The Omniscient

Chapter 53: Cao Jing’s Breakdown

While Old Ma rooted out the mole and Jin Ya gained new talent, the confrontation reached an uneasy impasse. Jin Ya had the numbers but suffered setbacks, while Old Ma, though outnumbered, had the suppliers on his side.

Both parties wanted to de-escalate. This wasn’t some remote countryside; neither side wanted a firefight here. Retreating with what they had gained seemed the best course.

The problem was: who would break the silence first?

Under normal circumstances, the three suppliers should have stepped in to mediate. Even if they planned to cut off Jin Ya’s supply chain later, they could at least fake reconciliation for now. However, the suppliers either lacked finesse or simply refused to play nice, leaving the situation to stagnate.

Then, Cao Jing arrived.

Before Jin Ya’s men had stormed the warehouse, Cao Jing had already completed his deal on the other side. Unsurprisingly, it had failed—the other party hadn’t even brought the goods.

With no sincerity from the other side, Cao Jing hadn’t dared to bring out the money. After consulting Old Ma by phone, he had withdrawn.

Old Ma didn’t blame him; instead, he reassured Cao Jing and asked him to come to Difen Park to assist.

The absence of goods from the other party had been part of Old Ma’s plan. The fact that Cao Jing had returned unscathed was proof enough that he wasn’t the mole. His arrival here only bolstered Old Ma’s position.

Now, Cao Jing pulled up in his car with Ah Lei, each carrying a large box as they entered the warehouse.

As soon as Cao Jing saw the situation—guns drawn, hostages swapped, Li Kun standing behind Jin Ya, and the suppliers present but the truck missing—he knew something was off.

The scene was overwhelming, but Cao Jing said nothing. He quietly walked over to Old Ma, handing over the money box.

“Boss Ma, those guys weren’t serious. They didn’t bring the goods,” he reported.

“I know. Forget it,” Old Ma replied calmly. He motioned for Tielong to take the box.

Tielong, meticulous as always, insisted on opening the box to verify the contents—even under these circumstances. His caution was unsurprising, given his character and his history of handling sensitive tasks for Old Ma.

Cao Jing frowned. “Tielong, is this really necessary in front of outsiders? Don’t you trust me?”

He had gone to great lengths to ensure tonight’s operation went smoothly. Confident in his efforts, Cao Jing was sure the money was fine. He also sensed, from Old Ma’s attitude and the unfolding events, that his own deal had been the decoy all along.

Realizing this was all part of Old Ma’s plan to test his loyalty, Cao Jing felt aggrieved. Now, seeing the money he had protected so diligently being scrutinized by Tielong, he couldn’t help but grumble.

“Don’t you trust me?”

Across the room, Li Kun snickered. “Heh…”

Cao Jing shot Li Kun a glance, his expression darkening. He said no more but stood quietly, waiting for the verification to end.

Tielong, unmoved by the complaints, opened the box—and froze.

The box was filled with white paper. He opened the second box—it was the same.

“Boss Ma, the money’s gone,” Tielong said, frowning.

Old Ma’s face darkened as he turned to Cao Jing. “What’s this? Did you think I wouldn’t check in front of everyone?”

“I…” Cao Jing’s mind went blank. His heart pounded as he stared at the white paper, unable to process what he was seeing.

This was impossible. How could this happen?

“Where’s the money?” His blood ran cold. Not again. How could this happen again?

Cao Jing had already lost 1.2 million yuan in previous incidents. Now, adding this 4 million, the cumulative losses made him question his own sanity.

“Boss Ma, I swear I didn’t betray you…” Cao Jing finally understood why Li Kun was standing with Jin Ya. Both operations tonight had been designed to expose moles.

Old Ma squinted at him. “I never said you betrayed me. What, are you saying you took the money?”

“I didn’t! I didn’t take it!” Cao Jing shouted, panicking.

