Two days later, Shao Yaozong transmitted a set of accounts to Zhao Shengge as promised. Zhao Shengge made a copy for himself, then turned around and tossed it to Customs and the Inspectorate.
Under Zhao Shengge’s protection, Shao Yaozong’s shipment passed through the inner harbor very quickly. Unfortunately, it ran into monsoon currents and drifted at sea for several days before setting out again once the waves calmed.
Only after the cargo ship had truly crossed the Jixi Strait did Shao Yaozong send over another encrypted video, but he did not provide the password directly.
By the time Criminal Investigation successfully cracked it, that batch of goods had already passed through the international port. Pursuing it on the high seas would be a little more troublesome.
But that was no longer Zhao Shengge’s concern. He obtained that parcel of land on schedule. He wanted to build a dedicated terminal and establish his own transportation network and maritime kingdom.
In order to wipe out the gang forces in one sweep and pull them out by the roots, the securities and banking regulators joined forces with Criminal Investigation to investigate Shao Yaozong’s goods, gold, and virtual currency stored in Eagle Pond’s private bank. Everyone who had appeared at Eagle Pond that night was also screened one by one.
White Crane Hall had run rampant in Hai City for many years. It had hidden members in every trade and profession: white-collar workers drawing high salaries at Fortune 500 companies, cleaners living on social-security subsidies, even officials and politicians. The personnel were a chaotic mix, subjected to mental indoctrination, not much different from a cult.
The higher-ups had long planned to ban it. They had simply never been able to find a breakthrough point. Zhao Shengge’s willingness to step into these muddy waters made things much simpler.
On the principle that it was better to wrongly catch ten thousand than let one slip through, the police station screened everyone who had appeared that night according to procedure and drew up a long list. They asked Zhao Shengge whether any of them were his people; if they accidentally arrested the wrong person and created an embarrassing misunderstanding, it would not be good for relations.
Zhao Shengge glanced over it and said, “No.”
The surveillance footage from that night had captured Chen Wan’s car. It had also captured Zhao Shengge getting out of that car. The senior officer from Criminal Investigation was cautious and asked one extra question: was the car his? If so, they could exempt it from investigation and reduce the team’s workload.
Zhao Shengge denied it, saying it had only been a convenient ride. He instructed the officer to investigate whatever should be investigated properly and not cut corners.
Who knew what sort of ghosts and monsters would turn up.
Chen Wan was Zhuo Zhixuan’s friend, and he was not anyone important. Zhao Shengge was not going to investigate him specially. He did not have that kind of time to waste. But people like that looked as if they had plenty of problems. Human or demon, one pass through the police station and courts would show exactly what he was.
Chen Wan was absolutely not some harmless creature. Tan Youming and Zhuo Zhixuan being fools was one thing; Zhao Shengge had never seen anyone capable of coaxing even Shen Zongnian into losing his head.
Chen Wan was summoned for questioning at the negotiation table. He was in the middle of discussing the latest patent-transfer contract with a Singaporean.
This was Kexiang’s most important project at its current stage. Chen Wan had poured a great deal of effort into it, stayed up through many nights, attended many social engagements he did not want to attend, and begged for many connections before finally fighting for this opportunity.
Chen Wan was taken away by the police under the investor’s gaze, which was full of shock and suspicion.
Although he stayed calm in the face of change, behaved with composure, and even had enough emotional space left over to soothe the other party and guarantee that there was nothing wrong, that he was merely going in to answer a few questions, he still read distrust and retreat in the investor’s expression.
Chen Wan was worried that all his work would fall apart at the final step. He promised the other party he would provide an explanation as quickly as possible, but the police were pressing urgently, so he had no choice but to go to the police station first.
By coincidence, Zhuo Zhixuan called him. Chen Wan gave him a rough explanation. Zhuo Zhixuan immediately said he would contact his family’s connections to step in, but Chen Wan stopped him.
Zhuo Zhixuan actually did not have much say within his family. Chen Wan did not want his good friend to go begging elders he had been at odds with for years on his behalf.
Chen Wan said they should see how things looked first, and told Zhuo Zhixuan not to spread it around. He did not want it reaching Zhao Shengge’s ears. Being called in by the police for questioning was not exactly glorious.
From beginning to end, Chen Wan behaved very calmly. He was, after all, someone who had fought his way out of Little Olive Mountain. This much did not count for anything.
The police did not make things difficult for Chen Wan. They only asked some questions according to procedure. Chen Wan was clean to begin with and could withstand investigation. Only when the police mentioned the passenger in his car did Chen Wan use deft wording to remove Zhao Shengge from the matter.
It did not count as lying, but he was clearly more cautious and guarded than when answering questions about himself.
The police, of course, knew Zhao Shengge had no problem, so they did not expose his word games. His protection of Zhao Shengge instead further proved that he was not involved in the matter.
But the officer had handled cases for so many years and had rarely seen someone with such steady nerves skirting the line with the police like this. He deliberately frightened him. “Mr. Chen, you had better not play tricks with the police. This is a criminal summons for questioning. Every word you say will be entered into the record. Making a false statement is a criminal offense.”
Chen Wan had a good temper, and he had a face that looked very trustworthy. “Officer, I take responsibility for every word I have said.”
The officer studied him meaningfully. Later, while speaking with Zhao Shengge on the phone to coordinate the pursuit of that shipment, he mentioned this matter in passing.
Zhao Shengge lowered his eyes, listening while idly playing with the model pistol he had bought at the airport.
Whatever the other party said, his careless movements paused for an instant, then resumed.
Unexpected, yet within reason. Chen Wan was confirmed to have no problems, and he displayed several qualities Zhao Shengge did not much want to admit to—intelligence, for instance. Discretion. Reliability.
