Aren't these words clearly meant for me?
I squinted, but I felt Lei Hu's gaze seem to linger on my face. Our eyes met silently, and we each turned our heads away.
Then it was Fatty Fang's turn to step forward. He didn't say a word. He went straight to the ceremony, offering incense, without uttering a single unnecessary word.
I publicly announced Lei Hu's identity, led all the brothers below to return Lei Hu's greetings, and then led Lei Hu to my office.
Only Fang Pangzi, Lei Hu, and I remained in the office. Everyone else stayed outside.
In the office, I could clearly sense that Lei Hu's emotions were somewhat fluctuating. He stood with his hands behind his back, looked at the landscape paintings on the surrounding walls, then seemed to sigh, turned his head, looked me straight in the eye, and said the first formal thing he had said to me since we met:
"Young man, you've truly inherited everything from Fang Ba! Hehe!"
I replied calmly, "Well, it's because the brothers are giving me face that they've asked me to step in temporarily to take charge. I'm young, so please feel free to point out any mistakes I've made, Uncle Lei."
Lei Hu seemed unmoved by my response, quietly gazing at a painting on the wall. Suddenly, he smiled faintly, pointed to the wall, and said, "This painting was one I painted for Fang Ba years ago. Heh..."
My heart sank again... It seems that Lei Hu and Master Ba have a close relationship... I'm afraid my arrival this time will bring me a lot of trouble.
“Chen Yang, I have a few questions for you.” We then sat down, and Lei Hu sat opposite me, looking solemn. He slowly said, “Although Fang Ba has always controlled the business here in Canada, and we don’t interfere, we’re all still under the name ‘Big Circle’! Now that Fang Ba is dead, the old guys in our family want to get to the bottom of things… So, these questions I’m about to ask you aren’t just my personal questions, but questions on behalf of all the old brothers in our family. Please answer them seriously.”
To be honest, I'm getting a little impatient... The Canadian and Asian circles have actually been separated for a long time. But this Lei Hu is treating me like he's interrogating me, which is making me quite annoyed.
I gently put down my teacup, looked up at him, and said, "Please ask."
As I expected, Lei Hu immediately bombarded me with a barrage of questions: How did Eighth Master die? What was his injury? Where was it located? What was the fatal wound? What weapon caused the death? What was the exact time and place of death? Who was present at the scene?
He asked very detailed questions, and I answered them perfectly.
The question-and-answer session ended quickly. Lei Hu didn't show much expression on his face, only saying lightly, "Hmm, thank you for your answer." Then he fell silent, his eyelids drooping as if he were in a daze.
I waited for a minute, but the old man seemed to be in a trance, which made me a little annoyed. I slowly said, "Uncle Lei, you've come all this way, you must be tired. I've had a room prepared. Would you like to rest first? Or would you like to have some dinner first?"
Lei Hu looked up at me, seemingly casually: "Oh, I'm tired. Let's talk about it tomorrow... Hmm, I'm not in a hurry to go back to my room. I want to stay here for a while."
A thought flashed through my mind, a sense that something was amiss. Before I could say anything, Lei Hu's next words immediately made everything clear to me!
He seemed to sigh, and said, "Chen Yang, the brothers here have been very busy lately. I heard you've done a good job managing things temporarily. It's very good that a young man like you has this ability. You know when to advance and when to retreat, and you have a good sense of propriety. Xiao Fang praised you to me before, and seeing you today, I can see you're indeed extraordinary. How about this, everyone rest tonight. I'll gather everyone tomorrow, and I'll naturally have something to tell you all..."
...
What's the meaning?
Two words immediately popped into my head: power grab!
They praised me for "knowing when to advance and retreat, and being sensible," and said, "It's very good that a young person has this ability..."
shit!
Who am I? I am Brother Wu! I am the famous "Fifth Master" of Vancouver! I am the top dog in this big circle!
Although you, Lei Hu, are a senior, in the end, you are an "outsider".
Isn't it a bit absurd for him to say something like that? It's like a stranger walking into someone's company, patting the boss on the shoulder, and saying, "Hmm, young man, well done!"...
That's a very underhanded tactic!
If I agree, it would be like losing a point in terms of momentum, or even tantamount to tacitly admitting that he has "leadership" over me!
Hmph, testing me?
