Chapter 4: 10 Gamble with Life

  Business is like this, using and being used, each has its own needs, no one can guarantee that they are the winner, but everyone thinks they are the winner, only then is there a possibility of cooperation.

  Wang Licheng thought that Peng Haoming would want to use him for entering this circle, and he also wanted to use his money to protect his own life. As for the future... it was clear that now was not the time to consider this issue.

  These months, Peng Haoming's timber business has been on the right track, but the price of timber fluctuates greatly. If you're not careful, you might lose a lot of money. However, the warlords here don't care if you're making or losing money; they collect protection fees every year, and there are also various "goodwill fees" to be paid to small military officers during transportation. Although no one collects taxes in this lawless land, these unclear expenses exceed taxation! At least half of the profit is taken away. Peng Haoming has been thinking about that "huge profit" deal all along and hasn't slacked off these months. He even sent a letter with 200,000 yuan, but Xinyi doesn't seem to be buying it; at least not yet. After exploring for several months, Peng Haoming roughly understands the local business process: Xinyi only takes care of sending produced goods to Gangong or other receiving points, and at most sends them to the border area. The subsequent transportation and sales are handled by a person named Zhu Mei'er.

  Although Peng Haoming had never met Zhu Meier, it seemed that she was the "Zhu sister" mentioned by Wang Licheng. From the information collected so far, Zhu Meier was not a simple person. On the surface, she was the most prominent timber merchant in this area, but in reality, ten years ago, she was the mistress of Zhang Zhiqiang, a notorious drug lord. Six years ago, Zhang Zhiqiang was arrested at the border, and Zhu Meier escaped to Area M, taking over Zhang's smuggling channels as his "big sister". Later, it was said that she became the mistress of Xinyi, but three years ago, Xinyi found a new lover and reached an agreement with Zhu Meier, who took charge of domestic transportation and distribution.

  Zhu Mei'er is known as "Mei Jie" around here, but behind her back, she's also called the "Black Widow". It's said that this woman is seductive and alluring, and no man can resist her charms. Many men have been her lovers, but after being dumped by her, only one person has managed to get the biggest market "agency rights" from her - and that's her! Moreover, she's ruthless and cunning, with nearly a hundred mercenaries under her command, fully trained in foreign military tactics and armed to the teeth. With Xinyi backing her up and her deadly mercenaries at her disposal, none of the local warlords dare to touch her even with a single hair. Her goods pass through the warlords' territories without having to pay a single penny in "protection fees".

  There are many rumors about Zhu Mei'er on the road, most of which have not been verified. However, one thing that is still mentioned today makes many warlords shiver with fear. Two years ago, Zhu Mei'er's goods had to pass through a small warlord's territory. The small warlord saw an opportunity and detained a batch of Zhu Mei'er's goods. If it were an ordinary person, they would have found someone to mediate and both sides would have retreated, but Zhu Mei'er did not do so. Instead, she dispatched mercenaries to attack the small warlord's base. The small warlord's nearly thousand-strong troops were either killed or scattered, and his own head was cut off and hung from a building in Jiangnan. Before people could even react, Zhu Mei'er swiftly took over the small warlord's remaining territory, further solidifying her position as the top sister in this region. However, Zhu Mei'er is a low-key person who rarely interacts with outsiders, so many rumors about her are nothing more than hearsay.

  If Wang Licheng's Zhu Jie is indeed Zhu Meier, then Peng Haoming now has a good opportunity to get close to her, but whether this opportunity is auspicious or ominous, no one dares to guarantee.

  "Hmm? This is a good opportunity, better than you running around like a headless fly." The boss said on the phone after receiving Peng Haoming's report.

  "But we still know too little about Zhu Mei'er," said Peng Haoming.

  "Do you think Wang Licheng's words are true?" The boss didn't want to discuss with him whether or not he should understand Zhu Meier, as long as he could make money.

  "Who knows what's true and what's false when it comes to those who roam the jianghu?" Peng Haoming said, "However, I think the 'Zhu Jie' he mentioned is indeed Zhu Mei'er. He must have lost Zhu Mei'er's goods and couldn't stay in the country anymore. Since there's no place to hide on the dao, he had to take a risk and enter the tiger's den."

