“Doug!” Norton stared intently at the intelligent dog. “What are you going to talk to about with this kind of street trash! Do you think you can achieve anything by cooperating with these people? You’re insane! These people are all garbage!”
Doug's eyes gleamed, but his expression remained calm: "Oh, Mr. Norton, I think my job only requires me to report to my superiors."
Enraged, Norton slammed the office door shut. It hit the wall, bounced back, and slammed back down. Doug and I exchanged a knowing smile, but our expressions were complicated.
"Siro, remember to remind me that when we get back, I'm going to have my lawyer prepare a complaint letter for me. I'm going to complain about Mr. Norton's defamation of my personal reputation." I smiled.
Ciro looked both amused and exasperated. Before he could speak, Doug had already slowly emerged from behind the desk. He walked to the coffee pot, made me a cup of coffee, and said casually, "Oh, I don't think Mr. Norton will mind... These days, if all the protests and complaints he receives were piled up, they could fill a large filing cabinet. Anyway, soon all these complaints will be meaningless."
A thought struck me; I knew he was implying that Norton's time in his current position was running out.
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter Forty-Three: Pleasant Cooperation
Doug's lips curled into a smile, a subtle one, but his eyes held a hint of cunning.
I took the cup of coffee he handed me and casually asked, "Oh, so Mr. Doug, when are you planning to move to the big office upstairs?"
"No, no, no, I have no intention of moving." He pretended not to notice my probing and deliberately played dumb: "I like it here. It's a bit small, but it's quiet, and I like quiet office environments."
He had already walked back behind his desk, sat there upright, and looked at me seriously: "Mr. Chen Yang, please tell me the purpose of your visit."
"Oh, I wanted to ask, are the things you said to me in this office last time still valid?"
“…Of course.” Doug immediately smiled broadly, even his eyes crinkling with laughter. “My words certainly carry weight! My goodness, dear Mr. Chen Yang, you shouldn’t doubt my sincerity!”
"Sincerity!" I chuckled coldly, saying in a playful tone, "I am quite impressed by your sincerity... These past few days, I've had a group of people watching me 24/7. Such sincerity is a bit too enthusiastic for me to handle."
Doug's expression remained unchanged, he didn't even blink... and he didn't blush at all, as if it were perfectly normal. He calmly said, "This is quite normal, Mr. Chen Yang. There's a Chinese saying, 'Times change,' and I think I don't need to explain that. Even in cooperation, it depends on whether both parties truly need each other, or whether the other party has enough weight to act as an ally... The situation has changed rapidly these past two days, and I had to take some necessary measures. It's acceptable for both of us, isn't it?"
"So what now?" I smiled.
“Now…” Doug smiled without hesitation, “Now, you have fully demonstrated your strength. I guarantee that when you go back today, you will find that those police officers waiting outside your door have disappeared without a trace.”
He's definitely cut out to be a politician!
Thick-skinned and invisible, black-hearted and colorless!
At our first meeting, he thought I had something to offer and wanted to recruit me, which led to our first meeting in this office. But less than an hour later, the police station was bombed. This guy was ruthless; he immediately turned on me and had people keep a close watch on me.
Today, the situation has changed again, and they turned away so calmly! Not even a hint of embarrassment showed on their face!
When they need you, you're an ally. When they don't, you're just one of the targets to be eliminated.
That's what Doug meant!
Honestly, I'm not angry at all about what he did to me! Throughout history, both domestically and internationally, official police forces in any country have always used the same strategy when dealing with organized crime: suppression, appeasement, and division. They crack down when necessary and appease when appropriate. They're masters of playing the game of changing their tune! As for Doug's actions, they're not surprising at all; in fact, I have a strange kind of admiration for him!
At least, he wasn't pretending! He openly spoke these sordid words and deeds that should have been hidden in the open! And he didn't try to hide them at all!
That's interesting!
“You know what? Just before you walked into my office, Mr. Norton was yelling at me. We had a disagreement about something that happened earlier this morning,” Doug said to himself as I remained silent.
Me: "Hmm..."
He chuckled. “Just about twenty minutes ago, our three teams of fully armed police officers, after a fierce battle, arrested a group of Vietnamese gangsters at a seafood processing plant not far from the beach. During negotiations, they resisted arrest with force, and our men engaged in a fierce battle with them. In the end, sixteen Vietnamese gangsters were killed on the spot, while the police suffered casualties, two dead and two wounded.” He paused deliberately, looking at my expression. “You don’t seem surprised at all.”
"Why should I be surprised?" I sneered. "Everyone keeps it to themselves, why make it so clear?"
"Sigh!" Doug sighed, forcing a wry smile. "Frankly, I really underestimated you. I never expected you to have such capabilities... This morning, a single video almost caused a media frenzy throughout Vancouver. There are at least a hundred reporters downstairs right now! And over a dozen press vans! And I estimate that by tonight, media personnel from other regions will be arriving... This move of yours has practically driven the Vietnamese into a corner... I really never expected you to pull something like this!"
