The Omniscient

Chapter 31: The Tool Man

Huang Ji left the warehouse, and the three of them went their separate ways.

After dropping off Old Wang, Huang Ji went to his private apartment and withdrew 2.4 million yuan, handing it over to Lin Li.

This was nearly all of his money.

“What the heck is this?” Lin Li opened the case by the roadside, glanced inside, and quickly shut it. “Wha—!”

He stared at Huang Ji in shock, silently vowing not to betray his trust.

Last night, when Huang Ji told everyone his alias was “Hua Xu,” Lin Li had realized he was likely the only person who knew Huang Ji’s real name. This trust moved him deeply.

“Tomorrow, take 500,000 yuan to Zhang Junwei. After what happened last night, along with the loss of a brother, he’s bound to split all the money among the remaining ten men—he’s just that kind of person. At that moment, take out another 100,000 yuan from yourself and hand it to him,” Huang Ji instructed.

“Why?” Lin Li asked.

“He’ll definitely ask why. Don’t explain much; just force him to take it,” Huang Ji continued.

Lin Li nodded, silently committing this to memory.

Huang Ji added, “Also, he’ll definitely try to pry information about me from you...”

Lin Li quickly interjected, “Don’t worry! I won’t say a word!”

“No, no, no. You have to say something. Tell him that Old Wang and I are international thieves, and we’re being hunted because we crossed an arms dealer in the United States...”

Huang Ji proceeded to spin an elaborate story, feeding Lin Li the entire outline.

Lin Li nodded as he memorized it. He finally asked, “And me? What’s my backstory?”

Huang Ji glanced at him. “You have cancer.”

“Uh...” Lin Li scratched his head.

“Tell him you’re terminally ill, with only a short time left to live.”

“Once you’ve shared all this, you can hand him the shopping list and ask him to procure the items,” Huang Ji said.

“What kind of shopping list?” Lin Li asked.

Huang Ji began listing items as Lin Li jotted them down. The list included medical equipment like enzyme markers, decoction machines, weighing bottles, burettes, culture dishes, laser therapy devices, and multifunctional treatment machines.

There were also surgical tools: dissection tables, scalpels, tissue scissors, clamps, forceps, and so on.

Of course, Huang Ji didn’t care about the supposed efficacy of the multifunctional treatment machine. He only needed its 80MT-300MT high-frequency pulsating magnetic generator. Similarly, the laser therapy device was for its medically calibrated laser generator. ɽΆꞐꝋ฿ÈS

The list also included a wide range of medications—from antibiotics to receptor antagonists to benzodiazepines. Huang Ji’s shopping list filled two full pages.

“Wow, aren’t some of these impossible to get?” Lin Li asked.

Huang Ji replied, “Zhang Junwei will say the same thing. Tell him to use all his connections and get them no matter what.”

“He’ll definitely complain. Ignore him. Just leave the cash box with him, tell him it’s the initial procurement fund, and say more money will arrive in the evening. After that, turn and leave, maintaining a cold demeanor. Don’t listen to his excuses or complaints.”

“Now, repeat this back to me.”

Lin Li nervously stumbled through his lines.

Huang Ji interrupted, “Again! Pay attention to your expression—stop blinking so much.”

“Hold it! Don’t tense your mouth so much.”

Lin Li scratched his head with a sheepish smile. “How do I act cold? I don’t know how! Haha...”

“Have you ever seen your mom scrub crabs with an iron brush, tie them up, and steam them alive?” Huang Ji asked.

“Yes, yes, my mom makes amazing crabs,” Lin Li replied, chuckling.

Huang Ji nodded. “Recall that scene. How did you feel at the time?”

Lin Li paused, lost in thought. “I remember one time, I was watching her steam crabs. I stood there, staring at the crabs, but in my mind... oh, right! I was worrying about how to tell her I’d failed a test!”

“Exactly! Your expression then was probably the coldest in your life, though you didn’t even realize it,” Huang Ji said. “Recall that feeling. Don’t force your expression.”

In no time, Lin Li’s demeanor shifted. His jaw was neither too tight nor too relaxed, and the muscles under his cheekbones were perfectly neutral.

His eyes fixed on the rearview mirror, seeming to gaze at it, yet also as if piercing beyond it into the distance.

Lin Li’s entire aura became indifferent.

This was the coldest expression Huang Ji had identified in Lin Li’s life. If directed at someone, it would send chills down their spine.

