A mountain of knives and a sea of fire!
These four words are on the back of the photo!
...
"Boss Shen, do you know Brother Fatty Fang?" I smiled. "This photo is from many years ago, isn't it?"
"Hehe." Shen Shan chuckled. But when he looked at me, there was no trace of the rough and uncouth expression I had when I first met him. His eyes were now filled with an indescribable shrewdness!
“Chen Yang, let me tell you the truth,” Shen Shan said slowly. “Actually, I’ve known about you for a long time. Fatty and I are also sworn brothers. It’s just that outsiders don’t know this now… Sigh, I actually recognized you at a glance in that private room that day. But Mr. Qiao was there too, so it wasn’t the right time to talk. Hmm… Very few people know about Fatty and my relationship, and I believe you won’t tell anyone this secret.”
I nodded. Clearly, Shen Shan had some kind of trouble on his mind.
Seeing the expression on my face, Shen Shan immediately understood what I was thinking. He smiled and said, "Actually, it's not that complicated. Oh, you don't need to overthink it. It's actually very simple, and it's a familiar trope." He pointed to his own nose, then to me, "Actually, I have the same identity as you. My outside identity is the manager of the Shanghai branch of the Qinghong Gang... and my other identity is that of a fellow disciple, just like you now. I'm the same as you, we're both..."
As he spoke, he extended a finger, dipped it in the teacup in front of him, and then flicked his wrist to draw a large circle on the table in front of him!
"..."
I was truly shocked!
Big circle?
He's actually from the Big Circle?!
He actually managed to become a branch manager in Qinghong!
A real-life version of an undercover agent? Infernal Affairs? An Infernal Affairs between gangsters?
"Don't be so surprised, it's actually a coincidence." Shen Shan rubbed his temples and said with a wry smile, "Back then, I was with Fatty Fang and his gang. Later... that guy with eight fingers went all the way to Canada to make his fortune. As for me... sigh, the brothers had a big fight over our future. In a fit of anger, I simply returned to Shanghai alone, originally planning to quit everything. But I was lucky. After returning, I hung out with some local friends and eventually joined the Green Gang. I contracted a garbage dump in the suburbs of Shanghai, and later secretly did some business dealing in stolen goods. Eventually, I worked my way up, and then the leader of the Green Gang appreciated me and took me in as a member. After all, I'm a veteran, I can fight and fight, and I know how to hide myself and not show off. So I steadily worked my way up to my current position as a branch manager."
Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter Fifty-Eight: "Mountains of Knives and Seas of Fire
Shen Shan looked at me with a playful smile on his face: "I think after our last meeting, you must have thought that I, Shen Shan, was a rough and uncouth man, right? Hehe... That's how the world is. The smarter a person is, the shorter their lifespan! Being smart also requires knowing how to hide it in order to live a long and comfortable life."
I took a sip of tea, smiled, and said nothing, but couldn't help sighing inwardly. Judging from this, Shen Shan really is a formidable character!
"Later, a few years ago, Fatty Fang came to me. He asked if I could do something for the brothers in the Big Circle." Shen Shan sighed. "After all, they're brothers who went through thick and thin together back then... Hehe, people like us who've been on the battlefield have long since become indifferent to life and death. As for the Green Gang members, the gang rules and traditions... Pshaw, those are all lies and deceptions. I'm not bound by that stuff. Fatty Fang is my brother, and he asked me for help. Of course, I wouldn't refuse." He looked at me and smiled. "Shanghai is also a major port city. The Big Circle has a lot of goods coming in and out of here every year. I just help them with what I can to ensure their goods go smoothly. It's that simple."
Understood!
This guy is nominally the manager of Qinghong's Shanghai branch, but in private, he is the protector of Daquan's business in Shanghai.
“You’re the big boss of the Vancouver Big Circle. Although the Big Circle abroad and the Big Circle back home haven’t gotten along so much these past few years, we’re still from the same sect. And… to be honest, Fatty Fang specifically told me that since you’re back, and right on my turf, I have to take care of you. Heh!” He laughed, “You’ve caused quite a bit of trouble. Actually, I know that Ye Huan’s mess is all related to you… Fatty Fang told me the details.”
Damn! I couldn't help but give him a deep look.
