Reservoir Dogs chapter 45

The Casino

After finishing the statement at the police station, it was already well into the afternoon. The owner of the bag insisted on giving him money to thank him, but Xiao Zhou politely declined.

He took out the piece of paper from his pocket, which had a phone number and an address.

After wandering around, he found the place, an old and dilapidated building.

Not long after knocking, Chen Jin came to open the door. He seemed to have just returned, having taken off his clothes and now dressed in a short-sleeved undershirt and boxer shorts, wearing slippers. He looked a bit surprised to see Xiao Zhou. “Zhou Ge, why are you here so soon?” Chen Jin awkwardly stepped aside to let him in. “It’s dirty and rundown here. I was thinking of inviting you out for a meal.”

There was a strong smell of medicinal oil in the air. Chen Jin had probably just applied some medicine; his arms, which were exposed, had obvious scratches.

Chen Jin noticed Xiao Zhou’s gaze and rubbed his arms awkwardly, then smiled at him. “This place is too small and has no gas, so I can’t cook here. Let’s go out and eat something.”

“Do you live alone?”

Chen Jin turned to get his jacket, paused at Xiao Zhou’s question, and after a moment, he replied, “No, I’ve been marked.”

The two went to a roadside barbecue stall, affordable and familiar to Chen Jin.

“Is that your alpha’s place?”

Chen Jin nodded, broke apart a pair of disposable chopsticks, crossed them to remove any bamboo splinters, cleaned them, and handed them to Xiao Zhou. “Yes, the conditions aren’t great, but you get used to it after a while.”

Xiao Zhou took the chopsticks. It was clear that Chen Jin’s matched alpha conditions were not good, hence why he lived in such a place. He also had many wounds. Xiao Zhou looked at those bruises and asked, “How did you get those injuries?”

Chen Jin pulled down the sleeve that covered his arm, hiding the bruises. “I got them while running away and falling. That’s all.”

Xiao Zhou frowned. “Is it because you were stealing?”

Chen Jin smiled bitterly and said, scratching his forehead with the end of the chopsticks, “How could I dare? If I got caught, I’d be done for. Today was really the first time.”

“Why did you do it then?”

Chen Jin’s eyes flickered. He sighed and said, “I had no choice.”

Chen Jin then recounted his experiences after being released from prison. As Xiao Zhou expected, Chen Jin’s alpha match conditions were not good. According to the information, the alpha named Zhang Qiang had no steady job, had a lame leg, relied on social assistance, and occasionally did odd jobs. However, he looked honest and simple. When Chen Jin’s grandmother was ill, and he was desperate to get out, he accepted this match.

On the first day out, he was marked. After being marked, Chen Jin discovered that Zhang Qiang had a drinking problem and became violent when drunk. Fearful that Chen Jin would leave, he restricted his freedom and prevented him from visiting his grandmother. Chen Jin was worried, escaped once, and when he returned, Zhang Qiang was drunk and beat him so badly that he ended up in the hospital.

As he finished this part, Chen Jin noticed Xiao Zhou’s brow furrowing tighter as he looked at the injuries on his body. Chen Jin hesitated for a moment, smiled, and reassured him, “It’s not that bad, Zhou Ge. I’m not that easy to bully. He wouldn’t dare touch me when he’s sober, but a drunk person is unreasonable. So, I inevitably suffer a bit.”

“Why don’t you leave?” Xiao Zhou asked.

Chen Jin said, “I can’t leave. My grandmother is in the hospital, and I don’t know when she’ll be gone. When he’s not home, I can sneak out, but if he locks me in, who knows how long I’ll have to wait. Besides, after he sobers up and realizes he hit me, he apologizes. He knows I sneak out during the day. As long as I come back on time, he turns a blind eye. For now, I’m eating his food, using his place, and still have some freedom of movement. I’ll just endure this for now. At least I have to accompany my grandmother to the end.”

On the roadside stall, there were snails, scallops, and several skewers of barbecue. Chen Jin ordered two more bottles of beer, opened them, and handed one to Xiao Zhou.

The bottle was cold, and Xiao Zhou took it, his fingertips damp. “So you stole the bag today because you needed money?”

Chen Jin took a sip of beer and wiped his mouth. “You can tell from the conditions I live in that my alpha doesn’t have much money. My grandmother’s hospital expenses are too high, and medical insurance doesn’t cover it all. We owe the hospital money.”

“But stealing isn’t the answer.”

“I know.” Chen Jin’s tone was very obedient, eyes cast down, looking like he had learned his lesson. With two beers down, the corners of his eyes, slightly reddened, lifted as he spoke, “I saw her coming out of the bank, got a sudden rush of blood, followed her for two blocks before daring to make a move. But after you chased me like that, I won’t have the guts to do it again.”

