Chapter Text
When it comes to the Green Dragon Gang, they have enemies in nearly every corner of Shanghai. An unfortunate side effect of being one of the most successful gangs in Shanghai. Rival gangs are always looking for some weakness to take advantage of, so that they might slay the dragon and take its place. When Bai Youning was younger, it was her that they would go after. And so she learned to defend herself. Bai Youning didn’t often get into fights, but when she did, they always ended in her favor. Then came Qiao Chusheng, a child from the streets that Mr. Bai had declared his right hand. But this too was no weakness. His title of the Number One Warrior Attendant was not just for show- he was brutal, he was efficient, and he never left anyone alive that he didn’t want to be alive.
They still tested him regularly, at a loss for what to do. And they had believed themselves to be lucky once, when no one in the underworld heard from the First Warrior Attendant for three days. And then he reappeared, to the disappointment of every enemy of the Green Dragon Gang. Shortly after that, a new weakness came to light.
A stock broker at the foreign bank of Sassoon, by the name of Lu Yao, was favored by both Mr. Bai and Qiao Si. He was, in a day, put in control of much of Mr. Bai’s personal account, to the displeasure of Mr. Sassoon. But he was a genius unlike any other and soon it wasn’t just Mr. Bai who trusted the man’s advice. With so many high profile visitors, it soon became impossible for even Mr. Bai’s lieutenants to vet them all. Which is when these rival gangs struck.
Kautilya says, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” This holds true, even for temporary gang alliances. It was not one enemy of the Green Dragon Gang that conspired in the kidnapping of Lu Yao, but many. One to distract the guards that Mr. Bai has placed around the man, another to physically kidnap the man, and yet another to get him from the bank to the docks, where they were going to show him the hospitality of Shanghai.
It only for an hour for news to reach Qiao Chusheng that Lu Yao had been taken. At that same time, Bai Qili and every Lieutenant of the Green Dragon Gang is informed that Mr. Lu’s whereabouts are unknown, but they will try to find him. Qiao Chusheng stands, looking to his boss. Bai Qili merely nods, and Qiao Chusheng grabs his jacket as he leaves the house. Discussion of transporting assets to and from other holds of the Green Dragon Gang can be dealt with without Qiao Chusheng. He will not stand idly by while YaoYao is missing.
The current situation Lu Yao found himself in was one he rather expected, but had hoped to avoid anyways. Waking up with an inability to see and the tell tale symptoms of concussive force to the back of his head- he’d been kidnapped and these ones had been a little less polite that Jiang Ziping. Chusheng was going to owe him a new suit. A nice one. Assuming he survived.
He was at a disadvantage though. He was tied to a chair, arms bound behind him and legs tied down to the legs. Plus the bag over his head which prevented him from taking stock of where he was and trying to escape. Sure, he wasn’t as good as Chusheng at fighting, but he could run. That would hopefully be enough.
The bag over his head (rough texture- smelled faintly of rice) was pulled off his head and Lu Yao automatically squeezed his eyes shut, flinching away from the sudden light as it made his head throb even worse. It also informed everyone holding him captive that he was awake and aware. Definitely a mistake, going from their chuckles.
He finally managed to crack one eye open- just in time to see a man swing a wooden pole at him from the corner of his eye. It made contact with his arm, right at his elbow, causing an explosion of pain. He screamed.
“Aww, seems Qiao Si’s little pet hasn’t learned how to hold his tongue.” One of the other men taunted, sauntering closer to grab Lu Yao’s face. He tried to jerk his head out of their hands (rough- the callouses where consistent with heavy knife use and a pistol), but their grip was firm yet. “Want me to cut it out?”
Lu Yao is not ashamed to admit he whimpered, which caused another round of laughter. “Nah, I bet he’ll keep screaming nice and pretty for us while we wait for his boy to show up.” The man holding Lu Yao’s jaw nods, slapping Lu Yao’s face after letting go of it and proceeding to wander out of his vision.
This is some unspoken cue that they’re all free to play with their captive, Lu Yao supposes, because he can feel the bite of leather against his bound arms and he screams out in pain. “I wonder what we’ll get in trade for him?” The man with the belt asks, breath hot against Lu Yao’s ear as he yanks Lu Yao’s head by his hair. The angle is uncomfortable, but Lu Yao could live with it if it wasn’t for the rank smell of their breath. Lu Yao opens his mouth to answer only to have a disgusting tasting rag shoved in his mouth. There’s the taste of oil soaked into a fabric and Lu Yao knows this will ruin his taste buds for days.
Not what he should be worrying about right now, but it distracts him from the fact he’s helpless as the mercy of gangsters who aren’t as nice as Chusheng.
“My boss is hoping for that chemical plant.” Another one mused. There was a hit to the side of Lu Yao’s head and he felt something cold drip down the side of his face and he couldn’t hear anything from that side anymore. In terror, Lu Yao tried to buck against the bounds again, only to get hit in the same spot and he crumpled back to the chair.
“Mine says Boss Bai has too many fingers in too many pies- he wants to take Mr. Bai’s position on the school board.” Another said and from Lu Yao’s one remaining ear, he heard the sound of water. Lu Yao was terrified of what was next. Freezing cold water (thankfully from the tap- they were close to the docks that it could’ve been from the river) was poured over his head. Immediately, he broke out in goosebumps and he shivered. He just wanted Chusheng to storm through the doors and rescue him. Anytime would be good.
The men continued to talk this way, never stopping their torture of Lu Yao. Some kept to simply beating him- his head, neck, legs, and arms were all fair game. Others had whips and belts, leaving welts. Someone put out a cigar on Lu Yao’s inner thigh. At some point he bit his tongue. Hot tears rolled down his face as they broke his fingers and he beg through the gag, but their only reply was more laughter.
Finally, one of them was a little too rough and hit Lu Yao right over the previous injury that had knocked him out. He was out like a light, much to the disappointment of his captors, who didn’t find him nearly as fun to play with when he didn’t react.
Unconscious as he was. he missed all his kidnappers being taken out by a calm, efficient team dressed in fine suits and armed with pistols. He certainly missed later, when Qiao Chusheng stormed to the dockhouse to find Lu Yao gone and everyone who had hurt him dead.