"The plan...one of the most powerful people in Vancouver..."
Oh my god, what on earth is going on?
Part One: In the Martial World, Not in Control of One's Own Fate, Chapter 146: The Princess's Invitation
"You could say this is an opportunity given to us by God." On the way back, Tiger drove in front, and Eighth Master and I sat in the back. I didn't say anything, just listened quietly to Eighth Master. I knew he would tell me everything, and he would answer all my questions.
So when Mr. Thorin was in front of me, I kept my silence just right.
"Damn El Niño?? No, it should be called the Great El Niño! Who invented this term? Thanks to this weather, the consecutive hurricanes in South America at the beginning of this year caused huge losses to the plantations of South American drug suppliers... You know, the goods of the American continent have always relied on South American plantations for supply. As for us, we come from the East, and the American drug market originally had no share of us. But twenty years ago, we, the Great Circle, fought our way out with guns... Markets can be opened up by force, but we don't have the source of goods... The sources of goods in the Americas have nothing to do with us; our goods have always come from the East, Southeast Asia, the Golden Triangle! We use goods from the Golden Triangle to transport to North America and compete with those guys for business. But after all, we are Chinese, and in this white world, we Chinese are not the mainstream. The Hells Angels control most of the Canadian market... We can only compete with the Vietnamese, Indians, Iranians, and those guys for a small share of business."
"The drug market in the Americas has always been stable... but this time, the wonderful weather has given us a great opportunity... South American drug plantations have suffered heavy losses in this series of hurricanes... The problem now is that this year's production certainly won't meet market demand! My information is that although the Hells Angels have done everything they can to mobilize supplies... don't forget, Canada has the United States under its umbrella... The American Mafia and several major families will also be eating into the supplies. The supplies were already insufficient. The Hells Angels will have to share with the American underworld, so their share will be even smaller!"
"But they don't have a source of drugs, while we do! Due to historical reasons, our drug business has never sourced its drugs from South America; we always get them from the Golden Triangle. Now, the Hells Angels are facing a dilemma: either they lower themselves and cooperate with us, sharing their supply with us, or they have to face the reality that drug addicts throughout Canada will have no drugs to use this year!"
"Actually, almost all organized crime groups are now becoming corporatized and industrialized. Traditional gambling, prostitution, and drugs are falling behind the times. Our Big Circle has also been seeking a new path for development. We are currently collaborating with the Hells Angels on digital crime... Do you understand digital crime? It's counterfeiting credit cards and satellite TV receivers. These things are very profitable! At the same time, the profits are invested in real estate and other industries for money laundering. After being laundered, the money becomes clean! The problem we've always faced is... we are Chinese! Chinese people are never part of the mainstream society here. These high-end activities are monopolized by the Hells Angels... Apart from satellite TV hacking, which we've mastered a lot of, we're on the fringes in other areas. Now, this is a great opportunity!"
I listened quietly to Eighth Master's story until I slowly spoke up: "Eighth Master, do you mean to use our drug supply to exchange for the market share in other territories that they give up?"
“Yes!” Eighth Master sighed. He pressed a button, and a metal drawer popped out of a miniature wine cabinet next to the luxurious car. Eighth Master took out a bottle of red wine, opened it, and then took out two wine glasses from the cabinet and filled them. Then he glanced at me and slowly said, “As I just said… traditional underworld activities, gambling, prostitution, and drugs, are gradually falling behind the times! This is the era of economics! High-end cybercrime is the mainstream! We must align ourselves with the mainstream. We must take the path of corporatization and industrialization! Otherwise, we can only be petty thieves for the rest of our lives!”
I took the red wine he offered and clinked glasses with him, but to my surprise, Eighth Master downed the entire glass in one gulp! He poured a whole glass of red wine into his mouth. Tiger, who was driving, glanced back in the rearview mirror and said, "Eighth Master… your health…"
"It's nothing, I'm just happy today." Eighth Master smiled faintly and put down his glass. I noticed that after downing a glass of red wine, a blush immediately appeared on Eighth Master's originally fair face... a blush that was somewhat sickly!
"My only regret is that many brothers within our organization still haven't grasped reality! When I proposed exchanging drug supplies for other markets with the Hells Angels, many within the organization immediately and vehemently opposed it… Sigh, even Old Seven wasn't entirely in agreement. They're all worried that the Hells Angels will take over our drug supplies, fearing they'll swallow up our drug market… These guys… Sigh, drugs are profitable, but that money is too hot to handle! The government's crackdown is intensifying every day, and looking to the future, the industrialization and corporatization of organizations is the trend, which is precisely what we lack most… This is an excellent opportunity… If we can exchange drug supplies for a portion of the market, then we can use this opportunity to transform!! Get closer to the mainstream!!"
