Chapter 446

As the sunset sank.

Sitting in the tide-watching pavilion of the Mazu Temple, gazing at the sea rising and falling, drinking red wine that cost tens of thousands per bottle, and chatting with the second-in-command of the Sea Dragon Society about "killing the Dragon King".

Both inside and outside the words exuded the domineering feeling of "I will climb to the peak and look down on all mountains."

Such a scene.

Lin Dongfan had once fantasized about this when he first arrived in Haishan.

I never expected that, in just a few short months, this domineering scene would become reality. As the fishermen say, as long as you bait hard enough, damn it, there's no big fish you can't catch!

What does that mean?

This means: people really shouldn't get stuck in a rut! Only after years of plodding effort do you realize that taking an unconventional path is the shortcut to success!

Fighting corruption and cracking down on evil sometimes works like firing a cannon—you can't just rush in headfirst; you need ample foreplay to experience the ultimate pleasure.

Look at the smiling tiger Cai Yang, looking as happy as if he'd found a treasure.

He had swallowed the hook whole, thinking it was a glorious moment on the road to the pinnacle of life. If the pinnacle he craved was being deep-fried until golden on both sides, that wouldn't be wrong either.

Since he harbors such a grand ideal,

then we must help him achieve it.

Lin Dongfan set the unfinished half-glass of red wine on the table, picked up the thick Brazilian cigar again, took two puffs, and uttered two words—"Powerful!"

That vigor is enough to make an ordinary person choke until their heart and liver tremble.

But Lin Dongfan never considered himself ordinary; at least at this moment, he was playing the role of a social bigwig, putting on an act, and he was a professional at it.

So he took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, then slowly exhaled.

Now his breath was steady, his speech calm: "Boss Cai, since we've settled the matter under Mazu's very eyes, cooperation requires us to show some sincerity."

"Mr. Fan, what do you mean..."

Cai Yang's face, still flushed, now looked a bit stiff; obviously he didn't understand what kind of sincerity was being asked for.

Since you don't understand,

then I, the young master, will give you a proper lesson.

Lin Dongfan flicked ash from his cigar; it fell onto his pants, which he ignored, his eyes fixed on the bewildered Cai Yang: "I'll help you take out Zheng Canghai, assist you in rising to become Dragon King—no problem at all. Besides, we're people of standing; we can't spend all day fighting and killing—I prefer the route of legal sanction."

"What? Take the legal route?!"

"Yes, take the legal route."

"This... let me catch my breath first..."

The sky wasn't thundering, but Cai Yang already felt as if he'd been struck by lightning.

His face was tense to the extreme.

He lifted the previous glass of red wine, took a sip to steady his shock, and only after his emotions settled did he force a half-smile: "Mr. Fan, are you joking? People like us are the targets of legal punishment. Taking the legal route would be digging our own graves—seeking death?!"

"Don't panic."

Lin Dongfan had long anticipated that this would ignite Cai Yang's panic, after all, this guy is the second-in-command of the Sea Dragon Society; knock off the boss and the number two is certainly a tied-up accomplice, unable to escape.

Time to unleash the brainwashing ultimate move!

Lin Dongfan kept a calm smile: "Zheng Canghai and Guo Lichun are in cahoots, they form a community of interest. If we only take out Zheng Canghai but not Guo Lichun, we'll be the ones who die later. So if we're going to act, we go big—take out Zheng Canghai and Guo Lichun in one sweep."

"......!!!" Cai Yang pondered, then nodded: "Makes sense."

"That's right, that's the principle." Lin Dongfan further set the trap: "So now you need to show a bit more sincerity and hand over the covert evidence of Zheng Canghai and Guo Lichun's collusion to me."

"This..."

Cai Yang hesitated again, staring dubiously at the earnest Lin Dongfan, silently seeming to say, "You wouldn't be messing with me, would you?"

This scene made Lin Dongfan secretly delighted.

Congratulations, you guessed right—I, the young master, am indeed messing with you, but that's it! My smooth-sailing scheme, you can't jump out of; you must learn to accept your fate.

Lin Dongfan, full of confidence, continued his self-justification: "Boss Cai, I'll ask you a few questions; answer them conscience-wise."

"What questions?"

Cai Yang's gaze grew increasingly doubtful, shifting from bewilderment to a defensive mindset.

But this in no way affected Lin Dongfan's brainwashing rhythm.

Lin Dongfan asked calmly: "First question: given the current situation, do you think Yu Huacheng and Guo Lichun are like two tigers fighting, whereby one must die?"

"That's certain."

"Since that's settled, onto the second question."

"What?"

"Second question: you know I'm on Yu Huacheng's ship; now that you want to cooperate with me, do you also have to get on Yu Huacheng's ship?"

"If you can recommend me to board his ship, that would be perfect."

"You think too highly of me—Yu Huacheng is the top hand in Haishan. If you want to board his big ship, my recommendation alone isn't enough; you must proactively submit a letter of allegiance."

"That's simple; I'll find a talented person later to help me write a letter of allegiance."

"The letter of allegiance I mean is not one written on paper."

"A letter of allegiance not written on paper?"

Cai Yang again wore a blank look; thanks to his illiterate parents, he may not have read much, but he still knows what a letter of allegiance is.

"A letter of allegiance is just what modern people call a guarantee or a pledge, right?"

"In ancient times, it was a pledge to show loyalty to a boss or organization, where people would cut their fingers, mix blood, and swear a life-and-death oath."

Having thought this through silently,

Cai Yang smiled confidently: "Mr. Fan, don't bully me for my lack of education; if the letter of allegiance isn't written on paper, where is it written? Are you asking me to tattoo 'loyalty' on my back like Yue Fei?"

"Your train of thought has gone off the rails—I don't mean that."

In the course of chatting and laughing, Lin Dongfan had already realized that Old Cai truly lacked education; his comprehension was a weak point.

Lin Dongfan laughed and said: "The kind of letter of allegiance you mentioned is a form of formalism. And Yu Huacheng, he is a pragmatic doer. What he hates most are those who only know how to spout empty talk and shout slogans, that kind of formalism."

Upon hearing this, Cai Yang seemed to understand: "So, you mean……"

"Exactly, that's what I mean." Lin Dongfan happily snapped his fingers: "You hand over the evidence of Zheng Canghai and Guo Lichun colluding with each other, send them to prison. With concrete action, help Yu Huacheng eliminate his major threat—that is the best letter of allegiance."

"I understand what you mean."

Cai Yang lowered his head and pondered for a moment.

He again looked at Lin Dongfan with worry: "Boss Fan, I'm not unwilling to give a letter of allegiance through concrete action; the main issue is this legal route…… it's too risky. If we later arrest Zheng Canghai and Guo Lichun, and they bite back at me, wouldn't I also have to shed a layer of skin? This matter cannot go through the legal route."

"Your concern is superficially reasonable." Lin Dongfan solemnly analyzed with Cai Yang: "But you overlooked a core point."

"What point?" Cai Yang immediately became interested again.

Lin Dongfan replied without hesitation: "Once Guo Lichun falls, Haishan will be Yu Huacheng's domain. If you hand over the letter of allegiance, thereafter no one will dare move against you without Yu Huacheng's nod."

"That's also true."

Cai Yang smiled, relieved, raised his wine cup and toasted Lin Dongfan: "Boss Fan, it's still your mind that's good; you've considered every detail thoroughly. Come, let me toast you another cup."

"To your perceptiveness, cheers!"

Lin Dongfan clinked cups with a smile, thinking: "You big silly fools, you'll never escape my Five Finger Mountain, hahaha, just wait to die."