Chapter 326

Hearing Xie Wendong’s words, Qi Xiaolong felt a weight lift from his heart. He said tactfully, “That’s right. I also despise Bo Zhanhui’s character, but he’s the boss, and as his brothers, we dare not speak out against him. Now that he’s fallen, although Xuanzidan played a significant role, since he claims to be the successor to the boss, it’s likely he won’t be able to gain everyone’s trust.” He spoke gently, keeping his eyes fixed on Xie Wendong, trying to read his expression. But he was disappointed—Xie Wendong remained smiling, his gaze unchanged, fiddling with a lighter in his hand, making a ‘clicking’ sound, and said with a laugh, “As I said earlier, who becomes the boss is a matter for your Zhongyi Gang. As an outsider, I shouldn’t express an opinion or interfere. Mr. Qi, everyone here is smart. Haven’t you understood what I mean?”
“Oh!” Qi Xiaolong was momentarily stunned before nodding repeatedly, smiling wisely, and quickly said, “I understand, I understand! I’ve grasped what Mr. Xie means!”
Xie Wendong showed signs of impatience, yawned, and said, “If Mr. Qi has nothing else to do, stay and have a simple meal together.” His intention was clear—he was starting to send them away. Whether Qi Xiaolong truly didn’t understand or pretended not to, he took the opportunity to flatter him, saying with a sly smile, “Then I’ll have to decline, hehe.”
Whoa! Xie Wendong almost spat out the tea he had just taken into his mouth, thinking to himself that this guy really had thick skin. Those who pretend to be stupid when they’re not are the most detestable. Throughout the meal, Xie Wendong didn’t enjoy it at all. When someone keeps praising you with various insincere compliments nonstop, it’s hard to enjoy your food, especially for someone like Xie Wendong who didn’t like hearing flattery. His temper wasn’t violent, but it certainly wasn’t gentle either. The fact that he managed to hold back from reacting on the spot showed he had matured a lot. After finally sending Qi Xiaolong away, Jiang Sen beside him laughed and summarized it in one sentence: “He’s good at speaking but not at reading others’ expressions.”

“Damn it!” Xie Wendong cursed with a laugh. “No need to choose anyone else—just him!” As he gained more experience and age, he was no longer like before; Xie Wendong rarely swore, even when extremely angry. In terms of his speech and behavior, he had completely become the image of a civilized person—though this didn’t apply when he was at his wits’ end, like now. Tapping his fingers, he narrowed his eyes and added, “Spread some word about the information Qi Xiaolong has prepared to harm Xuanzidan—not too much, just enough for the leaders of the Zhongyi Gang to know a bit.” “Why?” Jiang Sen always liked to dig into things he didn’t understand. Xie Wendong smiled leisurely and said, “For a good story, some setup is needed before the exciting part begins!” Jiang Sen still didn’t understand and was about to ask further when Xie Wendong waved his hand. “Asking is a good habit, but if you can learn while doing, you’ll gain more.” After saying that, Xie Wendong suddenly sighed, walked over to the window facing the street, leaned on the window frame, and added, “I can’t be by your side forever. Maybe one day I’ll die suddenly, or get tired and leave. By then, all you can rely on is yourselves.”

Jiang Sen shuddered in fear, not knowing why Brother Dong suddenly said such things. He stepped forward quickly, went behind Xie Wendong, and asked carefully, “Brother Dong, you…”

Xie Wendong turned around with a smile and waved his hand. “It’s nothing. I was just talking casually. Life is unpredictable; one minute I’m here, but who knows what will happen next? People are born, grow old, fall ill, and die. As long as your words are interesting and you live as you please, that’s enough.” Jiang Sen took a breath, feeling his head heavy, much heavier than usual. He didn’t know what Xie Wendong was thinking. Only then did he realize how little he actually understood Brother Dong’s inner thoughts. So he could only force a smile, unable to say anything comforting. Xie Wendong wasn’t the kind of person who needed comfort. Seeing Jiang Sen’s thoughts, he relaxed his brows and smiled. “It’s strange. I don’t know why I suddenly said that. Maybe the Soul Group’s ambush really touched the deepest part of my heart.” With that, he pouted like a child, raised the corners of his mouth, and said with his sleeves behind his back, “One day, I’ll also give those people in the Soul Group who are living in comfort a huge ‘surprise’!”

What kind of surprise it would be, Jiang Sen didn’t know. But he was sure that as long as Xie Wendong could think of it and say it, he would definitely put it into action.

