364: Chapter 364 The President's Demeanor: Establishing an Organization

JB District, Hualin Old Street, Tingyunxian Teahouse.

"Misty smoke darkly obscures the heavens of the world beyond, immortal mountains transforming into terrace palaces..."

The melodious and soft singing of traditional opera slowly flowed from the gramophone, lingering throughout the two-story teahouse.

Most of the guests coming here were elderly regular patrons, as well as businessmen gathered in groups of two or three to hold secret meetings and discuss matters here.

The interior decoration exuded an old-fashioned Republic of China style.

The furniture was all in dark retro styles, and even the waiters wore traditional Tang suits and cheongsams.

Placing oneself in it, it felt as though time had flowed backwards by decades, and one's eyes were filled with an aura of nostalgia.

However, the environment was not dilapidated; on the contrary, the tables, chairs, and floors were wiped extremely clean.

Various vases and potted plants were arranged meticulously, having a low-key yet very exquisite flavor.

In the afternoon, there were not many guests in the teahouse, making it appear even more quiet and elegant.

Inside a private box on the second floor, a copper chandelier cast warm yellow light.

On a rosewood round table, various tea pastries were dazzling to the eyes.

The crystal shrimp dumplings had thin skins and large fillings, with pink and tender shrimp kernels faintly visible.

The golden durian pastries had distinct layers, exuding a unique sweet fragrance.

There was also a plate of roast goose roasted to a glossy reddish-brown, with the aroma of meat overflowing, whetting people's appetites.

Fang Cheng sat at the table, showing no refined demeanor of tasting tea and enjoying the scenery.

Holding chopsticks with his left hand, his right hand simply and directly grabbed a piece of roast goose.

The plump goose skin and tender goose meat were stuffed whole into his mouth by him.

His cheeks bulged, his Adam's apple rolled up and down, and the speed of his chewing and swallowing was so fast, as if he had been starved for three days and three nights.

Xiaosa, sitting opposite, looked on in dumbfounded astonishment.

Today, he had specially changed into a brand-new black suit and tied a dark blue tie.

His hair was also slicked shiny with hair wax, his leather shoes were polished almost to the point of reflecting human figures, and his entire person appeared very formal.

After all, today was a big day meeting his top boss.

Before coming, he had countless fantasies about this mysterious president.

Perhaps he was an overbearing warlord who commanded respect without getting angry, with a powerful aura that made people dare not look directly at him.

Or perhaps he was a ruthless fiend of misfortune, with knives capable of killing hidden in his eyes.

Yet no matter what, he couldn't have imagined that the president in reality would be such a... down-to-earth appearance.

At the same time, he also recognized—

that the other party was precisely the young man he had encountered back then.

Xiaosa's mouth opened slightly, and for a moment he forgot to close it.

However, there was not the slightest bit of contempt in his heart; instead, a deeper awe surged up.

In his view, this was by no means rudeness, but rather a kind of untrammeled and natural carefree detachment.

Where would a truly great person need to care about the eyes of others?

Only like this could the president be called the demeanor of a supreme expert hiding greatly in the city.

Fang Cheng quickly and neatly resolved the last piece of roast goose meat.

Casually picking up the purple clay teapot on the table, the spout pointed towards his mouth.

"Gurgle— gurgle—"

Pouring down a few large gulps of piping hot tea, taking it as clearing away the greasiness.

"Ha—"

Fang Cheng exhaled a breath of relief, put down the teapot, pulled over a tissue, and casually wiped away the grease from the corners of his mouth.

Seeing that Xiaosa was still staring at him in a daze, he appeared quite calm.

"Sorry, I'm a bit hungry."

Xiaosa shivered as if electrocuted, hurriedly bowed his body, and piled a respectful smile on his Face:

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, President, please feel free, please continue!"

Fang Cheng picked up a toothpick and leisurely picked his teeth.

After adding points today, although he had crammed a lot at home and deliberately boiled a pressure cooker of beef soup at noon,

yet his body's craving for food far exceeded that of ordinary people, and by the afternoon, his belly was already empty.

Fang Cheng glanced at the dining plates on the table that were almost emptied by him alone, and couldn't help praising:

"This teahouse was chosen well, the tea pastries are very authentic, especially this roast goose, the heat is just right."

Hearing this, the heavy stone hanging in Xiaosa's heart finally fell to the ground, and then he said with a smile:

"As long as you like it. Earlier I was afraid you wouldn't be satisfied with the environment here, so I specially inspected several places."

Fang Cheng savored the lingering fragrance of the roast goose for a moment, threw the toothpick into the ashtray, and turned his gaze to him:

"Xiaosa..."

Hearing this, Xiaosa immediately straightened his back:

"President, you can call me by my name in the future, Xiao Jianren."

Fang Cheng savored this name for a moment, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and then he returned to calm:

"I'll still call you A-Ren."

"Eh, okay!"

