Chapter 77: Too Arrogant
The two entered the Meeting Room. Guan Lao San, Elephant, and Gao Lao were all there. Guan Lao San was chatting with Gao Lao about women, and Elephant occasionally chimed in.
“Everyone won money, right? No one bet on Li Dong to win, did they?” Sister Sha Jiu said with a smile after entering.
“How could that be? We’re all our own people, so we definitely had to support you!” Guan Lao San said with a grin.
“Kid, you fought well last night! Come to my place sometime to play!” Elephant turned his head and invited Brother Jun.
Elephant had an underground fist arena, which was his biggest Industry.
Rich people often went to his place to bet on fist fights.
Those rich people… they had plenty of food and fun, but they lacked this kind of bloody stuff that could directly stimulate their adrenaline.
Chen Wujun’s fighting style yesterday really appealed to Elephant; it would definitely attract a lot of rich people.
Besides, he wasn’t afraid of everyone betting on Chen Wujun; many rich people had New Technique Masters as bodyguards, and they even recruited Masters from outside to fight.
Chen Wujun was actually a bit tempted; the feeling of killing someone on the Arena last night had him all excited.
But thinking it over carefully, there was really no need; he didn’t lack Opportunities to fight anyway.
‘I’m going to be a Boss; how could I go to the Arena every day to fight for my life?’
‘Elephant clearly sees me as just a fighter.’
A surge of anger welled up in Chen Wujun’s heart, and he said sarcastically with a smile:
“Brother Xiang is so short on people that he needs to find outside help to prop up the place?”
The meaning was that Elephant’s place was no good anymore and couldn’t hold up.
Elephant glanced at Chen Wujun and casually held up two fingers. “Kid, this is because you fight well, fierce and ruthless enough, so I’m giving you an Opportunity! Those rich people love watching your type. One fight, this amount—two hundred thousand!”
Two hundred thousand per fight; five fights would be a million.
But taking that money would make Chen Wujun truly just a fighter.
Chen Wujun knew he could go to the Arena for grabbing territory, Gang conflicts, or other matters, but not for this money.
“Jun Zai isn’t one of your fighters, and besides, you have plenty of fighters under you; you’re not short one.” Sister Sha Jiu casually pushed back Elephant’s invitation.
After chatting for a bit, the door was pushed open. A few Henchmen came in first and stood to the side, followed by Xin Ye.
“Jun Zai fought well yesterday; you brought prestige to He Tu and earned a lot of Face.” Xin Ye walked to Chen Wujun’s side, patted his shoulder, and praised him.
“With fresh blood like this in He Tu, we can grow and develop.”
“Thanks, Xin Ye!” Chen Wujun said with a smile. He of course knew Xin Ye was pulling him in on the surface.
After speaking, Xin Ye walked back to the head seat and sat down.
“He Tu won this Gambling Battle. Li Dong will hand over the territory within three days. Sister Sha Jiu, you won back the territory, so naturally it’s yours to handle.”
“But Li Dong took a big loss this time, especially Wen Long; he lost almost all his territory… You be careful too.”
“Last time he got lucky and ran fast; we couldn’t kill him!” Sister Sha Jiu smiled.
“As long as you know, don’t get careless.” Xin Ye brushed it off, then said gravely:
“Also, the Company has an account to collect: principal of 30 million. Those Heavenly Bird people are untrustworthy… It was due three months ago, but they’ve been dragging it out with no movement. Principal plus Interest now exceeds 43 million.”
“Gao Lao, this is yours; the Company just wants the principal back.”
“This account must be collected. If not, everyone will think He Tu is easy to bully.”
As Chen Wujun left the Welfare Association, he was still thinking about the account Gao Lao was going to collect.
If they could collect it all, they’d make at least 13 million at minimum—better than doing Business.
Too bad he didn’t have that capability yet.
If the money was easy to collect, Xin Ye wouldn’t need to send Gao Lao.
Gao Lao had a group of desperate men under him, specializing in solving Trouble for people.
“Sister Sha Jiu, what are Heavenly Bird people?” Chen Wujun asked after leaving the Welfare Association.
“One of the three major Luoyue People Gangs.”
Hearing Luoyue People, Chen Wujun immediately understood.
Luoyue People looked a lot like their Huayan People, but Huayan People were clever and hardworking. Even under Foreigner suppression, quite a few became big tycoons.
Luoyue People had much less Influence in society, but they were ruthless and had considerable power in the gray areas.
“The three major Luoyue People Gangs—what are the other two?”
“Born to Kill, famous for extreme violence: murder, robbery, kidnapping, extortion; Luoyue Gang, mainly robbery, theft, and selling wolf medicine and Number Four Dealer; then Heavenly Bird, mainly burglary, stealing Cars, transporting contraband like Number Four Dealer.”
“Don’t think too much; first take over the territory Li Dong lost these few days.”
After parting with Sister Sha Jiu, Chen Wujun returned to the Gambling Den.
“Brother Jun!” The Henchmen saw him and hurried over, all looking excited.
Chen Wujun had fought brilliantly yesterday, killing Yu Wei on stage; it gave them Face when they went out.
