Qing Ge poured another glass and said, "Today is a great day for A'Bao's raw stone base to prepare for opening. Let's take advantage of his drinks to have double happiness. I'll toast General Bo Gang with a return drink!"
He finished his drink in one gulp, and it was Bo Gang's turn to feel awkward. He knew Qing Ge was making things difficult for him, but since he had offered the toast himself, refusing would be a loss of face.
A lady attendant came to pour drinks for the three of them. Bo Gang's hands were visibly trembling.
He probably hadn't drunk this much before. Each glass held two liang and a half, so two glasses were half a jin of high-proof liquor. For an average drinker, it would be enough to knock them out on the spot.
Qing Ge held his empty glass, watching them. Bo Gang must have wished he were dead by now. He hadn't expected his simple act of toasting to go so smoothly with the other three tables, only to be stalled at Qing Ge's.
He had known this table wouldn't be easy, expecting maybe some unfriendly words, but he hadn't anticipated Qing Ge would use liquor to his disadvantage.
Perhaps Qing Ge knew Bo Gang had a low tolerance for alcohol, which was why he deliberately targeted him in this regard.
With no other choice, Bo Gang tilted his head back and drank it all, imitating Qing Ge by holding his glass at a 45-degree angle to show it was empty.
The two officials looked as if they were about to cry. They had never drunk so much in their lives, and they probably wouldn't be able to maintain their composure after drinking.
Bo Gang, feigning generosity, said, "Such a small amount of wine, just pour it in your mouth. Why are you hesitating?"
The two officials had no choice but to refuse, drinking it down like poison, their faces contorted.
We arrived at Sino-Myanmar Street at half-past five in the afternoon.
I told Wen Siqiang to wait in the car, and I would call him if there were any special circumstances.
I should buy Wen Siqiang a mobile phone; it would make things much easier.
When I entered the room, Bo Gang was still sitting in his original spot. He was wearing traditional Burmese attire, a headscarf tied around his head, his bulky body filling the rattan chair.
Looking at him like this, he didn't seem like a demon king of murder at all, but rather an old man from a foreign land.
Unfortunately, he wasn't just any ordinary foreign elder; his mind was filled with thoughts of murder and theft, preoccupied with money and profit.
He looked up at me and said, "That bastard Kang Gong has connections everywhere. We've all been played. He donated so much and has now become a hero of Myanmar, while we are neither here nor there, and have even gained a reputation for incompetence. Now they've confiscated my military power, and I'm just an advisor in a government department. Damn it, if I start a rebellion later and bring down the sky, let's see if they still don't take me seriously!"
Bo Gang was indeed a rough character who solved problems with impulse rather than thought. Although we used him this time, if he had handled it well, the benefits he could have gained would have lasted a lifetime. How could he have messed it up like this?
I looked at him and asked, "What are your plans?"
Bo Gang replied, "What plans do I have? Let's get our business started quickly. I need a large sum of money to build an army. You have to solve this for me!"
What kind of logic was this? He would build an army, and I would solve it? This was blatant bandit logic.
I said, "Now that Kang Gong is back, can he let me off? He's keeping a close eye on my every move. If we get involved in this now, it's a dead end!"
Bo Gang retorted, "I only have this thing in my hands. Am I supposed to wait for it to grow mold before cashing it in? I don't care. Whatever method you think of, you have to get rid of it, or you won't have your life, nor the lives of your wives and concubines!"
This bastard was really cornering me, always bringing up my family. That was my weakness, my Achilles' heel, and he knew exactly how to hit it.
I said, "It's not easy anyway. I'll give you a suggestion. The raw stone business is doing very well here, and the demand for finished products domestically is huge. As long as you can get the raw stones, I'll help you sell as many as you have, even for free. I won't take a cent from you."
Bo Gang asked, "Raw stones? Where am I supposed to find raw stones? Unless I rob them!"
Raw stones are a business, a trade that requires investment, yet he immediately suggested stealing them.
I gave a bitter smile; there was no reasoning with someone like this.
Bo Gang said, "I have to go back. You take care of what I told you. Someone will contact you in the next couple of days!"
