Seeing Baoguo's reluctance to give up the benefits from the sand quarry, Brother Mao couldn't say much. Although he was his disciple, Baoguo was a powerful figure in his own right. He could offer advice, but the final decision had to be his.
Besides, his own judgment might not be accurate. If Hongxing was truly unharmed, withdrawing from the sand quarry now would incur significant losses.
"Baoguo, since you feel that way, I won't object. I have a hunch that Zhou Tao will make a move. Regardless of whether Hongxing can make it back, you need to strengthen your defenses during this period. Zhou Tao might use this opportunity to counterattack at any time."
"Understood, Master. I'll inform them shortly. Do we need to shut down the casino as well?" kAnshu伍.ξà
"Since you want to wait until Hongxing's fate is decided, let's keep the casino open for a few more days."
Brother Mao held a forty percent stake in the casino. The longer it stayed open, the more than ten thousand yuan he earned daily, so he was naturally reluctant to close it immediately.
Phoenix Perch Hotel.
In the general manager's office, Yu Feng personally brewed tea for Zhou Tao, who had rushed over.
Zhou Tao was waiting for Yu Dongqiang here. He had also heard about Hongxing's kidnapping but was unsure if Yang Jian was responsible. He didn't have Yang Jian's number. He usually communicated with Ah Nan for loan sharking, but Ah Nan hadn't answered his calls all day.
In less than ten minutes, Yu Dongqiang arrived.
"Old Zhou, what's so urgent?"
Yu Dongqiang had just returned from Hancheng and hadn't gone home yet.
"Hongxing has been kidnapped. Have you heard?"
"No, when did it happen? Who did it?"
"It happened at noon today. Hongxing went to Nanhai this morning, and was abducted during lunch. There's been no news of him since. Hong Yushu has also rushed over."
Zhou Tao spoke with excitement. He had been waiting for something to happen to Hongxing. Yang Jian, after taking the money, had been silent for over a month, and Zhou Tao was getting anxious.
"Then call Yang Jian and see if he's the one who did it."
"I don't have his number. I usually keep in touch with Ah Nan, but he's not answering his phone right now. I came to you to help me analyze if Hongxing can escape safely this time, and whether we should take action immediately."
Yu Dongqiang was calmer than Zhou Tao. "How can we analyze this? Unless Yang Jian did it, you should try contacting Ah Nan later and make a decision once you get confirmation. If it wasn't Yang Jian, then we definitely shouldn't act rashly."
Zhou Tao sighed. "You don't understand how I feel. Baoguo's men at the sand quarry are draining my blood every day. Even if it's confirmed now that Hongxing was kidnapped by Yang Jian, I'll launch a counterattack against Baoguo tonight."
Yu Feng smiled from the side. "Mr. Zhou, your wealth can sustain you for generations. Why bother with this anger? You're a senior figure in the martial world, you've weathered all sorts of storms, why are you so impatient now?"
"You don't understand. I've been in the underworld for decades, and I've never felt so humiliated. Being bullied by a few juniors to the point where I can't hold my head up. I have to vent this anger, otherwise, I'll have no face to stay in Chengguan."
"Since you're in such a hurry, I'll help you inquire. Biao Biao went to Dongjiang yesterday, and I'm in contact with him. He should know the specifics."
Yu Feng had helped Biao Biao by hiring a lawyer for his case, and later she had pulled strings to get his sentence reduced. Therefore, she was aware of Biao Biao's visit to Yang Jian.
Yu Feng asked them to be quiet and then dialed Biao Biao's number.
"Hello, Sister Feng. What are your instructions?"
Biao Biao's deep voice came from the phone. It sounded noisy on his end.
"Biao Biao, have you arrived in Dongjiang?"
"I arrived yesterday."
"Are you with Er Jian?"
"Yes. Is there something you need?"
"I wanted to ask how Hongxing is doing now?"
Biao Biao paused on the other end. "Please wait a moment."
After half a minute, Biao Biao's voice came through. "Sister Feng, tell Mr. Zhou to send the remaining three million yuan."
"What do you mean? Three million yuan for what?"
Before Yu Feng could understand, Biao Biao hung up.
Zhou Tao became anxious. "How is it? What did Biao Biao say? Does he know about Hongxing's situation?"
"Mr. Zhou, Biao Biao only said to send three million yuan. He hung up before I could clarify."
"Send three million yuan? Damn it, the job is done! Old Yu, we'll go to Dongjiang tomorrow to deliver the money to Yang Jian."
Zhou Tao jumped up excitedly, startling Yu Dongqiang and his daughter.
Yu Feng asked doubtfully, "Mr. Zhou, what do you mean by sending money to Yang Jian?"
"Hongxing is finished. Yang Jian has dealt with him. Our biggest worry is finally gone."
"Are you sure?"
"Sure. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked me to send money."
"That's great! Yang Jian is indeed more reliable than Lu Feng. Not only did he get the job done, but he also came out unscathed. What are your plans now? Are you really going to make a move against Baoguo tonight?"
Zhou Tao slammed his fist on the desk. "Since Hongxing is finished, what do I have to worry about? I'll drive Baoguo out of Daxinhe tonight. Aren't you planning to expel Hongxing's people from the commercial concrete station?"
Yu Feng looked at her father. This was something he had to decide. Hongxing held a twenty percent stake in the commercial concrete station. He had arranged for two of his cousins to be stationed there, one in the accounting department and one in the materials department.
Yu Dongqiang also slapped the table. "We'll take action too. Arrange for someone to beat up those two, and then withhold this month's dividends. Let's see how the Hong family reacts."
Yu Feng nodded and started making calls to arrange things.
Zhou Tao also left in a hurry.
Yang Li Village, Lijian Company Yaochi Garden Project Department.
Wu Wangchun brought Wu Zhi specifically to find Jing Yongli and Liang Liang. He was also inquiring about Hongxing's situation because he suspected Yang Jian was involved, especially since Shen Hua had died in Yang Li Village.
"Uncle Wang, I really can't contact Brother Jian proactively. He's the one who calls us, and his phone number changes every time."
When Wu Wangchun asked to speak with Yang Jian, Jing Yongli politely declined. Yang Jian had instructed him not to reveal his number to anyone, not even his own parents or sisters, so making a call in front of them was impossible.
"Liang Liang, analyze it for me. Can Hongxing survive this time?"
Wu Wangchun wanted to extract some information from Liang Liang, as he was sure Liang Liang had contact with Yang Jian.
Liang Liang smiled. "Mr. Wu, what does Hongxing's survival have to do with you? Why are you so concerned?"
"Of course, I'm concerned. If Hongxing dies, I'll launch an attack on Baoguo's casino and continue to operate my own. Without their competition, my casino will be the sole dominant player."
"Oh, so that's your intention. However, I can't judge whether Hongxing can survive. I just called a friend who sells bricks in Nanhai, and they all said Hongxing is likely doomed this time, with little chance of survival. No one has asked the chamber of commerce for a ransom so far, and the police haven't found any leads."
Liang Liang didn't know if this matter was related to Yang Jian, but he was from Luogang Town and had many relatives and friends in Nanhai, giving him more information than others.