  "Recently, something big happened in Guining. Wang Licheng's nightclub was raided by the police and he is now wanted. He can't go home, I think your judgment is correct." The boss said slowly: "Now he will grasp at any straw to save himself, this is the best opportunity for us to negotiate a price."

  "It seems that he has gotten himself into a lot of trouble, but the key is whether Zhu Meier will let him off." Peng Haoming roughly understood what had happened.

  "Hmm... what do you think his chances of survival are?"

  "Now he's in this state, there's no chance at all. If... I take action, it'll be fifty-fifty, I think Zhu Meier won't get along with anyone, and definitely not with Qian."

  "Half? That's a very high success rate, you should give it a try." The boss said after a moment of contemplation.

  "What's next?"

  Then, you find a way to replace Wang Licheng and use Zhu Meier to get close to Xin Yi.

  "Alright, I'll give it a try..." Peng Haoming hung up the phone.

  If they want to replace Wang Licheng, then he can't die, at least not now. Peng Haoming must think of a way to save Wang Licheng's life first!

  Peng Haoming was thinking about his plan when the door was knocked, Peng Haoming became alert, took out a pistol from his bag and asked: "Who?"

  "Ming Ge, it's me, I've also moved here." It was Wang Licheng's voice.

  Peng Haoming put away the pistol, opened the door, and after Wang Licheng came in and exchanged pleasantries for a while, he casually said: "Brother Ming, are you still interested in what we talked about yesterday?"

  "Interest is there, it's just... " Peng Haoming found it hard to continue.

  "Brother Ming, what else are you worried about? How could I cheat you!" Wang Licheng hastily took over the conversation, trying his best to persuade Peng Haoming.

  Within two hours, Wang Licheng swore an oath that when people are struggling to survive, they will not care about any dignity. Wang Licheng promised that after the matter is successful, Peng Haoming would get 70% of the profit, and he himself would only need 30%!

  "Now that it's come to this, Peng Haoming slowly said a sentence: 'Exactly how much of Zhu Jie's goods did you lose?'"

  "Over ten million..." Wang Licheng was also honest.

  "This is no small sum of money, and I don't have that much money. At most, I can only come up with 2 million!" Peng Haoming said with a very sincere expression.

  "2 million?! 2 million is definitely not enough." Wang Licheng's hopes were being dashed: "Ming Ge, think of another way."

  "There is a way, it's just whether you're willing to cooperate with me." Peng Haoming said with an unhurried expression.

  Peng Haoming can certainly not be in a hurry, this life is Wang Licheng's and not his own. At this time, Wang Licheng has no bargaining chips, nodding like a chicken pecking at rice: "Brother Ming, whatever you say goes, I'll follow you through thick and thin."

  That year, a famous figure in the Jianghu world, after falling into Pingyang, it was nothing more than that. Peng Haoming sneered coldly in his heart, but his face was still very calm and said: "I'll go with you to see Sister Zhu, this 2 million is the guarantee, you guarantee that you can continue to connect the channel, I can talk to her about how to cooperate."

  "No problem, definitely no problem... the channel is in my hands." Wang Licheng was overjoyed when he heard this, as long as he could save his life, he didn't care about whether he could connect with it in the future.

  "That's settled then. If there's any news from Zhu Jie's side, let me know." Peng Hao Ming was ready to see the guest off.

  Wang Licheng still had some doubts: "Ming Ge, looking at you like this, you and Zhu Jie... hehe... are quite familiar, aren't you?"

  "Recognize, haven't seen before, what's up?" Peng Haoming asked.

  "Then... then... how are you going to persuade Zhu's sister?" Wang Licheng was worried, his life was in Peng Haoming's hands, if something went wrong it would be disastrous.

  "Let's see when the time comes, I think she won't be able to get past the money either." Peng Haoming felt that keeping Wang Licheng alive shouldn't be a big problem, but he still had a question mark in his mind about the channel Wang Licheng mentioned.

  Who cares? With or without dates, just beat three sticks!

  Looking at Peng Haoming's calm demeanor, Wang Licheng also had no bottom line, but now that things have come to this point, he can only grit his teeth and try his luck, whether his life is spared or not depends on his own luck.