Among the local gang leaders, the one in the worst mood this time wasn't Cai Xudong, nor She Zhishan—it was Liu Changling.
He realized Tang Shaojie was flexing his muscles. The message was clear: Cao Yang had killed a gang boss like Liu Zhenhu, yet Tang could keep him unharmed. The unspoken warning: "You better be smart, or next time it could be you."
This was directed at him. Among the local gangs, only Liu's interests were about to clash with Tang's.
The biggest profit project of Lushan International was the underground casino. Other local gangs ran small-time gambling operations, but only the Sichuan gang did it well. They were planning to expand and had leaked word to high-rollers, hoping to attract more players.
This, however, touched Tang Shaojie's "inverse scale"—if anyone dared to interfere, trouble would surely follow.
The car stopped at the Nightingale Club entrance. Jim, knowing Liu Changling had arrived, personally came out to greet him.
"Big brother, what's wrong?" Jim had followed Liu for years and could tell from his expression that something was on his mind.
"Talk upstairs," Liu said, patting Jim on the shoulder as they headed to his office.
"How's the club business lately?"
"Stable. Everything's normal," Jim replied.
Liu sighed and recounted the incident at Fulin Hotel.
"Tang Shaojie is warning me. What should we do next?"
Jim shook his head. "I follow your lead, big brother. Whatever you decide, we'll do."
Liu smiled wryly. "If it comes to a fight, I'm not afraid of him. But I fear his backers. Before we even act, the police could swoop in. How can we fight under those circumstances?"
"What about the new casino?"
"Hold off for now."
"But the word is already out. If we don't open, people will laugh at us."
Liu leaned back on the sofa. "Let them laugh. With the Henan gang fiasco fresh in everyone's minds, our little matter won't attract much attention."
Opening a casino requires solid backing. Liu had been running the city for over a decade, spent years as a boss, and supported many people. He had some clout and could settle a few deaths—but compared to Tang Shaojie, it was nothing.
If he wanted to challenge Tang, he would first need a backer of equal power. Otherwise, the police would tip the scales against him.
Finding a strong backer wasn't easy. Big bosses didn't take just anyone. They preferred those with skill, discretion, and minimal trouble.
Local gangs, in the eyes of these bosses, were unpredictable, unstable, and unreliable. They didn't want to get involved.
They had previously dealt with local gang leaders, but those leaders had one flaw—they had no attachment to the city.After making a fortune, they quietly returned home, leaving behind a mess for the boss.
When a new leader emerged, trying to maintain the connection, the boss would have to re-evaluate them. Too much hassle. Easier to ignore them. Plenty of other locals were willing to pay up anyway.
"By the way… you know Cao Yang?" Liu Changling asked Jim, lighting a cigarette.
Jim nodded. "Met him a few times."
"What's your impression?"
"A hahmbee," Jim replied.
Liu raised an eyebrow.
Jim added thoughtfully, "Still, even a hahmbee has crazy skills."
Liu shook his head in disappointment. At least Cao Yang was clever. A hahmbee is single-minded. If Tang Shaojie told him to risk his life, he'd probably do it without hesitation. If Tang ordered him to come after Liu, he wouldn't pause for a second.
…
"Ah-Qiu… Ah-Qiu…" In Hu Qing's office, Cao Yang sneezed twice in a row.
"What's wrong? Caught a cold?" Hu Qing asked.
"No, maybe someone's talking bad about me," Cao Yang replied, wiping his nose.
Hu Qing rolled her eyes and handed him a report."The Liu Zhenhu case has been classified as an accidental overdose by a group of addicts."
"Yu Tie of the Hunan gang also confirmed that Liu Zhenhu was killed by his own Henan gang underlings. The culprit is already dead in a fire. The case is basically closed."
"You're officially free now. You can go anywhere."
The case had been resolved quickly thanks to Tang Shaojie's intervention, compromises by the Henan and Hunan gangs, and the police's preference to keep the incident from public attention. Declaring it an accident benefited everyone.
Cao Yang felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders.
"Thank you, Big Sister," he said sincerely.
"Alright. Don't act rashly in the future. Now everyone knows you're one of us. Anything you do will be seen as our directive. Always check with us before taking action."
"Yes, yes, yes," Cao Yang nodded repeatedly.
"The company has arranged a managerial position for you. First, let Yang Le take you around."
Cao Yang found Yang Le on the first floor. Yang Le, the short-haired guy from the abandoned building days, had been beaten by Cao Yang before—but now, they were family. He had long since let it go.
"Come on, I'll show you the ropes," Yang Le said, draping a shoulder around Cao Yang.
They descended to the basement underground casino.
The casino was Lushan International's most profitable business. Its entertainment facilities were almost a one-to-one copy of Macau.
It was enormous. Guests poured in daily. Daily revenue exceeded hundreds of millions, with the house taking millions in rake.
At the front desk, Cao Yang saw piles of cash stacked like mountains. His eyes widened.
Staff wheeled carts of cash, constantly exchanging chips for players, bustling non-stop.
"Impressive, right?" Yang Le said.
Cao Yang nodded, genuinely awestruck.
Sun Xiao then approached, inviting them to his office for tea.
Sun Xiao was the casino manager and one of Tang Shaojie's most trusted men, receiving a generous share of the profits every year.
"Brother Xiao, I have a question," Cao Yang asked cautiously.
"What's that?"
"Why do guests risk coming here to gamble, instead of going to Macau, which is nearby?"
Sun Xiao laughed heartily."Macau is technically overseas. Traveling back and forth is a hassle."
"Gambling in Macau is legal, but winnings are taxed. Here, there's no tax."
"As for the risk… I don't know what risk you mean. The casino's been running for ten years without issue. That's why the customers keep coming!"