"President, is there something wrong with the Xiao Family?"
Xiao Shuai keenly caught this point and asked in a low voice.
Fang Cheng’s voice returned to calmness and he explained indifferently:
"The Xiao Family, is one of the noble families I once mentioned to you. With this kind of local power getting involved, Noah Organization’s branch in East Capital can indeed stabilize its position."
Xiao Shuai took a sharp breath:
"Then what should we do? Doesn’t that mean our previous plans were in vain..."
Fang Cheng chuckled lightly:
"I never intended to completely drive them out of East Capital."
On the other end of the phone, Xiao Shuai froze for a moment.
"Having such an organization that’s on the official blacklist out in the open to attract the official attention and shield us from all sides of trouble—isn’t it a good thing?"
These words were like a wake-up call. Xiao Shuai suddenly realized and sincerely praised:
"President, you’re wise! You’re playing a big game of chess, letting them be the target in the open while we develop in the shadows—brilliant, truly brilliant!"
Fang Cheng interrupted his flattery and continued to ask:
"As for Chen Chen, upon hearing Xiao Family’s involvement, he should be relieved, right?"
"Yes, his mood has improved quite a bit."
Xiao Shuai immediately returned to the main topic:
"However, Chen Chen is still very worried, afraid that after this incident, Noah Organization will settle accounts and treat him as a disposable pawn to be purged." The most update n0vels are published on NoveI~Fire.net
"I’ve heard he’s secretly transferring assets, ready to flee at any time."
"Tell him to stay calm in East Capital and just wait for the situation to unfold."
Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng pondered briefly, then instructed:
"My previous promise remains valid. As of today, the Illuminati can formally absorb the Red Tiger Gang as our peripheral force."
"But on the surface, he still needs to keep a cordial front with Noah Organization, keeping an eye on their movements for us."
Fang Cheng had no intention of letting Chen Chen run away just like that, as this guy still had a lot of value to exploit.
Xiao Shuai nodded immediately in agreement.
"Of course, as a condition for protection, he can’t skimp on the protection fee he owes."
Fang Cheng’s tone carried a hint of amusement:
"Ah Ren, you need to know, at the founding stage of the Illuminati, there’s a need to build headquarters, to maintain personnel, and every aspect needs money. We are very short of funds now."
In Fang Cheng’s eyes, Chen Chen was like a wallet on legs, always ready to spill out gold coins.
And the entire Yuanchen Group and Red Tiger Gang were like a ready ATM that must be firmly grasped.
"Yes! I will definitely extort the money from that old fox Chen Chen for you!"
Xiao Shuai felt rejuvenated, feeling he finally had a concrete direction to contribute to the organization.
"And one more thing."
Fang Cheng’s voice suddenly turned serious, warning:
"You need to tell Chen Chen, there are two businesses that the Red Tiger Gang must absolutely not touch—one is heroin, and the other is trafficking people."
"Rest assured, President, I will deliver the message."
Xiao Shuai immediately guaranteed, explaining:
"As far as I know, ever since the incident with Wu Shihao, the Red Tiger Gang’s heroin business has completely stopped."
"Chen Chen always wanted to clean up and go legit, knowing he can’t touch that stuff. More than a year ago, he already issued a strict order."
"What Wu Shihao did back then was done secretly behind his back, and it ended up getting them into trouble, attracting a police investigation and leaving Chen Chen tainted."
"He now despises such matters, declaring that anyone who dares to trade heroin in private will have their hands and feet broken and be expelled from the gang."
"He’s still reasonably smart."
Fang Cheng nodded slightly, giving a comment.
Xiao Shuai paused, then spoke with hesitation:
"As for trafficking, if orders come from the Noah Organization, Chen Chen might find it very difficult to refuse."
"Don’t worry, the Noah Organization is currently struggling to protect itself, with the Special Search Team watching them. They won’t dare make any big moves for now. As for a year or two from now..."
Fang Cheng let out a cold snort, not finishing his sentence.
But Xiao Shuai immediately grasped the implication.
In a few years, the power of the Illuminati would be fully established. By then, who would dare to meddle with them?
There wasn’t a hint of doubt in Xiao Shuai’s mind about the President’s grand vision.
In his heart, this man, as dazzling as the sun, was synonymous with omnipotence.
As long as he firmly followed in his footsteps, he would surely witness the arrival of a new era.
Amidst the excitement, Xiao Shuai remembered his current tasks and quickly suppressed his surging emotions. He took this opportunity to report on his recent work progress in detail.
"By the way, President, regarding the preparations for the Illuminati, I’ve made some progress."
"According to your requirements, I’ve initially shortlisted two places for headquarters."
Xiao Shuai cleared his throat, making his voice sound more stable:
"One is near Jinshui Fish Market in the Lingang District, where there’s a mix of people and many old buildings with lots of blind spots from surveillance, meeting the concealment requirements for a secret base."
"Also, it’s relatively close to where I currently live. I’m familiar with the surrounding situations, which would make it convenient for me to oversee it at any time, ensuring nothing escapes my notice."
Xiao Shuai paused, waiting for Fang Cheng’s instructions. Seeing that there were no objections from the other end of the line, he continued:
"The other one is on the west side of the Jiangbei District at the Dingqiao Industrial Park, where there’s an abandoned textile factory with a large underground air-raid shelter."
"The place is large enough, making it convenient for us to expand the workforce in the future and transform training facilities. Also, many factories in the industrial park have relocated, so there are hardly any people at night, making it easy to do whatever we need without attracting attention."