Hong Kong film: Refusing to go undercover, the policeman's path to becoming the richest man.

Chapter 60 The Power Network Behind the Scenes Emerges

A blatant threat, made without any attempt to conceal it.

He had never been cornered like this in his entire life.

But today, he understands.

Luo Zhiming truly wanted him to fall into a trap from which he could never escape.

He knew that given the chance, the other party would not hesitate to act.

After all, it was he who ordered Suan Bao to be killed.

Richard's lips trembled, and he dared not argue further, only repeatedly replying, "Don't worry, Brother Luo, I will definitely pay it off within a month!"

must!"

Luo Zhiming turned to He Jiaju and instructed him, "Jiaju, draft a penalty notice in the name of the dock management office and have Richard take it back."

"So that he won't have no way to explain himself when he gets back."

Richard chuckled twice: "Isn't that really unnecessary?"

Luo Zhiming's gaze turned cold: "I'm not asking for your opinion, I'm giving you an order."

Richard felt a lump in his throat and almost fainted.

Just as he was feeling annoyed, he heard Luo Zhiming clap his hands, his tone suddenly becoming relaxed: "A new official always needs to establish his authority, and I was just wondering what to do, but you've delivered yourself right to my doorstep."

He smiled and patted Richard on the shoulder: "Richard, thank you so much, you've been a great help."

boom!

Richard's head buzzed, and he stumbled a few steps before regaining his balance. His mouth was crooked, his eyes were slanted, and he was almost crying.

Feelings of injustice surged up like a tide.

What kind of world is this?

Is a dignified Richard the one who is going to become a laughing stock at the docks?

Did we become stepping stones for others to set rules?

Seafood is plentiful on Hong Kong Island, and the fish and shrimp on the outlying islands are in no way inferior to those in Yuen Long. Why bother coming all the way here to humiliate yourself?

But what could he do?

They dared not be angry, much less speak out.

He stood there blankly, completely lost and dejected.

Luo Zhiming glanced at him and frowned: "Aren't you going to leave? Stay here for afternoon tea?"

Richard suddenly woke up, forced himself to get up, clutched the punishment notice tightly, and walked away without looking back, enduring the pain and shame.

He really wanted to tear up that piece of paper and throw it into the sea.

But he knew that as soon as the paper disappeared, the police would receive the news immediately.

It's better to lose face than to lose your life.

After he walked away, Luo Zhiming turned to He Jiaju and scolded him: "You are my assistant, you should act like an assistant."

"You're no longer the gang's top enforcer; you're an office clerk now."

"Someone who sits in an air-conditioned room goes out to engage in close combat? Have you even practiced boxing for a few days?"

Ho Ka-kui scratched his head and couldn't help but ask, "Are all rich people this shameless?"

He was referring to the incident where Richard was framed earlier.

Luo Zhiming glared at him: "What nonsense are you talking about? We're just following the rules."

"We all know why we had to take action, and he understands why we did it too."

"He dared not resist, much less reveal the truth."

"That's why we can use this seemingly absurd excuse to deal with him."

Ho Ka-kui slammed his fist on the table: "So I really thought all rich people were that despicable!"

Luo Zhiming couldn't help but roll his eyes: "Brother, you've finally squeezed into that circle."

"How come you've even learned to criticize yourself?"

He Jiaju stood there stunned for a long time, his teeth clenched: "I must figure out the rules of the upper class thoroughly."

Luo Zhiming casually reminded him, "There's no need to deliberately imitate their style."

"For those of us who are moving up through different social classes, the most important thing is to master the rules."

He Jiaju nodded solemnly, his expression serious.

Richard returned with bruises all over his face, startling the two foreign police officers guarding the door: "My God! Richard, who hit you?"

"How dare these yellow bastards touch me?!" he roared.

Richard's expression changed drastically, and he lowered his voice, shouting sharply, "Is your brain filled with mush?"

"How dare you say such a thing? If you're looking for trouble, don't drag the whole department down with you!"

The man remained unconvinced: "We are citizens of John Bull—"

"Shut up!" Richard almost roared. "Who was the last high-ranking British official to dare shout like that in public? It was Roberts, the ICAC Commissioner directly under the Governor of Hong Kong!"

Where is he now?

The other party was speechless.

Richard, barely suppressing his pain, scolded, "George, shut your tongue."

"Open your eyes and look, more than 90% of the members of the Golden Club are Chinese."

