Chapter 925 - 736: Choices
Chapter 925 - 736: Choices
Not going, goodbye, farewell.
Huai Shi instinctively wanted to get up and leave.
However, since he was still in the Tobio Family, under the gaze of everyone, Huai Shi had no choice but to walk over coldly and scold: "Keep it down, shouting like that, have some decorum."
"Oh dear, I’m just excited." Miss Lihua’s cheeks blushed, shyly lowering her head.
Watching Huai Zhisu publicly reprimand the darling of the Tobio Family as if she were his subordinate, he astonished many, especially Lawrence, who was dumbfounded and nearly burned his hand with his cigarette.
At this moment, the American wanderer keenly felt the inequality between people, and the expansive path of the Cowherd...
How many days has it been?
First day meeting, second day in a small room, by the third day sticking together like glue?
How did you accomplish this?
Meanwhile, others observed more closely; after Huai Zhisu sat down, he maintained a cold demeanor throughout while Miss Lihua poured tea, cared, and sympathized, yet he never showed a pleasant face. Instead, he barked orders at Miss Lihua like she was a servant.
That’s too much!
And Huai Shi’s eyes were almost rolling into the sky.
"Did you miss me?"
Lihua asked softly from beside.
Huai Shi squeezed out words through gritted teeth, "I wish you were dead."
"Can’t you wish something good for me?"
"Can you stop all this nonsense?"
Huai Shi lowered his voice: "Ignoring a real lady and harboring you, this damned brat, if you don’t repay me, at least improve my reputation a bit?"
"Just considering for you, lest others say you hooked up with the Deer’s Sing Hall lady and forgot Lihua by the Bright Moon Lake." Dongli said softly while raising a fan to cover his mouth: "Even Old Man Tobio needs face, and I sacrifice my charm to support you."
"Please bring a real one, thanks." Huai Shi kept his gaze straight ahead, unwilling to argue: "Speak up if there’s anything, any news on God City Future’s whereabouts?"
"After a day of work, found a few clone production chambers but not the main body, the guy is hidden well. But we destroyed a laboratory and found something you can take back as a report."
Under the table, Dongli passed over a bottle, empty except for two capsule pills inside.
Huai Shi stealthily shook it without opening, and slipped it into his pocket.
"Is this the legendary ’All Spirits Drug’?"
"Main ingredients are flour, vitamins, and a bit of methamphetamine... Taking it does make one feel better, but once the effects wear off, it’s gone. It’s just a placebo for fooling people."
"Are you implying God City Future infiltrated the Tanbo Inner Circle just to make fake drugs?"
"Who knows? Caught a few loyal followers, those guys firmly believe God City Future can cure them — people in advanced complications will believe whatever to survive. Can’t rule out that the guy might have done something using Hell’s power..."
Dongli cautioned: "He remembered you last time, so stay vigilant."
Huai Shi frowned: "You reloaded so many times and still can’t find his hideout?"
Visibly, Dongli’s smile froze for a moment, glancing back at him, puzzled.
"What’s wrong?" Huai Shi asked.
"No, just surprised," Dongli said: "You seem to always guess right, if we weren’t acquaintances, I’d suspect you have connections with Jurisdiction Bureau’s higher-ups..."
"Don’t digress."
"..." Dongli suddenly felt a strong urge to roll his eyes: "Reloading also has limits, if Rainbow Bridge was truly omnipotent, would Current Circumstances remain like this? Plus, as a retired guard, relying on one-sided resonance doesn’t allow me to jump far."
Huai Shi initially felt puzzled, but immediately detected the implication in his words, becoming serious: "You mean God City Future even has measures against Rainbow Bridge?"
"Hence, be vigilant." Dongli explained: "The so-called conspiracy tends to leave traces. But if you go along with it, finding clues becomes troublesome...
It’s not that God City Future wanted to incite a riot, rather it’s the inevitable result of prolonged brewing; haven’t you noticed that Tanbo Inner Circle’s gunpowder scent is getting stronger over the past two days?"
Huai Shi stayed silent.
Uncontrolled destruction, daring crimes, and desperate struggles... not to mention private brawls and drunken disputes among the Extreme Path.
In just a few days, Huai Shi nearly got numb to this information.
He hasn’t lived in the Tanbo Inner Circle before, unaware if such a situation is normal, but even under the heavy suppression of the Extreme Path, the Tanbo Inner Circle’s unresting undercurrents can’t be eased.
Like a powder keg beneath.
A spark, two sparks won’t ignite, but what if it’s a hundred or a thousand?
Once the order collapses, all it takes is a little agitation in the dark, and a bloody riot is likely to erupt. Without the constraints of rules, moral boundaries become flimsy in the face of instincts. Under the catalysts of frenzy, anger, pain, and fear, everything fragile in front of us will eventually fall apart.
