Chapter 147: Moving Toward Modernization

For a moment, everyone looked at each other in dismay.

Inside Zhongyi Hall, every Hung Hing core member except for the Zha FIT Ren stared blankly.

Taking in the expressions of everyone present, Chen Jiajun continued, "Alright, signing up is entirely voluntary, but if you don't sign up for this welfare policy, then you won't have it."

"Additionally, Hung Hing has recently founded a logistics company and is now recruiting a batch of brothers with heavy vehicle licenses to travel back and forth to the Mainland every day."

"If you brothers are interested, sign up. I guarantee that the income of a heavy vehicle driver will be no less than that of a Red Pole, and there's less trouble."

"Alright, meeting adjourned."

Today's Hung Hing general meeting was a meeting that marked Hung Hing's march toward modernization.

In truth, the reason Chen Jiajun bypassed the various Zha FIT Ren to distribute money to the Hung Hing Big Dippers was to ensure that the low-level brothers of Hung Hing would only recognize Dalao Jun from now on, not the Zha FIT Ren.

When in a triad, whoever pays the brothers, and pays them more, is who the brothers will serve.

This is a matter of course.

That night, Chen Zilong of the Hung Hing Wanchai Hall arrived at a high-rise in a certain building in Central, holding his medical records to receive treatment from a psychologist.

And the hour or so he spent receiving treatment from the psychologist was the time slot for him to contact Inspector Zhang Zhongji of the Central District Anti-Triad Unit.

Zhang Zhongji was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, holding a document in his hand and tapping his thigh. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and looked stern: "You're here?"

With a look of surprise, he turned his head to look again, because Chen Zilong was wearing a construction site safety vest, holding a safety helmet, and his skin was tanned dark, making him look like he was twenty-seven or twenty-eight.

"What happened, why are you so tanned?"

"Zhang SIR, I've been working at the Heng Lung Group construction site for a month."

Chen Zilong walked in front of Zhang Zhongji, and the two lit cigarettes.

The other party was an excellent Police Constable handpicked by Zhang Zhongji. Zhang Zhongji frowned: "You've been working at the construction site all month? Hung Hing didn't have you look after any venues, didn't have you go out to do any work?"

"No."

Chen Zilong took a deep drag of his cigarette, gripping the filter with both hands.

Zhang Zhongji asked again: "Didn't you say before that Hung Hing was running an underground organ factory? Do you have any evidence?"

"No."

Chen Zilong shook his head, his tone filled with vicissitudes and exhaustion.

Zhang Zhongji asked: "Then what have you been doing this whole month?"

"Working at the construction site, waking up at six every day, getting off work at six, sometimes having to work overtime until twelve, with a monthly salary of 1,500...

Zhang SIR, can I apply to come back? Brother Dumu told me I have to work at the construction site for at least a year before I can be trusted with important tasks."

"You've only been an Undercover for a month, don't be discouraged. I believe you'll be able to get ahead soon." Zhang Zhongji's eyes showed a look of pity as he patted Chen Zilong on the shoulder: "Is there any news from Hung Hing recently?"

"Dalao Jun has already become the little Gambling King of Macau."

"Tell me something fresh."

"Dalao Jun opened a new school, tuition-free."

"I heard. Anything else?"

Chen Zilong took a drag of his cigarette and said gloomily: "The school just started construction today, and Brother Dumu arranged for us to go to the school to attend classes. I heard there are exams every year, and whoever gets good grades will receive rewards from Dalao Jun."

Zhang Zhongji felt as if he were having auditory hallucinations.

"What?"

"Arranged for you to go to school to attend classes?"

"There are exams every year?"

"Hahaha!"

Zhang Zhongji laughed until he doubled over.

Chen Zilong twitched the corner of his mouth, "It's true, Dalao Jun even said at the meeting in Zhongyi Hall today that there is no cap on the rewards."

He continued to report on the changes in Hung Hing:

"The Big Dippers from other halls who joined Hung Hing at the same time as me have been transferred to stand guard on the streets, responsible for maintaining street order, parking cars...

Hung Hing also founded a logistics company and wants to recruit a batch of brothers with heavy vehicle licenses to drive trucks. It seems Hung Hing wants to go legitimate now. This world is changing so fast..."

"It seems Hung Hing is really short on people and money, and can only arrange for everyone to go to construction sites and do odd jobs in other industries..."

Zhang Zhongji came to his senses, lost in thought.

In a daze, he actually felt that Hung Hing had some meaning for existing, at least providing so many job positions for this bunch of street punks who originally had no work and could only hang around on the streets...

"Zhang SIR, I really don't want to be an Undercover in Hung Hing anymore. The life of an Undercover is simply not meant for humans. Working at a construction site every day, having to wait over a year to get ahead, and having to attend night school at night—it's even harder than being a Police Constable."

