Lin Mo drove Le Shuya to the Binzhi Building, the most famous restaurant in Jiangcheng. Its fame came from nothing other than the fact that it catered for banquets at every level, from budget to midrange to luxury, with prices set accordingly.
The food was excellent, too. He was already one of its shareholders, but for tonight's meeting with Mr. You, he had used every means at his disposal that afternoon to become its largest shareholder.
The Binzhi Building had twelve floors, with the top two reserved for the most lavish banquets. As its largest shareholder, he easily found out which room Cheng Yu and Mr. You were in: the Phoenix Tree Pavilion on the twelfth floor.
Inside the Phoenix Tree Pavilion, Cheng Yu and Yog had already started eating.
"Mm, the food really is good," Yog commented.
"Heh, if you like it, Big Shot, I'll have them deliver meals to the house every day," Cheng Yu said with a grin.
"No need. Eat it every day, and it won't taste like this anymore. Besides, Lin Mo is downstairs already. Aren't you worried he'll hear you calling me Big Shot?" Yog glanced at Cheng Yu.
"Heh, if he hears, he'll just think we're even closer than he imagined. That'll make him even more afraid to try anything," Cheng Yu said with a crafty grin.
Yog merely smiled, picked up a slice of fish, and put it into his mouth.
Cheng Yu started eating as well. After all, he needed a full stomach to put on a good show.
The Binzhi Building's front desk.
Lin Mo told the young receptionist, "Remember, do exactly what I told you in a bit. Once this is done, the lobby manager's position is yours."
The receptionist nodded. "Don't worry, Mr. Lin. I'll handle this perfectly for you."
Lin Mo nodded, then turned to Le Shuya. "Shuya, keep Cheng Yu occupied for a while. It doesn't have to be long. Twenty minutes will do."
Le Shuya nodded as well.
"Don't worry. But when you deal with Mr. You, don't use your usual approach. Stay calm and composed. I know your arrogance is an act you put on to lull your opponents into complacency, but Mr. You is different from anyone you've dealt with before. You must stay calm."
Lin Mo gazed at Le Shuya with a broad smile. The more he looked at this woman, the more he liked her. No wonder he had devoted so much effort to her.
Le Shuya rolled her eyes at his smile. "I'm being serious. Act like it."
"All right, all right. I'll listen to my darling wife Shuya," Lin Mo teased.
Le Shuya's expression didn't change. "Keep fooling around, and I'm leaving."
Lin Mo spread his hands. "Fine, you win."
Cheng Yu answered the phone. "What is it?"
The receptionist's voice came from the other end.
"Hello, Mr. Cheng. When the owner of the Binzhi Building heard you were dining here, he made a special trip to present you with one of our gold VIP cards. We know you have an honored guest and don't wish to disturb you, so could you please come down to the front desk? As an apology for the inconvenience, our owner has offered to waive your bill and give you a barrel of red wine from our private collection. Would that be all right?"
Cheng Yu smiled, thinking, He took the bait. "All right, I'll come down."
After hanging up, Cheng Yu turned to Yog. "Then, Big Shot, I'll head down first."
Yog drank the red wine in his glass and waved a hand, signaling that he needn't worry.
At the front desk, the receptionist watched the security feed, then called to Lin Mo, "Mr. Lin, Mr. Cheng has left the room."
Lin Mo signaled that he understood, then looked at Le Shuya. "Shuya, I'm heading up. I'll leave things here to you."
Le Shuya looked at him. "Remember what I told you. Stay calm."
"Okay," Lin Mo said with a smile.
Knock, knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the door of the Phoenix Tree Pavilion, and Yog said softly, "Come in."
A young man wearing a black-and-gray checked suit pushed the door open and entered. He politely introduced himself to Yog.
"Hello, Mr. You. I'm the owner of this restaurant, Lin Mo. We're deeply honored to have you dining here."
Yog smiled. "What can I do for you, Mr. Lin?"
Lin Mo's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he thought, You crafty old fox. He had spent three years fighting his way through the business world, after all-well, three years with a system helping him. What that question really meant was, "Cut the nonsense. Get to the point. What do you want?"
"Well, Mr. You, you're a business legend rarely seen even in world history. Hearing that you were dining here, I doubt any businessman would let this opportunity slip by."
Lin Mo thought, You wanted me to get to the point, didn't you? Then I will. Since you don't like fancy talk, I'll go straight to the heart of it.
Yog smiled as well. This man wasn't stupid. Quite the opposite, he was extremely clever. In the timelines Yog had observed, his abilities as an agent were at least equal to Cheng Yu's.
Unfortunately, although Yog had told Cheng Yu that he didn't care who his agent was, there was another consideration: he hated trouble of any kind.
Later on, Lin Mo would become one of those who sought to replace him. As for how that ended, there was one more Gray Fog monster outside the Door of Ultimate Extremity, standing in the place where all things fell into stillness.
"So, Mr. Lin, you're hoping to learn from my experience?"
