The Supreme Soldier in the City
Chapter 305 - 313: An Unexpected Slip-up

Chapter 305: Chapter 313: An Unexpected Slip-up

At seven o’clock in the evening, James Brown and Joan Wilson had already arrived at the L Hotel. The invitation to dine here also reflected the importance the other party placed on them. It seemed that the bait of twenty million was substantial enough to truly arouse the interest of the entire group.

Smuggling is a highly profitable industry, but it is usually quite difficult to carry out. For a smuggling group like this, a single shipment is worth around twenty to thirty million. After their goods arrive, they still need to be distributed. If they are all to individual retailers, it would require a lot of manpower and resources. If there is a business deal worth millions, it would be enough for them to take seriously.

And twenty million would nearly cover their entire stock, which would mean they could specifically smuggle goods over for this deal. As for distribution, that would save them a lot of trouble. If they can ship goods a couple more times each month, their profits would increase significantly. Having such a business partner would be something they couldn’t ask for more.

From the last deal, their wariness towards James Brown had lessened considerably. This time, James Brown promptly deposited three million as a down payment, which convinced them of his trustworthiness all the more.

At the L Hotel, James Brown and Joan Wilson finally met that legendary big shot, a man in his fifties named William Armstrong. He wasn’t very tall, his face was lean, but his eyes were bright and sharp, exuding a cunning that seemed as if he could see through anyone’s thoughts with just one glance.

Those involved in smuggling often have to be more intellectual than those in the underworld, and this boss was clearly a man of high intelligence.

William Armstrong shook James Brown’s hand enthusiastically, laughing heartily, "Bro Sam, I was too busy to meet you last time you came, which was very rude of me. Today, I have specially prepared some humble drinks; I hope Brother Brown won’t mind it."

James Brown laughed and said, "Boss Qian, meeting such an influential person is my honor. Initially, I had no intention of making it this big, but I met two friends who were very interested, so they entrusted me to handle it, which led to this scale. I hope Boss Qian can do me this favor and not let me lose face in front of my friends."

William Armstrong gave James Brown’s hand a pat, surveying him and Joan Wilson up and down, "That’s impossible. Anyone who does business with William Armstrong, how could I not give face?"

James Brown laughed again, "Boss Qian truly lives up to his name, acting so decisively. I just love doing business with people like Boss Qian."

Everyone sat down, and the food and drinks were promptly served. William Armstrong probed indirectly about how James Brown would move the goods and what kind of connections he had.

James Brown had already discussed this with Joan Wilson, so he was able to respond smoothly. He even used an arrogant tone on purpose, which although sounded a bit like bragging, it still fitted the character James Brown was portraying.

It could be said that James Brown and Joan Wilson didn’t reveal any slip-ups, and the dinner was very enjoyable. Meanwhile, Joan Wilson had secretly recorded everything, and by the time they left, she could barely contain her excitement. With such evidence, they were already halfway there. Now, if they could also capture the upcoming delivery, that would give them a complete set of evidence, and William Armstrong would be helpless even with protection.

The next evening, James Brown and Joan Wilson went to the docks again, the same dock, but this time the opposition’s show of force was significant—three large container trucks, more than a dozen bodyguards, William Armstrong himself had come to deal with James Brown, indicating the importance he placed on him.

James Brown and Joan Wilson checked the goods in the truck, and after getting off, they met with William Armstrong, who laughed, "Bro Sam, how is it, the merchandise is good, right?"

James Brown gave a thumbs up, "Indeed, it’s great. If I take these goods back, I’m going to make a fortune. Boss Qian, I hope we can cooperate frequently in the future."

"No problem, but, Mr. Brown, please settle the rest of the payment," William Armstrong replied.

James Brown chuckled, "No problem." Then he pretended to transfer money on his phone but, after fiddling for a while, he suddenly looked shocked, "Damn, what’s wrong with my account, I can’t transfer the money."

William Armstrong’s face turned stern immediately, "Brother Brown, you’re not joking with me, are you?"

James Brown forced a smile, "How could I joke about this? I’ve already paid three million as a deposit. Boss Qian, there’s a problem with the money today. I’ll sort it out and transfer it to you tomorrow. I won’t touch the goods for now, to avoid you saying I’m cheating you."

Seeing James Brown say this eased William Armstrong’s expression somewhat, "Brother Brown, don’t say I’m not righteous. This isn’t a small amount. Without the money, I can’t let you take the goods first."