Xie Wendong planned to have Qi Xiaolong operated on for a simple reason: he couldn’t tell the difference in people’s facial features. This showed that Xie Wendong was also self-serving and only concerned about himself—such people are the easiest to manipulate, so it made sense that he became Xie Wendong’s first choice. That evening, as everyone gathered for dinner, including Jiang Lin, Xie Wendong casually mentioned that Qi Xiaolong had come to see him. No one paid much attention; San Yan simply ate his food slowly, covering his stomach, and casually asked, “Who is Qi Xiaolong?” His wound in the lower abdomen hadn’t healed yet, but he was full of energy and walked just like an ordinary person. Jiang Sen replied, “He’s a somewhat powerful leader in the Zhongyi Gang.” “Oh?” Dong Xinlei wiped his mouth and raised his eyes, asking, “What did he come here for? Isn’t it to get back his share of the Seaport Hotel?!” Jiang Sen shook his head and smiled, “Of course not! Even if the Zhongyi Gang lacks self-awareness, they wouldn’t try to pull teeth out of a tiger’s mouth under these circumstances. Qi Xiaolong came to ask Brother Dong for help.” “What kind of help?” “To use our strength to get rid of Xuan Zidan!” Jiang Sen said nonchalantly. The others didn’t feel much—it was quite normal in the underworld, where it was either you ate me or I swallowed you. But upon hearing this, Jiang Lin’s expression changed slightly. She lowered her head and pricked up her ears, listening carefully to the conversation. Her relationship with Xuan Zidan was quite complex—he was both her benefactor and like a family member to her. If that tragic incident hadn’t happened, Xuan Zidan would likely have already become her brother-in-law.

“Damn!” Sanyan curled his lips in disdain, turning his head away and lowering it to eat, refusing to speak further. Dongxinlei joked, “If we could get enough benefits, it’s worth considering!” “Yeah! If he becomes the leader of the Loyalism Gang and gives us half of their territory, we could really use their help,” Jiang Sen said, glancing at Jiang Lin with half-seriousness. Li Shuang chimed in as well, and everyone started talking back and forth, clearly determined to help Qi Xiaolong. Jiang Lin wrung her hands in frustration, but since Xie Wendong hadn’t made a decision yet, she didn’t know what to say. Instead, she hinted, “They just helped you get rid of the big threat Bo Zhanhui. Since they know Qi Xiaolong has ulterior motives, it’s one thing not to help, but how can they even join forces with him?” Ren Changfeng calmly took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, saying nonchalantly, “Profit is the most important thing. If there’s no profit, why bother showing up at all?” Hearing this, Jiang Lin’s nose almost twisted in anger, and her anger grew even more at Ren Changfeng’s expression. Helplessly, she turned her phoenix-like eyes toward Xie Wendong, her eyelashes fluttering up and down. Xie Wendong, who had started the conversation but remained silent, eating quietly while listening to everyone else, finally spoke up after putting down his chopsticks and taking a sip of tea. After patting his full stomach, he summed it up with one sentence: “Let’s act according to the situation!” After saying such an ambiguous statement, Xie Wendong stood up and returned to his room. Li Shuang shook his big-headed, ear-large head and looked around at everyone, asking, “What does Brother Dong mean?” Sanyan also stood up and said, “Brother Dong means that the final decision on who we help or not still lies with him.” “Damn, that’s the same as not saying anything!” Li Shuang pouted. Sanyan smirked and said, “So, stupid people can only ask stupid questions.” With that, he happily lit a cigarette and walked away smiling. Li Shuang narrowed his eyes, about to explode, but for some reason held back. He said to the others, “If it weren’t for his wounds not being healed yet, I would have beaten him up this morning. Do you believe it or not…” Before he could finish, everyone stood up and left in groups. “Hey? Hey, I haven’t finished speaking! Why are you in such a hurry to leave?” Li Shuang protested unhappily. “Keep talking to yourself here!” Gao Qiang turned around and left without paying him any more attention.

