Chapter Thirteen: The Circle

Chaos and clamor seem to have become an indispensable part of Raw Meat Town; if any night passes in quiet, it feels unnaturally strange. Tonight, the scramble for captives had only just begun, with Deep Blue Clinic, led by Xiangcai Hong, arriving first. Thanks to Zheng Nanfang’s self-surrender, they secured a crucial advantage.

Hoarse Manor followed closely, their timing perfectly aligned, giving neither side much room to breathe. Zheng Nanfang was captured without question, though his situation was still bearable—certainly not as miserable as Hu Bi’s.

The secrets Zheng Nanfang carried, and the hive information he possessed, made it impossible for the two infamous forces of the Lower District and the Wastelands to ignore him. The only difference was that Xiangcai Hong believed Hu Bi hadn’t deceived her, whereas Xiba Feng remained skeptical of Shaman’s claims, which was also why he hadn’t come to Raw Meat Town himself.

Xiangcai Hong had no desire to provoke Hoarse Manor, and Xiba Feng was equally unwilling to offend Deep Blue Clinic. Both factions had grown powerful in their own ways. Their leaders were no fools; cooperation and trade had far outweighed deadly combat in bygone days.

But this time, hive information was involved—like two lechers eyeing the same maiden, each wanting to be first, yet wary of a knife in the back from his peer. Such deadlock was awkward for all.

Yu Xiuzhu regretted taking on this task. The opposing leader was Deep Blue Clinic’s queen—no matter how the situation shifted, she had the initiative. As a mere representative, without immediate access to his boss’s counsel, Yu Xiuzhu knew that if things went awry, he’d be left holding the blame.

“Brother, should I go back and report first?” The young boy, his face mimicking an adult’s seriousness, spun a giant revolver around his finger, casting a sidelong glance at the Clinic’s faction across the way, showing not a hint of fear.

Yu Xiuzhu adjusted his glasses, uncertain. He hesitated, “It’s a long way there and back. Xiangcai Hong won’t give us so much time. Let me think.”

Shaman, their guide, suffered in silence. Zheng Nanfang kept staring at her; she’d seen that look before, and it made her deeply uneasy. She was tempted several times to return the invitation, but feared Zheng Nanfang might turn on her and dispose of her without mercy. Unable to reach a decision, she continued hiding behind the two brothers, playing meek.

The core figure of this whole affair was, at the moment, rather relaxed. The situation was unexpected, but clearly the best possible outcome. The two factions were wary of each other, yet their goals were aligned. From Zheng Nanfang’s perspective, collaboration was their only option. If they truly fought, he’d profit regardless.

“Hu, I’m really disappointed in you.” While the two giants negotiated, Zheng Nanfang, bored, slipped into the Red Bird to tease Hu Bi: “We barely know each other, why did you set me up?”

Hu Bi hadn’t yet recovered from the tranquilizer; he was listless, his wild beard dull and limp against his face. He sighed deeply, “Should’ve checked the almanac before leaving home—pure bad luck.”

Zheng Nanfang’s impression of Hu Bi remained positive, all things considered; though he’d been betrayed, he didn’t hold much anger—just a growing curiosity.

“You told that woman I knew about the hive?”

Hu Bi nodded.

“She caught you for what reason? Do you two have a history, or something else?”

Hu Bi leaned against the window, watching Xiangcai Hong gesturing grandly and sparring verbally with Hoarse Manor’s people. After a long silence, he sighed, “We knew each other before.”

“So after all you’ve put me through, you’re just going to fob me off with those four words?” Zheng Nanfang lit a cigarette and stuck it in Hu Bi’s mouth, “You know why Hoarse Manor’s people came here? Shaman brought them. After you were taken, she slipped away, then went to Hoarse Manor and sold me out too—same reason, the hive.”

Hu Bi took a drag, turned to Zheng Nanfang with a sheepish look, and admitted, “Actually... I didn’t sell the hive information…”

“Hm?”

Hu Bi grinned awkwardly, “I know of a hive, and could have fooled Xiangcai Hong with it… but what I told her was that you knew about the Ring Island.”

“…”

---

Seeing Zheng Nanfang’s face darken, Hu Bi hurried to explain, “I just said whatever came to mind—the situation was urgent, I had no choice, brother. Besides, I didn’t really expect you to take her to Ring Island. I just wanted to stall for time and figure a way out.”

“Did you find a way?”

“Not yet…”

Zheng Nanfang barely resisted the urge to stab him, gritting his teeth and cursing inwardly: “I’m the one who should’ve checked the almanac—crossed a thousand miles safely, only to fall into your and Shaman’s hands.”

