Chapter 309

Chapter 309 Fifteen Days to Pay!

 

Li Huazhong was lying in bed, about to fall asleep, when Biaozi suddenly shouted outside the door: “Young Master, something terrible has happened!”

“What are you yelling about? What’s so important that it can’t wait until morning?” Li Huazhong sat up, feeling annoyed. After all, anyone would be irritable when their sleep is disturbed, especially a gang boss like him.

Biaozi ran in with a terrified expression, panting as he spoke: “Young Master, it’s terrible, the Four Tigers of Beitang and their forty elite men…”

Li Huazhong’s eyebrows shot up, a very bad feeling rising in his heart: “What happened to them?”

“They’ve been captured by the Green Dragon Gang!” Biaozi said, his face covered in sweat.

“Captured?”

Li Huazhong slapped the edge of the bed and stood up, not caring that he wasn’t dressed, shouting angrily: “How dare the Green Dragon Gang provoke my Yuan Wei Gang? They knew these were Beitang’s men and still dared to mess with them? Have they grown lion’s courage?”

“Young Master, apparently the Four Tigers of Beitang had a conflict with the Green Dragon Gang at Caesar Palace tonight. Li Yang was even there. Two of the Four Tigers are dead, two are severely injured, and only thirty of the forty elite men remain!”

“What?”

When Li Huazhong heard this, he felt as if he’d been struck by lightning!

Why did they choose to have a conflict with the Green Dragon Gang tonight?

Was this something they initiated, or had the Green Dragon Gang already detected Yuan Wei Gang’s infiltration?

The Four Tigers of Beitang, such elite fighters, two dead and two severely injured?

To Li Huazhong, this was completely inconceivable!

His mind went blank as he stood naked by the bed, forgetting even how to react!

Over the years, Li Huazhong had invested heavily in developing his forces in Beitang. Since everyone knew Li Huazhong would eventually become the gang leader, these Beitang men were basically loyal to him. If these men were finished, then all his years of building up would be for nothing!

You train soldiers for a thousand days to use them for one hour, but on their very first mission, they were completely surrounded by the enemy!

After two minutes of deep thought, Li Huazhong finally looked up with a gloomy expression and asked: “Is this information confirmed?”

“It’s confirmed,” Biaozi replied with an equally grave face. “The Green Dragon Gang is demanding fifty million. They say they’ll release the men as soon as the money arrives!”

“Fifty million? Why don’t they just rob us outright?”

Upon hearing this figure, Li Huazhong’s face immediately darkened!

As the leader of Yuan Wei Gang, he clearly knew that while his gang had enough fighting power, their economic strength couldn’t compare to the Green Dragon Gang that controlled Ninghai! Although they had developed other business income in recent years, fifty million was definitely not a small amount for Yuan Wei Gang!

Was it worth spending so much money to rescue thirty subordinates?

But at this moment, a cold realization flashed through Li Huazhong’s mind! This thought immediately made cold sweat break out on his forehead!

“Biaozi, since the Green Dragon Gang has already released this information, does my father and the others know about this?”

“They know,” Biaozi’s tone was dry and difficult!

“The whole gang knows?”

Li Huazhong’s expression became extremely unpleasant!

In fact, although he had informed Wanyan Zhengxiong in advance about deploying Beitang’s forces, everyone understood what was really happening. Wanyan Zhengxiong wanted to use this opportunity to train his son, giving him a chance to prove himself and pave the way for his future succession as gang leader!

Though he claimed not to want his son involved in criminal activities, Wanyan Zhengxiong didn’t want his hard-earned empire to fall into someone else’s hands!

But now, the Four Tigers of Beitang and their forty elite men had just arrived in Ninghai and were immediately captured by the Green Dragon Gang! Two dead, two severely injured! This result undoubtedly slapped Wanyan Zhengxiong in the face! How could a son who caused such losses to the gang ever succeed to leadership?

Moreover, Wanyan Zhengxiong and the gang’s old guard had planned for years to move south and conquer Ninghai. Now, before the first shot was even fired, the Green Dragon Gang had already detected them! The conflict between the two gangs was now out in the open, making any future surprise attack by Yuan Wei Gang impossible!

The losses in Beitang were an extremely significant blow to the entire Yuan Wei Gang!

They had planned to take a big step into Ninghai, but just as they were lifting their foot, half of it had already been chopped off! This had already affected their years of planning!

Li Huazhong’s body was covered in glistening sweat. He wiped his dripping forehead and asked: “What did my father say?”

“The Boss said… that you should handle this matter yourself, and if you can’t resolve it, forget about inheriting the leadership position.” Biaozi said with great difficulty. He had known this news in advance but didn’t know how to tell his young master.

Moreover, he had already used very “gentle” language. When Wanyan Zhengxiong learned of the news, he immediately flew into a rage and said things a hundred times harsher!

Wanyan Zhengxiong’s exact words were—if Wanyan Huazhong couldn’t resolve this matter, he should commit suicide on the spot to console the dead Beitang brothers!