To solve this, we must act decisively...
"Things shouldn’t have ended up like this."
Liu DongLi said softly, "Our time is running out, Huai Shi."
"I know."
Huai Shi held the teacup and drained the bland tea.
He lifted his head, looking towards the top position.
As the banquet reached its peak, President Tobio finally put down his chopsticks and clapped his hands, the crisp sound spreading out.
In an instant, the previously fragmented noise vanished completely.
Everyone stopped their movements, hastily wiping their mouths, straightening their collars, and listening for instructions.
"Relax a bit, everyone doesn’t need to be so serious."
Tobio waved his hand, casually saying, "Besides having a meal to connect with each other, the main reason for gathering everyone today is to talk about what happened this afternoon..."
For a moment, everyone instinctively looked towards where Huai Shi was seated.
It’s here, it’s here, the real drama is here!
The eagerly anticipated disciplinary segment by the public is here!
But Tobio suddenly changed his tone, saying with sentiment, "Just like everyone knew, a friction that no one expected happened, and eventually resulted in both sides getting hurt. Hurt feelings are secondary, but who doesn’t understand the preciousness of life?
I understand everyone’s days have been tough lately, and I’m not planning to be overly harsh."
No, no, no, feel free to be harsh, better be a little harsher!
In that moment, those sitting below waiting for Huai Shi’s misfortune were anxious, eager to jump forward and substitute the Alliance to take out Tobio and this bastard.
But then, Tobio’s tone shifted: "However, though the incident has passed, it doesn’t mean the Alliance will tolerate such things happening repeatedly, the problem must be solved from the root."
With several twists and turns, when no one could figure out what kind of medicine this old man had in his gourd, Tobio finally said with a painful expression: "As the President of the Alliance, witnessing such disputes pains me greatly to see and feel.
But ultimately, we can’t blame everyone, it’s still nowadays economic depression, even the Extreme Path is struggling to survive... People need to eat to live. But even though this old man hosts everyone for banquets every day, how many people can it support?"
Old people love to ramble.
Once he started babbling, he couldn’t stop, from the economy to commerce, then from the youth to the declining birthrate, and finally a wave of criticism on the incompetent Prime Minister and Cabinet later, Tobio finally moved to the main topic:
"As it’s said, giving a person a fish is not as good as teaching them how to fish, after discussing with other heads, I’ve decided to bring out the industries that were originally not allocated from the Hisashiga House, and each family will also give up parts of their territory and interests... Ultimately, combined together, it’s all before you."
In the midst of a sudden uproar, a large map and chart slowly unfolded behind Tobio. After countless assets piled together, it almost emitted a blinding light that dazzled the eyes.
Thirty-one pachinko parlors, over twenty custom shops, nine theaters, two entertainment agencies, eleven casinos, four construction companies, nineteen factories, four cinemas, storefronts on twelve streets...
Bars, nightclubs, hotels, investment companies, temples, docks, frozen goods, breweries, clothing, real estate, film and television, entertainment, electronics... almost everything is included!
Almost all of the industries that originally belonged to the Hisashiga House have been placed on this list, in addition to some large chunks leaked out by slightly loosening the fingers from other four big bosses.
Ultimately, it gathered into a jackpot that dazzled every gambler.
"I know, some people feel that we old folks are eating from the bowl and still occupying the pot, taking over their earning paths. Always thinking we are too miserly and stingy, unable to share some broth."
Tobio raised his eyes, indifferently saying: "Don’t blame the soup being thin anymore, everyone. Are you those useless members in the Parliament who compete on who can yell the loudest every day?
Since you’re in the Extreme Path, if you want something, then take it yourself!
Now, I am putting the opportunity in front of you, how much you can get depends on your own abilities!"
"You want opportunities, I’ve given them, according to the Alliance’s rules, you can freely gamble and fight. Within three days, whatever you can handle will belong to you!"
In the dead silence, everyone stared blankly at that chart, breathing heavily, dryly pursing their lips, their eyes reddened, but no one dared to speak.
Tobio looked down at those blank faces, raising his eyebrows: "What’s the matter? Each one of you, not saying anything? Is there some humility now?
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, everything is laid before you, is there nothing you want to say?"
He paused for a moment, glanced at the crowd below, casually asked: "Huaizhi-kun, is there anywhere you have your eyes on? Tell everyone, maybe they might just let you have it."
"Huh? Me?"
Huai Shi froze for a moment, raised his head to look at the map and chart above, then replied to Old Man Tobio with a jest: "Really just casually choose?"
Tobio shook his head: "Nonsense, why would I deliberately tease you with such a matter?"
"No, what I mean is, since everything looks good, why choose?"
Huai Shi suddenly laughed, seriously asked:
"Why not have it all?"
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