Hu Bi was equally helpless. He asked, “But how did you know Shaman betrayed you? Didn’t you say she slipped away?”

“I have my ways.” Zheng Nanfang shot him a glare.

Hu Bi seized the opportunity, “Then think of another way—solve our current problem.”

“Forget it. I know how to deal with my own problems. Yours have nothing to do with me.”

“Aren’t we partners? Didn’t we agree to compete together?”

“Partner, my ass. Three in a team, two betray me, and I still smile at you both?”

Hu Bi, knowing he was in the wrong, didn’t dare argue. Right now, Zheng Nanfang was his only hope; as long as they could escape, getting cursed a bit was fair.

“Brother, I owe you for this one. We’ll settle it privately later.” Hu Bi pointed outside, “Internal problems are solvable. But those two factions out there, they chew people to the bone. Dealing with them never ends well.”

“What do you think I should do?” Zheng Nanfang shot him a look, sarcastic, “Kill them all?”

“Don’t you have lots of friends?” Hu Bi, grasping at straws, remembered Zheng Nanfang’s strange behavior, probing, “Can’t you call your friends to bail us out?”

“Distant friends can’t quench immediate thirst.” Zheng Nanfang shook his head. “I’ll be honest with you—it’s damned coincidental, but I just got word of a hive today. If Xiangcai Hong and Hoarse Manor strike a deal, I intend to take them there.”

Hu Bi was stunned, his eyes nearly popping out. The hive, which most only knew by rumor, was as common as cabbage for this kid—just reach out and there it was?

“You’re not a member of RCA, are you?” Hu Bi’s gaze grew stranger.

Zheng Nanfang kept watching the scene outside, then shook his head, “No.”

Hu Bi’s suspicion only deepened, “You really know about RCA?”

Zheng Nanfang replied, baffled, “Wasn’t that what you asked me?”

“Kid, how many secrets do you have?”

“Plenty.” Zheng Nanfang replied smugly, “But I’m not telling you. Your mouth runs too loose, and you’re unreliable.”

Hu Bi, stumped, couldn’t tell if Zheng Nanfang was lying or not. He set his questions aside, focusing on the present, “Where’s this hive you mentioned?”

“Domed Fishery.”

Hu Bi paused, then realized with excitement, “Brilliant! Lead both factions there, let all three fight like dogs, and we slip away in the chaos!”

Zheng Nanfang nodded and then shook his head, uncertainty clouding his face, “That was the initial plan, but now I’m not sure it’s the right thing to do.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know… I have a bad feeling.”

---

Negotiations in Raw Meat Town continued. Whether for the three parties involved or the watching racers, tonight would be sleepless.

Local residents and competitors enjoyed the spectacle; as long as their interests weren’t harmed, the more chaos the better—seeing two notorious factions clash was worth the trip.

In a three-story building in town, figures appeared at a window. A man and a woman stood on the balcony, quietly observing the commotion at the ramp.

They were cloaked in darkness, their features distinguishable only by silhouette. The woman’s figure was graceful, a cigarette dangling from her lips; the man was silent, like an inert statue.

“Should we warn them?” the woman asked.

The man shook his head, “It’s much more complicated than I imagined.”

“But the process is the same,” she said.

“Not yet certain,” he replied.

“So we do nothing?” she asked.

“To be honest, I don’t know what to do… Open the loop or close the loop… Can you decide?”

She exhaled smoke, flicked her cigarette off the balcony, watching the ember arc through the night until it vanished.

He continued, “Neither of us can predict where either outcome leads. We don’t even know where the starting point is…” He paused, surveying the familiar tumult, so little different from every night before. “So, let it continue. Change will come.”

“I’ll follow your lead.” She nodded, linking arms and leading him inside, “Time for your medicine.”

The room was pitch-black; neither seemed inclined to turn on the light. Each took their medicine and sat together in the darkness, waiting for time to pass.

After a long while, there was movement at the ramp. The woman rose, went to the balcony, and raised her binoculars. After a moment, she called back, “They’ve reached an agreement.”

The man came out, took the binoculars, and looked—at the ramp, the blockade had been lifted. Red Bird and Viper led the way, side by side; seven ambulances followed; a container truck brought up the rear.

A mighty convoy, brimming with menace.

Soon after the three groups departed, another team of desert off-roaders left, heading in the same direction.

…

“What about us? Just wait here?” the woman asked.

The man closed his eyes in thought, then murmured, “What’s the first thought that comes to your mind?”

“Hm?”

“No consideration for causes, effects, or any other factor,” he said, eyes opening, fixed on the distant, fading taillights. “How would you choose?”

She pondered, then turned toward the stairs, “I’ll wait for you in the car.”