Chapter 285: Meeting with Zhang Zong

"Everyone, don't miss each other." I said that and hung up.

"Mr. Zhao, let me go first; I'll guarantee your safety with my integrity. I'm begging you," Ruan Wei pleaded.

"You fucking shut up. Do you even have integrity? If we let you go, what will we do? Say another word and I'll kill you right now," I said viciously.

Shi Yong immediately placed the knife under Ruan Wei.

Ruan Wei fell silent.

I said to Shi Yong, "When Zhang Zong arrives in a moment, we'll meet the old friend and leave."

Shi Yong said, "Yeah, it's been over twenty years since we last met; we've even forgotten what Zhang Zong looks like."

I said, "Go to the computer, check whether Zhang Zong is coming alone. If he brings anyone, take this guy out first."

Shi Yong nodded, entered the room and looked at the surveillance on the computer.

I said to Lao Wai, "Lao Wai, in a moment go open the door, let him in, then shut the door quickly. I'm watching Ruan Wei here."

"If he backs out, I'll even kill that Zhang Zong."

Lao Wai looked at me and said, "Zhao Jianqiang, I see you becoming more and more like Wang Xinsheng. It should have been like this for a long time, whether dead or alive, chicken* facing up, dead at most a scar on the rim of a bowl. I just like you this way."

This Lao Wai loves to stir trouble, fearing the world not be chaotic.

The scared‑of‑death attitude just now, where did it go? Let me kill people, he just laughs.

I couldn't be bothered with this Lao Wai.

At this moment Shi Yong came out of the room,

"Brother, that Zhang Zong is here, really just him alone. How did he find this place?"

I laughed, "It's simple; they easily traced our location."

Ruan Wei said beside us, "Mr. Zhao is absolutely right; we have dedicated equipment that can locate you."

"Damn it, what kind of company are you, fiddling with these crappy gadgets, doing shady stuff like eavesdropping, tailing, acting like the mafia," Shi Yong cursed at Ruan Wei.

"This? We're just a shell company, specializing in devouring industrial firms, then after hollowing them out, we sell the company."

The method is to first lend money to some companies, then find ways to make them unable to repay.

That way we swallow the whole company. To swallow the whole company, we must have certain means," Ruan Wei said proudly.

This Ruan Wei laid out the core of how their company operates.

Ruan Wei was speaking the truth; they first lent money to our company, then did everything to prevent us from earning money to repay.

Their goal was achieved.

Of course, this company first needs internal causes, such as unstable management, blind expansion, cash flow cut, internal leadership fights, and so on.

After they used extreme measures to thoroughly understand the company's situation, they teamed up with locals and got the company in hand.

Once in hand, they quickly hollowed out the company, split the money, filed for bankruptcy, and that's it.

Our Da Heng Group can let the Southern Group swallow them,

we possess the above characteristics,

internal strife is fierce; I clash with Zhao Xiaohua, clash with Sun Dajun, blind expansion caused a corporate void, urgently needing cash flow replenishment.

Moreover, Kong Shi deliberately arranged for banks to deny loans. Then there's only one way: we must borrow money from them for the company to survive.

After borrowing, they deliberately prevent us from repaying smoothly. All to swallow Da Heng Group.

To learn the company's situation, they naturally resort to eavesdropping, tailing, and other illegal means.

In short, they aren't a legally operated company at all.

I followed Shi Yong into the room and looked; indeed the computer's surveillance showed a person walking over.

The footage only showed a vague figure of Zhang Zong.

He was slowly approaching the place where we live.

After a while, someone knocked on the gate outside.

Lao Wai, hearing the knock, glanced at me.

I signaled him to go open the door.

The courtyard gate opened,

Zhang Zong walked in.

Zhang Zong was still that fat, only much older than before.

When Zhang Zong saw me,

He laughed, "Sun Yansheng, we haven't seen each other for over twenty years, right?

No, now I should call you Zhao Jianqiang, you've changed too; back then you were a handsome young man. Now you've become a greasy uncle."

I also smiled, clasped my fist,

"Zhang Zong, hope you're well. Who could imagine meeting Zhang Zong when life is about to end? But this time's meeting time and place feels uncomfortable. Looks like you're doing fine."

"Jianqiang, we're old friends, no need for formalities. Some things between us are misunderstandings. When we have time, we'll talk in detail."

"I'm already here, release Ruan Zong. I'll go with you, is that okay?" Zhang Zong said and took another step forward.

I pointed at Zhang Zong and said, "Zhang Zong, hm, between us it's not a misunderstanding, it's hatred."

"Our Da Heng Group let you scheme away; this matter still has no resolution, haha, your single word of misunderstanding, light as wind and cloud, and the matter is settled like that."

Isn't that a joke?

"Zhang Zong, regarding our matters, since we won't discuss them today, we'll leave them for later."

"Jianqiang, listen to my explanation. Regarding your Da Heng Group, let me first state that it is your responsibility. When the loan contract was signed, we had to supervise your company's finances, and we have the right to object to your company's operations. What we did did not violate any rules; first, you violated the rules by handling the property on your own, angering the local authorities, which led to your company's current state."

All the responsibility is yours alone, unrelated to our Southern Group. Initially, we lent you money, and I truly helped you.

I learned from Kong Shi that Da Heng Group is your enterprise. We had known each other before, so we wanted to quietly help you.

How can you use the word "scheme"? It hurts my heart too much.

Jianqiang, we have been running the Da Heng Group normally, and we also appointed Zhao Xiaohua as General Manager.

This Zhao Xiaohua is your younger brother. We have no intention of seizing your company.

Today, I am still saying the same thing here: as long as you repay the money to us, we will still give the Da Heng Group back to you.

Zhao Jianqiang, you know what kind of person I am.

I have never done anything that wronged you.

Zhang Zong said without changing expression, his face not reddening.

It seems all responsibility lies with me; they, the Southern Group, schemed something that the Da Heng Group never even had.

It was my overthinking, it was my failure.

I truly admire Zhang Zong; his nerve has been refined to a masterful degree.

Hearing Zhang Zong finish speaking,

I laughed heartily,

"Zhang Zong, if it had been back in Lanling, perhaps I would have believed you.

Back then I had not endured any storms. Now it is different; after all, I have gone through some things.

Who is genuine and who is false, I know it in my heart.

Hmph, my responsibility—you speak of it so lightly.

Zhang Zong, you haven't done anything dishonest; why did you run away?

Recall the events of those years: after the Big City Company got into trouble, I stepped in to take the blame.

I was damned in prison while you were out there living it up.

Damn it, after I got out, they didn't even recognize me and tried to arrest me.

If we don't take down Liu Xian, believe me I will end up back inside, dying there. Don't you know these things?

Zhang Zong spread his hands,

"These matters, I truly don't understand; they were all orchestrated by Wu Xiezi. Wu Xiezi, when he does things, is a man who spares no means."