Big Shot

The smuggling boss was caught during his final smuggling attempt.

This action has a strong sense of destiny.

The problem is that this matter cannot be left unresolved, as it involves one of the top ten guild leaders and is a major issue that requires Boss Zheng's intervention.

Otherwise, if high-level leaders at this level can be abandoned, morale will collapse, and once morale collapses, the team will be difficult to lead.

The various troublemaking plans of the Hu Mang parasitizing Zheng Family Garden are about to run into trouble.

Moreover, this matter involves another big water piper, Master Bao, who is even bigger than Boss Zheng.

If Boss Zheng is a semi-new big water tap, then this Master Bao is a veteran big water tap in Nanyang.

His influence extends beyond just one country, reaching across the entire Nanyang. He is not only Datuk Gong in Sumatra but also a member of the Autonomous Association in Java.

According to the people of Nanyang, he was a standard-level pirate who stole a country.

And there's also that mysterious and bizarre "flying pig".

Pigs flying over the sea—what kind of mind-blowing Law Technique is this? Is this how Nanyang Jiangtou is performed?

Hu Mang tapped the table, finally sorting things out.

Boss Zheng can't handle this personally, otherwise, given the other party's strange methods, they might discover something.

However, the fact that Boss Zheng cannot come forward does not mean that Zheng Family Garden cannot come forward.

"Notify the other nine bosses that we have a big job coming up."

"Also, bring me this Master Bao's file and let me see it."

In the shadow of the Datuk Gong statue, the foreigner Jiacha, silently bowed and left.

Given Boss Zheng's character, even if the other party was once a close business partner, he would still conduct an investigation.

Therefore, Zheng Family Garden's secret archive definitely contains all sorts of information about this Master Bao.

Soon, the news spread rapidly from Zheng Family Garden to the desks of the other nine masters.

"Wanshun Sea Hall? How did the Heavenly Blood Python offend him?"

On an island that serves as a private black market, Su Wanqiao, the manager of the Black Wave Charitable Inns, frowned as he looked at the message sent back from headquarters.

More than one message.

The news of Feng Haixiao's arrest was also on his desk.

"This is outrageous! How could this Martial Hall Master use the armed forces of Zheng Family Garden for his own purposes, and even offend a big shot like Master Bao!"

One of his advisors said angrily.

Su Wanqiao lit tobacco in his pipe, then lit it on the oil lamp, and puffed away while listening to the sound of the waves. Smoke rings billowed out the window and quickly dissipated in the moisture.

However, apart from this member of the think tank speaking, the other members remained silent. Some leaned against wooden pillars, feigning sleep, while others, wearing monocles, hunched over the table, reading the documents word by word.

These people were all over 40 or 50 years old, managers of various Black Wave branch warehouses, thin and bony from the sea breeze, and all shrewd and capable individuals.

Su Wanqiao then retrieved the information about Haishi, examined it carefully, and his brows furrowed deeply amidst the white smoke.

"The snake transforms into a dragon, the dragon devours the python; the Martial Hall Master has walked right into a trap."

A gaunt old man suddenly spoke.

"Yes," Su Wanqiao sighed, "After things calmed down for a while after destroying Savage Island, there are now many more spies around Zheng Family Garden, and even more than before."

"The boss got injured at the worst possible time!"

As the source of information for the entire Zheng Family Garden, Su Wanqiao naturally knew about Boss Zheng's grand plan, or rather, his ambitions.

Zheng Qingbo was never content with being just a member of an Autonomous Association, or a high-ranking member of a certain regional power in Nanyang. He wanted to become a real big fish, like Dato 'Master Bao of the Wanshun Sea Hall, like Director Hong of Nanyang Chinese Affairs General Company, or like the Yu Household Dragon Palace.

Such large water pipes, comparable to those in Nanyang, can be counted on one hand.

Only deep waters can support sharks; the waters of the Nanyang don't support many large slugs.

The most crucial point in becoming a major water facilitator of this level is to have a multinational headquarters. This "headquarters" can be a local place or a business operation model. For example, Dato 'Master Bao of the Wanshun Sea Hall has taken over nearly half of the foreign trade business of more than a dozen Nanyang countries. Master Bao 'Bao Ye's Datuk Gong' is not that of a Dato' from just one Nanyang country.

There was only one place that could satisfy Zheng Qingbo's desire for a headquarters: the newly opened Nanyang Sea Market.

The problem is that while he wanted to break through the ceiling of influence at the Nanyang Seas ports, others did too.

Why is it that only you, Zheng Qingbo, can have ambition, while others can't?

Therefore, even though Boss Zheng had a significant initial advantage, he would still have to go through a fierce battle for market share in the future.

Even deep down, Su Wanqiao felt that the chances of success this time were not very high.

The reason is simple: the emergence of the sea market stemmed from the massive export of foreign trade Law Artifact from Heavenly Gate.

Zheng Qingbo did not have a good relationship with New Heavenly Gate.

Of course, "not good" is a very modest way of putting it. Based on Zheng Qingbo's past actions, if he were inside Heavenly Gate, he would be the standard person to be beheaded by a flying sword.

Although the chances of success are low, there is still a possibility of success.

Moreover, transforming a snake into a dragon, turning the Zheng Family Garden Java a major waterway in Nanyang, is a highly competitive endeavor with a low success rate.

