Chapter 25: A Summons from the Chairman

With the discussion concluded, Wang Yaotang stood up to take his leave.

Jin Ya-cheng laughed as he rose to see him off, but near the door, he suddenly remembered something. "Wait, what about the young lady's debts?"

"As soon as possible, as soon as possible," Wang Yaotang replied with a smile, reaching for the door handle.

"Stop right there!" Jin Ya-cheng grabbed him. "What are you playing at?"

"Boss, that’s over fifty debts with a principal of nearly two million. You don’t think I can just pull that out of thin air, do you? If I could, why would I be a street thug? I’d just open a clothing company instead!"

"You’ve got a lot of nerve for a debtor!" Jin Ya-cheng suddenly understood why Da Tou-sheng had been so worked up. "I’m not calling you 'Turkey Yao' anymore; I’m calling you 'Big Mouth Yao'!"

It was infuriating to talk to this guy!

"'Big Mouth Yao' doesn't sound right. 'Big Hero'... never mind. I haven't even been promoted yet. Just a low-level soldier—let’s go with 'Little Hero Yao'," Wang Yaotang pondered aloud.

"I’ll give you a 'Little Medicated Plaster'!" Jin Ya-cheng took a deep breath, telling himself not to lose his temper; he still needed this guy to make money.

If it weren't for the fact that designing clothes required talent, he would have had someone break this punk's legs already. That was precisely why Wang Yaotang had chosen the lingerie market.

"Uncle Cheng, if you took all the girls away, could you produce two million in cash immediately?" Wang Yaotang asked with a calm expression. "It’s impossible. I’m surely not worse off than those who owe the money."

Jin Ya-cheng snapped, "Two months. No interest."

"Six months."

Back and forth they went, eventually settling on four months.

After Wang Yaotang left, Jin Ya-cheng sat on the sofa, feeling exhausted. Da Tou-sheng had held his tongue for as long as he could before whispering, "Boss, I’m only left with the bar and the mahjong parlor now. Shouldn’t you give me the clothing business too? I traded my brothels for that."

Jin Ya-cheng glared at him sideways for a long moment before squeezing a single word through his teeth: "Get out!"

If he weren't his right-hand man, he would have thrown him off the balcony to his death already.

...

【You have achieved a brilliant victory in a business negotiation.】
【In view of your outstanding performance, your reputation has spread within a small circle. Reputation +50.】
【Current Reputation: 405/725 (Emerging Talent)】

Why so little? Was the boss of the Tong Xin He gang only worth 50 points? Wang Yaotang couldn't figure it out, but at least his assets didn't disappoint.

Name: Wang Yaotang
Height: 175cm
Reputation: 405/725 (Emerging Talent)
Affiliation: He Sheng Yi
Rank: Street Soldier (49er)
Skills: Driving (LV1), Sanda (LV1), Muay Thai (LV1), Art (LV1)
Assets: Lingerie Stalls (x4), Lingerie Shop (x1), Brothels (x2)

Everything was flourishing!

"Brother Yao, how did it go?" As soon as they stepped out of the hospital, Four-Eyes couldn't wait to ask.

"Jin Ya-cheng wants to swallow the entire market of the Four Greats. The old man has quite an appetite," Wang Yaotang laughed.

"That’s good news!"

"Yes, it is," Wang Yaotang agreed.

"But, we’ll have to increase our order volume again. The money..."

"You’re a buzzkill!" Wang Yaotang gritted his teeth.

"Brother Yao, you trusted me with the books, so I have to be responsible. Even if it sounds bad, I have to say it." Four-Eyes maintained his look of loyal, blunt criticism.

Wang Yaotang tapped his forehead in frustration. "Let's go, let's go. Everything is ready except for the wind. Anyone can get goods if they pay, but pulling it off without paying—that’s real skill!"

Back at the shop, he had his underlings call everyone in. Before long, A-Jie and A-Ji returned with a man.

"Brother Yao," A-Jie leaned in and whispered, "This guy says he’s from the main hall. He’s one of the Old Man's people."

"Yao-zai, my name is Xing Hong. Just call me Ah Hong. The Old Man wants to see you." Xing Hong had a large nose, was short and dark-skinned, and had a very sturdy build. His voice was dull and heavy.

"Brother Hong," Wang Yaotang smiled. "I don't have a place to sit here. Shall we go to the tea shop next door?"

"No need. Let's head straight there. We shouldn't keep the Old Man waiting."

"Very well," Wang Yaotang nodded. "Let me give some instructions."

