Reborn in the 1980s: I made my fortune hunting wild game in Changbai Mountain

Er Mang looked up at the other faces sitting at the kang table, and after recognizing them all, he mustered his courage and said, "Rumors are circulating that something big has happened to the Qiao family in Fengcheng! The business of smuggling goods along the border is likely to change!"

"Something big has happened to the Qiao family? What big thing? Didn't Qiao Wentao deal with Master Ma and take back the thread a while ago?"

Zhang Wenhui didn't take Er Mang's words seriously. After all, he had spent a long time in Fengcheng and knew about the Qiao family's connections around Wacheng after he came here.

The business of smuggling goods is also divided into different levels. Small-scale operations can make a living without any hard barriers. As long as you know the connections and who to bribe, the border guards will turn a blind eye, and small batches of supplies can be smuggled through other means.

However, achieving a relatively stable scale is another matter entirely; it requires the approval of top management.

The throughput of goods is finite, and we can't just let anyone come and do business with us. There will naturally be thresholds. The most reasonable way is to select capable and sensible people to cooperate with and seek benefits together.

Some time ago, the Qiao family fought a fierce battle with a colleague nicknamed "Lord Ma" for the opportunity to work as a liaison. As a result, Lord Ma's men were crippled and he backed down. The Qiao family thus naturally became the liaison team that got to sit on the table and eat the meat.

Er Mang replied, "Something happened to the Qiao family! It just happened a few days ago! Qiao Muzhou, along with his two sons, grandson, granddaughter, and eldest daughter-in-law, a family of six, are all gone!"
I heard from the streets that the village chief is hinting that they're looking for a new leader to cooperate with!

"Is this just a rumor spread by the village chief?"

Upon hearing the word "village chief," Zhang Wenhui subconsciously narrowed her eyes.

The village chief here is not just a leader of an ordinary village; he is a powerful figure, a kind of big boss, who holds absolute sway in the small area around Wacheng.

In fact, there's nothing mysterious about this kind of trade; it's simply a matter of needing to trade goods between two countries along their borders, where there are huge price differences.

For example, Chinese grains, handicrafts, Chinese medicinal herbs, and strong liquor are quite popular in Russia.

Soviet watches, military binoculars, military overcoats, woolen fabrics, and even sable and otter pelts, which were smuggled from Russia, were also extremely sought-after goods in China, with substantial price differences.

The village chief acts as a guarantor, connecting the two parties. Within this small area, only after he approves will the other party accept the transaction.

According to information Zhang Wenhui had secretly gathered during this period, the village chief's son-in-law was an important figure in the border station. Although his position was not high, he wielded immense power.

"What? The Qiao family was wiped out? Who did it?" Upon hearing this news, Zhang Wenhui instantly straightened up from the kang (a heated brick bed).

"There are all sorts of rumors! The most plausible explanation is that they had an internal conflict. Qiao Muzhou's subordinate, Lao Ji, had some kind of conflict with the boss, and then Qiao Wentao ordered someone to kill Lao Ji's wife and children to establish his authority!"

Then Lao Ji returned, armed with a gun, and sneaked into the Qiao family's residence. He burned down the warehouse and shot the Qiao family members dead! It caused quite a stir in Fengcheng! It's said that the case eventually even alarmed the provincial department!

There's also a rumor, which hasn't been confirmed, that the Qiao family seems to have offended a young hunting team leader with a very powerful background!
"They used their connections to deal with the Qiao family!" Er Mang vividly recounted the information he had gathered to Zhang Wenhui.

When the aforementioned information was mentioned, Zhang Wenhui remained quite calm. He was not familiar with Qiao Muzhou, let alone knew who Lao Ji was! Whatever problems existed between them had nothing to do with Zhang Wenhui.

However, when Er Mang mentioned the words "young hunting team leader with a strong background in Fengcheng," Zhang Wenhui's first thought was of Yue Feng, the village secretary of Xing'an Village who had saved her life.

"What's the surname of the leader of that young hunting team you mentioned? Do you have more detailed information?"

Er Mang shook his head: "No, it's just that he's a tough guy who's recently risen to prominence in Fengcheng. He has a lot of brothers and he's got some serious weapons! I heard he even made the newspapers for taking down a tiger!"

Upon hearing the crucial information that it had been featured in the newspaper, Zhang Wenhui nodded and made her own judgment.

The young hunting team leader that Er Mang was talking about was most likely Yue Feng.

"Okay, I understand! What does the village chief mean? Are they calling people to meet up?" Zhang Wenhui continued to ask.

Er Mang nodded in confirmation: "That's right! All the big and small foremen who have ideas, go talk to the village chief in the next day or two and get the order! Then we'll use the old method to determine the ownership of this freight route!"

