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Chapter 519: Old Geng
Chapter 519: Old Geng
The owner of the gold mine, seeing that Old Geng had returned to ransom the captives once more, increased the ransom to 15,000 green coins.
Lu Jiaxin, fearing that the mine owners might renege on the deal, had already communicated with Old Geng beforehand, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the safe return of the captives to their homeland. Should the owners attempt to raise the price, they would comply, and so Old Geng added another 10,000 green coins to the ransom, finally securing the safe release of the captives from the mine.
On their journey away from the mine, Sun Qi kept asking anxiously at intervals, "When will we arrive? Brother Geng, how much longer until we reach Ulaanbaatar?"
He was terrified that the people from the mine would chase after them and take them back.
Although Luo Guangping didn't ask any questions, he kept glancing nervously toward the back of the car, his expression clearly showing that he, too, feared they might be pursued.
Old Geng, growing irritated by the constant questioning, reassured them, "Rest assured! My boss is no pushover. Now that they've taken the money, they won't dare to go back on their word."
The boss's willingness to pay for their freedom was twofold: first, it was simpler to resolve the matter with money than with force, and second, it was also a consideration for the safety of the group, as any conflict would put them in danger.
Luo Guangyuan, recalling Lu Jiajie's mention of his sister's success in Hongcheng, asked, "Big brother, I wonder what our benefactor does for a living?"
Old Geng felt that this person was far superior to Lu Jiajie, and he replied, "My boss is a businessman. Why? Didn't Lu Jiajie tell you?"
"He mentioned that his sister is doing well in Hongcheng, but I find it hard to believe," said Luo Guangyuan. "If his sister is truly doing well there, how could she have been deceived and sold to the mine?"
As a fellow native of Sih Jiu City, he wanted to help them out. Of course, he also held a glimmer of hope that Lu Jiajie's words were true. To his surprise, Lu Jiajie hadn't been boasting; his sister truly was remarkable, having actually found them at the mine.
"He didn't lie to you," Old Geng said. "My boss does indeed run a very successful business. As for why he doesn't bring Lu Jiajie along—well, the last time he did, Lu Jiajie almost got him killed."
"How is that possible?" Sun Qi asked, disbelief lacing his tone. "Brother Jiajie is a very reliable person."
Luo Guangyuan echoed his sentiment, "Jiajie values loyalty and would never betray his own sister. Brother Geng, are you sure you're not mistaken?"
In truth, Old Geng was equally perplexed as to why Lu Jiaxin, with her successful business, didn't involve Lu Jiajie. So, during his two days in Sih Jiu City, he made inquiries and learned about the foolish things Lu Jiajie had done.
"My boss made his first fortune of three to four hundred thousand," Old Geng explained. "That was a huge sum five years ago. But then Lu Jiajie called his wife to share the news, and she, in turn, told her relatives. Before long, my boss noticed he was being tailed whenever he left the house, and strange faces started appearing around their home."
"Fortunately, my boss is cautious and had already hired bodyguards for protection. Otherwise, he might not be alive today. That level of stupidity is why I wouldn't dare to involve him again."
Sun Qi fell silent, unable to refute Old Geng's words.
However, Luo Guangyuan felt a newfound respect for Lu Jiaxin. Despite almost being ruined by Lu Jiajie, she still spent considerable time, effort, and money searching for him when she learned he was in trouble. It was because of her persistence that he and Sun Qi had been able to regain their freedom.
Old Geng had originally planned to rest for a night in Ulaanbaatar before returning to China, but that evening, Sun Qi developed a high fever, and soon after, Luo Guangyuan fell ill as well.
Old Geng first called Lu Jiaxin to update her on the situation: "Boss, rest assured, we're currently at a hotel and are safe. However, these two are very weak and need to recover before we head back. It would be troublesome if they fell ill along the way."
Lu Jiaxin told him to decide what was best and that he didn't need to report to her constantly. She then asked if he would be willing to work for her. Old Geng politely declined. Although Lu Jiaxin was generous and valued loyalty, he was accustomed to his freedom and didn't feel he would be of much use to her.
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "What I want you to do is similar to what you've been doing—traveling far and wide, and there is an element of danger involved. It's not something I can easily discuss over the phone. If you're interested, come to Hongcheng after the New Year, and we can talk in person."
Old Geng had first met Yan Yijun while the latter was carrying out a mission at the border, and later, Old Geng had helped him complete that mission. It was from Yan Yijun that he learned Old Geng was from Sih Jiu City, skilled in martial arts, and fluent in Mongolian, Russian, and English. As for why Old Geng was eking out a living at the border, Yan Yijun didn't know and hadn't bothered to investigate.
When Lu Jiaxin expressed her desire to employ Old Geng, she had someone look into his background. It was then that she discovered his full name was Geng Zihua and that his family owned a traditional herbal medicine shop. From a young age, he had been fond of martial arts, and due to their comfortable financial situation, his family had not only provided him with an education but also fulfilled his wish to learn martial arts from a master, who taught him leg techniques. Unfortunately, despite his promising future, he had been born at the wrong time.
When Geng Zihua's father realized there were people after their ancestral home, he prepared to flee to distant relatives at the border. However, his daughter was unwilling to leave and confided in her secret lover. This man, in an attempt to prove himself, reported the family to the authorities. In the end, Old Geng's parents were brutally killed, and his sister, after being violated by those men, took her own life.
Old Geng, thanks to his martial arts skills, managed to escape when they came for him and hid in a classmate's basement for half a month until the heat died down. He then made his way to the border to seek refuge with his so-called distant relatives, only to discover that they were, in fact, his biological uncle who had changed his name and gone into hiding due to past transgressions.
Five years later, Old Geng returned to Sih Jiu City under a false identity. With thorough preparation, he managed to evade the layers of checks and inspections, but upon his return, he discovered that his sister had married the man who had reported their parents, and she had even borne him two children.
After meticulous planning, Old Geng burned down the house of the family who had sought their ancestral home's secret recipe, killing them all. Then he caught the early morning train and left. Three years later, he returned and crippled the legs of the man who had reported his family (who was also his brother-in-law), condemning him to a life confined to a wheelchair.
Old Geng politely declined again, expressing his preference for freedom and his reluctance to be constrained.
Lu Jiaxin asked, "What about the men who violated your sister? Are they still living their lives unscathed? Don't you want them to receive their just punishment?"
It was just one of those tragedies of the time, and many people got off lightly. But that was bullshit. If you hurt someone, you should pay the price; otherwise, it would be unjust for the victims and their families.
Old Geng's heart twisted at the mention of his sister. "Do you know who they are?"
"I don't," Lu Jiaxin admitted. "But if you're willing to come to Hongcheng, I can have people help you investigate. It will be more efficient than you trying to find out on your own."
In truth, Lu Jiaxin knew the identity of one of the perpetrators. The man who had violated Old Geng's sister had connections, and his parents had intervened to sweep the incident under the rug, which was why Old Geng's investigations over the years had yielded nothing. She believed that such scum deserved to be punished, or else the dead would never rest in peace.
This time, Old Geng didn't hesitate to agree. All the others had received their comeuppance, except for the beast who had violated his sister. He wouldn't be at peace until that man faced justice.
(End of Chapter)
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