Xiao Zhou sympathized with his plight and misfortune, unsure of what to say. He lowered his head and noticed the barbecue on the table before speaking, “Let me treat you to this meal today.”

Chen Jin waved his hand, saying, “No need. The owner of this street market knows Zhang Qiang and will settle the bill with him.”

Xiao Zhou was puzzled, “Didn’t you say he doesn’t have much money?”

Chen Jin replied, “Yes, he has no money or skills. He just does odd jobs for people, boasting without substance.” 

Xiao Zhou was even more confused, “What kind of jobs?”

Chen Jin explained, “Despite having a lame leg, he’s still an alpha male, born with natural advantages. Tall and strong, he can intimidate people. He doesn’t have a legitimate job, he just keeps an eye on things for people, so everyone here fears him.”

Xiao Zhou finally understood what he meant. This was why he could afford to treat him so generously; it was a free meal.

“What about you?” Chen Jin asked, pausing his gaze on the scars covered by Xiao Zhou’s high-necked shirt. “Are you okay?”

Xiao Zhou instinctively touched his neck. Compared to Chen Jin, his situation was much better. It was hard not to compare the two; if Jiang Chengyuan was a mess, a heavy drinker with all sorts of bad habits, Xiao Zhou wouldn’t feel emotionally swayed. Things would be easier, and there would be no need for such hesitation.

After putting his hand down, he leaned against the table, hanging his head and not saying a word for a long time.

Chen Jin frowned. He thought that Xiao Zhou had encountered the same thing as him. “That’s how alphas are, no matter how shiny their surface, they’re still one road away from being trash.”

Xiao Zhou raised his eyes, realizing Chen Jin had misunderstood. Shaking his head, he said, “No, he’s actually quite good.” Each time he was asked, Xiao Zhou would say ‘good,’ the first two times were whitewashed, this time around was truly heartfelt.

“Then what’s wrong with you?”

Xiao Zhou poured himself a glass of beer and slowly drank it down. He spoke calmly, “It’s my problem. I think I might like him a little. I’m confused about this relationship. It’s my fault for being presumptuous when I clearly have no right.”

Chen Jin looked surprised, his expression stiff. It took him a while to respond, “I… I didn’t expect you to feel this way…”

As the cold beer slid down his throat, the empty plastic cup slightly distorted under the pressure of his fingers, Xiao Zhou smiled bitterly, “I might be more naive and weak than you think.”

Chen Jin blinked, swallowing a rising doubt in his throat. He picked up his chopsticks to pick up a piece of scallop meat and chewed thoughtfully, “No, this isn’t weakness. It’s quite normal. It’s good that you can say it.”

“For people like us, it’s actually hard to be that lucky.” He stuck out his tongue, then picked up the beer glass and drank it all in one go. “How much chili powder did the boss sprinkle? It’s so spicy.” Chen Jin’s eyes reddened from the spice, swallowing the beer, he covered Xiao Zhou’s back of his hand with his hand, seemingly sincerely happy for him, “So you don’t have to suffer like me.”

Xiao Zhou was burned by the warmth of the palm of his hand, and his eyes flickered. “If you finish what you want to do, will you end this relationship?”

Chen Jin withdrew his hand, thought for a moment, and slowly shook his head, “I don’t know, maybe.”

Xiao Zhou fell silent. It’s easier to talk about others than to talk about oneself. He took a skewer from the table and shook off the chili powder on it and handed it to Chen Jin. After that, he never mentioned this topic again.

After finishing the meal, it was almost dark. Before leaving, Xiao Zhou took the initiative to pay, although the owner had treated them warmly, as if they were not two people destined to owe a debt.

The evening breeze gently brushed past, and Xiao Zhou originally wanted to send Chen Jin back, but Chen Jin didn’t want to go back.

The two walked around the market, and when they reached the location of the arcade, Xiao Zhou stopped. Although the door was not open, the iron chain that was originally tied to the door had been untied, and the lights were on inside.

He looked inside, and Chen Jin also noticed his gaze. “What are you looking at?”

Xiao Zhou asked, “Do you know what this place is?”

Chen Jin’s expression suddenly became inscrutable. “You’re asking about this place?”

Just as they stopped outside, the door suddenly opened, and two strong men came out, their mouths holding unlit cigarettes, looking like they had come out to relax and smoke. When they saw Chen Jin, they raised their eyebrows and greeted him, “Hey, the little omega is here, looking for Zhang Qiang?”

Xiao Zhou turned to look at Chen Jin. Chen Jin’s delicate features suddenly became cold, with a distant sense of unfamiliarity. “No, don’t call him, I’m just walking around.”

