Diamonds

"The goods were swapped."

Xie Qiuqi held the phone white with his fingers: "What's going on?"

Zheng Ke replied: "It does look like a diamond, but it is not when tested with an instrument. There is a big difference in the refractive index..."

Before finishing speaking, the phone was snatched away, and the voice of the shepherd came over: "It's zircon. They use zircon as a diamond, and it's hard to distinguish it with the naked eye, but it's exposed when you test it with a machine. The dwarf is full of bad water! Qiu Qi, such goods must not be handed over, otherwise our reputation will be ruined."

Xie Qiuqi took a deep breath: "Wait, I'll go over now."

When they arrived at the scene, the shepherd was pacing anxiously on the spot, nagging——

"It must have been exchanged when we were discussing cooperation. They had been prepared for a long time and deliberately delayed the negotiations. The 'not being a bodyguard' was all a pretense, in order to give them enough time to exchange goods. The pirate who came in suddenly came to inform him Once it’s changed, it’s a signal, so there’s no need to talk about it, because they stole the diamonds for themselves, how much are these counterfeit products worth…”

Xie Qiuqi put one hand into the diamond bag, picked up a handful, and let the sparkling gems flow from his fingers.

"Are you sure? What kind of rock is this?" he asked.

Zheng Ke explained: "Zircon, also called moissanite, is not a naturally occurring mineral, but a [-]% man-made product."

"How did you make it? No cost?"

"The French first extracted the crystals from the stabilizer, but the amount of extraction was small, and later the Soviet scientist Mosang modified the method to extract a large amount, and finally synthesized stone, hence the name Moissanite. Because of the hardness, luster and transparency. It is exactly the same as diamonds and has become the most successful imitation of diamonds on the market. The small shops selling jewelry on the streets of Macau will also sell moissanite and diamonds together. Moissanite can be synthesized in large quantities, and the cost is less than One hundredth of a diamond."

Xie Qiuqi blamed himself: "I was too careless, it's my responsibility."

"That Tu Xingsun is too cunning," Zheng Ke said, "The most important thing now is to figure out what to do."

"I'll go talk to the pirates again," Xie Qiuqi said.

The shepherd dog asked: "How to get there? The people have already left, and looking for them now is like looking for a needle in a haystack! These pirates are elusive, and I can't figure out their movements at all. Where can I find them?"

Xie Qiuqi said, "I don't know where to find it, but there is one person who definitely knows."

"Who?"

"Alfred Cumming."

Zheng Ke was secretly surprised: "You want to go back to find him? We just got him suspended, how could he help us?"

"But he is the only one who can find the pirates. He is a professional." Xie Qiuqi said, "We must get the diamonds back. Without these diamonds, we are likely to lose suppliers, which means we have nothing. Although Cuming has hatred for us , but he will not ignore the matter of pirates, our common enemy is all pirates. I will persuade him."

Zheng Ke stopped him: "Don't be impulsive. He hates us to the bone. Not only him, but also his family members have been arrested. Going to him now will only cost your own life, and it's not worth it."

Shepherd Dog and Xing Zhifei also disagreed: "Qiu Qi, calm down, we will slowly think of a solution, but it is too dangerous to find Kaming."

Xie Qiuqi insisted: "There is no better way. Pirates are most afraid of the navy. Kaming has rich experience in suppressing bandits. If he can't do anything about pirates, no one can."

"Take a step back, even if Cumming is really willing to help and we get back the diamonds, we can only solve this one time. The pirates can't agree to our ship's passage in the Gulf of Mexico, and they don't want to cooperate with us at all. Next They will still snatch a boat. What should we do then?" Zheng Ke said.

Xie Qiuqi said flatly, "Then let them disappear from the Gulf of Mexico."

Zheng Ke was dumbfounded.The shepherd dog standing behind also showed a surprised expression.

It was Xie Qiuqi's turn to ask: "Otherwise, what do you think? Leave the Gulf of Mexico if it doesn't work? Leave Chicago? Where do we go next? Where are there not many local snakes? There are sailors in New York and pirates in the Gulf of Mexico. Where are we going to escape?" Can you find a place where you can play freely?"

This question made the remaining three people shut up.

Xie Qiuqi looked at Zheng Ke: "I don't want to run away, Zheng Ke. First I escaped from Africa, then I escaped from New York, I continued to escape on Long Island, and finally ended up in Chicago, and I still escape? Can Zheng Shihua let us continue to escape? Don't you think? Tired?"

Zheng Ke lowered his eyes and clenched his fists: "I understand."

Finally, Xing Zhifei asked, "Qiu Qi, what do you want?"

Xie Qiuqi gritted his teeth: "I want the Gulf of Mexico!"