I replied, "You also need to consider what I told you. You're there, and you must have channels to get the stones. As long as the quality is good, this amount of money is not a problem. Why take a path full of risks of beheading when you have a sunlit highway?"
He said, "I'll think about it. In any case, help me make money as soon as possible!"
With that, he stood up. I quickly took my leave. Dealing with people like him was like adding blood to the tip of a knife; the sooner I left, the better.
I walked out and got into the car. I told Wen Siqiang, "Let's go back to the Grand World."
Wen Siqiang didn't say a word and drove off.
Sitting in the car, I felt troubled. I hadn't sorted things out with the Crown Prince yet. His father had been released, which should have eased some of Bo Gang's pressure. But now, things had escalated, making it suffocating.
I needed to find a breakthrough to unravel this tangled mess. Otherwise, the three of them would be like a winch, grinding me to death.
I returned to my office. Lan Ya asked me, "Not going well? You look quite worried."
I replied, "Yes, Bo Gang has illegal goods, and he needs us to help him cash them in, or he'll threaten my family! I suggested he supply us with raw stones, which would be a win-win and not illegal. Guess what he said? He said he has no raw stones, unless he robs them! Raw stones are a business, acquired through trade, and he actually suggested using a gun to get them!"
Lan Ya said, "Bo Gang is ultimately a menace. We should discuss this with Brother Bao and ideally get rid of him, otherwise, he'll drive us into a corner."
I agreed, "Yes, I was thinking the same thing on the way. We must find a way to eliminate him!"
Lan Ya picked up the phone and called Brother Bao, asking him to come over to discuss how to get rid of Bo Gang.
At that moment, Wen Siqiang entered and said that the people we summoned for training had all arrived and asked if I wanted to begin.
I told Lan Ya that I would go to the training class first and to let me know when Brother Bao arrived.
We had selected thirty people in total, mainly for security and service. They were divided into two teams, and we had cleared out two private rooms for their training.
They gathered in one room waiting for me, and then we would have separate classes.
I went in and spoke to them about the precautions for the new company's opening and the rules for receiving guests. I saw Xiao Hong among the service staff, and she was in charge of that group.
The security team also had a team leader selected. He was an old employee from the Grand World, named San Zi. He was burly and dark-skinned, and knew some martial arts.
I instructed them to split into two groups, with one group moving to another room.
The security team members who remained had simpler training. A mat was placed in the middle of the room, and they paired up for sparring. Those eliminated would wait, and the winners would advance to the next round.
Those eliminated in the first round would be put under the team leader's intensified training for ten days. After ten days, a second competition would be held, and the bottom five would be eliminated.
Elimination didn't mean dismissal; they would only be reassigned to ordinary positions, with the winning candidates taking up the important posts.
For the female staff, the training primarily focused on etiquette and Mandarin. I specifically hired an etiquette teacher from a training company to instruct them.
Just then, my phone rang. Lan Ya said Brother Bao had arrived at the office.
I hurried over to see Brother Bao.
Brother Bao had likely been briefed by Lan Ya about the situation. His expression was as grave as mine. He must have also felt the seriousness of the matter; this Bo Gang was putting immense pressure on us.
Brother Bao said, "We'll meet with Qing Ge tomorrow and discuss Bo Gang in detail. If we want to deal with him, we need to find his stronghold first. Qing Ge mentioned that after the last incident, he hasn't been back to that waterside villa in Yangon. He likely has a base along the border. Qing Ge has already arranged for informants to scout his activity locations there. Once we've figured it out, we should eradicate him completely! Unlike Kang Gong, who couldn't be killed, creating another enemy. If we can't kill Bo Gang in one go, we will be the ones to die."
I nodded. Yes, if we couldn't kill him in one go, our lives would be on a countdown.
Bo Gang came from a guerrilla background and had experience in jungle warfare. The terrain of Myanmar was rugged and treacherous, with poor transportation. He could retreat and defend, or advance and attack, which was very disadvantageous for us. To deal with him, we had to put in a hundredfold effort; we could only win, never fail!