Xiluo and I exchanged a glance. I saw that Xiluo's eyes were filled with excitement and joy, so I winked at him.
Hmph, sixteen dead? The others, probably injured, were also captured.
“But you’re playing with fire too.” Doug’s tone shifted, and he said in a low voice, “That video, while it could be used as fodder for publicity and caused a significant impact, is something we can’t jump to conclusions without sufficient evidence!”
I'm not afraid of that at all.
The video I made of Xiao Ruan, although I did it on purpose, can't really be considered framing her.
The police station was bombed by Cobra! But Cobra was hired by the Vietnamese! It's fair to pin the blame on the Vietnamese, right?
Go ahead and investigate! The police can keep investigating! Keep investigating, and in the end, the blame will only fall on the Vietnamese... I'm not afraid! I'm very confident!
"What do you want?" Seeing that I remained silent, with a mysterious smile on my face, Doug finally softened. He leaned forward slightly. "What happened today couldn't have been done by anyone else but you! I don't know how you forced Nguyen Van Kiet to record that video, and I don't know how you found out a hiding place for the Vietnamese and even called the police on us... But deep down, I need to remind you that I really dislike being used! If you use the police as a tool to deal with the Vietnamese, you will definitely regret it in the future."
“Mr. Doug,” I finally spoke, but with a wronged smile. I spread my hands and said, “Look, I’ve already said it. You’re a high-ranking official representing the government, so you need to provide evidence when you speak. Besides, the person who called the police was also abiding by the law! For example, that hiding place of the Vietnamese, if we hadn’t called the police… were we supposed to let the underworld handle it themselves? That would have led to more fighting and bloodshed.”
At this point, a thought suddenly struck me, and I looked at Doug in front of me…
Damn, this bastard probably wants this to happen!
We called the police, and a large team of officers went to deal with the Vietnamese. But while they did eliminate some dangerous gang members, for Norton, who was currently sitting on the edge of a volcano, it was like a breath of fresh air putting out the fire! And this Doug, deep down, probably wished for bloodshed outside so that Norton would be forced to step down as soon as possible!
Moreover... as for the video I made, this guy is probably also blaming me... If I had finished making the video and not immediately handed it over to the media, but instead talked to him first, a smart guy like Doug would definitely have made full use of it and turned it into a powerful weapon in his hands!
But... who told him to go back on his word? He acted all professional that day, but as soon as things changed, he turned his back on me. Of course, I wasn't going to give him the video first!
"What exactly do you want!" Doug seemed to have given up on beating around the bush with me, staring into my eyes: "Now that you have leverage, I think we can cooperate properly this time."
"Okay!" I didn't bother arguing with him anymore. I stood up decisively, stood in front of his desk, and held up a few fingers:
"First, I demand that the police immediately withdraw all surveillance footage of me!"
“Okay!” Doug sighed and gave me a deep look. “But let me make this clear first: if your men do anything out of line, I’ll arrest them too!”
"Don't worry, I'll handle it cleanly." I smiled, then quickly added, "Second, immediately halt the crackdown on other gangs in Vancouver! Especially the Chinese gangs!"
"...Why?" Doug frowned.
“Mr. Doug, personally, I understand you. You will soon take over Mr. Norton’s power, and the more you do, the greater your achievements will be! But if you crack down too hard on the Vancouver underworld… I’ll be in a difficult position… As for why I specifically mentioned the Chinese gang… it’s because I also need an ally!”
Actually, I had another thought in mind: in the underworld, power can't be too weak. If it is, no one will survive! If the police take the opportunity to severely weaken the Vancouver underworld, it would certainly be beneficial, but for me, it would also be quite detrimental! At the very least, I don't want the police's anti-gang unit to focus all their attention on me in the future! It's better to leave some power behind to help me share the burden!
Doug seemed to have a big appetite. He hesitated for a moment and said, "Okay, I can leave the Chinese gang alone, but I'll teach the Iranians and Indians a lesson they won't forget."
I thought about it. He's a politician, and he needs achievements, especially after Norton took the blame. When he steps in, he has to make as much noise as possible to get by. So I didn't make too many demands and nodded.
"Third, I can avoid touching any Vietnamese people... but Da Nguyen, that person is mine!"
Doug's face instantly darkened. He suppressed his anger: "Chen Yang, what do you take the police for? Human traffickers? Nguyen Ah Kit is now the number one wanted criminal! He's the leader of the Vietnamese! I have to catch him! Otherwise, I won't be able to explain myself!"
He looked at me coldly: "You do have leverage to negotiate with me now, but don't forget, you're not my only option! In all of Vancouver, I only need to leave one or two powerful organizations to maintain order in the underworld! If I want, I can negotiate with the Iranians or the Indians!"
“You absolutely can,” I said coldly. “But you might as well give it a try.”
We stared at each other silently for a long time. At first, neither of us would give in, but then Doug suddenly smiled...