This guy's acting skills are truly remarkable! That day he actually pretended to know nothing. Neither Qiaoqiao's father nor I are stupid, but neither of us saw through him!
"Fortunately, Ye Huan has stirred things up now, and he's taken on a lot of pressure for you," Shen Shan laughed. "Think about it, you crippled someone's only son. If they hadn't been able to catch you before, or if they thought you were dead, it would have been fine. But now, you've jumped back alive, so they're bound to seek revenge. If Ye Huan hadn't caused this commotion, they probably would have already come after you. Now, Ye Huan has caused internal strife, and the big boss is in a mess. If he's distracted by dealing with you, he might lose his own empire. But once he's dealt with Ye Huan, it'll be your turn."
I rubbed my temples and said with a wry smile, "I mean, Mr. Shen, let me catch my breath first. You've suddenly said so much to me, the change is too drastic, and I can't quite process it all at once."
I picked up the tea on the table, and instead of using a cup, I just held the teapot to my lips and drank it all in one gulp.
After downing a pot of tea, I finally caught my breath and laughed, "Damn, I really didn't expect this, I really didn't expect this..."
I picked up the photo again, flipped it over to look at the four characters on the back, and couldn't help but mutter, "Mountains of knives and seas of fire... Mountains of knives and seas of fire... Mountains of knives and seas of fire..."
Shen Shan smiled slightly and said, "Actually, you've already met all four of them, including Daoshan Huohai."
"oh?"
I was stunned for a moment.
"Fang the Fatty's name is Fang Dahai, and mine is Shen Shan." Shen Shan's words reminded me.
Hmm, Fang Dahai... Hai!
Chenshan...Mountain!
"What about the knife and the fire?"
“That’s Seventh Brother and Fang Bazhi.” Shen Shan smiled with narrowed eyes. “Fang Bazhi is the most ruthless. Although he’s not good at fighting, when it comes to ruthlessness, he’s the most cunning among us. He’s the knife among us! The most ruthless and vicious knife doesn’t rely on strength, but on brains!” He paused for a moment, then smiled again. “As for fire… that’s your Seventh Uncle. This guy is truly as fiery as a raging fire. He’s a powder keg that can be ignited at any moment.”
"Mountains of knives and seas of fire... So that's what it means!"
"Right now, the big boss of the Ren family is busy dealing with Ye Huan. In my opinion, Ye Huan and the big boss will be locked in a fierce battle for a while. For the time being, no one will cause you any trouble."
I immediately shook my head: "How could it not be? The trouble we're in right now is already quite significant!"
As I spoke, I recounted the scandals that had recently been exposed in the media. Since Shen Shan was someone Fang Pangzi had instructed me to handle, I wasn't too wary. Normally, I might not trust anyone, but Fang Pangzi was someone I absolutely trusted.
"Trouble?" Shen Shan paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "Oh, you mean the news about the female celebrity under the Deep Blue Entertainment company you just bought?" He seemed a little puzzled.
Well, perhaps in Shen Shan's eyes, what does this have to do with me? Indeed, even if the rumors outside are raging, it seems to be unrelated to me; the only victim is Jenny. And I'm not some celebrity in the domestic entertainment industry.
This further confirms my guess: the person who did this was clearly not targeting me, or Jenny, or perhaps only Deep Blue Entertainment.
"Alright." I smiled. "Boss Shen, I understand why you invited me here today. If I had known earlier that Brother Fang was your friend, I would have contacted you sooner... I'll need your help in the future."
Shen Shan smiled, but shook his head. "No, I have something else to ask you."
"What?" I already knew what he was going to ask, but I pretended to be stupid.
“It’s that woman, Cang Yu.” Shen Shan asked me, “That day at the hotel, you beat all my men to the ground, but you saved this woman, Cang Yu… You should know that this woman is a pawn that Ye Huan placed in Shanghai, right?”
"I know." I smiled wryly. I could have ignored Shen Shan before, but now that I know he's one of us, I have to give him an explanation.
“If someone else did this, I wouldn’t be surprised. Cang Yu has been in Shanghai for two years and has built up a lot of connections. There are also some men who are infatuated with her and are willing to stand up for her. But you… Chen Yang, why did you do this?”