“Ah Fei, there are fewer people in the place.” Chen Wujun scanned the Gambling Den.
“Recently Li Dong’s places have been doing rebates, poaching a lot of our Guests. Luckily, the place has heated up now; even though some Guests were poached, plenty remain.”
Chen Wujun nodded thoughtfully.
Rebates were easy; Li Dong could easily copy that.
Gambling Dens had no technical barriers—just environment, location, and the place’s heat.
The hotter the place, the more Gamblers wanted to come.
This matter wasn’t urgent to handle.
“Spread the word these days to recruit people who are bold and fierce. I’ll say hi to Cun Bao; you go around the Martial Arts School more to see if there are any good seedlings.”
This Martial Arts School was He Tu Martial Arts School, also He Tu’s talent cultivation base.
“In a bit, bring some people with me to Long Gang Road, drive out Li Dong’s Person, and notify the merchants there that it’s changing hands.”
Moments later, Chen Wujun took seven or eight people to Long Gang Road and entered a Striptease place, startling Li Dong’s men inside.
“He Tu people? What are you doing?”
“Of course to drive you out. This place isn’t yours anymore. Not leaving? Planning to switch sides?” Chen Wujun pulled over a nearby Chair, sat down, and crossed his legs.
“Three days’ time, and it hasn’t come yet. So eager to act like the Boss?” A Li Dong Henchman couldn’t hold back.
“The way you say it, I am the Boss to begin with. Am I not? Or are you?” Chen Wujun sneered.
“You know it’s three days, so it’ll be three days; I follow the rules most. But remember, everything here is mine now—don’t damage it… or I’ll chase you home to collect! With Interest!”
“That guy last time who ruined my Clothes… Brother Hua, right? 5600 bucks; over four months now with Compound Interest, even at half price, he owes me 20,000. One cent short, and I’ll collect him as Interest.”
“No use telling us; we’re with Brother Fire Dragon! Anyway, we’ll hand over the place in three days.”
“Since you say so, I won’t say more.” Chen Wujun smiled, got up, and left with his people.
As they were leaving, he suddenly shouted “Ah!” at a nearby Li Dong Henchman.
Several of them flinched back in fright.
Chen Wujun pointed at them and left laughing uproariously with his head thrown back.
The Li Dong Henchmen all had grim faces.
Too arrogant, too rampant.
The group went to another Gambling Den, and after coming out, Chen Wujun instructed Ah Fei.
“Watch my shop; I want it intact, don’t let them ruin my stuff.”
“Tally all the merchants here and notify them one by one.”
This half street had only one Dance Hall and one Gambling Den belonging to Li Dong; the rest were various merchants.
Chen Wujun walked around the street. The south side led to Long Jin Street; the north side exited the Walled City to Prince Edward Road West.
But he only got the south half… An Alley split the middle; the north side near Prince Edward Road West was way more prosperous than the south.
Handing things here to Ah Fei, Chen Wujun checked the time and strolled home.
Passing Shufen’s house, he glanced; it had changed to a new family, still a Prostitute.
Younger than Shufen’s mom.
Pink light inside the room, half-blocked by the outer curtain. An average-looking woman stood at the door and, seeing Chen Wujun look over, immediately gave a professional smile: “Handsome, wanna do it?”
Chen Wujun glanced and went upstairs home.
“At yesterday’s Grand Banquet, I brought back a piece of Roast Meat, but you didn’t come eat.” Huang Meizhen said upon seeing him.
Yesterday was the Empress’s Birthday; He Tu set up an altar at Tian Hou Temple with a Grand Banquet, and every household got some.
Huang Meizhen had gotten a piece of Roast Meat.
After saying that, she smiled again:
“Good thing I saved you a piece, or your Younger Brother would’ve eaten it all. The little one is growing now and eats a lot!”
Hearing this, Chen Wujun’s expression softened immediately.
“Good.”
Leaning at the door, watching Huang Meizhen busy cooking inside, Chen Wujun suddenly asked: “Mom, if we leave the Walled City, where would you want to move?”
“Leave the Walled City for where? It’s great here! All Neighbors are familiar.” Huang Meizhen said without looking up.
She grew up in the Walled City, lived in the Walled City, and never thought of leaving.
Besides, Chen Hanliang could only be a dentist in the Walled City; how would they live elsewhere?
“Just saying! If there’s a chance later, I’ll definitely leave the Walled City.” Chen Wujun smiled.
“Houses outside are so expensive, and things too. If you make it big later, moving out would be good.” Huang Meizhen said.
After dinner that evening, Chen Wujun went back to A Yue’s.
“I thought you’d come back early yesterday, so I prepared a midnight snack, but it sat until morning. I sent it to my dad and them today.” A Yue said relieved upon seeing Chen Wujun safe and sound.
She had waited a long time last night.
She even went to the Dance Hall to ask around and knew Chen Wujun had won.
Chen Wujun ate another meal, then went upstairs to his place and took out his little notebook, flipping through page by page.
His memory wasn’t good; he was afraid of forgetting.
Then he crossed out Yu Wei.
