydrotherapy Club manager.
Mei Dong didn't respond and hung up immediately.
As he was about to set the phone down, Yang Wei suddenly spoke up. "Dong-ge, maybe relaxing a bit wouldn't hurt."
Mei Dong slammed the phone down, his eyes flashing with fury. "What did you just call me?"
Yang Wei shrank back. "D-Dong-ge..."
"You goddamn traitor! I treated you like a brother, and you sell me out?" He grabbed an ashtray and hurled it at him.
Yang Wei dodged, crying out, "Dong-ge, run! I had no choice!"
Gritting his teeth, Mei Dong kicked him to the ground and pummeled his head with his fists. Seeing how pathetic he looked, Mei Dong let out a heavy sigh, grabbed his jacket and briefcase, and stormed out the door.After stepping out, Mei Dong walked to the next room and knocked twice. When two underlings emerged, he whispered a few words. The three of them moved to a stairwell without surveillance cameras. He tossed his jacket and vest to the cold-faced man to wear, while the cold-faced man handed his own clothes to Mei Dong to change into. The cold-faced man then exited the stairwell and hurried toward the elevator, while Mei Dong and his subordinate took the stairs downward.
Just as they reached the fifth floor, they heard rapid footsteps charging up from below. Mei Dong exchanged a glance with his subordinate, who nodded firmly and said, "Dong-ge, take care." The subordinate deliberately made loud footsteps as he fled upstairs, while Mei Dong slipped out of the stairwell. Seconds later, Song Xing and three plainclothes officers rushed past, chasing the subordinate upward.
Once they were gone, Mei Dong quickly slipped downstairs, descending all the way to the underground parking lot. Knowing the police had set up a trap to catch him, he figured officers would be swarming outside the hotel. Whether on foot or in a car, he wouldn’t make it out. Scanning the area, he spotted a corner piled with hotel trash bins and a garbage truck parked nearby. A smirk crossed his face—he had a plan.
At that moment, Zhang Yi'ang was the only officer in the underground parking lot. Wang Ruijun and others were stationed outside the hotel, while Song Xing was upstairs making arrests. Zhang Yi'ang sat alone in an unmarked car, coordinating the operation in real time. He noticed a man emerge from the stairwell. Mei Dong had undergone plastic surgery, making his appearance drastically different from the wanted posters, so Zhang Yi'ang initially paid no attention. But when the well-dressed man glanced around and then headed straight for the trash bins, Zhang Yi'ang began observing him closely. The man walked behind the garbage truck, checked his surroundings, then swiftly climbed into the truck’s container and hid inside.
Zhang Yi'ang immediately realized this man was one of the criminals. He quickly got out of the car and jogged toward the garbage truck.
Hearing the rapid footsteps approaching, Mei Dong knew something was wrong. He pulled a dagger from his pocket, gripping it tightly, fully alert for whoever was coming.
The footsteps outside slowed, moving lightly but steadily closer. Mei Dong tightened his grip, ready to strike if things turned dangerous. Suddenly, darkness enveloped him as the garbage container’s lid slammed shut, followed by the sound of a latch locking into place.
Zhang Yi'ang dusted off his hands—he had effortlessly trapped Mei Dong inside the garbage truck.
Over ten minutes later, Song Xing and several other detectives arrived in the underground parking lot with the two underlings in custody. Song Xing had a scraped face and was covered in dust, explaining he’d been kicked down the stairs during the arrest. Of course, the two underlings bore even more injuries—likely retaliation from Song Xing afterward.
Song Xing looked frustrated. "Mei Dong got away. These bastards won’t say where he went." He turned and smacked the cold-faced man on the head. "Where the hell is your boss hiding? If you don’t talk, I’ll beat it out of you!"
The cold-faced man spat a bloody mouthful, defiant. "I don’t know. My boss never even came to Three Rivers Estuary.""Director, Yang Wei said Mei Dong was here earlier. He's had plastic surgery—Yang Wei didn't even recognize him at first. I think he might still be hiding in the hotel. Captain Wang is mobilizing officers to seal off the building. We absolutely can't let him escape!"
"Plastic surgery?" Zhang Yi'ang immediately understood. "Then the guy I caught is almost certainly Mei Dong!"
"What! Director, you caught Mei Dong?"
Zhang Yi'ang walked over and patted the garbage truck. "I locked him inside.—Hey, you in there, are you Mei Dong?"
Mei Dong could hear every word of the conversation outside. Both his underlings had been captured, and the area was swarming with police. Even if he claimed, "I'm not Mei Dong, I'm Messi," there was no way out. A dejected voice finally came from inside the container: "I'm Mei Dong."
The two underlings paled upon hearing this voice. The police took one look at their expressions and knew without a doubt that the man locked inside was Mei Dong. A whole squad of detectives had failed to capture Mei Dong, and Song Xing had even been beaten black and blue by his henchmen. Yet Director Zhang had single-handedly subdued Mei Dong bare-handed, tossed him into a garbage bin, and locked him up. In no time, this sensational news spread through every WeChat group within the Three Rivers Estuary Public Security Bureau, earning the awe of every officer in the city.
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