Xiaosa hurriedly nodded in agreement.

This form of address appeared closer, and naturally he had no objections.

Back then, it was precisely because the homophone of his name sounded a bit unpleasant that he gave himself the nickname "Xiaosa" to travel the Jianghu.

"A-Ren."

Having eaten and drunk to his heart's content, Fang Cheng's tone became serious:

"What recent movements has Chen Chen made? What is his attitude towards you, his newly adopted godson?"

"President."

Xiaosa's expression also became solemn, and he respectfully reported:

"Ever since I recognized him as my godfather, Chen Chen arranged a consultant position for me in the Yuanchen Group, saying he wants to cultivate me well."

As he spoke, he reached out to tug at the tie that bound his neck, a trace of discomfort appearing on his Face:

"Now I've been made to look like a white-collar worker, punching in for work on time every day, following that Secretary Liu to learn corporate rules and regulations and the knowledge of management."

"President, you wouldn't know, the characters on those documents are each as big as a cart wheel. They recognize me, but I don't recognize them, making my head swell just looking at them."

"And I don't know what the use of learning these things is. Could it be he really wants to hand over both the Red Tiger Gang and the company to me to manage? I always feel that Chen Chen is deliberately torturing me in this way."

Xiaosa couldn't help complaining a few words, but seeing Fang Cheng's pensive expression, he immediately reined in his emotions and raised his spirits to the maximum.

"Today I still specially lied to Chen Chen, saying there was an emergency at home, and only then asked for half a day's leave to sneak out."

"President, rest assured."

His words changed, and his tone was firm:

"No matter how Chen Chen tortures me, I will persist and guarantee to complete the task you assigned!"

This deportment and demeanor were simply like an underground worker infiltrating the enemy's interior taking an oath.

Fang Cheng nodded slightly.

If Xiaosa could really learn some modern enterprise management knowledge in the Yuanchen Group, it wouldn't be a bad thing after all.

After all, no one would dislike their subordinates having a few more skills.

Subsequently, he asked again:

"When you were by Chen Chen's and Secretary Liu's side, have you ever seen anyone suspected of being a member of the Noah Organization?"

Hearing this, Xiaosa frowned tightly, desperately searching his recent memories in his mind.

"Chen Chen often brings me along to meet some clients, and even specially describes me as his most valued godson, introducing me to them."

"Among these people, there are executives of chaebol groups, officials of government departments, and leaders of other societies... It seems I haven't seen anything particularly suspicious."

He pondered deeply for a moment, and suddenly his eyes lit up.

"Right! The day before yesterday, when I was at work in the Yuanchen Group, I saw a young man walk out of Chen Chen's office."

"That person was wearing a stiff silver-gray suit, with his hair combed meticulously. He was a pretty boy."

"Secretary Liu personally escorted him to the elevator entrance, and his attitude was so respectful. Yet that pretty boy didn't give any Face at all, being extremely arrogant and ordering Secretary Liu around like a servant."

"President, do you think... could he be a person from the Noah Organization?"

Xiaosa didn't know what kind of sacred entity the Noah Organization actually was, and could only make wild guesses based on the other party's arrogant aura.

Fang Cheng's gaze flickered slightly.

According to Xiaosa's description, that person was very likely the cadre named "Zhuo Feng" that he had seen back then through Xu Hao's perspective at the Noah Organization meeting.

"If you see this person again in the future, pay a little attention to his movements."

Fang Cheng instructed in a deep voice: "But remember, do not do anything unnecessary, and even more so, do not expose yourself."

"Yes, President, I understand!"

Xiaosa hurriedly nodded in agreement.

"Right, President."

As if recalling a very important matter, he immediately added:

"The task reward you assigned, I have brought all of it."

Saying so, Xiaosa extended his arm, swept the leftover food on the table to one side, and cleared out an open space.

Then bending down, he used both hands to lift a bulky black suitcase from under the table.

That suitcase should be the largest model available on the market, reaching half a person's height, and was stuffed bulgingly inside.

Looking at Xiaosa's flushed Face and the bulging blue veins on his forehead when he lifted it, one could tell its weight was astonishing.

Bang!

The heavy suitcase was placed heavily on the round table, making a huge muffled sound.

Immediately after, he laboriously carried up a second, completely identical suitcase.

"Chi la— chi la—"

Xiaosa successively unzipped the two suitcases.

In an instant, the suitcase full of brand-new red hundred-yuan bills was exposed to the air without any concealment.

That unique aroma of ink and the visual impact of money caused the atmosphere of the entire private box to stall for a moment.

"President, please look it over."

Xiaosa respectfully bowed and gestured with his hand.

Looking at these two large boxes of cash, Fang Cheng was speechless for a moment.

He truly hadn't thought it through.

The volume and weight of ten million in cash far exceeded an ordinary person's imagination.

There was no help for it; prior to today, he truly didn't have a concrete concept of so much money.