I coughed lightly, my tone neither humble nor arrogant, and said calmly, "Uncle Lei, you flatter me. Since you seem tired, I won't disturb you any longer. Let someone take you back to your room to rest. You've come from afar as a guest, and now that Eighth Master has passed away, you've come to pay your respects on behalf of Asia. My men and I are deeply grateful for your kindness. As for anything you'd like to say, feel free to tell me... I've already established rules. These are sensitive times, and my men are not allowed to gather without permission. If you feel uncomfortable in any way, just let me know."
At this point, I raised my voice and said, "Hammer."
The sound of hammering came immediately from outside the door. The door opened, and Hammer and his two brothers stood outside.
I glanced at Lei Hu: "Uncle Lei is a guest from afar, please take him back to his room to rest. Don't neglect our distinguished guest!"
After I finished speaking, I glanced at Lei Hu, as if to say, "Please."
Hmph, Lei Hu, you want me to go back while you stay in the office... that's like taking over my office without a word... You're so aggressive from the start, how can I let you have your way?
Lei Hu's expression was somewhat unpleasant. He coughed and said, "Chen Yang, I don't want to rest yet... I still want to take a good look at Fang Ba's room..."
I smiled faintly, my face still full of politeness, but my words were anything but yielding: "Uncle Lei, if you would like to see Eighth Master's belongings, I'll have them sent to your room in a bit. I have other things to take care of, so I won't keep you company any longer."
What a joke! The office is like a symbol of authority in a car repair shop!
Have you ever seen a company where the CEO's office is given to someone else?
If he gets cocky, he might spread the word tomorrow that Lei Hu took over the office as soon as he arrived... Who knows what those people outside who don't know the situation will say!
I thwarted Lei Hu's two attempts to probe me, so he gave up and silently followed Hammer back to his room.
Fatty Fang also wanted to leave, but I grabbed him from behind.
Watching Lei Hu leave, Fatty Fang said helplessly, "Brother, if Lei Hu sees you holding me like this, I won't be able to explain myself when I get back."
I smiled and said, "Brother, don't hide it from me. They sent you here this time because of our old friendship. It's only right that we catch up. It would be suspicious if neither of us said a word."
After we sat down, I personally brewed another cup of tea and said with a smile, "Alright, now it's just the two of us. Brother, let's not beat around the bush. Tell me what your purpose is in coming here this time."
Fatty Fang looked somewhat troubled, a worried expression on his face. He picked up the teacup in front of him, gulped it down in one go, tea and tea leaves alike, and then said with a wry smile, "You know perfectly well what's going on in your heart, so why ask me?"
I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, they want to seize power, right? Heh heh... They can't stand seeing a young guy like me sitting here as the boss." I paused for a moment, then said slowly, "That Uncle Lei was a bit too ruthless. He just got here, barely settled in, and he's already setting a trap for me."
The fat man made a face and laughed, "You're much smarter now. You didn't fall into any of Lei Hu's traps, did you?"
After a pause, the fat man straightened his expression and said in a deep voice, "Chen Yang... you misspoke a little earlier... It's true that Lei Hu came here this time with the intention of seizing power, but it's not because he dislikes that you're a young person in charge... Fundamentally speaking, the old guys in our area aren't really convinced that you're in charge... The reason is that, in their eyes, whether you're young or not isn't the issue... The key is that, in everyone's eyes, you can't be considered part of the Big Circle at all, but rather an outsider!"
He then laughed and said, "In their eyes, they can accept a young man as the boss here... but they can't accept an outsider leading the Canadian big circle."
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter Sixty-Three: Fatty Fang Offers a Plan
I remained silent...
Fatty Fang's words were not very veiled, but rather blunt and directly hit my biggest weakness!
Foundation! Qualifications!
That Thunder Fox came with ill intentions; he was clearly targeting me.
But Fatty Fang revealed my biggest fatal weakness in just one sentence!
I might be respectfully called Brother Wu by most of my brothers, I might be a powerful figure in Vancouver, I might lead my men to fight and struggle time and time again through a series of victories... I might already be recognized as the infamous "Fifth Master" in the underworld...
However, all of this cannot conceal a pale and powerless reality:
I've only been a little over a year since I joined the Big Circle organization.
On the positive side, I, a "newcomer" who has only been in the organization for a little over a year, have managed to carve out a path to success under such circumstances, rising steadily through the ranks and gaining recognition from everyone. To leap from a newcomer to a "leader"—such a feat is, I think, an unimaginable miracle anywhere in the world.
