C8 Blood Tiger

Tang Xiaomin was momentarily taken aback before she looked at Liu Hsing with a hint of astonishment. Information about a Nail Case, which could potentially delay the construction schedule, was typically kept under wraps, yet Liu Hsing was aware of it.

"I have to admire your knack for gathering client information. Indeed, the Nail Case today resulted in injuries to several of our workers."

"What? How did it come to blows?"

Liu Hsing was somewhat taken aback. Nail Cases usually fell into two categories: those who wanted more money and those with special circumstances. He had often heard of developers hiring thugs to engage in underhanded tactics to drive out Nail Cases. But it was the first time he'd heard of a Nail Case attacking the developer's personnel.

"The individual in question has a complicated background. He's a former special forces soldier whose parents died from gas poisoning. That apartment is his sole attachment to this place, and no amount of money will convince him to move. When our workers tried to reason with him, they were met with violence. His unique status complicates matters; calling the police might not be effective unless he chooses to leave voluntarily. Yet, there's been no indication of that, and he hasn't left his home in nearly half a month."

Tang Xiaomin sighed and massaged her temples with her delicate hands.

"The foundation work has begun elsewhere, and if this issue isn't resolved soon, it's likely to cause delays."

Liu Hsing absorbed the information Tang Xiaomin provided, pondering for a moment before responding.

"I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to handle your business. Let me have a go at resolving this. If I succeed, consider it my way of thanking you. If not, we'll have to explore other options."

Observing Liu Hsing's earnest demeanor, Tang Xiaomin felt a strange sensation in her heart, her cheeks flushing slightly, though she managed to conceal it well.

"But he's a special forces soldier, skilled in combat. I worry about you..."

Tang Xiaomin gestured towards Liu Hsing's prominent cheekbone, her concern evident.

"Don't worry. I won't provoke him, so he shouldn't have any reason to strike me. Just let the site manager know I'll be heading over shortly."

"Alright, take down my phone number. If you run into any issues, get in touch with me right away. I'm going to call the foreman now."

After exchanging phone numbers, Liu Hsing and Tang Xiaomin left the sales office.

Instead of heading directly to the construction site, Liu Hsing made his way to a nearby small market. With the only 300 yuan he had, he purchased two bottles of beef liquor, some peanuts, assorted side dishes, soy sauce beef, a few stir-fried dishes, and rice.

Carrying a hefty load, Liu Hsing arrived at the construction site.

Upon entering, he was approached by a middle-aged man wearing a hard hat.

"Are you Liu Hsing, the one Director Tang mentioned?"

"Yes, are you the supervisor here?"

The middle-aged man gave Liu Hsing a once-over and nodded.

"Do you really have a way to get him to move out?"

Liu Hsing just shrugged and replied with a smile.

"I'm not certain, but it's worth a shot."

Without further comment, the middle-aged man led Liu Hsing to the holdout's dwelling. It stood out starkly on the construction site; while the surrounding area had been flattened and foundations were being laid, this house remained an anomaly, perched atop a mound of earth seven or eight meters high.

Liu Hsing rode the lift to the house's entrance. The bungalow was tiny, lacking even a yard. He took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The interior was pitch-black, a clear sign that the utilities had been disconnected. The space was bare-bones, lacking even a television. There was just a bed, a table, and a young man in black sportswear sitting on the bed, surrounded by mineral water bottles and compressed biscuit wrappers.

It seemed likely that the developer had provided the water and biscuits.

The young man didn't appear particularly robust, looking no different from the average person, which caught Liu Hsing off guard. He had expected a special forces soldier to be brimming with muscle.

"I'm tired of talking. Leave now, or I'll throw you out myself."

Before Liu Hsing could respond, the young man's raspy voice cut through the silence.

Liu Hsing just smiled, walked over to the table, and sat down across from the young man.

"Look up at me, I'm not with the developers," Liu Hsing said.

The young man glanced up, noting that Liu Hsing wasn't dressed like a worker. His gaze then drifted to the assortment of food on the table, and he couldn't help but swallow hard.

Liu Hsing noticed this and quickly set up the food, opening two bottles of Baijiu. He handed one to the young man.

"Have something to eat. Living on compressed biscuits every day isn't the way to go."

The young man didn't respond to Liu Hsing, instead grabbing the bottle and taking a hefty swig.

Liu Hsing wasn't bothered. He passed a pair of chopsticks to the young man and started eating.

"You're young. Why did you retire already?"

The young man remained silent, slowly lifting his head.

Liu Hsing paused, taken aback by the scar stretching over an inch long across the young man's otherwise handsome face, resting near his left eye.

