Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 303 Criminal Market
When the two cars arrived, a Buick Regal was already parked at the destination. A man in his forties or fifties wearing a baseball cap was leaning against the leeward side, silently smoking.

After Zhao Zhigao and the others quickly got out of the car, they saw Brother Yang and the man embracing warmly. At first, they thought the other party was an out-of-towner who had come to negotiate, but now it seemed that wasn't the case.

"This is Simba, you can just call him Simba."

With a smile on his face, Brother Yang introduced the newcomer to his subordinates, especially Zhao Zhigao, saying, "Brother Simba is my old brother and the pillar of our team. It's just that we have different roles, so you haven't met him before. Come and get to know him now."

"Brother Xin!"

Zhao Zhigao quickly stepped forward to greet him, and secretly memorized the man's appearance.

"Thank you all for your hard work today. I'll treat you to drinks when everything is done."

Simba was very kind, with deep wrinkles on his face, looking like an ordinary, honest man. But in this line of work, who would dare to underestimate any character? Not to mention, just looking at Big Yang's smiling face or Jian's respectful expression, you knew this person was definitely not ordinary.

Lingo stayed in the car and didn't get out, but he still overheard their conversation.

"Nothing unusual around here, and no one lying in ambush. I had Big Dog and Two Dog keep watch on the perimeter, and no one has come up the mountain in the meantime. Tsk tsk! They seem pretty bold. Speaking of which, those guys are quite arrogant. Why didn't they arrive earlier? Or do they not take us seriously?"

Simba spoke softly, as if it were a casual conversation, but his tone made everyone a little nervous.

"This is the place we agreed upon. Didn't they send anyone to scout ahead? Are they really that confident, or are they planning to stand me up?"

Brother Yang frowned, suddenly feeling a urge to smoke a bottle. Actually, he started out as just an ordinary drug addict, struggling financially with a few friends. Then he chose to sell drugs to support his habit, and somehow ended up at this level.

"Perhaps they have other plans, after all, they're not on our side. I heard they play more fancy games and earn more money. Xiaohua has some ideas and plans to see how this negotiation goes before discussing it further."

Simba took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, but instead of offering them to anyone, he lit one for himself.

Zhao Zhigao, at the back of the crowd, noticed the smell of smoke and his brow furrowed slightly. As a professional narcotics officer, he instantly sensed something was wrong. This old man was hiding something in his cigarette, or rather… his craving for drugs had become excessively frequent.

Brother Yang wasn't surprised; drugs and cigarettes were no different.

He took out a pack of cigarettes and tossed it to Brother Jian, asking him to distribute them to his men. Brother Yang led Brother Xinba to the other side, opened the trunk of a Buick Regal, and took out a shiny homemade gun.

“One force can overcome all methods; I’d like to see what tricks they have up their sleeves.”

"Aren't you afraid they have guns?"

"Heh... This is Zhang City, and the police here are quite capable. They can't easily investigate our little things, but once guns are used, the situation changes completely. As long as they don't kill me, I can make them suffer by throwing a trash can at them."

"You certainly know how to use the police."

"Hehe... My repair shop has taken in seven scrapped police cars in six months, and I've given out several packs of cigarettes. Although I didn't intend to win them over or anything, we've basically become acquaintances. To be honest, I can't count on them for big things, but they don't mind helping out with small favors."

Brother Yang smiled confidently, convinced his disguise would be impeccable. How could a kind, law-abiding, ordinary business owner arouse the suspicion of the police?

He didn't intend to use the typical tactics of dragging the police into trouble. But if he could become friends with the police, he could easily find out things unintentionally. Many things that the police might just casually mention could be very useful to him.

Putting aside other minor matters like checking for drunk driving, and complaints about having to work late into the night, my police friend basically doesn't hide anything. And for him, some risks are reduced significantly.

Of course, Brother Yang also gave back to a few drug addicts who were broke or out-of-towners, which was considered as adding some revenue to his friend's business.