He is indeed an excellent politician; at the very least, his ability to change his tune is absolutely remarkable! Even when the two were on the verge of a complete falling out, he could still laugh and joke, and his smile was warm and gentle…
"Okay, deal!"
“Fourth…” I ignored his change of expression; his compromise was already within my expectations anyway: “Fourth, things will calm down in a few days. Then, you’ll be your boss, and I’ll be mine! In Vancouver, from now on, you’ll be in charge during the day, and at night…” I smiled, pointing to my nose: “At night, I’ll be in charge!”
Doug pursed his lips and said with a faint smile, "Alright, after this matter, I congratulate you, Mr. Chen Yang, on becoming the youngest new generation of underworld godfather in Vancouver!"
He had no choice but to agree. Given the current situation, he had to keep me around, and after this incident, the other gangs would be virtually powerless against me. My dominance was inevitable. In this respect, Doug readily accepted his fate.
Anyway, he wasn't acting for justice; he was acting for political achievements.
I stood up and extended my hand to Doug: "It's a pleasure working with you... I hope this collaboration can last a long time."
"As long as everyone benefits, the cooperation will continue," Doug said with a wink. "There are no permanent enemies or friends, only permanent interests."
He slightly altered this famous quote, but it still fits the description perfectly.
“I think Mr. Norton should step down within two days.” I laughed. “Once he steps down, I will hand over Little Ruan to… Of course, I will arrange an accident so that the police can arrest this terrorist leader openly and gloriously.”
As I walked out of the police station, I felt very relaxed, while Ciro, who was beside me, was somewhat sentimental.
"Are we really not going to have to fight the Vietnamese ourselves?" he asked urgently in a low voice beside me.
“No need.” I sighed. “Our brothers are also born of parents, they are all flesh and blood. Let’s shed as little blood as possible! Of course…” My eyes flickered, and I whispered, “Cobra is ours!”
"But will Doug really be so easily manipulated by us? He himself said that he hates being manipulated the most."
“These are two different things.” I shrugged. “There are two kinds of exploitation: pure exploitation, of course, will make people resentful. But… if there is a benefit involved, then for someone like Doug, being exploited once or twice is perfectly acceptable.”
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter Forty-Four: Awakening
"how's it going?"
The first thing I did when I got back to the repair shop was ask the person in charge who had stayed behind. I now basically consider the nine brothers I took with me back then as my trusted confidants.
Although I dislike factions, I haven't forgotten that there can be traitors within the Big Circle. I don't dare trust anyone else; the nine people I took with me are the only ones I can trust 100%.
"Everyone's emotions are relatively stable."
I breathed a slight sigh of relief after receiving a positive answer.
I rubbed my sore eyes, and finally a look of exhaustion appeared on my face. I waved and walked into Eighth Master's office... well, it's mine now.
"I'm taking a break. Wake me up in two hours."
I'm exhausted. I didn't sleep a wink last night, did so much work overnight, and then had that long standoff with Doug at the police station today. I feel mentally drained. I closed the door and slumped into the chair that Eighth Master used to lie in. Even though I had a lot on my mind, I fell asleep as soon as I touched the chair.
I've been exhausted both physically and mentally these past few days. I don't know how long I slept, but I'm sure I slept very soundly! Because when I woke up, Xiluo and another brother were standing in front of me.
I was startled and jumped up from my chair! Suddenly awake, I vaguely saw someone in front of me, and my first instinct was to reach for the dagger hidden in my trouser leg! But then I realized it was Xiluo and the others, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, a faint sense of self-reproach crept into my heart.
With my current skills, I'm confident that even if I were asleep, I would quickly wake up if someone secretly approached me! But now, in my sleep, Xiluo and the others came up to me, and I didn't wake up. Xiluo had to personally pat me awake! You can imagine how exhausted I am right now!
I rubbed my eyes; they were sore and I could barely open them. "How long have I been asleep?"
“More than an hour,” replied Xiluo, his expression somewhat grim.
"Oh..." I didn't get a good look at his face. I stood up, but I felt something was wrong with my body. My whole body ached.
In fact, everyone experiences this feeling of fatigue, especially after a long period of sleep deprivation. In the first stage, a person reaches their limit of exhaustion. However, if you grit your teeth and persevere through this phase, you'll find that you're not so sleepy anymore and can continue for a while longer—of course, this will cause significant damage to your body.
However, if you fall asleep but don't get enough sleep and are woken up again after only a short time... in this situation, you might feel that you are more tired and exhausted than before you went to sleep!
That's how I feel right now. Even though I haven't looked in a mirror, I'm sure my eyes are red! I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the aches and pains in my body, my mind still a little foggy...
"Is something the matter?" I felt a bit agitated, probably because I was being woken up from my sleep when I was extremely tired, which makes me a bit grumpy when I wake up.
Xiluo's lips trembled a few times, but before he could speak, I suddenly saw the other brother standing next to Xiluo and my face immediately darkened!
I recognized him! This guy was one of the people I left at the hospital to take care of Eighth Master! Now he's suddenly run back from the hospital without my permission... Could it be...?