One of the men looked at Xiao Zhou, “Who is this? Did you just cuckold your cripple alpha with him?”

Chen Jin ignored them, turned away, and pulled Xiao Zhou to leave. After walking a distance, he answered Xiao Zhou’s earlier question, “On the surface, it’s an arcade, but in reality, it’s an underground casino, and it’s very chaotic inside.”

Xiao Zhou turned his head to look. The two men who had just stood at the door smoking were still there. “Is there someone in there called Flower Snake?”

Chen Jin was stunned for a moment. “How did you know? Yes, Zhang Qiang told me. He works under someone named Flower Snake, running things there.”

At that moment, there was suddenly a commotion inside. The two men standing outside the door immediately became alert, threw their cigarettes, and moved towards the door. But before their hands could reach the handle, the glass door was already shattered by someone crashing into it. One person was splattered with glass shards, blood-soaked, rushing out unstoppably like a bullet fired from a barrel.

The two were startled by this force and hesitated to intervene. The person who came out later jumped in frustration, “You idiots! What are you standing there for? Go after him!”

Only then did they react and give chase, but the person who rushed out had already run down the steps towards the road.

Even with blood smeared across his face, Xiao Zhou recognized Xiao Ping. When Xiao Ping saw Xiao Zhou, he hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and ran in the opposite direction without acknowledging him.

A group from the casino chased after him. Xiao Ping couldn’t outrun them, especially since he was injured. In no time, he was caught and brought back tied up.

As he was being dragged back, he glanced over the crowd to where Xiao Zhou stood. His eyes showed both shame and a plea for help, but he didn’t speak up.

Xiao Zhou’s face turned grim. Chen Jin witnessed the whole commotion, perhaps having been around this place for a while, he was accustomed to such scenes and remained calm.

“Let’s go. Probably just a gambling debtor. Nothing interesting to see; every month there are always some people who gamble away everything,” Chen Jin pulled Xiao Zhou away, tugging but unable to move him.

Only then did Chen Jin notice Xiao Zhou was still staring at the now closed casino door. The glass door was shattered on the floor, and now the iron door inside had been shut. Everything was quiet except for faint yellow light.

Xiao Zhou’s hand holding onto Chen Jin was trembling slightly. Sensing something wrong, Chen Jin asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”

Xiao Zhou turned his face, looking serious. “I need to go in.”

“Why do you need to go in?”

With tightened cheeks, Xiao Zhou said one word at a time, “That was my brother just now.”

Chen Jin widened his eyes in surprise. “Your brother?”

Xiao Zhou nodded, loosening his tightly clenched fist. “Can you help?”

Chen Jin hesitated. “He probably owes money, right? This isn’t easy to handle. If you have money, you can resolve it. If not, going in would be futile. It’s not difficult to get in; the casino operates 24/7. I can help you get in, as long as you have chips. It’s not a high-end casino; it welcomes low-end customers, no barriers.”

Looking at him, Xiao Zhou said, “I’d like to see what’s going on first?”

Chen Jin considered. “Okay, as long as you don’t act rashly.”

Xiao Zhou nodded. Before Chen Jin made a call, Xiao Zhou asked him for a restraint patch to cover his gland, masking his pheromone.

Soon, the rolling shutter of the casino was lifted, and a tall, muscular man emerged, with shaved head and blue T-shirt and shorts, looking indeed intimidating as Chen Jin had described, limping as he walked.

Zhang Qiang approached, asking why Chen Jin was here. Chen Jin explained Xiao Zhou’s background, claiming him as his former cellmate, and described Xiao Zhou as a gambling enthusiast looking for entertainment. Zhang Qiang initially had doubts but relaxed upon hearing Xiao Zhou had also served time. This shared experience quickly bridged the gap between the two strangers.

Zhang Qiang lifted the shutter to let Xiao Zhou in. The ground floor was a typical arcade, packed with various machines, dusty and worn out, merely for show after years of disrepair.

Leading them through a small door behind the counter, Zhang Qiang opened the door, and the murky air accompanied by sweat, bodily fluids, food residues, and noisy voices immediately hit them. The long, narrow stairway led to a debilitating gold vault.

There weren’t too many people at this time. The gamblers squatting by the gambling tables were already red-eyed, most of them enduring for a long time, stretching their necks forward, bowing their bodies, showing their green veins on their foreheads, and their eyes bloodshot. It was the battlefield they fought on.

“How many chips do you want to exchange?” Zhang Qiang led them to the service counter, turning to Xiao Zhou. “The minimum here is 1,000 per game, and the minimum chip exchange is 20,000.”