Chapter 41: Enjoying Life

Chen Mo hadn't expected that last night's battle would produce so many repercussions.

After Chen Mo finished his meeting, he unexpectedly received a phone call from Jingkun.

"Ah Mo, are you not treating me as a brother! Last night when you fought those old bastards from Hongle and Chang Yi, you didn't even call me!"

Jingkun feigned complaint over the phone.

"Brother Kun, just a bunch of old bastards, there's no need for you to personally take action — haven't I already settled it!" Chen Mo enthusiastically brushed Jingkun off.

"You really showed your mettle this time, fighting off the siege of three Triad Societies single-handedly and driving Hongle out of Wang Jiao — do you know what they're calling you in the underworld now?"

"What are they calling me?" Chen Mo was genuinely somewhat surprised — could there be another new nickname?

He had been busy with internal matters all day and hadn't paid much attention to outside news.

"They're calling you the Conqueror! They say last night you slashed Madman Hui to death with a single blade, wielded two people as weapons, sent bodies flying everywhere, and say you're the reincarnation of the Hegemon-King of Chu!"

"No way, Brother Kun, that exaggerated?"

"Really! Word is it spread from the underlings on Chang Yi's side. Right now the underlings of Chang Yi and Chang Le are all terrified out of their wits by you!"

"That's too exaggerated, Brother Kun. I'm not that formidable — at most I can fight a little, that's all."

Chen Mo said modestly.

"Seriously, Ah Mo, any interest in coming over to help me?"

Jingkun began making overtures to recruit him.

Previously, he hadn't taken Chen Mo too seriously.

At most, given that Chen Mo could fight quite well, and for Thirteen Sister's sake, he had gotten along with him decently.

But ever since Chen Mo took out Hong Tai, Jingkun had started taking Chen Mo seriously.

Being able to dismantle a Triad Society overnight — the difficulty was absolutely no small matter.

Now Chen Mo had seized two more streets, and his strength had surged.

Though still far behind Jingkun, he was no longer to be underestimated.

"Brother Kun, you're being too formal with that kind of talk — aren't I already making my living on your turf? Just give me orders directly if there's anything!"

Chen Mo said jokingly.

Running over to join Jingkun now would be just like joining the Nationalist Army in '49.

It was just that Chen Mo didn't want to offend Jingkun, nor could he refuse too bluntly.

Jingkun heard the refusal in Chen Mo's words and didn't press further — he had only been casually probing anyway.

"Seriously though, you're not allowed to refuse when I ask for your help in the future! And if you ever need help with anything in Wang Jiao, just say the word!"

"Don't worry, Brother Kun, I definitely won't stand on ceremony with you!"

At eight o'clock in the evening, Gao Jin came running to report to Chen Mo.

"Mo Ge, the underlings have all been recruited."

"That fast?"

Chen Mo was greatly surprised.

Previously, recruiting a few dozen in a day was already decent, but today they had somehow filled up with over two hundred at once.

"Last night's matter has already spread through the underworld. Right now, Mo Ge, your reputation is very loud, and many blue lanterns have come to join us drawn by your name.

Plus, quite a few people know that our underlings get a base salary, so they're all very willing to work under Mo Ge."

Chen Mo hadn't expected last night's battle to bring so many benefits either — he figured he probably wouldn't have to worry about recruiting people anymore.

"Any movements from Hongle, Chang Yi, and Chang Le?"

Chen Mo asked casually.

With his manpower complete, Chen Mo now had the confidence to fight them at any time.

"No movements. All three of their Triad Societies have been very quiet today, with not the slightest sign of gathering manpower."

"Hmm? Could it be that Hongle doesn't want to take their turf back?"

Chen Mo said with a frown.

How could he know that Hongle currently had the will but not the strength?

Hongle's people had suffered heavy losses after two consecutive days of major battles.

Especially with Shensheng dead and Shishi arrested, many underlings' family compensation and medical expenses still hadn't been paid!

Shen Deng wouldn't put up this money, and Brother Piao didn't want to put up this money either.

He sat in the Dragon Head's seat to rake in money, not to pour his own money into it.

Right now many of the underlings still hadn't received their money — if they were made to go fight Chen Mo again, they would rebel.

Chang Le and Chang Yi were even less willing to get involved.

Last night they had mobilized five hundred men, and Chen Mo had held them off with just a hundred.

Today Chen Mo had recruited so many more people there — they had seen it themselves — so it was even more impossible to fight.

It was just that Chen Mo still didn't know about these things, and gave Gao Jin a word of caution anyway.

"Tell the brothers to be careful and stay prepared."

For three consecutive days, Chen Mo saw not the slightest sign of Hongle wanting to fight back, and finally believed that Hongle had given up.

Chen Mo called for Da Fei and gave him one million.

"Da Fei, this is the agreed price! The extra is my thanks!"

Da Fei's men had only fought a few battles when planting their flag at Laundry Street, and after that it was just beating a drowning dog — hardly anyone got injured.

Calculating it out, Da Fei could still have a few hundred thousand left over from this one million.

But Chen Mo didn't fuss over it.

Without the men Da Fei brought, Laundry Street wouldn't have been so easy to take.

Coupled with his turf being secured and the counterfeit goods business about to start up, Chen Mo basically wouldn't be short of money from here on out.

"What, you don't need my men to help anymore?"

Da Fei had spent the past few days on Chen Mo's turf, eating well and having a good time; he wasn't too eager to go back to North Point anymore.

"I've got plenty of men on hand now, and that bunch of old geezers from Hongle probably doesn't have the guts to come back and fight for it. You'd better head back to your North Point."

"Damn it, Wang Jiao is way better than North Point. I don't even feel like going back anymore. Besides, your money is so easy to make—I want to earn a bit more!"

Da Fei said with a look of regret.

He had brought two hundred underlings out, and they hadn't even done much fighting—just swept through a few venues, that's all.

When they swept the venue on Sai Yee Street, they grabbed over a million from the Aladdin's hall alone.

Add the one million Chen Mo gave him, and Da Fei had practically hit the jackpot this time.

"There'll be plenty of money-making opportunities. In a few days there'll be another one, and I'll definitely let you know when the time comes."

Chen Mo thought it over and decided to pull Da Fei into the counterfeit goods business as well.

He had plenty of men anyway, and not many venues that needed watching, so there was no shortage of hands to sell clothes.

"Real or fake?" Da Fei looked skeptical.

How could Da Fei not know what kind of character people in the Triad Society had?

When there was money to be made, every last one of them wanted to hoard it all to themselves—how could they possibly share it with anyone else?

"Whether it's real or fake, you'll find out in a few days, won't you?"

Chen Mo smiled and didn't explain.

The factory was already up and running anyway, and finished garments would probably come out in the next day or two.

When the time came, he'd show him the goods with his own eyes—then he'd have no choice but to believe it.

Given Da Fei's temperament, he definitely wouldn't pass up a money-making opportunity.

After Da Fei left, Chen Mo called for Fei Ji.

"Fei Ji, notify the brothers—aside from those normally watching the venues, the rest can take it easy for a while."

"Sure thing, Mo Ge!" Fei Ji went off happily to pass the word.

For the past few days, Chen Mo's subordinates had been on edge, ready at any moment for Hongle's people to come attacking.

Even Fei Ji was dead tired.

Chen Mo tidied up his desk a bit and got ready to head downstairs for some recreation.

His bar had been open for several days now, but aside from opening day, he hadn't yet had a proper drink in his own establishment.

He didn't even know what the quality of the girls in his bar was like.

He'd been working hard for days—didn't he deserve to enjoy himself a little!