The two continued chatting, while Zhao Zhigao and his group of six were led around by Brother Jian to familiarize themselves with the surroundings. Brother Jian was already very familiar with the area, but he remained cautious, not letting any unexpected possibility slip by.

Jian Ge felt a little annoyed after glancing back at the cat crouching on the dashboard in the driver's seat.

This cat... is such an eyesore!
"Ah Gao, you're not allowed to be willful next time! This time, Brother Yang is giving you face and won't pursue it, but as your boss, I still have to criticize you a bit."

Brother Jian reprimanded Zhao Zhigao a few times.

Zhao Zhigao didn't refute, only revealing a disgruntled and arrogant look. He knew that an undercover agent couldn't be too honest; he had to occasionally show that arrogant and domineering attitude.

Before you know it, an hour has passed.

Brother Yang glanced at his phone; more than ten minutes had passed since the agreed time. It seemed those bastards had really stood them up, which made Brother Yang's eyes turn fierce.

"Don't worry, they've arrived."

Simba, who had lost count of how many cigarettes he'd smoked, patiently put the butts into the metal box he carried with him. He didn't even take out his phone, simply saying, "Big Dog messaged me. He's in one car, out-of-town license plate, and there's a woman in the passenger seat."

"You've got some nerve."

Brother Yang didn't doubt it, only showing a displeased smile.

"Holy crap! Brother Xin is still amazing, how did he know?"

The green-haired monkey looked at the group around him, a look of utter shock on his face. Although it wasn't the first time, every time he saw Simba use his skills, he felt a sense of admiration.

"It's quite powerful."

Zhao Zhigao squinted, having already spotted a flash of light on the mountaintop. It looked like a flashlight, its beam flickering—a clear sign.

He had already discerned that this Simba was a traditional and capable man, using the same old methods and tactics as before. However, he had to admit that, compared to a cell phone, the light signal was less secure and less susceptible to surveillance.

This gang of drug dealers indeed possesses some special skills, making them a formidable opponent that requires caution and careful handling.

The group waited patiently, and soon, about ten minutes later, a red domestically produced sedan arrived at this place where no one would normally come. It seemed their journey hadn't been smooth; Lin Ge even heard curses and swearing at the "damn, incompetent navigation system."

"Could it be that I got lost? I wasn't intentionally late, but the navigation system messed me up?"

Lin Ge thought with a wicked sense of humor, and then he saw all four doors of the car open, and four people, including the driver, got out.

Two men and two women, all quite young, none over forty.

The two women even looked to be only in their early twenties, their makeup and attire were exquisite, and their clothes appeared to be high-end. If it weren't for the fact that they were in the middle of nowhere, they would have looked like fashionable city girls.

The two men behind the two women were a driver who looked very unassuming and another man who was dressed in a suit and appeared refined and gentle, not at all like thugs.

In other words, this group of people who came to negotiate were completely unprepared, so audacious that even Brother Yang and Brother Simba were taken aback. They just came over so casually, as if they hadn't considered anything like double-crossing from the very beginning.

"Tsk! That's tough!"

This attitude even made Brother Yang click his tongue in disapproval.

"Without a bit of courage, how dare you venture into the tiger's den?"

Simba's expression turned serious; he didn't think these four young men were truly unafraid of death.

"This must be Brother Yang, right?"

As the woman leading the group approached, she spoke first, her voice pleasant and melodious: "Seeing is believing, you truly have an extraordinary presence. I am Li Xiang, who spoke to you on the phone before. I'm sorry for the commotion today; we are late."

"A show of force?"

Simba spoke, still wary of the four men.

"No... the navigation took the wrong turn and we had to go around to get here." Li Xiang gave an embarrassed smile and shook her head. "But it doesn't matter. In the end, it was our fault. After we finish this, I'll pour you all some drinks to apologize."

"navigation……"

The group looked at each other, completely surprised by the reason.

And what's the deal with this woman? Does she even know what she's here for? Why does she look like she's just conducting ordinary business negotiations, instead of a life-or-death struggle between a powerful dragon and a local bully?