"If they hear you spouting such nonsense, they'll be sending people to retrieve your corpse from the seabed tomorrow!"

George finally fell silent, and after a long pause, he managed to stammer, "But you're a senior superintendent, how dare those thugs at the docks lay a hand on you?"

Richard shook his head with a wry smile: "Because I owe someone money."

George frowned: "When did you take on this debt?"

He sighed deeply: "It's not just me who owes this debt; it's a debt that our entire political department collectively bears."

"The creditor is Luo Zhiming, with a full 20 million in cash."

"This is really bad luck; I just had to run right under his nose."

George stared in disbelief: "When did New Union get involved here?"

He then shook his head. "That's not right. This is Yuen Long Harbour. No matter how arrogant they are, they wouldn't dare to run wild in this area, would they?" Richard said in a low voice, "Sun Luen Shing is undergoing a transformation and laundering. They have officially taken over this pier."

"They beat me up on the grounds that I was obstructing port operations."

"Get out of here, you've made a complete fool of yourself!"

George and McCann felt a chill run down their spines.

The car hadn't gone far when the two were still in shock: "Xinliansheng, one of the top five gangsters, is actually retiring from the business?"

"Are you kidding me?"

Richard slowly shook his head: "Luo Zhiming told me himself, he has no reason to lie to me."

George sneered, "It's hard to say. How much can you believe what this kind of person says?"

Richard glanced at him sideways, his tone calm yet sharp: "Luo Zhiming is, after all, a leader of a region. People in that position value their reputation the most."

Keeping one's word is the foundation of one's character.

"Once he loses credibility and his prestige collapses, naturally no one will dare to do business with him."

Do you understand the consequences?

"No matter how powerful a force is, it will quickly crumble without partners."

He paused, then suddenly said, "I have something else to tell you."

George and McCann turned their heads at the same time.

"There's more to it than meets the eye?" George scoffed. "I don't believe there could be anything more shocking."

Richard raised his hand and tapped his swollen cheek, his voice chillingly calm: "Do you think I wouldn't want revenge after taking this beating?"

George grinned maliciously and interjected, "Is that even a question? Of course we'll get it back double!"

But the next second, he almost bit his tongue. "No, I didn't even have that thought."

"I never even considered revenge."

George froze: "Why?"

Richard sighed softly, "You don't understand, do you?"

"This is the real bombshell news—it's not just that the port has been acquired by New Union."

"Ho Ka-kui just told me that Lok Chi-ming has taken over as chairman of the Hong Kong Island Waterworks Company."

McCann, who was driving, suddenly jerked the steering wheel out of control and nearly drove the car off the guardrail.

He struggled with all his might to steady the car, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

George yelled, "McKay, are you crazy? If you don't want to live, don't drag us down with you!"

He turned to Richard and asked, "Is this news true?"

Richard's face darkened: "Who are we? A few phone calls to verify things—do you think we'd jump to conclusions based on hearsay?"

George was taken aback and immediately urged, "Get back to the station right away and find out!"

But his heartbeat had already gone awry, and a chill was creeping up from the bottom of his heart.

Sin Lian Sheng is no longer the team that could be easily dominated back then.

If Richard's statement is true, then they have almost reached an unshakeable position.

Conversely, if the other side wants to deal with us, it's just a matter of casually passing on a few words from above.

Yes, they are John Bull, but this is Hong Kong Island, and the true roots are still Chinese.

The most influential are always the Chinese businessmen who hold substantial wealth.

If all of this is true, then they will not only be unable to provoke Xinliansheng again, but they will also have to be wary of the other party coming back to settle old scores one day.

After all, the last people you should offend on this land are the rich and powerful!

The three returned to the police station feeling uneasy and secretly investigated Luo Zhiming's properties through an acquaintance in the Administrative Department.

When the result came out, everyone was stunned.

Luo Zhiming is the registered person in charge of Xinliansheng Sports Association, which is also the person in charge on the surface.

Gangs on Hong Kong Island have always operated under the name of "sports associations," and the New Union Society is no exception.

Even more surprisingly, he is also the chairman of the board of directors of Yuen Long Seafood Pier.

He is still the chairman of the Hong Kong Island Water Supply Company.

In addition, he was also prominently featured on the board of directors of two other large companies.

George's eyes widened, his voice trembling: "This can't be a mistake, can it?"