“Remember this state. Practice it in front of a mirror later,” Huang Ji said softly.

Lin Li’s seriousness broke instantly as he nodded enthusiastically. “Got it!”

Afterward, Huang Ji gave him further detailed instructions on how to handle the group.

Lin Li took meticulous notes, planning to memorize and rehearse them repeatedly.

This was precisely what Huang Ji had expected.

He didn’t need Lin Li to be clever; he valued his exam-cramming skills. With a knack for note-taking and relentless practice, Lin Li had managed to get into Fudan University.

The next morning, Lin Li arrived at Zhang Junwei’s used car market carrying a bag and the cash box.

Zhang Junwei hadn’t paid much attention to Lin Li the night before. His focus had been on Huang Ji, with Old Wang coming in second. Lin Li had said little beyond Huang Ji’s introduction that “he represents me in full.”

“This is 500,000 yuan. My boss promised it to you guys.” Lin Li opened his bag and took out 500,000 yuan.

Zhang Junwei grinned. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”

“Xiao Zha!”

“What’s up, boss?” Xiao Zha ran over.

“Take the money and split it among the brothers.”

“How should I divide it?” Xiao Zha asked.

“There are ten of you—50,000 yuan each. I don’t need any,” Zhang Junwei said.

“That won’t do!” Xiao Zha protested.

“Stop arguing and go split it. This job was on me. I got greedy and nearly botched it, costing us a brother.”

He kicked Xiao Zha lightly, urging him to distribute the money.

Lin Li, observing from the side, marveled at how accurately Huang Ji had predicted Zhang Junwei’s actions. True to form, he kept nothing for himself and split everything among his men.

Recalling Huang Ji’s instructions, Lin Li chuckled softly to draw Zhang Junwei’s attention.

Zhang Junwei looked over but saw Lin Li remaining silent, seemingly lost in thought, hesitating over something.

After a brief pause, Lin Li decisively pulled another wad of cash from his bag and placed it on the table.

“What’s this?” Zhang Junwei asked, dumbfounded.

“Take it,” Lin Li replied.

“And this is...?”

“My own money.”

“Huh?”

“Cut the crap. Take it,” Lin Li commanded.

Zhang Junwei pursed his lips, realizing that Lin Li already regarded him as one of his subordinates, unwilling to see him lose out or gain nothing from working together.

“Hua Xu gave me 500,000 yuan, and Lin Li was tasked with delivering the money. Yet, I didn’t keep a single cent for myself, choosing instead to calm my subordinates by splitting it all among them.”

“But Lin Li didn’t interfere with how I distributed the money. He just added 100,000 yuan of his own to make up for it. Heh, not bad at all.”

The unease Zhang Junwei initially felt about Lin Li being the middleman between him and Huang Ji started to fade.

There was no question about his respect for Huang Ji. However, Huang Ji assigning Lin Li to oversee him had naturally made him feel a bit awkward.

What he hadn’t expected was that Lin Li, despite his cold demeanor, was someone like him—someone willing to fight for his subordinates' benefits and lead them to prosperity.

Compared to serving someone as enigmatic and psychologically pressuring as Huang Ji, having a straightforward and reliable "big brother" as a buffer wasn’t bad at all.

“Who could say no to money? Big brother, I’ll gladly take it, then,” Zhang Junwei said with a grin.

Lin Li waved him off impatiently, and Zhang Junwei accepted the money with a chuckle.

After pocketing the money, Zhang Junwei grew chattier with Lin Li, inevitably steering the conversation toward Huang Ji.

He was deeply curious about Huang Ji’s identity but didn’t dare ask him directly. Old Wang was too crafty, leaving Lin Li as his best option for information.

Lin Li said flatly, “Old Wang and my boss are international thieves with every skill under the sun. They often pull off big jobs.”

“And what about this ‘666’?” Zhang Junwei asked.

“They’re U.S. arms dealers. Old Wang pulled a job on them, and now they’re being hunted worldwide,” Lin Li replied, his tone still detached.

“Whoa!” Zhang Junwei winced, his teeth on edge. Arms dealers? These people were way too gutsy.

Still, since he had already decided to follow Huang Ji, the more capable and daring they were, the better.

“What about you?” Zhang Junwei asked.

“Me? Just a dying man. I have stomach cancer. I don’t have much time left,” Lin Li said.

