168 Fearless (2/2)
”What clothes should I change?” I'm a little confused. Looking at myself, I'm not dirty.
”Change into Tang suit.” Tiger smiles and says, ”Oh, I almost forgot. You haven't yet. I'll give you a suit of my own first. You should be able to wear mine as well.”
He smiles at me and then leads me to his room to pick up a dress.
Tiger has always had a room in our dormitory building. Although he seldom lives here, but Tiger is almost the number two person here. So no one will replace his room even if it's empty.
His room is exactly the same size as us. It's just a little less furniture. Opening an old-fashioned wardrobe, he takes out a black Tang suit and gives it to me. He compares it with my figure and smiles, ”Just wear this.”
It's an old dress. Tiger's eyes are filled with emotion: ”I used to wear it many years ago. I remember when we were negotiating with the local gangs that time, we all wore Tang suits. Now we seldom wear it.”
My mind is flashing. Negotiationg with local gangs? Tang suit?
Is Papa 8 asking me to wear Tang suit today is going to take me to meet the local gangs?
After changing the clothes, Tiger takes me to Papa 8's office. Nobody can enter this office on weekdays. I've been here for several months, and I've only been there two or three times. This office is on the second floor of the garage. Downstairs is the garage site. This is undoubtedly a very humble place, but there are many advantages, such as not afraid of being eavesdropped and peeped!
Pushing the door in, I see that the light inside is somewhat dim and the headlight is not on. There is a long table in the office. To my surprise, this table is not made of wood, but of metal. I look carefully before I recognize that it is temporary use of a cutting and welding table.
On both sides of this temporary long table, many chairs have been set aside and many people have been seated. There are very old and white-haired men, there are young and strong men, there are who look kind-looking, there are who look fierce, at a glance is not a good person.
Papa 8 is sitting on the chairman's seat. His left hand of lacked two fingers habitually taps on the arm of the chair lightly.
My eyes are narrowing immediately. Because I've mastered some of Papa 8's habits. His finger-tapping usually takes place only when he has problems in his mind and needs to think over, or when he is very angry.
Now, though his face is calm, there are the chills in his eyes.
”Little 5, come here.” Papa 8 speaks to me faintly, and his voice is very calm. When I stand behind him, Tiger has left the room.
”This is Little 5. Now he's my assistant.” Papa 8 says lightly: ”In the future, many things will let him to deal with, so things today we are talking about, I think it is necessary for him to listen.”
I notice that most of the people here look at me with some disdain. Maybe I'm too young. These old guys disapprove of me and look down on me.
”Little 5, you first give these bosses a salute.” Papa 8 says lightly, ”All of them here are the leaders of Vancouver's local gangs.”
I don't say anything and salute everyone here as a junior person. These people are the leaders of the local gangs that fought us like hell previously. Sand Snake, who I killed, should have been one of these people.
”It's almost such a thing.” Papa 8 sighs, then picks up a cup in front of him and takes a slight sip, moistens his voice and keeps saying, ”Now we can sit down and neotiate, I think it's good. Everyone knows the situation this year. Hell Angels are now out of stock and have to find someone to work with. I know, we all have supply, but Hell Angels will only choose one partner! Now that we can all agree, we will work together to get the Vietnamese out first! We'll deal with Hell Angels. How much benefit we get, we'll give 30% to all of you here! Meanwhile, if you have any good source of goods, just contribute, rich everyone earns!”
I just stand behind Papa 8 and listen. In my position, I can only listen. There is no place for me to speak. I've come to understand that Papa 8 is going to make a piece with these local gangs, and today they are invited to negotiate.
These local gangs fought so many times with us these days, and many of their men died. Now most of them must be tired and afraid.
Moreover, although they have much more people than us, but they are far less united than we are! During this period of time, none of them is willing to bear more losses, once things happen, they only consider their own small group interests. That's why they couldn't win us all the time.
Papa 8's strategy is simple. First, make peace with the local gangs, and then work together to get the Vietnamese out of the game.
The cooperation between the local gangs and Vietnamese did not benefit much. There are many people with resentment, which just give us a chance to win over.
Although we have always been in conflict with these local gangs, cooperation with Hell Angels is the most important thing. Other disputes will involve our hind legs! Papa 8's idea is that Hell Angel's cake is big. To a certain extent, we can concede some benefits in exchange for peace for a period of time.