Brother, we may not have many people, but we're all united. Let's seize this opportunity and give it a try!

If we could get this line down, we wouldn't have to spend all our time secretly and frantically doing these trivial things!

At this moment, a burly man sitting opposite Zhang Wenhui at the kang table also expressed his enthusiasm: "Yes, Brother Hui'er! Let's take this rare opportunity to show our faces!"
Lord Ma's men have dispersed, and now there aren't many powerful teams around Wacheng! We might still have a chance!

Zhang Wenhui nodded, glanced at the man who had spoken, and then looked at the other middle-aged man who hadn't said anything.

"Ma Leizi, you and Fifth Master also want to team up and get involved? Fifth Master, what do you mean by that?"

The middle-aged man, whom Zhang Wenhui called Fifth Master, was originally named Sun Xuechen. He was estimated to be around 45 years old, of medium build, with a square face and a wide nose. He had a large, obvious burn scar on his right cheekbone and jaw, which made him look somewhat disfigured.

Fifth Master remained calm and composed, listening quietly from the moment Er Mang entered the room until now, without uttering a word.

When asked, Sun Xuechen pondered for a few seconds and said, "Wenhui, although we brothers haven't known each other for long, we get along well!"

Lei and I haven't been in Mandalay for long, but we've gotten along really well during this time!
If what Er Mang said is true, I'm actually planning to get involved! We brothers are a small group; if we want to get at the table, we need to stick together!

Seeing that Fifth Master had expressed his opinion, Zhang Wenhui visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

In the chaotic world of the border region, it's too difficult to succeed by going it alone. To get results, you need your own team and resources!
During the few months Zhang Wenhui spent here, she only made Er Mang her one reliable younger brother.

As for Fifth Master and Ma Leizi, they were also outsiders trying their luck here. Zhang Wenhui had witnessed their methods, which is why they increased their contact and got together.

In such a short time, it would be a lie to say that there was a deep friendship. It was just that after initial contact, the two sides got along well and temporarily partnered up.

"Then, shall we go together after dark and ask the village chief for information?" Zhang Wenhui suggested.

Fifth Master nodded: "This is a good opportunity, it's necessary to go and see for ourselves, but before we go, we need to establish the rules in private!"
When partnering with others, one must be cautious from the start, lest the brotherhood be worn down before any benefits are gained!

"Fifth Master, what are your thoughts? Tell me!" Zhang Wenhui nodded in agreement and gestured for the other party to continue.

"When I joined Lei Zi's group, all I had were two long weapons and my two lives! We had absolutely no other funds or connections!"
"I won't make up any lies for you. My brother and I fled here because we had something to hide!" Fifth Master said frankly.

Zhang Wenhui smiled slightly and said, "You don't need to worry about the money. The tools we have are enough for the four of us!"

Besides, I came to the border to make a living while carrying some burdens!
If a real crackdown were to be launched in Wacheng, at least nine out of ten outsiders would be found to have shady dealings!

I'll provide the money and weapons, Er Mang will be in charge of gathering intelligence, and you and Lei Zi will provide the manpower, how about we brothers stick together and give it a try?
As for the shares, it's simple: I'll contribute the majority and take the majority of the shares; I'll advance the payment for the goods and take 50%. Er Mang, who won't get his shoes wet, will be responsible for information gathering and personnel liaison on the streets and will take 10%!
Fifth Master and Lei Zi, we need you two to stir things up in the water. People and guns are both shares, totaling 40%! What do you say?

After listening to Zhang Wenhui's proposed share division, Sun Xuechen nodded: "It sounds very fair!"
As far as I know, going through the village chief is no small matter; the payment alone is a substantial sum!

Zhang Wenhui nodded: "I still have some money on hand! I don't know if it'll be enough, but it should be enough to cover the payments for one or two shipments! As long as we get the supply chain sorted out, the money will be ready to come in soon!"

Upon hearing the affirmative answer, Sun Xuechen gritted his teeth and said, "Let's do it!"

"Haha, I knew it! Fifth Master wouldn't miss this opportunity! It's still early, let's eat and drink as we please, and then we'll make our way there tonight!"

"Okay! We'll do it your way!"

……

At 8:30 p.m., Zhang Wenhui's team of four left the house where they were staying, each carrying a gun, and disappeared into the night.

Going to the 'village chief's' house to discuss business was quite characteristic of the times. The two had just entered a small village under the jurisdiction of Wacheng when they were stopped by the young man guarding the village entrance. After a brief conversation, the man was blindfolded and then taken to the village chief's house for a meeting.

Zhang Wenhui has experienced life-or-death trials, and after her courage and boldness were unleashed, she became much more magnanimous in her actions.

