White Gloves

Ping'an Hotel, District Four, Longzhou City.

"The Green Gang's targeting is getting worse."

Lu Mingzhu lightly tapped the mahogany tabletop, glancing at everyone present:

"I know, this isn't Jiangzhou. We don't hold the dominant position here, but if there are difficulties, we overcome them."

A balding middle-aged man raised his hand:

"Manager, the Origin Point Research Institute has confirmed that they are only recruiting one researcher in Longzhou City this time, and there are currently three candidates."

"One is Zhang Lingzhi, under us. Another is Chen Sijiu, backed by the Green Gang. The last one is Zhang Xiaoxi, who requires no attention, with no background."

Lu Mingzhu hummed:

"Pay attention to Zhang Lingzhi's safety."

The balding middle-aged man asked:

"Should we strike first?"

"No, our foundation in Longzhou City is too shallow." Lu Mingzhu said calmly, "The Green Gang might be waiting for us to make a move. We can't touch Chen Sijiu. As for Zhang Xiaoxi, the Green Gang will handle her themselves."

She paused, then changed the subject:

"One last thing, Boss Si from Jiangzhou will arrive in Longzhou City today. Have everyone below prepare, and don't make any mistakes."

The balding middle-aged man asked curiously:

"Boss Si? I haven't heard of him before?"

Lu Mingzhu smiled:

"A new young boss, only a First Refinement Martial Artist. Of course, he's weak, but we need to put on a good show. We still need to show him respect, understand?"

"Understood!" The management team responded in unison.

'Ring ring!' Just then, Lu Mingzhu's phone rang.

She answered the call.

"Lost him?"

She frowned:

"What are you guys for if you can't keep track of people outside the station? Afraid of being discovered if you follow too closely? Heh, go get your punishment. Incompetent, twenty red rods, two eyes gouged out."

She hung up the phone, and less than two minutes later, it vibrated again.

She picked it up, her eyebrows twitched, and her tone became respectful, though her expression remained unchanged.

"Boss Si, we've been waiting for your call."

"Yes, okay, no problem. I'll arrange it immediately."

She hung up the phone.

"He's quite fast." Lu Mingzhu made a few simple arrangements before leaning back in her chair, not paying too much attention.

Although they were all small cities, Jiangzhou was the apex of small cities, while Longzhou City was at the bottom.

It was small, had excellent public security, and the underworld was not as dangerous or as full of experts as in Jiangzhou.

However, to be able to establish a foothold for Ping'an Hotel in Longzhou City from such humble beginnings, Lu Mingzhu's own abilities were still considered outstanding.

As for this newly appointed, so-called Boss Si—

A First Refinement, not even as good as Boss San's kid. He could be easily coaxed.

Not long after.

Outside the door of the spacious conference room, footsteps sounded again. Lu Mingzhu slowly straightened her clothes, calmly stood up, and put on a humble and gentle smile.

The conference room door opened, and a boy who looked as expected, delicate and refined, walked in, his eyes filled with the clarity and foolishness of someone who had never seen the world.

Like those students from Longzhou University.

"Boss Si." Lu Mingzhu walked forward, twisting her waist, and extended her hand: "I am Lu Mingzhu, the person in charge of Ping'an Hotel in Longzhou City."

The boy reached out and brushed her hand before quickly retracting it. Lu Mingzhu's smile deepened. A shy fledgling?

Then, she saw Boss Si turn around and extend the hand he had just shaken hers.

A great Yao walked in and meticulously wiped the boy's hands with a light blue handkerchief.

Lu Mingzhu's eyes blurred.

Even the most beautiful and stunning among the last batch of goods, who was now the top courtesan by the side of the Public Security Bureau chief, wasn't even a tenth as beautiful as this 'Yao'.

Behind the Yao was a comatose guy, his head covered with a hood, making his appearance unclear.

Zhang Fusheng withdrew his hand, turned around, and looked at the beautiful woman, scanning her up and down without restraint.

The latter remained composed.

He said simply:

"Arrange a house with a dungeon for me in the Fifth District. How much Star Beast Meat do you have in stock at the hotel?"

"Star Beast Meat?" Lu Mingzhu asked without hesitation. "The hotel has very little demand for this. We only prepare a small amount for a few guests who prefer it. We usually keep about one or two taels of Iron Horned Giant Rhinoceros Meat on hand."

"Bring it. And prepare ten kilograms of gold bars for me," Zhang Fusheng instructed out of the corner of his eye.

No one moved.

It wasn't until Lu Mingzhu nodded that someone ran off. Before long, they returned with a bag of sealed Star Beast Meat and a handbag containing ten gold bars, each weighing a kilogram.

The Federation's gold price is one hundred yuan per gram. Ten kilograms of gold bars would be just over a million.

Lu Mingzhu smiled.

"Boss Si, do you have any other requests? We will do our utmost to provide."

She couldn't help but glance at the enchanting girl following behind Boss Si.

Zhang Fusheng weighed the Star Beast Meat and said kindly, "When I got off the train, someone was following me. Can you find out who it was?"

Lu Mingzhu was taken aback. "Something like that happened? Boss Si, don't worry. We will fully investigate. I'll contact the Public Security Bureau immediately and pull up the surveillance footage near West Station."

"Yes, Manager."

Zhang Fusheng calmly watched the two of them put on a show.

When he entered the hotel, his mental will had already sensed those two people who had been watching and spying outside the station earlier.

Zhang Fusheng waved his hand.

