Chapter 106: Local Customs and Human Relations

Dragon Two told Mo Fei that the situation with the boss lady wasn’t particularly common. Some people living near the border sometimes took part in smuggling, but with the recent rise in living standards, such cases had grown rarer. Rarity didn’t mean they were gone entirely, especially since the money involved was genuinely substantial.

“There are five families controlling the underground forces in the Myanmar region, and smuggling has always been handled by the Liu family. The boss lady you met was also hired by the Liu family.”

On the way to the border, Dragon Two gave Mo Fei a quick rundown: “Around eighty percent of domestic telecom fraud, smuggling, and selling drugs all originate from the Myanmar side, and the five families account for ninety percent of that share.”

Mo Fei raised questions as they walked. “You’re talking about domestic ones? Doesn’t that leave international cases?”

“Yes,” Dragon Two explained, “the telecom fraud sources in Europe are mostly from San Ge’s territory. Back in the day, American customer service was outsourced to them, giving them a natural edge.”

“Same as Myanmar’s advantage in scamming domestically?”

“Watch your tongue—don’t say that over there. They refer to it as business.”

“Business with no capital or risk, as long as you’re not human. You can do it.” Mo Fei had no interest.

“Be careful with your words.” Dragon Two warned again, then continued, “Wang Dao told me to take you around the Golden Triangle area. What do you think?”

Mo Fei blinked in confusion. “Did I offend Wang Dao?”

The Golden Triangle sits at the junction of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos in Southeast Asia. It has long been a major producer of opium and other raw materials, a globally renowned source of white powder. Although it doesn’t share a border with the country, the Yun Province frontier still offers a clear view of the region. For Dragon Two, an experienced old hand, slipping over to take a look wasn’t out of the question.

But Mo Fei was simply an ordinary person who craved comfort and pleasure. Who would willingly risk their life for no reason?

“Just a quick loop nearby,” Dragon Two said casually. “Experience it and get a feel for the place.”

To Dragon Two, the Golden Triangle wasn’t particularly unfamiliar; he had dealings with the locals before. But bringing Mo Fei along… he’d wait until his sister arrived first. He feared he couldn’t keep an eye on him alone.

Mo Fei showed no reluctance about his duties. Thinking it over, he asked, “Hey, you’ve seen a lot out there. Have you heard of that Southeast Asian ghost story? The one about human trafficking.”

Dragon Two paused. “Which one?”

“This one too?” Mo Fei looked shocked.

“Not many, just relatively more,” Dragon Two corrected him precisely. “If you’re referring to the most famous tale about a wife disappearing in a fitting room, that one is true.”

“Do you know about organ harvesting?”

Mo Fei nodded. “It’s about snatching normal living people, then using knives, axes, and other methods to carve them into deformed monsters with strange shapes, all for profit.”

“I don’t recall any mistake—such incidents happened long ago, and the punishment was harsh.”

“But the gains were also substantial.” Dragon Two let out a low laugh. “When we reach the border, no matter what you see, don’t move.”

That laugh sent a chill through Mo Fei. Since he’d known Dragon Two, he had seen him laugh only twice—once when greeting an old lady with a forced smile, and again just now, far too naturally. Someone who smiled so easily didn’t seem trustworthy.

With that unease lingering, Mo Fei followed Dragon Two by taxi to a remote frontier town. In Yun City, no matter how obscure the place, its climate and location made tourism inevitable. Though the town lacked downtown vibrancy, tourists in straw hats still passed through. Dragon Two booked a guesthouse, then dismantled three cameras and two listening devices inside the room, crushed them, replaced the bathroom sink pipes, and locked the door before handing Mo Fei a small canister. “Hold this.”

Mo Fei examined it. The silver spray can was tiny, no larger than half a soda can, looking especially cute and compact.

“What is this?” Mo Fei shook it, hearing liquid slosh inside.

Dragon Two swapped the solid barrel for a standard one, holstered it at his waist, and answered without looking up. “Wolf repellent spray.”

Mo Fei glanced at the mini spray, then at Dragon Two’s gun, and pouted. “Didn’t you say this thing wasn’t practiced and useless?”

“You don’t need to know how to use it—just spray someone.” Dragon Two instructed. “Don’t spray yourself.”

Mo Fei envied the gun but couldn’t use it, so he stowed the spray and pulled out a U-shaped lock from his luggage. “I have a self-defense weapon too.”

Dragon Two regarded the lock calmly. “You like it? Use it.”

“But I should warn you—here, it’s not that everyone carries guns, but it’s close.”

Mo Fei set the lock aside. It might work for street fights back home, but it felt inadequate against real weapons and risked looking foolish.

“I’ll take you to see it.”

As Dragon Two left, he plucked a hair from Mo Fei’s head and tucked it into the door crack, then scattered some cigarette ash underneath. Mo Fei watched with a thumbs-up. “Professional. But now there are cameras, so this trick won’t work much, right?”

Dragon Two glanced at the end-of-hall surveillance. “That one’s disconnected. All the cameras in the room are wireless.”

Mo Fei held back for a moment before muttering, “Six.”

“So it’s six?” Dragon Two shook his head and stepped out.

The guesthouse owner’s gaze followed them until they left.

“We just walked out like that—won’t the boss do something?” Mo Fei had never experienced this and felt a mix of excitement and thrill. “When we get back, won’t a few burly guys pop out to rough us up?”

“No. They know we’re on the road and follow the rules.”

Mo Fei frowned. “We?”

“You and who?”

Dragon Two offered no reply. He led Mo Fei onto a busier street and pointed to the narrow alley beside them. “Want to check it out?”

Mo Fei shook his head vigorously. “I’m not stupid. Who knows what’s in those places?”

Dragon Two scanned the surroundings, slipped on a mask, and said, “Just watch and see.”

The mask hid most of his face, softening the aura that usually kept strangers away.

“You think covering your face will make people scam us?” Mo Fei shook his head with a smile. “Or do you look harder to fool and I look easier?”

Dragon Two seemed to smile faintly. “We’ll see as we go.”