"Just who exactly is Luo Zhiming?"

"Could it be that he went to experience life as a gangster before?"

"How did someone from the streets suddenly become a business figure?"

"Now you think it's so easy to turn the tables and become the master?"

Richard roared, "Shut up!"

George was so frightened that he immediately shut up.

Richard gritted his teeth: "We made a fatal mistake. Luo Zhiming is far more capable than we thought. Lin Yaochang and A Jiatian combined are no match for him."

"We should have kept him in the first place and settled this score properly."

"Unfortunately—there's absolutely no way out now."

George nervously rubbed his hands together: "Richard, we need to think of something to resolve this conflict between him and us."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I were being targeted by someone like that."

Richard was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I'm scared too."

McCann nodded vigorously beside him.

The Luo Zhiming before me is no longer the petty hoodlum of Xinliansheng who used to be bossed around by everyone.

It was not a beast that could devour people.

George tentatively asked, "Should we inform the Jazz?"

Richard gave a wry smile: "Can I not report it?"

He dialed the number, his tone respectful: "Sir, something terrible has happened, and I'm sure you'd like to hear about it."

A mature yet steady voice came from the other end of the phone: "Richard? What's the news?" "I'm sorry, this time it's not good news." Richard sighed, "The New Union I've been keeping an eye on has gone far down the path of laundering its money, and they've succeeded."

"Clear it out?" Sir Li was slightly taken aback.

Richard recounted the whole story, including the grudge he had against the other party, and concluded with a heavy heart, "The current New Union is someone I can't afford to mess with."

Sir Lee laughed after hearing this: "That's good news."

Richard, go and fetch Mr. Luo for me.

Richard stood in front of the New Union Building with mixed feelings.

The towering building before us was an unimaginable sight just a few months ago.

At that time, even if Xinliansheng had the strength, it was just an underground organization hiding on a street corner. Where would it get the capital to buy an entire commercial building?

No, to be precise, it's not that they didn't have the money, but rather that the previous leaders simply didn't have the vision.

They were content with collecting protection money and engaging in violence, and never thought of turning the organization into a legitimate business.

But Luo Zhiming is different.

He is a top-educated member of the new generation.

He completely reorganized the entire gang, put it in the guise of a company, and operated the gang in a corporate manner.

The methods are more covert, and the chains are more tightly linked, just like those huge multinational corporations in the West.

No one dares to challenge a large company easily; it's important to understand this.

Because these companies operate under the guise of legitimacy, while unseen forces lurk behind them.

They possess a security system comparable to that of the military, capable of making a person disappear silently without leaving a trace.

They can even stage a shooting as a suicide—with all the procedures, evidence, and complete legality.

Sounds absurd? But that's reality.

"Luo Zhiming—do you genuinely want to walk the straight and narrow path, or are you simply trying to make your crimes more respectable and in line with international standards?"

Richard stood downstairs, his mind churning with questions.

How easy is it for a gang to truly transform itself?

In the blink of an eye, Luo Zhiming had taken control of a vital enterprise like the tap water company, which is crucial to people's livelihoods.

This left Richard completely baffled. What kind of strategy was hidden behind this?

If Xinlian Shengjian really had this ability, why didn't he do it earlier?

How could Luo Zhiming possibly get this position?

Richard never really considered Lo Chi-ming a policeman.

It was Ah Tian who spoke up, and he cooperated in putting on a show, falsely accusing Luo Zhiming of being an "undercover agent"—but it was all just a setup.

In fact, he searched through all the police files but couldn't find a single record of Luo Zhiming.

Besides, if it really is a cop, that would be too outrageous.

What kind of police officer would be so impulsive as to give up the chance to become a leader and instead choose to do a thankless job where he gets scolded every day?

That doesn't make sense, it doesn't make any sense at all!

In Richard's eyes, there is no such thing as an ideal in this world.

So he immediately concluded: "Either Xinliansheng has really whitewashed itself, or their methods of playing dirty tricks have been completely upgraded—or rather, evolved all at once."

But none of that matters.

Sir Lee wants to recruit Luo Zhiming into the Golden Club. Once he enters, his true nature will be exposed.

Richard walked confidently into the New Union Building, convinced that no one on Hong Kong Island could refuse the knight's invitation.

But as soon as I stepped through the gate, I was stopped by security.

Several uniformed guards, their eyes sharp as knives, locked onto him immediately.

