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The training of the Haidongqing Special Operations Team was finally on track, allowing Jufeng to set down a heavy burden he had been carrying. The constant need to be on guard against assassination attempts had become a headache for him. During his time in Washing City, he had attracted numerous low-level assassins, like maggots or mosquitoes buzzing around during summer nights—annoying but ultimately harmless.
Once the Azure Wind Antelope completed its training, he could shift from a passive to an active stance, allowing his enemies to experience the pain of being targeted themselves. The Azure Wind Antelope was a scaled-up version of the Starlight Ranking. Although it would be difficult to compete with giants of the assassin world like Heroic Journey in the short term, it compensated for the power of Hurricane and Hua Gang lurking deeper in the shadows—a force that should not be underestimated.
Spring was approaching with a lively pace, and the air was filled with a rich fragrance of the season.
Jufeng had indeed been enjoying himself lately, spending time with Gentle Land and Pomegranate Skirt, which naturally deepened his relationship with Lu Qijia. However, with the ongoing stalemate in the war ahead, as the leader of their group known as the Underworld Young Master, he could not simply hide behind the red curtains and strategize.
Spending every day with Jia'er felt like a compensation for his worries about her well-being. Now that he had made up for it, Chuyang was also well-behaved and studious. As a father, how could he not set an example?
However, just as Jufeng planned to head to the battlefield, an unexpected visitor stopped him in his tracks.
Cao Yangrong, male, 4 years old, graduated from Global Trade University, currently serving as CEO of Zongheng Express.
Approachable, talkative, humble yet confident—this was Jufeng's first impression of the middle-aged man before him. Since returning to Huaguo, Xue had been communicating company matters to Jufeng on behalf of Cao Yangrong. As the owner of the company, Romain felt embarrassed that this was his first meeting with Cao Yangrong.
"CEO Cao, there's no need for us to be polite. Although I am the owner of the company, I truly know nothing about business matters and have completely entrusted them to you. Since you've come to see me today, there must be something beyond mere business involved; please speak freely."
"Ah." Cao Yangrong gathered his thoughts before responding in a calm tone. "Feng Shao, please don't blame me for being inquisitive. I heard that Huankezhao offered our agency quota because one of the previous five agents was attacked by pirates. We also encountered this group of pirates on our way back."
Xue was quite easygoing with these businessmen and had a good relationship with Cao Yangrong. Moreover, the pirate incident could highlight Hurricane's strength as a selling point; thus, Xue did not hold back. Jufeng did not mind that Cao Yangrong knew about this matter; he simply did not understand why he brought it up.
"That's right; those pirates are quite rampant. I've already reported it to the authorities and believe our transport ships will have smooth sailing from now on. What does CEO Cao mean by this…?"
Cao Yangrong pursed his lips, hesitating slightly before cautiously saying, "I’ve heard… that this group of pirates seems to have some connections with Huankezhao's veteran agents?"
Jufeng was taken aback by this revelation. Memories flooded back from his time spent near Pirate Star with the Lu Siblings over a week ago. He recalled some information he had gathered about two ships from Earth that coincidentally appeared at Pirate Star alongside certain events—realizing now that he had overlooked this matter all along.
"I did investigate some information on the Pirate Planet, but I never mentioned it to anyone, CEO Cao... How did you find out?"
Hearing Jufeng's tone, it seemed that this matter was indeed quite serious. Cao Yangrong's speech quickened a few beats while maintaining a steady demeanor.
"Back when that company was robbed by pirates, one of my university classmates was an executive there. Their company went bankrupt, and the boss sought refuge on another planet. According to him, it seems certain that Equivor and Incor were behind it. Unfortunately, they were too weak to resist and had no choice but to accept their fate. These two companies are also agents for Huankezhao, just like us."
Jufeng did not expect Cao Yangrong to have such connections, but if he already knew about this, why was he only informing him now?
Without continuing the conversation, Jufeng's gaze toward Cao Yangrong gradually became more intense, and the indoor temperature of Canglang One Floating Life seemed to drop a few degrees.
Seeing Jufeng's increasingly focused gaze, cold sweat broke out on Cao Yangrong's back. He struggled to swallow and quickly explained, "Feng Shao, this matter is indeed my oversight. I initially thought that since our Zongheng Express had ties with the Underworld and these two companies were foreign enterprises—though larger than us—they wouldn't dare to make a move against us. However, just two days ago, they launched an attack on our Zongheng Express from their Huazone branch. They not only lowered the prices of Huankezhao products but also imposed sanctions on several of our affiliated companies. Although it hasn't caused significant damage yet, I truly cannot afford to delay any longer and had to come report to you immediately in hopes of making up for my previous negligence."
By the end of his explanation, Cao Yangrong had lowered his head. As a prominent figure in the Chinese business world, he had never bowed so low to anyone before. The gravity of this situation weighed heavily on him, especially since Jufeng had treated him with such kindness and generosity.
After listening to Cao Yangrong's explanation, Jufeng's stern expression finally softened. He pushed his teacup toward Cao Yangrong with a smile and said, "CEO Cao's tea has gone cold; you should drink this one instead."
Cao Yangrong looked up in confusion at Jufeng. He expected harsh words or reprimands but instead received a cup of tea?
Jufeng smiled lightly and said, "CEO Cao, since you didn't flee with the money at the first opportunity, it shows your continued responsibility toward Zongheng Express and me. Given that, how could I blame my friend?"
Cao Yangrong was surprised that a young man who thrived in the Underworld could be so understanding. He had thought Jufeng would possess some degree of ruthlessness; however, it appeared he was mistaken.
Feeling relieved, Cao Yangrong then furrowed his brow again. "Feng Shao, what do you think we should do now? In business terms, I can hold on for a while longer, but if we want to stabilize or even turn things around, we need some allies. Their headquarters are abroad, and it's clear they intend to use their Huazone branch against us; we can't afford that."
Jufeng understood Cao Yangrong's concerns. He was a decades-long business giant with countless honors from various top rankings. Losing a Huazone branch might not be significant for him. However, Jufeng's Zongheng Express was different; despite operating locally, its foundation was still shallow and vulnerable to being uprooted by strong winds.
"CEO Cao," Jufeng said thoughtfully, "your timely warning about this matter is invaluable. I have many covert dealings; if our business collapses now, it will be hard to maintain them afterward. Therefore, I will send someone to investigate Equivor and Incor further. Since we have allied with Jinhai Industries, you can seek help from Jiang Dong first. Once I gather all the information, we can discuss our next steps together."
Cao Yangrong greatly admired Jufeng's decisiveness and caution. These two words seemed to be opposites in any context, yet at this moment, they were perfectly embodied in Jufeng. He agreed, saying, "I do share that sentiment. I just thought it would be more polite to inform you first, considering your close relationship with Jinhai Industries."
Upon hearing this, Jufeng smiled even more broadly. With a smile, he saw Cao Yangrong off at Canglang One Floating Life. After returning home and pondering for a moment, he made a phone call.
"Hello, Bill, how is your Hidden Hall coming along?"
"Well, it's going great. I'm assigning you a task now; let me see your results and don't let me down."
"…"
After hanging up the phone, Jufeng couldn't help but rub his forehead. Dealing with matters in business was certainly not as straightforward as on the battlefield!
(To be continued)
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