Tomb Raider: I Am Hu Bayi's Cousin

"Third Uncle's betting odds, aren't they still there?"

During his last trip to Changsha, Wu Xie witnessed the chaos that followed Wu Sansheng's disappearance.

The underground market for funerary objects in Changsha was a complete mess, with all sorts of shady characters trying to get their attention and grab a piece of the pie.

Wu Sansheng's group was the first to be affected. In a short period of time, his men set up their own groups, leaving only his loyal followers, led by Panzi, to hold their ground.

Even so, in just over two months, the business Wu Sansheng had built over twenty years had shrunk by more than half!
Human nature is fickle, and this is inevitable.

Especially those who illegally trade in funerary objects—aren't they all incredibly audacious?
They all risked their lives for wealth and status; they were all insatiable greedy individuals.

Through the machinations of certain individuals, the rumor that Wu Sansheng had accidentally died in the Kingdom of the Queen Mother of the West had already spread throughout the entire city of Changsha.

In this situation, Changsha lacks a leader to keep things in check, so how could those scoundrels not revel?
"Xiao Xie, this is the only thing you shouldn't count on me for!"

"This was agreed upon back then. I will not interfere in my third brother's business under any circumstances!"

Wu Erbai shook his head and said seriously.

Once something has been sold, there's absolutely no reason to pick it up again.

The Wu family has been intentionally trying to whitewash their image.

There was nothing that could be done about Wu Sansheng's business, and Wu Erbai had absolutely no reason to interfere.

"Second Uncle, is it not even allowed to intervene and stabilize the situation?"

Wu Xie asked unwillingly.

"No! Not even a little contact, let alone interference!"

"Let me make this clear, Xiao Xie, even though the enemy is basically wiped out, Panzi's contact with me this time is still a very sensitive matter!"

"I wonder how many eyes are watching the Wu family's future! The efforts of two generations must not be ruined by the mess left by the third son!"

Wu Erbai sighed and refused firmly.

Wu Xie understood what he meant; he was simply unwilling to watch Wu Sansheng's life's work fade away like this.

Is it really that exaggerated?

Upon hearing this, Wu Xie stared blankly at Wu Erbai.

"It's not an exaggeration at all! The mess your third uncle left behind... Excuse my bluntness, but now, you're the only one in the Wu family who can handle it."

"But tsk, nephew, go wash up and go to bed!"

Hu Ming nodded. There were indeed some things that Wu Erbai absolutely could not touch.

In order to clear his name, Wu Erbai did not even leave any offspring. The Wu family had placed all their hopes on their only son, Wu Xie.

What a pity...
Wu Xie simply can't control Wu Sansheng's subordinates, okay?
It's not a matter of personal ability, but simply a matter of prestige and seniority.

In short, Wu Xie is too inexperienced to take over Wu Sansheng's business; he needs special methods…

"Anyway, let's go back first. I can't remember what happened here, and there are still people who haven't been involved. It's too early to talk about these things now."

Shaking his head, Hu Ming was too lazy to think about it anymore.

This is ultimately a matter for the Wu family, and he is, after all, just an outsider; it's really not appropriate for him to get involved.

Of course, if Wu Xie is ultimately prepared to give up Wu Sansheng's business, Hu Ming wouldn't mind arranging for the Hong family to take it over and launder it into a legitimate antique business.

…………

Back in the village, the group rested briefly to recharge, bid farewell to A-Gui's family, and began their journey home.

For various reasons, Hu Ming and his group did not choose to take public transportation, but instead drove home as always.

Upon arriving in Hangzhou, Hu Ming didn't linger. He bid farewell to Wu Erbai and Wu Xie, and then, along with Xiao Ge and Fatty, embarked on the highway back to Beijing.

It's worth mentioning that before leaving, Fatty was reluctant to part, looking back at Yun Cai every few steps, just like a lovesick man typical of island nations, which amused the little girl.

Just
Ah Gui's face turned somewhat green.

If Hu Ming wasn't mistaken, when they saw the group off, A-Gui was gripping his hunting rifle so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Hu Ming swore an oath.

If this weren't a society governed by the rule of law, the chubby boy would very likely have been kept by A-Gui and used as fertilizer.

Never underestimate a father who worries about his daughter. To protect his child from harm by bad people, a father is capable of anything.

"Hey fatty, catch this!"

In Beijing, Hu Ming kindly drove the fat man to Panjiayuan, and before leaving, he tossed the fat man two gold-embossed invitation cards.

"What the heck! An invitation to an auction at the Crescent Moon Hotel? What, has our aunt gotten her hands on something good again?"

"Why did you give me two more?"

The fat man glanced at it briefly and exclaimed in surprise.

Don't let his constant boasting about how he, Fatty, is all-powerful in Beijing fool you. At a place like the Crescent Hotel, at such a high-profile auction, without his father's help, things would probably be a bit...
Cough cough, under normal circumstances, Fatty wouldn't even be qualified to enter, let alone be invited!
"Hmm, there's an interesting little thing going to be auctioned in a few days."

At that time, Wu Xie will probably be "invited" over by the seller, and he will most likely be unable to resist coming over.

"But he probably won't be able to find me and my brother by then. You can bring him over and watch a good show."

Hu Ming nodded, speaking mysteriously.

"...What are you keeping me in suspense about now? Damn, I have a feeling you're going to trick someone again? Let me guess, it's some old codger from the Nine Gates?"

The fat man had clearly received some news as well, and he grinned as he spoke.

Although the real big shots in Beijing don't take Fatty seriously, he's still managed to hang around here for decades.

I know people from all walks of life, so I'm quite well-informed and have gotten my hands on a lot of information.

"Alright, I'll take care of Comrade Naïve from now on!"

"Uncle, the Crescent Moon Hotel is your territory, so you'd better treat us well!"

"If anything really happens, don't sell my sons out!"

After thinking it over, the fat man decided not to refuse and solemnly put the invitation away.

"Hey, what do you mean by 'scamming'... Do you think I'm that kind of person? I'm a law-abiding citizen of this country, you know?"

"I'm just giving the old man a slight push in his plan. I'm helping him out, and who knows, he might even thank me later?"

Hu Ming smiled slightly, waved goodbye to the fat man, and left with the young man.