Returning from the Immortal World

“Such a possibility like you just said won’t happen.” Tang Xiu calmly nodded and said, “Alright, let’s drop the subject for now. I’ll just ask him to give his word. There’s nothing of concern once we start moving even if he turns his back and aims his gun to us by then.”

“Alright. The idea is sound.” Singluen nodded and said, “Prepping for the worst, as well as its countermeasure, in advance.”

Tang Xiu lightly smiled and waved to Zhang Jue and Gu Tao nearby. As the duo came over, he said, “You both will escort Xinya back to her suite and be responsible for her safety. Also, contact Awu. Ask him about the matter in Ning City. If they are done with it, tell them to leave for Bangkok directly.”

“Understood,” answered the duo in unison.

Turning to look at Zhang Xinya, Tang Xiu then said, “Go back to your room and wait for me there. I’m going to settle this issue.”

“Would you like me to go with you?” she asked with a worried face. “I’m afraid…”

“You have seen what I’m capable of, haven’t you?” Tang Xiu interrupted her and said smilingly, “It’s alright. Let alone Kanaja, even the most powerful Kingpin in this country cannot possibly harm me. Alright, listen to me. Go back and have some rest. I’ll be back in half an hour at most.”

“Alright, then!”

Zhang Xinya realized that she wouldn’t be able to help even if she came along. She immediately nodded and left.

A few minutes later, Tang Xiu and Singluen came to the conference hall. When they saw hostile men under Kanaja, their eyes shot back at them with contempt as they nonchalantly waltzed forward to the front of Kanaja and apathetically said, “Don’t think of playing some cheap tricks on me. You’ve come with both of them, meaning you’re going to stand for them. Whatever path you choose to take, I’ll take them all.”

“You misunderstood me, Mr. Tang,” said Kanaja with a hollow smile. “I’ve come to you because I already know that the fault is on my men and is quite big nonetheless. That’s why I brought them to you to apologize to Ms. Zhang. I’ve already heard of your resounding distinguished name. My men are in the wrong, so punish them however you see it fit.”

This made Tang Xiu crease his brows due to his surprise. This wasn’t Kanaja’s attitude just a bit ago, right? What made him change his attitude—or, what exactly happened before he arrived?

Even if this fella did have some ways to investigate his identity in China, what he could find on the surface should be his status as a scion of the Tang Family, the Big Boss of the Magnificent Tang Corporation, and a young Divine Doctor from the Star City Chinese Medical Hospital. It was impossible for him to figure out his relationship with the Everlasting Feast Hall.

So where is the problem then?

Tang Xiu observed Kanaja and was withdrawn for several seconds before he slowly said, “It seems like I just looked down on you, Kanaja.”

Although Kanaja couldn’t see Spectre around, it didn’t spare him from shuddering with fear inside. He let out an obsequious smile, saying, “No, no, no. You’re overpraising me, Mr. Tang. Just like the Chinese adage says, I’m just as light as a feather—nothing compared to you.”

“You also know about Chinese culture?” said Tang Xiu in surprise.

“I know some trivial things, no more,” answered Kanaja in awkward Mandarin. “I like Chinese culture, but I have little time to learn it; hence, I only have some shallow knowledge about it.”

This was a surprise to Tang Xiu as he didn’t expect that the Underground Lord in Bangkok was not only proficient in English, but was also able to speak Mandarin. This guy was definitely not your ordinary layman! It’s no wonder that he can paint anything black or white as he pleases in Bangkok. It seems that this guy is exceptionally adept in doing various things well.

“You’ve truly opened my eyes, Kanaja. Alright, let’s go back to speaking in English since your Mandarin is rather awkward. You see, your men have truly annoyed me and I’m very angry at them for harboring such untoward intention and conspiring against my woman! You can expect that I’ll never drop this shit if you don’t give a satisfactory explanation!”

Instead of answering, Kanaja directly got up and maliciously kicked Songzan and Alloway’s legs to make them bend and kneel before Tang Xiu. He then obsequiously smiled and said, “I admit that it was these two bastards’ mistakes; all the blame is on them. But I also hope that you can be magnanimous and take mercy on them to spare their lives. I’ll order them to make up for their mistake and compensate you. Additionally, Songzan has told me four times that he admires you. It’s just that he didn’t know that Miss Zhang is your woman and thus harbored some crooked intentions to her. Please spare and forgive him this time, given how loyal of your admirer he has always been.”

“He’s my admirer, huh? And tell me, why would you become my admirer in the first place ? ” asked Tang Xiu with a faint smile. “I don’t think my name has spread to Thailand or would be known to anyone here, though.”

“You’re the Big Boss of the Magnificent Tang Corporation, the company that produces the God’s Nectar.” Kanaja hurriedly interjected, “That’s a great wine all of us have dreamed of tasting here!”

“You know so much about me?” Tang Xiu’s countenance changed and he faintly said, “Well, well. You seem to have investigated me thoroughly, huh?

“No no no.” Kanaja hurriedly waved. “I didn’t. Absolutely. I was just…”

Ring, ring, ring…

At this time, however, Tang Xiu’s smartphone rang, interrupting Kanaja’s speech.

