American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

"Jack, do you smoke?"

"No, thank you."

"Healthy living, good habits," Mr. Qian exhaled a puff of smoke, "and in our line of work, not many people can maintain good habits."

Li Xue opened her laptop and turned to Lynn.

“Let me first explain the nature of intelligence gathering,” her voice was calm and professional. “We have a list of important individuals closely connected to our organization. One of your responsibilities is to participate in managing these people’s files, including their background information, financial situation, and… incriminating evidence.”

"handle?"

“Yes,” Li Xue nodded, “Most of these people are social elites—entrepreneurs, financiers, politicians, and even some figures from academia and the media. Their reasons for cooperating with us vary, but they all have one thing in common—they all have secrets they don't want revealed.”

She opened a folder on her computer, which contained a long list of names and photos.

“These people,” she pointed to the screen, “are some of our casino clients who owe huge debts they can’t repay; some have done shady things with us, and we have evidence of it; and some actively sought our help to solve problems they couldn’t handle on their own, thus incurring debts of gratitude.”

Lynn looked at the list on the screen, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her.

He recognized some of the names, and some he didn't. Several were executives of well-known tech companies in the Bay Area, one was a branch manager of a major bank, and another was even a member of the California State Legislature.

They are successful people and social elites in the public eye, but on this list, they are just puppets of the fraternity.

“Your job is to manage these files,” Li Xue continued, “ensuring the information is complete and accurate. Also, when we need to utilize these people, you will assist in developing strategies and implementation plans.”

"Use them? What exactly do you mean?"

“Let them do things for us,” Li Xue said in a tone as flat as if she were talking about the weather, “approve a loan, pass a resolution, provide inside information, or keep silent at crucial moments. They can do a lot, depending on their status and capabilities.”

Lynn nodded, maintaining a calm demeanor on the surface, but his mind was racing.

This list—that's the real core intelligence. If he could get his hands on the complete version of this list, he'd know just how many people the Brotherhood controls and how many areas they've infiltrated. This could be the key to completely dismantling the organization.

"Do I have access to these files?" he asked.

“Yes, but there are limitations,” Li Xue said. “You can view most people’s basic information and cooperation records, but some particularly sensitive files require Mr. Chen’s authorization to access.”

"clear."

Mr. Qian stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and cleared his throat.

"Alright, that's enough about the intelligence. Now it's my turn," he said, looking at Lynn with a more businesslike smile, "Jack, have you ever done business negotiations?"

"I've done some."

“Very good,” Mr. Qian said, taking a document from his briefcase. “This afternoon, your first task is to conduct a business negotiation.”

He pushed the file in front of Lynn. "This is the target's information."

Lynn picked up the document and looked at the cover. A name was written on it—"Zheng Haoran".

"Zheng Haoran, 42 years old, is a client manager at Xinhua Bank in the Bay Area," Mr. Qian introduced. "He is responsible for corporate loan business and has considerable approval authority."

Lynn opened the file, which contained Zheng Haoran's detailed information—photo, work experience, family situation, financial status, and gambling records.

“He’s a long-time customer of ours,” Mr. Qian said. “He started coming to Jinsha Pavilion three years ago, gambling small stakes and then big stakes, and now he owes us $480,000.”

"Four hundred and eighty thousand?"

“Yes, and he simply can’t pay it back,” Mr. Qian’s smile turned sinister. “His annual salary is only 150,000, and his house has already been mortgaged once; he has no other assets that he can liquidate.”

So what are you planning to do?

“Let him repay his debts in another way,” Mr. Qian said. “We have a company called ‘Innovation Future Technology,’ which is applying for a five million dollar loan. The approval process for this loan is a bit complicated, and we need Zheng Haoran to help ‘speed it up.’”

Lynn understood immediately. "You need to get him to approve this loan against the rules."

“Smart,” Mr. Qian nodded approvingly. “As long as he helps us secure this loan, we’ll forgive all his debts. It’s a good deal for him.”