"I..." I smiled bitterly, then looked at Shen Shan very seriously: "If I told you that I did this for no reason, just on a whim, simply because Cang Yu, that woman, helped me back then, so I'm returning the favor... it's that simple. Would you believe me?"
Shen Shan's gaze was strange; he stared at me for a long while before shaking his head and waving his hand, saying, "Forget it. If it were someone else, I might not believe such a thing. But you... Fatty Fang told me that you have a somewhat eccentric personality. I believe it!"
Then he glanced at me and said, "How about this, I'll give you face. I originally planned to throw Cang Yu out of Shanghai, but since you've interfered, I'll leave her alone for now. But if she doesn't leave Shanghai within three days... don't blame me, Shen Shan, for being ruthless."
As I looked at Shen Shan in front of me, I suddenly felt a sense of disgust towards him.
I felt completely lost, not knowing where this feeling of disgust came from... But then my gaze shifted, and I suddenly saw the sofa in the room. A thought struck me, and I remembered that day when I was with Cangyu, and the complicated expression on her face, and the words she said:
"I've slept with at least a dozen men on this sofa... including that bastard Shen Shan! Just a month ago, I was still lying in his bed, and he was swearing to me..."
Cang Yu's words suddenly flashed through my mind like a movie.
Hmm, perhaps this feeling of disgust comes from this.
I didn't speak, and Shen Shan was unaware of my thoughts. He slowly said, "Actually, I know your identity. Others know it too. Here in Shanghai, I'm a branch manager of the Renzi Group, but I can't control everything. You're the enemy of the main owner of the Renzi Group. You crippled his only son, which is tantamount to cutting off his lineage..."
“I understand what you mean.” I said immediately, “In that case, many people saw you invite me here today. If it gets reported, and the big boss of the Ren family knows that you met with me and is still being polite to me, wouldn’t that put you in a difficult position?”
"Play dumb!" He chuckled. "You, Chen Yang, are the Big Boss's enemy. This isn't something that's been widely publicized in the newspapers... If the Big Boss comes after me, I'll just deny everything. I'll say I don't know anything... I've never seen you before. It's been three years since the kill order was issued against you. Who remembers what you look like? I'll just say you're Mr. Qiao's nephew, and that I invited you for tea because you had a minor conflict with my men that day. Playing dumb... I've been doing this for years... I just need your cooperation."
"Playing dumb once is fine... but what about after that?" I smiled wryly. "I've returned to China in a high-profile manner. You're the branch manager in Shanghai. If the big boss gives the order for you to deal with me, what will you do?"
"That's why I invited you here today," Shen Shan said with a smile. He pondered for a moment, "Could you leave Shanghai for a while? That would make things easier for me. Although I'm also a member of the Big Circle, I currently hold the identity of the Green Gang, and I need to use this identity to do many things for the Big Circle. I can't betray the Green Gang... If I openly protect you, it will be difficult for me to explain. So... it's possible to go easy on you secretly."
My face immediately turned cold.
Hmph... So that's what Shen Shan was planning.
Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Strange Woman
He doesn't really care about being Fang Pangzi's brother; he just thinks I'm a hot potato and wants me to leave. If I stay, it's really putting him in a difficult position.
As for dealing with me, let's not even talk about whether he can kill me. In the Big Circle, Fatty Fang definitely won't allow it. Even if Fatty Fang can't do anything to Shen Shan… don't forget, I'm also a member of the Big Circle! Shen Shan, as a hidden pawn of the Big Circle, killed a Big Circle overseas leader; that's the crime of murdering a fellow member!
If I stay and he doesn't touch me, then I won't be able to explain myself to Qinghong.
The reason they invited me here today is to "invite" me to leave Shanghai.
This guy talks a good game, talking about loyalty to his brothers, but he's really just a fence-sitter, clinging to both the Big Circle and the Green Red Army, getting benefits from both sides.
My impression of Shen Shan immediately worsened. But his face remained calm: "That's not a problem. I've been getting fed up with the media lately and was planning to leave for a few days. If you hadn't invited me today, I would have already left Shanghai."