"A life-or-death struggle? Why fight to the death? Or is it that Zhangshi is no longer a place for another underground business?" Li Xiang looked even more surprised.

Brother Yang and Brother Simba exchanged a glance, momentarily confused about what this woman meant. Why did she describe an underground business as simply normal business dealings?

Or is it that the thoughts of today's young people, even those who are involved in society, are no longer something that these old folks can understand?
"That's right, it's really just a business deal."

Li Xiang smiled faintly.

By this time, the two men following behind her had already taken out various camping equipment from the trunk, including tables, chairs, benches, teapots, and coffee makers. Judging from their practiced movements, it seemed this wasn't their first time doing this.

"Whether it's illegal or not is another matter, and has nothing to do with the business itself. In my opinion, drug trafficking or smuggling is just an ordinary business that can't be detected by the police. Since it's a business, there's nothing that can't be discussed. Oh, by the way, please sit down."

Li Xiang, taking an elegant sip of coffee, politely invited Yang Ge and Xinba Ge to join her when her subordinates brought two folding chairs to them.

"..."

The two old-school gangsters were inexplicably suppressed and at a disadvantage in terms of momentum.

Even though they knew perfectly well that their men could easily kill these four young punks, intimidation is intimidation, and relying on violence to bluff is the lowest form of tactic. These guys are of such high caliber; what are you, acting like a bunch of scoundrels, doing here?
"Holy crap! This woman is amazing."

Lin Ge, hiding in the car, and the group of thugs outside were all dumbfounded. This woman was truly fearless; wasn't she afraid that Brother Yang would turn on her? For a woman, surrounded by wolves like this, anything could happen.

"Since this is business, how do you plan to do it? Let me make this clear first: I will not tolerate any damage to my interests. Of course, I don't mind if you come, but if you do something stupid and provoke the police and cause chaos in Zhangzhou, don't blame me for being impolite."

Brother Yang tried to steer the conversation back to his familiar surroundings.

But as soon as he said that, Lin Ge knew that Brother Yang had already backed down. His initial plan was to use a show of force to drive the other party out of Zhang City, but now, his words were already a concession.

In this respect, this woman named Li Xiang did indeed play a role that was worth a thousand men.

"No problem! Money can never be fully earned. The market will only expand with the joint efforts of both of our companies, so that everyone can make money. Internal strife will only cause the market to stagnate and allow others to take advantage of what is rightfully ours."

Li Xiang readily agreed.

Under Yang Ge's bewildered gaze, Li Xiang clapped her hands. Her assistant, Yang Mimi, quickly and laboriously brought over two suitcases, placed them on the picnic table, and then stepped back to Li Xiang's side.

"Meeting gift."

Li Xiang raised her hand.

"Ah Jian!"

Brother Yang, unwilling to be suppressed too much, signaled Brother Jian to step forward.

"Gulu..."

Jian didn't know why he was so nervous. There were only four weak and useless guys on the other side. But seeing how carefree this woman seemed, as if she didn't care about his group of fierce and tough guys at all, Jian felt uneasy.

However, when the two elegant white suitcases were opened, Jian Ge was dumbfounded, as were the others who were curiously looking in this direction.

The boxes were crammed full of crisp, brand-new banknotes, neatly stacked like bricks in bright red—a striking and eye-catching sight. Brother Jian didn't know how much money was in the two boxes; he wasn't unfamiliar with money. But the sheer neatness of the arrangement left him speechless.

"Brother Yang..."

He turned his head stupidly to look at Brother Yang.

Brother Yang was dumbfounded. What did this movie-like plot mean? No, it was even more outrageous than the movies! At least in movies, there's never a goddess of wealth who presents such an exciting gift the moment you meet her?

"Simba?"

He could only ask Simba for advice; at least this older brother was more knowledgeable and should be calmer than him.

"Gulu..."

Simba's eyes widened, and his throat moved involuntarily.