"But it's also a crime for him."

“That’s his business,” Mr. Qian shrugged. “He can choose to help us and get rid of the debt, or he can choose to refuse and bear the consequences.”

Lynn looked at Zheng Haoran's photo in the document. He was an ordinary middle-aged man, wearing glasses, with a somewhat tired expression, looking like any office worker in an office building.

Does he have a family? Lynn flipped through the file—married, with a fifteen-year-old daughter.

This man, driven to despair by gambling, is now being forced down a path of crime. Lynn's mission today is to "teach him a lesson" and force him to submit.

"Your task," Mr. Qian said, "is to meet with Zheng Haoran this afternoon, explain the situation to him, and make him understand the importance of cooperating with us. Don't be too forceful, but make sure he knows the consequences of refusal."

"Me going alone?"

“No, Li Xue will go with you,” Mr. Qian said, looking at Li Xue. “She has experience handling these kinds of things and can guide you.”

Li Xue nodded, her expression remaining indifferent. "Meet downstairs at three o'clock."

"OK."

After the meeting, Lynn walked out of the conference room with the document in her hand.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Lynn arrived downstairs on time.

Li Xue was already waiting for him at the door, next to a black Mercedes-Benz. She was wearing a black business suit and sunglasses, exuding a cool and aloof aura.

“Get in,” she said briefly, then opened the driver’s side door and got in.

Lynn got into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt. Li Xue started the car and drove onto the streets of San Francisco.

The view outside the car window gradually changed from the old buildings of Chinatown to the modern skyscrapers of the financial district. The afternoon sun shone on the glass curtain walls, reflecting a dazzling light. People hurried along the streets: office workers in suits, deliverymen with backpacks, and young mothers pushing strollers. Everything seemed so normal, so ordinary.

"Are you nervous?" Li Xue suddenly asked.

Why do you ask that?

“This is your first time on a mission like this,” she said, her gaze still fixed on the road ahead. “Many newcomers get nervous the first time.” “I’m not nervous.”

“Very good,” Li Xue nodded slightly. “This kind of thing is actually quite simple. Those people are already on our ship; they have no choice. All you have to do is remind them of that fact.”

"remind?"

“Yes, a reminder,” Li Xue said, “no threats, no violence. Just let them see their situation clearly, and they will naturally make the right choice.”

"The right choice?"

“A choice that's advantageous to us,” Li Xue's lips curled into a cold smile. “In this world, everyone has weaknesses. Seize those weaknesses, and you can control everything.”

Lynn remained silent for a moment, watching the scenery rushing past the window.

"How long have you been doing this?" he asked.

“Seven years,” Li Xue said. “I’ve been in charge of this work since I joined the organization.”

Don't you feel guilty sometimes?

Li Xue turned her head and looked at him through her sunglasses. Her gaze was sharp as a knife, as if it could see right through his heart.

"Feeling guilty?" she sneered. "Jack, I don't know what kind of life you led before, but in this world, you either control others or are controlled. Those people—those gamblers, those greedy guys—chosen their own path. We just took advantage of their choices."

"What if they hadn't come to the casino in the first place?"

“That’s their problem, not ours,” Li Xue turned her gaze back to the front. “We provided the service, and they chose to accept it. Everything that happened afterward was their own doing.”

Her tone was flat, as if stating an indisputable fact. Lynn looked at her profile, a strange feeling welling up inside him.

This woman worked in this organization for seven years. How many things like this did she do? How many people did she control? How many families did she destroy?
But there was not a trace of guilt or wavering in her eyes.

About twenty minutes later, they arrived at their destination.

Sinolink's San Francisco branch is located in an upscale office building in the Financial District. The lobby has marble floors, modern art pieces on the walls, and a mix of cool air and expensive perfumes in the air. Employees and customers in suits move around the lobby, their faces displaying the confidence and indifference typical of financial professionals.