"A-Jie, Four-Eyes, you two take a few men and bring the samples to Old Li. Tell him to order 5,000 sets of each of the previous three designs, and 20,000 sets of each of the new designs. I don't think I'll have time to go over today, so tell him to start production."

"What about the money?" Four-Eyes asked anxiously.

"Damn it, are we going to stop just because we don't have money? I’ll have men guard the place. I'll hack anyone who tries to stop production!" A-Jie shouted.

"Hack, hack, hack—that's all you know! Business isn't a gang war. You can't do anything without money!" Four-Eyes snorted. "Even a show of force costs money!"

"Alright," Wang Yaotang raised a hand to silence them. "Four-Eyes, tell Old Li that his pirating business is wiped clean. I even avenged him—I hacked Da Tou-sheng until he was hospitalized and took his two brothels. No one will bother him anymore."

Thirty kilometers away, Old Li suddenly felt a weight lift off his back.

"Tell him I’ve negotiated with the Tong Xin He boss. From now on, the goods for the Four Greats will be distributed through Tong Xin He, and this batch is for them. Give him five days; he needs to work overtime to get it done."

"And use the IOUs from the brothel girls as collateral at seventy percent of their value."

"And if he doesn't agree, and just wants the money?" Four-Eyes frowned.

Wang Yaotang slapped Four-Eyes on the head. "Stubborn fool! We are a goddamn gang! If we did everything by the book, we wouldn't have risked our lives joining a gang in the first place!"

A-Jie burst into laughter, and Four-Eyes adjusted his glasses with a sheepish grin. "Right, I forgot. It’s not robbery; it’s just a minor issue with capital turnover."

After giving his orders, Wang Yaotang followed Xing Hong outside. A Mercedes W116—the first S-Class—was parked at the curb. To Wang Yaotang, it looked both ancient and novel.

He climbed into the passenger seat, clicked his tongue, and pulled the seatbelt across his chest.

Xing Hong looked at Wang Yaotang, amused. For a low-level thug, the only way to touch a car like this was usually by parking it. "This car..."

"Uh... this is the first time I've ever seen someone use a seatbelt."

"I’m a man who follows the rules," Wang Yaotang smiled.

The W116 280S used a lot of high-end synthetic leather for the time, and it had no air conditioning... it was a strange feeling.

The ride was silent until they reached Tsuen Wan.

Different branches of the Hongmen worship different figures—mostly Yin Hongsheng, Zheng Chenggong, or Chen Jinnan—but the He Sheng Yi branch worshipped Qin Shubao.

There was a Qin Qiong Shrine built by He Sheng Yi in Tsuen Wan, which served as the gang's gateway. It was managed by a temple keeper and visited by locals, and unless the gang was holding a major initiation ceremony, it was open for visitors.

Not far from the gateway was a three-story building. Originally two stories, it had been the headquarters for local resistance fighters during the anti-Japanese war in 1941 before being destroyed. After the war, He Sheng Yi paid for its restoration to serve as their headquarters, where the gang leader usually resided.

The car stopped. Xing Hong got out first, greeted the two men at the door, and Wang Yaotang followed him inside. He hadn't been here since his initiation.

The entire first floor was a grand hall with a statue of Guan Gong holding a straw sandal, surrounded by the founders and ancestors of the lineage. This was where initiations were held.

This was Wang Yaotang's first time on the second floor, where the leader and the elders held their meetings.

They continued to the third floor, where the gang leader, "Bone-Stripper" Dong, usually stayed.

"Old Man, Yaotang is here," Xing Hong knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Xing Hong pushed the door open and gestured for Wang Yaotang to enter.

Wang Yaotang took a deep breath and stepped inside. A small old man, about fifty years old, wearing a white linen jacket, sat in a grand armchair. He had slightly curly hair, thin cheeks, prominent ears, and wore black reading glasses.

"Old Man."

"Hmm, Yaotang, is it? Not bad, a fine-looking young man. Come, sit here."

Bone-Stripper Dong smiled as he looked the young man up and down. It was the first time this boy had met his gang leader, yet he remained composed and confident, showing not a hint of nervousness. The way he looked at him...

Bone-Stripper Dong frowned imperceptibly. It was a look of equality.

You’re just a low-level soldier, by what right?

Bone-Stripper Dong: You call me Old Man, and I’m pleased, but I don’t like the look in your eyes!

Wang Yaotang: Old man, I’m a transmigrator with a system. Not looking down on you is already the greatest respect I can offer!