Unfortunately, Boss Zheng fell ill at a crucial moment.

His illness meant that all subsequent arrangements and plans had to be forcibly cancelled.

After all, a sickly, malfunctioning water pipe is in a much more dangerous situation.

To put it bluntly, if you're all done with your pants down and you don't go for it, plenty of others will.

Zheng Qingbo laid so much groundwork, but he backed out at the crucial moment.

Of course, there are plenty of people willing to take his place.

For example, his former business partner, the Datuk Bao and Black God of Wealth of the Wanshun Sea Hall.

"Moreover, appointing the ten chief administrators as officials was a terrible move!"

These words were spoken not only by Su Wanqiao, but also by an old man whose demeanor was full of hostility.

The old man was rather short, with a slightly hunched back. Years of exposure to the equatorial sun had given him a dark brown, honey-tea-colored complexion, and his skin was rough from the sun, like dried old teak.

He wore a faded, dark blue Nanyang shirt, the cuffs always rolled up, the hem stained with indelible charcoal ash and copper rust.

Based on his appearance, he is far more believable as a local native than as an old Chinese laborer from Nanyang.

At this moment, he was sitting in a Demon Beast carriage on his way to Zheng Family Garden.

Opposite him was Naimi, the security guard. This short-haired woman had several more scars on her face, in addition to the long scar that ran diagonally from the corner of her eye to her jaw.

As the last "experimental monk" to escape, Naimi was still recovering from her injuries when she was assigned a new task: to pick up Liu Shifa, the true manager of the underground Law Artifact factory in Zheng Family Garden, who was also one of the top ten masters.

Of course, Liu Shifa disdained the title of one of the top ten bosses, and he was not necessarily happy about the factory owners who supposedly controlled the Java Law Artifact market in Java.

His true identity was that of the last master craftsman of the Nanyang Military Bureau.

This Liu Shifa is already an old man of two cycles of sixty years. He spent the first sixty years in the Old Heavenly Gate Tianmen, half of his second sixty years traveling around Nanyang, and the other half in this underground Law Artifact factory.

He was a participant in the turbulent history from Middle Earth to Nanyang.

"Teacher, isn't being a tutor better?"

Naimi couldn't help but ask.

"You're now the head of the household, and your power is much greater than before. In the past, we needed Zheng Family Garden's approval to make any purchases, but now you have your own source of income and can make the decisions yourself."

Liu Shifa snorted and said disdainfully:

"Decentralization is easy, but centralization is difficult; once your stance is crooked, your mind can easily be turned around."

"Just wait and see. If even half of these top ten leaders show up, that'll be quite good."

In the darkness of night, thunder roared and torrential rain poured down.

Hu Mang stood silently at the window, watching the rain with Boss Zheng.

"How many of them came?" Hu Mang asked.

"Su Wanqiao will come; without Zheng Family Garden's protection, his business simply cannot operate. Su Tiya will come; the Jiangtou under her command need the connections Zheng Family Garden has built in the upper echelons of Java. Unfamiliar Jiangtou will not be trusted by the local powerful and influential. Liu Shifa come; he is an old man with little desire for power."

Zheng Qingbo hesitated for a moment.

"As for Hong Tiebiao and Wei Kaishan probably won't come anyway. His dock power is mostly being held back by the Wanshun Sea Hall's men. As for Hong Tiebiao, he probably doesn't want to come."

"Where's Liu Axiang? Didn't you save her life?"

Zheng Qingbo shook his head and smiled.

"She's made quite a few connections with high-ranking officials and dignitaries over the years, and she's long had the idea of leaving the Zheng Family Garden. Besides, this woman is a bit muddle-headed; if a 'Jade Bait Trade' predator comes along, she might just get caught up in it."

The bird catcher at the Jade Bait Trade?

Hu Mang quickly realized what was going on: this was just a gigolo.

As expected from Nanyang, the traditional atmosphere is strong, and the work is professional!

As Jiacha arrived in the rain, everything unfolded exactly as Zheng Qingbo had predicted: none of the most capable and loyal members of the ten top gang leaders showed up.

Hu Mang smiled, not surprised at all.

He patted Zheng Qingbo on the shoulder and said, "It's up to you, Boss Zheng. Let's see if your diplomatic skills are as impressive as they seem."

Zheng Qingbo smiled gently and led Jiacha out the door.

Transforming a snake into a dragon and becoming the so-called "Great Waterway of Nanyang" was Boss Zheng's long-cherished wish, not Mr. Boss Hu's.

Quite the opposite.

A local Java power is enough to cause trouble for Hu Mang; a Nanyang hegemon like Big Water Pit is too conspicuous and would only land him on some people's lists.

Especially the official list from Heavenly Gate.

That would be troublesome.

Especially if the people in the Underworld Bureau find out that he gave up his perfectly good civil servant job to go out to sea and mingle in the underworld.

If Eighth Master Hui knew, he'd probably beat him up.

Since that Master Bao wants to take over this business, then let him take it.

This way, he can get rid of the Haishi matter and focus on exploring the Azure Mysterious Realm while guarding his small plot of land in Zheng Family Garden.

Do you believe in light?

Hu Mang expressed his belief that when he ascended to the Rainbow Transformation body, he genuinely entered the speed of light.

He wanted to experience that feeling again.