Chapter 267 — The Young Strategist's Identity
Years of Heartflutter · Page 2 of 5
On that occasion, Wang Lin and Wang Xue had conspired to do away with Yang Ce at sea. Huang Shu had known of the plan, but he had done all he could to dissuade Wang Lin. After all, it was a perilous business—never mind that Yang Juehuan was highly skilled, as Huang Shu had seen for himself; even setting that aside, Wang Xue's boyfriend, Tian Yan, might not be willing to help her move against Yang Ce. So Huang Shu urged Wang Lin not to take the risk, to plan at length instead. While the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood; there would be ample chances for revenge, and no need to rush.
But Wang Lin's body had been maimed, and his mind had warped along with it. On the surface he seemed to have taken Huang Shu's advice, but in truth he had not listened at all!
In the end, while Huang Shu was out buying daily necessities, Wang Lin contacted Wang Xue behind his back, and the two of them hatched their scheme at sea.
It failed, alas.
When Huang Shu saw the message Wang Lin had left him, he knew it was too late. Wang Lin had already acted, and there was nothing Huang Shu could do but wait for him to return.
But this time, once Wang Lin had gone, he never came back. After waiting several days, Huang Shu's last hope died; he knew that Wang Lin must have met with disaster, and was most likely dead.
With no other recourse, Huang Shu threw in his lot with the black-clad man, resolved to avenge
Wang Pu and Wang Lin!
Though Huang Shu came from the low life of petty thugs, he knew how to repay kindness! Years ago, Huang Shu had been nothing but a small-time rogue. Trusting in his own cleverness, he had cheated at gambling; but because he was rather discreet about it, no one had ever caught him, and his life had been comfortable enough.
Then one time, when he and a friend conspired to fleece a rich mark from the south, that southern mark's bodyguards caught them red-handed on the spot.
Only then did Huang Shu realize that he had truly offended someone beyond his means to offend! This southern boss was no ordinary mark—he was a smuggling tycoon, here to receive a shipment! How could the likes of Huang Shu afford to cross a man like that?
So Huang Shu and his friend were beaten within an inch of their lives by the southern boss's men. His friend could not hold out, and was beaten to death.
Though Huang Shu had resigned himself to death from the moment he was caught—for what smuggler was ever a decent sort? They all had blood on their hands, and would think nothing of killing a man or two—seeing his companion die before his own eyes, and beaten to death at that, Huang Shu's nerve broke!
Looking at his companion's head, a bloody gourd of a thing, Huang Shu nearly threw up. Fortunately, just then the local boss who did business with the southern man arrived, and the southern boss waved a hand, stopping his bodyguards from beating Huang Shu any further.
This local boss was, of course, Wang Pu. Wang Pu saw how savagely Huang Shu had been beaten, and asked a few casual questions; the southern boss naturally told him the truth about Huang Shu's gambling swindle.
Hearing the southern boss describe Huang Shu's methods, Wang Pu found it rather novel and thought Huang Shu a man of talent. So he said to the southern boss, "This one's interesting. How about you hand him over to me?"
Huang Shu was hardly anyone of importance—worthless to the southern boss. Since Wang Pu had asked, there was no reason for the southern boss to refuse, and he agreed at once.
The two sides' cooperation was most pleasant. The southern boss went home fully loaded, and Wang Pu had Huang Shu sent to a hospital. That narrow escape from death felt to Huang Shu like being born again, and his gratitude toward Wang Pu was no small thing.