He looked at me, and said slowly and earnestly, "The era of prostitution, gambling, and drugs is over. The underworld today is not what it was twenty years ago!" He paused for a moment, then asked, "Xiao Wu, what do you think?"
I took a sip of my drink and thought for a moment: "I think you're thinking very far ahead."
I spoke very seriously. Then I confessed, "I don't know much about what you're saying, but I think what you said makes a lot of sense. At least in terms of the development of the underworld, I feel that what you said is very correct."
I put down my glass, then took out a cigarette, lit one for myself, and offered one to Eighth Master. As I prepared my words, I slowly said, "Back in China, Fang Dahai once told me something: What is true darkness? True darkness is when you can't distinguish between black and white!"
“For a criminal organization to have longevity and grow stronger, it can't remain small-scale forever. While industries like prostitution, gambling, and drugs can be profitable, their business models preclude them from operating on a small scale! Especially drugs. This kind of thing can't last. It can't be done openly! But if we want to develop, we must go public, we must align ourselves with mainstream society… So I think you're absolutely right. Perhaps giving up some drug supplies might result in short-term losses, but in the long run, it's an opportunity.” After I finished speaking, I smiled: “I'm just sharing my thoughts based on what you said; of course, I don't know enough about these things yet. So…”
"That's enough." Eighth Master waved his hand and smiled, "I'm very satisfied that you have this idea. Now I can explain your doubts..."
I felt a little awkward under Eighth Master's gaze. To be honest, his words, "one of the most powerful people in Vancouver," really surprised me.
“I need someone, preferably a fresh face.” Eighth Master sighed. “I’ve said it before, many of the old brothers don’t agree with this business. It’s just that most of us have been through thick and thin all our lives, so we’re still very united and there won’t be any messy issues. But I can’t let them do this… I need to find someone to help me, to be my assistant. This person must not have any prejudice against this kind of business, and you meet that requirement. Secondly… I need someone I can be satisfied with, and at least for now, I still have high hopes for you.”
I nodded, my expression serious.
"Chen Yang. I haven't been idle these past few months. I've already had Fatty Fang give me the foundation you built back in China. I know a lot about your grudges there… To put it bluntly, I don't trust the other older brothers in the organization with this matter! Because most of them have prejudices against it! And I don't trust newcomers either! The new generation of brothers in our big circle are all locals, and they don't have much of a concept of China anymore. I personally still tend to trust the brothers from China. This is just my personal preference. You are my temporary assistant choice… Don't worry, I won't give you all the power right away… I'm not that bold! But if you can satisfy me, I guarantee you will get everything you want here! We are different from the traditional local Chinese gangs. We came to North America twenty years ago, relying on our passion and guns. We carved out our own territory! We are not like those gangs that emphasize seniority… Here, as long as you are one of us, as long as you have the ability, I guarantee you will rise to the top!" He slowly took a drag of his cigarette, looked at me, and smiled: "The premise is, you can keep talking!"
The car was moving smoothly. Eighth Master pulled out a small pull-out table from under the seat, then dipped his finger in a wine glass and gently drew four circles on the table.
"If we want to cooperate with the Hells Angels, the first four problems we need to solve are..."
The first was Vietnamese. The second was Indian. The third was Iranian. The fourth was a local traditional Chinese gang.
“Basically speaking, we are not too worried about Indians because the Indian drug trade is backed by some Indian extremist groups, those guys are terrorists! Terrorists are always associated with political movements, but we are not politicians, we are just gangsters... Similarly, Hells Angels do not want to get involved with those terrorists, that would cause big trouble! So it is already difficult for Indians to compete with us.”
"Then there are the Iranians... Iranian gangs have a strong religious influence, and they're full of religious fanatics... The diplomatic relationship between the US and Iran is very delicate right now. None of us can be sure if another Middle East war will break out. If Iran becomes the next Iraq and is defeated by the US... then the consequences will be very serious... So, to avoid these risks, the Hells Angels will not cooperate with the Iranians. At the same time, Mr. Sorin told me privately that he himself doesn't like those overly fanatical religious elements."
"Thirdly, there are the Vietnamese. Vietnamese gangs are very powerful in Canada... In fact, twenty years ago, when our Big Circle first landed in North America, the Vietnamese were extremely arrogant here. Even the local Chinese gangs had to defer to the Vietnamese, and were bullied by them to the point of not daring to utter a sound. The Vietnamese also have obvious advantages... Their country's geographical location is in Southeast Asia, making it easy to establish connections with the Golden Triangle. Moreover, their personnel are highly qualified; many Vietnamese gang members have military service backgrounds, and many are veterans. They are a tough nut to crack. Furthermore, over the years, we have been constantly fighting with the Vietnamese. We don't know how many times we've fought, how many people have died. Overall, we have the upper hand. So, there's not much more to say..."
