Chapter 109: Brainwashing

This bar gave off a very strange vibe. There were no dazzling lights or drunken revelers, no lovesick men or women lost in indulgence, yet the overall atmosphere was unsettling in a way that was hard to describe.

A group of young men and women sat around a fire pit, sharing their personal troubles.

After listening for a while, Mo Fei felt something was off. Modern people, especially the youth, bear a lot of pressure—some burdens they cannot openly discuss with family or close friends, yet they find it easy to pour out their hearts to strangers.

If the listener were a good person, that would be one thing. But the way Fei Ge, the man with the small mustache, offered advice was heavily suggestive and manipulative.

Among those present, only two or three were newcomers; the rest revered Fei Ge, constantly echoing and praising every word he said.

This was clearly a brainwashing environment.

But it didn’t quite seem like a pyramid scheme. What was Fei Ge’s true purpose in manipulating these young people?

Could it really be that he was just a straightforward life coach, helping confused youth solve their problems?

Mo Fei couldn’t believe it.

After chatting with the group for a bit, Fei Ge waved to Mo Fei, beckoning him over. “Xiao Fei, those who come here are all young people feeling lost and hesitant. Don’t be shy—say whatever’s on your mind. Sometimes just speaking it out loud eases the heart.”

Fei Ge’s words sounded sincere, and Mo Fei felt touched. “You’re right. After hearing everyone’s stories, I do feel like opening up as well—if you don’t mind me being a bother.”

The young people smiled warmly. “We’ve all been through this. Go ahead.”

Mo Fei spun a vivid tale based on the premise Long Er had given him: a child from a single-parent home, introverted and unloved, struggling at work, and recently mourning the loss of a family member.

The story was so tragic it moved listeners to tears.

Fei Ge sat beside him, draping an arm over his shoulder and patting him gently. “Everyone hits low points in life, but believe me, the bad luck won’t last forever.”

“Someone like you, with no family ties, is better off than Xiao Gui, whose mother is a burden on her brother, selling her daughter to pay off debts.”

A young woman nearby smiled faintly at them.

“Fate is a tricky thing,” Fei Ge continued. “Some bonds are good, some are cursed. Most of your relationships with your parents and family are like that—born to torment each other. But since our culture values filial piety so much, that’s why you suffer inwardly.”

***

Fei Ge chuckled. “Well, we have an event here tonight. Everyone’s coming, so join us.”

The newcomers hesitated, but the others eagerly agreed, dragging the newcomers along.

“Xiao Fei, you’re coming too,” Fei Ge said, hooking an arm around Mo Fei’s neck and grinning. “I just feel we really click.”

Mo Fei nodded in agreement.

They exchanged contact information and arranged to meet again that evening before dispersing.

The group loyal to Fei Ge went off to have fun with the newcomers, even inviting Mo Fei to join.

Mo Fei declined, citing something to handle back at the hotel, and slipped away.

The bar was in a remote location, and Mo Fei had to walk two blocks before spotting Long Er standing on the street corner.

“What are you doing here?” Mo Fei asked as he approached.

Long Er shook his head and pointed to Mo Fei’s collar.

Speaking with a heavy Yun City accent, he said, “You’re short on cash—you need to make up the difference.”

Mo Fei understood immediately and replied naturally, “Well, I’m hurrying back now.”

Long Er pulled out his phone and typed a message: “Bug in place, heading back first.”

Mo Fei nodded, his voice tinged with complaint. “Seriously, all this fuss over missing a day’s rent? They had to come chasing me down like this?”

The two of them spoke only briefly on the way back, their conversation intended for the ears of whoever was listening through the bug. They revealed nothing critical.

Once back at the guesthouse, Long Er checked that no one had entered their room during their absence. Only then did Mo Fei take off his coat, roll it up, and toss it into the bathroom before closing the door.

“All right, keep your voice down—they won’t hear us in here.”

Mo Fei finally breathed a sigh of relief. “What kind of place was that? So strange. Why would they plant a bug on me the very first time I went there?”

“Exactly because it was your first time, they’re more wary of you,” Long Er said, taking out a notebook and handing it to him. “Da Fei runs a shop in that area, supposedly offering psychological counseling for young people. But it’s really subtle brainwashing. You should’ve seen it for yourself.”

Mo Fei flipped through the notes, nodding silently. “It’s practically a cult.”

***

“Not quite, but close enough,” Long Er replied, sitting opposite him. “Those motorcycle taxi drivers are Da Fei’s subordinates. Usually, people who sneak into places like this either have too much time and money or are looking for some kind of thrill.”

“Motorcycle taxis are a common mode of transport here. They’re great at interacting with tourists and drawing them in—like when people ask taxi drivers about fun places to visit.”

“When they find a suitable target, these drivers take them to Da Fei for screening.”

Mo Fei examined the files and found that Da Fei was no ordinary man.

Since graduating high school, he had drifted through various jobs—working in bars, hotels, even casinos. He spent years as a hired thug before attending adult college for a few years. After that, he rebranded himself as the owner of a bar, claiming to sell nostalgia and a sense of brotherhood.

Usually, a bar like that would go under within three months, but Da Fei’s had survived for years.

“What’s his game?” Mo Fei asked, puzzled.

Why put so much effort into brainwashing these young people? What was his end goal?

If it were human trafficking, like Aunt Mei’s crude and brutal operation, it would be simpler and more efficient. Opening a bar to lure people in couldn’t really be just about sentimentality, could it?

“It’s about talent transfer,” Long Er said. “By brainwashing, he can harvest talent from various industries. He doesn’t need many—just one person a year is enough.”

Mo Fei slowly nodded. “So it’s still a pyramid scheme?”

“Something like that,” Long Er frowned, thinking it over. “The people Da Fei recruits can be funneled into all sorts of places—the Myanmar scam gangs, cocaine trafficking, human trafficking. Once you get involved, there’s no way out.”

“Since these young people are brainwashed first and then pushed into illegal activities, most won’t report it. They just resign themselves to continuing.”

“Even if some realize it’s wrong and want to leave, they’ll confide in their trusted Fei Ge—and then...”

Long Er drew his thumb across his throat.

“Overseas missing persons disappear just like that.”

Mo Fei felt the documents burn in his hands. “So you want me to get close to him to take him down?”

“No,” Long Er’s expression hardened. “I want you to experience what it’s like to walk with real villains. And besides, Da Fei is someone I can afford to provoke—nothing more.”