He and the collie were ready to set off to find Cumming.

The shepherd dog packed up, Xie Qiuqi went to drive, Zheng Ke couldn't help but quietly went downstairs to find Xie Qiuqi who was smoking by the side of the parking lot.

Xie Qiuqi stood in the smoky early spring, standing for a long time, his body and face soaked in the cold air, but he didn't seem to feel it, Zheng Ke felt that he was the same as this spring in Chicago, cold or cold, but in his bones Hidden vitality and hope.

Zheng Ke pulled out the cigarette from his mouth, took two puffs in his own mouth, and kissed his mouth.

Both of them smelled strongly of cigarettes.

"Promise me, take care of your own life, don't rush ahead." Zheng Ke whispered: "Don't forget, you are not alone now, you still have me, and I am still here waiting for your return."

Xie Qiuqi finally smiled: "You can coax people now." He bit Zheng Ke's lips with unsatisfactory intentions: "Do you always like to coax me?"

Zheng Ke kissed the corner of his mouth: "I love you, be more courageous and remove the word 'coax'."

Xie Qiuqi told him: "Take care of this batch of zircons. This is evidence and you can't lose it. In addition, you should call Nicholas and Ola and explain the situation clearly. You should apologize and be submissive. Don't lie. Actually Just say what the situation is, don’t make up a single word.”

"Okay. If they ask when they can ship and pay back, what do you say?"

"Just give me another ten days. If you still can't pay the payment or deliver the goods within ten days, I will accept the severance of business. I will definitely find a way to get back the diamonds and the money."

"You really don't want me to go?"

"You were the one who settled Cumming last time. It should be my turn. Besides, if we are caught, you and Lao Xing can count on it."

Xie Qiuqi hugged his neck to deepen the kiss.

The two were inseparable like glue, they only heard a van speeding up behind them and stopped behind them.

Xie Qiuqi didn't pay much attention to it, he just thought it was another guest of the hotel.Unexpectedly, as soon as the car door opened, seven or eight people came down, and a sack was put on from the back, and they were dragged onto the car.He struggled violently, his mouth and nose were tightly covered by the cloth bag, his breathing was restrained, and his eyes soon darkened.

Fortunately, there is still time to wake up.Xie Qiuqi only felt that it was stinky, and the smell was like animal excrement.

As soon as he raised his eyes, he saw Zheng Ke was hanging from the ceiling with his hands raised high. He frowned instinctively, calmed down quickly, and looked around.There are no ropes on his body to bind his hands and feet, and he can still move, but the fence separates him and Zheng Ke into two compartments. The 'cell' was locked, and the floor was covered with hay, hair, and feces. There were two guards sitting outside, and a gate was only ten meters away from him at most.

—This place is a bit like a stable.

Soon, a man led his subordinates in.

As he got closer, Xie Qiuqi saw clearly that it was Alfred Cumming.

The first time the two met face to face, Cumming was more energetic than in the photo. He was dressed in simple and clean clothes, and his hair and beard were neatly trimmed. Even though he was under tremendous pressure these days, he was not at all depressed. A solid soldier.

He ordered people to wake Zheng Ke up with cold water: "Don't you need to introduce yourself? Mr. Zheng, you hurt me in Texas, you should think that you have today."

Zheng Ke choked on water, coughed and flushed: "...Suspended...During the suspension period, knowing the law and breaking the law, your tomorrow will be even worse."

"I'm suspended because of who? It's not you and your pirate friends who are not as good as animals."

"You assist illegal immigration, abuse power, and use power for personal gain... It's not me who harmed you, it's you who are full of loopholes... Ah!"

Cumming raised his horsewhip and lashed at him fiercely. Without any explanation, he slashed left and right and drew more than a dozen times in a row!The thin clothing was torn to pieces, revealing the whip marks on the body that were torn and oozing blood.Zheng Ke gritted his teeth and was beaten into a cold sweat, and he couldn't hum a single syllable.Xie Qiuqi next to him showed a nervous expression and could not help clenching his fists.

Cumming noticed it, with malicious intentions: "Tsk tsk, what a good partner, I don't want you to be tortured. How about we ask your friend if he has anything to say?"

How could Zheng Ke let him touch Xie Qiuqi: "You want to come at me, it has nothing to do with him!"

Cumming hit his chest again: "I didn't let you talk, shut up!"

The wound was ripped open, the splashed blood stained the whip and dripped along the murder weapon, and blood puddles spread all over the floor like it was raining quickly.The corner of Zheng Ke's mouth was also broken, his eyelashes were stained with sweat, the rope on his hand hurt too much, and his wrist and two arms seemed to be numb.He was panting unevenly, and smiled forcedly: "The dignified lieutenant commander of the U.S. Navy is just a barbarian who can only lose his temper."

