Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

The road to Happy Valley is not safe.

Zeng Jianqiao's silver-gray Bentley looked like a shark struggling to swim through traffic. Inside the car, the air conditioning was on full blast, but it still couldn't stop the fine beads of sweat constantly appearing on Zeng Jianqiao's forehead.

"Lu Sheng, is it really going to work out tonight? That old fox Wu Rensong sent someone to the planning bureau to inquire again this afternoon. I'm worried..."

Zeng Jianqiao wiped his sweat while nervously glancing at Lu Chen, who was resting with his eyes closed beside him.

Before Lu Chen could speak, a loud bang suddenly came from ahead!

"boom--!!"

The explosion made the Bentley's bulletproof glass vibrate. Immediately afterwards, the screech of brakes and screams from the crowd transformed the once orderly street into a scene of carnage.

"Stop in the alley! Lie down!"

Lu Chen reacted incredibly quickly, grabbing Zeng Jianqiao's head and pressing him firmly against the back seat.

Through the windshield, Lu Chen saw at the intersection a few dozen meters away, an armored vehicle had been rammed and overturned by a heavy truck. In the thick smoke, three masked thugs armed with AK47s jumped out of the vehicle and skillfully used it as cover, firing wildly at the approaching EU assault team.

"Da da da da—"

Bullets rained down like a storm, sparks flying everywhere.

"Holy crap! A robbery at a time like this?!" Zeng Jianqiao trembled with fear, his face pale. "Are these people crazy? This is the city center!"

Lu Chen remained extremely calm. He slightly raised his head, and through the crack in the car window, his gaze locked onto the figures of the ruthless bandits like that of a hawk.

The leader was tall and burly, with swift and ruthless movements; he was clearly a desperate criminal. While suppressing police fire, he directed his men to approach the armored vehicle.

Those crazy actions, those familiar faces...

A scene from a movie flashed through Lu Chen's mind.

"High Alert"

The leader should be "Old Gao," a ruthless gangster from Taiwan. Their operation was to abduct McQueen, a high-profile criminal held in a transport vehicle. McQueen is ostensibly an engineer, but he is also a representative of high-IQ crime.

This was a crazy gang, and the mastermind behind the later Jockey Club vault robbery.

Although Lao Gao's gang had heavy firepower, the police were well-equipped, and reinforcements from the city arrived quickly. Lu Chen watched as they failed to save McQueen, lost one man, and were forced to flee, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes.

According to the plot, McQueen will escape from prison in a couple of days, and then these people will go and raid the Jockey Club's vault, which contains more than two billion dollars in cash.

"If we could double-cross each other..."

Lu Chen licked his lips, and an even crazier plan flashed through his mind, but now was not the time.

"Mr. Lu... have they left yet?" Zeng Jianqiao was still trembling.

"They're gone. Looks like this is Hong Kong Island's 'greeting gift' to us."

Lu Chen dusted himself off, sat up straight, and straightened his suit, as if the fierce gunfight just now was nothing more than an insignificant fireworks display.

"Let's go, don't keep Boss Wu waiting. I believe the next scene will be even more exciting than the gunfight."

……

Half an hour later, at the Happy Valley Racecourse Clubhouse.

This is a completely different world from the outside. A huge crystal chandelier casts a soft light, and the air is filled with the aroma of expensive cigars and aged brandy.

Those who can enter and leave this place are either rich or noble.

Lu Chen led Cheng Yiyan into the VIP room area, guided by Zeng Jianqiao.

At this moment, Lu Chen exuded his full aura.

Instead of going directly to see Wu Rensong, he stood by the railing on the second floor, holding a glass of champagne, lazily looking down at the racetrack below, as if the entire horse club was his backyard.

In a booth not far away, Wu Rensong was secretly observing Lu Chen under the guise of reading horse racing tips.

"Is it him?" Wu Rensong asked his secretary in a low voice.

"Yes, boss. That's the legendary Young Master Lu. The middle-aged man next to him is his technical advisor. I overheard them talking about rubber plantation business in Southeast Asia," the secretary reported quietly.

Wu Rensong squinted.

That young man was too arrogant. From the moment he entered until now, he hadn't even glanced at his surroundings. That kind of arrogance couldn't be faked by an ordinary person.

Just then, Zeng Jianqiao walked over with a "what a coincidence" expression on his face: "Oh, Uncle Wu! What a coincidence, you're here too?"

Wu Rensong immediately put on a kind, elder-like smile: "Cambridge, I heard you brought a friend? Won't you introduce them?"

"Oh, this is..." Zeng Jianqiao was about to speak.