“Handle it myself? Or I can’t inherit the leadership?” These words were like another bolt of lightning for Li Huazhong!

“Fifty million, fifty million, how am I supposed to resolve this?”

Li Huazhong kicked the bedside table hard!

Biaozi seemed hesitant: “Young Master…”

“If you have something to say, say it!” Li Huazhong said impatiently. He was now overwhelmed with problems!

“Young Master, this matter might not be as difficult as it seems,” Biaozi tentatively suggested. “What if we abandon those thirty brothers?”

“Abandon them? Absolutely not!”

Even in this moment, Li Huazhong’s mind remained very clear! Years of experience as a criminal investigator had given him a clear head! He could easily judge the situation!

“We absolutely cannot abandon them! They are our brothers!”

Li Huazhong’s words made Biaozi feel ashamed!

“Young Master is right! Biaozi spoke out of turn!”

In truth, Li Huazhong had briefly considered abandoning the thirty brothers, which would save fifty million in funds!

But he immediately rejected this idea!

As a gang, as a criminal organization, what brings people together? Not money, not benefits, but loyalty!

Between brothers, the bond is stronger than gold!

What money could buy the feelings between brothers? What money could buy back a brother’s life?

If Li Huazhong abandoned thirty veteran elite brothers for fifty million, allowing the Green Dragon Gang to eventually kill them, the result was obvious—no one would be willing to follow this deputy leader anymore! No one would be willing to risk their lives for him! He would dishearten everyone!

He had to gather fifty million!

Seeing Li Huazhong’s expression constantly changing, Biaozi asked again: “Young Master, should I contact the Green Dragon Gang and ask them to ‘reduce’ the price a bit?”

When Li Huazhong heard the word “reduce,” he became furious.

He slapped Biaozi hard, making him stagger!

“Reduce my ass! Do you think this is shopping where you can haggle? Whatever they ask for, we have to give! They’ve got us completely trapped! The Green Dragon Gang is already being merciful asking for fifty million! Be thankful they didn’t demand a hundred million right away!”

Biaozi covered his face and immediately stood straight: “Young Master is right, you’re absolutely right!”

Li Huazhong took a pack of cigarettes from the bedside table, lit one, and took a deep drag!

It was a very deep drag, burning through half the cigarette!

For the sake of his own reputation and that of Yuan Wei Gang, he couldn’t even negotiate the price, which was truly frustrating!

“Did the Green Dragon Gang mention a deadline for the exchange?”

“Yes, they said we have two weeks to gather the money,” Biaozi said, enduring his stinging cheek. “They said after we gather fifty million in cash, we should wait for their call.”

“Two weeks?” Through the cigarette smoke, Li Huazhong’s expression eased slightly.

“It’s impossible to produce fifty million in liquid funds at once, but we can liquidate some assets,” Li Huazhong pondered, then said: “I have three houses in Ninghai that I bought when I first arrived. They’ve increased in value several times over the years, together they’re worth about fifteen million. This villa could probably sell for twenty million, so that’s thirty-five million total.”

Biaozi looked anxious: “Young Master, you’re going to sell your own houses to ransom them?”

“What else can we do?” Li Huazhong raised an eyebrow.

“But Young Master, the real estate market is declining. Ninghai still has many vacant properties unsold, and the second-hand market is even worse. Even if we want to sell the houses, no one will buy them in such a short time.”

“Then we’ll sell at 80% of the value! If that doesn’t work, 70%! If they still don’t sell, half price! I refuse to believe no one will buy!”

Li Huazhong was clearly agitated. From childhood to adulthood, he had never worried about money! This was the first time he had been forced into such a situation! It made him feel extremely frustrated!

Two weeks to sell so many houses to raise money—the time was indeed tight!

Li Huazhong pondered again, then said: “Sell all my properties in the north, and any antiques and collections that can be liquidated, all for cash! However, I estimate we’ll still be short by a few million. There are other small families affiliated with the Wanyan family. I, Wanyan Huazhong, will swallow my pride and ask to borrow money. They won’t refuse!”

Biaozi, looking at Li Huazhong, seemed to remember something and tentatively asked again: “Young Master, should we ask Lord Yu for help? His martial arts are powerful. He could help us raid the Green Dragon Gang and rescue our people.”

Li Huazhong rejected this without even thinking, his words filled with bitter sarcasm: “That’s impossible. He’s someone who serves the greater plans of Yuan Wei Gang! He won’t intervene! Besides, how could one person stand against the entire Green Dragon Gang?”

“Two weeks, two weeks. Green Dragon Gang, you make it seem like enough time, but you’re actually pushing us to death!”

Li Huazhong said this and kicked the bedside table hard again!

After being repeatedly kicked, the bedside table finally couldn’t withstand the pressure and shattered!

At that moment, a flash of realization suddenly crossed Li Huazhong’s mind, making him shudder involuntarily!

“Isn’t the opening day of the Chinese Underground Fighting Championship’s ten-year tournament in two weeks?” Li Huazhong’s eyes flashed with a bloodshot look as he growled: “Damn the Green Dragon Gang, what cursed scheme are they plotting!”