After the report, Chen Zilong looked pleading.

Zhang Zhongji immediately comforted him: "The Police Station has a large-scale operation targeting Hung Hing, led by the Political Department, codenamed Crouching Tiger! You joined the hall of Hung Hing's Second Route Marshal Dumu, you've already gotten a head start on others...

Look on the bright side, maybe Niu Dali is just trying to scare you, intending to temper your will."

"You just focus on working at the construction site from now on. So what if you're working at a construction site? When I was an Undercover mole, I even had to go to the brothels to be a pimp! After a few years of being an Undercover, my health collapsed. Working at a construction site at least lets you build up your physical strength!"

"In that case, do I still count as an Undercover? Can I still be reinstated?"

Chen Zilong lowered his head and smoked, asking again.

"Of course you count, and you can become an Inspector once you're reinstated!" Zhang Zhongji said very decisively.

"I'm working at the construction site every day now, and the company gives me a salary of 1,500. Does that count as violating police regulations?"

Chen Zilong asked again.

"It does not."

Zhang Zhongji shook his head firmly.

"Oh."

Chen Zilong glanced at his watch, took a fierce drag of the cigarette butt, threw it down, stood up and said: "Night school is about to start, the big bosses are pushing us very hard. Zhang SIR, I'll head over now."

"Okay."

Zhang Zhongji twitched the corners of his mouth.

"Goodbye, Sir."

Chen Zilong left the building. On the side of the road, several ugly-looking young demon slaves stood beside a Mercedes-Benz water truck. When someone saw him, they immediately shouted, "A Long, f*** your mother, you're so slow even when coming to see the doctor! Hurry up! Otherwise, it'll be too late."

"Coming! Coming!"

Chen Zilong trotted forward quickly.

Arriving at Guojun Technology in Tuen Mun, Chen Zilong, like many other brothers, collected an application form. On a platform temporarily set up by a teacher, they were teaching everyone how to fill out the application form.

Since Chen Zilong had already completed the Form 7 curriculum, he could sign up for some special courses, such as the Civil Engineering Department, Chemistry Department...

Because he was currently working at a construction site, Chen Zilong signed up for the Civil Engineering Department.

A staff member took him to collect his books: Theoretical Mechanics, Materials Mechanics, Structural Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Building Materials, and so on.

It was a thick, large stack.

Then, following the staff member's instructions, Chen Zilong went to the Civil Engineering classroom.

The location was in the office building of Guojun Technology, and including him, there were only two students. He happened to know the other student as well; it was the foreign exchange student who had successfully joined Dalao Jun's faction that day, Lin Yutian.

As soon as he saw Lin Yutian, Chen Zilong's heart began to thump.

After all, Lin Yutian was now driving for Dalao Jun!

I must get on good terms with Lin Yutian!

Chen Zilong reached out his hand toward Lin Yutian: "I've heard of you, Menggui Tian."

"I know you, you used to hang out in Ciyunshan, your name is Zilong, right?" Lin Yutian also reached out his hand toward him.

Chen Zilong pointed at the courses and said: "Didn't you go to university? Why do you still need to come here to study?"

"Ada said that the Civil Engineering Department is the future of Hung Hing, and told me I must study seriously.

Besides, there is a 1,500-dollar subsidy for studying in the Civil Engineering Department, and I only need to work for half a day," Lin Yutian explained with a smile.

A spark of hope suddenly rose in Chen Zilong's heart; as long as he studied hard, perhaps Ada would also see his ability!

Promotion and a raise!

Destroy Hung Hing!

Get promoted to Inspector!

It's just around the corner!

Most importantly, I only need to work for half a day!

With the monthly bonus plus the subsidy, that's 3,000 dollars!

Where else in the world could you find such a good deal!

I must study hard!

While the Hung Hing Big Dippers and young demon slaves were in class, Chen Jiajun was not idle either; he was perfecting his plan.

The scale of the society was too large now, and it was easy to be targeted by the Police.

You must know that the size of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, according to public figures, was only 29,069 people.

If a violent gang that you could not control appeared on your turf, and on top of that, this violent gang's beliefs were completely different from yours, would you stare at this violent gang every day?

Even if Hung Hing followed the rules, it would be useless.

The Police would still stare at you to death!

The better-behaved you were, the more vigilant the Police would be!

Therefore, Chen Jiajun decided to raise soldiers through factories and venues, stuffing Hung Hing boys into various Hung Hing companies.

Logistics companies, construction companies, arcade electronic factories, Guojun Apparel...

Except for some thugs watching the venues, the rest would be transferred to other positions whenever possible, letting the brothers exert their remaining energy in all walks of life; hiding soldiers among the people was the most brilliant idea.

