Chapter 37: The Fall of the Black Dog Gang

Chen Sheng watched as Zhang Jianguo went up; he couldn't sit still any longer and grabbed a stool, smashing it at one of the thugs.

Jiang Butong stood at the entrance of the hotel, a telephone beside him, clearly having just hung up. That call had been made to the police station.

The hotel cashier, a young woman, stared in shock at the outbreak of conflict across the street in the restaurant. "Should I close the door?" she worried that the fight might spill over into their establishment.

Jiang Butong looked at her innocent face and smiled. "No need. The police will be here any minute."

From a guest room on the second floor of the hotel, Eagle and his crew stood by the window, watching the chaos unfold across the street. They were anxious, but Jiang Butong had ordered that unless absolutely necessary, no one was to intervene. They could only watch.

Eagle only knew half of the plan; the rest was kept from him.

Chen Sheng, Jiang Dazhuang, several restaurant staff, and a few of Zhang Jianguo’s officers had blocked the thugs firmly at the restaurant entrance, preventing the fight from spreading inside and causing greater losses.

As Chen Sheng fended off the thugs, he assessed the damage in his mind. Thankfully, only a few tables and chairs and two glass windows had been broken.

Yesterday, Jiang Butong had called Chen Sheng, instructing him to order replacement windows and tables, so that once the fight was over, the restaurant could quickly be restored. Trading two doors and a few tables for the downfall of the Black Dog Gang was more than worth it.

Despite being fifty, Zhang Jianguo was still nimble. Within moments, he had taken down several thugs attacking him.

"I’ll say it one more time: I’m a police officer!" Zhang Jianguo shouted, breathless.

Bang! A bottle smashed into Zhang Jianguo’s face, blood spurting instantly.

"Chief!" An officer, seeing Zhang Jianguo injured, quickly pulled him back.

Chen Sheng raised a chair to shield himself.

Just then, the sound of police sirens echoed through the street. Three patrol cars arrived in succession, and more sirens could be heard approaching from afar.

"This is bad—run!" Several thugs grew fearful when they heard the sirens.

As they tried to flee, they realized officers had already gotten out of the patrol cars, guns raised and pointed.

"Drop your weapons and surrender immediately!" came the command from a patrol car loudspeaker.

The thugs were stunned. They hadn’t expected the police to arrive so quickly; it had only been a few minutes since the fight began.

"Damn, they actually called the police!"

"Weren’t we supposed to settle this without the cops?"

"They’re not playing by the rules!"

Jiang Butong watched as the police arrived, knowing that everything here was settled. Next, it was Black Dog’s turn.

Chen Sheng used a towel to wipe the blood from Zhang Jianguo’s face. "Officer Zhang, are you alright?"

Zhang Jianguo shook his head, his gaze furious. He had only come for a meal, never expecting to get caught in a gang fight.

"Old Chen, did you provoke them?" Zhang Jianguo’s eyes flashed as he looked at Chen Sheng.

Chen Sheng shook his head at once. "My restaurant just opened, I’ve been busy cooking every day."

Zhang Jianguo, still angry, left the restaurant.

The once arrogant thugs were now subdued. They could be wild and lawless, but in the face of the police, they were powerless to resist.

When Zhang Jianguo stepped out, the lead officer clearly recognized him. Seeing the injury on Zhang Jianguo’s face, he was startled. "Captain Zhang, what are you doing here?"

Zhang Jianguo snorted coldly. "I came to meet a friend for dinner and encountered these thugs who came in smashing, robbing, and burning. Truly evil. Take them in for urgent interrogation and find out who’s behind this!"

"Yes, sir!"

The officers quickly cuffed the thugs, searching them and finding prohibited knives among their possessions.

Zhang Jianguo frowned deeply. Was this a vendetta against Chen Sheng? But after all these years, no one had come looking for revenge. Why now, when he happened to be here for a meal?

As the owner, Chen Sheng greeted the officers who came to take statements.

