Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

Upon hearing Zhang Zhiwei's words, Lü Ci laughed and said, "You don't want to pay, but you still want to get things done. Senior Brother Zhang, you're putting Fatty in a difficult position."

Wang Ai said, "It is indeed a bit difficult for me. To be honest, the local warlord Liu Mang did consider letting Chen Yulou and the others into the city. After all, he also benefited from building the air-raid shelter. However, he refused after being instigated by his confidant. I think it's not that we can't negotiate, but he wants to raise the price."

Lu Ci said, "But the problem now is that Senior Brother Zhang wants to win people over with virtue and has no intention of giving money at all."

Upon hearing this, Wang Ai was taken aback. Over the years, he had mostly stayed in Shanghai, dealing with interpersonal relationships and rarely engaging in violence.

Now that Lü Ci had spoken, he immediately recalled the scene of following Zhang Zhiwei to conquer the world, and understood the profound meaning of "winning people over with virtue," and tacitly replied:
"If he can't understand reason, we're not bad at martial arts, are we?"

"Hahahaha!" Lu Ci burst into laughter.

“This time I really want to win people over with virtue,” Zhang Zhiwei said. “Fatty, you’ve had a lot of dealings with this King of Sichuan and Chongqing. What kind of person is he?”

Wang Ai thought for a moment and said, "Liu Mang is a very wicked person, but at least he can understand human language. Although he is not good at trivial matters, he can still distinguish right from wrong on major issues."

Zhang Zhiwei nodded and said, "A person who can command thousands of troops and rule as king in a province is naturally not a fool. Come on, Fatty, you lead the way, let's go see this King of Sichuan and Chongqing."

Meanwhile, at Liziba Mansion in Chongqing.

This is the private residence of Liu Mang, commander of the 21st Army.

Liu Mang was the commander of the 21st Army, controlling a total of 46 counties in southeastern Sichuan and Chongqing and western Hubei. He was the largest warlord in the entire Sichuan-Chongqing region and was known as the King of Sichuan and Chongqing.

However, despite being the king of Sichuan and Chongqing, he did not establish his military command center in the provincial capital, Chengdu.

Chengdu is a wonderful city, known as the Land of Abundance, and it is indeed a blessed place during peacetime.

However, Chengdu was somewhat vulnerable during wartime, not only because of its inconvenient transportation, but also because of its flat terrain, which offered no natural defenses.

Although Liu Mang was the most powerful warlord in Sichuan and Chongqing, the region was not monolithic, and the other warlords there were not to be underestimated.

People from Sichuan and Chongqing have always been known for their martial spirit. If he were in Chengdu, he would have to be constantly on guard against other warlords plotting against him.

For strategic reasons, he set up his headquarters in Chongqing.

Chongqing is a well-known place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Surrounded by two rivers and embraced by mountains, it is a natural fortress.

To attack Chongqing, regardless of the direction of the attack, one must first overcome the natural barriers of rivers and then attack the mountains, which greatly increases the difficulty and cost for the attacking side.

Most importantly, the mountains in Chongqing are not a single mountain, but rather a combination of the remaining mountain ranges such as Jinyun Mountain, Zhongliang Mountain, Tongluo Mountain, and Mingyue Mountain.

The city of Chongqing is not built on a single mountain, but rather on layers of mountains, forming a natural sense of depth.

Even if the enemy storms into Chongqing, conquers a mountain, and takes a city, there is still an even higher mountain and a city ahead.

The most typical example is during the Southern Song Dynasty, when the Mongol army marched westward and even reached Europe, but they still couldn't break through Chongqing. They fought a fierce battle for thirty-six years, during which time they even lost a Khan there.

Compared to this, the ten-year-long Trojan War was child's play, which shows how difficult it was to fight here.

This was true in ancient times, and it remains true today, even with airplanes and tanks.

Anyone who has been in a war knows that even the strongest air force can only suppress, and the real factor that determines the outcome of a battle is the advance of ground troops.

Chongqing is one of the most difficult places for ground troops to advance. If they were to force their way in and engage in street fighting and mountain warfare with the Sichuan and Chongqing troops, who are known for their bravery, tenacity, and unwavering fighting spirit, neither side could afford the cost.

It can be said that Yucheng was not only the core of Liu Mang's defense zone, but also his strategic fortress for suppressing other warlords in the province and confronting Nanjing.

Liu Mang has been stationed in Yucheng for more than a decade. Although he is greedy and levies land taxes arbitrarily, he has not done nothing.

During this period, he has been strengthening the construction of Chongqing's military defense system.

He built a cluster of bunkers along the Jialing River, which, together with his mansion in Liziba, formed the military command center.