"As for the fourth..." Eighth Master shook his head and sighed, "The fourth is the local Chinese gangs... Most of these gangs are locals. Although they are of Chinese descent, many have been rooted here for one, two, or even three generations... Emotionally, they have been separated from the leased country for too long and are too far removed from it. Emotionally, I am very unwilling to go against them. But I have no choice but to do so! Because, in fact, when our Great Circle landed in North America, the people who were most hostile to us were precisely these fellow Chinese!"
"Most of us in our circle came illegally. Back then, to suppress our development, these local gangs often used organizations like clan associations, hometown associations, and Chinese business associations to protest to the government and police about illegal immigration, demanding a crackdown..." Eighth Master laughed, "What I find most ridiculous is that these guys even issued statements protesting the Chinese government's inaction regarding illegal immigration. They even demanded that the Chinese government intensify its crackdown on illegal immigrants from China to North America... Actually, all of this was to suppress our circle! Because in the beginning, they fought us fiercely. We beat them badly, so they're afraid! Their actions leave me helpless... I'm also Chinese, and I don't want to be their enemy." They say it's illegal immigration... Hey! Go to Chinatown and look around, there are tons of Chinese Canadians. The vast majority of their first-generation immigrants were sold into slavery in North America! And how many of their ancestors were also illegal immigrants?! Very, very few legally immigrated to Canada... Most legal immigrants wouldn't be involved in organized crime! Now they've settled down here, they don't need to be illegal immigrants anymore, or rather, they're less reliant on it. So, to suppress us new illegal immigrants, they protest, even joining the North American government in protesting against the Chinese government... Regarding that bullshit human rights bill in the US, it attacks the Chinese government's insufficient crackdown on illegal immigration, and it has many signatures from local traditional Chinese gangs! Those bastards!
Eighth Master took a deep drag on his cigarette, then stubbed it out, exhaled slowly, and regained his composure: "Chen Yang, you are the person I've chosen. I value your youth, your potential, and your experiences in China. Fatty Fang said you are a promising talent, and I believe him! You have also passed my test... Now I've decided to make you my assistant. As for whether you can satisfy me in the future, that depends on your performance."
He chuckled. “Our negotiations with the Hells Angels will continue, but you don’t need to worry about any of that anymore. Starting tomorrow, you won’t need to wash cars anymore. I’ll have Tiger teach you a few things every day. Once you’ve learned enough, I’ll put you in charge of some things… If everything goes smoothly… this year, you will act as my representative, directly contacting the Hells Angels regarding our deal. To put it simply… you will be my plenipotentiary representative.”
My heart skipped a beat.
Some people say that life always gives you a wonderful turnaround unexpectedly.
I think I've found my opportunity!
A huge opportunity!!
I really don't need to wash the car anymore. Although I still live in the dormitory building and share a room with Ciro, every day during the day, I'm called to the office inside, where Tiger teaches me a lot of things face-to-face.
What I learned first was how our Big Circle came to North America!
Big circle!!
This is a very interesting name. Actually, "Big Circle" refers to mainland China! The so-called "Big Circle Gang" is a general term for mainland gangs—people from mainland China.
The earliest generation of the Big Circle (a term referring to the Communist Party of China) are now around fifty years old. They experienced the Down to the Countryside Movement and the Sino-Vietnamese War. Many are veterans.
In the 1980s, the Big Circle gang caused a sensation in Hong Kong and Macau, resulting in numerous major cases. Later, the Big Circle gang expanded overseas, mainly to North America.
It's fair to say that at the time, North America was dominated by local gangs, Chinese gangs, Vietnamese gangs, Indian gangs, Middle Eastern gangs, and so on. The arrival of the Big Circle gang was initially met with resistance. However, the Big Circle members were highly skilled and tough, and they carved out a path for themselves using only their fists, knives, and guns!
Speaking of that era in the last century, especially in the 1990s, the North American underworld was once all the rage!
It's frustrating to think about... those who resent the Big Circle most aren't outsiders, but rather many traditional Chinese gangs in North America. And before the Big Circle came to North America, they were precisely the traditional Chinese gangs in North America who were most bullied.
These topics were too complicated. I looked at the materials and listened to Tiger talk to me; we talked for a whole day. The two of us smoked cigarettes in the room all day. Tiger had undoubtedly been with the boss for a very long time, and he was clearly one of the first generation of big-time influencers! I could tell from the bullet holes that showed on his arm when he rolled up his sleeves to talk to me.
“Tiger, can I ask you a question?” I stared into his eyes: “Eighth Master wants to arrange an assistant, why not look for someone close to him… for example. You. You should be someone he trusts a lot.”
Tiger was silent for a while, smoking in silence, then suddenly laughed, came over and patted my shoulder, saying, "Kid, only Eighth Master himself knows the answer to this question."
In that instant, I saw a hint of helplessness in his eyes... or perhaps, a hint of resentment.