"I’m not that kind of person, either. That would make Boss Qian think I’m not doing things properly. I’ll definitely sort out the money for you tomorrow, send it to you during the day. I believe Boss Qian wouldn’t tamper with the goods."

"Of course, we’re not doing business just once or twice. Boss Qian wouldn’t damage his own reputation. Since that’s settled, let’s enjoy ourselves tonight."

James Brown readily agreed, and the group went to the same karaoke bar as last time. They got carried away singing first, and after eleven, they all left the karaoke room, ready to rest in the rooms upstairs. As they walked out in the hallway, they were met with a surprise greet, "Big Brother Brown, what are you doing here?"

Helen Wilson’s heart skipped a beat; she had recognized that person to be Emily Jenkins. She also felt quite dejected because although their makeup had rendered them unrecognizable to strangers, familiar faces could still identify them at a glance. This was a clear sign that their Makeup Skill Level was a failure.

"Brother Brown, do you have any sweethearts left in YODC City?" William Armstrong nudged James Brown with a sly smile on his face.

James Brown chuckled dryly, about to convey a message to Emily Jenkins, but Emily, brimming with excitement, had already run over. Before she even got close to James, she shouted, "Big Brother Brown, what are you playing at? Why have you made yourself look like this, aged several years?"

William Armstrong’s face changed at once, turning to look at James Brown. He said, "So you’re supposed to look younger than you do now."

And what was even more fatal was that at this moment, Emily also saw Helen Wilson and burst into laughter, saying, "Officer Monaghan, what have you done to yourself?

"Police!"

William Armstrong’s complexion paled dramatically, waving his hand he commanded in a deep voice, "Take them all!"

At this point, Helen Wilson was filled with regret. All they needed to do today was get away from William Armstrong and it would have been a complete success, but a problem appeared at this very moment, and it was a fatal one.

On the other hand, James Brown quickly stepped forward and pulled Emily Jenkins to his side. Now that the situation had been exposed, his first priority was to ensure Emily’s safety.

"Big Brother Brown, Officer Monaghan, what... what’s going on here?" Emily also realized something was amiss and stuttered in her question.

James Brown gave a light chuckle and said, "You’ve spoiled our plans. Now they want to catch us, and that’s dragged you into danger too."

"Ah, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you were in the middle of something," Emily apologized with her tongue sticking out, yet she didn’t seem too scared.

Helen Wilson, standing back to back with James Brown, said anxiously, "You must take the item out later."

James Brown asked, "Just the two of us, do we have any chance of breaking out?"

Helen Wilson clenched her fists and said, "We have to, no matter what, otherwise I will not rest in peace, even in death."

Before they finished speaking, William Armstrong’s bodyguards had already charged at them. James Collins’s bodyguards were formidable, but those accompanying Boss Qian, being the boss, were even more fearsome; had it not been for the limited space in the corridor preventing them from rushing over, Helen Wilson would have been captured immediately.

"You get out, don’t worry about me!" Locked in a fight with a bodyguard, Helen Wilson realized there was no escape; the opponent was too powerful. It was too late to call for backup, so her only hope was for James Brown to break through.

Emily Jenkins was now terrified; she hadn’t expected that her shouting would cause such a commotion. She stood frozen between James Brown and Helen Wilson, unable to move an inch.

William Armstrong’s bodyguards were indeed formidable, but it all depended on who they were compared to. They were certainly stronger than Helen Wilson, but compared to James Brown, they were nothing. James Brown could easily knock them all out if he chose to.

James Brown didn’t want to reveal his full strength, but under these circumstances, if he didn’t use any real skill, it would be difficult to escape, let alone protect Helen Wilson and Emily Jenkins. With a silent sigh, his hands shot out like lightning, striking the necks of the two men facing him.

The two men grunted, their bodies collapsing limply; James Brown’s palms had struck precisely on the nerves of their necks, knocking them out. Helen Wilson knew that hitting that part of a person could knock them unconscious, but it required enough strength and precision. She might be able to do it with a stationary target, but in actual combat, she lacked that capability.

Having knocked down two men, James Brown grabbed a nearby trash bin and flung it in front of Helen Wilson, blocking the few people in front of her. Then he immediately pulled Emily Jenkins and Helen Wilson, toppling the two people directly in front and dragging them towards the exit of the music hall in a mad dash.

Helen Wilson didn’t understand what had happened; she had been pulled out of the encirclement by James Brown. But there was no time to ask James Brown what happened, she ran as fast as she could, keenly aware that what she had done involved the life and death of the smuggling group, and they would never let them go easily.