Looking at the middle-aged man in front of him, who was forcing money into his hands, Zhang Dazhu wore an awkward expression.
"Uncle Hong, what are you doing? Get up, get up."
Uncle Hong wept, snot and tears streaming down his face. "Fuxing Company, please hurry up and come collect protection fees on our street! Last night, those thugs smashed up my shop again and beat your aunt until her head was bleeding. We can't go on like this!"
Zhang Dazhu sighed.
"Uncle Hong, just wait a little longer. President Han set the company's territory, and we can't cross the line. When the company expands, your area will definitely be first. Then no one will dare cause trouble."
Uncle Hong kept pleading, but Zhang Dazhu could only refuse firmly. Seeing there was no way around it, Uncle Hong could only wipe away his tears and leave.
Li Qing sighed beside him. "Our company is so strong, so why don't we just expand our territory? Those little punks nearby don't even have a gang. We've trained for so long that the two of us could take on a whole bunch of them. Wouldn't it be good to claim more territory and collect more protection fees?"
Zhang Dazhu said, "I don't understand any of that. I just know these are the rules President Han set. We just need to follow President Han's rules. Why think so much?"
Li Qing said irritably, "With that brain of yours, you wouldn't even know when someone sold you."
By evening, their patrol was about to end. Someone else would handle the night shift.
"Finally, we're almost off work."
Before he could finish sighing, someone nearby suddenly shouted, "Catch the thief! Catch the thief!"
Zhang Dazhu looked up and saw a sharp-faced fellow running away at top speed. Behind him, a merchant shouted anxiously.
Zhang Dazhu and Li Qing immediately got up and gave chase.
How could that thief possibly be a match for Zhang Dazhu, who trained for long-distance running every day and ate well enough to get proper nutrition? Zhang Dazhu caught up with him not far beyond the street and kicked him to the ground.
"You dare steal in Fuxing Company territory? Are you tired of living? Come on, you're going to the Security Department with me!"
Without another word, Zhang Dazhu dragged him back.
"Brother, brother! Let's talk this out!"
The thief panted and lowered his voice. "Spare me, brother! I'll give you money!"
Once a thief was caught and sent to the Security Department, he would lose a hand.
Zhang Dazhu paid him no attention. The thief cried in a low voice again, "There's no one here now, no one watching! I'll give each of you 200 yuan! Let me go, and just say you didn't catch me. No one will know!"
Hmm?
A trace of hesitation appeared on Li Qing's face.
He looked around. It was an alley, and there truly wasn't a single person there.
As a Fuxing Company security guard, he earned 2,000 yuan a month. Those 200 yuan were equivalent to three days' wages...
Most importantly, it would be completely unnoticed. No one would know...
"Dazhu, Dazhu! Slow down!"
Li Qing called Zhang Dazhu to a stop and whispered, "Two hundred each! We barely make anything in a month!"
Zhang Dazhu stopped and stared at Li Qing in disbelief.
"You... you dare disobey President Han? You want to let this thief go?"
The thief called out again, "Three hundred each, three hundred! I only have 600 yuan total. I'll give it all to you!"
"If we let him go in secret, no one will ever know..."
"Shut up!"
Zhang Dazhu looked at Li Qing with deep disappointment. "I thought you were my friend, but I never expected you to be this kind of person! Don't forget who gave us the life we have now!"
"You stubborn fool!"
"Stop talking, Li Qing. I'll pretend I never heard what you said today, and I won't report you either. You should watch yourself from now on."
Zhang Dazhu dragged the thief back, leaving Li Qing so furious that he cursed under his breath behind them.
None of the three noticed that a camera on one side of the alley was pointed directly at them, recording everything.
At that moment, all of Fuxing Base's core members were gathered in the conference room, discussing the company's operations over the recent period.
"Overall, with the income from protection fees included, the company has now reached a balance between income and expenses. Revenue from shops such as clothing stores and restaurants is also steadily increasing. Next month, the company will turn a profit for the first time."
Han Yang nodded in satisfaction.
He had never expected the company to make money. All he wanted was a measure of security and a layer of cover.
Even if he had to pour money into it, he would maintain the company's existence.
But if the company could sustain itself and even make a profit, that was naturally even better.
"It seems that even in the slums, consumer demand isn't low. It was merely suppressed in the past because there was no order.
Everyone has done very well. Next, we must continue to uphold the principle of honest business and establish the Fuxing Company brand. We also need to strengthen oversight of merchants in the surrounding streets. Any merchants found passing off inferior goods as quality products or cheating people must be firmly driven out."
"Yes."
Zhao Fu, who managed the finances, hesitated for a moment before speaking. "President Han, our company has become quite strong lately. Should we expand again, claim more territory, and increase the company's scale?"
Li Hu added, "Recently, many people from the neighboring streets have come begging me to collect protection fees from them."
"Everyone wants a stable environment."
"Yes, people have come looking for me too."
Aunt Wang sighed. "They're all old neighbors. Sigh."
The situation could not have been better. Timing, location, and public support were all in place. It was a genuine opportunity for expansion.
Han Yang smiled. "I understand everyone's desire to see the company grow. But now is not the time to expand. When the time comes, I'll make arrangements. At this stage, everyone must remember that our territory consists of only these three streets. Just manage your own affairs. Anyone who dares cross the line will be fired immediately."
By the end, Han Yang's tone had turned stern. All the company's core members fell silent in fear.
After the meeting ended, everyone left, but Shen the Butcher remained behind.
"Xiaoyang, I don't understand either. Why won't you agree to expand? With more territory, the business grows bigger and we get more people. Isn't that good?"
Shen the Butcher was filled with confusion.
There was no need to explain it to others, but he should explain it to Shen the Butcher.
Han Yang sighed.
"Under the existing order, if we establish an entirely new order and gain the wholehearted support of the people... where would that leave the Earth Government? Do you think I'm not dying fast enough?"
Shen the Butcher froze. In an instant, he understood everything, and cold sweat broke out across his back.
"This, this..."
Shen the Butcher wiped away his cold sweat, with none of his former composure remaining. "Then why are you doing this in these three streets, Xiaoyang...?"
"For now, it's fine. Maintaining order around the company to protect the company's interests is a justification that holds up anywhere. But if we blindly expand our territory and blindly impose the current order, that would be courting death.
So it isn't that I don't want to expand. It's that I can't."
Han Yang sighed. "But once the company grows larger in the future, we can expand appropriately. Still, it can only be kept around the company."
Shen the Butcher looked at Han Yang with deep admiration. This time, he was completely convinced.
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