Chapter 76: Filial Piety (Seeking Monthly Votes, Recommendations, and Followers)_1
Shock gripped Cai Weiqian’s heart.
So, Brother Pei wasn’t alone?!!
At that moment, his heart felt like a flame had suddenly surged within.
Perhaps connecting it to something, Boss Cai’s fingers even began trembling with excitement.
The power of a group of Transcendents was far more awe-inspiring than that of just one person!
“No, no, no, you and Boss Pei have misunderstood,” Cai Weiqian hastily said, “I have absolutely no ill intentions, it was simply due to the misunderstanding that night. I hold Boss Pei in high regard, so I truly just wanted to make a friend. Also, to express my apology for the last time and to clear up the misunderstanding, I’ve prepared a small gift.”
He looked towards Old Wei.
Old Wei swallowed hard, finally recovering from the previous shock, and suddenly saw a person appear in the room, unnoticed by the gods or ghosts—who wouldn’t be scared?
It was lucky this wasn’t happening at night, but it was still frightening enough.
Old Wei was no pushover, with blood on his hands.
So, he understood all too well just how profound the Detering power of such an untraceable appearance could be.
If the other party really wanted to kill, who would notice it?!!!
With Boss Cai’s instruction, Old Wei stood up to get the “gift,” but even now, his arms still had goosebumps on them.
A crate nearly the height of a person was thus plainly lifted, placed on the mahogany table in front of Cai Weiqian.
Not daring to get too close to the Shadow, Old Wei raised his hands in a gesture of friendship and then carefully opened the crate right before them.
Stacks of crisp banknotes thus shone brightly before their eyes.
“Old Wei, you go out first and don’t disturb the brothers,” Boss Cai ordered.
“Yes, Boss,” Old Wei replied carefully as he left the room.
Cai Weiqian looked back at the visitor, regaining some composure, “What do you think of this?”
The Shadowy figure spoke indifferently, “Who would believe such ghost stories? Do you believe it yourself?”
Cai Weiqian, caught red-handed, wasn’t flustered and showed a smile on his tense face, “You really are intelligent. Indeed, I admit some of the words I said just now were rather hollow, but my goodwill is genuine.”
He picked up a stack of banknotes to prove their authenticity and continued, “I won’t hide it from you, please convey to Boss Pei that I wish to collaborate with him, just a small favor to Deter my opponents. Here, two million as a token of respect, and this amount will be available every month. The bank card is in my wife’s name; it’s absolutely safe, untraceable to you or Boss Pei… Of course, if Boss Pei doesn’t trust his own people, you’re welcome to provide your account details.”
The Shadowy figure remained silent.
Cai Weiqian’s smile stiffened slightly as he said in a firm voice, “As heaven and earth can witness, I, Cai Weiqian, have no bad intentions. To tell the truth, I dare not offend any of you Transcendents. I’m simply a businessman who wishes to conduct my affairs peacefully. But in today’s world, where the powerful rule and Transcendents stand above all, we ordinary people can only scrape by, pandering to both sides…”
He put the banknotes back into the crate with a sigh, “Take the incident with the Xu Family Brothers, for example. It truly wasn’t my intention to bully them.
Zhuang Old Six borrowed money from me and didn’t return it. I showed kindness and waived the interest, yet he still owed me millions. I kindly gave him more time, but what happened? He somehow got through to the maritime authorities and turned the tables on me. Over a dozen of my brothers were treated as wanted criminals by the Old Gods Association, some dead, some injured.
Zhuang Old Six must’ve feared my revenge, so he ran away. It cost me twelve million for peace of mind. Only later did I find out Zhuang Old Six had left in such a hurry that he left money behind, which then caught the Xu Family Brothers’ attention.”
“If an ordinary person wants to live with dignity, they must either serve the big shots like dogs or cling to the legs of Transcendents…” Cai Weiqian shook his head and said with a bitter smile.
The Shadowy figure watched him, “With all your wealth, you don’t want to find a big shot to back you up?”
The bitterness on Cai Weiqian’s face deepened, “I’ve tried, but they look down on me… and my opponents, they all have connections with the major families. They have Transcendents if they want them, money if they need it, unlike me… just a lowlife from the bottom class.”