"They say they've turned over a new leaf, but I've seen too much of the ruthlessness in their eyes."

"These aren't security guards, they're clearly a gang's enforcement team!"

Richard immediately revealed his identity: "I am Richard, Senior Superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Department. I need to see Mr. Lok Chi Ming."

The leader didn't even lift his eyelids: "Seeing our Brother Luo? Business or personal?"

"It's a private matter, purely a private matter!" Richard quickly replied.

"Have you made plans?" the other party asked coldly.

"I know Brother Luo very well, you can just make a phone call to let him know."

The man stared at him for two seconds, then pulled out a walkie-talkie and said in a calm tone, "Boss, a foreigner with a swollen face and bruised eyes has come downstairs. His name is Richard, and he says he wants to see Brother Luo."

Richard's face instantly turned awkward.

So they recognized me.

The word "foreigner" just sounds a bit harsh.

His heart sank.

He was a senior superintendent, yet he couldn't even get basic dignity.

But then I thought, since Luo Zhiming took power, how many times has he been turned away at Xinliansheng?

I'm lucky I can still stand and talk, and I haven't been dragged into the basement to have cement poured on me.

Luo Zhiming is not the same person he used to be; his status has changed, and naturally, his attitude is different as well.

Should we give an announcement? That's a must.

What's there to fuss about? Making a fuss only makes you seem petty.

The manager in the suit glanced at him and said, "Brother Luo is waiting for you on the top floor."

Richard quickly thanked him.

The other person pointed in the direction of the elevator and then ignored him, continuing to stand ramrod straight and meticulous.

Richard's heart skipped a beat.

"Are Xinliansheng's rules really this strict?"

"These people stand guard like they're nailed to the ground, without the slightest slackening."

He knew that there were very few places in the world that could maintain this level of discipline.

The West? Ha, don't even mention it. Even the honor guards of those so-called old empires slack off and cheat in private.

He suddenly felt a little dazed.

Does this mean that the west wind is weakening while the east wind is rising?

Then he chuckled self-deprecatingly.

How could a mere police superintendent possibly concern himself with such a grand trend of cyclical change?

Why are you even thinking about this?

The most important thing right now is to get the job done in front of Sir Lee.

If this is botched, we might not even be able to leave Hong Kong Island.

He cleared his mind of distractions and quietly organized his thoughts.

This trip cannot afford any mistakes; every word must be carefully considered.

The elevator ascended rapidly, reaching the top floor in just a few seconds.

When the door opened, Richard was stunned—the entire floor had only one office!

Ho Ka-kui stood at the door, expressionless: "Search him."

"Is it really that bad?" Richard chuckled dryly.

He Jiaju ignored him completely and took action directly.

Richard was furious, but he could only suppress his anger.

When you're under someone's roof, how can you not bow your head?

After searching and finding nothing unusual, He Jiaju looked slightly disappointed: "Let's go in, Brother Luo will wait."

Richard secretly rejoiced.

He had anticipated this, so he didn't even bring a gun.

Inside the office, Luo Zhiming smiled broadly and clapped his hands: "Hey, Richard, we meet again."

"What, are you here to pay back the money today?"

Richard was taken aback: "Return the money?"

Luo Zhiming was even more surprised: "You don't remember that you owe me 20 million in cash?"

"You didn't come to settle a debt, did you come specifically to have tea and a chat?"

With each word he spoke, his expression grew darker, his eyes sharper. "Do you know how much I'm worth per minute here?"

"Look at all this stuff piled up on my desk!"

"My time is incredibly valuable, and what do you do? Not only do you not pay me back, but you're also wasting my time trying to make money?"

Richard's heart tightened; he immediately sensed that something terrible was about to happen!

Luo Zhiming was furious: "If you don't give me an explanation, I'll throw you off this building today!"

Richard was terrified and quickly raised his hands to beg for mercy: "Brother Luo, Sir Li requests your presence at Victoria Peak. He has important matters to discuss with you."

Luo Zhiming stared coldly at him, as if looking at a fool who didn't know his own mortality: "Do you think I'm easy to fool?"

"Ka-Kui, let's give our Superintendent a little stretch!"

Richard's face instantly turned ashen!

Ho Ka-kui really went all out, every punch landing squarely.

Bang bang bang!

Screams continued: "Brother Luo, stop hitting me! I admit my mistake, I really admit my mistake!"

