Chapter Twelve: Arson

“Catching a turtle in a jar? Ha!” Ding Li smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping over Lai Wu and the confidants at his side as if by accident. At last, the corner of his eye flicked toward a wooden pillar about six or seven meters to his right. Then his tone shifted, and with a meaningful look at Lai Wu, he asked in return, “Master Lai Wu, have you ever heard the saying, ‘shut the door to beat the dog’?”

Lai Wu was taken aback, but quickly caught on. He didn’t believe for a second that Ding Li was cursing him outright, yet it was obvious that the “dog” referred to Lai Wu himself. His face darkened instantly, and his furious eyes flashed with menace. In the flickering firelight, his wide, ferocious mouth stretched into a snarl as he roared, “You blind, mangy cur! Still playing games with your tongue? If you know what’s good for you, tell me where Liu Fu is hiding, then kneel and kowtow three times. Maybe, if I’m in a good mood, I’ll spare your life!”

At this, Ding Li paused for a moment before realizing that the Liu Fu the other man mentioned was the owner of the two ships seized by the authorities at the dock that morning. The news had little to do with Ding Li, but it cheered him all the same. It seemed Liu Fu hadn’t been captured by Lai Wu’s people after all—perhaps he had truly escaped. After all, there was no evidence at the scene to suggest Liu Fu had been taken by Lai Wu or Master Liu.

The thought made Ding Li chuckle to himself, but outwardly he looked at Lai Wu with a serious expression and countered, “Master Lai Wu, that’s not fair. Liu Fu’s business is his own. You can’t force it onto me. I don’t even know this Liu Fu you speak of!”

Lai Wu flew into a rage. To him, this was nothing but a poor attempt at denial. He jabbed a finger at Ding Li, voice thick with threat: “Ding Li! Don’t be stubborn! My men have already made inquiries near Liu Fu’s place. The man described fits you—no one else! I’m warning you, be smart about this, or you won’t be leaving here alive, and neither will any of your brothers!”

“So, Master Lai Wu is not interested in Liu Fu’s whereabouts after all?” Ding Li chuckled lightly, utterly unmoved by the threats. Strolling a few steps in place, he tilted his head, smiling amiably as if offering a reminder: “Master Lai Wu, the way you’re speaking doesn’t sound like a negotiation at all. I’m a timid man—raise your voice and I tend to forget things. A pity!”

He even theatrically patted his forehead and ruffled his hair, sighing in mock exasperation. Inside, though, Ding Li was certain Lai Wu wouldn’t dare make a move just yet. Ding Li already knew much about the rivalry between the two main factions at the dock, and Lai Wu’s reaction only confirmed that Liu Fu played a critical role in the matter.

“You!” Lai Wu was left frustrated, feeling as if he’d punched into cotton—his threats only turned back on himself. Though seething with anger, he forced himself to take a deep breath and speak with forced patience: “Fine, Brother Li, let’s talk this through. As long as you hand over Liu Fu, everything else can be settled.”

“Is that so? Then why don’t you kneel and kowtow to me three times first?” Ding Li blurted out, his smile warm but laced with open mockery. Just as Lai Wu’s eyes widened in fury and he was about to explode, Ding Li waved his hand and said with a laugh, “Just joking, Master Lai Wu. Don’t take it so seriously! Now, as for Liu Fu’s whereabouts…”

He raised his head deliberately, pausing mid-sentence, which nearly drove Lai Wu mad with impatience. Seeing Ding Li deliberately leading him in circles, Lai Wu, though angry, had no choice but to lower himself for the sake of greater things. Leaning forward, he squeezed out a smile uglier than a grimace and pleaded in a low voice, “Brother Li, where is Liu Fu? Just tell me, and anything else is negotiable. Whatever you want—endless riches, mansions, beautiful women—anything you desire!”

“Master Lai Wu, you are truly generous.” Ding Li nodded in satisfaction, then turned to scan the faces in the room. In a flash, his expression turned disdainful, and he sneered, “Tell me, Master Lai Wu, is there a single man here who enjoys endless riches and countless beauties? These men have followed you loyally, risking their lives by your side, yet what have you given them? The waste of a single day for you is more than what all of them earn in a day, isn’t it?”

Before he had even finished, the room fell into uneasy silence. The men on the stairs exchanged uneasy glances, some whispering among themselves. Even the so-called loyal confidants by Lai Wu’s side were visibly moved by Ding Li’s words.

Those words had struck a nerve. Lai Wu was notorious for his arrogance and stinginess. Backed by Master Liu of the Chaozhou gang, he controlled much of the docklands and lived in great wealth. But his followers were pitifully poor—his two chief aides, the South Fist and the North Leg, didn’t even have a place to call their own in Guangzhou. Lai Wu had convinced them that, for safety’s sake, they should live in his estate’s outer courtyard.

