C18 The Identity Is Exposed

After a satisfying meal, Dayong and King Xiaoshan got into a dispute over who should foot the bill.

The two vied to pay.

"Dayong, let them treat you this time!" Gould interjected, breaking up their stubborn tug-of-war over the check.

"Mr. Gould, you're right," Dayong conceded, pocketing his phone.

Meanwhile, King Xiaoshan pulled out a wad of cash from Xia Liang's wallet to settle the tab.

"Why are you young folks still using cash instead of mobile payments?" Dayong inquired, eyeing them curiously.

"It's a bit of a splurge, but it's nice to switch it up now and then," King Xiaoshan replied with a nonchalant smile, careful not to mention the money was freshly 'earned' yesterday with so many onlookers.

Just then, King Xiaoshan, cautious not to crumple the photo with the cash, extracted it for a closer look.

At that moment, Dayong caught a glimpse of the photo in the wallet, his expression turning to one of shock.

...

Xia Liang relished the meals Gu Wenying had prepared with her own hands both at noon and in the afternoon. They lacked the refinement of restaurant dishes but made up for it with cleanliness and safety, sparingly seasoned with additives like MSG and chicken essence.

He even tried his hand at a specialty of his own, stir-fried tomatoes and eggs.

Unfortunately, the tomatoes were underripe, and the eggs too salty; after a couple of bites, neither touched the dish again.

Later in the afternoon, after Gu Wenying had left, Xia Liang gazed at the setting sun and sighed deeply.

Inevitable things were bound to happen.

He grabbed a satchel, slipped in his bank card, and left the complex.

At the bank's ATM, he withdrew 13,000 yuan and stashed it in his bag.

After some deliberation, he chose to avert disaster with money rather than involve Uncle Yao in the matter.

Naturally, he planned to take precautions to ensure his safety.

With time to spare before his appointment, Xia Liang bought a new phone for over 2,000 yuan and wandered the commercial district to kill time. As the appointed hour approached, he headed toward the small park.

"If they try to up the ante or pull any tricks, I'll reach out to Uncle Yao for help," Xia Liang murmured to himself as he neared his destination.

He had programmed a speed dial on his phone, assigning it to the emergency number Uncle Yao had provided him.

Dialing that number signaled an urgent situation. Without a word, Uncle Yao would understand and come running at top speed.

"I just hope they stick to their word. I really don't want to be in Uncle Yao's debt any further," Xia Liang muttered, clenching his fist discreetly.

Upon reaching the park, he spotted several figures crouched near a street lamp on last night's lawn.

"Hey!" Xia Liang called out, approaching them.

As he got closer, he noticed the 'middle schooler' stand and stretch his legs, conveniently stepping into the light of the street lamp, illuminating his face.

The kid then made a series of facial gestures at Xia Liang, seemingly trying to communicate something.

"What's the deal?" Xia Liang was baffled. Weren't you the one who wanted this meeting for a trade? Why the antics now? Can't you just speak up, or are you mute?

"I'm here, and I'm solo," Xia Liang reassured, patting his chest, thinking they might suspect he had backup.

King Xiaoshan, realizing Xia Liang didn't catch his drift, sighed and turned to Dayong, lounging on the grass, "That's the guy."

"Looks about the right age," Dayong observed.

With that, King Xiaoshan, Dayong's recent acquaintance, rose to his feet.

Xia Liang's eyes widened as a towering figure emerged from the group, easily 1.9 meters tall, nearly double the width and one and a half times the height of a middle schooler, exuding an intimidating presence.

"Do we really need this level of caution? Aren't four enough? And now you've brought in this giant? How much more can you possibly overestimate me?" Xia Liang thought, exasperated.

He hadn't even entertained the idea of forcefully reclaiming the photo; what if they destroyed it in a fit of rage? Even the police couldn't safeguard a photo.

With a furrowed brow, Xia Liang strode forward, swung his bag open with one hand to reveal the cash inside, and said coolly, "Here's ten thousand in cash. Now, where's my wallet?"

He appeared unafraid, but in reality, one hand was in his pocket, gripping his phone, ready to call for help at a moment's notice should anything go awry.

"Keep the money, and take your wallet back too!"

Out of nowhere, a hulking figure gestured dismissively and exclaimed with a tone of surprise, "My dear nephew! It's Uncle Wu. Remember me? I used to hold you when you were little. My, how you've grown! These rascals really need a lesson, picking on my nephew of all people. They're in for it now."

The burly man spoke to himself, sheepishly rubbing his bald head before extending the swollen wallet to Xia Liang.

"Uncle Wu? You held me? Could you be one of my father's old war buddies?" Yao Xi was taken aback, instinctively reaching for the wallet while asking with a puzzled look, "Which Uncle Wu are you?"

He couldn't recall his father ever mentioning a colleague of such stature.

Dayong breathed a sigh of relief as Xia Liang reached for the wallet.

"Gotcha. You're definitely Xia Quanhai's son." The simple grin vanished from his face, replaced by a mix of triumph and glee.

Xia Liang, scrutinizing the man's face, felt a jolt of unease as he watched the expression transform. A sense of foreboding washed over him.

Quickly, he withdrew his hand and stepped back, asking warily, "Who are you? If you know me, what's my name?"

"You're pretty sharp," Dayong chuckled.

"I don't know, but you're surely Xia Quanhai's offspring." Dayong couldn't be bothered with the charade anymore. His probing had confirmed the young man's identity.

"Exactly who are you?" Xia Liang demanded, covertly pressing the emergency call button.

"Making a call? To whom? Your dad's gone, isn't he? Calling your mom?" Dayong mocked, shoving the wallet into his pants pocket and folding his arms, looking on as if enjoying a spectacle.

"How does he know? Could it be..."

Xia Liang's heart sank as he saw the man's composed and confident demeanor. In a panic, he pulled out his phone, only to find it displaying 'No Signal'—the call wouldn't go through.

"An interferometer? Or perhaps... supernatural abilities?" Xia Liang felt a chill as if he had plunged into a frigid abyss.

"Searching high and low, only to find what I'm looking for without any effort!" Dayong chuckled, shaking his head. "Xia Quanhai, oh Xia Quanhai, I've scoured the globe for your wife and kids to no avail. Who would've thought a simple visit back home would lead me right to them? When luck comes knocking, there's no stopping it!"

After Wu Dayong's dramatic declaration, he swiftly extended his massive arm, snatching up the unprepared Xia Liang and hoisting him up to his face.

"So you're the son of Xia Quanhai and He Xiaofang? Hmph, you do bear a resemblance. Now tell me, where's your mother?"

"Why should I tell you anything? Who exactly are you?" Xia Liang had a sinking feeling he knew the answer, yet he clung to the hope that he was mistaken.

"Me? I'm an old friend of your dad's, a very old friend. We go way back," Wu Dayong said, the smile still on his face, though his voice grew increasingly icy.

"My dad would never be friends with someone like you. You're one of his former underlings who met defeat, aren't you?" Xia Liang exposed the man's true identity.

"Nonsense! As if he, with his Amber Great Wall, could ever stand against me, the Red Dragon! If it hadn't been for that accursed Hellfire, how could I have possibly failed to capture him last time?"

Enraged by Xia Liang's words, which seemed to strike at his ego, Wu Dayong flung him to the ground with a furious gesture.