Gold-toothed Gao bore an appearance that defied the notion of good health. His skin mirrored the pallor of a corpse and his gaunt countenance radiated a stark lack of vitality. His eyes were slightly yellowed while a pair of dark bags hung beneath, evidence of persistent, poor-quality sleep.

He kneeled on a soft mat, hands placed over the top of his legs as he waited in trepidation. For someone like him who could keep his cool and act even while his life was under threat to be so visibly nervous now, it could only mean that he was about to meet someone he truly feared or respected, or both.

In other cities throughout the region, criminal organisations and gangs often had their bases of operation hidden away on the outskirts of their respective locales or disguised behind false storefronts, tucked away in the basement of a small restaurant, engaging in legitimate business on the surface but concealing nefarious purposes below.

The Black Hand gang was different. Money-lending was a legal business and if someone signed a contract which had the various terms laid out clearly before them were to violate them, then they had nobody to blame but themselves. Or perhaps their literacy. Regardless, so long as they didn’t openly extort or harm people, the local law enforcement wouldn’t be bothered to properly deal with them. Especially not when they could look the other way instead, sparing their precious manpower in the process, and get paid for it too.

And the Black Hand wasn’t an official organisation either, not that gangs were in the first place. They were a group of various individuals gathered through various means to work under a wealthy merchant called Deng Yi, acting as his eyes and ears throughout the city, definitely not partaking in anything illegal.

So as a result, Gao was able to enter the renowned ‘Myriad Fortune’ merchant house and schedule a meeting with Deng Yi, the boss himself.

Outside was the bustling main eastern road that connected to the east gate of the city. Countless smaller lanes and streets which formed a labyrinthine network, a volatile mix of residences and businesses that connected to the other main streets oriented in each of their cardinal directions. During the day, the activity was so loud and energetic that even thick brick walls couldn’t block out the sound, even if one lived three streets away.

But stepping into Myriad Fortune was like entering another world. The constant buzz of activity that followed Gao around wherever he went outside was warded off by whatever method had been used to insulate the residence. It was replaced by a dignified atmosphere that the most uncultured of brutes would subconsciously lower their voices in while even the most oblivious or absent-minded would bow their heads.

It was only a reception room, but being part of Myriad Fortune, boss Deng’s private residence and place of commerce, it was natural that the same high class elegance that the man decorated the rest of the place with was present here too, no doubt to impress or intimidate potential business partners.

Hearing the sound of muffled footsteps, Gao quickly rose, shaking his already-trembling hands as if to cast away his anxiety. Not a second sooner after he had placed his hands behind his back, a woman in a thinly-veiled saffron dress parted the thick curtains of beads concealing the entrance to boss Deng’s private study.

“Come in.”

Gao flicked his sleeves, cupping his hands together, before walking through the parted curtains with his head lowered respectfully. Though the intricate rug that cushioned his every step was designed to be stepped on, his light footsteps showed his reluctance to dirty it. The woman didn’t follow him back in, closing the veil and standing guard outside the study instead.

If entering the reception from the street outside was like going from a wet market to a temple, then going from the reception to the study was like entering a new realm entirely. On the ceiling hung a pair of ornate lanterns, illuminating the room dimly and casting a mysterious glow across the brown ironwood walls. The air was thick with the heavy scent of incense, to the point where Gao could see the individual wisps and tangles of incense wafting out of the burner located in the corner of the room.

There hung unrolled scrolls on each wall, paintings of Cang’An city at various times of day and during different seasons of the year. But their beauty was something Gao guessed only the boss could appreciate, since in the focal point of the room was an imposing desk of unknown material. On each of its large legs, esoteric characters were engraved, likely something to do with more-than-mundane affairs.

Deng Yi sat upon a high-backed chair behind the desk. Though his eyes were closed shut, Gao had the impression that the man was watching his every movement despite the fact. Gao didn’t dare look at the boss directly, but he could imagine Deng’s appearance, which had long since been imprinted upon his mind during that fateful day whence he had been recruited into the Black Hand gang.

“It’s been a long time, old Gao. How have you been?” Boss Deng asked.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The man’s sincere question offset the mystic atmosphere that the decor had built up to a little, introducing a hint of compassion and familiarity into what was otherwise full of mystique and a sense of the unknown.

“My health is as poor as ever and I haven’t slept well recently.” Gao replied, subconsciously flashing his signature golden grin. “But matters pertaining to the smooth operation of your business are of little concern.”

Boss Deng nodded, his jadeite earrings jingling along as he did so. “Good. Make sure to go to sleep earlier- you can’t work efficiently if you don’t rest your body and mind well. I find that a strict sleep schedule helps to build discipline and relieve stress. Try it some time.”

Gao cupped his hands, bowing slightly. “Thank you for the concern. There are lots of matters to attend to, however, so I’m afraid I’ll have to correct my sleeping patterns after everything is done.”

