Espionage: You're tasked with spying, but you'll blow up the Special Higher Police?

165. Negotiation

Zhou Hongyi leaned back lazily, clasped his hands together, and said, "Since Master Si has spoken, I will certainly give him face. I just don't know how sincere they are, and who are these people who are talking to me?"

Seeing that there was a chance, Qiao Si hurriedly said, "There's Huang Tiangang, the number two figure in the Green Gang, and Xie Xiaoyuan, the current leader of the Poisonous Snake Gang."

"Xie Xiaoyuan? Who is she? I've never even heard of her."

Qiao Si also felt the man's identity was somewhat awkward, so he brushed it off, saying, "He used to be one of the gang leader's men. Now he's taken over all of the Poisonous Snake Gang's businesses, so his strength shouldn't be underestimated. Director Zhou, if you have time, tonight at the Grand World Restaurant, in the top-tier private room, it's my treat. Let's have a good chat, open up, and make some money together. I remember you said before that the process can be a game, but the outcome must be a win-win situation, right?"

Zhou Hongyi chuckled and said, "Alright, Si Ye knows how to use my words to shut me up now. Fine, I'll definitely be there tonight."

"Great! Then we won't disturb Director Zhou's rest any longer. Mr. Gu, let's go now."

"Won't you stay for a cup of tea before you leave?" Zhou Hongyi asked, feigning reluctance. Of course, Gu Tianbo and Qiao Si weren't so tactless as to wave their hands and say no, they'd meet again that evening.

When Manyu finished brewing the tea and brought it over, the two owners hurriedly left. She nestled close to Zhou Hongyi, glanced at the door, and said, "What? You're getting involved in gang matters too?"

Zhou Hongyi picked up his teacup, blew on the floating tea leaves, took a sip, and said, "It's not that I want to interfere, but that I don't want them to. Nowadays, the underground forces in Shanghai are very complex, and most of them are on good terms with the Japanese, which is a very unfavorable situation for us. I'm also trying to show those people in a different way that getting close to the Japanese will not end well. I also want them to know who calls the shots in Shanghai at night."

As Zhou Hongyi spoke, a murderous aura involuntarily appeared on his face, leaving Manyu completely mesmerized, her eyes filled with admiration.

After Qiao Si and Gu Tianbo left the Paramount, they informed everyone about the dinner party that evening. Although everyone was seething with anger, just as Qiao Si had said, Zhou Hongyi, that mad dog, was really not someone to mess with. If they could settle things with money and redistribute the territory, it would be good for everyone. In any case, the Axe Gang had a lot of territory and venues left after being suppressed by the Japanese, enough for everyone to share.

Time passed quickly; the sun set and the moon rose. Outside the Grand World Restaurant, a large group of gang members dressed in black and wearing black hats had gathered. The restaurant was closed to the public for the day. Everyone in the underworld knew that several gang leaders were going to negotiate here.

However, the appointed time arrived, and the group of bigwigs looked at each other, but Zhou Hongyi, the main character, was nowhere to be seen.

"Master Qiao, are you sure you've got this all figured out? Where is he? It's been over ten minutes and he's still nowhere to be seen. Did he die of exhaustion on that woman's belly?"

The hot-tempered Huang Tiangang glanced at the pocket watch, his words full of impatience.

Qiao Si was also sweating profusely. He exchanged a glance with Gu Tianbo, who had come to accompany him. The latter got up and left the private room to check the situation outside.

"Please calm down, everyone. Perhaps I didn't speak clearly enough, but I heard you clearly. Director Zhou said he would definitely come. I believe he wouldn't joke about something so important."

"Master Qiao, I'm afraid they don't take you seriously at all. I think this Director Zhou is getting a bit arrogant and underestimating us old-timers. Since there's nothing to talk about, let's just stop talking and settle things with our skills. Whoever is more capable will have the upper hand!"

With her slicked-back hair and powdered face, Xie Xiaoyuan took out a mirror and tidied her hair at her temples. Her coy demeanor and domineering words formed a stark contrast.