Lin Mo's expression remained unchanged.
"If I might have that honor. Of course, I also hope you'll give me an opportunity-an opportunity to prove my abilities to you."
Yog waved a hand. "Then I'm truly sorry. I'm afraid you won't have that honor."
Lin Mo's expression stiffened. "What do you mean, sir?"
Yog smiled.
"As a businessman, Mr. Lin, you should know that business depends on two things: luck and connections. Luck cannot be replicated, and connections must be cultivated for yourself. That is my experience. As for opportunities, surely you know they're seized, not handed to you by someone else?"
Lin Mo had nothing to say. Those words rendered every argument he had prepared meaningless. I've given you what you wanted. Whether you can use it, or know how to, is your business.
Lin Mo stood and addressed Yog.
"Then I'll take my leave. Enjoy your meal." As he turned away, his face twisted with anger. He knew they were strangers, so why should the man help him? Because of a single meal? But that did nothing to diminish his humiliation and fury.
Three years. In the three years since he had transmigrated into this world, almost everything he had done had gone smoothly, with only a handful of exceptions. Yet today, he had stumbled here, and he felt he had been insulted.
Just you wait. With my system, sooner or later I'll have all of you groveling at my feet. And that day isn't far off!
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Lin Mo suddenly felt an inexplicable shudder. A helpless terror, like that of someone drowning, surged into his heart. But it lasted only an instant, and he assumed he was simply beside himself with rage.
He closed the door and headed toward the restaurant's front desk.
At the front desk, Cheng Yu held his gold membership card and asked the receptionist, "So, where's this owner you mentioned?"
Before the receptionist could answer, a brisk voice rang out. "I'm the owner."
Cheng Yu turned toward the voice and smiled. "Your Mr. Lin certainly is generous. He gave you this whole restaurant?"
Seeing Cheng Yu's expression, Le Shuya sensed something was wrong. Does he know what Mr. Lin is planning? Has he set a trap for him?
Watching the changes in Le Shuya's expression, Cheng Yu smiled. He stepped closer and said quietly,
"No need to worry, Miss Le. You're my target."
"Hm?" Le Shuya looked at Cheng Yu in surprise. "Me?"
"That's right. When it comes to dealing with Mr. Lin, you're my first choice."
Le Shuya laughed in anger. She was about to speak when Cheng Yu interrupted her.
"I know what you want to say, Miss Le. Do you think I'd say something like that without a reason?"
Cheng Yu continued,
"If I remember correctly, when loan sharks came to collect your family's debt, a thug accidentally shoved your parents down the stairs. They struck their heads and died. Afterward, Mr. Lin helped arrange their funerals and settled your family's debts, didn't he?"
Le Shuya narrowed her eyes and said,
"What are you getting at?"
Cheng Yu thought, *She took the bait. **Heart-Bewitching Spell, activate!***
"Nothing in particular."
Cheng Yu handed her a business card and a USB drive, saying,
"Here's my contact information, along with a small token of goodwill. I think whatever you uncover yourself will carry more weight than anything I could tell you. Of course, if you reach a dead end, I'm always available to help."
For some reason, Le Shuya believed what Cheng Yu said. As though compelled by an unseen force, she accepted his USB drive and business card.
Just then, Lin Mo came downstairs, and Cheng Yu greeted him first.
"Well, if it isn't Mr. Lin! You even went out of your way to treat Mr. You and me to dinner. I'll host you myself another day. You must do me the honor of coming!"
With that, Cheng Yu slapped his forehead. "Ah, my memory! I forgot that Jiangcheng's best restaurant belongs to you. Looks like I won't be able to play host after all."
Lin Mo glanced at Cheng Yu, then called,
"Shuya, let's go."
On the way back.
Le Shuya asked,
"It didn't work?"
Lin Mo exploded.
"What's so great about him? Sooner or later, I'll trample every last one of them underfoot!" He exhaled.
Lin Mo let out a deep breath. "Sorry. I lost my composure."
Le Shuya shook her head.
"It's fine. We expected this. We weren't pinning much hope on it to begin with, were we? And just like you said, I believe you'll trample all those people underfoot sooner or later."
Lin Mo smiled, then changed the subject.
"So, how did you keep Cheng Yu occupied?"
Le Shuya waved the business card in her hand.
"I told him I wanted a fallback option. I knew he had a connection with Mr. You, so I thought he'd make a good backer someday. He knew poaching me would hurt you, so he was willing to chat a little longer."
After saying that, she casually tossed the business card out the car window.
Lin Mo smiled.
"How clever. How did you get so smart?"
Le Shuya rolled her eyes at him.
"Having you around makes me look good."
Lin Mo shook his head with a chuckle, seeming considerably brighter.
Le Shuya, meanwhile, glanced at the USB drive in her bag and said nothing more.
The Phoenix Tree Pavilion.
Yog smiled and said,
"The seed has been planted?"
Cheng Yu smiled as well.
"It has. I have a feeling this seed will eventually cost Lin Mo his life."
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