An hour and a half later, Li Zhonglou left the guesthouse with a complex expression, holding a green card in his hand.
This was the identity credential of the Green Gang, and what's more, it was for a management position. Li Zhonglou had agreed to Li Meixia's request. The moment she revealed the Green Gang's most guarded secret, Li Zhonglou had immediately decided to comply.
High-level government backing – this was the Green Gang's greatest secret and their biggest advantage. Only core members of the Green Gang knew this, and it represented Li Meixia's utmost sincerity.
"Sister, didn't you say this shouldn't be spoken of even if it meant death? Is Brother Xiao really trustworthy?"
Sanyáng looked deeply worried. Although he considered Li Zhonglou his master, he still didn't know his background. He was concerned that if what happened today was leaked, Li Meixia would face severe punishment.
The fact that high-level government officials were the true owners of the Green Gang was not merely a core secret Li Meixia shared; it was information that could cause a massive uproar throughout Shangjing. If Li Zhonglou were to leak it and it was confirmed, it would undoubtedly lead to a bloody storm.
However, Li Meixia clearly wasn't worried about this. She said calmly, "It's not as simple as you think. There have been rumors of this in Shangjing's underworld for a long time, but evidence has never been found. If this matter gets out today, it proves he's not our potential partner."
Sanyáng finally understood Li Meixia's intentions and praised her, "As expected of you, Sister. This way, you not only gain Brother Xiao's trust but also test his character. It's killing two birds with one stone!"
But then he immediately worried, "But what if Brother Xiao is secretly captured and interrogated by someone else?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Meixia flicked his forehead.
"Ouch! Sister, why?"
"If you're this stupid in the future, don't call me Sister. Do you believe everything he says? As long as the evidence we hold isn't leaked, who will truly believe it?"
Sanyáng was stunned. Right, the key was the evidence. The Green Gang had survived for so many years amidst suspicion; as long as the evidence wasn't leaked, what was there to fear?
"Ahem, a slip of the tongue, a slip of the tongue. Sister, you must be hungry. I'll go buy you some food."
Sanyáng fled the room in haste. He had overlooked such a simple point due to his excessive worry for Li Meixia's safety, his face flushed red with embarrassment.
Looking at Sanyáng, who still had the mindset of a young boy, Li Meixia felt a sense of worry. The situation was becoming increasingly complex, and she didn't know if Sanyáng could remain safe within it.
Meanwhile, Li Zhonglou suddenly received a call from Ya Lili.
"Where are you?"
Her tone was urgent, and Li Zhonglou's heart skipped a beat. After a brief inquiry about the situation, he quickly turned and hurried back to the guesthouse, just in time to bump into Sanyáng who was coming out.
"Brother Xiao, you're not back yet..."
"I need to see your sister about something."
Seeing Li Zhonglou's hasty steps, Sanyáng immediately realized something was wrong. He no longer cared about buying food and quickly followed.
"Xiao Xiao?"
"Sister Xia, do you have anyone in the Panjiayuan area? My friend has some trouble there."
Li Meixia's expression immediately turned serious. "Yes, give me the specific location, and I'll send people to check."
After saying that, she immediately took out her phone. Li Zhonglou handed her the location Ya Lili had sent.
"You two head over to Yian Company..."
Li Zhonglou watched her make arrangements in an orderly fashion and felt a sense of relief. At the same time, he gained a clearer understanding of the Green Gang's influence.
It seemed as if the Green Gang had people everywhere in Shangjing, ready to be summoned at any moment?
After hanging up the phone, Li Meixia asked Li Zhonglou, "What's going on? Who are they?"
Li Zhonglou shook his head. "I'm not sure either. They said she accidentally bumped into someone's car and is now surrounded by their people."
Ya Lili had already called the police, but due to other accidents causing traffic jams, the police couldn't get there quickly. That's why she thought of Li Zhonglou being nearby.
At this moment, in a small alley behind Yian Company, Ya Lili sat in her car with a panicked expression. More than a dozen men were surrounding the car, constantly shouting and banging on the windows.
Ya Lili was so scared she had curled up into a ball, her face filled with fear.
"What should I do? Xiao Yufeng isn't answering my calls, and Brother Li isn't nearby." Ya Lili clutched her phone, praying incessantly, hoping the police would arrive sooner.
Qiao Sen was one of the thugs working for the second master of the Azure Dragon Gang. Recently, due to internal turmoil, his second master's businesses had been significantly affected. Of the three clubs Qiao Sen managed, two had been reported and shut down. Today, even the last one was sealed.
He had nowhere to vent his anger, so when the not-so-skilled driver Ya Lili rear-ended him, Qiao Sen's lust was instantly aroused. Coupled with her innocent and sweet demeanor, Qiao Sen's wicked thoughts took flight.
"Brat, get out quickly! If you don't compensate me satisfactorily today, you won't be able to hide anywhere in Shangjing!"
Qiao Sen menacingly slammed on the car window. The more Ya Lili panicked inside, the more satisfied he became. He would scare her today, then pester her tomorrow. By then, if he could get her alone, what couldn't he do?
"Stop it!"
Just as Qiao Sen was greedily staring at Ya Lili, a shout suddenly came from not far away. Qiao Sen was instantly enraged. Regardless of how many people were on the other side, they dared to interfere!
However, when he turned and saw who it was, his brow immediately furrowed.
"Black Blade, what's it to you!"
The one who shouted was a dark and burly man. His dark, sturdy muscles, combined with his height of over 1.9 meters, gave him an air of power. Moreover, he was accompanied by five other men.
What Qiao Sen cared about wasn't their numbers, as they were less than half of his own. What he cared about was the man's identity.
Black Blade, one of the Fourth Master's trusted enforcers.
Facing Qiao Sen's questioning, Black Blade replied unceremoniously, "This area is my territory. You ask why I'm meddling? Get lost. These are Sister Xia's friends. You've truly grown a leopard's gall."
Although Black Blade's men were few, they showed no fear towards Qiao Sen's group and directly stepped forward to push aside the subordinates blocking their way.
The latter merely glared without retaliating, their gaze fixed on Qiao Sen.
A ruthless glint flashed in Qiao Sen's eyes. He suddenly threw a punch towards the back of Black Blade's head.
Black Blade reacted quickly. The moment Qiao Sen moved, he sensed something was wrong. He swayed his body, narrowly dodging Qiao Sen's sneak attack.
"Damn it, go back and get more people!"
Black Blade roared and turned to kick Qiao Sen. At this moment, Qiao Sen's dozen subordinates had already swarmed them. Before Black Blade could finish his kick, he was grabbed and dragged to the ground. His five subordinates were also immediately surrounded.
The situation was about to erupt. The two sides instantly devolved into chaos. Qiao Sen, with a dark expression, retreated to the side, staring intently at Black Blade in the crowd.