If even his closest aides were treated thus, the fate of ordinary thugs and guards was worse. Outwardly, following Lai Wu looked impressive, but in truth, they were objects of scorn. Most had barely enough to support their families, earning less than the dock laborers who relied on their own strength.

“You—you! Stop twisting words! Don’t try to change the subject!” Lai Wu could sense the shift in the room’s atmosphere but dared not order an attack before Ding Li revealed Liu Fu’s whereabouts. His eyes burned with murderous intent, but he forced himself to keep his anger in check, frowning and pressing on: “This is between me and my brothers! No need for your nonsense! Just tell me where Liu Fu is, and I’ll keep my word!”

Even as he spoke, Lai Wu nervously glanced around, wary of any disturbance. But Ding Li had no intention of giving in, instead shaking his head as if in regret, casting a long and meaningful look at the conflicted faces around him before sighing, “Master Lai Wu, it’s not that I refuse to say, but your actions make it impossible for me to trust you! Look at the brothers behind you—some have followed you for three or five years and still have nothing! As for me, I’ve only met you twice, and we have a deep grudge between us. How can I believe you’ll reward me so handsomely?”

“No, no!” Lai Wu quickly put on a fawning smile, waving his hands in an attempt to ingratiate himself. “Brother Li, you do jest—what grudge could there be between us? We’re just men who got to know each other through a few scuffles, isn’t that so? Ha!”

“Is that so? You bear no grudge for that kick I gave you?” Ding Li asked with a faint smile.

“A fight’s a fight! Who doesn’t get a few bruises?” Lai Wu forced a laugh, but suddenly a flash of panic crossed his mind. Fearing Ding Li would mention the now-dead South Fist and North Leg, he hurriedly steered the conversation back. “Brother Li, let’s not talk about anything else. All past matters are wiped clean. Just tell me where Liu Fu is, and I’ll keep my promise!”

Ding Li now had Lai Wu exactly where he wanted him. Lai Wu was clearly anxious—Liu Fu’s whereabouts were not just a matter of a routine smuggling case under the Cao family’s trading firm, but involved the higher echelons: the Maritime Commissioner and the Inspector. If they failed to silence Liu Fu and he fell into the hands of the Zhang family’s trading firm or the military authorities, their own master might be pressured both politically and militarily.

More crucially, the ships Liu Fu had used for smuggling had docked in Lai Wu’s territory. If something went wrong because Liu Fu wasn’t dealt with, Lai Wu knew he’d be the first to pay the price—and there’d be no escape.

By now, Lai Wu and his thugs had let their guard down, and Ding Li found his freedom of movement greatly increased. He strolled over to a supporting pillar, leaned casually against it, and plucked a torch from where it hung. With an air of indifference, as if recounting someone else’s troubles, he said, “Wiped clean? Lai Wu, do you remember what I told you?”

“Hm? What did you say?” Though Ding Li seemed calm, Lai Wu’s seasoned instincts sensed the killing intent radiating from him. Unconsciously, he edged back a step but pressed on, hoping to bring the conversation back: “Brother Li, enough talk—let’s discuss Liu Fu.”

A cold, sharp laugh escaped Ding Li. Suddenly his eyes hardened, his face as cold as ice, and flames seemed to blaze in his dark gaze as he shouted, “I told you—the next one is you, Lai Wu! And for the record, I have no idea who Liu Fu is!”

As he finished, Ding Li’s wrist flicked and the torch flew like an arrow straight at Lai Wu. The pitch-soaked flames traced a sinuous line through the air, a savage dragon of fire opening its jaws as if to swallow Lai Wu whole.

In panic, Lai Wu—though on his guard—failed to anticipate Ding Li’s sudden attack. He ducked desperately as a wave of blistering heat swept past him. But his confidant behind him was not so lucky. Just as he saw Lai Wu move, a fire dragon came hurtling toward him. In horror, he raised his arms to shield himself, but the pitch stuck to his sleeves and chest and burst into flames. With a cry, he flung himself at his companions in a wild attempt to escape.

“Cut him down! Kill him! Chop him to pieces!” Lai Wu, scrambling to his feet in a panic, shouted at the top of his lungs. But Ding Li was nowhere to be seen.

There was a faint whoosh as Ding Li, having snatched up two more torches, flung them into the piles of crates and sacks on either side. The dry wood caught instantly, and two blazes sprang up, each more than half a meter high, spreading rapidly through the room.

“Useless! All of you, useless! Stop him!” Lai Wu finally spotted the agile figure darting like a cunning hare through the chaos. Drawing his saber, he pointed and bellowed orders, but when he saw the fires raging inside the building, his anxiety deepened. The goods stored here were certainly valuable—he could not afford to lose such a haul. Flailing his arms, he cursed his men furiously, “Put out the fire! Hurry, put out the fire!”