He didn’t consider it shameful, but rather a badge of honor.
“I admit I’m a bit of a bastard, but it’s this tough world that’s forced my hand; no other way. You Transcendents, no matter what, have the ability to protect yourselves or find new ways to live, but we ordinary people are different…”
“I can’t stand by and watch my self-made enterprise be taken from me, so I said it was my luck to meet Boss Pei. I’m not looking to start a war with those big shots, I just wanted a trump card to deter the other lackeys, so I can ensure my piece of land isn’t devoured by those vicious dogs.”
A shadowy figure stepped out from the darkness, a slim young man with a crew cut sat down across from Cai Weiqian.
Cai Weiqian sized him up carefully, and felt a sigh of relief inside.
The fact that the other party showed himself already spoke volumes about his attitude.
Across from him,
Crew Cut was also curiously observing Cai Weiqian, “You’re a smart man, but sadly Boss Pei has no intention of being anyone’s protector.”
Cai Weiqian’s face changed slightly as he emphasized again, “Definitely not a protector. Let me be straight, take the Xie Mountain area, for example; at least seven gangs are there, and within a single month, the goods I brought in were detained by them under various pretexts at least five times… the money to redeem the goods is even more than their actual value…”
“Why not snatch them back? I see you’ve got quite a few men of your own,” the Crew Cut youth casually said.
Cai Weiqian, with an embarrassed smile on his face, replied, “I tried snatching them back. Three years ago when I was just starting my business, full of bravado, I led my men and took back the goods. But the others were fiercer. They came straight to the bottom of my company’s building. If I hadn’t slipped the then Inspector’s Chief half a million, I could have ended up dead under the Bai Lijiang river that day.
“These gangs have varying strengths, and basically behind them are the shadows of Transcendents. I’ve observed that they don’t interfere with each other, which is why I thought of getting on good terms with Boss Pei. Having a Transcendent as a backer, they would hesitate to mess with me.”
Cai Weiqian, closely watching the other’s expression, hastily added, “Rest assured, I can guarantee that I’m not going to engage in murder or arson. Like I’ve said before, I’m a businessman, simply dealing in some buying and selling, and debt collecting for others… I wouldn’t dare touch other businesses.”
“What kind of buying and selling?” the Crew Cut youth asked.
Cai Weiqian smiled awkwardly, lowering his voice, “Mostly some medical or laboratory machinery parts, along with tobacco and spices… occasionally, I also transport some organs to labs as well.”
“Organs of Transcendents?” The Crew Cut youth suddenly glanced up.
Cai Weiqian chuckled nervously, not daring to make a sound.
The Crew Cut youth seemed to have caught on and looked at him without a word.
Cai Weiqian quickly said, “It’s just borrowing Boss Pei’s name as a Transcendent, with a Transcendent as backing, others wouldn’t dare to attack rashly.”
“Do you realize the trouble this name could bring him?” the Crew Cut youth said grimly.
Cai Weiqian was startled, “Don’t Boss Pei and they know each other? I’ve heard that Transcendents usually keep in contact.”
“You yourself know that’s just hearsay, and you believe it? If it were so, the Federation would have wiped out all the criminals long ago,” the Crew Cut youth said irritably.
Cai Weiqian laughed awkwardly.
Yet the Crew Cut youth said, “Boss Pei doesn’t need to bother himself with this matter, but I can help you out.”
Cai Weiqian was dumbfounded for a moment, then, catching on, said excitedly, “Yes, yes, yes, it couldn’t be better if you agreed. But if Boss Pei finds out, won’t it cause you trouble?”
What he was actually worried about was Boss Pei giving him trouble.
Crew Cut youth chuckled, “Don’t you naively think I’m pocketing the money all by myself?”
Cai Weiqian’s eyes lit up ever so slightly.
Then he heard Crew Cut youth say indifferently, “However, Boss Pei really doesn’t care for these matters; he can’t be bothered with it. You’d best not talk recklessly outside; if Boss Pei feels disgraced, it will be on you.”
Cai Weiqian nodded immediately, “I understand, I understand. My mouth, Cai’s, is famously tight-lipped. I appreciate Boss Pei’s discretion, otherwise the Xu Family brothers wouldn’t have been shut out…”