Chapter 108: The Straw Hat Figure and the Dark Shadow

With Uncle Fu’s guidance, Ding Li quickly unraveled the web of interests behind the dock’s closure. After expressing his gratitude, he pressed on, “Uncle Fu, if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean the Nanhai Gang has had nothing to do recently? We can just wait for the Maritime Commission to step in and resolve the issue!”

“I’m not really an expert on that. You should ask Uncle Xiang’s opinion,” Uncle Fu replied with a slight shake of his head, then smiled as he returned to tending the kettle on the stove.

Ding Li was momentarily taken aback but soon understood. Uncle Fu was in charge of intelligence for the Zhang Trading Company and preferred not to involve himself in the detailed plans. Ding Li sensed that perhaps Uncle Fu was reluctant to overstep into Uncle Xiang’s domain. Understanding this, Ding Li turned his questioning gaze to Uncle Xiang.

Uncle Xiang’s smile deepened at the sight. His usually sharp eyes narrowed into slits, creased by age, resembling a cunning old fox. “A Li, some things don’t just get solved by waiting. Maybe waiting will work eventually, but what if during that time we take some action? Couldn’t that help speed things up or even cause trouble for our opponents?”

“That’s true,” Ding Li nodded, though a trace of confusion still lingered; he couldn’t grasp the full depth of Uncle Xiang’s words yet.

“The Nanhai Gang isn’t just any dockside faction—it carries the prestige of the Zhang Trading Company!” Uncle Xiang nodded in agreement, his eyes gleaming with sharp intelligence. His words stirred a sudden surge of pride in Ding Li. Then, lowering his voice and leaning forward, Uncle Xiang revealed a more cunning smile, “Now that the dock is sealed, thousands of dock workers are out of work—they’ve lost their livelihoods. These people are deeply grateful for the timely financial aid from the Nanhai Gang. If even a small group among them stirs unrest, this power could be fully in your hands!”

With that, Uncle Xiang placed a large hand in front of Ding Li’s face, curling his fingers slowly into a tight fist. Though he made no further move, to Ding Li, that clenched fist seemed to hold boundless strength.

Uncle Xiang’s message was clear and simple. After a moment’s reflection, Ding Li nodded firmly in response, “Understood. Thank you for your guidance, Uncle Xiang. I will personally oversee this matter and make sure its impact grows. We will expose the Chaozhou Gang—the wolves in sheep’s clothing—once and for all!”

“Well taught, well taught indeed!” Uncle Xiang laughed heartily, praising him repeatedly. Uncle Fu, having brewed another pot of tea nearby, glanced at Ding Li with eyes full of approval.

There was no need to discuss the finer details further. Both Uncle Xiang and Uncle Fu trusted Ding Li to handle it. Ding Li, in turn, did not wish to trouble them more, knowing they had already helped him greatly.

After savoring a few more cups of Uncle Fu’s tea and answering their questions—mostly about recent events in Fuxu Town—the two elders expressed their admiration. An hour slipped by unnoticed. As the golden sunset cast its radiance outside the window, Ding Li felt invigorated. Seeing the conversation dwindle, he rose to take his leave.

Uncle Xiang accompanied Uncle Fu out of the tea house, but when Ding Li stepped outside to bid Uncle Xiang farewell, the latter stopped him with a smile and a wave. Pulling Ding Li closer, Uncle Xiang suddenly furrowed his brow and lowered his voice, “A Li, you met the young lady in Fuxu Town, didn’t you?”

Relieved, Ding Li nodded repeatedly, though puzzled by the question. “Yes, I did. What is it, Uncle Xiang? The young lady and Zhang Erge were both in Fuxu Town.”

“Oh, it’s nothing much. Just a small matter,” Uncle Xiang said, hesitating and glancing at Ding Li before speaking again in a low voice. “A Li, during those days in Fuxu, how was the young lady’s mood?”

“Mood?” Ding Li paused, furrowing his brow in thought, then nodded. “She seemed fine. We ate together, and she looked pretty good.”

Ding Li’s voice carried a hint of guilt. Zhang Yurou’s sudden departure had been seen through by Zhang Mingzhi, and Ding Li had no idea how she felt about it. Such matters were certainly not to be mentioned to Uncle Xiang.

“Alright, you should get back to your work,” Uncle Xiang said, swallowing hard before waving him off. Then he called him back. “By the way, A Li, I’m heading to Fuxu Town. Is there anything you want me to pass on to Shou Yi?”

“No, nothing,” Ding Li declined politely, sensing the subtext in Uncle Xiang’s question. He shook his head and shrugged lightly with a carefree smile. “Also, Uncle Xiang, please don’t mention these things to Zhang Erge. I can handle it myself.”