Fifth Master, who partnered with him, was a meticulous and experienced man.

He and Zhang Wenhui went to see the village chief blindfolded, leaving Er Mang and Ma Leizi outside the village to provide backup.

The two people, blindfolded, were led through the winding village, making several large turns, before finally arriving at the village chief's house.

From the outside, the house looks ordinary, like a mud-brick shack, but once you go inside, you'll find that it's a hidden gem.

This house was actually built halfway underground; the outside was made of adobe, while the inside was plastered with white lime and red bricks.

The room was burning coal, and the heat was intense, with the temperature reaching at least 30 degrees Celsius, making it unbearable to wear a cotton-padded coat.

The only drawback is that there is no electricity here, and the lighting is still done by kerosene lamps.

The two entered the house and removed the blindfolds. Before they could even react, one of them was kicked in the back of the leg.

Zhang Wenhui and Fifth Master were both tough guys; they took the kick but refused to bend their knees and kneel down.

Before anyone inside could ask a question, Fifth Master stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "The boat capsized on the river, and I'm looking for a place to stay on the shore. May I ask, innkeeper, is there any available place to eat?"

Fifth Master's words have a deeper meaning. Sailing on the river means making a living by traveling the world. "Overturned" means getting into trouble and falling into a trap. "A place to settle down" means a place to make a living. "A place to eat" means asking if you can be given a meal.

These slang terms, a mix of Chinese and Western, are similar to the jargon used by江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) members. To laymen, they may sound a bit awkward, but insiders can immediately understand what the other party is doing.

The room was dimly lit, with only the limited light from the lamp wick illuminating Qian Dazhong, whose expression was obscured, sitting in the main seat.

Upon hearing the newcomer speak in slang, Qian Dazhong, with a pipe dangling from his lips, narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "This place is Black Wind Pass, not a safe haven! If you're begging for food, you need to have a skill that can easily cross the threshold. Do you have one?"

Fifth Master straightened his back and said, "If any of us brothers dare to come, we have claws that can pierce mountains, legs that can cross rivers, a sharp waist that can make a sound, and we know what we're doing!"

Qian Dazhong exhaled a puff of smoke and said unhurriedly, "Let's flick a vine!"

Fifth Master said, "I am Long Zilong Man'er (Sun), and my elder brother is Zhang! I heard that the shopkeeper is gathering people to set up a new stall, so I came here to ask for a way to make a living!"

Upon hearing this, Qian Dazhong cupped his hands in greeting to Zhang Wenhui, who hadn't spoken, and said, "Brother Gengtou, the servants were negligent just now!"

Zhang Wenhui didn't understand the slang, but she wasn't intimidated at all: "It's alright! We've got the basics covered, let's get down to business!"

"This job isn't easy to get by, do you know the rules?"

Zhang Wenhui nodded, signaling Fifth Master to continue.

Fifth Master said, "The first three portions go to the counter. We only need the order slip. The rest will be split 30/70! First come, first served!"

Upon hearing this, Qian Dazhong nodded slightly, indicating that this person knew the rules.

Since the news broke, several groups of people have arrived. Some were kicked and fell to their knees, losing their courage. Others didn't even know the basics of how to make a claim, let alone what the process was like to fight for this line.

"The first three profits go to the middleman" means that the profits from the first three transactions must be handed over to him/her as a pledge of loyalty to the partnership. After that, the profits are split 30/70, with 30% going to the middleman. The middleman will then coordinate with the other party to create opportunities for the distribution.

As for the rules for competing for this waterway, they are simple: the shopkeeper gives out a list, and the people below organize the supply of goods according to the contents of the list. Whoever delivers the goods safely to the destination first wins the waterway.

Of course, placing an order is easy, but delivering it safely is quite difficult.

Everyone wants it, so naturally, trouble will arise, and fierce battles will be almost inevitable.

Ambushes, deaths, and even murder and robbery were commonplace.

Only by winning out among numerous competitors can one truly acquire ownership of this line.

The Qiao family paid a heavy price to seize this waterway. Although Scarface's four skilled fighters didn't die, they were all wounded and fought fiercely to scatter Lord Ma's men before they could finally establish a foothold.

Qian Dazhong: "Someone, bring tea to the two managers! Erhu, show the managers the prepared order list!"

Soon someone brought tea, and Erhu handed Zhang Wenhui a kraft paper with a list of supplies written on it.

Before coming, Zhang Wenhui had heard Fifth Master talk about the ins and outs of this business. After receiving the order, she quietly looked at it from beginning to end.

He didn't notice anything unusual, and after reading it, he gave the list to Fifth Master.

Fifth Master, who had been relatively calm just a moment ago, immediately changed his expression after seeing the list of supplies. (End of Chapter)