Looking at his devastated restaurant, Chen Sheng’s heart ached—it was all his hard work.

Jiang Dazhuang bore injuries on his face. According to Jiang Butong’s plan, he wasn’t supposed to get involved, but Jiang Dazhuang was stubborn, and Chen Sheng couldn’t hold him back.

Kind officers took Jiang Dazhuang and several wounded staff to the hospital.

The thugs had arrived quickly and were taken away just as swiftly. The entire event lasted less than ten minutes.

The noisy crowd gradually dispersed, with a few officers remaining to investigate the scene.

The hotel’s young cashier quietly let out a sigh of relief, sneaking a look at Jiang Butong.

Her clear eyes brimmed with confusion, for she realized Jiang Butong had called the police before the thugs arrived. How had he known they were coming?

"Thank you for your call," Jiang Butong said with a gentle smile.

"You’re… you’re welcome…" the girl replied nervously.

"Goodbye." Jiang Butong pushed open the door and left.

He started the van and drove toward his next destination. On the road, Jiang Butong rolled down the window, letting the night breeze toss his hair.

The Black Dog Gang was about to be destroyed; the next step was to consider how Jiang Yuan would take over their assets.

Number 25, Huxin Road—Nightfall Video Hall.

Tonight, the Nightfall Video Hall was unexpectedly closed, leaving many would-be late-night viewers frustrated.

Normally, the hall played television dramas from Hong Kong and Taiwan, but in the small hours, the owner would screen certain adult films.

Inside, three petty thugs lounged, smoking and watching a movie.

Upstairs, a dark-skinned, sinister young man embraced a tattooed woman.

His nose, like a dog’s, sniffed up and down the girl’s body, his hands caressing her back.

The girl shivered under his touch, her cherry lips emitting a string of giggles.

"Dog Bro… I can’t take it, I’m so ticklish…"

Though she protested, her arms wrapped tightly around his head, pressing him to her full chest.

He was none other than the kingpin of the Black Dog Gang—Dog Bro.

Dog Bro lifted his head, leaning close to the girl’s ear. "Do you want it?"

Feeling his hot breath, the girl’s heart fluttered, her eyes full of seduction.

"What do you think?" Her hand slid down his chest, reaching his abdomen.

Suddenly, Dog Bro noticed a flash of light outside the window—a car’s headlights.

He glanced at the clock on the table. Just after midnight. Could his men already be returning? Even if victorious, it shouldn’t be so soon.

The girl squirmed in his arms like a water snake, distracting him.

Jiang Butong parked his car by the roadside.

From a nearby hotel, seven or eight people approached, led by Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan opened the door and slipped into the car.

"Xiaotong, how did things go over there?" Jiang Yuan asked anxiously.

"It’s done. What about your side?" Jiang Butong replied.

"I’ve been inside all day. I sent someone to check earlier—five or six men downstairs watching TV, Black Dog is on the second floor," Jiang Yuan said.

Jiang Butong nodded. Everything was proceeding according to his plan.

"There are weapons in the back. Tell the brothers to take them," Jiang Butong instructed.

Jiang Yuan nodded, then signaled the group to retrieve the weapons from the van.

"By the way, is there a back door here?" Jiang Butong suddenly asked.

Jiang Yuan hesitated; he hadn’t checked.

Jiang Butong frowned. Clearly, Jiang Yuan lacked experience.

"Leave three men in the alley behind. If Black Dog tries to run, we might lose our chance," Jiang Butong ordered.

Jiang Yuan motioned to two men, who nodded, grabbed their weapons, and headed off.

Jiang Butong got out, following Jiang Yuan. Seven or eight men marched straight to the video hall.

Bang!

With a forceful kick, Jiang Yuan smashed the battered door open.

He charged in first, swinging a steel pipe onto a thug’s head.

The man dropped without so much as a grunt.

The remaining two thugs spun around; seven or eight men had burst inside.

"Who are you guys?" one thug shouted.