Ho Ka-kui sneered, "Oh, still have the energy to shout? Looks like you weren't beaten hard enough?"

Keep fighting!

Beat them to death!

He had wanted to teach Richard a lesson for a long time.

In the previous instances, either Huihuang beat them to it first, or they were unable to act due to their status.

Things are different now. On Brother Luo's turf, the opportunity has finally fallen into our hands, so what are we waiting for? Of course, we'll go all out!

After several rounds of intense attacks, Ho Ka-kui was exhausted and covered in sweat.

Richard was beaten so badly that he curled up in a ball, covering his head with his hands, his body huddled up like a boiled shrimp, not daring to even breathe.

If you don't fight back, you might still have a chance to survive. But if you dare to retaliate, you'll be flying out the window in the next second.

He knew the rules of this industry very well.

Some people say, "Hasn't Xinliansheng already transformed into a legitimate business? Why is it still resorting to violence so easily?"

But is this kind of thing rare in the outside world?

Someone was shot several times in the back, but in the end it was said to be "suicide". Compared to that, what is this little trick?

Richard cried out, his voice trembling with emotion, "Brother Luo, if you keep hitting him, someone will really die!"

Luo Zhiming then slowly spoke up: "Jiaju, stop."

"He still owes us 20 million, who will fill this hole if he dies?"

He Jiaju kicked him angrily: "You got off easy!"

But since Brother Luo had spoken, they could only back down and step aside.

The teacher once said that hitting someone is also a physically demanding task.

How could an ordinary person last that long? Don't believe those scenes in movies and TV shows where there are hundreds of rounds of fighting; they're all fake.

In a real contest, three to five minutes is the limit.

Most of the time, the outcome can be determined in thirty seconds.

He Jiaju, panting heavily, stood to one side and slowly adjusted his breathing.

Luo Zhiming strode forward and looked down at Richard, who was lying on the ground in a disheveled state: "Jiaju, why did you hit him so hard? He's almost in the hospital."

Ho Ka-kui quickly smiled apologetically: "I just couldn't control myself for a moment."

Luo Zhiming's tone was slightly somber: "I know you still hold a grudge against him for setting you up back then."

"But even if you want to deal with him, you have to wait until he pays back the money."

"Besides, do you really need to do it yourself to get to him?"

"You're now the chairman's assistant, so you need to learn to use your brain, not your fists."

"We are now respectable people, and we should have the mindset and behavior of respectable people."

He Jiaju lowered his head and replied, "Brother Luo is right, I acted impulsively."

Richard had initially felt smug, thinking things had taken a turn for the better, when he heard Lok Chi-ming reprimand Ho Ka-kui. But the more he listened, the more uneasy he felt, and cold sweat broke out on his brow. "Brother Lok, Brother Ka-kui, I truly know I was wrong, I've completely repented!"

Snapped!

Luo Zhiming slapped him across the face: "I told you before, don't you dare show your face in front of me until the money is paid back!" "You still dare to come to my door?"

Richard quickly retorted, "Brother Luo, I'm already doing everything I can to raise funds!"

"The Special Branch has just ordered a 30-day 'Thunderbolt Anti-Drug Operation' to be launched across Hong Kong this month."

"We are mobilizing all our resources to cooperate in advancing this initiative."

"I promise I'll raise the money and pay it this month!"

Luo Zhiming turned to look at He Jiaju and said in a gentle tone, "Look at you, you went too far."

"I almost beat Richard to a pulp."

Ho Ka-kui raised an eyebrow, immediately leaned forward, and gently touched the injury on Richard's face, asking in a sinister voice, "Richard, does it hurt?"

Richard nearly choked.

Despite the pain, he forced a fawning smile and said, "I didn't pay back the money, so it's right for Brother Jiaju to teach me a lesson."

"I've got it, it doesn't hurt at all!"

Ho Ka-kui gave him a meaningful look, as if to say, "You're sensible," before turning to Lok Chi-ming and replying, "Brother Lok, Superintendent Richard said I hit him just right."

Luo Zhiming's face lit up with satisfaction: "That's right!" Then he asked, "What are you doing here?"

Richard was already cursing in his heart—don't you know why I'm here?

I am here on Sir Lee's orders to invite you to the banquet!

Don't play dumb!

But what can we do? They're riding high right now, and we can only bow our heads.

He forced a smile and said respectfully, "Brother Luo, Sir Li has hosted a party and specifically asked me to invite you to come and have a seat."