Zhang Junwei pursed his lips and hurriedly offered a few words of comfort. In his mind, Lin Li was a desperate man with nothing to lose, likely seeking to do a few grand things before his time was up.

Lin Li pulled out two sheets of paper from his pocket and handed them over. “This is the procurement list my boss assigned. Make sure to get everything.”

Zhang Junwei’s face turned green as he scanned the list. It contained items he couldn’t source, items he didn’t recognize, and outright illegal substances.

“These medications and equipment—where am I supposed to find them?” Zhang Junwei groaned.

Lin Li’s voice remained icy. “Use every connection you have. Get them, no matter what.”

Zhang Junwei protested, “I have some connections and can get certain items, but some of these are impossible! Maybe you could ask the boss to leave out a few?”

Following Huang Ji’s instructions, Lin Li didn’t respond. He simply stared at Zhang Junwei coldly, his mind drifting back to when his mother steamed crabs.

“Uh...” Meeting Lin Li’s utterly indifferent gaze, Zhang Junwei felt a chill down his spine.

Their eyes locked until Zhang Junwei couldn’t take it anymore and looked away. Lin Li continued staring, lost in memories of his failed school exams.

“This is the first batch of procurement funds. I’ll bring more money tonight,” Lin Li said, then turned and walked away.

Zhang Junwei hurried after him, pleading, “Big brother, what if I can’t get some of these? Couldn’t you talk to the boss about leaving them out? Big brother?”

Lin Li ignored him and left.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Zhang Junwei sighed, thinking of the leverage Huang Ji held over him, and bitterly smiled as he pulled out his phone. He began contacting people to inquire about the items he didn’t recognize.

By the end of the day, he had managed to arrange for most of the items on the list, exhausting himself in the process. However, some items were beyond his reach.

That evening, Lin Li returned with another box of money. Zhang Junwei started complaining again, insisting it wasn’t about the money—he would pay once the items were secured—but that some drugs were simply unobtainable.

Lin Li, following Huang Ji’s instructions, furrowed his brow and stood silently.

Soon, Old Wang arrived with Huang Ji in tow.

The moment Huang Ji entered the room, he began berating Lin Li.

“Did I tell you to steal medicine?” Huang Ji barked.

“???” Zhang Junwei froze, glancing at Lin Li.

Even Lin Li was stunned but maintained his frown and silence as Huang Ji scolded him.

Through the tirade, Zhang Junwei pieced together that Lin Li had been scouting pharmaceutical warehouses earlier, planning to steal the medicine before Huang Ji stopped him.

“Don’t think your life’s disposable. I’m not letting you die just yet,” Huang Ji snapped.

Lin Li remained silent, staring blankly.

“I know some of these items are impossible to get. Did I need you to tell me that?” Huang Ji continued.

Lin Li didn’t respond, lowering his head under the barrage of criticism.

Zhang Junwei, however, was deeply moved.

After ranting for over a minute, Huang Ji finally relented with a sigh. “How’s your health?”

“Much better,” Lin Li promptly replied.

Huang Ji said, “Your illness isn’t incurable. I’ll figure something out.”

He then turned to Zhang Junwei. “How much did you get?”

“I got everything with a check mark, though some will take a few days to arrive. As for the rest... I just can’t...” Zhang Junwei admitted.

Huang Ji stared at him briefly before replying, “This is enough. Forget about the rest.”

Zhang Junwei sighed in relief, casting a grateful glance at Lin Li, thinking it was his doing.

“Thanks, brother!”

“Cut the crap,” Lin Li said coldly.

Instead of being offended, Zhang Junwei laughed, feeling that Lin Li was loyal and reliable.

He believed that Lin Li, though outwardly cold, had secretly tried to help by planning to steal the missing items and speaking on his behalf to Huang Ji.

Meanwhile, as Huang Ji sat with Old Wang on a nearby sofa, he whispered, “Now, are you reassured?”

Old Wang, who had privately expressed doubts about Lin Li’s ability to manage Zhang Junwei, nodded. Seeing how Zhang Junwei now trusted Lin Li, he said, “You’re something else. You turned a piece of rotten wood into a sturdy pillar!”

Huang Ji merely smiled.

Old Wang then asked, “This place is secure for now, but when are you coming to London with me? They’re having a hard time reaching us here. I’ll need to go meet them.”

Huang Ji replied, “At most four months. If things go well, I’ll be ready in a month.”