Chapter 307: Opium, Transaction

After thinking about it, Zhang Yong embezzled all the remaining banknotes.

No one saw it anyway. Li Boqi told himself to behave himself again.

For the time being, that was the end of the matter with Jin Sanyan. He would continue investigating later when he had time...

Wait.

It suddenly occurred to him. Jin Sanyan always wanted to go back to the docks.

Why was he so obsessed with you?

Was there something very important at the docks that made him risk going back?

Otherwise, he could have simply fled west. Or north. Or south. It would have been much safer.

The problem was, Jin Sanyan was dead.

So, what exactly did he want to get back? Zhang Yong had no idea.

Maybe someone at the docks knew?

For example, Yuan Zheng?

As the head of the inspection team, this guy must have been acquainted with all kinds of people. Perhaps he could provide some information.

He took out a large sum of money and compensated the shop for its losses. Then he led the team away.

He went straight to the dock. He called Yuan Zheng.

'Captain Zhang...'

Yuan Zheng was uneasy inside. But he didn't dare show it.

In his opinion, this Zhang Yong was definitely a troublemaker! Wherever he went, there would be trouble. It would lead to countless disputes.

Before, it was a fight with Zhang Xiaolin. He didn't know what would happen next.

He brought a large group of people with him wherever he went.

And he's carrying a light machine gun.

Huh? I don't think he's carrying a mortar.

That's scary...

'Captain Yuan, do you know Jin Sanyan?'

'No, I don't...'

'Tell the truth.'

'I really don't...'

'Captain Yuan, do you want to try the Tiger Bench of our Fuxing Society?'

'No...'

Yuan Zheng immediately turned pale.

This guy in front of him was actually trying to arrest him.

How infuriating.

He really thinks he can do whatever he likes!

There are other people in the world besides you guys from the Fuxing Society! Can your Fuxing Society really do whatever it likes?

However, he soon came to terms with reality.

The main thing was that this guy in front of him really wasn't a nice person. He meant what he said.

If he was caught and taken back to the tiger bench, that would be a real injustice. Even if there was a chance to get out, he would be ruined. The worst thing was that there would never be a chance to get out.

'Captain Yuan, I'm not holding you responsible,'

'Well...'

'I understand the situation.'

'Jin Sanjian occasionally returns to the dock to collect some goods.'

'Who stores the goods?'

'A wealthy merchant in Baoshan County called Pan Yonghua...'

'Does Pan Yonghua come to collect goods or stock them?'

'Both. Sometimes he collects goods, sometimes he stocks them...'

Yuan Zheng did not dare to hide anything.

Although he spoke hesitantly, he finally said it.

It was exactly as Zhang Yong had guessed. This Pan Yonghua was indeed colluding with Jin Sanyan.

The Baoshan County patrol team massacre was most likely related to Pan Yonghua.

There was no longer any need to know the specific reason. It was enough to know that he was the mastermind.

Another key figure came to mind. The Japanese spy who had been spying on the Americans.

'Where is Jin Bufan?'

'Who?'

'MGM Cabaret, or Paramount.'

'Oh, you mean Assistant Manager Jin! He's been here too. But not often. Occasionally, he'll come to pick up some goods.'

'Has he been here recently?'

'He was here once last month. Let me see. It was the 26th of last month.'

'Picking up goods or stock?'

'I don't know. I didn't see him take anything big.'

'Warehouse number...'

'This...'

'Tell me or not, you decide.'

Zhang Yong doesn't rush him.

You've been given a chance. You don't cherish it. You're just asking for trouble.

If you don't want to be the team leader of this investigation, there are plenty of others.

Yuan Zheng: ...

I can't take it. I can't take it at all.

Pan Yonghua and Jin Bufan don't know what they've done to offend Zhang Yong...

'They're Japanese.'

'What?'

'They're Japanese spies.'

'Huh?'

Yuan Zheng's face suddenly turned deathly pale.

The two of them are actually Japanese spies? That's it.

If you get involved with them, you could be charged with collaborating with the enemy at any time. You'll be arrested as a traitor in no time.

Damn it!

I really didn't expect that these two were actually Japanese.

'Thirty-four...'

he spoke hastily. In order to redeem himself.

At the same time, he went over his interactions with Jin Bufan and Pan Yonghua again and again.

Fortunately,

'Keep it a secret!'

'Understood!'

Yuan Zheng replied hastily. He was very nervous.

If this secret were to leak, Zhang Yong would most likely make him pay.

In fact, Zhang Yong himself didn't really care. Even if the secret were to leak, it wouldn't be a big deal. It would just make Pan Yonghua and Jin Bufan nervous.

As long as they were nervous, there was a chance that they would make a mistake. Then Zhang Yong would be able to take them down even more easily.

It was easy to catch people. But it was hard to get information. Perhaps it would be more effective to rattle the tiger by knocking on the mountain, or hit the bull by swinging a sword from a distance?

'Go!'

Zhang Yong waves his hand.

He and his men rush to the warehouse at No. 34.

There is no one there. The door is locked.