Luo Zhiming asked with slight surprise, "Invited me? Sir Li personally invited me?"

Richard felt a sense of relief, secretly glad that the beating he had just suffered hadn't been in vain—it seemed that Luo Zhiming was indeed willing to give him face.

His expression softened: "Yes, Sir Li said that your skills are more than enough to qualify you for the Gold Club."

"Then do you know when I'll be leaving?"

Luo Zhiming glanced at him sideways, his eyes looking at him like he was a fool. "Just because Sir Li invited me, I have to go?"

Richard's heart tightened suddenly, cold sweat broke out instantly, and a sense of foreboding rushed to his head: "You—you mean you're not going?"

"Otherwise what?" Luo Zhiming asked matter-of-factly.

Richard grew anxious and quickly tried to dissuade him, "But this is Sir Lee! He's not just anyone!"

Luo Zhiming sneered, "So what?"

"When I wanted to join your 'Golden Club,' how many hurdles and obstacles did you set up?"

"Have I passed all of them?"

Richard's heart skipped a beat; he knew something bad was about to happen.

Luo Zhiming continued his sarcasm: "I completed every single task without missing a single one, and even exceeded the target."

"Do you remember what you said? That you were going to pull off something big with the Gold Club?"

"I actually believed it back then, eagerly waiting for you to finish the deal and share the profits."

"And the result?"

"You think you can just dismiss me with a simple 'plan failed'?"

"If you lose money on an investment, fine, but at least keep some proof, right?"

"You guys are something else! You didn't even leave me a receipt!"

"What kind of 'Golden Club' is this? It's utter garbage!"

"Either you've been exaggerating wildly, or—you've stolen my money!"

"Tell me, which one is it?"

Richard was choked and couldn't breathe; neither option seemed right.

He quickly waved his hand: "Brother Luo, you misunderstand! There's no such thing as a guaranteed profit in investing. You have to look at the big picture; as long as the overall result is profitable, that's fine."

Luo Zhiming scoffed, "You've mentioned before how powerful your Golden Club is; it sounds like a god-like organization."

"But I actually invested over 20 million yuan of my own money."

"You're talking to me about 'overall profitability' now? Do you think I'm stupid?"

He shook his head, his tone becoming increasingly sarcastic: "Your Golden Club certainly has a great reputation."

"Old councilors, deputy directors, deputy commissioners, and how many bosses, bankers, and lawyers are all vying for his attention."

"Sounds pretty scary, doesn't it?"

"But what's the use of these titles?"

"In the end, not a single penny will be conjured up!"

"Thank goodness they didn't recruit me back then, otherwise I don't know how badly I would have been scammed!"

Richard tried to explain, but when he opened his mouth, he couldn't utter a single word.

The stock market is a zero-sum game.

A win is a win, and a loss is a loss.

There's no room for argument.

No matter how prestigious the name of the Gold Club may be, if it cannot deliver on its promises, it is nothing but a joke in the eyes of someone like Luo Zhiming.

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he felt, and he almost shouted it out, but then he thought, what is there to shout?

What gives you the right to back you up?

Where does their confidence come from?

He couldn't utter a single word.

I just felt frustrated and powerless.

Luo Zhiming said slowly, "I have no problem with Sir Li himself, nor do I intend to offend those big shots in the Security Bureau."

"But Richard, you should know my background. We climbed our way up from the gangs."

"Getting to this point hasn't been easy."

"I originally thought that the Golden Club was a door for us to move up."

"After all, Brother Chang has been working with you for so long, and you have a certain relationship with each other."

"But what's the reality?" His voice grew cold. "After dealing with you all these years, Brother Chang doesn't even know what the Golden Club is like." "Our understanding of this organization comes from the few words Ah Tian revealed."

So I have to ask, "Do you really want Xinliansheng to join?"

"Or were we just used as pawns and suckers from the very beginning?"

Richard turned pale with fright: "Brother Luo, it's really not what you think!"

"I did mention it to Brother Chang, but he wouldn't agree at all, so I didn't dare tell him about the Golden Club." Richard's voice was trembling.

The Luo Zhiming before him was completely different from the Xinliansheng leaders he had dealt with before.

Lin Yaochang was a man of discretion. Even if he didn't want to get involved with drugs, he had to consider the interests of the entire gang—his brothers needed to eat, and his men needed to make a living.