To be honest, he wasn't short of money; the amount in his bank account was also an eight-figure sum. But the impact of numbers is completely different from that of cash. Simba, who was involved in organized crime, had never seen so many beautiful red bills in his life.

Besides... if this money is legitimate, it might actually come in handy later. Of course, once you've taken the money, turning your back on it would be really unacceptable in the underworld. In this respect, Simba is quite compliant with the rules of the underworld.

"Meeting gift?"

Simba looked up at Li Xiang and reiterated in a calm tone.

"I don't need you to do anything extra for this meeting gift."

Li Xiang nodded and said with a smile, "I did this just to prove one thing. Money is not important to me. As long as it can be done with money, you two can just ask. I don't even mind paying a higher price to ask for your help when needed."

"So what do you want?"

At this moment, the calmest one was Brother Yang. After all, he was also doing legitimate business, and he had seen more of the world than Brother Simba and his worthless underlings. He knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

"channel."

Li Xiang snapped her fingers and readily agreed, "Our people don't need to come to the Zhangshi market. But we hope our goods can circulate in Zhangshi. How about we leave it to Brother Yang and let you help us sell them? As for the price, it doesn't matter. I only want half the selling price, and the rest is yours."

"Price doesn't matter? Half?"

Big Brother Yang was a little stunned, but he quickly recovered and sneered, "You plan to turn me into your agent/distributor? With such a high commission rate, you're planning to make me abandon my current stock and become your salesperson, right? In the long run, I'll be completely controlled by you, you bitch? Heh... you filthy bitch, if you want the market in Zhang City, just say so, don't use these kinds of tricks! Do you think I'm greedy for money? Ah Jian, kill this filthy fox!"

"Yes, boss! Ah Gao, follow me!"

Brother Jian did not hesitate.

He didn't really understand the meaning behind his boss's confrontation with this woman, nor did he know why his boss refused any free benefits. Anyway, he had to obey orders. He grinned maliciously, pulled a steel bar from the snakeskin bag on the ground, and strode menacingly towards Li Xiang.

Zhao Zhigao quickly followed behind, also silently gripping the rough texture of the steel bar.

"Would killing me change the facts?"

Facing two menacing assassins, and even as the faces of the three people behind her changed drastically, Li Xiang calmly sipped her coffee and said, "Good money drives out bad, Brother Yang. My goods are cheaper than yours, and it's only a matter of time before they disrupt the old market. So why are you hesitating? It doesn't matter where you source your goods. Do you think being controlled by those other places is better than cooperating with me? I can even handle the transportation for you. You're making money comfortably, so what's there to be dissatisfied about?"

"What I'm not happy about is being your dog, you filthy bitch!"

Brother Yang cursed inwardly, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.

He certainly understood Li Xiang's meaning; sourcing goods from this woman would indeed yield more profit. But what about the goods from that woman? Big Brother Yang transported and sold them himself, controlling the entire Zhang City without needing anyone else's interference. However, if Li Xiang's goods were allowed in… perhaps he would indeed earn more comfortably, with less risk. But his control over Zhang City would undoubtedly be weakened, and being replaced would be an easy matter.

How could Brother Yang accept this?
"Da Yang, calm down."

Simba suddenly grabbed Big Yang and then said to Jian and Zhao Zhigao, "Jian, Gao, come back! They're so kind as to give us money, why should we refuse? Big Yang was just confused for a moment, you guys can't blindly follow him."

Simba!

Big Brother Yang glared at Simba, never expecting to be betrayed by his brother.

"Da Yang, we're in business."

Simba pursed his lips and looked at Brother Yang very seriously, saying, "As long as we can make money, the market doesn't matter. If we can make more money, it doesn't matter who we work for. You're worried that this Miss Li is blocking your market, but we've been caught by the police many times for buying goods from there. Now that we've handed over the transportation to them, we can save ourselves the trouble and make money. There's nothing wrong with that. Besides, we're doing something illegal. As long as the money in our hands is real and the goods we get are real, why do you care where the goods come from? You know, Xiao Hua has always had opinions about these things you've done."

(End of this chapter)