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Curly Jack gave a bitter smile, his eyes flickering with memories. With a sigh, he said, "Sigh—at first, I was a proud retired soldier. When I got out, I ended up as a security guard in Nanning City because I was just a farmer's son with no connections. Later, the city management team was hiring dog-catchers to wipe out stray dogs and prevent rabies. I heard you could get extra food after catching dogs, so I joined with a fake ID! They were desperate for people, so as long as you looked tough, they barely checked your documents. Our team leader was a former special forces guy—he retrained us and taught us this killer thirty-six-move Dog-Catcher Fist. I studied that style hard, mixing it with my own insights over the years, and eventually made it my own. We wiped out almost every stray around Nanning! Now, even regular dogs pee themselves when they smell me! Seriously! Our dog-catcher squad was the sharpest blade in the whole city management team—nobody could fight like us!"
As he said this, Curly Jack glanced at Shawn Young and added, "You know how powerful the Dog-Catcher Fist is, Grandpa Shawn. Sure—it's not as magical as your skills, but it helped me carve out my own little kingdom!"
Shawn Young's face reddened. He rubbed the corner of his eye, remembering when Curly Jack had socked him there, then nodded, "Yeah, it's pretty damn effective. Go on, tell me—how'd you end up in the underworld?"
Curly Jack sighed, "It's all because our dog-catcher squad was too good—we wiped out every stray, so they shut us down and let us go. With no connections, I was out on the streets again, hustling for work. You know how it is—without connections, getting a decent job is impossible. Lucky for me, I had dog-catcher and armed police experience, so my fighting skills were solid. That's when Leo Chen, the Blue Wolf Syndicate's number two, spotted me and invited me to join. I became head of security for a few entertainment clubs, made a name for myself, and that's where I am today—"
"Oh! So that's how it happened. Now, tell me about the Blue Wolf Syndicate's main businesses, money sources, and your big-time protectors!" Shawn Young suddenly remembered the important stuff. After all, the Blue Wolf Syndicate was a huge menace, and Rainie Cheng had said they're on the police and Interpol's hit list. All they need is ironclad evidence and to expose the Syndicate's protectors—then they can wipe out the whole gang! But those protectors are powerful, and so far, the cops haven't gotten enough proof to bring them down.
Curly Jack said, "Back in the day, the Blue Wolf Syndicate did anything for cash! But over time, we got organized, learned how to run a business, and figured out how to get protection. After a few years, we grew into what we are now!
Now, the Blue Wolf Syndicate basically runs every major nightclub and entertainment joint in Nanning and the surrounding counties—bars, nightclubs, you name it. We also control the province's biggest sex industry, mainly trafficking women from inside and outside the country—especially Vietnamese girls. Plus, we sell party drugs and love potions at our venues, and we own a few luxury hotels. We've got protectors in every government department. I usually package bribes and secretly deliver them to the wives or close relatives of our protectors. If they or their families want to enjoy themselves, they can party for free at any Blue Wolf Syndicate location. Especially guys like Jeremy Ling, the rich kids, and those with official backgrounds—they're our top targets!"
"Wow, you guys really know how to play the game! No wonder you grew so fast. But why are you so keen on recruiting rich kids and officials' sons?" Shawn Young asked, curious.
"Heh heh—that's just human nature! Rope those rich and powerful brats into our crew, get them dirty, and everyone's got something to hide. Their parents won't rat them out either, so our protection network gets stronger. It's a killer strategy! For anyone who won't play ball, the Blue Wolf Syndicate either tries to recruit them or crushes them—guys get shipped overseas to work as male escorts, girls get... well, you know! If they're neither, we send them to Thailand to become ladyboys. Bottom line, we wipe out our enemies—body and soul!
Now, in less than ten years since we started, the Blue Wolf Syndicate has over three thousand members counting all our muscle and henchmen. We're famous in Nanning, the whole province, even nationwide! Sure, we're not on the same level as the century-old gangs like the Hongmen, but around here, we're definitely on top!" Curly Jack was practically spitting with pride as he bragged.
Listening to Curly Jack's 'rise to power,' Shawn Young felt his scalp tingle. He hadn't expected the Blue Wolf Syndicate to be so crafty, growing so fast by exploiting human greed and selfishness. In less than ten years, they'd become true criminal overlords. If he wanted to take them down, he'd need a rock-solid plan—something fast and furious!
After finishing his tale of the Blue Wolf Syndicate's 'glorious history,' Curly Jack noticed Shawn Young's cold, silent stare. His heart started pounding. Years in the underworld had taught him the wisdom of 'bending or breaking.' If he pissed off this little demon, he could end up a vegetable—definitely not worth it!
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Curly Jack's eyes darted nervously. He said carefully, "Sure, Leo Chen thinks I'm hot stuff, but I'm not in the leadership—just a security captain at best."
But Shawn Young suddenly glared at Curly Jack and said coldly, "Hmph! Curly Jack, you're not telling me everything! As far as I know—the Blue Wolf Syndicate controls the biggest drug routes in the city and even the whole province. That's your main cash cow, and you work closely with foreign traffickers! Those protectors are just there to cover up the real business! If you don't want to talk, I'll just rip the info straight out of your brain!"
Curly Jack was shocked. He never expected Shawn Young to know the Syndicate's biggest secret. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he stammered, "Sh-Shawn, sir—who the heck are you? How do you know all this? This is the Blue Wolf Syndicate's deepest secret!"
Shawn Young glared back, channeling his best cop movie lines with a sneer, "Heh, you don't need to know who I am. Just know the Blue Wolf Syndicate is already on our hit list. If you don't want to end up in front of a firing squad, spill everything you know. Turn state's witness, redeem yourself, and maybe you'll get off easy!"
"Ah! I'll come clean to the authorities—our Syndicate's most secret drug trafficking business is run directly by our boss, Hugo Hu, and our deputy boss, Leo Chen. Only those two handle it; everyone else just follows orders! I swear, that's all I know!" Curly Jack thought Shawn Young was a secret government agent and started begging.
"Oh—so how do those two connect with the foreign drug cartels for deals?" Shawn Young asked.
"That—that's the highest-level secret between the two bosses—I really don't know! All I know is, Deputy Boss Leo Chen handles the accounts, and he's got a secret ledger with all the really important stuff in it. But what exactly is in there, I honestly have no clue!" Curly Jack finally spilled everything he knew.
"Oh! No computers, just a ledger? That secret? Must be something big. And Leo Chen, that blockhead, Hugo Hu actually trusts him with the most important stuff?" Shawn Young asked, puzzled.
"Uh—Leo Chen isn't a blockhead, he's actually a top PhD student from Peking University's finance department! That's why the boss put him in charge of all the Blue Wolf Syndicate's accounts!" Curly Jack blurted out.
"Damn! A PhD from Peking University's finance department! Leo Chen's that badass? He went into the underworld—hell, he's got a real future!" Shawn Young couldn't believe Leo Chen had such credentials.
"It's true! Leo Chen really is a PhD student at Peking University, and he was top of his class. If it weren't for all this trouble, he'd probably be living abroad with a green card by now. The Blue Wolf Syndicate owes its rapid growth to Leo Chen—he's our chief strategist! Most of our expansion plans and new business ideas come straight from his brain. I'm his biggest fan!" Curly Jack's eyes sparkled with admiration as he spoke about Leo Chen.
"Damn! These days, it's not the thugs you gotta worry about—it's the educated thugs! No kidding! That goofy Leo Chen is a gold-medal mastermind!" Shawn Young felt a little sour—he might be a Southern University student, but compared to a Peking University finance PhD, he was definitely outclassed!