But Zhao Shengge still disliked it.
He disliked uncertainty. He disliked opportunism. He disliked people acting clever.
Because of this neither-large-nor-small disturbance, Chen Wan ran into a little trouble with the investors. Fortunately, he was quick-witted and told them he had gone to the police station to assist with an investigation, turning fault into merit. Once the other side saw that there was indeed no follow-up risk, they signed the contract with him on schedule.
After several twists and turns, Chen Wan was tied down on his end and missed several gatherings among the young masters. When Tan Youming asked about it, Zhuo Zhixuan cursed the police station’s people for being useless, arresting people at random and causing Chen Wan to get smeared with filth.
Although they had all grown up together, among this group Zhuo Zhixuan truly got along best with Tan Youming.
They were grown now, and they had a scale in their hearts. They would not be as intimate and unguarded as they had been in childhood, spilling everything outward. But both of them had young-master temperaments. They liked eating, drinking, and playing around; they were cynical and careless, and neither had been good at school. So within this group, Zhuo Zhixuan and Tan Youming spoke the most. Once they started denouncing the police station’s people, their mouths could hardly stop.
Zhuo Zhixuan listed in detail how the officers had caused Chen Wan trouble that day, then added fuel to the fire by saying Chen Wan’s project had been delayed, that he was running everywhere and had no spare capacity, that his whole person was mentally and physically exhausted, and even his complexion looked bad.
Tan Youming grew indignant as he listened and slapped the table hard. He said Chen Wan was good in every way except that he was too honest and had no idea how to throw his weight around.
Zhuo Zhixuan seemed to have found a kindred spirit. Great minds thought alike. He cried out, “Exactly!” while the corner of his eye occasionally swept toward the head seat.
Of course, Zhuo Zhixuan did not know the culprit was currently being honored by them at the head seat, nor did he know what had happened that night. He simply wanted to see whether the name would produce the slightest reaction or fluctuation in Zhao Shengge.
None.
Zhao Shengge was as he had always been, detached from the matter. He turned his teacup and watched from the sidelines.
In truth, Zhuo Zhixuan had always felt that Zhao Shengge’s real nature was very indifferent. His tolerance, steadiness, and seemingly friendly grace were only the surface layer of years of cultivation and restraint. They carried a superior’s charity and pity, not empathy from the heart.
But Chen Wan insisted that the man was upright and kind.
Zhuo Zhixuan had nothing to say.
Wherever Zhuo Zhixuan and Tan Youming were present, there was basically no possibility of quiet. Zhao Shengge’s expression was faint, and he was not very interested in the topic of Chen Wan either.
He thought tonight was somewhat boring. The food was not very good, and the room was a little stuffy. The air did not circulate well.
This was their exclusive private room. When they did not come, no other guests used it. He did not know whether the manager had forgotten to have someone open the windows ahead of time for ventilation.
Zhao Shengge barely touched his chopsticks. Shen Zongnian glanced at him. Zhao Shengge shrugged.
The topic of Chen Wan still had not passed. Chen Wan certainly would never imagine that one day, even when he was not present, he would become the focus of this group of young masters’ conversation.
Because Jiang Ying was not as familiar with Chen Wan as the others were, he asked why Chen Wan had to be so stubborn. In truth, if Chen Wan had told them, it would have been a matter of one phone call.
Zhuo Zhixuan waved a hand. “He’s least willing to trouble other people.”
Tan Youming said they needed to properly correct this fault of Chen Wan’s. Zhuo Zhixuan responded enthusiastically. Jiang Ying also said he could help smooth things over with the police station. Procedure should be followed, but there was no need to make things this difficult for someone. He had not met Chen Wan often, but his impression of him was very good.
Zhao Shengge thought, He cannot be that useless, can he?
That was not how the officer had described him.
Chen Wan looked like the sort of person who could handle any situation smoothly and skillfully from every angle. Even if a brawl broke out, he could stab someone and then smile elegantly as he said, “I am terribly sorry.”
When Zhuo Zhixuan’s gaze unconsciously swept this way again, Zhao Shengge met his eyes politely and calmly. Zhuo Zhixuan was leaning back in his chair, very relaxed, without the slightest hint of guilt.
Zhao Shengge had barely spoken all evening. Not until the gathering was close to ending did he suggest, “The Baoli Bay land has been formally signed over. How about I treat everyone to a trip out to sea to celebrate?”
He looked very generous and openhanded. Tan Youming immediately grew excited.
Going out to sea meant driving a yacht out to the high seas. Many entertainment activities were prohibited within Hai City’s jurisdiction, but once they reached the high seas, no one could control them. They could play however they wanted.
It was just that the procedures for going out to sea were rather complicated. There were many approval steps, and the process took a long time. Many people with money still found it troublesome. But whether something was troublesome or not ultimately depended on how strong one’s connections were.
Zhao Shengge glanced at Zhuo Zhixuan, who was discussing with Tan Youming what entertainment they should arrange then, and said as if casually, “Let’s take Whale Ship 17. It’s been idle for a long time since its maiden voyage.”
Whale Ship was a major cruise-liner series manufactured under Minglong. The Model 17 configuration was the only one of its kind in all of Asia, a luxurious and magnificent behemoth that was not casually sent out to sea unless the guests were extremely distinguished or the celebration was of great significance.
Tan Youming’s expression was excited as he scolded, “Wasteful!”
“Whale Ship is way too big! With just the few of us, we’ll get lost the moment we go in.”
Zhao Shengge said, “Then invite people. It can just happen to give Minglong’s terminal construction some material.”
As expected, Zhuo Zhixuan immediately said, “Then I’m calling Ah Wan.”
Zhao Shengge did not speak.
Shen Zongnian set down the wine in his hand and glanced at Zhao Shengge.