Page 36

Wang Zhaoyi plopped down in a round swivel chair of white steel wrapped in black leather. The accountant under him placed the documents from his arms onto the desk. The young woman took them and processed all the paperwork as quickly as she could. Finally, she let out a breath and asked the routine question, "All the accounts have been reported, right? Nothing was left out?"

Wang Zhaoyi tilted his head, thought seriously for a moment, then asked, "Do the accounts for selling fake antiques and smuggling weapons need to be submitted too?"

Crack—

As though she had been struck by lightning, the young woman sat frozen in her office chair. She stared blankly at the smiling Wang Zhaoyi across from her, on the verge of collapse.

She... seemed to have heard... something... she was not supposed to hear!!!

Inside the service windows, every office worker looked at the Director-General with the tragic expression of people crushed beneath the unbearable weight of life.

Waaah, why the hell did you make these big shots come here to pay taxes? My pathetic little life can't take this!

Author's note: Solemn declaration: This chapter was completely made up. Any resemblance is purely coincidental ╮(╯_╰)╭

And once again, thanks to—

Demeter threw a landmine ╭(╯3╰)╮

Candied Apple threw a landmine ╭(╯3╰)╮

Demeter threw a landmine ╭(╯3╰)╮

Bai Zui threw a landmine ╭(╯3╰)╮

Bai Zui threw a landmine ╭(╯3╰)╮

Dandan de Shang threw a landmine ╭(╯3╰)╮

Zhuzhu threw a landmine ╭(╯3╰)╮

36

The bored big shots of the Old District were making a huge fuss over paying taxes for the first time in their lives, while the National Intelligence Bureau in faraway Yanjing was also tangled up over the information Gu Anming had brought back. According to what Gu Anming had learned from Mayor Gu, the so-called crime of Old District underworld figures colluding with the Japanese devils to sell antiques had been an elaborately planned scam from the very beginning. Although selling fake antiques was illegal from a legal standpoint, compared with the accusation of betraying the country for profit and peddling the heritage left behind by their ancestors, selling fake antiques to the Japanese devils to fleece them of money was undoubtedly far more aboveboard and satisfying. For the National Intelligence Bureau, which never seemed to get much of an advantage in foreign negotiations, this was also news they could secretly enjoy whenever they had nothing better to do.

"Since they were not selling cultural relics or genuine antiques, but merely making counterfeits, the nature of the matter is different. It did not involve treason, nor did it endanger national security or the lives and property of the people. This is not something we need to consider. Transfer the case to the Bureau of Industry and Commerce. Cracking down on counterfeits is within their scope of work anyway." The Director-General of the Intelligence Bureau irresponsibly shoved the matter away, then asked Gu Anming, "You took a trip to the Old District. What did you think of the local situation?"

Gu Anming answered expressionlessly, "When I arrived, the Old District gangs were busy whitewashing their businesses. I heard that the Zhang Family Gang's leader had acquired an alloy factory and even imported the most advanced machine tools from abroad through special channels—"

After a pause, Gu Anming explained pointedly, "As far as I know, those machines are high-tech equipment explicitly prohibited by international regulations from being sold to Third World countries."

Hearing this, the Director-General of the Intelligence Bureau unconsciously moved his fingers. His fingertips tapped rhythmically against the desktop for a while as he sank into thought. Gu Anming continued, "If our steel mills and research institutes also had such equipment, many research projects that have been stalled could be put back on the agenda."

The Director-General of the Intelligence Bureau sighed unconsciously. "Yes. The lag in basic industry has always restricted the development of our large-scale heavy industry. Many excellent things painstakingly designed by our experts have had to be shelved for lack of suitable materials. And once they are shelved, who knows when they can be resumed..."

Gu Anming picked up the thread. "If we could use the Old District's purchasing channels to secretly import the machinery and equipment we need, the work of the research institutes would undoubtedly become much easier."

The Director-General of the Intelligence Bureau shook his head noncommittally. "It would be easier if they handled something like this. If we stepped in ourselves, it might cause an international dispute."

"Then let them handle it directly," Gu Anming said. "How the equipment is used after it is brought in is our business. As long as we keep it sufficiently confidential and outsiders do not discover it, there will be no problem."

The Director-General's heart stirred. He looked up at Gu Anming. "Are you confident?"

"From my interactions with the locals in the Old District, although they are somewhat closed-off and backward, and their temperaments are unruly, their loyalty to the country and the nation is beyond question. Previously, we simply had no opportunity to interact, so both sides were strangers to one another. As we have more contact in the future, I believe the people of the Old District will not stand by and watch their motherland fall into difficulty without lending a hand."

Gu Anming added meaningfully, "Actually, I think this task could be entrusted to the Old District's newly appointed mayor. After all, Mayor Gu has already had very positive contact with the local forces in the Old District and established an excellent cooperative relationship with them. Having him advance this matter would not only avoid the risk of exposing us, but would also make it easier for the local Old District forces to accept."

The Director-General of the Intelligence Bureau fell silent for a long while. Both were members of the Gu Family, so of course he understood the implication behind Gu Anming recommending Gu Zhaohuan. But Gu Anming was right. At present, Mayor Gu was the only person within the system who had the most contact with the Old District. Entrusting this matter to him really was the most appropriate choice. When national interests were at stake, the organization allowed staff members to seek benefits for their families and themselves. Otherwise, how could it motivate them to work actively?

Thinking this, the Director-General of the Intelligence Bureau smiled faintly and said, "This is a matter of great importance. It is not something our Intelligence Bureau can decide on its own. I will report it upward first and see what the leaders think. You should head home. You have been away on business for many days and must be tired. Your old man has been anxiously waiting for you. If you delay any longer, he may come straight here looking for me."