Seeing that Shen Shan seemed relieved, I said coldly, "However, my company is now located in Shanghai, so going out for a few days is naturally not a problem... but I will have to come back eventually. I wonder if Mr. Shen would like me to leave for a few days? If I come back later, will Mr. Shen be less polite to me?"
Shen Shan looked somewhat embarrassed, as if my intentions had been exposed. However, being a seasoned opportunist, his expression changed quickly, and he chuckled. He said, "Actually, little brother, it won't be long before you can swagger back. Hmm..."
"Oh? What do you mean?"
Shen Shan said calmly, "That day in the private room, in front of Mr. Qiao, those words I spoke weren't all for him. A small portion of them were meant for you! Ye Huan, he dared to do something so big, openly rebelling against the organization. Although he seems to have a lot of influence now, I said he's like a grasshopper in autumn, he won't last long. Once Qinghong recovers, and the major leaders of the various factions speak up and deal with him simultaneously… Hmph, although Qinghong has been a disorganized mess for so many years, if someone openly rebels from within, to protect the organization's reputation and to make an example of him, they will stop at nothing to eliminate Ye Huan. So, Ye Huan won't last long! Even if the major leader of the Ren faction is having some difficulty dealing with Ye Huan now, the other major leaders will absolutely not stand idly by on matters of principle. Ye Huan will inevitably fail!"
"And then?" I sneered.
"Then..." Shen Shan said calmly, "The law of the jungle, you and I both understand this principle. Originally, within the Green Gang, there were three factions: Heaven, Earth, and Human. Their power was balanced, maintaining a delicate equilibrium. But now, Ye Huan suddenly caused trouble. Even if Ye Huan is eliminated, the head of the Human faction has suffered a major blow. The heads of the other two factions are ambitious figures. With such a good opportunity, I'm afraid that in the future... hehe, this Human faction may not be able to continue to exist."
I nodded. That makes sense!
Imagine three brothers, all strong and healthy, each possessing a large fortune. While they all covet the wealth, they are also wary of one another. But now, suddenly one of them becomes disabled, and this disabled man happens to possess a huge fortune. In this situation, the other two brothers might not be able to resist taking advantage of him!
Seeing Shen Shan's confident expression, I suddenly had an idea!
This guy... he's used to being a fence-sitter... he actually rejected Ye Huan so resolutely... and now he's so convinced that the "Human" group will inevitably collapse... could it be...?
Could it be... that he has secretly sided with another major shareholder?
That's quite possible!
Anyway, this guy has absolutely no loyalty to Qinghong.
There's no need to spell things out too clearly; as long as the meaning is conveyed, that's enough. We're all smart people.
"Come on! Actually, the reason I invited you here today is to give you a farewell dinner!" Shen Shan laughed without any politeness. "For my sake, leave Shanghai for a few days. Once this matter is over... hehe, brother, maybe all the trouble you caused before will be wiped clean."
Hey! A sly smile played on his lips. We exchanged a glance, both of us giving each other knowing smiles... a tacit understanding.
Yes, if the Renzi Group falls, and its major owners go bankrupt... who would be foolish enough to seek revenge for their son and cause me trouble?
Looking at Shen Shan, I suddenly thought to myself: This guy is not to be underestimated. He's a smiling tiger. He "gave" Cang Yu the other day, but today he invited me here to "give" me away.
Seeing that I remained silent, Shen Shan laughed heartily, taking it as my tacit agreement. Then he slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "Since this is a farewell banquet, how can we be without wine?" He continued, "Today, as your older brother, I'll see you off, little brother. My place is full of fine wine and beautiful women; you certainly won't be disappointed! Let's drink until we're completely drunk!"
After saying that, he casually picked up a phone from the coffee table next to the sofa and laughed, "Have someone send in a case of Royal Salute... and have Xiaoxuan call all the most popular beauties in the place!"
I was actually thinking of leaving; I wasn't really interested in this kind of scene. After all, I come from a background in nightclubs, and I'm not into the vibe here.
Seeing that I seemed to be getting up, Shen Shan quickly grabbed me and deliberately said in a stern tone, "Brother, what do you want to do? Even if you want to leave, there's no rush! Could it be... that you look down on your older brother?"
I frowned and smiled, saying, "Mr. Shen, there's no need to be so polite about this..."