Big Data Cultivation

Chapter 186: Going towards Tiger Mountain

Li Qiang was lying on the hospital bed, boredly listening to music. Beside the bed, Xiaojia, a temporary worker from the TV station, was leaning against the wall, fiddling with a mobile phone.

Young Master Li usually had a bit of a second-generation attitude in his dealings, which earned him some criticism. However, he didn’t tell his parents about getting beaten up yesterday—it was the middle of the night, and they were both old and frail. Being shocked would do no good.

So, his choice was to report to the organization first, saying he was retaliated against and that the station needed to do something about it.

As a result, whether or not he talked about work-related injuries, getting a few months off for sick leave was definitely in plain sight.

The station’s leadership had visited him and left a temporary worker to care for him. As for others, Li Qiang didn’t want to bother them… everyone was busy, after all. The disgraceful matter could be discussed later.

A few close friends had already visited him. He couldn’t reach Wang Haifeng, that guy, and as for Zhang Wei, he planned to get in touch after the stock market closed today.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Wei’s call came through, and in that moment, Li Qiang’s anger flared up: he really wanted to see who dared to plot against him.

As he was grinding his teeth in rage, he suddenly saw the door to the ward being pushed open. So he took off his headphones and sat up, “Oh, President Feng is here… Eh? What’s with you?”

He was a bit stunned. Feng Jun hadn’t come alone; behind him were three women, each more beautiful than the last.

One of the women was Sister Hong, whom he knew, but he truly had never seen the other two women before.

One woman was carrying two gift boxes, obviously having a close relationship with Feng Jun, and the other had a distinctly exotic charm, youthful and pretty yet composed.

Feng Jun couldn’t really explain his relationship with the three women. In the context of visiting the sick, some topics weren’t quite appropriate.

He inquired about Li Qiang’s injuries. The assailant had struck rather hard. Li Qiang had multiple soft tissue contusions, minor rib fractures, a broken left arm, dislocated jaw, dislocated right upper arm, and fractures in two fingers on his right hand.

When Li Qiang heard that Liu Hong’s men were behind the attack, he couldn’t help but explode with anger, “Damn it, just because he did it, does it mean we can’t report it?”

Feng Jun, quite the rogue, expressed, “Old Li, it’s my fault. I dragged you into this, and I will definitely give you an explanation.”

“It’s not your fault,” Li Qiang waved his hand, grimaced in pain, but made it clear, “It was targeted at our program. It’s not the first time something like this happened to Zhengyang. To put it bluntly, they just don’t take us seriously.”

Feng Jun didn’t agree with raising the issue to such a level. “In my view, this is a personal grudge. Don’t try to console me with talk about our program or anything… As for your losses, I will compensate.”

“That’s no fun then!” Li Qiang’s expression turned serious, and then he winced as if he had bumped into something.

Then he spoke weakly, “This matter also involves Xiao Wei, and you don’t complain about him. We’re brothers. It’s strange to talk like this… Apart from personal matters, it’s the cause and effect that I’m talking about.”

Despite his roguish appearance, he was clear about certain things. Mixing in society, who didn’t have a bit of savvy? Complaining about Feng Jun for this would really be pointless—he had been properly compensated for his help in the past, according to the rules.

To put it more practically, even if Feng Jun offered a lot of compensation, it would just be a one-time deal.

If he could use this opportunity to get on good terms with Feng Jun, the benefits would be endless. So, how Li Qiang should choose was obvious, wasn’t it?

In fact, at the bottom of his heart, he also hate Liu Hong deeply: damn it, if you have the guts, go settle the score with Feng Jun directly. Why start by beating me up? Is this… killing the chicken to warn the monkey?

Fuck, why should I be the chicken and not the monkey? I won’t stand for being underestimated like this!

Because of these resentments in his heart, he was very straightforward, “I don’t want any compensation. President Feng, if you can give him a hard time, that’s good enough for me… I’m laying it out here. If anything happens, I’ll carry the burden for you.”

Li Qiang was truly furious, bent on seeking revenge against Liu Hong. In society, incidents like “road rage” happen because someone gets irrationally angry, with hot blood rising to their head, demanding a release.

Although he had some means at home and had made a decent life for himself, he had no good moves against someone like Liu Hong from the underworld. He could only rely on Feng Jun. However, if the situation escalated, he could truly take a lot of heat.

“I will definitely give you an explanation,” Feng Jun affirmed once more, smiling through his gritted teeth, “Your job now is to recover in peace. I’m waiting for you to heal up so we can drink together.”

Li Qiang took a glance at Zhang Caixin and another at Li Xiaobin, and said with a smile, “I’m just afraid that while I’m healing, you guys will sweep up all the beautiful women of Zhengyang… President Feng, please show some mercy.”

Zhang Weihong overheard this and felt a twinge of sourness, “Li Qiang, you better focus on healing and stop troubling the two girls.”

Li Qiang didn’t dare provoke her, so he could only look up at the sky and inwardly wailed: Damn it, who have I offended now?

The group left the hospital by noon, and Feng Jun naturally suggested they find a place to eat.

