137: Undercurrents

Old Zhou walked off the stage with a calm expression,

as if he wasn't the one who had just broken someone's legs in the cage.

Li Zhan stood up and greeted him with an approving smile.

Big Courage and Shui Sheng next to him also excitedly slammed the table.

"Brother Zhou, awesome!" Shui Sheng whispered.

Big Ox was even more eager, saying in a muffled voice,

"Brother Zhou, that was thrilling!

It's my turn next!"

Old Zhou high-fived each of them,

finally looking at Li Zhan and nodding slightly, "I didn't fail the mission. I didn't disgrace our Changan Town."

Yang Yuying watched this group of men, her heart filled with complex emotions.

Blood, violence, schemes, and this unspoken understanding and trust...

This was a world she had never encountered before.

Originally, she only wanted to use Li Zhan's power to get revenge on Young Master Liu and then leave.

But at this moment,

she looked at Li Zhan's steady profile and this group of dangerous yet unusually united men,

and something deep inside her was touched.

She suddenly didn't want to leave so soon.

She had a faint premonition and wanted to see this group of people,

how much more turmoil they could stir up in these deep waters.

At the booth of the organizer, Bai Shaqiang.

Bai Shaqiang still had that smiling demeanor,

but a hint of imperceptible gravity appeared in the depths of his eyes.

Next to him sat a man with a completely different temperament—

Prince Hui from Huangjiang Town.

He had a meticulously slicked-back hairstyle, wore gold-rimmed glasses,

and a well-ironed dark Zhongshan suit. His face was thin, and he had a scholarly, refined air about him.

One who didn't know him might have thought he was a scholar or an entrepreneur.

Only when he occasionally looked up, the sharp glint that flashed behind his glasses,

revealed that he was far from as simple as he appeared.

The two occasionally conversed in low voices, Prince Hui's fingers habitually tapping lightly on the armrest.

Their gazes would occasionally sweep over Li Zhan's booth, seemingly unintentionally, carrying evaluation and calculation.

Bai Shaqiang had just received an inquiry from Young Master Liu,

but he merely laughed it off and prevaricated.

Old Zhou's ruthless strength,

coupled with the subtle connection between Li Zhan and the 'white path' (legitimate society) that he vaguely sensed through various channels,

made him reconsider whether his 'deal' with Young Master Liu was worthwhile.

Prince Hui, on the other hand, seemed more interested in Li Zhan, a faint, inscrutable smile always playing on his lips.

On the other side,

the atmosphere in Young Master Liu's booth was like an ice cellar.

"What?!

Bai Shaqiang, that old fox!

He said he wasn't going to personally challenge Li Zhan?

Telling me to prepare myself?!"

Young Master Liu almost smashed the wine bottle in his hand after hearing his subordinate's report, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

He glared venomously, sweeping his gaze back and forth between Li Zhan's and Bai Shaqiang's booths, feeling like he had been played.

At this moment, a burly man with a full beard in the booth,

wearing a thick gold chain around his neck and an extremely arrogant demeanor, sneered,

and said brazenly,

"Young Master Liu, why get angry?

That guy surnamed Li is just a newly ascended greenhorn who got lucky for a few days!

Bai Shaqiang?

Hmph, I think he's getting old and his guts are shrinking!

Don't worry..."

He patted his chest, his voice booming,

"When the Grudge Match comes,

A Hao from Chashan will personally challenge Li Zhan...

I'll definitely beat him until he kneels and begs for mercy, and get you your revenge!"

His face was full of confidence and disdain, as if he had already seen himself crushing Li Zhan.

Young Master Liu's gloomy face brightened slightly, and he nodded,

"Good!

A Hao, if this is done,

you'll get plenty of future benefits from Chashan!"

"Thank you, Young Master Liu!" A Hao from Chashan said with a triumphant smile.

Young Master Liu then turned to his confidant, lowering his voice and saying fiercely,

"Go, find the spokesperson of Dongkeng...

Tell him that Young Master Liu wants to borrow his Thai boxer, Thana. The price is negotiable!"

He clearly hadn't given up and intended to continue to trip up Li Zhan in the points competition.