Pick the lock. Smash it. Open it. Immediately, they smell something strange.

Frown.

This is opium!

Goodness, they're storing opium here.

Yuan Zheng is crazy...

Oh, wrong time and place. It's 1935. Opium is nothing.

In the future, in China, if you get addicted to drugs, you'll be executed. But in this era, as long as you have a certain amount of power, you can do the opium business.

Look at the Kong family, the Ministry of Finance warehouse is full of opium!

Some other powers even use opium to pay for the military. If they don't have money to pay the soldiers, they just give each soldier a pack of opium. The KMT did this before.

Before going into battle, the soldiers would smoke a few puffs. Otherwise, they wouldn't have the motivation.

Opium is harmful. But it does make money.

Apart from arms, it's the most profitable.

'It looks like foreign soil,' Cao Mengqi took some out to inspect.

'The Japanese spies have chosen something good!' Zhang Yong laughed coldly.

The so-called foreign soil is transported back from abroad. Mainly from India. That is the base camp for opium production.

Because of the good raw materials and high refining technology, foreign soil is relatively more expensive. A catty can sell for hundreds of taels.

I'm not sure what the current market price is. Anyway, that was more or less the price when the Ministry of Finance warehouse was burgled last time.

He doesn't like opium.

It harms people.

Besides, it can't be used directly as cash. It has to be resold.

A rough estimate of the quantity: there are about 3,000 catties. Not much. It's all packaged. Ten catties per package, about 300 packages.

Gritting his teeth.

Damn it, 3,000 catties.

That's really something. That's more than 300,000 taels of silver!

Damn it. How did they get so much?

Aren't they pirates? How did they get so much opium? Did the Japanese have their hands in it?

'Someone's coming!'

Suddenly, Yuan Zheng came rushing in to report.

Zhang Yong looked out. He saw a few cars outside. The map indicated them as small white dots.

After the cars entered the dock, there was a man getting out. Zhang Yong noticed that the man was a stranger. He was a foreigner. Was he American? British? Or was he not?

After entering the dock, the other party immediately headed towards Warehouse 34.

Zhang Yong was puzzled.

What are these guys doing here?

He secretly increased his vigilance. He noticed that the other party was not carrying any heavy weapons.

Well, there are pistols. No submachine guns. And no rifles.

Stay calm.

Wait for the other party to come closer.

Soon, the foreigners came up to Zhang Yong.

There were nine of them.

'You, Mr. Kim?' The leader of the foreigners, a blond man, said to Zhang Yong in not very fluent Chinese.

'You are...' Zhang Yong hesitated.

'I am Tanavaro. I am from Italy. We had an appointment. The transaction will take place at Warehouse 34.'

'Er...'

'I have the money. Where is the stuff?'

'What do you want?'

'Opium. The best. I want to inspect the goods.'

'I understand,'

Zhang Yong replied slowly.

He understood why Jin Sanyan insisted on returning to the docks.

The reason was that he had an appointment. They were going to make a deal here. As it turned out, Jin Sanyan died. The person who was supposed to make the deal came. But he mistook Zhang Yong for someone else.

What a coincidence...

But it happened to be him. The other person hadn't suspected anything.

It was really unbelievable.

Could it be that the other person didn't know Jin Sanyan?

That was ridiculous.

But since the other person hadn't seen through him, he was happy to play dumb.

Deal in opium?

Okay. Let's see what you're offering.

Tell someone to bring a few bags of hashish over here and give it to the other guy. Of course there's no problem.

Tanavaro was very satisfied with the quality of the hashish.

'Here's $5,000. I'll take all of your stuff,' the Italian said arrogantly.

'What? $5,000?' Zhang Yong was stunned.

Italian guy, do you think I'm stupid?

This is 3,000 catties of high-quality hashish. Each catty is worth hundreds of dollars.

3,000 catties, 300,000 taels of silver. Translated into US dollars, it's at least 60,000 to 70,000. And you're offering me 5,000 US dollars? I really have to thank you.

Even if you were Mussolini, you wouldn't get this price.

Nonsense! Take it or leave it!

'100,000 US dollars.' Zhang Yong also offers a sky-high price.

'8,000.' Tanavaro doesn't look very happy.

'98,000.'

'10,000.'

'95,000.'

'10,000.

Tanawaro is adamant about 10,000 US dollars.

Zhang Yong: ...

Damn it, this Italian. He's really crazy.

I'm worth 60,000 to 70,000 US dollars, and you're only offering 10,000? Do you believe I'll bury you right now?

Take a deep breath.

Hold back your anger and continue bargaining with the other party.

This business deal must be done, even if it means losing a little money. Collect the money first, and then find a way to destroy the drugs.

Of course, if the Italians are transporting it back to their own country, that's fine.

As long as you don't harm the country, you can do whatever you like.

'Mr Tanavaro, where are you going to sell all this hashish?'

'I'm shipping it back to Sicily.'

'Oh?'

Zhang Yong's expression changed.

Sicily? There's a story there!

Okay, you can have a discount.