The martial arts world is not a place for loyalty; it's a place for self-interest.

If there's no way to make money, how will you support your subordinates? If morale is low, the team will naturally collapse.

Ah Tian is another kind of person.

In his eyes, there is no right or wrong.

They'll do anything as long as it's quick money.

Let alone drug trafficking, he wouldn't even flinch if he were to use a knife.

When the time is right, act decisively; never show mercy.

But Luo Zhiming is different.

If Xinliansheng is a dynasty, then Luo Zhiming is the founding father, a figure of great stature.

The phrase "having a broad vision" is not an exaggeration when describing him.

Trying to intimidate him with words or threaten him with your status? That's just wishful thinking!

Luo Zhiming has clear goals, uses unconventional methods, and has a lot of ideas that others wouldn't think of.

Richard found himself completely unable to grasp his rhythm, let alone control it.

Every time we clashed, I ended up losing.

Luo Zhiming gave a cold laugh: "Alright, don't push this onto others."

"Go back and tell Sir Lee something."

"If you want me to join the Gold Club, you'll have to show me something real."

"Otherwise, don't bring up such things again."

Richard nodded hurriedly: "I will definitely relay your words verbatim, not daring to miss a single word."

Luo Zhiming squinted at him for a few seconds: "That would be best."

"If you're still in debt and hanging around in front of me again—I wouldn't mind throwing you out this window myself."

Richard nearly knelt down: "Don't worry! I'll definitely get it done this time!"

Luo Zhiming snorted, "I hope you keep your word."

"Ka-Kui, see the guests out."

Richard immediately jumped up: "No need, no need! I can walk myself, I can walk myself!"

"Brother Ka-Kui, please wait!"

How could he dare let Ho Ka-kui deliver it! This guy is a top-tier vanguard, the one who killed his own boss, and the other side wants nothing more than to skin him alive!

Richard practically scrambled out of the office.

He Jiaju looked bewildered: "Brother Luo, am I really that scary?"

Luo Zhiming shrugged: "We're wearing police uniforms now, and we're arresting people like them."

"He's a criminal, isn't it normal for him to be afraid of you?"

Ho Ka-kui scratched his head and couldn't help but laugh.

Luo Zhiming immediately dialed He Chu's number: "Ah Chu, Richard just came to the Xinliansheng Building to see me."

"I said two things."

"One matter concerns the police force—in order to repay his debts, this guy actually set strict targets for our Hong Kong Island Narcotics Squad, forcing us to complete the missions."

"Another matter is that Sir Lee from the Golden Club wanted to see me, but I turned him away for the time being."

He Chu chuckled softly: "Neither of these things is surprising."

"Strengthening drug enforcement is a good thing, but it's tough on our anti-drug team brothers."

"As for Sir Lee wanting to see you—that was also expected."

"But remember one thing, you're not the nobody you used to be."

"If he wants to recruit you, he has to offer corresponding incentives."

"He thinks he can make you bow down with just empty words? Who does he think he is?"

Luo Zhiming hesitated slightly: "But the Golden Club has too many powerful connections. If I refuse so directly, will I get into trouble?"

'

He Chu smiled faintly: "Ah Luo, tell me, in recent years, how many gangs have been able to turn their fortunes around and rise to a higher level in such a short period of time?"

Luo Zhiming was taken aback.

Those who can achieve upward social mobility are none other than Xinliansheng and Ni Yongxiao.

But these examples are clearly not the answer He Chu wanted to give.

He disregarded these two exceptions and seriously considered the other forces—and was suddenly struck by the realization: there wasn't a single one.

So what exactly was He Chu trying to say?

He frowned in thought, but He Chu did not interrupt him, letting him continue thinking.

Because He Chu's ambitions extend beyond what's currently on his mind.

He is going to follow the path of the modern-day Réau.

This path cannot be built by one person alone.

He needs a true confidant who can stand on his own, not a follower who only agrees with him.

Followers are just there to make up the numbers; they can't step up when it matters.

He carefully cultivated everyone, whether they were members of Group C or undercover agents sent abroad.

He knew that the days when he could still stand on the front line and command were only a few years away.

If he were to be promoted two more times, his position would be too high, making it inconvenient for him to personally lead people and establish his own faction.

Therefore, every step we take now is paving the way for the future.

These people are the knives he personally honed.

The next wave may not offer such opportunities and conditions again.