Jiang Lin was the last to leave, head bowed, brows furrowed, deep in thought. After returning to her room, she thought for a moment before still calling Xuan Zidan. If someone else had said that Qi Xiaolong intended to harm her, Xuan Zidan might not have believed it, but since it came from Jiang Lin, he had no choice but to believe it. After hanging up the phone, Xuan Zidan took a deep breath in relief—what a close call! He wasn’t prepared yet, and with Bo Zhanhui dead, many of his subordinates were outwardly loyal but inwardly hostile. On top of that, the gang had numerous matters to handle, taking up most of his time. If Qi Xiaolong had attacked suddenly, he would surely have been devastated. Fortunately, the only relief was that Xie Wendong hadn’t sided with Qi Xiaolong. Since receiving the message from Jiang Lin, Xuan Zidan had doubled his precautions while recruiting more allies and lobbying neutral leaders. Qi Xiaolong, however, wasn’t as anxious. That day at the Flower Hotel, Xie Wendong had hinted that he could secretly assist him. With the support of the Northern Hongmen, Xuan Zidan would become insignificant. Even though reports indicated that the latter was scheming in secret, he didn’t take it seriously. Instead, he joined forces with his two close allies, Tan Xiaochun and Wei Ming, to plot their next moves. On the penultimate day of the month, it was evening, overcast, with no stars visible—even the moon was hidden behind the clouds, emitting only a faint glow.

The Oriental Nightclub was Wei Ming’s establishment, quite famous in the area, though smaller than a basketball court, classified as a medium-sized dance hall. Its decor was rather plain, with some decorations even worn out, but this didn’t affect its booming business. Wei Ming had good relations with the local police, with connections at all levels. Sometimes, when the police couldn’t meet their assigned targets, they would turn to him for help. Even during crackdowns, the police couldn’t touch him, so it became a place where anyone with money could do as they pleased. Drug use, prostitution, gambling—everything could be found here, of course, as long as you had enough money to spend.

Qi Xiaolong and Tan Xiaochun frequented this place because the Oriental Nightclub had everything they liked. Today, they seemed especially in high spirits. After greeting Wei Ming, they arrived. They left their underlings in the lobby and went into a private room. Before they could even settle in, Wei Ming arrived. He called the nightclub’s “madam” and asked her to bring in some new girls. Qi Xiaolong and Tan Xiaochun were pleased and asked with smiles, “So, little brother Wei has brought in new recruits again?”

“A batch just left. There’s no choice but to find some newcomers temporarily. Besides, people who come out to have fun these days prefer innocence; the younger, the better, and the price is higher too.” Wei Ming, experienced and confident in his words, spoke in a low tone. Tan Xiaochun poured wine, took a big gulp, and asked, “I wonder what they look like?” Wei Ming deliberately sized him up from head to toe before smiling and saying, “In two words: fresh and lively.” Tan Xiaochun laughed upon hearing this. While the girls hadn’t arrived yet, Qi Xiaolong spoke seriously in a low voice, “How are you two prepared? I’ve got everything ready on my end and plan to start at the beginning of next month.” Tan Xiaochun and Wei Ming put away their lecherous smiles and said solemnly, “No problem. We have the right people ready; we’re just waiting to start!”

“Slam!” Qi Xiaolong closed his palm and laughed, “This plan can’t possibly fail. With the support of the Northern Hongmen, it’ll be hard for Xuan Zidan not to die. Once this is done, the three of us will rule the Zhongyi Gang together.” “Great! After all these years, we’ve finally reached this moment—haha!” Wei Ming was full of energy and laughed heartily.

As they were chatting and joking, ‘Mom’ led several young and beautiful girls into the private room. Qi Xiaolong and Tan Xiaochun’s attention was instantly drawn, unable to look away. Their mouths hung open, almost drooling. Qi Xiaolong stared at the girls’ faces and asked, “Old Wei, where did you find these girls?”

“What? Aren’t you, Brother Qi, trying to poach my clients?” Wei Ming joked. “Damn it, I really mean it today.” Qi Xiaolong spoke bluntly. He and Wei Ming had known each other for years, so there was no need for formalities in their conversation. “Haha! Spare your brother. I rely on this to make a living!” Wei Ming waved at ‘Mom’, who was smiling seductively nearby, and said, “You’re not needed here. Go out.” ‘Mom’ nodded repeatedly, her rouge almost falling off from laughing so much, and said, “Got it, got it. Brother Qi, Brother Tan, have fun!” “Mm!” The two nodded impatiently. After ‘Mom’ left, they could no longer hold back. They pulled the girls they liked over and sat them next to them, starting to touch them. Wei Ming took out a small white, transparent pouch and said, “Let’s start with something exciting.” Tan Xiaochun was delighted at the sight and clapped his hands, saying, “I like this!” He yawned, took the thin straw from Wei Ming, and eagerly poured the white powder from the pouch onto the coffee table. He stuck his finger in it and put it in his mouth.