Chapter 801: The Old Man Recalls His Youthful Madness

Wang Pangzi stumbled back to the small villa they had bought—the one used for their company—in a drunken stupor.

As soon as he pushed the door open, the room was filled with the smell of smoke.

Hu Bayi, Dajinya, Xu Damao, and a staff member named Xiao Meng were gathered in a circle, shouting and cheering as they played Fight the Landlord.

Loose change and melon seed shells were scattered across the table, and the ashtray was stuffed with cigarette butts.

Hu Bayi looked up and frowned: "Pangzi, how much have you had to drink? You reek of alcohol, like you've been soaked in a vat of wine."

Wang Pangzi slumped onto the sofa with a grin: "Not much, not much, just a bottle of Japanese whiskey."

Xu Damao threw out a pair of twos and asked with a sidelong glance: "Wang Kaixuan, did the proposal go through today?"

Wang Kaixuan shook his head and sighed: "Lingzi said she doesn't like it when I propose while I'm drunk; she wants to wait until I'm sober."

Hu Bayi curled his lip, "Pangzi, I think you've been played. You spend two or three thousand there every day, and she's lukewarm toward you—she's just keeping you on a string! She's just letting you spend money there every day. If you ask me, she's not just keeping you on a string; there might be other suckers too."

Xu Damao lit a cigarette and slowly blew a smoke ring: "Pangzi, I think you're quite sharp, but when it comes to women—you're hopeless. Listen to what your brother has to say."

Wang Pangzi immediately perked up and leaned in: "Brother Damao, you've got experience, tell me about it!"

Xu Damao flicked the ash: "The way I see it, this Lingzi is a very practical woman. What do practical women believe in most? Money. Even though you spend two or three thousand there, it's nothing to her. There must be plenty of people trying to flirt with the boss lady; you have to be different. Promise her marriage directly and give her a million; she might just go for it."

Wang Pangzi hesitated: "But isn't that money supposed to wait for the stocks to rise eightfold before we sell? If I sell now, what a loss."

Xu Damao laughed: "Do you know what 'money in the pocket is safe' means? Money is only yours once it's in your pocket. Also, you need to buy a wedding house. A small villa like our company's only costs four hundred thousand, so cheap. You move into a small villa first, then tell her you'll give her a million if she marries you. See if she marries you or not."

Hu Bayi chimed in: "Pangzi, you said it yourself, this Lingzi doesn't just have Bao Zong, she has other suitors. If you don't put up a big stake, there's no chance at all. But looking at it now, those people aren't willing to spend big money on her, but you are, so this thing could be reliable."

Wang Pangzi gritted his teeth and slapped the armrest of the sofa: "Fuck! Damao is right! I thought I could marry her with a couple of gold rings, that's definitely a dead end. Stocks are something where you never see the cash; why would she be with me? I'll sell 1.5 million in stocks tomorrow. I'm going to get this marriage done."

Early the next morning, Wang Pangzi really did sell 1.5 million in stocks and went straight to an agent to buy a house.

In less than a week, he bought a detached German-style villa one hundred meters away from where they had their company, spending a total of four hundred and ten thousand.

After seeing it, Xu Damao's eyes nearly popped out: "Fuck, this house is too good. The decor is all Western-style; it feels way more badass than a Siheyuan."

Hu Bayi said: "Damao, you should buy one too! Why not bring your wife over later?"

Xu Damao shook his head: "Nah, she still has to watch the shop in Panjiayuan; leaving my Apprentice alone won't work. I'll just run back and forth; that way I have my own space. If we're cooped up together every day, we'll just get sick of looking at each other."

Dajinya said: "Uncle Master, I think you should hire a female Secretary."

Xu Damao cursed: "I'm fifty-three this year. I don't have those crooked thoughts anymore."

Dajinya smiled lewdly: "Uncle Master Damao, you're not being honest. I heard you go to the tailor shop twice a week, but I haven't seen you bring back many clothes."

Xu Damao backhanded him across the head: "Dajinya, don't you go to the Diyi Huohuo salesclerk every day too?"

The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Wang Kaixuan walked up to everyone: "Brothers, I asked the agent, there are several houses for sale nearby. You guys should each get one."

Hu Bayi said: "That's a way to do it. I'll buy one tomorrow too. Shirley Yang told me before to buy a few more houses."

Only Dajinya shook his head: "Buying is not as good as renting; renting is cheap."

Si Jiu Cheng, Second Reception House.

Liu Rusi sat on the sofa, reporting the situation in detail.

"During this period, He Yuzhu joined the mercenaries in Babylon and successively wiped out two of M Country's military bases in the Arab Region—one Air Force, one Army. By the way, He Yuzhu received news that M Country is furious and has currently mobilized six aircraft carriers heading this way. They should arrive soon. He still wants to blow those two up as well."

Secretary Liu frowned and thought for a long time after listening: "Do you think... if M Country is pushed too far, will he drop an atomic bomb on Babylon?"

Liu Rusi pondered for a while and replied seriously: "According to information judged from various aspects, it is indeed possible. But with the Soviet Union there, even if they use nuclear weapons, they will be small ones—tactical nuclear weapons. They wouldn't dare do what they did to the Japanese."

Secretary Liu leaned back in his chair, thought for a long time, and asked: "If that's the case, is it more beneficial or more harmful to us?"

"He Yuzhu judged that—" Liu Rusi paused, "she wants to pull out all the teeth of this beast. Regardless of whether M Country drops nuclear bombs or not, she is going to sink two or three more of their aircraft carriers. And she will cut off all their supplies so that no one will dare to be stationed at any military base in the Arab Region."

Secretary Liu suddenly smiled.

That smile carried a touch of emotion: "This He Yuzhu, he was honest for a while in the sixties and seventies, and now he's starting to get restless again."

Liu Rusi didn't pick up on that, but instead asked: "Is the Soviet Union... not going to collapse for the time being?"

Secretary Liu nodded: "Many people judge that they have at least four or five years left. However—if it's like what Zhuzi said, pulling out the teeth of this tiger, the Soviet Union might be able to live for another ten years."

Liu Rusi was immediately delighted, her eyes brightening: "That is He Yuzhu's goal!"

Secretary Liu also smiled: "Then let go and let him do it."

After a pause, he instructed seriously: "Tell him—he must be careful."

At this moment, He Yuzhu was at Manama Port in Bahrain.

The sea breeze was salty, and people were coming and going on the pier. Several cargo ships were docked in the distance, and cranes were rumbling as they turned.

He already had over a hundred people under his command.

These people did all sorts of things—some were experts in intelligence, some in demolition, and others specialized in blending into crowds to gather information.

This time, they were aiming for the aircraft carrier USS Midway.