"Not talking anymore? Who said they weren't talking anymore? Since they're not talking anymore, that suits me just the way it is. If you want to settle things with me, Zhou Hongyi, I'll respect you. Hmm? Where's that stench coming from? Oh, gentlemen, why is there an eunuch sitting at this table?"

As they were talking, the main character of the day finally appeared.

Zhou Hongyi wore a white cloak over a pure white suit, with a cigar between his fingers. His outfit today was extremely high-profile and extravagant, leaving Gu Tianbo and Qiao Si dumbfounded. What was he up to?

Looking behind Zhou Hongyi, several tall men in black suits and black jackets stood with their heads slightly lowered and their hands crossed, exuding a fierce aura.

"Director Zhou, you've finally arrived! You must have misheard me, no one said that. We were just discussing something else. It's good you're here, it's good you're here. We're all here today to resolve this. Someone, bring the food and drinks immediately!"

Qiao Si gave Gu Tianbo a wink, and the two of them quickly stood up to smooth things over, while also instructing the kitchen to continue serving dishes.

Zhou Hongyi glanced at everyone present, a cold smile on his face. With a slight shrug, his white cloak slid backward, only to be caught by a burly man behind him and hung on his arm.

When Huang Tiangang, Xie Xiaoyuan, and the others saw Zhou Hongyi appear, even though they were still dissatisfied with him, they didn't say anything more. It was just that this Director Zhou's behavior was far too high-profile.

Zhou Hongyi leaned back in his chair, ignoring the food and drinks on the table, and put his feet up on the edge of the table as if he were in his police station office, which made all the big shots frown.

"I'm here today out of respect for Boss Qiao and Boss Gu. Let's skip the dinner and stuff; I'm afraid you might poison me. Let's get straight to business. How do you want to talk?"

Qiao Si and Gu Tianbo's smiles were somewhat stiff. This Brother Zhou was so different from the one they were used to. He looked quite similar to Zhou Hongyi when he went on a drunken rampage at the Paramount. Had he drunk too much again?

"Director Zhou, since you put it that way, then I, Huang Tiangang, will speak frankly. What exactly do you mean? Originally, we were one in the legitimate world and the other in the underworld, keeping to ourselves and not interfering with each other. Besides, we were both working for the Japanese, so to put it bluntly, we were in the same boat. Why are you being so aggressive, creating something like the Razor Society and the Night Hawk Society to raid our territory? Isn't this just your own people fighting each other, making us a laughing stock?"

Although Huang Tiangang had a fiery temper, he had to restrain himself at this moment, and his words and tone remained relatively normal.

"Yes, Director Zhou, our Viper Gang leader just died tragically, and the murderer hasn't been caught yet. You've already taken over our territory one after another. Isn't that a bit unfair?"

Zhou Hongyi picked at his ear with his little finger in disgust, waved his hand and said, "I don't want to talk to this old man. Where did he come from? Did anyone kick him out? He smells like urine."

"What did you say?" Xie Xiaoyuan's eyebrows shot up in anger, and she pointed at Zhou Hongyi with her delicate fingers raised: "You...who are you calling a father-in-law?"

"I'll yell at anyone who asks me."

"You're going too far!"

"So what if I bully you?"

"You...you scoundrel! We, the Viper Gang, are not to be trifled with. If you don't show some restraint and return the territory and goods you've taken, we'll be very unkind to you!"

Xie Xiaoyuan stood up angrily and moved her delicately pointed hand closer to Zhou Hongyi.

Suddenly, a burly man in black standing behind Zhou Hongyi grabbed Xie Xiaoyuan's finger and forcefully snapped it backward with a crisp "crack." Everyone present felt a jolt; her delicate finger had been broken, and Xie Xiaoyuan cried out in pain.

But the burly man in black seemed unwilling to give up. He pulled out a gleaming short knife from the outside of his calf and slammed it into the table, pinning Xie Xiaoyuan's hand to the spot.