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墨書 Inktalez
For the past couple of days, Qu Gui hadn't come to see me or spoken to me. I hadn't noticed anyone following me either. As Fang Ying said, Qu Gui might be looking for an excuse to punish himself harshly to establish his authority.
But he wouldn't target me, as those above are aware of my relationship with Qu Gui and have warned him not to go after me. According to rumors, Qu Gui has recently set his sights on Hebei Province's Duo Qian Cun Jin! It seems he intends to make a name for himself by taking down someone of higher rank, hoping to establish unparalleled authority for his Enforcement Hall within the Tian Ye Group.
On that day, Zheng Yu, Wan Fei, and Liu Sen were all out on business. I was leisurely at the Security Company when suddenly the office door swung open, and Qu Gui walked in.
"Quite relaxed, aren't you, Xiang Dong?" Qu Gui said with a hint of cold amusement as he settled onto the sofa across from me.
I frowned immediately. What did Qu Gui want from me? Was he planning to use me as a scapegoat? During this time, I hadn’t noticed anyone following me; even if someone were, he shouldn’t have anything on me!
"Don't be nervous. I'm not here to invite you into the Enforcement Hall; I have some good news for you," Qu Gui said with a smirk while lounging back in the sofa.
I smiled back calmly, realizing that his visit had a purpose. He was indeed planning to take action against Qian Cun Jin and knew about my past conflicts with him. So he came here to curry favor with me, but what was his true intention? What did he want in return?
I had heard about the deep-seated conflict between Xiang Fuduo and Qian Duo. However, Xiang Fuduo was clever; despite repeatedly slandering Qian Duo, which drew intense scrutiny from above without any retaliation so far, it’s often said that one should fear not just thieves but those who keep an eye on them. Having someone like that constantly plotting against you isn’t a good thing. "I can help you resolve this matter," Qu Gui confidently stated, causing me to chuckle.
"And what’s the price?" I asked him. I didn’t believe he would come to me without wanting something in return.
"The price is that I need your help. I know you're smart; surely you understand what Qing Gang's intentions and my specific tasks are?" Qu Gui asked with a cold smile.
I fell silent after hearing this. Before Qu Gui arrived, I hadn’t thought too deeply about it, but now it was clear. Qu Gui had come here for a special mission—one that likely went beyond merely exorcising ghosts!
The Qing Gang aimed to completely overhaul the Tian Ye Group, replacing many of its mid-level executives with their own members. Qu Gui was the razor tasked with eliminating the old guard of the Tian Ye Group, including figures like Qian Cun Jin.
This plan was undoubtedly risky; if the veterans of the Tian Ye Group caught wind of it, would they sit idly by? Most likely, they would revolt! However, the Qing Gang felt uneasy about not taking action, especially since a war with the Hongmen was looming. If the Tian Ye Group's members turned against them and sided with the Hongmen, it would spell disaster for their organization.
Qu Gui sought my help to carry out this purge. Having worked under me before, he knew I was resourceful and wanted to collaborate with me.
"Have you thought it through?" he asked. "The Tian Ye Group has twelve branches, and eight of them are still under the control of the Old Forces. If we eliminate them one by one, they will surely catch on after we take out three or four. But if we try to remove them all at once, I honestly have no good plan."
I chuckled lightly and replied, "Historically, power dynamics have always been ruthless. If you truly want them gone, why not just assassinate them all?"
Qu Gui laughed coldly. "You jest, Xiang Fuduo. That would have dire consequences."
I scoffed inwardly; it seemed he wanted to play both sides—acting like a villain while maintaining a façade of righteousness. They were merely looking for an excuse to ensure that the members of the Tian Ye Group would willingly serve the Qing Gang.
"Well then," I said, "if I help you, what’s in it for me?"
In truth, having the Qing Gang replace the Tian Ye Group's leadership would be detrimental to my plans. It would strengthen the Qing Gang beyond that of the Hongmen, which was not what I wanted; I needed both factions to be evenly matched so they could weaken each other.
However, I couldn't refuse Qu Gui outright. As a member of the Qing Gang, if I declined his request, he would report back immediately. How would they perceive my refusal? They might think I was uncooperative or even harboring ulterior motives. In that case, I could easily find myself on Qu Gui's elimination list as well.
So I had no choice but to agree, though how I would proceed depended on my own mood.
"I'll secure you a position as a branch leader," Qu Gui said with a smile. "That's your benefit. You understand that power dynamics are merciless; there's no room for negotiation here. Your options are either to work with me or be eliminated alongside them."
His words confirmed my suspicions; if I didn’t cooperate, I would become another target for Qu Gui.
"Alright," I conceded. "But this is a significant matter; I'll need a few days to devise a plan."
I replied, and Qu Gui nodded in agreement. He gave me a deadline: once Qian Cun Jin fell, he would come to find me, and by then, I needed to present my plan.
I agreed, and Qu Gui left.
In truth, wasn't Qu Gui's visit aimed at eliminating me? This decision was beneficial for him with no downside. If I could successfully help him eradicate the eight branches of the Tian Ye Group's old forces, he would gain merit. If I failed to present a viable plan, he could show Qing Gang that I was of no value, and then he could dispose of me.
Qu Gui was no longer the timid knife who had been bullied in Tianchi; he had transformed into a sharp blade—Qing Gang's blade!
After Qu Gui departed, I called Zheng Yu and explained the situation to him. Upon hearing it, Zheng Yu immediately understood what I meant. I needed information on Hongmen's strength for comparison so that I could devise a strategy to make both sides evenly matched.
Zheng Yu then briefed me on the recent investigations into Hongmen's situation. In Huaxia, there were three super groups under Hongmen's umbrella; in reality, they were all part of the same entity, former branches of Hongmen Group. Although Hongmen Group had kept a low profile in Huaxia, its strength was formidable.
Its influence spanned over ten provinces in Huaxia, five of which coexisted with Tian Ye Group. If Hongmen planned to rise again while Tian Ye Group remained its enemy, it would inevitably eliminate Tian Ye Group's forces in those five provinces.
At that point, Qing Gang would intervene to help Tian Ye Group consolidate its power. Zheng Yu informed me that the situation was stable for now; however, it appeared that Hongmen would be at least five provinces behind Qing Gang when it came to defending and seizing territory.
This assessment was based on competition within the legal realm. Zheng Yu mentioned that it was uncertain whether Hongmen would activate its underground forces against Qing Gang. If Hongmen's underground forces had been dormant for too long and couldn't be mobilized, they would face attacks from Qing Gang's underground forces.
I understood his concerns completely; after all, Hongmen had been accumulating power for over a decade or two. The enforcers from back then must be aging by now. Meanwhile, Qing Gang had prepared a year in advance and was naturally in a much better position than Hongmen. Additionally, with the recently retired Tian Ye Group's strength reemerging after years of absence, things looked grim for Hongmen.
If Qing Gang were to eliminate Hongmen and become the largest gang in Huaxia—the only gang—then attempting to overthrow Qing Gang would become exceedingly difficult.
"Dong Ge," Zheng Yu said to me, "I know you want to balance the powers of these two super gangs, but have you considered the risks involved? We are quite vulnerable figures amidst this conflict between these two colossal gangs; even a slight ripple could shatter us."
I understood what he was worried about. If I failed to execute this plan flawlessly and someone caught wind of it, I could be crushed in an instant. But there was no other choice.
It was precisely because I felt so insignificant that if I wanted to bring down the mighty Qing Gang, I had to rely on Hongmen's strength!
For Linna's family feud, I could not let her down!
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