“Then who did? Surely, it wasn’t me,” Old Ma said, his words sharp and suffocating.

Cao Jing opened his mouth, but no words came out. His mind raced. If it wasn’t me, then it had to be… Ah Lei?

He glanced at Ah Lei, who stood beside him with a bewildered expression. Accusing his childhood friend, someone he had grown up with, felt impossible. Even if he suspected him, he couldn’t bring himself to voice it.

“Ti… Tielong… It’s Tielong!” Cao Jing blurted, laughing hysterically. “I’ve figured it out! Boss Ma, Tielong is the real mole!”

He clung to this conclusion, convinced that only Tielong could have swapped the money. The boxes were identical, and only someone with foreknowledge and access to the car could have executed the switch.

“That’s ridiculous!” Old Ma snapped. “Are you seriously accusing Tielong now?”

“I am! Think about it! How else could the boxes be swapped without prior planning? I was cautious all night. The money was handed to me by Tielong’s men. It would have been easy for them to make the switch!” Cao Jing argued desperately.

“You fool!” Old Ma roared. “Do you even know that this 4 million came from Tielong’s own pocket? It’s everything he has!”

“What?” Cao Jing froze.

After losing 10 million in a previous incident, Old Ma’s cash flow had been severely disrupted. Even wealthy enterprises often struggled with liquidity issues, and their group was no different. Tielong had mortgaged his own assets to scrape together the 4 million.

Cao Jing’s accusations now seemed baseless. Yet, to him, Tielong’s sacrifice only deepened his suspicions. How convenient, sacrificing his own funds to appear loyal while actually embezzling the money!

“You set me up, Tielong! You’re ruthless!” Cao Jing glared at Tielong, convinced he had been framed.

Old Ma frowned, glancing briefly at Tielong. While Cao Jing’s theory was plausible, it was based on speculation alone. With outsiders watching, Old Ma couldn’t afford to cast doubt on someone as trusted as Tielong.

From the other side, Li Kun—now with Jin Ya—chimed in mockingly, “Cao Jing, didn’t I warn you not to bite the hand that feeds you? Tielong’s untouchable, you idiot! He’s practically family—Old Ma’s golden son-in-law!”

His words were dripping with sarcasm, each one adding fuel to the fire.

Jin Ya beamed with delight. Li Kun had just joined him and was already stirring trouble for Old Ma. It seemed he might be able to poach another member of Old Ma’s crew.

Cao Jing was left dumbfounded. “You… You piece of s***!”

"Enough! Drag him away, Tielong. He's yours to handle now," Old Ma ordered, unwilling to let Li Kun continue to enjoy the spectacle at his expense.

Cao Jing had lost money twice now. Old Ma had already been suspicious of him and had staged this test for a reason. It wasn’t about evidence anymore. If Old Ma couldn’t trust someone, that person was of no use to him. Whether there were other possibilities could be dealt with later.

“Boss Ma! You don’t trust me?” Cao Jing cried out in anguish.

From the other side, Li Kun interjected with a smirk, “I’ve already tried that line. It doesn’t work on Boss Ma. Just come over here already! You can’t win against Tielong!”

But Cao Jing refused to budge. Staring at Tielong, who was advancing to grab him, he shouted, “Tielong, I’m taking you down with me!”

Cao Jing’s boldness had always been his defining trait. Though he was careless and rough around the edges, his loyalty to Old Ma had kept him in a trusted position. He was the type to take the fall for Old Ma without complaint, which had earned him a reputation for being reckless and unruly.

But now, he was desperate. Despite his reputation, Cao Jing’s physical strength was second only to Tielong’s among Old Ma’s crew. Fueled by despair, he launched into a ferocious assault, surprisingly managing to suppress Tielong.

“Big Brother!” Ah Lei, seeing this, rushed forward without hesitation, charging directly at Old Ma himself.