Guan Jiahui brought over a large plate of washed and cut fruit, resting her jade-like feet on the table, occasionally feeding a grape into Chen Jiajun's mouth: "Husband, have a taste."

That night.

Li Jiacheng of the Cheung Kong Group was exhausted at Wardley. He had never imagined how a Hutchison Whampoa on the verge of bankruptcy could attract Hung Hing's Dalao Jun.

It wasn't until the Hutchison Whampoa managing director proposed a restructuring plan at the board meeting, suggesting the sale of properties and land to Hung Hing subsidiaries, that Li Jiacheng finally understood that the Hongxing Mad Dragon's acquisition of Hutchison Whampoa was just a feint.

The real goal was much the same as his: it was all for the large amount of land owned by Hutchison Whampoa.

"Tom Roland, how many shares has our Cheung Kong Group acquired?"

At this moment, a cup of coffee was placed in front of Li Jiacheng, and he revealed a weary expression.

"120 million shares. Recently, we acquired another 20 million shares at an acquisition price of 16 dollars.

Mr. Li, there isn't much capital left in your account. Why not go to HSBC and take out another loan?"

Tom Roland replied.

"How much has Chen Jiajun acquired?" Li Jiacheng pondered for a moment and asked.

"Also 5%. Currently, their equity has reached 27.5%, and they are still in negotiations with Hutchison Whampoa shareholders."

Tom Roland reported an accurate number; he was quite familiar with Zhan Peizhong.

When he asked Zhan Peizhong, Zhan Peizhong also told him about this matter quite readily.

After all, everyone was acquiring in the primary and secondary markets, and it was tacitly understood who had acquired how much from which shareholder.

Li Jiacheng said sternly: "If we want to reach the full acquisition line, based on your experience, how much more total investment is needed?"

"360 million," Tom Roland replied.

"Plus buying out what's in Chen Jiajun's hands, we might have to spend over two billion!"

Li Jiacheng frowned.

Tom Roland offered a suggestion: "That's right! Mr. Li, if possible, I still suggest you have a talk with Mr. Chen."

"Then... then let's talk; we have to meet eventually anyway."

Li Jiacheng's brow smoothed out; he had first heard the name Chen Jiajun during the Jianing Group acquisition case, and later, the Kowloon Wharf equity war was even more earth-shattering. Just when he was envying this young man's good luck, he hadn't expected Chen Jiajun to teach him a heavy lesson.

The phone rang for a long time before it was answered, and just as Li Jiacheng was about to state his identity, he heard a long, crisp, and melodious sound come from the phone: "Ah~~~~"

Young people really know how to play...

Li Jiacheng was instantly dumbfounded.

"Ahem!"

"I am Chen Jiajun!"

Chen Jiajun coughed once, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Hello, I am Li Jiacheng of the Cheung Kong Group."

On the balcony, when Chen Jiajun heard the name Li Jiacheng, he immediately started to laugh.

It seems the old fox, having been left hanging by him for a while, finally couldn't hold back anymore and wanted to call him personally to arrange a meeting.

In this way, he had once again seized the initiative.

"Mr. Chen, a month has passed since the stock battle for Hutchison Whampoa. Both sides have invested quite a lot of money. Why don't we find an opportunity tomorrow to sit down and have a good talk, so as to avoid damaging our harmony? What do you think?"

"How about this, how is tomorrow morning?"

"Tomorrow morning, at the Shenshuiwan Gao'erfu Qiuchang."

"Fine."

Hanging up the phone, Chen Jiajun sped up.

Half an hour later, Guan Jiahui lay contentedly at Chen Jiajun's sides.

The next day.

Chen Jiajun held Dudu on a leash, along with several Dobermans, and ran along the road with Guan Jiahui.

Behind them, ten young demon slaves also followed.

Jogging all the way to the Shenshuiwan Gao'erfu Qiuchang, Chen Jiajun took out his membership.

"Mr. Chen, Mr. Li is already waiting for you. Please come with me."

The manager of the Gaorfuqiuchang had long been informed by Li Jiacheng, and since he could frequently see Chen Jiajun's face in the newspapers, he knew Chen Jiajun's purpose immediately.

"Alright, give me a few golf carts, and bring us a few breakfasts as well."

Chen Jiajun handed the leashes to Guan Jiahui and said as he walked inside.

"Yes!"

The manager nodded.

Arriving on the course, Li Jiacheng recognized this head-turning group at a glance: "Young people today are truly incredible!"

Too young—this was his first impression of Chen Jiajun. It was hard to imagine that someone only 23 years old, about the same age as his own son, actually had the qualifications to have an equal dialogue with him.

A talented man and a beautiful woman—this was his second impression of Chen Jiajun and Guan Jiahui.

(End of this chapter)