Lu Mingzhu also waved her hand, and the accompanying staff left the conference room, closing the door behind them.

Only three people remained in the room, along with a comatose Huang Zhongxiao.

"Boss Si, do you have any other..." Lu Mingzhu began with a smile, but before she could finish, Chen Nuanyu had already grabbed her throat and lifted her lightly.

She was skilled in management and combat, but her cultivation was not high, only at the Second Refinement level.

One minute, two minutes.

Lu Mingzhu didn't struggle or cry for help, simply allowing Chen Nuanyu to hold her up. Her face began to turn blue.

Only when Zhang Fusheng let out a nasal grunt did Chen Nuanyu release her fair hand.

The beautiful woman slumped to the floor, then quickly got up, lowering her head. "Boss Si, I was wrong. I will accept the family law later. If Boss Si wishes to personally pass judgment, Mingzhu will kneel and accept it."

Zhang Fusheng asked with interest, "How should this matter be handled according to the family law?"

Lu Mingzhu replied without hesitation, "Severe punishment, being buried alive. If Boss Si shows mercy and spares my life, then eighty lashes with a red staff, three cuts to the eyes, and the loss of four fingers."

"Oh, then that's how it will be done."

Zhang Fusheng kicked Huang Zhongxiao, who was wearing a hood and lying unconscious on the ground beside him. "Take him to the house with the dungeon, and then send me the address. Do not remove his hood. You will go with them."

He glanced at Chen Nuanyu, who nodded.

Zhang Fusheng then looked at Lu Mingzhu. "Also, for the next few days, the hotel will unconditionally obey my orders. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Boss Si," Lu Mingzhu responded meticulously.

Zhang Fusheng turned and left.

Lu Mingzhu remained standing with her head bowed until his figure disappeared.

After he was gone, the eight waiting managers entered.

"Take Miss Chen and this person to the Fifth District. Find a house with a dungeon, and do not remove the hood."

After watching Chen Nuanyu and the unconscious man being led away, Lu Mingzhu murmured with her eyebrows lowered, "Boss Si is establishing his authority. His methods are a bit too immature, though. I didn't expect it to be ineffective. He has a Second Refinement level demoness by his side."

She scanned the eight managers. "Bring me a knife."

The managers were confused. They didn't know what had happened in the conference room.

Soon, someone handed her a short knife. Then, to the horror of the eight men, Lu Mingzhu decisively chopped off four fingers of her left hand and then stomped on the severed fingers, crushing them.

"Arrange for the punishment to be carried out tomorrow according to the family law. I will receive eighty lashes with a red staff and three cuts to the eyes."

"This manager??"

"Go do it."

"Yes."

The management staff left one after another, leaving only a confidant.

"Manager, isn't this Boss Si going a bit too far?" the confidant said in a low voice.

Lu Mingzhu raised her left hand and examined the bleeding stump. "He overstepped his bounds, and he deserves to be punished. I only blame myself for not being careful enough to get caught."

More than ten kilometers away.

In a taxi.

Zhang Fusheng, who had been closing his eyes, narrowed them. This woman was quite ruthless; he had underestimated her.

He had indeed used the situation as an excuse to establish his authority so that the things he planned to do next would go smoothly, such as searching for Star Beast Meat at all costs.

However, as Lu Mingzhu said, his methods were too naive.

He hadn't even managed to establish his authority; instead, he had revealed some of his weaknesses to others.

Zhang Fusheng rubbed his temples wearily, slowly withdrawing his mental will from the Ping'an Hotel, and sighed with a sense of loss.

He suddenly realized that when it came to ruthlessness, he wasn't even as good as Chen Nuanyu. She could unhesitatingly want to kill the controlled travelers, while he subconsciously stopped her.

Zhang Fusheng asked himself:

If, as his Master said, he had to destroy someone's entire family, he probably wouldn't be able to bring himself to break a child's neck with his own hands.

At least, he would find it very difficult to do it himself.

Having lived two lives, not to mention living in abundance, at least both lives had been filled with family happiness. To put it bluntly, he was just a peaceful commoner.

Where would he get so many malicious thoughts and cruel methods?

He could kill, but he truly couldn't kill indiscriminately. His mindset hadn't changed yet. If he didn't encounter some extreme change, Zhang Fusheng felt he wouldn't be able to undergo a major change in his mindset in a short period.

"Perhaps I need a... glove?" Zhang Fusheng thought.

Yes, a glove, someone to do the dirty work for him.

After all, out of sight, out of mind.

Lu Mingzhu was ruthless enough, but whether she was qualified would have to be seen.

The taxi soon arrived at the Fifth District. It would probably take another ten minutes.

He sent a message to his cousin.

Zhang Fusheng: I'm outside the residential area, get ready to open the door and welcome your king.

Zhang La Xi: Dawdling. Also, pick up a package at station 1, 220757.

Zhang Fusheng: 1

He had saved Zhang Xiaoxi's contact as Zhang La Xi.

Not long after, the taxi arrived at the Jiayuan Residential Area.

"I still have to go pick up a package. Every time I come, you make me run errands, you bastard," Zhang Fusheng grumbled. He walked into the residential area, took a few left and right turns, and found the station just as it was about to close at nine o'clock.

Standing in front of Zhang Xiaoxi's package, Zhang Fusheng fell silent.

He opened his phone.

"You bought a refrigerator?"

Zhang La Xi: The weather is so nice today!

Zhang Fusheng: Holy crap, come down and get it yourself!

'Message sent, but rejected.'

Zhang Fusheng: ???