At those words, Gu Anming stood at attention and gave a military salute before turning to leave the office.

When Gu Anming drove home, Old Master Gu and several elders from his father's generation were all there. Apart from those working out of town who could not return, such a grand gathering was naturally not just to welcome back the eldest grandson from a business trip. Sure enough, after Gu Anming greeted the elders and had just sat down on the sofa in the living room, Old Master Gu asked, "How did it feel carrying out your mission in the Old District this time?"

Gu Anming silently organized his thoughts before saying, "It is a very special place. The people's awareness seems to have remained in the Republican Era. The status of family powers and clan authority in their hearts can almost rival the law. Although they have come into contact with new things like the internet and television, their attention remains focused on history. The people have strong cohesion and solidarity. Perhaps because they have had little contact with the outside world for so long, they are highly hostile toward outsiders. A lone outsider would likely find it difficult to gain a foothold in the Old District. Even forces with backing behind them would find it hard to open up the situation after entering the Old District."

As he spoke, he recounted everything the Li Family had encountered in the Old District before his return.

The Gu Family men nodded thoughtfully. The great setback suffered by the Li Family in the Old District had been heard of by all the prominent families in the capital, and Old Master Gu vaguely knew that his youngest son had probably played a part in it. However, no one knew the full details. Now, after hearing Gu Anming's account and deductions, Old Master Gu suddenly felt that it was nothing short of a miracle for his youngest son to have built such a position in so short a time.

As though he had guessed the old man's thoughts, Gu Anming said, "My uncle gets along very well with the local forces in the Old District. In particular, he is extremely close with the Zhang Family head, who is known as the leader of the Old District. Regarding the Li Family matter... my uncle stood on the Zhang Family's side."

Old Master Gu curled his lip disdainfully and shook his head. "The Li Family is finished in this generation. What man does not want to distinguish himself and bring honor to his ancestors? Yet instead of relying on their own abilities, they place their hopes in the sordid schemes of the inner household..."

Old Master Gu stopped awkwardly, ultimately not voicing anything harsher.

Gu Anming's father, Gu Zhenhuan, the eldest of the Gu brothers, asked with some concern, "Even if the Li Family is getting worse with each generation, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. If they learn about what Third Brother has been doing in the Old District, I am afraid they will not be pleased."

"If they are unhappy, then they are unhappy. Third Brother is only a mayor who has been in the Old District for less than a year. If they refused to tell him the truth, where was he supposed to investigate it? The whole thing was done by the Li Family themselves. What can they do about it?" Gu Chenghuan, the second Gu brother, had joined the army at eighteen and had always had a fiery temper. He had long looked down on the Li Family's eldest son for his sticky, wishy-washy nature. Now that he knew seven soldiers had died because of him, he disliked the man even more.

Only after the elders had all finished speaking did Gu Anming continue, "I also proposed to the organization that we cooperate with the local forces in the Old District to develop heavy industry. The organization said it would consider my proposal. I think this is also an opportunity for our Gu Family."

He then explained in detail how the Old District used illegal channels to purchase high-tech equipment.

Gu Chenghuan, the second Gu brother, grinned as he listened. "This is excellent. I heard that the United States recently developed a new individual combat system. If we can bring that in, we can satisfy our itch to get our hands on it. Let's see how much better the Americans' equipment is than the individual combat systems produced by our research institutes."

Gu Anming said expressionlessly, "As far as I know, the latest shoulder-fired rocket launcher developed by the United States last year is already inside the vehicle of one of the Zhang Family's younger generation. It may not be impossible to purchase individual combat systems either."

Gu Chenghuan was so startled that he blurted out, "Fuck, they are not that crazy, are they?"

Far away in the Old District, the Zhang Family's Third Young Master, whose vehicle contained the newest shoulder-fired rocket launcher, was nothing like the arrogant, cool, overbearing figure Gu Chenghuan imagined. He even had a faint headache. Because his second uncle was too insane, Zhang Xianyang had been forced to use the lousy excuse that students ought to attend school to persuade his second uncle. Now, watching Li Jiangnan enter with the homeroom teacher, carrying a backpack and wearing a silent expression, Zhang Xianyang felt the hair on his head stand on end.

Why? Why is there always someone you hate hanging around you in this world?

"Students, let me introduce everyone. This is a transfer student from Yanjing. Starting today, he will attend classes and study with us. Please welcome our new classmate with applause."

At the homeroom teacher's signal, Li Jiangnan stepped forward and introduced himself. "Hello, everyone. I am Li Jiangnan. For the next two years, I will be studying and living with you all. Please take care of me."

It was not a lookalike, and no one had undergone plastic surgery. It really was that Li Family second son, like a piece of dog-skin plaster that would not come off.

After hearing that, Zhang Xianyang felt as though his entire world had gone wrong.

But the most tragic part was not even that. There were only forty-three students in the class, and because Zhang Xianyang came from a special background and had a different status, the other forty-two students all sat in pairs while Zhang Xianyang alone had a desk to himself. Thus, the new transfer student Li Jiangnan had no choice and, without any objection, was assigned to sit beside Zhang Xianyang.

As though that was not stimulating enough, the homeroom teacher said, "Starting today, our class has one more new student. I hope everyone will help him adapt to his new learning environment as quickly as possible. There are forty-four students in our class now. I hope everyone can help one another and become one friendly family."

Zhang Xianyang silently swallowed a mouthful of blood through his tears. Forty-four... that really was a suicidal number!

Li Jiangnan sat beside Zhang Xianyang. Looking at the emotion plainly written across Zhang Xianyang's face—I don't like this, so get the hell away from me—he curled his lips and said gently, "Hello, I'm Li Jiangnan. Please take care of me."