Chapter Ninety-Three: A Pleasant Collaboration

Bluewell Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical research institution under the Lu Group.

In a nursing room, an elderly man in a wheelchair raised one leg and rested it on a steel support in the air. His trouser leg had been rolled up, revealing a huge black-purple abscess on his calf—sickening and horrifying to behold.

Around the abscess, silver needles had been inserted at varying depths, more than twenty of them in all. A middle-aged physician was holding a silver needle five inches long, slowly piercing it into a point on the calf from the side opposite the abscess.

As the needle went deeper, thin streams of pus seeped out along the more than twenty silver needles, while the abscess visibly shrank before the eye.

After about a minute, when Doctor Fu withdrew the needle, the swollen mass had already flattened down. Its original black-purple hue had turned to a bluish violet; and once the other needles were removed one by one, that bluish violet faded into flesh color. It now looked no more than an ordinary wound where the skin had split open.

The middle-aged physician applied some medicinal powder to the old man, wrapped the area in gauze, and said calmly, “Stand up and try walking a few steps.”

At his words, the old man rose from the wheelchair and tried walking back and forth. After a dozen or so steps, his face lit up with unrestrained joy, and he thanked the doctor repeatedly.

The middle-aged physician remained composed, only nodding silently.

Lu Ming, seated not far away, had watched the entire process. His eyes flickered faintly. Beside him, Wang Chenghu smoked a cigarette with a detached expression, showing not the slightest surprise, as though everything had already been expected.

After the old man left, Lu Ming cupped his hands toward the middle-aged physician. “Doctor Fu, your skill is extraordinary. I am deeply impressed.”

Wang Chenghu spoke slowly. “Brother Lu, can you now give a clear answer to our Wang family’s proposal?”

Lu Ming wore a troubled look. “Second Brother Wang, I won’t hide it from you. Back then, my Lu family did indeed help that person once. In return, he promised to owe my Lu family a favor. My elder brother has always regarded that favor as our family’s life-saving talisman.”

Wang Chenghu gave a noncommittal smile and said in a deep voice, “Doctor Fu has hidden his blade for ten years without ever showing its edge. He is likewise one of my Wang family’s hidden trump cards. We have laid our cards on the table with full sincerity. The Divine Doctor Competition is held once every five years, and every family at or above the level of a quasi-first-tier house has placed its bets and taken it seriously. But the only qualifying spot from South City is one your Lu family is determined to win.”

A sharp gleam flashed in Lu Ming’s eyes. He fell suddenly silent. After a long while, he finally said, “My Lu family can agree, but I want to change the conditions. Doctor Fu will not represent the Zhongbao Hall of South City, but the Zhongbao Hall of River City. River City has two qualifying spots, and he only needs to place in the top two.”

Wang Chenghu narrowed his eyes, drawing in a cold breath within. He knew that the Lu family had close ties with the Zhongbao Hall. Over the years, they had invested heavily in the pharmaceutical industry and had already stretched their hands beyond South City. Even so, he had not expected the Lu family’s stride to be so large, its ambitions so vast. If they took South City and the two qualifying spots in River City, then by the provincial rematch they would hold two seats, greatly increasing the odds of breaking into the top three. Should they gain entry to the finals, the Lu family would not only reap enormous benefits, but its status would soar. Replacing the Jiang family as South City’s foremost clan was not impossible.

This time, the Lu family intended to wager everything.

“The Jiang family has occupied the throne of the leading house for nearly six years,” Wang Chenghu said inwardly. “So long that it has given people the illusion that it cannot be shaken. I never expected that, beyond my Wang family, the Lu family would harbor the same ambition. The emergence of Hongcheng Group as a disruptor has indeed brought opportunity. Interesting. South City has been at peace for too long; it is time for the board to be reshuffled. Let us see who has the final laugh...”

A meaningful smile tugged at the corners of Wang Chenghu’s mouth. He slowly extended his hand. “Then I wish our Wang and Lu families a pleasant cooperation this time.”

“Heh heh, pleasant cooperation!” Lu Ming took Wang Chenghu’s hand, his own smile equally profound.

...

Just as the Wang and Lu families were shaking hands over their cooperation, at a trendy open-air bar with an upscale air.

In the garden outdoors, the lazy afternoon sun had driven away the chill of early spring. Beside an European-style round table, Wang Shaokun and Liu Hao were leisurely drinking afternoon tea.

“Liu Hao, your sister Xin Yue isn’t really interested in that useless son-in-law of the Lin family, is she?” Wang Shaokun said casually, stirring his coffee with a silver spoon.