But on the other hand… it's only been a year. Even if I'm popular, my experience is simply too limited. Looking across the entire Vancouver community, everyone who's a core member has at least six or seven years of experience. Take Ciro, for example, a self-proclaimed "youngster"... he's been working in a mechanic's shop since he was a teenager!
Not to mention the deceased Old Huang, or those who are alive now, in their early thirties or even forties!
Those people are the real big circle!
I've only been in the industry for a little over a year... In fact, there are other newcomers like me in the industry who have only been in it for about a year... It's just that all of them are "outsiders"!
For a newcomer with about a year in the industry to enter the mainstream and become a "core member" is already considered an aggressive and exceptional admission... not to mention, a complete novice with only a year of experience could directly become a top figure in the mainstream!
While my rise to power involved various coincidences… for example, the lack of young blood in the Big Circle led to me and Shiro being promoted by Eighth Master. For instance, Eighth Master exceptionally elevated my status to counterbalance Tiger. Also, Tiger's death indirectly earned me significant merit in Vietnam, forcing Eighth Master to grant me the opportunity to rise… Furthermore, my relationship with the princess of the Hells' Angels compelled Eighth Master to involve me in the cooperation with Mr. Thorin, further elevating my position. And yet another instance is the Vietnamese ambush, which wiped out all the mid-level leaders in the Big Circle overnight… and my status rose once again…
Finally, Eighth Master died. At that moment, I looked up... and there was no one above me. I had unknowingly found myself standing on the top floor of the Vancouver metropolitan area!
In just over a year, my status has risen almost like a helicopter... well, no, even "helicopter" can't describe it! It's been a rocket-like ascent! Even though I gloriously killed the two top members of the Chinese gang; even though I miraculously completed my mission in Vietnam despite facing death almost immediately; even though I fought for the Big Circle, risking my life and shedding so much blood and sweat...
However, all of this cannot conceal one fact:
I'm a newbie who's only been in this circle for a little over a year!
Perhaps, in many people's eyes, I can't even be considered a "big circle" in the true sense.
Or let's make a hypothetical scenario... If any one of Lao Huang's middle-level leaders were still alive, then no matter how outstanding my achievements are or how strong my abilities are, I probably wouldn't be the one to become the boss.
And if... if it weren't me who was now in charge, but Xiluo... I'm afraid those guys in Asia wouldn't be so openly opposed! At least Xiluo has been in the big circle for several years, while I... and even many "outsiders" have more experience than me!
Fatty Fang's expression was complicated as he slowly sighed, "Do you understand now?"
"I understand." I said with a wry smile, "I've known that for a long time."
"Sigh!" Fatty Fang frowned, his fat face scrunched up, and spread his hands, saying, "To be honest, I think you've really gone too far. When I sent you here, I just thought the situation here had great potential. And in Canada, it's obvious that Fang Bazhi doesn't have any new talent under him. So, I thought about it for a long time and figured... although Fang Bazhi is known for being a bit too power-hungry, given that he's really short-handed, sending you here might not be a bad idea, you might even have a chance to get ahead..." Fatty Fang couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Damn it! I had a good plan. I thought that even if you performed well here, it would take at least two years to become a core member, and three to five years to gain any real status... By then, Fang Bazhi will be old, and even if he's unwilling to relinquish power, he'll have no choice but to. At that time, if you perform exceptionally well, you might be able to reach a mid-level leadership position..."
They glanced at me again and cursed, "But I never expected that you would skip seventeen or eighteen grades in just one year..."
I remained silent.
"Back in Vietnam, I felt you rose too fast... and Fang Ba put you in a dangerous position..." The fat man shook his massive head, sighing repeatedly. "I'd heard about the tension between Tiger and Fang Ba for a while, but I never imagined it would escalate to this point... I certainly didn't expect Fang Ba to have the audacity to use you as a bargaining chip against Tiger... In the end, Tiger betrayed you and you killed him, but you naturally rose to power... Too fast... Too fast... At the time, I didn't think it was a good thing... Given Fang Ba's suspicious nature, if you'd been here for a few years and had some connections, you might as well have fought him... But you were a newcomer, without any connections, yet you were placed in a dangerous position, so..."
"So you hinted to me back then that the best option was to leave the big circle, right?" I smiled bitterly.
"Yes!" The fat man nodded seriously, but then he said with a wry smile, "But what I fucking didn't expect was that you not only didn't listen to me, but you ran back to Canada and continued working... and before long, you actually became the boss here!"