At the same time, he is also promoting urban development, striving to build Chongqing into a transportation hub and economic center in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

A few years ago, when Zhang Zhiwei wanted to build the Tiantong Steel Plant in Chongqing, Liu Mang was overjoyed.

They viewed it as a big fat sheep or a big piece of meat. In the early stages of construction, they provided land and manpower as needed, and everything was negotiable.

Of course, during this period, Wang Ai also gave this warlord a lot of money to bribe him, but when it came to core interests, Wang Ai never gave in.

Liu Mang didn't force the issue, after all, with such a large enterprise operating on his territory, driving the economy, creating jobs, and improving people's livelihoods, he was also the biggest beneficiary.

And most importantly, the factory is right in front of him; he can "take it" whenever he wants. He can grow the factory bigger before taking it over, which would be even more profitable.

However, when he felt the time was right and wanted to reap the rewards, he found that it was a tough nut to crack and he was even summoned for a talk by the Tang Clan's patriarch. Helplessly, he had to put the matter on hold for the time being.

He wasn't afraid of other warlords, or even the one from Jinling who cursed him, and he dared to retort with a "bullshit" (a sarcastic remark), but he had to take the warning from the Tang Clan's patriarch to heart.

This made him increasingly dislike Tiantong Steel Plant.

However, as the head of a provincial warlord, he still had some foresight. Although he disliked the Tiantong Steel Plant, when he saw the Tiantong Steel Plant digging air-raid shelters, he also started digging them.

Actually, when Wang Ai came to him before and offered to let Chen Yulou's people in to help repair the air-raid shelter, he was somewhat tempted.

However, his right-hand man, Fan Pengju, declined on his behalf.

Fan Pengju was his good friend and also the leader of the Gelaohui (a secret society). Together, they controlled every aspect of Chongqing, one in the legal profession and the other in the illegal one.

The name of the Pao Ge Hui (袍哥会) is taken from the poem "No Robes" (无衣) in the Book of Songs (诗经·秦风·无衣), which emphasizes the brotherhood among its members who share both good and bad times. It is the largest gang in the Sichuan-Chongqing region and also the largest gang in the entire China region.

According to statistics, the Gelaohui currently has three million members, and almost one or two out of every ten men in the area are Gelaohui members.

Its members are spread across all levels of society, from boatmen, farmers, and soldiers at the bottom to gentry, merchants, and military officers at the top. It is said that "the Gelaohui can form connections with thousands of people."

It can be said that it has permeated all aspects of life in Sichuan and Chongqing, and has even formed a culture, which is what is later known as the Pao Ge culture.

However, such a large organization was naturally difficult to unify, which resulted in the Gelaohui having many branches, each with a leader. Among them, the more powerful ones were called the "Dragon Leaders."

Fan Pengju was a key figure, a division commander under Liu Mang, with the rank of major general.

At this moment, inside the mansion, Liu Mang, dressed in a woolen military uniform with his trousers pressed straight, sat with his legs crossed on the sofa, chatting with Fan Pengju.

Liu Mang looked at Fan Pengju and cursed:
"Fan Ha'er, Fatty Wang told me earlier that he wanted to invite a bunch of rascals from all over Hunan to help me dig an air-raid shelter, and asked me to let them in. Why didn't you agree?"

Fan Pengju said, "Hey General Liu, do you really think that Chen Yulou's gang of scoundrels are just digging up graves and digging up zombies?"

"He had several thousand men, armed with guns and cannons. His reputation was so great that even the most notorious bandits from all over the country called him the chief."

“Now that you’ve had such a falling out with those troublemakers from Tiantong Steel Plant, you still dare to let them in?”

"Aren't you afraid this is a conspiracy of theirs? They might dig a tunnel under your headquarters, suddenly jump out, and eliminate you?"

Liu Mang said irritably, "Are you trying to fool me again? Just because I don't let them in, doesn't mean they won't dig a tunnel?!"

"I think you're just afraid that Chen Yulou's influence will come in and threaten your status in the martial arts world."

Fan Pengju immediately laughed: "You think I'm afraid of a mere rake? Don't make me laugh. Dealing with him is as easy as dealing with a child. You're kidding me."

"Then why did you tell me not to let them in?" Liu Mang asked.

Fan Pengju cursed and said, "I just don't like Fatty Wang. He's always so blinded by greed, trying to get my men to believe in this damn Tiantong Sect. And he even pretends to be a high-ranking bishop. I'll give him a damn bishop, he's just a toad."

"If you just can't stand him, why don't you kill him?" Liu Mang laughed.

