Chapter 73: Choice (Part 2) I
The sky was already brightening by the ti Xiaohong got up and walked into the kiosk.
Under the dim light, he picked up the bag of money Xiaohuang had prepared.
He moved it into the front seat of his car with much effort before walking over to the pumping station and pulling out two fuel guns.
He stretched them to the maximum and got as close to the room as possible.
He started spraying the fuel onto the ground and did not stop until the guns ran out.
He dropped the guns, a big pool of oil spreading across all corners of the gas station.
The thick fuel sll made him cough. He returned to his car and drove about ten ters away.
He turned on the cigarette lighter in the car.
A ding broke the peace.
He wound down the window and threw it toward the gas station.
A few seconds later, all he saw was rising flas.
He drove away.
...
Three years later in a bar.
“Isn’t the weather getting colder?” a custor comnted after taking a shot of vodka.
“Yeah, winters are getting increasingly unbearable,” the barman sighed, the breath he exhaled showing up in a puff of mist.
“Aren’t you going to drink? It’s such a cold day!” The custor pushed his empty shot glass toward the barman.
“Nah, I’m at work. I’ll get in trouble with the boss for getting drunk and ssing up the accounts,” he declined. He took out an opened bottle of vodka from a small fridge under the counter, swirled it a little before refilling his custor’s glass.
A man in a leather jacket entered the bar.
“A custor? How rare. A new one at that...” the barman smiled as he looked up, only to fall silent the next instant.
“What? Is that your boss? Why have you gone mute?” the custor asked before turning around.
The barman’s silence was due to the black head mask the man in the leather jacket was wearing.
The man took out a shotgun from his back pocket and aid it at the custor.
Before the custor could process what was going on, a loud bang echoed.
The barman noticed that the shotgun was specially made.
The front part consisted of a series of black mbranes. When the trigger was pulled, a black net shot out.
The custor’s face had been wrapped around by at least three black net layers.
And just as he was about to reach up and remove them, the newcor pounced.
The man held the custor down onto the ground and held his gun above the custor’s neck.
He used his legs to spread open the custor’s hands, putting him in a deadlock.
“Know the tooth fairy?” he asked, using his right hand to cover the custor’s face.
The custor remained motionless and silent.
The newcor pointed his fore and middle fingers at the custor’s eyes.
“Know the tooth fairy?” he tried again.
“Yes,” the custor answered.
The barman smashed the vodka bottle he was holding onto and the alcohol splashed all over himself.
Using the sharp edges, he aid the bottle at the man in the leather jacket, getting ready to attack.
Before the barman could make a move against him, the man in the leather jacket gave him an intense look and he felt his body losing strength. He collapsed behind the counter.
The alcohol over his body disappeared and he was unable to move. It felt like blood wasn’t circulating within his body. He could only maintain bare consciousness and breaths.
“When did you et him and where?” the newcor asked.
“Will you let go if I answer?” the custor asked with a shaky voice.
“I’ve let many people go, but even more people suffered because of my impatience,” he stated dully.
“I can’t rember the date but it was about 20 years ago when I was still a kid. The northern region, Kangning road. The tooth fairy gave the power to make liquid disappear,” the custor shouted.
“Have you used it to kill anybody?”
“No, never ever,” the custor answered confidently.
The man in the leather jacket poked his fingers through the black net and blood started pouring out as the custor screeched.
“It hurts, doesn’t it? But at least you’re still alive. Bla it on the tooth fairy if you have to. He gave not only you but all of us a lasting nightmare.” He loosened his hands and kept his shotgun.
He took out a brochure and a pen from his pocket.
On the map, he drew a circle on Kangning road and added a horizontal line on the next page.
He looked at his glove. The fresh blood that had just been on it monts ago was now gone.
The man in the leather jacket left the bar and returned to his sports car.
He removed his mask and threw it onto the passenger seat along with the brochure.
Xiaohong drove toward a distant place.
The brochure left on the seat contained a map of the whole northern region.
Red circles covered the map and there were a total of 25 strikes on the next page.
Below the strikes were ti and dates.
While the tis were more or less different, the dates remained constant.
Xiaohong was very certain that it was that very day that he had t the tooth fairy as well.
He drove through the street where he ca from, made a turn, and stopped his car.
He sighed before taking out his mobile and making a call.
“Any more leads?” he asked upon connecting.
“No more. I’ll call you if there’s any, so don’t be impatient. You have to give ti,” the voice on the other end replied.
“I gave you so much money. Why have you only found these few people?”
“The information you provided was clear – the ability to make liquid disappear – but this isn’t sothing they would display for no reason, is it? I do, however, have so trails involving the person you’re searching for specifically.”
“You found the tooth fairy?” Xiaohong’s voice was evidently livelier at this point.
“How can I possibly find sothing out of a fairy tale?” the voice asked, frustrated.
“Who then?” Xiaohong sounded helpless.
“You ntioned sothing about the deputy mayor. If not for him, your friends might still be alive. Rember?”
“Deputy mayor? You found him?”
“He’s not living the life everyone thinks he is. He’s dirt broke and living as an elentary school teacher in a slum area.
“That scum, a teacher? Send whatever information you have.”
“I can do that but stop chasing for a month. I treat you as a friend so don’t threaten with your superpower,” the voice said nervously.
“Haven’t I given you enough money?” Xiaohong asked faintly.
“No, you gave too much. Much more than what I can offer you, but you must understand that this is really a challenging task.”
“I know. You’re doing a great job – I just need more. Who knows how many more of these people there are,” Xiaohong said.
“There might not be any left, you know. I haven’t found any leads in four months. 25 sounds like a good number. Could that be it?”
“Continue searching. You said the sa thing when you reached 20 numbers. I’ll find you tomorrow. Prepare an overcoat for . The weather’s really turning colder day by day.”
Xiaohong hung up.
A ssage ca in shortly after.
It was the address of the slum area in Sanshui district with a remark at the bottom: He will be preparing lesson plans at ho from seven p.m. onward.
Xiaohong put his phone down and started driving toward his destination.
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