“Zheng Haoran gets off work at five o’clock,” Li Xue glanced at her watch. “There are still two hours. We’ll wait for him near his office.”

"Wait at the bank?"

“No, wait by his car,” Li Xue said. “This kind of thing isn’t appropriate to discuss in public.”

They drove to the office building's underground parking lot and found Zheng Haoran's parking space. According to the information, he drove a silver Honda Accord—an ordinary middle-class car.

“Wait here,” Li Xue said, parking her car in a nearby empty space. “He’ll come here to pick up the car after get off work.”

The next two hours were a long wait.

The parking lot was dimly lit, and the air was thick with the smells of gasoline and concrete. Occasionally, someone would pass by their car, their footsteps echoing in the empty space. In the distance, the elevator would chime intermittently, then eject a few hurried people.

Li Xue leaned back in her seat, eyes closed, seemingly conserving her energy. Lin En, on the other hand, stared at the silver Honda Accord, his mind replaying Zheng Haoran's information.

42 years old, account manager, annual salary of 150,000, with a wife and daughter.

He started gambling three years ago, gradually increasing his bets from small to large, and now owes $480,000 in debt.

This figure is disastrous for his income. Even if he didn't eat or drink, it would take him more than three years to pay it off. And the casino's loan sharks wouldn't give him that much time.

How did he get to this point? Was it a chance encounter, or the result of long-term accumulated pressure? Was it to seek thrills, or to escape reality?

Lynn didn't know the answer, and perhaps Zheng Haoran himself didn't know either. That's the terrifying thing about gambling—it's not a rational choice, but a pathological impulse that's difficult to break free from once you're hooked.

At 5:10, the elevator doors opened, and a man in a dark suit stepped out.

Lynn recognized him immediately—the face with glasses, the tired expression, exactly the same as the photo in the file.

Zheng Haoran walked towards his car, car keys in hand, his steps somewhat heavy. His tie was loose, his shirt was wrinkled, and he looked as if he had been drained of energy by a day's work.

“Let’s go,” Li Xue said, opening the car door and walking towards Zheng Haoran.

Lynn followed behind her, her heart pounding faster than usual.

Just as Zheng Haoran was about to open the car door, he suddenly saw two people walking towards him. His expression changed instantly, from exhaustion to terror, and from terror to despair.

“Mr. Zheng,” Li Xue stopped in front of him, took off her sunglasses, revealing her sharp eyes, “we need to talk.”

Zheng Haoran's hands were trembling, and he almost dropped his car keys. "Who...who are you?"

“You know who we are,” Li Xue said calmly, but with an undeniable air of authority. “Get in the car, let’s find a place to talk this over.”

"I...I won't—"

“Mr. Zheng,” Li Xue interrupted him, “you can choose to talk to us, or you can choose to let us talk to your wife. I believe she will be very interested in your ‘entertainment activities’ over the past three years.”

Zheng Haoran's face turned deathly pale. He looked at Li Xue, then at Lin En, and finally lowered his head.

"Okay, alright."

They got into Zheng Haoran's car. Lin En sat in the passenger seat, and Li Xue sat in the back. Zheng Haoran started the car and, following Li Xue's instructions, drove to a secluded corner of the parking lot.

After the car came to a stop, Zheng Haoran turned off the engine, gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands, and dared not turn his head to look behind him.

“Mr. Zheng,” Li Xue’s voice came from the back seat, “do you know how much money you owe us?”

“Forty-four hundred and eighty thousand,” Zheng Haoran’s voice trembled.

“Very good, you remember very clearly,” Li Xue said. “Then you should also know that you simply cannot repay this debt.”

"I can pay in installments, please give me some more time—"

"Time?" Li Xue sneered. "Mr. Zheng, you've already been in arrears for three months. According to our rules, the interest on this debt increases by ten percent every month. In a few more months, you won't owe 480,000, but 600,000, 700,000, or even 800,000." (End of Chapter)