Underworld Chronicles: Qiao Si's Strategist, Xiao Ke, and Wang Weifan

On June 9, 1991, a stadium in Harbin was packed with people.

In a prominent position in the stadium, a long white banner with black lettering proclaims: "Ice City's Severe Crackdown on Serious Criminal Offenders' Sentencing Conference."

Seated on the dais in the stadium were the presiding judge and judges of the Bingcheng Intermediate People's Court.

Below the platform stood 14 handcuffed men with an arrogant demeanor, flanked by armed bailiffs.

Each of the 14 men wore a white death warrant hanging around their neck, clearly displaying their names and the numerous crimes they had committed.

These 14 individuals are the Qiao Si criminal gang, which committed numerous major crimes and offenses in Harbin for over a decade.

This was the final trial after several months. After the presiding judge spent several hours reading out their various crimes, the gavel fell and the verdict was announced:

The 14 members of the criminal gang, led by Qiao Si, Xiao Ke, and Hao Quezi, were sentenced to death and executed immediately.

At the presiding judge's order, the 14 people were bound hand and foot, their identities verified, and they were prepared to be taken to the execution ground.

Strangely, upon hearing that they were to be executed, these people showed no fear whatsoever, perhaps because they already knew they had committed numerous crimes and could not escape legal punishment.

Some of them were even chatting and laughing, completely unconcerned. To an outsider, they would have thought they were going to a grand banquet instead of their execution.

The leader, Qiao Si, had no smile on his face, but rather a look of resentment. He was only 43 years old, the prime of his life, and now it was all going to end like this. How could he accept it?

Standing next to Qiao Si, our protagonist Xiao Ke appeared much more composed. Although only 34 years old, he had a mature and carefree demeanor. He spoke to the staff member beside him...

Hey buddy, can I have a cigarette? I don't even know if I'll be able to smoke one over there.

The saying goes, "Respect the dead." As long as a person who is about to die doesn't make an unreasonable request, they will be granted. The staff member took out a Yuxi cigarette from his pocket, put it in Xiao Ke's mouth, and lit it for him with a lighter.

Xiao Ke took a drag of his cigarette, glanced at his brothers who were about to embark on their journey together, and after noticing the resentful expression on Qiao Si's face beside him, he turned his head and said,

Fourth Brother, don't be so resentful. You think you can overtake just anyone? Now all the brothers have been screwed over following you!

Upon hearing Xiao Ke's words, Qiao Si glanced at him, said nothing, and lowered his unruly head.

Perhaps at this moment he really regretted it. As the saying goes, "When the sky is arrogant, rain will fall; when a person is arrogant, disaster will follow." The current situation was indeed caused by his arrogance. Of all the cars to overtake, he chose to overtake this one, harming himself and his brothers.

By this time, everyone had been identified and began to be escorted onto the vehicle. The first to be taken away was Qiao Si's top henchman, Ma Long. Everyone said he was even more ruthless in a fight than Li Zhengguang. At the time, there was a saying in the underworld: "When Brother Long roars, the whole Northeast trembles." This shows how fierce Ma Long was.

The 25-year-old was wearing a black button-down T-shirt, his face full of defiance.

When Ma Long walked up to Qiao Si and Xiao Ke, he cursed, "Damn it, they died so unjustly."

Qiao Si originally wanted to say goodbye to him one last time, but Ma Long's scolding left him completely embarrassed, so Qiao Si simply stopped talking and lowered his head.

But it was Little K, smoking a cigarette, who took on the responsibility of being the eldest brother. He nodded to Malone, "Brother, farewell."

The second was Xiao Fei, whose Achilles tendon had been severed by Li Zhengguang. He was carried out by two armed police officers, and Xiao Ke smiled and nodded at him.

The third was Yang Mantou, known for his ruthlessness, and the fourth was Hao the Cripple, one of the Three Musketeers, who had suffered from polio since childhood. He was also carried out by the two of them, and Xiao Ke nodded to them one by one to say goodbye.

Next, Sheng Dequan, Zhao Fanmu, Ma Dianlong, Liu Guoqing, Wang Shuhuai, Huo Canrong, and Yu Qinghai were all put into the car.

The last one to come out was Zhang Xiaobo. He was still laughing and joking, just like during his trial, like a fool, completely disregarding his own life.

"Second brother, let's go!" he said to Xiao Ke with a smile.

"Take care, brother, see you later," Xiao Kechong nodded and said.

And so, everyone was put into the car, leaving only the gang's eldest brother, Qiao Si, and second brother, Xiao Ke.

Qiao Si never looked up at his brothers from beginning to end, perhaps out of shame or guilt; his true thoughts remained a mystery.

Xiao Ke's composed demeanor at this moment made the onlookers secretly admire him. No wonder everyone said that Xiao Ke could be on par with Qiao Si. Look at his style, ordinary people really can't do that. No wonder he can drive the first Mercedes-Benz 560 in the province. He really has something.

After everyone got on the bus, Xiao Ke looked back to see if any of his brothers had been left behind. After confirming that no one had been left behind, Xiao Ke spat out the cigarette butt in his mouth and said to Qiao Si, who was looking down, "Brother Si, let's go, let's hit the road together."

Qiao Si raised his head and was escorted onto the prison van along with Xiao Ke. After their van started moving, more than a dozen vehicles carrying armed police officers followed behind, all of them armed with guns.

The crowd of onlookers crowded in front of the vehicle, eager to catch a last glimpse of the largest criminal gang in Northeast China. Some even followed the execution vehicle all the way to Chenjiagang Execution Ground, 18 kilometers from the city, hoping to see how these gang leaders would be executed and use it as bragging material at their dinner tables.

Eighteen kilometers is a long distance for the living, but for the dying, it is very, very close.

Before Xiao Ke could finish reviewing his life, they arrived at the Chenjiagang execution ground. Qiao Si, Xiao Ke, and the others were all helped off the vehicle and knelt down one by one.

When everyone was pulled off the bus, everyone except Xiao Ke had a different expression than before they got on; they were all in a daze.

Even the arrogant eldest brother, Qiao Si, was now drenched in sweat from fright. His black hair was soaked with sweat, and a staff member wearing white gloves behind him helped him smooth his hair.

The impetuous young Ma Long knelt down and leaned forward, turning his head to look back. He was checking to see if his girlfriend, Hang Jie, had arrived. Unfortunately, Hang Jie was in Japan at the time and couldn't make it back. Later, after learning of Ma Long's death, Hang Jie never married.

Meanwhile, our protagonist, Xiao Ke, remained calm. Seeing that everyone was in a daze, he shouted, "Brothers, don't be afraid, damn it, it won't hurt anymore in a second!"

Pull the safety pin and release!

Bang bang bang! With 14 gunshots, 14 notorious gangsters fell to the ground, ending their short lives.

Next, I'm going to tell you about the life of Xiao Ke, whose life ended at the age of 34, and who faced death with composure and equanimity.