25: Chapter 25: Monopolizing the Border – Who's in Charge? Who's Against?
The large conference room on the first floor of the Pharmaceutical Factory, originally a place for employee pep rallies, was now thick with smoke and filth, looking just like a cheap underground casino.
More than twenty gang leaders of various sizes from San Verde were sitting around the long conference table. Some had their feet propped up on the table, while others were trimming their nails with daggers. The air was filled with a nauseating stench, a mixture of cheap tobacco, alcohol, and body odor.
"Why hasn't that guy surnamed Chen arrived yet?"
A burly, bald man with a fleshy face and a thick gold chain around his neck impatiently crushed his cigarette butt onto the tabletop, leaving a charred mark. "He's making so many of us wait for him alone? Does he really think he's the local emperor of San Verde?"
"Exactly! Don't think that just because he took out Vulture, he can shit on our heads."
A guy next to him, as thin as a monkey, chimed in sinisterly, "Vulture just underestimated him and got ambushed. We brought five hundred brothers today and have surrounded this Pharmaceutical Factory completely. If he dares to be uncooperative..."
"Clang."
The conference room door was pushed open from the outside.
There was no expected apology, not even the sound of hurried footsteps.
Chen Yuan walked in.
He had changed into a dark gray suit and was holding his signature red wine glass, strolling in as if he had just returned from a walk in his own backyard. Victor followed behind him like a dutiful butler, holding a thick stack of documents.
And behind them, the door remained open.
Two black figures, like iron towers, walked in with heavy footsteps.
Tyrant.
Their two-and-a-half-meter height nearly burst the door frame. Although wearing specially made oversized suits, the oppressive feeling, as if from a prehistoric beast, made the entire conference room go silent instantly.
The burly bald man who was just clamoring to give Chen Yuan a hard time subconsciously pulled his feet off the table.
Chen Yuan walked straight to the head of the conference table.
That was the seat of honor.
He pulled out the chair, sat down elegantly, sipped his red wine, and scanned everyone present with measured deliberation. His gaze didn't look like he was watching a group of powerful bosses, but rather a group of livestock waiting to be slaughtered.
"My apologies, everyone."
Chen Yuan set down his wine glass, wearing that inscrutable smile, "I was just discussing some private matters with Ms. Jessica, which delayed things a bit. After all, women's affairs are always troublesome, especially beautiful women."
This seemingly boastful opening, like a thorn, pierced everyone's ears.
They were waiting downstairs like lackeys, while he was upstairs flirting with a Hollywood best actress winner?
"Mr. Chen, we didn't come here today to listen to you talk about romance."
Sitting in the first seat on the left was a middle-aged man in a floral shirt and sunglasses. He was the boss of the "Mad Dog Gang" and the most troublesome thorn in the side among this group, known as "Mad Dog Johnny" (he shares the name with the previous punk, but there are just too many Johnnys in this area).
Johnny tapped the table, his tone unfriendly: "We are here to talk about the rules. You're doing business in San Verde and making a fortune, but you haven't paid your respects or handed over your share. That's not how things are done."
"Rules?"
Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow and took the stack of documents from Victor, "As it happens, I also want to discuss the rules with you all."
He tossed the documents into the center of the table.
"Clatter."
The documents scattered and slid in front of everyone.
"What is this?" Someone picked it up and glanced at it, their face changing drastically, "'Umbrella Business Alliance Agreement'? Surrender 30% of shares? And hand over control of all smuggling channels?"
"Not only that."
Chen Yuan leaned back, hands crossed on his knees, his tone as calm as if he were stating a truth: "From today on, all underground business in San Verde—whether it's drugs, arms, or human trafficking—must pass through my channels."
"I will help you launder money, help you establish official connections, and even provide you with necessary armed protection. In return, I want a 30% cut."
"That is my rule."
"Bang!"
A loud noise. Johnny slammed the table and stood up, making the solid wood conference table tremble. He took off his sunglasses, revealing bloodshot eyes, and stared intensely at Chen Yuan.
"Are you fucking crazy?!"
Johnny pointed at Chen Yuan's nose, spit flying everywhere, "A 30% cut? And control our channels? Are you trying to swallow us all up? Who do you think you are? God?"
"Exactly! That's too much!"
"This is treating us like dogs!"
"I've been doing this for twenty years, and I've never seen anything so shady!"
With someone taking the lead, the others were also enraged. For a moment, the conference room was filled with indignation and shouting. These desperadoes, who would draw knives for a few hundred bucks on any given day, now felt that both their dignity and their wallets had been severely insulted.
Chen Yuan did not speak. He just quietly watched this group of clowns perform, the temperature in his eyes dropping to freezing point.
"Are you finished?"
When the noise died down a little, Chen Yuan spoke calmly. He stood up and strolled over to Johnny. The 1.9-meter-tall burly man, in front of this slender Easterner, was completely suppressed in terms of aura.
"Mr. Johnny, it seems you have a lot of opinions about my proposal."
"No shit! Of course I have opinions!"
Johnny pulled a gold-plated Colt pistol from his waist and slammed it onto the table, "Chen Yuan, don't think you're invincible just because you keep two monsters! I have two hundred brothers outside; with one order from me, this shitty factory will be razed to the ground in an instant!"
"If you're smart, hand over the formula for that 'Strength' stuff, and pay us five million in protection money every month from now on, otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?"
Chen Yuan tilted his head, his eyes playful.
"Otherwise, this time next year will be the anniversary of your death!" Johnny looked ferocious.
Chen Yuan smiled. He turned around, not looking at Johnny again, and walked back to the seat of honor.
He rested his hands on the table and leaned forward, that mountain-like oppressive weight instantly enveloping the whole room. His voice was not loud, but it clearly drilled into everyone's ears, carrying a chilling coldness.
"I am a person who values democracy above all else."
Chen Yuan scanned the room, and wherever his gaze landed, everyone averted their eyes.
"Now, I want to monopolize this border line."
"I've finished speaking. Who approves, who opposes?"
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
The veins on Johnny's hand holding the gun bulged. Watching Chen Yuan's posture of viewing all living things as ants, his anger finally broke through the dam of reason.
"I oppose!" Johnny roared and raised his gun.
Immediately after, two other gang bosses who were usually in cahoots with him also stood up and drew their guns.
"I also oppose! Chen Yuan, don't be too arrogant!"
"Kill him! If it comes to it, we'll go down together!"
Three people, three guns, pointed at Chen Yuan's head.
The Tyrant standing at the door moved, seemingly wanting to step forward, but was stopped by Chen Yuan raising his hand.
Chen Yuan looked at the three people who stood up; the smile on his face not only didn't disappear, but became even brighter, and even... more cruel.
"Very good."
He nodded slightly, as if very satisfied with this result.
"Three people. Not too many, not too few, just enough for a meal."
"A meal? What meal?" Johnny was stunned for a moment, not yet realizing what Chen Yuan was talking about.
Chen Yuan did not explain. He just raised his right hand and snapped his fingers crisply in the air.
"Snap."
"Since there is opposition, we will follow the procedure."
Chen Yuan pointed to the unremarkable decorative wall in the conference room, his tone as gentle as if he were inviting guests to dine: "The Zombie Dog is hungry. Dinner time."