I watched the fat man silently. He had a bitter smile on his face, but deep worry flickered in his eyes.
"Brother." I stood up, paced back and forth in the room a few times, pulled out a cigarette from my pocket, lit it, and then gave Fatty a deep look: "Brother Fang... I'm calling you brother now!!"
I took a deep breath, a hint of excitement in my eyes: "In this world, the only person I can truly call 'Big Brother' is you, Fatty Fang! To be honest, I remember every single thing, every single detail, that happened in Guangzhou back then! Everything... it's all etched right here!" I pointed to my head.
Then, I took a deep drag of my cigarette, looked at the fat man, and it was as if I was recalling something, or perhaps talking to myself...
"I'll never forget that night in Guangzhou, being chased like a stray dog! On the street, with a girl beside me, I was treated worse than a dog! It was you who appeared, pulling me out of the way at the crucial moment!" My tone grew serious, and I said in a deep voice, "Then...you took me back to your place, gave me food, gave me a place to sleep...that night, Huan..." I hesitated for a second, then gritted my teeth and said, "Ye Huan! Ye Huan...he wanted to kill me to silence me...At that time, I had already given up hope; I've never been so heartbroken in my life! On that street in Guangzhou, I was..." So many people were chasing and attacking me, and I was already prepared to risk everything, hoping to make a profit on one attack and then earn a profit on two... But then, you appeared again and saved my life! I'll never forget the day I rushed out of the alley and saw you drive up to me, waving and pulling me into your car!! I'll never forget taking me to the underground clinic for treatment, and how you held me down in pain, putting a cigarette in my mouth... I'll never forget taking me to that country house to lay low, living there taking care of me, cooking for me... and how you later arranged for me to go out to sea by boat..."
As I spoke, I became increasingly emotional, and my voice choked with emotion. Finally, I let out a long breath and gazed at Fatty Fang: "The kindness you showed me was no ordinary kindness! It was a life-saving grace! And the bond you formed was no ordinary bond either; it was a friendship forged through life and death! If I were to say who I owe the most to in this world, then you, Fatty Fang, would undoubtedly be the person I owe the most gratitude to!"
"Xiao Wu..." Fatty Fang wanted to say something, but I waved my hand to stop him.
I continued slowly, "To be honest, without you saving me back then, I wouldn't be where I am today! Everything I have today, fundamentally, is thanks to you! So... Brother Fang!" I said slowly, "If they had sent someone else this time, I could have simply turned against them in the end! But you... just say the word, and I'll hand over this whole mess in Canada! I, Xiao Wu, will pack my bags and leave! All of this was given to me by you, and now I'm returning it to you, it's nothing... If..." I smiled slightly, looked into the fat man's eyes, and said seriously, "Even if you're worried and want my life... just say the word, Brother Fang, and without anyone else lifting a finger, my life will be yours! You can take it back anytime."
"Xiao Wu!" Fatty Fang called out to me again, his expression also showing some excitement.
We stared at each other... It was a completely male-to-male eye contact.
Finally, he smiled and said slowly, "Xiao Wu, if I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have advised you to leave when we were in Vietnam... Now that you've come this far, a real man should strive to make something of himself. No one has any reason to let you surrender... To be honest, I was against this whole thing, and the family members weren't entirely in agreement either... If I really wanted you dead, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you!"
At this point, he said in a low voice, "Don't keep talking about life and death... You're still young. When you reach my age, you'll understand that the words 'life and death' are actually very heavy! Hehe, and also, you've forgotten what I told you before... In this world, apart from your own parents, there's no debt of gratitude worth repaying with your life!"
The fat man walked over to me and pressed me down onto the sofa. He casually took the cigarette pack from my hand, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and squinted, saying, "You're a big shot now. You have at least several hundred men, big and small, watching you, and probably over a thousand people who depend on you for their livelihood! You think you can just die like that? Just give it up like that? It's not that simple! Even if you were willing, ask your brothers if they'd agree!"
The fat man's tone suddenly turned sharp, and he regained some of the courage he had shown when he single-handedly drove me out of a hail of knives and guns, daring to confront Jin Hefang with just a gun! He sneered, "Those old guys back home are getting a bit muddled... Canada is a lucrative territory, but Fang Ba has managed it too well over the years. It's practically an impregnable fortress. We've been separated for years, and now they want to extend their reach? It's not that easy! Those old guys are a bit confused, but to be honest, they might also be taking advantage of your youth."
"Mm." I nodded.