And wanting to transport such a huge sum of money here without anyone knowing was even less of an easy task.

And Xiaosa, without even asking an extra question, followed his instructions meticulously to complete this arduous task.

One could imagine how much thought and effort he had spent behind the scenes.

Xiaosa raised his hand to wipe the sweat beads from the corner of his forehead, his Face full of a proud smile after completing the task:

"President, do you want to count it?"

"There is a total of 9.8 million here, and another 200,000 in active funds. I haven't touched it for now, so I didn't bring it together."

He said with a chuckle, without revealing a shred of complaint because this matter was overly cumbersome.

Fang Cheng was silent for a moment, his gaze shifting away from the money and falling onto Xiaosa's sincere Face.

Then, he slowly opened his mouth, his voice low and powerful:

"Xiaosa, can I trust you?"

Hearing this, Xiaosa's body violently shook, he puffed out his chest without hesitation, and answered almost by shouting:

"President, this life of mine, Xiao Jianren, was given by you! Without you, I would still be rolling in the mud right now!"

"As long as you say a word, climbing mountains of swords and plunging into seas of fire, I will never frown even a bit. Whoever dares to betray you, even if I can't beat them, I'll be the first to twist off that bastard's head!"

His voice trembled slightly due to excitement, and in his eyes was unreserved fanaticism and loyalty.

"Good."

Fang Cheng gazed at him and nodded:

"I have a very important task to hand over to you to handle."

Xiaosa instantly perked up, leaning forward slightly, making a posture of listening respectfully.

"Right now, take out another 1.8 million from the box, add the 200,000 you originally have on hand, and make it up to 2 million."

Fang Cheng's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable power:

"I want you to use this money to build the prototype of an organization for me."

"The exterior of the organization will be disguised with a Cleaning company, while its interior will be a secret organization that uses professional physical means to solve various troubles for clients."

"In other words, the legendary assassin syndicate..."

Xiaosa's eyes instantly widened, and his breathing suddenly became rapid.

He vaguely guessed something, and his heart beat wildly in his chest.

For a time, the private box was so quiet that only the ticking of the wall clock and the faint sound of car horns from outside the window remained.

Establishing an organization!

These four words exploded like a bolt of thunder in Xiaosa's mind, echoing endlessly.

"Currently, there are only two members in this organization: you and me."

Fang Cheng continued in a deep voice:

"Therefore, all the preliminary preparations, including choosing a suitable office venue, setting up the headquarters structure, and recruiting corresponding personnel, all of these will be fully your responsibility."

Hearing this, Xiaosa's expression froze.

He recalled last time in the hotel room when he had tentatively asked whether he was already considered to have joined the organization.

At that time, the president said it required an assessment, and only with good enough performance could he know the specific information about the organization.

And now, the president actually told such a major secret to him without reservation.

What did this represent?

This represented... complete trust!

"President—"

Xiaosa's throat seemed blocked by something, his voice choked, and his eye sockets instantly turned red.

Such a small figure as humble as a bedbug, a punk who crawled out of the mud at the very bottom of society.

Could actually be valued by such a powerful figure and given such heaven-sent trust!

From childhood to adulthood, he had no father, struggling to survive amidst cold shoulders and bullying with his blind mother, and being beaten and scolded was an everyday occurrence.

Growing up, in order to survive, he hung around in the Gang as a groom, and even went to accompany wealthy women for drinks and act as a gigolo.

The Gang leader pointed at his nose and cursed him as "mud that can't be plastered onto a wall".

Those guests he served also treated him as a plaything to be discarded at will.

When had he ever been valued like this and looked upon squarely?

Yet the president before him handed over the heavy responsibility of establishing a secret organization into his hands as casually as passing a cup of tea, yet with such solemnity.

This appreciation and entrustment were a thousand times, ten thousand times heavier than those two boxes of money combined!

For a moment, Xiaosa even felt that the president was his biological father.

No, even closer than a biological father!

Fang Cheng took in all of Xiaosa's excitement.

This guy, apart from having a slightly low cultural level, was impeccable in other aspects.

He was clever, valued relationships and righteousness, and his execution and eloquence were also quite good.

The most crucial point was that his loyalty was off the charts.

Speaking of which, among the usable people around him.

Xu Sanduo's background wasn't very well understood for now.

Xu Hao's identity was relatively sensitive, and he was also rather slick.

The one who could truly let him rest assured to entrust major events to was unexpectedly this previously inconspicuous little punk.

"Can you do it?"

Fang Cheng asked again, his tone carrying a sense of testing.

Xiaosa fiercely wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and brought his feet together.

Subsequently, standing at attention like a soldier undergoing review, he answered with all the strength in his body:

"Yes! President!"

"I guarantee that even if I risk my life, I will definitely handle the matters you assigned properly!"

"Very good."

Fang Cheng was very satisfied with his attitude:

"Your primary task right now is to find the lair where the organization will take root in the future."