“Oh? Didn’t you just say that business was going smooth as usual?”

Hairs standing on end, Gao couldn’t help but involuntarily swallow. “I-indeed. While everything is running as it should, with the increase in strange happenings and the new sickness that’s been festering in the western districts, it’s taking a lot of work to suppress and solve the problems as they come.”

Boss Deng nodded with a concerned look. “I didn’t realise things had moved forward that quickly. My initial estimates had predicted at least another two to three months before we’d see more than just a minor outbreak of that disease.” He reached forward to take a hold of the nearby teapot, steadily pouring out a cup. “I suppose the reason you’ve come today is related to those matters?”

“Your foresight is as accurate as ever, boss.” Gao praised sincerely. “The person, or, people, responsible for creating the disease have deliberately prevented it from spreading in any significant measure out of the red light district and the other western districts, most likely to avoid bringing things to the attention of the law and… related bodies until the very last moment.”

“Mn, go on.”

“The resulting chaos and uncertainty will be detrimental to your business. Though it would be unlikely that we’d suffer too much with your great talents and expertise, in the off chance that things do go awry, or people that even you might have trouble handling, that scenario being as unlikely as it is, it might be prudent for us to ensure that things do go our way.” Gao said, bowing lower, as if afraid that boss Deng might lash out at any moment.

Fortunately, boss Deng didn’t do such a thing. He merely took a sip from his freshly-poured tea, gesturing for Gao to continue.

“In that case, it would be best to disrupt those hidden players’ hands before they are able to play any more cards. Since they are so averse to catching the attention of the… you know who, let’s help them do exactly that.”

Deng Yi’s eyebrows rose in interest. “What do you propose?”

Feeling a sense of jubilation, Gao knew that he’d gotten his foot into the door. As long as what he suggested next was reasonable, it’d likely get accepted, and that scary green-haired woman from the night before wouldn’t kill him.

“Here’s my plan…”

———

Wearing more layers, Gold-toothed Gao trudged through the thin-layer of snow that coated the paved ground beneath him. Ahead was Zhang Baofu’s small house, its open-air courtyard exposed to the full measure of the elements.

Behind Gao trailed a large group of men, all clad in yellow robes, donning matching yellow turbans wound around their heads. How such a conspicuous parade of strangely-dressed and intimidating people managed to go unnoticed by the other pedestrians or the law enforcement was a mystery. Perhaps for the people of Cang’An city, it was just another mercenary group looking for a place to stay. Perhaps for those surveying the place from above, it was just a group of ragged travellers, their true identities and appearances concealed with boss Deng’s ‘expertise’.

Despite the bad weather, a city-guard like Zhang Baofu still had to work. After all, it wasn’t like they could just ask any potential attackers to postpone their sieges until after the weather improved, nor could they turn away travellers seeking business or shelter, else Cang’An’s primary source of income would be jeopardised.

Moreover, Zhang Baofu had debts to settle. He was definitely working as many shifts as possible to be able to pay the money off, lest he incur the wrath of the Black Hand gang.

Gao turned to the disguised men that boss Deng had lent him, giving them a decisive nod. In an instant, they turned into a hive of activity, moving quickly but quietly. The only audible sounds being the constant hum of activity in the distance and the crunching of snow beneath heavy boots.

The gate to the courtyard was swiftly disassembled, as was the rattan rocking chair and the front door too. Hearing the commotion, the girl whom Zhang Baofu was sheltering peeked her head out from behind one of the inner rooms in confusion, but upon seeing the swords and sabres tied to each yellow turbaned man’s waist, she gave up resisting without much of a fuss, letting them blindfold and tie her up.

To their credit, the way they went about things was rather professional. They hadn’t caused much damage- the gate and the door had simply been removed from their hinges to prove a point more than anything. It wasn’t something that would be hard to fix. And in handling the girl, that was exemplary too. Seeing that she wasn’t bothering to fight back, they gently tied her, ensuring that the constraints and knots weren’t too painful, before carrying her out in a warm and well-insulated gunny sack.

Watching the scene unfold, Gao couldn’t help but feel a sense of incongruity. With a shake of his head, he entered the house. Turning his back to the borrowed henchmen, he deftly retrieved a folded slip of paper from within his robes, tucking it underneath a flower vase.

Seeing that everything had been accomplished, he felt a sense of relief upon confirming that everything was going to plan. Of course, while the possibility that things took a nose-dive turn for the worse later on down the line was an ever-looming possibility, seeing the progress of his master plan mid-execution filled him with a sense of satisfaction. The fact that a mere mortal like him could potentially meddle in the affairs of those above and get away with it caused a surge of adrenaline to wash over him.

Before he left, he couldn’t help but glance at the hand-painted portrait that hung in the centre of the living room featured Zhang Baofu and a younger woman, presumably his daughter, skilfully depicted upon it, Gao shrugged.

“Your new mistress in exchange for the lives of many. What a steal.”