83: Chapter 83: Venomous Fangs Revealed, Allies in Crisis!

In the factory area of Yonggu New Materials in the East City Industrial Zone.

The boss, Wang Yonggu, was beaming as he saw off a group of customers who had come to inspect the goods.

Since joining the "Spark Alliance" and obtaining the cheap raw materials provided by Star of Fortune and leased production machinery, his small factory had completely come back to life. The machines ran 24 hours a day, workers worked in two shifts, and the cash flow in his accounts was healthier than ever before.

He had just been calculating that once this batch of payments arrived, he would settle the raw material debts owed to the Long Corporation and pay off a portion of his bank loans. Then, life would be truly comfortable.

The landline on his desk suddenly rang.

Wang Yonggu was in a great mood, humming a little tune as he picked up the phone. "Hello, who is this?"

A cold, emotionless female voice came from the other end: "Hello, Mr. Wang Yonggu, this is the legal department of Longteng Materials Company. We are formally notifying you that your company's outstanding balance for raw materials totaling 5,378,400 yuan has seriously exceeded the agreed-upon payment period. According to the contract terms and our company regulations, your company is required to pay the aforementioned amount plus overdue late fees in full to our designated account within three working days—that is, by 5:00 PM this Friday. If payment is not received by then, our company will immediately initiate legal proceedings, apply for property preservation, and reserve the right to pursue other liabilities for breach of contract."

The smile on Wang Yonggu's face froze instantly, and his head buzzed. "Three... three days? Manager Li, didn't we agree on the beginning of next month before..."

"Apologies, Mr. Wang, this is the company's latest decision. The notice has been sent to your company's email and registered address; please check it. If you have any questions, please consult our legal department." The other party gave no room for explanation and hung up the phone decisively.

Wang Yonggu held the receiver, his hands trembling slightly. Three days? Over five million! He had money in his accounts, but that was for workers' wages, utilities, prepayments for the next batch of raw materials, and he was also preparing to repay his bank loans! If over five million was suddenly taken away, his cash flow would be cut off immediately!

He hurriedly opened his email and indeed saw a sternly worded demand letter. Before he could catch his breath, his phone rang again; it was Manager Zhang from the credit department of Haifa Bank.

"President Wang," Manager Zhang's voice wasn't as polite as usual, carrying a hint of businesslike detachment. "That ten-million-yuan working capital loan of yours expires on the tenth of next month. According to the process, we need to conduct a routine assessment of your company's operating conditions and repayment ability in advance. Recently... there have been some rumors in the market regarding your company's capital chain. When would be convenient for us to send someone to the factory to take a look? Or, could you first provide the bank statements and major contracts from the last three months?"

Wang Yonggu's heart sank completely. A change in the bank's attitude was often more fatal than a debt collection call.

"Manager Zhang, didn't we discuss before that the term could be extended?" Wang Yonggu felt that this was too much of a coincidence.

"President Wang, it's not that I'm intentionally making things difficult for you, it's just that someone higher up has spoken," Manager Zhang said cryptically.

Wang Yonggu forced himself to say a few words before hanging up, his back already drenched in a cold sweat.

Just then, the workshop manager rushed in frantically: "President Wang! This is bad! Xinfa Components and Dali Electromechanical just called, saying they heard rumors that our factory has financial problems. They're demanding that we settle the final payments for those two previous batches of goods in advance; otherwise, they'll suspend subsequent orders and take away the semi-finished products already in production!"

"What?!" Wang Yonggu's vision went dark, and he nearly stumbled. Both of these were important customers and partners; how could they have suddenly heard such "rumors"?

Debt collection, bank pressure, customer doubts... it all came too fast and was too synchronized!

It was like an invisible net that instantly covered him tightly, strangling him until he could barely breathe.

He suddenly remembered the warning message Chen Fan had sent two days ago: "The market environment has been complex lately. Everyone must operate cautiously, pay attention to personal and property safety, standardize processes, and beware of backstabbers."

At the time, he hadn't paid much attention, thinking Chen Fan was being overly cautious. Thinking back now... had Chen Fan sensed something long ago?

Having operated in the business world for many years, Wang Yonggu quickly realized he was being set up. The Long Corporation had suddenly struck, and Haifa Bank was also controlled by the Long Corporation—could all of this be the Long Corporation's doing?

With trembling hands, Wang Yonggu found Chen Fan's number but hesitated to dial immediately. He had just joined the alliance, and now he had to ask for help? His pride... and besides, could Chen Fan solve such an obvious commercial encirclement? The opponent was the Long Corporation!

Despair and shame intertwined, leaving him at a loss for what to do.

---

At the same time, deep within a seemingly ordinary private club in the south of the city.

In a smoke-filled VIP booth, Li Guodong, the boss of Hongda Metals, was flushed with excitement, spit flying as he spoke.

