Chapter 123: A Grand Undertaking

"What is he doing? What exactly does this kid want?" This was the unspoken question on everyone's mind.

These city power brokers and their families felt as though they had stumbled into a surreal film, where no amount of effort could allow them to predict the next scene. Even Lin Tiancheng and Wang Chunhua, who knew their son best, were at a loss. Was he trying to bring everyone down with him, or was there another plan? The couple was deeply anxious, wanting to intervene but feeling utterly powerless.

Lin Tiancheng, of course, had his own thoughts. He was already mentally drafting a contingency plan. He felt that at the very least, he had to ensure the safety of his family. As the head of the household, he knew that if the sky were to fall, he would be the one expected to hold it up.

Yang Zhilin, dressed in an elegant black evening gown, also wore a deep frown. Although she had felt a rush of satisfaction earlier, venting the bitter frustration she had harbored in her heart, the aftermath left her worried about Lin Yu’s future. He had just turned eighteen. While he possessed a maturity beyond his years and had been dazzling in everything he did lately, this time, his brilliance was so intense it was blinding.

In this fleeting moment, everyone understood that Lin Yu had seized control of the room through sheer physical dominance. But no matter how one looked at it, this was merely a single point; it could not be linked into a line, let alone developed into a broader strategy. Once Municipal Party Secretary Jia Quan managed to leave the Glorious Hotel safely with his son, Lin Yu would undoubtedly be crushed by a violent storm—a force so heavy that even a petrel could not withstand it.

While everyone stood in confusion, watching the situation unfold, Lin Yu calmly adjusted his collar. He walked directly to Mayor Wang Kezhou and whispered into his ear, "Mayor Wang, if a golden opportunity were placed before you, but with only a seventy percent chance of success, would you dare to seize it?"

"Get straight to the point," the Mayor replied in an equally hushed tone. Although the person speaking was just a boy, his years in office had taught him that the world is often changed by small, butterfly-effect events, so he did not adopt a condescending attitude. Just as a single drop of water can reflect the brilliance of the sun, small details often carry immense power to influence and shock.

"This opportunity could very likely help you become the Municipal Party Secretary," Lin Yu said, showing no sign of intimidation despite the Mayor’s status.

"Are you suggesting that you want to... burn everything down right here? And then have me look after your parents?" Wang Kezhou asked with a puzzled look. The others in the vicinity had intentionally distanced themselves from the whispering pair. As for Jia Quan and his group, they were seven or eight meters away and could not possibly hear what was being said.

Lin Yu chuckled at the Mayor's assumption that he might resort to violence. "Heh, why would you think that? I have a beautiful girlfriend and a bright future; why would I commit murder and robbery?"

After this clarification, he continued, "I would never do anything illegal. However, there are people here who likely have. It all depends on whether you have the courage to crack down on them. If you succeed, certain people—or perhaps a certain faction—will surely fall like a tree whose roots have been chopped away."

"Oh? How so?" Wang Kezhou’s heart skipped a beat. When it came to the top seat, he was willing to entertain any possibility. After all, the rank above him had been crushing him for over two years; the grievances he had suffered were too numerous to count. He was utterly sick of the superficial prestige that came with being second-in-command.

"Based on what I know, Jia Quan’s son, Jia Qing, is likely involved in illegal smuggling! If this can be confirmed, Jia Quan will certainly not be able to distance himself from it. Forget about the Secretary position; he’ll be lucky to keep his head," Lin Yu said, using a slow, hypnotic tone to lead the Mayor on. In truth, he couldn't be entirely sure about the smuggling, but his intuition—an inexplicable sixth sense—had led him to this conclusion based on various observations.

"Give me the details." Wang Kezhou felt as though his heart had been struck. Though his voice didn't tremble, his excitement was evident. He knew this boy had a basis for his words, not just empty talk; it was written clearly in the confident light in his eyes. Furthermore, the way Lin Yu had ruthlessly dominated Jia Quan and his cronies had shown Wang Kezhou that the impossible might just be possible.

Seeing the Mayor’s keen interest, Lin Yu grew even more confident. Everyone harbors unreachable dreams, a temptation akin to Pandora’s box. He was certain that after hearing what came next, Wang Kezhou would choose to roll the dice.

"It’s like this: I happened to hear that Jia Qing brought two celebrities with him tonight. The price he paid was two world-class sports cars, plus a large sum of money given to their agent, Liang Tian. Can you read between the lines here?" Lin Yu said steadily.

"Two world-class sports cars? That would cost five or six million, right? And then a large amount of cash on top of that?" Wang Kezhou adjusted his glasses and fell into deep thought. After about a minute, the usually stern man suddenly smiled and whispered back, "The Jia family isn't generous enough to spend nearly ten million just for two women. There must be something fishy going on."

"Exactly. That’s the catch. And they own a shipping fleet!" The corners of Lin Yu’s mouth curled upward. Since things had reached a point where it was either him or them, he might as well go for the throat. He wanted to gamble on the odds. If it worked, he’d succeed; if it didn't, he’d have nothing left to lose.

"You’re right. They are likely running a smuggling operation behind the scenes! That’s the only reason they’d be willing to hand over two sports cars and a large amount of cash. I never imagined that this slippery old fox would leave such a trail for an eighteen-year-old to find." Wang Kezhou was feeling incredibly exhilarated; he saw a perfect opportunity.

"Actually, it wasn't just two cars. According to reliable sources, Jia Qing gave away three. But one red Ferrari was secretly taken by a starlet named Xiao Qiangwei. Because she refused to sleep with him, she went into hiding," Lin Yu added, pouring more fuel on the fire.

"You said earlier that the probability was seventy percent, right?" Wang Kezhou stepped back and said with a smile.

"That's right, Uncle Wang," Lin Yu said, taking the chance to build rapport. Given his father’s friendship with the Mayor, calling him 'Uncle' was acceptable.

"I say the probability of this is one hundred percent!" Wang Kezhou’s smile vanished, replaced by a resolute, iron-clad expression.

He turned toward the Chief of Police, Wang Daoquan, slammed his hand on the table, and commanded in a loud voice, "Old Wang, get your men ready and apply for an arrest warrant. I suspect that some of the people present are engaged in illegal smuggling! This is an open defiance of the law and the state. For parasites like these hiding in our government, we must wipe them out one by one!"

"Understood! No problem!" Wang Daoquan, who was Wang Kezhou’s cousin, didn't ask for details; he knew it was time for a major operation.