During the meal, Li Qiang actually called. He told Feng Jun that Liu Hong was near the “Dynasty Disco”.

After chatting for a while, Feng Jun hung up the phone and looked up at Sister Hong, “Li Qiang said it, Liu Hong is prepared. You really shouldn’t get involved.”

“Eh?” Sister Hong looked at him puzzled, “I haven’t even found the guy yet, and he knows? He even knows they’re prepared?”

Feng Jun’s mind conjured an image of a grotesque woman, as well as that ID—”Blooming in Time.” He chuckled and said, “Li Qiang is also one of the Zhengyang People, why should he be behind on news?”

Sister Hong fell silent for a moment before asking, “How can he be so sure that Liu Hong is prepared?”

Feng Jun answered gravely, “Recently, he’s been watching over Xi Lai Duo’s operations; business has been booming. Now he’s suddenly moved to Dynasty Disco—it doesn’t make sense. Plus… he’s making a bit too much noise.”

Xi Lai Duo is an entertainment club that offers bathing, KTV, dining, card games, and more. But in reality, there are several large gambling floors, with betting from Macau and even Europe.

Liu Hong earns a cut from watching over this place, but the key point is that he’s also involved in lending money, which earns him even more.

As for Dynasty Disco, that’s a whole different story. The enforcers collecting protection money there are just a bunch of Brother Hong’s punks. If they run into someone who doesn’t know any better, dropping Brother Hong’s name is enough to keep them in line.

In Li Qiang’s words—or perhaps it was “Blooming in Time’s” analysis—why would Liu Hong, with business so good at Xi Lai Duo, play the fool and head to Dynasty? And why make such a grand entrance?

Feng Jun got the cause and effect after Li Qiang’s explanation. Sister Hong, however, got it instantly.

With a somber expression, she nodded slowly, “So that’s the plan; he wants to start his own operation?”

Feng Jun pulled out his mobile phone, searched for “Dynasty Disco” on the map, and sure enough, “It’s in Red Flag Commune?”

Red Flag Commune is a peri-urban area. The last time he dealt with Gold with Guo Heilian, it was in that neighborhood.

The area had been developing well recently, with skyrocketing land prices and a number of luxury hotels and large entertainment venues cropping up.

However, Feng Jun also vividly remembered the acres of ruins left after the demolition.

Sister Hong pondered for a moment but still hesitated, “Shouldn’t we use gentle methods before resorting to force? It’s always better to have justification for taking action.”

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” Zhang Caixin once again disagreed with her sister, “Sister Wei Hong, you’re still thinking in last century’s terms. If he dares to play dirty, he should be prepared for retaliation.”

“You, kid,” Sister Hong shook her head and said sternly, “This thing about rules, others may not care, but we can’t… we can’t let people laugh at us for not being proper.”

“Can propriety fill your stomach?” Zhang Caixin retorted disdainfully, finding her sister to be old-fashioned.

But the next moment, she found a better argument, “One should observe etiquette with the virtuous and resort to arms with the tyrants… When dealing with the proper folks, I agree we should be proper. But nowadays, times have changed, and propriety is but an epitaph for the deferential. You really are outdated.”

After saying that, she cast a sideways glance at Feng Jun, “I’m right, aren’t I, President Feng?”

Feng Jun nodded decisively, “Absolutely. He ambushed Li Qiang first… Those who don’t observe propriety have no right to complain about others doing the same.”

After a pause, he let out a wry smile, “Actually, these days, with amateurs laying out the masters, who’s going to talk about rules? Sister Hong and I, we’re both out of step with the times.”

Upon hearing this, Sister Hong gave him a wry look, “You also dare to boast about being proper?”

Feng Jun seemed genuinely surprised, “How am I not proper? Sister Hong, we’re close, but you shouldn’t tarnish my reputation.”

With an air of nonchalance, Sister Hong replied, “Someone here has been drawing a full month’s salary without fulfilling the days, right?”

“Oh,” Feng Jun nodded as if suddenly realizing, then said with a sly smile, “My mistake, how many days am I short?”

Without a second thought, Sister Hong answered, “Two days.”

“Two days…” Feng Jun fell silent, but the next moment, he burst out laughing, “Puhaha.”

“That’s too much!” Sister Hong guessed what he was laughing at. With the ladies present, all she could do was shoot him a fierce glance.

“Enough of that,” Feng Jun spoke earnestly, “I’m going to deal with that guy now. Sister Hong, do you have any other suggestions?”

Zhang Weihong fell silent for a while, knowing she couldn’t stop him, and finally replied in a low voice, “Don’t rush off just yet. I’ll help you gather some information to pinpoint Liu Hong’s location and try to get you a map.”

Seven hours later, a taxi pulled up at the entrance of Dynasty Disco; a man and a woman got out.

Both of them wore sunglasses at 8 PM, which seemed a bit out of place at night, but the security at the door didn’t find it strange—the scent of alcohol wafting from them was strong.

Still, he couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the woman: she was incredibly attractive.

(Update here, calling for monthly tickets.)