69novels Chapter 196 He can use you, and he can also crush you with a flick of his wrist.
Chapter 196 He can use you, and he can also crush you with a flick of his wrist.
Chapter 196 He can use you, and he can also crush you with a flick of his wrist.
The vast expanse of blue water, with the sea breeze whistling through it.
A paddle steamer is breaking through the sea and heading towards the open ocean.
Ma Rulong lay on the gunwale, his eyes shining. He patted the sturdy teak planks vigorously, then couldn't resist touching the rudder and instruments, exclaiming repeatedly, "What a ship! What a magnificent ship! Sir, where did you get this treasure? It's amazing!"
Just a while ago.
When Chen Wen proposed to go to sea to deal with Luo Sanpao, who was running rampant at sea, Ma Rulong and Zhuo Yifei were both secretly astonished.
Everyone knows that Hong Kong's coast guard force has long been a mere shell of its former self.
Several patrol boats were destroyed by pirates, and the coast guard was merged into the land-based police force.
At the time, they also subtly advised that without ships, sufficient manpower, and firearms, going out to sea to suppress bandits would almost be suicide.
Which thought.
Chen Wen quietly acquired such a high-performance and well-maintained speedboat!
What's even more alarming is that the sailors on board are all silent and capable, clearly elites who have experienced storms and even battles, far superior to ordinary merchant ship sailors or guards.
Ma Rulong was genuinely excited to have such a ship to fight pirates.
Zhuo Yifei, however, showed no joy on his face. Instead, he seemed uneasy and kept giving Ma Rulong meaningful glances.
But Ma Rulong was so engrossed in seeing the nice ship that he didn't notice anything amiss.
Chen Wen looked at the excited Ma Rulong and smiled: "You like this boat?"
"I love it!" Ma Rulong nodded vigorously, exclaiming, "Sir, to be honest, back when I was in the Coast Guard, if we had a few ships like this, we wouldn't have had to fear pirates!"
"We wiped them out long ago! What a pity—what a pity—"
Knowing the plight of the Hong Kong Marine Police, Chen Wen understood Ma Rulong's resentment and casually said, "Since you like it and have the heart to fight bandits and protect the people, this boat is yours."
"Huh?" Ma Rulong looked up suddenly, stunned, then chuckled and shook his head.
"Sir, you must be joking. Even if you sold me, I wouldn't be worth a fraction of this ship! This is a real warship—"
Chen Wen simply smiled and said, "This ship is indeed very expensive, but you are worth more than this ship."
"If a ship is lost, it can always be rebuilt or bought again as long as you're willing to spend the money."
"But talented people are hard to find!"
"Especially someone like you, who has a strong sense of justice, is courageous and daring, unafraid of power, and genuinely wants to do something practical for the people."
"What's one boat? Ten or a hundred Ma Rulongs like you are more valuable than a hundred such boats."
These words sent a shiver down Ma Rulong's spine.
Staring blankly at Chen Wen, he never expected that he would be so highly regarded by this mysterious and powerful knight!
A complex mix of emotions—overwhelmed with gratitude, a surge of excitement, and a touch of disbelief—filled my chest.
Liang Kuan, Zhuo Yifei, Lin Guobin, Lu Huiguang, and others standing nearby were also taken aback.
The way they looked at Ma Rulong changed.
With Chen Wen's high regard and frank praise, Ma Rulong's future prospects are probably limitless!
Envy, admiration, and a whole host of other emotions were expressed.
Ma Rulong's face flushed slightly, a mixture of excitement and embarrassment. He straightened his back and clasped his hands tightly in a fist salute: "Sir! I—I, Ma Rulong, will certainly not disappoint you! I will risk my life to eradicate the pirates and protect the people and the seas!"
Chen Wen nodded with satisfaction and patted him on the shoulder: "I have faith in you. Go and familiarize yourself with the ship first; we'll be at the designated sea area soon."
"Yes!" Ma Rulong responded energetically, then turned around and excitedly ran off to study the ship's cabin and the location of the cannons, full of enthusiasm.