“Good! Good, boy!” Uncle Xiang stepped forward, giving Ding Li a heavy pat on the shoulder. His face suddenly grew serious as he whispered with weighty meaning, “Remember, don’t be reckless. If things get out of hand, don’t worry. The Cao and Tian families aren’t easy to bully!”

“Thank you, Uncle Xiang! I’ll remember!” Ding Li nodded firmly. With a clear plan forming in his mind, he set off briskly toward his new residence.

About fifty steps from the mansion gate, near an alley along the outer wall, a figure dressed all in black suddenly leapt out. Ding Li, lost in thought, jumped back in surprise. Looking closely, he recognized the black-cloaked figure from earlier that day when leaving the mansion. Curiosity flickered in his eyes.

“Brother Li, Uncle Xiang told me to follow you from now on!” The man’s arms were clearly prosthetic, but he still struggled to salute properly, his head bowed and eyes fixed on his shoes. Before Ding Li could respond, he continued introducing himself: “My name’s Zhang Hei, but everyone calls me Hei Zi. You can call me that too, Brother Li.”

“Hei Zi? Uncle Xiang wants you to follow me?” Ding Li chuckled, taking in the man’s appearance. True to his name, his face was dark as night, reminiscent of an African immigrant. Ding Li imagined how comical it would be if he wore white instead of black.

Noticing Ding Li’s raised eyebrows, Hei Zi quickly realized his mistake and hurriedly corrected himself, “No, no! Brother Li, you’ve got it wrong! I didn’t explain well. Uncle Xiang wants me to follow you—not like that! I mean, yes, that is…”

“Alright, no need to explain, I get it! Uncle Xiang wants you to assist me!” Ding Li was a bit frustrated by the assassin’s stammering and patted his forehead before waving his hand to excuse and clarify for him.

“Yes, yes, Brother Li’s right! That’s exactly it!” Hei Zi looked relieved, exhaling deeply and nodding eagerly. But as Ding Li started walking past him, Hei Zi quickly turned and hurried to catch up. “Brother Li, Uncle Xiang said you’re now the leader of the Nanhai Gang. Some matters aren’t suitable for you to handle directly. So, if there’s anything to be done, just tell me! Though my skills aren’t on your level, I’m more than capable against ordinary foes.”

“How confident are you against Cao Si of the Cao family?” Ding Li asked, intrigued, stopping to look at Hei Zi. He didn’t understand why Uncle Xiang cared so much for him, but he assumed it was for the Zhang Trading Company’s sake.

“Eighty percent,” Hei Zi answered steadily, clearly familiar with Cao Si.

“Oh?” Ding Li was surprised and pressed on, “What about Cao Chen? Or facing them both together?”

“Alone against Cao Chen, also eighty percent,” Hei Zi replied confidently. But then his expression darkened, and he glanced at Ding Li awkwardly, lowering his voice. “Brother Li, I mainly specialize in stealth and assassination. If I meet both of them together, I’d probably have to run.”

This caught Ding Li off guard, but he soon laughed heartily. He understood now why Hei Zi claimed eighty percent confidence—it was well within reason, considering Ding Li had fought alongside him.

“Hahaha! Besides that, what other skills do you have?” Ding Li asked, patting Hei Zi’s arm and pointing toward the mansion gate as they walked.

“Tracking and assassination—I’ve been trained in these since I was a child!” Hei Zi spoke candidly, which further assured Ding Li of his reliability. Otherwise, Uncle Xiang wouldn’t have assigned him to stay by his side. Whether or not this was partly for surveillance, Ding Li did not know.

“What about counter-tracking?” A sudden idea struck Ding Li, and he blurted it out. Hei Zi paused briefly, then Ding Li explained, “I mean, if someone’s following you, how confident are you you can shake them off?”

Ding Li pointed at his mansion with a light laugh and added, “Also, if someone’s secretly watching my residence, how confident are you in catching them?”

“Ninety percent!” Hei Zi answered without hesitation, his face serious. Then he frowned slightly and whispered, “But in front of you, Brother Li, I don’t dare boast. So I can only guarantee ninety percent.”

“Oh? And if someone else asked you?” Ding Li smiled, intrigued, sizing him up again.

“Ninety-nine or even a hundred percent!” Hei Zi met Ding Li’s gaze with unwavering conviction, leaving no room for doubt—even to Ding Li.

“Good! Hahaha! Let’s head back! I’ll assign you a big task soon!” Ding Li laughed deeply, his eyes shining with joy as he waved his hand toward the mansion gate and laughed out loud.