Kaming was not angry, put down his whip, and asked his subordinates to put on knives: "Then let you see the methods of barbarians."

He raised the tip of the knife and moved along the cracked skin. Suddenly, the edge of the knife stabbed fiercely into the wound, and the blade slowly cut off a piece of flesh like a piece of flesh.

Zheng Ke was so painful that he almost fainted, and angrily said: "Bastard——"

Cumming grinned: "Tell me, where is Harlan Mosley?"

Zheng Keqiang braced himself, and sprayed a mouthful of blood on his face: "I don't know!"

The knife bites like a beast's sharp teeth: "Say!"

"I don't know! We are not in the same group!"

"Haha, you still trying to fool me? How do you think I know your movements? Of course Harlan Mosley told me. As soon as you left the high seas, he sent me a message saying that you were going to Chicago. I I have never dealt with Chicagoans before, and all you harmed me was doing things for pirates. Now that you are betrayed by pirates, you certainly don’t want to admit that you are in the same group.”

Xie Qiuqi turned his back to him, secretly surprised when he heard this.

No wonder Tu Xingsun had the confidence to let them go.He has always had doubts, why Tu Xingsun dared to replace the diamonds, not afraid that they would come to the door again, after all, it was the last straw for Xie Qiuqi, and Xie Qiuqi really took the matter to the navy and told the pirates all over the world. Two dwarves, when the time comes, the navy will really blow up the pirate's ship, and no amount of diamonds will be worth it.Before this, Xie Qiuqi thought that it was just that the pirates were too confident and felt that the US military could not catch anyone.It turned out that Tu Xingsun had left a trick to attract Kaming and kill Xie Qiuqi and Zheng Ke. Naturally, there was no need to worry about anyone leaking the secret.

He, Zheng Ke, Cumming and the entire navy were played around by these pirates.Now it's just waiting for Cumming and them to kill each other, and the pirates will reap the benefits of the fisherman.

These dwarves are not tall enough, but their heads are top ten.

Being able to dominate the Gulf of Mexico for 20 years is really not something that has been blown out.

Zheng Ke screamed, the excruciating pain of gouging out his flesh could destroy his body and soul.Blood flowed profusely, staining the turf beneath his feet black and purple.

Xie Qiuqi couldn't bear it anymore, and stopped, "Cumming, you are the one who is playing into the pirates' hands!"

Sure enough, Cumming stopped what he was doing.

Xie Qiuqi patiently explained: "Have you never thought about why the pirates led you to arrest us? No matter whether you kill me with your hands or you with my hands, the only thing that does no harm is the pirates! You are already suspended The person under investigation is dead, kill us, the crime will be aggravated, and the sentence will definitely be more serious. After two or 30 years in prison, who do you think is the happiest? Not the group of pirates? We are dead, there will be fewer People come to share a share with the pirates, I still have a whole ship of diamonds for them, these diamonds are enough for them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives!"

Cumming said: "Don't talk about me, you are useless, you were used and abandoned by pirates. Tell me where Harlan Mosley is earlier, and I will consider whether to let you go."

At this time, someone called him outside, as if there was something urgent, so Cumming could only put down the knife and leave temporarily.

As soon as the front heel left, Xie Qiuqi hurriedly let Zheng Ke go.

The subordinate was unwilling at first, but Xie Qiuqi threatened: "He is bleeding, if he dies, you major will not be able to ask anything, and you will be charged with homicide. If you are doing his best, let him go!"

The subordinate was actually moved by him and really put Zheng Ke down.

Zheng Ke was close to semi-conscious, and his consciousness was a little lost due to the pain.When Kaming was around, he held on forcibly, and when the person left, he finally couldn't hold it anymore, and was about to fall asleep when his head was tilted. Xie Qiuqi touched his face with cold and wet hands: "Zheng Ke, Zheng Ke, you can't sleep, you look at me……"

Zheng Ke slowly raised his eyes and froze: "You...were crying?"

Xie Qiuqi realized that there were tears on his face.He shook Zheng Ke's hand: "I will find a way, we will go out."

Zheng Ke's heart twitched, with a smile on his face: "...it's okay, I'm fine...don't cry..."

Xie Qiuqi wiped his face, his eyes were still red, and the hand holding Zheng Ke was shaking.

Zheng Ke tried his best to reach over the gap in the fence to touch his face.He thought that the word "cry" did not exist in Xie Qiuqi's dictionary. He didn't cry when he was sent to Africa, he didn't cry when he was hunted down in New York, he didn't even cry when his opponent stepped on his neck, but he died because he saw himself being tortured. tears.How can he afford it?

What a sin.

The author says:

Qiuqiu cried.