Taking advantage of the moment when the surrounding people’s attention was slightly diverted, Zhuo Yifei quickly pulled Ma Rulong to a secluded spot on the ship’s side.
Lowering her voice, she stamped her feet anxiously, "My dear brother Long! My own brother! Aren't you awake yet? Still watching the ship! What the hell are you watching the ship for?!"
"What's wrong?" Ma Rulong asked, somewhat puzzled.
"What else?" Zhuo Yifei pointed at the sailors on the deck, his voice even lower.
"I believe that Sir Chen is rich and has connections to have acquired such a fine ship."
"But look at these people! They are definitely elite soldiers who have been on the battlefield and killed people with real swords and spears!"
"Where in all of Hong Kong are you going to find dozens of sailors like that for me?"
"He's just a doctor. Even if he became a knight, where would he get such a person? Where would he get such a ship?"
The excitement on Ma Rulong's face gradually faded.
He paused for a moment, not immediately refuting.
In fact, he had long suspected that Chen Wen was not a simple person.
From the unfathomable demeanor of the other party at their first meeting, to the swift and decisive methods used to subdue Ou Xinhu and deal with Zhou Yongling later on.
Then there's the iron-blooded temperament of Liang Kuan and others, so different from that of ordinary guards and servants.
Too many signs indicate that this young knight is far more than just a skilled doctor appreciated by foreigners.
But he chose not to investigate further.
Firstly, it's someone else's secret, and he has neither the right nor the need to pry into it.
Secondly, and most importantly.
Everything Chen Wen has done so far has been about eliminating evil and protecting the weak.
Fighting gangs, arresting traitors, and now cracking down on pirates—isn't this exactly what Ma Rulong has always wanted to do but often felt powerless to do?
Ma Rulong looked at the worried Zhuo Yifei and gently shook his head.
"It's perfectly normal for a big shot like a knight to have some secrets. Who are we to ask?"
"All I know is that he was doing a good deed. Fighting pirates was a way to rid the people of a scourge. That's enough."
"Enough my ass!" Zhuo Yifei scratched his head in frustration. "Are you stupid?! Who is Zhou Yongling? He's incredibly shrewd, has connections in both the legitimate and underworld circles, and has countless powerful backers!"
"And what happened? He killed them without batting an eye! What does that show? It shows he doesn't care about Hong Kong's rules, or those deeply entrenched power structures!"
"He has even stronger connections, or—he is the rule himself!"
"This kind of person is cunning and ruthless. Our little bit of cleverness is as transparent as water in his eyes!"
"He can use you, and he can also—he can crush you with a flick of his wrist! And me too!"
Ma Rulong frowned: "I haven't done anything wrong, I haven't harmed anyone, why would the Duke want to kill me?"
"You didn't do it, but I did!" Zhuo Yifei said with a mournful face, finally revealing his greatest fear.
"Brother! My dear brother! Over the years, I've done countless scams and cheats to make a living, and this time I've even tricked you!"
"If the lord investigates, or if he doesn't like me—you'll have to save your brother!"
Looking at Zhuo Yifei's terrified expression...
Ma Rulong felt a mix of amusement and helplessness.
He knew that Zhuo Yifei was not a bad person at heart, but he was too cunning and valued profit too much, which led him astray.
The two had many conflicts because of this, but their brotherhood of many years remained, and he never really thought about abandoning Zhuo Yifei.
A thought suddenly popped into his mind.
Perhaps—this is an opportunity?
Ma Rulong looked troubled, sighed, and lowered his voice, saying, "It's not that I don't want to help you. You've seen it yourself, the Duke doesn't tolerate injustice. If you want to save your life and live a peaceful life from now on, it's very simple."
"This time, when you're fighting Luo Sanpao, you'd better give it your all and perform well!"
"Let the jazz musicians see your worth, see that you can change your ways!"
"From now on, stop doing those petty, underhanded things. Just stick with me—work for Jazz."
"How has the Jazz treated his subordinates? You saw it yourself—Liang Kuan and the others, including me—have you ever mistreated them?"