Chapter 35 of 100

Chapter 35

13 min read3,300 words

After persuading his brother, Li Xuan, despite his travel fatigue, called Scarface Qiang to invite him out for a late-night snack, planning to take the opportunity to clear things up.

The two agreed to meet at a seafood restaurant in Taizi. When Li Xuan arrived, Shao Yongqiang was already there and had ordered a sumptuous seafood feast. Li Xuan was led to the private room Shao Yongqiang had booked by a junior member waiting at the door.

"Xuanzi, I heard you just went to Japan to talk business. You're really becoming more impressive! From now on, I should call you Young Master Xuan!" Shao Yongqiang smiled and gestured for Li Xuan to sit beside him. "The steamed grouper here is exceptional. I always order it whenever I come. Try it first!"

"Brother Qiang, don't tease me. You know my background. Calling me Young Master Xuan is just making fun of me!" Li Xuan smiled and shook his head.

"Have you visited your boss in the hospital?" Shao Yongqiang called for a junior member to open a bottle of white wine.

"Just came from there. There's something I need to tell you in advance!" Li Xuan took the opened wine from a junior member, poured some for Shao Yongqiang, and also poured a little for himself.

"Inviting me out for a late-night snack without any reason, it doesn't look good!" Shao Yongqiang laughed heartily and used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of fried cod and put it in his mouth.

"After discussing with my brother, we have decided to dissolve Keji Company next month. So I hope Brother Qiang can register a new company to take over the factory in advance!" Li Xuan said calmly.

"Why?" Shao Yongqiang, who had just raised his wine glass, suddenly paused, his eyes sharp as he looked at Li Xuan.

"Do you want to hear my fabricated excuse or my true feelings?" Li Xuan looked at Scarface Qiang fearlessly and suddenly smiled.

The tense atmosphere in the private room was instantly broken by Li Xuan's laughter. Shao Yongqiang looked at the young man in front of him with interest: "I want to hear both!"

"The fabricated excuse is that Keji is involved in illegal counterfeit business, and my brother and I want to be good citizens in the future!" Li Xuan said casually, as if chatting about daily life.

As Li Xuan spoke, the steamed grouper that Brother Qiang had recommended at the beginning just arrived in front of him. He picked up a piece of fish and tasted it. The chef's skills were indeed excellent; the grouper's meat was very tender, fresh, and had no fishy smell at all.

This reason was not something Li Xuan had made up on the spot, but to someone like Scarface Qiang, it was not wrong. Compared to the yellow, gambling, and drugs that the triad was involved in, Keji's counterfeit business was as clean as a hospital operating room.

One could say that sparrows cannot understand the aspirations of a swan. Li Xuan's goal was to become a world-class game giant and establish a world-renowned electronic empire. Hong Kong was just a small pond in his eyes, but it was the root and foundation of Shao Yongqiang and the Hele Tang. Although they lived in the same city, they did not live in the same world.

"What about your real reason?"

"I hope my boss can live in peace and safety!" Li Xuan looked into Shao Yongqiang's eyes and said firmly, "But I'm not ungrateful. The Hele Tang has protected my boss for many years, and he should also repay the triad. As the saying goes, those with money should contribute money, and those with strength should contribute strength. Since I don't want my boss to fight on the front lines for territory, he can be a big water pipe, contributing financial resources to the triad!"

Shao Yongqiang clapped his hands and smiled, "It seems I really need to start calling you Young Master Xuan. A factory that can earn two million a month, you're willing to hand it over to the triad. What a great spirit!"

"Without hiding anything from Brother Qiang, after I set up the new company, all my energy will be focused on Oriental Electronics. Keji hasn't developed any new games for over a month. If you take it over and want to continue developing new games, you'll need to find your own people.

However, I will organize all the materials and experience for you. When the time comes, you can hire a few high-caliber electronic engineering graduates, and it shouldn't be a big problem!

Also, I've developed two new game machines. If they are launched, they might cause some trouble. Brother Qiang, you should be prepared in advance!" Li Xuan said frankly, but his attitude of withdrawal was firm.

"What kind of game machines?" Shao Yongqiang was immediately intrigued.

So, Li Xuan detailed the principles and gameplay of the fruit machine and the horse racing machine to Shao Yongqiang, who became increasingly interested as he listened. Shao Yongqiang was not a brute without insight; he had already keenly realized the value of these new game machines to the Hele Tang.

"Actually, these two game machines should be called gambling machines. But when you launch them, make the coin slot for game tokens instead of real coins. As long as the police don't catch you exchanging game tokens for cash on the spot, you can play the legal edge.

Of course, how to operate it, I'm not a professional, so you need to hire a few lawyers to design a flawless plan. They are the experts at fooling the police and judges!" Li Xuan concluded.

"Do you have prototypes of these game machines?" Shao Yongqiang's tone was eager.

"Yes, there are prototypes in the Keji factory. You can come and experience them tomorrow!" Li Xuan nodded in response.

Shao Yongqiang calmed his excited heart, trying not to seem too eager. He looked at Li Xuan meaningfully and said, "It seems you have already made your plans! But the value of these two game machines is not low. Are you really willing to hand them over to the Hele Tang like this?"

"Your delicacy is my poison! Gambling is harmful, and I'm a good citizen!" Li Xuan waved his hand and smiled lightly.

He really didn't feel any pain. The value of his reputation far outweighed the profits from these gambling machines. If he got involved in such a stain, it might cost him a thousand or ten thousand times more to restore the public image of Oriental Electronics when it grew to a certain scale.

"Good one, your delicacy is my poison!" Shao Yongqiang suddenly said loudly, "Since Young Master Xuan is so generous, the Hele Tang cannot take advantage of you. But I need to discuss this with Uncle Jian. I'll give you a reply in a few days!"

Although Li Xuan appeared calm, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although Keji Company was registered under his brother Li Ke's name, even Li Ke himself considered the real boss to be his younger brother. From now on, Li Xuan had finally severed his ties with the Hele Tang.

As for the responsibility Shao Yongqiang mentioned, most of it would likely fall on his brother Li Ke. Given the money-making ability of Keji Company and the value of the fruit machine and horse racing machine, if the Hele Tang wanted to settle the matter with money, they would need to come up with at least eight to ten million in cash to avoid looking like they were taking advantage.

But ten million in cash was no small amount. Although the high-end nightclubs in Shao Yongqiang's territory could earn over a million a month in protection fees, that money was used to support people. The triad's actual liquid funds were not much.

So, the most likely way for the Hele Tang to repay this favor would be to promote Li Xuan's brother to a higher position, making him a Red Pole.

If Li Ke could become a Red Pole, his status within the Hele Tang would be greatly different. If an ordinary Four-Niner was stepped on by another branch, the hall might not necessarily stand up for them. But if a Red Pole was stepped on, the Hele Tang would have to stand up for justice, or the triad's reputation would be ruined.

Li Xuan also knew that once his brother stepped onto this path, there was no turning back. So, he had to push forward. As long as Li Ke didn't actively seek to stand out and create enemies, the position of a Red Pole in a powerful triad like the Hele Tang would be enough for him to protect himself in the underworld.

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