Chapter 172

In the lounge of Lin Gong Guan, Lin Yu leaned on the leather sofa, listening to Zhou Wei's report.

"Bureau Chief," Zhou Wei opened the file in his hand, "the British Concession is now fully under our control. Ma San has taken over all of Shen Qingshan's territory, and those little gangs don't dare to fart."

Lin Yu nodded. "What about the French Concession?"

"The Three Big Tycoons have already given in," Zhou Wei laughed, "they've closed their casinos and opium dens, and even voluntarily send tribute each month. These guys are savvy; they know staying alive is most important."

"Hmm," Lin Yu said indifferently, "letting them live is fine; it saves trouble. But keep an eye on them—don't let them collude with foreigners."

"Understood. Feng An has already taken people to the Eastern Concession," Zhou Wei continued, "but last time we blood‑washed the Eastern Concession, we pretty much squeezed out all the profits there. Even the Japanese expatriates were mostly killed off; the survivors were so scared they fled back to their country."

Lin Yu narrowed his eyes at the night view of Shen City outside the window. The sprawling Shen City, with its five concessions, was like five tumors growing on the city's body.

The British Concession is the largest, occupying the most prosperous district; those Brits have run rampant there for decades. The French Concession comes next, where the Three Big Tycoons reign supreme, relying on French power to act without restraint. The Eastern Concession is the smallest, yet the Japanese there are just as arrogant as anyone else.

"Zhou Wei," Lin Yu suddenly said, "tell me, what gives these concessions the right to exist?"

Zhou Wei blinked. "You mean, Bureau Chief...?"

"This is our land," Lin Yu rose and walked to the window, "by what right do these foreigners lord it over here? By what right do they oppress our people?"

He turned, his eyes sharp: "The time has come. We must make Shen City uniform. These concessions should never have existed."

"But Bureau Chief," Zhou Wei said worriedly, "these concessions are backed by the Great Powers..."

"Great Powers?" Lin Yu snorted, "they're too busy dealing with their own troubles. The Brits are occupied with the Germans, the French are in a mess, and as for the Japanese..." he sneered, "last time we should have made it clear this isn't a place for them to run wild."

"The Bureau Chief is right!" Zhou Wei's eyes lit up.

"Pass on my orders," Lin Yu's voice icy, "have Ma San and Feng An speed up their actions. I want all concessions' privileges abolished in the shortest possible time. Shen City will have only one voice!"

Zhou Wei snapped to attention and saluted: "Yes!"

Lin Yu settled back onto the sofa, a cold glint in his eyes. For years the concessions have been like a thorn stuck in Shen City's flesh. Now it's time to pull that thorn out. No matter if they're Brits, French, or Japanese, don't think they can run rampant here any longer!

Besides the British and French Concessions, Lin Yu's troops also moved into the other concessions.

In the American Concession, the situation was simpler than expected. Americans have been busy fighting the Germans in Europe these years, with no spare attention for Far Eastern interests. When Lin Yu's army marched in, the Works Bureau of the American Concession couldn't muster any decent resistance. Those American merchants were savvy; seeing armed soldiers, they quickly packed up and prepared to flee.

"Tsk tsk," Ma San stood on the main street of the American Concession, watching those foreigners scramble away in panic, "these Americans usually act so high‑and‑mighty, yet now they're running faster than rabbits."

The situation in the International Settlement was a bit more complicated. This area housed expatriates from many countries, with tangled forces. But under Lin Yu's thunderous methods, they had no choice but to bow. The troops went house to house, searching and driving all the foreigners to the dock.

"You have one day," Feng An announced from the dock to those foreigners, "if anyone is still here at this time tomorrow, don't blame us for not being polite!"

The foreigners dared to be angry but stayed silent. They watched helplessly as their property was confiscated, yet they didn't dare to fart. The Great Powers are too busy with their own affairs—who would bother with distant Eastern concessions?

As for the Eastern Concession, it had already become a dead zone after the previous blood‑bath. The remaining Japanese this time fled in utter disgrace, losing bladder and bowel control.

"Director Lin, you played that hand beautifully," Feng An said to Ma San, "taking advantage of the Great Powers' preoccupation, we wiped out all the concessions in one go. Those foreigners have lorded it over our turf for decades—it's high time they scrammed!"

Ma San nodded. "Yeah, from today on Shen City will be clean. Damn concessions, damn privileges—go to hell!"

All of Shen City trembled. The concessions that had existed for decades, under Lin Yu's iron fist, vanished overnight. The foreigners' power was uprooted; they could no longer do as they pleased on this land.

This day will forever be recorded in Shen City's annals. The city finally regained its proper appearance, with no concessions, no privileges. Here there is only one voice: Lin Yu's.

In the reception hall of Lin Gong Guan, the atmosphere was solemn.

Duke Albert and the British consul sat on the sofa, like two tamed dogs, heads bowed, silent. This Works Bureau chief, who had once called the shots in the British Concession, now lacked even the courage to lift his head and glance at Lin Yu.

His mind still vividly replayed the scene from a few days earlier in his own office: Williams kneeling, begging for mercy, the sharp crack of a gunshot, blood spreading across the Persian carpet... All of this made him shudder.

"Twenty million taels," Albert trembled as he handed over a list. "Everything is ready. We sold most of the Works Bureau's assets to scrape together this amount......"

Lin Yu took the list, glanced at it casually: "Three days— not bad. Looks like you remembered the lesson from that day in your office."

Albert's face turned deathly pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead: "Y-yes... we dare not defy Director Lin's orders......"

"Good," Lin Yu said coldly, "These were never yours to begin with. For years you've run rampant on our land; twenty million is already lenient."

Albert and the consul exchanged a glance, their eyes full of fear. They had both witnessed Williams's fate firsthand and heard that the French Concession's Public Administration Bureau had been bombed into ruins.

This young bureau chief meant what he said, giving no room for negotiation.

The foreigners, after the concessions were abolished, each became a scared dog. They dared to be angry but not to speak, fearing they would share Williams's fate.

"Like pulling out a nail," Zhou Wei stood behind Lin Yu, watching those dejected foreigners leave, "These concessions had existed for decades, and you just pulled them out like that."

Lin Yu set down the list: "These nails should never have been driven into Shen City's body. Now I merely did what was right."