Throughout the entire venue,

other major powers in their booths were also whispering among themselves.

Changan Town, as the strongest economic Town,

and its new spokesperson Li Zhan, were already highly anticipated.

Now that his subordinates had shown such formidable and ruthless strength, he naturally became the focus of the entire venue.

Each boxing match was not only a battlefield for resolving grievances,

but also an important occasion for various forces to find new allies, evaluate opponents, and redraw the map of interests.

Li Zhan and his Changan Town had undoubtedly become a new emerging force that could not be ignored,

attracting countless gazes of inquiry, apprehension, and even desire for alliance.

In the Wo Shing Wo booth in Hong Kong,

the leader Su Jingtang listened calmly as a man who looked like a strategist quietly analyzed.

"Brother Tang, this Li Zhan is not simple.

He has many capable subordinates, and he himself is calm and composed.

There might even be a shadow of the mainland government behind him...

Perhaps he's worth approaching."

Su Jingtang nodded slightly, his gaze profound as he looked in Li Zhan's direction,

and said unhurriedly,

"No rush...

Whether he's a dragon or a worm, we'll see after the Grudge Match.

If he can't even get past that hurdle, anything we say now is useless."

After speaking, he subconsciously glanced at his 'niece' Su Ziqing beside him,

only to find that the girl seemed somewhat distracted too,

her gaze under her sunglasses also drifting towards Li Zhan from Changan Town.

Su Jingtang couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

This trip to Dongguan would likely not be peaceful.

His gaze subconsciously swept over another VIP booth not far away—

that belonged to the representatives of the Macau Water Room.

Unlike Wo Shing Wo's low-key demeanor, the Water Room people were more flamboyant.

In the center of the booth,

sat a man around forty years old, wearing a flashy printed shirt and a gold Rolex,

one of Water Room Lai's most capable lieutenants in recent years, known as Gold Tooth Bing.

He wasn't among the innermost core members,

but he was responsible for some of the 'peripheral' affairs of the Water Room in the Pearl River Delta region.

His presence here, representing the Water Room,

was both for observation and to expand his network and seek cooperation opportunities.

Gold Tooth Bing, with a cigar in his mouth and his legs crossed,

was clearly very interested in Old Zhou's ruthless and swift counter-kill.

He turned to a subordinate next to him, who looked like a strategist with glasses, and chuckled softly,

"Damn! That guy from Changan Town has skills! (Cantonese: leave！Chang'an, this guy has some real talent!!)

He's ruthless and steady! (Cantonese: Ruthless and steady enough!)

Just like the tough guys we had when we followed Mr. Lai to conquer the world!" (Cantonese: Like those tough guys we used to fight alongside Lai Sheng for.!)

The strategist pushed up his glasses and responded cautiously,

"Brother Bing, it seems this Li Zhan is not an ordinary newcomer. (Cantonese: Bing Ge，It seems that Li Zhan is no ordinary rookie.)

If we can connect with him,

it might be beneficial for our business in the mainland later, especially here in Dongguan." (Cantonese: For our future in mainland China，Especially business in Dongguan，There may be a number.)

Gold Tooth Bing exhaled a smoke ring, squinted in Li Zhan's direction, and nodded,

"Let's watch two more matches first. (Cantonese: Watch a couple more games first.)

If he can survive the Grudge Match, this friend is worth making. (Cantonese: If he can withstand the grudges and conflicts，Undying，This is a friend worth having..)

You keep an eye on him. (Cantonese: You remember him..)"

He paused, then added,

"Also maintain good relations with Mr. Su from Hong Kong. The Su Family has deep roots, so don't offend either side." (Cantonese: Maintaining good relations with Hong Kong's So Sang.，Their Su family is wealthy.，Neither side should gain nor lose..)

The strategist nodded in agreement.

Gold Tooth Bing's gaze greedily swept over the sexily dressed women in the venue and Yang Yuying beside Li Zhan,

he chuckled twice, then refocused his attention on the boxing ring.

Throughout the entire venue, undercurrents surged, and various factions harbored different intentions,

but undoubtedly,

Li Zhan and his Changan Town,

had successfully placed themselves at the center stage of this underground spectacle...