For Papa 8, the cooperation with Hell Angels is the biggest opportunity for us to move closer to the mainstream and transform ourselves! On this premise, some small concessions are acceptable.
The negotiation is going well. My malicious guess is that these guys have been scared by us for a while, and now they are easier to communicate.
But I also notice that there's a person opposite who seems to have been fighting against Papa 8 in words. Most of the chill in Papa 8's eyes comes from this.
”It's basically like this. Let's lay down our guns and knives in the future and be a family, share the big cake together. It's much better to make money together than to fight and kill!” Papa 8's finger knock on the desktop: ”I've finished, don't you have any comments?”
The others are silent for a moment.
”Papa 8!” The guy who has been targeting Papa 8 speaks.
This is a stout fellow with a thick neck and wide shoulders. The clothes on his body seem to be tied tightly. His head is short and the face is square. But his chin is slightly raising and looks unruly. More importantly, he stares at Papa 8 with hatred in his eyes.
I notice that the bridge of his nose collapsed. If I guess it correctly, his nasal bridge bone was removed during the operation!
I also notice his hand. His hands are on the table. They are big and thick. His knuckles are thick too, but his fingers are short. What's more, his middle index finger and ring finger are much shorter than the average person, and they all seem to be the same length. From the hard cocoon on his hand, I can see that this guy is very tough on fighting!
He says coldly, ”If you want to fight then fight, you want to negotiate then negotiate. So that the blood of our brothers all shed in vain?”
Papa 8 looks at him coldly and says, ”Yes, just take it as shed in vain.”
The man is standing up at once slapping his palm on the table. The metal welding table is shaken by him! My heart is shocked, this man's hand strength is really big!
”Shed in vain?” He grins with grimly face, then looks around and says, ”The elders are here! As a matter of fact, this is a way to make a fortune, and I shouldn't stand in the way of everyone's fortune! But they killed so many of us before. Now that they want to negotiate, we have to sit down and negotiate with them. Where do we put our faces?!” He grits his teeth and says in hate, ”Okay! Even if you can bear it, but I can't bear it. My brother was killed in his own woman's house! He had his throat cut off! I only have this one brother! Now you let me accept my brother's death is in vain? There's not such easy thing for me!”
When I hear this, my heart is beating hard! Had his throat cut off?
I squint and stare at the man in secret.
Papa 8 looks at him coldly and says slowly, ”There are casualties on both sides, not only your brother, but also our brothers! We are sitting down for business today. If you want to get revenge, just go to us alone!”
The fellow deliberately laughs a few times and stares at Papa 8 fiercely: ”8 fingers, don't pick on things! I'm not trying to cut off all of our fortune! But you are too bullying! You want to fight then fight, you want to negotiate then negotiate, and you get most of the benefits. Where the hell do you put us?”
Papa 8 gives two faint laughs: ”So what are you thinking? What do you want?”
”Compensate for my brother's life!” The fellow frowns and looks at Papa 8 with a murderous face. ”I don't want anything else! I want the compensation of my brother Sand Snake's death! Whoever killed my brother, I must take his life! I don't care about the money! I don't want my share either. I send it all to you all! But the bastard who killed my brother, his life, I want it!”
Sand Snake?
The muscles in the corners of my eyes jump! Sure enough! He's Sand Snake's brother!
Papa 8 smiles, and his smile is chilly: ”Who are you take me as? You want me to send my brother up for you to kill? You are too naive?”
”Let me fight him then! Gamble life! If I'm unlucky, I'll admit it if he kills me! Everyone gambles on their own lives to fight, live or death listen to the fate!” He has a grim smile on his face: ”Don't tell me that all of you are cowards.”
The muscles in Papa 8's eye corners are beating, and I know he is really angry now.
I immediately put my hand on his shoulder and gently press, then slowly step forward and look at the fellow with a provocative eye: ”What's your name?”
”Boy, remember, I'm Sand Tiger! Where the fuck did you come out? Haven't you heard of my name?”
I nod and just stare at him, ”Okay! Sand Tiger, I'll fight with you! live or death listen to the fate!”
”You? Whereby are you fighting with me?” Sand Tiger stares at me mockingly.
”By what?” I clench my fist, raise a thumb, pointing at myself, look at him with my chin up, and say coldly, ”By I cut Sand Snake's throat with my knife!”