I started learning English. This time, it was a teacher that Eighth Master invited to give me systematic English instruction.
Two teachers taught me spoken English, and one teacher taught me grammar.
There are actually many language schools in North America, but many of them are scams. Some are even run by Indians or Chinese people who have only been in North America for a couple of years and whose own English isn't even fluent yet. They dare to teach people and charge exorbitant fees! They're just scamming those who have just come to North America to make a living and seek their fortune.
However, the teachers who taught me were clearly not frauds.
Honestly, I'm doomed.
Even during the three months I spent learning killing techniques from Lao Mao and Lao Kong, I was never this tired!
God is my witness, the thing I hate most in my life is studying.
Fortunately, I know how important learning languages is to me. Even if I have to grit my teeth and memorize them by rote, I'm determined to master English.
A month later, I had no problem with most of the conversations... but there was one thing I couldn't write.
There are many grammatical structures and sentence patterns. I can only speak and listen to them, but I can't write them down.
Eighth Master was already quite satisfied... In fact, many immigrants in North America have only average English skills, and as long as they can hold a normal conversation, they're fine.
That afternoon, I was lying in my room, listening to the music and poetry of the leader on a record.
To be honest, I'm starting to really enjoy listening to this stuff.
The powerful and unrestrained poetry, paired with magnificent music, evokes a sense of cathartic release! No wonder everyone listened to this back then! It truly is something that gets the blood pumping!
My phone suddenly rang. I looked at it and saw it was an unfamiliar number. After answering, I heard a soft and pleasant voice coming from the receiver.
"Hello, baby."
I paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Your Highness, hello."
"I'm not okay." Sophie's voice was much lower on the other end of the phone: "I'm really not okay! I'm so angry with you! Why haven't you contacted me since that time!"
I thought for a moment and then smiled and said, "Sorry, I've been very busy, and besides, I don't have your phone number."
“That shouldn’t be an excuse.” Her Highness immediately saw through me: “I don’t have your phone number either, but I was able to find it. You, on the other hand, didn’t even bother to check.”
I pursed my lips.
Indeed, I had no intention of seeing that woman again, even though she had a body so perfect it could drive men crazy, an angelic face, and devilishly seductive skills in bed... But that kind of excitement was enough for me, once was enough.
Seeing that I didn't speak, the cunning princess cleverly didn't press me further. Instead, she changed her tone: "Darling, I've missed you so much... Really, you're absolutely amazing. That day left a very deep impression on me... I haven't been able to forget you since... Even when I tried to find other men... they were all so far inferior to you..."
I frowned slightly.
Her words immediately diminished my interest in her considerably...
"Your Highness, is there something you need from me?"
"I need your help," Sophie said in a coquettish tone on the other end of the phone, "Right now, immediately!"
I misunderstood those words as something more, and said with a wry smile, "Your Highness, now is really not the right time. I have no interest in doing so today."
"Oh my god!..." Sophie exclaimed dramatically on the other end of the phone, then chuckled, "What are you thinking? I didn't mean that... ah... but it really reminded me! I think if we have time tonight, we could try it again!"
I could only smile wryly while holding the phone. I simply couldn't communicate with this Western girl or her attitude towards sex.
"Alright, I really do need to talk to you." Sophie stopped laughing and said slowly, "Could you come with me to an event tonight? I need to meet someone."
I thought for a moment: "Who is it?"
“Yes…” Sophie hesitated for a moment, “It’s…her!”
I gave a wry smile and remained silent.
Sophie's voice on the other end was pleading: "I just want you to be my companion... Maybe I sound pathetic, but I just want to protect myself! You should understand how I feel... I just want to make myself look less pathetic! To make her think that I'm just as happy without her!"
Seeing that I still didn't speak, Sophie's tone softened a bit: "I heard that you and my father are currently discussing a business deal. If you're willing to do me a small favor, perhaps I'll offer some compensation in return at an appropriate time!"
This time I didn't hesitate and immediately agreed!
No one is unaware of the princess's place in Mr. Thorin's heart, and some even deny the influence this beautiful princess has on her father!
"Okay, tell me the time and place, and I'll get ready right away."
"Oh, that's great! Honey!" Sophie squealed excitedly, then quickly added, "Oh, there's a restaurant on XXX Street that serves really good Chinese food, you know, and the owner is Chinese, just like you..."
I hung up the phone and, without pausing, immediately started getting dressed.
This is a bit boring, but there are many times when people have to do boring things, don't they?
Part 1: In the Jianghu, Not in Control of One's Own Fate, Chapter 147: Damn it!
I was already dressed, but then I remembered that it was a beautiful woman who had invited me, so I took off my clothes, took a shower, shaved, and then put on the best suit that Eighth Master had given me.
I hesitated for a second, then took out the dagger that Old Cat had given me before he left and tucked it into my trouser leg.