Ah Lei wasn’t concerned about Old Ma’s authority or status; his priority was to save Cao Jing. Unlike Cao Jing, Ah Lei was quick-witted and had already realized there was no salvaging the trust Cao Jing had lost. Falling into Tielong’s hands would mean certain death.

Ah Lei’s sudden action forced Old Ma’s men to intervene. Xiaodao stepped in, landing a solid kick that sent Ah Lei reeling. Before long, Xiaodao had subdued him entirely.

The situation spiraled further into chaos. Jin Ya took a step forward, gun in hand, prompting Old Ma’s men to follow suit. Neither side dared fire, but the sound of flesh striking flesh echoed through the warehouse as the brawl continued.

“You dare attack Boss Ma?” Xiaodao said coldly, pinning Ah Lei to the ground.

Cao Jing, meanwhile, was taking blow after blow but continued to fight. His cries fell on deaf ears as everyone stared at him with cold disdain. Having lost 1.2 million before and another 4 million now, and with his subordinate attacking Old Ma, there was no room for sympathy.

“F***!” Cao Jing wanted to explain that Ah Lei was acting out of impulsive loyalty, but he knew it would be futile. The others wouldn’t listen.

Even worse, doubts began creeping into his mind. Is Ah Lei a mole? Could he be cutting off my retreat on purpose?

The paranoia overwhelmed him. With no one left to trust, Cao Jing could only think of convincing Old Ma.

“Cao Jing! Just come over here!” Li Kun shouted again.

But Cao Jing wouldn’t listen. His mind was blank, overwhelmed by the chaos of the last few days. The fight became his outlet, a way to vent his frustrations. It felt as though beating Tielong might somehow restore Old Ma’s trust.

Then, Old Ma’s voice cut through the chaos:

“Tielong, take him out.”

Those words shattered Cao Jing’s resolve. His gaze dimmed. He had followed Old Ma since he was 17. To hear Old Ma casually give such an order—it was as if all those years of loyalty meant nothing.

“So, in the end, you only trust your son-in-law…” Cao Jing muttered, his voice hollow.

Suddenly, he broke into maniacal laughter. His punches became wild and erratic, his expression unhinged. The years of being framed, manipulated, and ostracized by his peers all boiled to the surface. His closest brother lying defeated on the ground, the scornful eyes of his former comrades, and now Old Ma’s betrayal—it all pushed him over the edge.

“Understood,” Tielong said coolly. Though pinned, he remained calm. With Old Ma’s command, Tielong suddenly surged forward, delivering a precise elbow strike to Cao Jing’s temple.

“Bang!”

Cao Jing’s laughter stopped abruptly. His head slammed into the wall, and he slid to the ground, leaving a streak of blood behind.

The warehouse fell silent. Blood trickled from Cao Jing’s head—a sign of internal hemorrhaging.

The cold efficiency of Tielong’s strike stunned everyone. Even Jin Ya and his men inhaled sharply.

Only Ah Lei, dazed but conscious, let out a desperate scream and lunged at Tielong. Without even turning, Tielong leaped into the air and delivered a spinning back kick, sending Ah Lei flying into the wall, where he collapsed, unconscious.

Old Ma looked pleased. “Throw them in the trunk,” he ordered.

Tielong nodded, grabbing both men and dragging them out through the side door to the vehicles parked in the garage.

Old Ma turned to Jin Ya, who still looked rattled, and smiled faintly.

“Are you satisfied now? Or do you want to keep going?”

Jin Ya knew the night had reached its limit. Though he could risk a firefight and likely win, bullets had no eyes, and he wasn’t eager to gamble his life. Besides, Old Ma’s current demeanor suggested he wouldn’t back down.

Better to retreat while he still had the upper hand. Just as Jin Ya was about to find a way to de-escalate, a honk sounded outside: two short bursts followed by a long one.

“Boss! Ice cream delivery!”

The tension broke momentarily as everyone turned toward the warehouse doors.

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