Liu Hao frowned, his expression darkening. Wang Shaokun met his gaze and smiled. “The last time was at the Royal Club, and this time at West Wind Mountain again. She even fell out with you, her own elder brother, on the spot because of him. Some things are obvious to anyone with eyes. As for women, when they meet a man they like, it’s only natural to lose reason...”

“Enough,” Liu Hao cut in coldly. “Spare me the irrelevant nonsense. Why did you ask me here?”

Seeing Liu Hao’s unhappy expression, Wang Shaokun knew his words had struck a nerve. Good—that was exactly the effect he wanted.

“Of course I have business,” he said. “You know the Royal Club is my Wang family’s benchmark in the entertainment industry. Now Hongcheng Group has taken it away under a pretext. My Wang family cannot possibly swallow such a humiliation without a word, but Hongcheng Group is riding high right now. If my Wang family collides head-on with them, both sides will likely suffer. That is not the wise choice.”

Liu Hao caught his meaning and a trace of amusement appeared at the corners of his mouth. “So you want to drag my Liu family into this, join forces with your Wang family to deal with Hongcheng Group. Heh, Shaokun, you should understand that we are friends as friends, but when it comes to business, good is good and bad is bad. My Liu family will not do anything where the cost and the return are out of proportion.”

Wang Shaokun held up three fingers. “I’ll give you three points. First, privately speaking, from the arena match to the Royal Club and now West Wind Mountain, you, Liu Hao, the dignified young master of the Liu family, have already been slapped in the face by Hong Chen three times. Do you know how people in the circle are talking now? There are rumors that Hong Chen married into the Lin family under a three-year engagement, with less than a year left. When the contract expires, he’ll switch sides and become the son-in-law your Liu family wants. Right now he’s slapping your face back and forth, simply teaching you, this future brother-in-law, the rules in advance...”

Liu Hao’s face darkened at once, a fierce anger surging uncontrollably in his chest.

Wang Shaokun swiftly changed tack. “Liu Hao, forgive my bluntness, but unless you swallow your pride and accept him as a son-in-law of the Liu family, there’s really no way for you to stop him. You saw it that night at the Royal Club—Jiang Tao personally stepped in to protect him. That aside, since it wasn’t even the Jiang family’s own intention, the key point is that he is a mad dog deliberately released by Hongcheng Group, specifically to create conflict and stir up trouble. Hongcheng Group is using him as an excuse to cause havoc. If you truly laid a hand on that mad dog, Hongcheng Group would then have a reason to strike at the industries under your Liu family. Can’t you see that by now?”

Liu Hao said nothing, but his eyes flickered slightly.

Wang Shaokun went on, “Second, publicly speaking, you can’t possibly fail to see Hongcheng Group’s momentum. If this continues, it won’t be long before they enter the first tier. Then South City’s top echelon will go from four families to five, but the cake won’t grow even a fraction bigger. So whether Hongcheng Group can be suppressed is not just a matter concerning my Wang family alone.”

“Third, hasn’t your Liu family always wanted to enter the entertainment industry? If our two families join forces and take down the entire Paradise brand, your Liu family will receive forty percent. In addition, to show sincerity, my Wang family can first take over the Huangguan and Yedu brands and transfer thirty percent to your Liu family at cost.”

By the time he finished the third point, Liu Hao was finally moved, a look of shock appearing on his face. “Huangguan and Yedu are respectively the properties of the Huang and Qiao families. Haven’t those two families always obeyed your Wang family without question, acting as your right and left arms?”

Wang Shaokun snorted with laughter. “Right and left arms? You’re giving them too much credit. At most, they’re two rather obedient watchdogs. A watchdog’s primary duty is to guard the door well, but now Hongcheng Group has already kicked the door in and seized the master’s central hall. What use are those two watchdogs still? What my Wang family needs now are allies.”

Liu Hao shook his head with a smile and lifted his cup to drink his milk tea slowly. Wang Shaokun knew he needed time to think and did not press him. He also raised his coffee and took a sip, then scooped up a piece of cake with his spoon and put it in his mouth.

After three minutes of silence, Liu Hao suddenly said, “That masked man is the biggest variable.”

Wang Shaokun replied, “The Lu family will make a move. The two of us only need to each provide two first-rank martial artists for assistance.”

A sharp light flashed in Liu Hao’s eyes. In other words, with the Wang family, the allied Lu family, and the Liu family combined, this force would be impossible for anyone in South City to resist.

Liu Hao remained silent for a moment longer. Then he set down his cup, looked up at Wang Shaokun, and as though making some major decision, slowly extended his hand. “Huangguan, Yedu, and three medium-sized nightclubs from each side. My Liu family will contribute sixty million. This sincerity must be paid up front.”

Wang Shaokun did not hesitate. He took Liu Hao’s hand and smiled. “Of course. Pleasant cooperation!”