Tang Xiu took his handset out and looked at the caller displayed on its screen. It was Bai Tao, which somehow made him feel a bit strange since the guy hadn’t once called him for a long time. How did he suddenly remember to give him a call now? Although he felt puzzled, he still picked up his call and spoke with a light smile, “Hey, Old Bai. I got a trivial issue I need to deal with now, so I’ll call you back later if you have nothing urgent.”

“No no. Don’t rush to hang up, Tang Xiu,” said Bai Tao. “There’s something I wanna ask you about, hence why I’m calling you now.”

“What is it?” asked Tang Xiu.

“Uh, well. It’s a plea from someone else that I want you to hear, frankly,” said Bai Tao with a wry voice, “Kanaja should be with you now, right?”

“You know him?” asked Tang Xiu.

“I got acquainted with him several years ago. Well, a kind of discord lead to concord between us,” narrated Bai Tao. “But then we partnered to do some business in Africa. He just called to ask about you and I learned that it was his men who have annoyed you.”

“No shit, Old Bai. When did you have such a godly ability to get acquainted with a Kingpin of Bangkok’s underworld?” commented Tang Xiu with a strange voice, “You even went so far to become his partner?”

“Can you not make fun of me, Tang Xiu?” Bai Tao wryly smiled and said, “If anything, if you don’t have a deep grudge with him, can you give him a chance to apologize—on the account of my face?”

“Well, since it’s you who has reached out, it would be hardly justifiable if I don’t give you face,” said Tang Xiu. “Besides, he’s not the one who has annoyed me. He just gives his men his support. Alright, I won’t hold him responsible, but as for the two men under him…”

“His men are his men and I won’t poke my nose about them,” said Bai Tao in a hurry.

“It’s fine, then.” Tang Xiu smiled.

As the call ended, Tang Xiu gave a thumbs up to Kanaja and praised, “I really didn’t expect that you got yourself a shield to protect your life with. You know, I have a very good relationship with Bai Tao, so on the account of his face, I won’t hold you responsible for what your men did. But that doesn’t mean I can spare them and let them off scot-free. Especially him…”

Tang Xiu then pointed to the ghastly pale Alloway and said in a heavy voice, “You’ve annoyed my woman, resulting in only a dead end. This shit not only sent his men to carry out his untoward intention, but also personally acted.”

Alloway didn’t speak English, but he was perfectly aware of how deep the trouble he just dug was. To make even his Underboss, and the Godfather of Bangkok’s underworld Kanaja act so humble and obsequious before this person meant something else entirely. Upon seeing Tang Xiu point at him, he hurriedly shouted, “Please forgive me. Godfather, please help me. I’m willing to apologize and compensate for my fault.”

Taking a deep breath, Kanaja turned and nodded to the man next to him. The lean man then dashed to Alloway and pierced his heart with a sharp dagger. In just a short few seconds, the fellow was dead.

Songzan was horrified and quickly panicked. He anxiously looked at Kanaja and called out, “Big Brother!”

Kanaja was unresponsive for a while and then commanded, “Immediately prepare 50 million USD as a token of apology to Mr. Tang and Ms. Zhang after you go back. I remember that you also have a very good diamond in your collection. Ms. Zhang is a very beautiful woman. She’s the only person qualified to wear it.”

Songzan was pleasantly surprised. However, though he was distressed and unwilling as he was losing 50 million USD and that 40-carat diamond, he was secretly relieved inwardly if it meant that his life was spared. He nodded without hesitation. “I’ll send my men to deliver them once I get back.”

“You will deliver them by yourself!” shouted Kanaja in a growl.

“Yes, yes, yes. I’ll do as you say,” replied Songzan hurriedly.

Looking satisfied, Kanaja nodded and turned to look at Tang Xiu and asked, “What do you think of this solution, Mr. Tang? Is it to your satisfaction?”

“I’m not short on money, nor do I have a need for diamonds, Kanaja.” Tang Xiu let out a faint smile and said, “Apologizing in this manner is meaningless to me. Of course, I’ll completely drop this matter should you accept my condition.”

This immediately made Kanaja’s heart tighten and he immediately asked, “What condition?”

“You just need to comply in advance. I’ll only tell you about the condition when the time is right,” said Tang Xiu.

Kanaja then recalled the Soulcatcher Insignia Spectre left to Songzan before. He then nodded and said, “I give you my word. I’ll definitely keep my word as long as it is within my capability.”

Tang Xiu was satisfied and nodded. He then waved to Songzan, motioning him to get up and said, “Kanaja, how about we have a private chat?”

With his complexion shifted, Kanaja immediately nodded and said, “All of you go and wait for me outside!”

Shortly after, only Tang Xiu and Kanaja remained inside the reception room. Although Singluen was very curious what kind of subject the former wanted to discuss with the latter, he still left.

“What do you want to talk to me about, Mr. Tang?”

“Mr. Kanaja, if I were to compensate you to buy the lives of your men, can you or can you not comply with my request?” asked Tang Xiu with a faint smile.

“What do you mean?” inquired Kanaja. His complexion, however, changed noticeably.

“What I mean is, I want to buy human lives for one yuan each,” answered Tang Xiu. “I’m not sure about the number, but it should be more or less around a dozen.”

Note:

The underboss is a position under the Godfather. Songzan (underboss) and Kanaja (Boss). I intentionally separate the position and title according to the context but based on mafia ranks, titles, and structures.