"On my last mission, I was hit by shrapnel. The doctor said it would affect my vision. As a sniper, that meant an early retirement for me."

Maybe it was the alcohol, but the man seemed less guarded around Liu Hsing.

Liu Hsing nodded, exhaling deeply.

"It looks like we're cut from the same cloth."

"We are? What kind?" the young man asked.

"The unfortunate kind! Come on, take a drink."

Liu Hsing raised his bottle, clinking it against the young man's, and took a generous gulp.

"They told me you've lost someone close to you, but I'm no stranger to loss myself. My father died in a car crash before I was even born. Honestly, I don't even know what he looked like. We were so poor back then; all we had was a blurry wedding photo."

Liu Hsing pulled out a White Shark cigarette, lit it, and tossed the pack and lighter next to the young man.

"My mom didn't remarry to spare me hardship. She raised me alone, taking odd jobs, washing and mending clothes for the villagers. She struggled to bring me up for twenty-two years. My mom is incredible, but all those years of toil took their toll, and she became bedridden shortly after I graduated from college."

Liu Hsing drew in a long drag from his cigarette, his eyes beginning to redden.

"I just don't have the funds to get my mom the treatment she needs. My meager salary barely covers the bare minimum for her nutritional supplements and hospital bills. Do you think I'm a bad son? A failure?"

The young man simply gazed at Liu Hsing, wordless, then reached for the wine bottle and gave Liu Hsing's glass a gentle tap.

After a fiery gulp of the potent liquor, Liu Hsing belched and, seeing the young man light up a cigarette, cracked a smile.

"I'm Liu Hsing, twenty-two this year. And you are?"

"Kin Hu, twenty-one."

"Kin Hu? That's a powerful name. You should eat something; living on compressed biscuits will dull your taste buds."

Moved by Liu Hsing's story, Kin Hu didn't hesitate to grab the chopsticks and start on the appetizers.

"How long since you left the service? Didn't the military offer you a job?"

"I passed on the job offer. Took a cash settlement of 200,000 yuan instead. It's been a month since I got out."

"Really? So, what are your plans for the money? Ever thought about starting a small business?"

"All of it went to purchasing gravesites for my parents."

Kin Hu's response was matter-of-fact, but Liu Hsing was taken aback.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Where are your parents' graves?"

"On the outskirts, near the outer ring, close to Liu Family Village."

"Liu Family Village?"

It struck Liu Hsing as a strange coincidence; his own home was in Liu Family Village, and there was a cemetery nearby. But he knew that cemetery was unmanaged—how could it possibly cost 200,000 yuan?

"Who sold you the gravesite?"

"I was told it was the son of the Liu Family Village headman. Why do you ask?"

Liu Hsing shook his head; he knew the village head's son all too well. Liu Jian was his name, a peer from junior high with a notoriously bad reputation. Back in school, he'd bully others, leveraging his father's status, and even extort money, claiming it was for 'protection.'

"You've been swindled."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm from the Liu family village. Our cemetery is just a disorganized burial ground, completely unmanaged, so there's no way it could fetch a price of two hundred thousand yuan. The person you mentioned, Liu Jian, I know him. He was in my junior high class, a total lowlife."

Liu Hsing's revelation took Kin Hu aback, his eyes slowly reddening—not the rims, but the whites, which were filling with blood vessels, turning almost crimson. It was a startling sight for Liu Hsing.

"Brother, don't panic. I've got this. I'll take you to him later and make sure he spits out that money."

"That scumbag. If I ever see him again, I swear I'll break his legs."

Liu Hsing breathed a sigh of relief as Kin Hu's eyes returned to normal.

"Hey, Little Hu, your eyes..."

"Oh, that happened during a mission. I was surrounded by wolves, and when I was fighting them off, some of the blood splashed into my eyes. Ever since, they turn like this when I get worked up. The doctors couldn't explain why. But it's not all bad; it's earned me a nickname. They call me Blood Tiger."

Liu Hsing nodded, understanding the gravity of Kin Hu's lightly spoken words and the peril of his missions.

"Got any plans for the future? What do you intend to do?"

Kin Hu's expression dimmed as he shook his head.

"I'm not sure. I've got some combat skills and can speak a few foreign languages. I tried to get work as a bodyguard, but they said I wasn't imposing enough. It's ridiculous. Being a bodyguard is about skill, not size. I can't fathom what goes through their minds."

"Why not work as a translator?"

"With this face?"

Kin Hu gestured to the fierce scar above his eye.

"I had other ideas, but after my parents passed, I lost all motivation. I thought the two hundred thousand yuan would let them live comfortably, but they were gone just days after I got back..."