"Haha! See that? A straight flush! I take it all!" He swept the mountain of chips on the table toward himself, dancing with excitement. His luck was too good today; he hadn't lost once since he sat down. In just two short hours, nearly two million in chips had piled up in front of him.

Sitting across from him was a refined-looking middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, known as "Brother Hui." Brother Hui pushed up his glasses and smiled, "President Li is truly on a lucky streak today!"

"Luck, it's all luck!" Li Guodong was humble in speech, but the greed in his eyes couldn't be hidden. He loved gambling but usually had terrible luck, losing more than he won. Because of this, he had many arguments with his wife, and he had even secretly misappropriated some of the factory's working capital, always living in fear. Today, he could finally hold his head high!

"President Li, I see you're on a roll today. Want to play for something bigger?" Brother Hui suggested seemingly casually. "There's a higher-level game in the back with higher antes, but winning is much more satisfying. With your luck today, you might even win back everything you lost in the past in one go and even add a few new machines to your factory."

Li Guodong was tempted. He looked at the two million in chips before him and thought about all the money he had lost before and the complaints at home. If he could break even or even win big in one go... "I'll play! Why wouldn't I?" The alcohol and the excitement of winning clouded his mind. "Brother Hui, lead the way!"

A faint sneer flashed in Brother Hui's eyes as he stood up warmly: "President Li is straightforward! This way, please!"

They passed through several quiet corridors and entered an even more secluded and luxuriously decorated booth. Several people were already sitting inside, all appearing wealthy and influential. The stakes were indeed much higher, with an ante of one hundred thousand.

At first, Li Guodong continued to have smooth sailing, winning another few hundred thousand. He was completely floating, feeling that today was his lucky day.

"President Li, it seems the God of Wealth is on your side today," Brother Hui complimented from the side. "How about trying a 'head-to-head'? Just the two of us, one hand to decide it all. As for the bet... you name it."

"Fine! Let's do a head-to-head!" Li Guodong's eyes were red with gambling fever. "I bet... five million!" He counted everything he had won today, plus all the private savings he could access and a portion of the payment for raw materials the factory was supposed to pay the next morning.

"Alright, President Li is bold," Brother Hui smiled.

"I'm in!" he almost roared.

The cards were dealt. Li Guodong looked at his hand, his eyes widening instantly as ecstasy surged through him—three Aces! It was almost a guaranteed winning hand!

"Show your cards!" He impatiently slapped his cards onto the table.

Brother Hui unhurriedly flipped over his cards—a straight flush.

The color drained from Li Guodong's face instantly, leaving him stunned like a wooden chicken.

Five million was gone just like that!

"It's just one hand. President Li has won so many today; losing one is nothing," Brother Hui continued to provoke Li Guodong.

Watching all his chips being taken away, Li Guodong was not at all reconciled. He firmly believed his luck was still there and was becoming a bit reckless.

"I'll mortgage my house and factory to you, they're worth a million. Let's settle this in one hand!" Li Guodong had completely lost his mind. At this moment, he felt his luck was still with him; as long as he could turn the tables in this one hand, his previous losses would be nothing.

"Alright, President Li. Sign the mortgage agreement, and these one million in chips are all yours," Brother Hui said, pushing all the chips in front of Li Guodong.

Li Guodong looked at the mortgage agreement and signed it without hesitation.

And a ten-million-yuan bet... Li Guodong's breathing grew heavy. If I win, I'll turn everything around and leave immediately! If I lose... No, I won't lose! My luck is invincible today!

Li Guodong nervously rubbed open his cards: the first was the 8 of Spades, the second was the 9 of Spades. At this moment, Zhang Guodong's heart was in his throat from excitement; if the third card was a 10 of Spades, it would be a sure win. Li Guodong's hands wouldn't stop shaking.

As he tremblingly flipped over the card.

The 10 of Spades!

Li Guodong almost jumped up, his mood instantly reaching its peak.

"Brother Hui, hurry up and show your cards!" Li Guodong took out a cigarette and took an extremely satisfied puff.

Brother Hui didn't speak, calmly picking up three cards and tossing them onto the table.

Li Guodong glanced sideways; a J-Q-K Spade straight flush. It was like a bolt from the blue, his head buzzed, and the cigarette in his hand slipped to the floor.

"My apologies, President Li, it seems luck is on my side," Brother Hui smiled.

"You must be cheating! Give me back my money!" Li Guodong rushed forward and grabbed Brother Hui by the collar. Only now did he feel like he had been set up, but it was too late.

"President Li, you play the game, you pay the price. You can't blame anyone else," Brother Hui said, forcefully prying his hands away. "Tomorrow, we'll go to your factory to handle the handover, and your villa as well."

Brother Hui's lackeys pinned Li Guodong down.

Li Guodong felt cold all over and slumped to the floor. Now, he had nothing!

Immense fear and regret overwhelmed him.

After they left, Li Guodong silently walked toward the roof of the three-story building...