Lu Chen turned around, merely glancing indifferently at Wu Rensong, then waved to Cheng Yiyan beside him, his tone listless:

"Engineer Cheng, go and entertain them. I'm a little tired and don't want to talk."

After saying that, Lu Chen turned around and led Zeng Jianqiao into the private meeting room, leaving Wu Rensong, the real estate tycoon, standing there!

mad!

That's absolutely outrageous!

Wu Rensong's expression instantly turned somewhat ugly, but his doubts were somewhat dispelled. If the other party were a fraudster, they would definitely be eager to get close to him by now. The fact that they dared to ignore him like this meant they were confident.

"Oh, boss, I'm so sorry!"

Cheng Yiyan immediately stepped forward, pushed up his glasses, and gave a simple yet shrewd smile. "My young master just encountered a gunfight on the street and was a little frightened, so he's in a bad mood. I'm Cheng Yiyan, his advisor in Hong Kong. You can talk to me about anything."

"It's alright, it's alright, I've heard about it too. Those robbers are too arrogant. I must complain to the Commissioner of Police. They've wasted taxpayers' money..." Wu Rensong put on a concerned expression, looking Cheng Yiyan up and down: "Advisor Cheng, right? Judging from your accent, you seem to have returned from Southeast Asia?"

"Hehe, boss, you have a good ear!" Cheng Yiyan immediately seized the opportunity and began his performance.

This was his forte. He was a seasoned veteran who had spent many years in Southeast Asia, and he could talk about the local customs, culture, and gossip of the wealthy with ease.

"To be honest, we mainly deal in oil over there. This trip to Hong Kong Island is because the young master is optimistic about the real estate business here, especially the new... I really admire Hong Kong's real estate market..."

At this point, Cheng Yiyan suddenly stumbled over her words, then looked around with a slightly flustered expression, as if she knew she had said too much. After giving a few perfunctory replies, Cheng Yiyan slipped into the conference room as if she were fleeing.

As Wu Rensong watched Cheng Yiyan's flustered back, the cold smile on his lips deepened.

"Playing tricks...do you think you're the only one with exclusive information?"

He gave a wink to his trusted aide: "Qiang, go 'loop around' outside the conference room later. Be careful not to get caught."

……

The meeting room door was not closed completely, leaving a barely perceptible gap.

Inside the room, Lu Chen and Zeng Jianqiao were staging a "battle of the titans".

"Young Master Lu! Nine million? You're ripping me off!"

Zeng Jianqiao's voice was angry and anxious, even carrying a hint of pressure, "That piece of land may look bad now, but you know what the future holds! Twelve million, not a penny less!"

"Nine million is in cash. It will be in your account tomorrow. Young Master Zeng, don't be too greedy. Besides, you said it's for the future, so in my opinion it's only worth nine million right now. Moreover, besides me, who else can come up with so much cash at this critical juncture?"

"But twelve million was the price we agreed upon beforehand!"

"An intention is an intention, and a contract is a contract. You saw the gunfight just now. Hong Kong is too chaotic. I don't want to stay here too long. I plan to go back to China tomorrow. Nine million. If you agree, we'll sign the contract tomorrow morning. If you don't agree, then we're done."

"But...but I still have to pay the bank interest! And I have to appease my family! Nine million really isn't enough!"

"Don't make yourself sound so pathetic. I'll give you three minutes to consider. Nine million is enough for you to make a fortune. If you agree, I'll have someone transfer the money tomorrow. If you don't agree, I'm leaving now, and consider that blueprint a mistake on my part!"

This was followed by a sound of someone slamming their hand on the table, and then the sound of anxious footsteps pacing back and forth.

Ah Qiang, who was outside the door, heard everything clearly and didn't dare to breathe too loudly.

After a long while, Zeng Jianqiao seemed to slump into a chair in despair, his voice filled with helplessness and resentment:

"Okay... nine million it is! But I have one condition: the money must be transferred tomorrow! I need the money to save my life!"

"Deal." Lu Chen's voice remained calm.

Upon hearing this, Ah Qiang's pupils dilated in shock.

Nine million! Sold!

If that young master from Southeast Asia signs the contract, the boss's plans over the past few days will all be ruined!

He immediately turned around and scurried back to Wu Rensong's side like a mouse.

"Boss! This is incredible! They've reached an agreement! Nine million! The contract will be signed and the transfer will be made tomorrow!"

Wu Rensong's wine glass trembled violently, spilling a little wine.

"Nine million... These bastards! They're trying to steal my deal!"

Wu Rensong's mind raced. Buying a plot of land destined for a subway line for nine million was practically free! That rich kid from Southeast Asia could easily double his money with a single resale!

"No, absolutely not!"

Just then, the conference room door opened.

Lu Chen walked out looking pale, holding his forehead, as if he was really uncomfortable.

