The unfinished building on West Street in Laredo.
Allen Zhang drove to the wasteland, parked the car, and Zorro looked at the scarred building, dilapidated and partly puzzled, "What are we doing here?"
Allen did not answer Zorro. Instead, he stared at the unfinished building overrun by weeds, a place where even birds wouldn’t poop -- more like a village within the city. The ground was littered with needles and cigarette butts, undeniably a suitable spot for clandestine dealings on a normal day.
He had Zorro get out of the car with him as Allen took out his phone. Following the daily intel, they walked down the slope and straight to a row of sewage pipes. No one was around, but they saw an abandoned sewage outlet patched up with iron sheets.
They could faintly hear shouting and banging from inside.
Zorro exclaid in surprise, "Is soone buried alive in there?"
With schadenfreude, he said, "Probably just so debtors who can’t pay back, or soone who has crossed the wrong people and had their life bought by others. If I were you, I’d definitely not ddle in others’ business."
"If I did as you suggested, you would’ve already died from excessive blood loss," Allen snorted.
"You’re right. I’m just too lucky! Thank God," Zorro said gratefully.
"Better to thank than God."
Allen confird this was the place and knocked on the iron sheet.
An excited voice ca through from inside, "Hey! Is anyone out there? Sir! Please save ! I’m trapped in here."
"Buddy, I’m coming to rescue you now. Do I need to call the police?"
"Call the police? No! Please, don’t call the police!" The other person imdiately beca panicked.
"Why?" asked Allen, "The right thing to do when in trouble is to dial 911."
"In fact, the reason I’m in this situation is that I offended a policeman. They had buried alive in here! I’m a stockbroker at a securities exchange. I recently recomnded a stock to a local client, which unexpectedly plumted by 40% in a single day, resulting in his losing over a hundred thousand US Dollars. Afterwards, he had soone trick into coming to Laredo, where the local gang extorted a sum of money from and then buried alive here. Please, help ! I’m begging you!" The stockbroker was on the verge of tears.
"You’ve offended a policeman?" Allen responded nonchalantly, "Then this is really bad. I don’t want to get involved. Let’s go."
"No! Please, I beg you to save ! If you can help leave this place, I will reward you handsoly! You just need to get to the airport in Central District! They must think I’m already dead by now. As long as I leave this city, it’s impossible for them to take revenge on ." The stockbroker pleaded.
"Okay, I’ll give it a try."
Allen ward up on the spot, perford so stretches, then side-kicked. The iron sheet trembled and caved in with a loud crash, and the screws snapped off, surrounded by dust.
Zorro gasped in awe at the kicked-open iron sheet.
He couldn’t help thinking that if such a kick landed on him, it would probably break several ribs.
Such honesty now.
Allen kicked again, and the iron sheet completely ruptured, creating an opening.
Taking a deep breath, he finished the job.
Allen beckoned Zorro to start clearing the debris, "Go on, move all this stuff away. Let our friend co out."
"Okay, you’re the boss. Your word is law." Zorro was thoroughly convinced and willingly began moving stones and bricks.
They quickly cleared the debris, and out ca a battered middle-aged white man, his suit tattered and glasses shattered.
As soon as he erged, he fell to his knees teary-eyed, "Thank God!"
Then he turned to Allen and Zorro, saying excitedly, "Thank you for saving ! Can you take to the airport in Central District? I’m afraid they will co back and hurt ! I just want to leave this place!"
"Get in the car," Allen gestured, aware that they shouldn’t stay too long, and led the man back to the Highlander.
"You’re a stockbroker? What kind of reward do you plan to give us?"
Zorro questioned, "If it’s just about losing money on stocks, the officer might hold a grudge against you, at most beat you up and make you pay back. You’ve already paid; why would they want to kill you?"
"Actually, there are so secrets I can’t reveal. After paying that money, those gangsters wanted to recomnd so stocks for them to manipulate the market and make money. I planned on helping them profit first, then have them sell off those stocks. Once they trusted , I would recomnd a high-positioned stock and crash it so they would be stuck and lose money, going bankrupt. I didn’t expect they had my phone tapped and directly uncovered my plan..."
The stockbroker continued with a pained expression, "They beat up viciously, then bricked in the drain. Thankfully, you passed by and saved ."
"Alright, you’re no saint yourself, even daring to profit off gangs," Zorro scoffed, "You’ve been too comfortable, willing to try anything, thinking you could cheat them of their money without fear of them shooting you in the back? Talking about the law here is pointless; you need enough strength to survive."
"I’ve only co to understand that now. This place is simply Sin City!!" The stockbroker shuddered in fear, "All I want is to leave here quickly. I still have a family."
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