Fan Pengju said, "If it weren't for the Tang Clan protecting him, I would have killed him long ago just because of his reputation as one of the four great families."

Liu Mang nodded: "Speaking of which, the Tang Clan is indeed difficult to deal with, especially that Bian Hua'er (One-Eyed Dragon), who is particularly tough to handle. I'm a bit intimidated by him too."

"Last time, I wanted to cause some trouble for Tiantong Steel Plant, but in order to warn me, they killed one of my guards. The key is that I still don't know where they did it."

Fan Pengju said, "What don't you know? I know the Tang Clan's tricks very well. The most vicious one is that rotten Dan Shi, Bian Hua'er's Dan Shi. It seems that he can only hit from a distance."

"Is that so? We can't kill them, and we can't escape them. I really don't want to mess with these bastards!" Liu Mang said, his anger rising.

Fan Pengju chimed in, "Actually, those Tang Clan assassins are alright, but damn it, I'm worried about Little Celestial Master. He's too damn tough, we can't afford to mess with him."

Liu Mang teased, "I call you Fan Ha'er, and you still don't accept it? You're just someone I can't afford to mess with, and you're always targeting Fatty Wang. Aren't you afraid that Little Celestial Master will come and teach you a lesson?"

"What the hell!" Fan Pengju said irritably, "They say they're using the name of Little Celestial Master, but I've been here for years and I've never seen Little Celestial Master come here. I even suspect that Little Celestial Master doesn't care about anything here. It's just Fatty Wang using his name as a front."

"Besides," Fan Pengju said, slamming his hand on the table, "I just don't like Fatty Wang. I won't give him face. But if Little Celestial Master comes in person, I'll cooperate without hesitation."

Liu Mang laughed and said, "Oh, Fan Ha'er, are you that afraid of that little celestial master?!"

Fan Pengju retorted defiantly, "What the hell do you mean by being afraid? This is called respect!"

"The people I hate the most are those damn Japanese pirates."

"The Little Celestial Master killed so many Japanese pirates. Just for that, I admire him."

"If he comes to Chongqing, no matter what, I'll definitely support him!"

Liu Mang nodded and said, "That's what I think too. If he comes in person, I'd like to have a proper talk with him."

As the two were talking, a guard came to report: "General, Boss Wang requests an audience."

"Which Mr. Wang?" Liu Mang asked.

“Boss Wang from Tiantong Steel Plant!” the guard said.

Fan Peng spread his hands and said, "Look, the Egg Bishop is here!"

Liu Mang said, "Tell him that unless I become a shareholder, he can get the hell out of here!"

"Yes!"

The guard went out and relayed Liu Mang's words verbatim.

"Senior Brother Zhang, what do you say?" Wang Ai wasn't angry. He had dealt with this warlord a lot. Although he was very impolite now, if there was any benefit involved, this warlord would immediately call him a good brother.

Lu Ci, however, was furious and cursed, "He wants to invest? I bet he'll have a hard time even getting into bed!"

"Lai Kebao, you brat, what a big mouth you have, daring to insult the Marshal!" The guard pointed his gun at Lü Ci and cursed, "I'll shoot you dead, you bastard."

"Get rid of me?!" Lü Ci grinned and was about to go and deal with him when Zhang Zhiwei reached out and stopped him, then said to the guards:
"Go and tell your commander about the shares. You can talk about it now."

The guard glanced at Zhang Zhiwei, then at Lü Ci beside him, and met Lü Ci's fierce gaze. He couldn't help but shudder and dared not utter any more threats. He quickly went inside to report.

Upon hearing this, Liu Mang was very surprised: "What's going on with Fatty Wang? He used to dodge the question whenever I mentioned investing, and when I invited him out for dinner and drinks, it was always either windy or rainy. Why is he showing up at my door today? Could it be a trap?"

“What a load of crap, this is your base of operations, why are you putting on airs?” Fan Pengju said.

"I'm bluffing my ass," Liu Mang said. "Bring Fatty Wang in; I want to see what he's up to."

The guards obeyed and soon led Wang Ai, Zhang Zhiwei, and Lü Ci through layers of sentry posts and into the mansion.

Liu Mang's mansion was magnificent; it was not a Western-style building, but a Chinese garden courtyard built against the mountain.

With its blue bricks and gray tiles, upturned eaves, winding corridors, and towering ancient trees, the courtyard is filled with armed guards with sharp eyes, creating a strange blend of elegance and solemnity.

Inside the reception room, Liu Mang sat imposingly on the main sofa, while Fan Pengju sat beside him, both with their eyes half-closed, waiting for the guests to enter. (End of Chapter)