"Engineer Cheng, let's go. The explosion just now gave me a headache. We're going to Mr. Zeng's company to sign the contract tomorrow. I'm not in the mood tonight."

Lu Chen didn't even glance at Wu Rensong, and led Cheng Yiyan straight to the elevator.

Zeng Jianqiao followed behind, his face full of flattery and relief as if he had just gotten rid of a plague god.

opportunity!

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Once Lu Chen's figure had completely disappeared from the elevator entrance, Wu Rensong immediately stood up, straightened his suit, and put on his brightest and most friendly smile as he strode towards Zeng Jianqiao, who was about to leave.

"Oh dear, my nephew from Cambridge! Don't be in such a hurry to leave!"

When Zeng Jianqiao saw Wu Rensong, a hint of panic flashed across his face. He forced a helpless smile and said, "Uncle Wu? You haven't left yet? Um... I still need to go back and prepare the contract, I'll be going now!"

"Why are you leaving? Come, come, Uncle will treat you to tea."

Wu Rensong grabbed Zeng Jianqiao's arm with surprising strength, dragging him to the nearby rest area.

"Oh dear, nephew, it seems the talks have fallen through?" Wu Rensong asked knowingly, his smile as wide as an old chrysanthemum.

"It's nothing, just a small loss." Zeng Jianqiao sighed, glanced at Wu Rensong, and forced a smile, saying, "Uncle, I'm sorry you had to see this. It was sold for nine million."

"Nine million?"

Wu Rensong feigned surprise, "So low? That piece of land... I heard you were planning to sell it for twelve million, nephew."

"There's nothing I can do, the bank is pressuring me!" Zeng Jianqiao waved his hand irritably. "I urgently need funds. You know about the World Expo. Although that young master Lu is ruthless in negotiating the price, he does pay in cash."

Actually...

Wu Rensong put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and revealed his true intentions: "Nephew, you can sell it to me."

Zeng Jianqiao was taken aback: "Uncle, but didn't you only offer three million?"

"That was before! Before, Uncle didn't know you were in trouble!"

Wu Rensong waved his hand dismissively, displaying an air of righteous righteousness, "Since I know you're in trouble, how can I stand idly by? That Southeast Asian guy gave you nine million? I'll give you nine million five hundred thousand! In cash too! It'll be in your account first thing tomorrow morning!"

Zeng Jianqiao was stunned, his mouth agape, as if he couldn't believe his ears.

But then he looked troubled and hesitated, saying, "Uncle... this... this isn't quite right, is it? Although we haven't signed the contract yet, I already promised them inside. Business is about keeping your word..."

"Keep your word?" Wu Rensong chuckled as if he'd heard a joke, patting Zeng Jianqiao on the shoulder. "What's the point of making money then?"

He leaned close to Zeng Jianqiao's ear, his voice filled with seduction:

"We're talking business, not making friends. Five hundred thousand! You're going to throw away five hundred thousand for a verbal promise? Are you crazy?"

Zeng Jianqiao bit his lip, seemingly engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

Wu Rensong wasn't in a hurry. He knew that the more he pushed him, the more he would resist. He needed to let him "figure it out" on his own.

A full minute passed.

Zeng Jianqiao suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with greed and resentment.

"Ten million!"

Zeng Jianqiao held up one finger, staring intently at Wu Rensong. "Round it up! Ten million! As long as you're willing to put up ten million, I'll have my secretary draft the contract right now! That so-called Young Master Lu, tell him to go to hell! I'm shutting down my phone tomorrow!"

Wu Rensong smiled.

He won.

Although it was 500,000 more than the expected 9.5 million, this mere 500,000 was nothing compared to the subway station land he was about to acquire. Moreover, the sense of accomplishment from snatching something from that arrogant young master from Southeast Asia gave him an extreme sense of satisfaction.

"make a deal."

Wu Rensong extended his hand, his smile radiant. "Nephew, I wish us a successful collaboration. The check will be delivered first thing tomorrow morning."

Zeng Jianqiao grasped that hand and smiled.

However, his smile concealed a deep sense of sympathy for this "scapegoat".

Meanwhile, Lu Chen, who had already gotten into his car and left, was looking at the fleeting street scenes outside the window, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Mr. Lu... what did you do before?" Recalling the intricate events of the past two days, Cheng Yiyan felt that the man in front of her was almost supernaturally intelligent, and couldn't help but ask.

Lu Chen smiled but didn't answer. He couldn't very well say, "I grew up watching your movies, could I?" Sometimes, maintaining an air of mystery was more advantageous for controlling the situation.

He simply raised his glass and lightly clinked it against Cheng Yiyan's.

"Respect greed."