Chapter 154: An Unpleasant Conversation

The Grand Emperor Hotel looked dazzlingly resplendent from the outside, and stepping inside felt like entering a luxurious palace. Gazing at the extravagant, gold-toned decorations everywhere, one could not help but be struck by the grim contrast of the wealthy gorging on wine and meat while frozen bodies lay neglected along the roadside.

Because his group of brothers had not fared well in his previous life, Lin Yu rarely had the opportunity to enter such high-end entertainment venues. He had always imagined the Grand Emperor was just like Paradise on Earth—fronting as a leisure club while actually serving as an upscale den of indulgence.

However, after following Guan Fei, a chapter lord of the Daxing Gang, inside, he realized that this type of nightclub offered an all-in-one experience encompassing bathing, massage, gambling, dining, and female companionship.

The two of them walked through the magnificent lobby and descended the corridor to the first basement level, which housed the bath center.

Led by a waiter and Guan Fei, Lin Yu went straight to the locker room of the bath center. Feeling somewhat unaccustomed to stripping naked in public, he was guided by a waiter into a very spacious sauna hall.

Stepping alone into the sauna hall, Lin Yu looked around and noticed that out of the roughly twenty-odd pools in the hall, only one was currently occupied.

The figure was sitting with his back to Lin Yu, soaking in a pale blue, shallow pool that looked as though it were boiling, though the water temperature was not particularly high. Only a back covered in a dragon totem tattoo was exposed.

The figure gave off an immense sense of pressure. Facing a legendary figure of many years all by himself, Lin Yu took a gentle breath, walked slowly forward, and entered the pool, settling in back-to-back with the man.

It felt slightly hot at first, but after soaking for a dozen seconds or so, an immensely comfortable sensation slowly washed over him.

After adapting to the temperature slightly, he spoke up, "My name is Lin Yu."

After about five or six seconds, the other person slowly responded, his voice calm. "I've heard of you. Heroes emerge from youth since ancient times. Not bad."

"You flatter me. In truth, many things are merely street rumors. As you know, hearsay is always distorted." Lin Yu offered a polite remark, feeling a considerable weight in his heart as he faced a underworld legendary figure.

"No smoke without fire. But let's leave that aside for now. What brings you to see me today?" Having finished exchanging polite pleasantries, the man steered the conversation straight to the point.

For a bigwig of his stature to speak in such a calm tone to a teenager in high school was, in Lin Yu's view, already quite remarkable.

Since the man had told him to get straight to the point, Lin Yu dropped the pleasantries as well. Shedding any trace of timidity from his tone, he said calmly, "My purpose in coming to see you can be summed up in two words: Vertical Alliance."

"Vertical Alliance?"

"That's right, Vertical Alliance. Occupying a high position for many years, you are naturally well-versed in the glorious deeds of emperors like Qin and Han, and of course, you understand the historical strategies of Horizontal and Vertical alliances. When I speak of a Vertical Alliance today, I am referring to us and the Northeast Gang." Once he started talking, Lin Yu reined in that trace of unnatural emotion in his heart.

"I'm all ears."

"If we were to compare the underground forces of Bincheng to the Three Kingdoms, the Northeast Gang would undoubtedly be Cao Wei, the Chaoshan Gang would be Eastern Wu, and your Daxing Gang would be Liu Bei's Shu Han. This is not only because you are a local of Bincheng, holding the advantages of heaven's timing, geographical convenience, and human harmony, but also because, in terms of sheer strength, the Northeast Gang is undeniably an overbearing presence."

Pausing here, Lin Yu halted for a moment, wanting to gauge the man's reaction to his candid words. If this Third Master Wu was a petty and narrow-minded person, the possibility of cooperation would be slim indeed.

Yet, after waiting for a moment and finding that the other man said nothing at all, he continued, "The situation of the Three Kingdoms, or rather, the current underground situation in Bincheng, is obviously different from the Warring States period. If you give the word and cooperate with me, I dare guarantee that within two months, the Daxing Gang will surpass the Northeast Gang. Whatever territories currently belong to the Northeast Gang will all fall into your hands."

"Young man, whom do you represent when you come to talk cooperation with me?" The voice behind him suddenly turned gloomy, clearly feeling that a mere greenhorn was unworthy of talking terms with him.

"I represent myself, and I represent the unstoppable tide of the times." Lin Yu's mind spun as he tried to phrase his words as eloquently as possible.

There was a golden rule in the business world stating that thirty seconds could determine success or failure, and he believed this applied to all interpersonal communication in life as well.

Yet, as soon as he finished speaking, the man's tone grew even icier. "In that case, our conversation is over. No matter how renowned a young hero you may be, you are not qualified to talk cooperation with me. You may leave."

"Arrogance can make people lose their true nature and cost them many wonderful opportunities. I will only say this: if you are unwilling to cooperate, I will immediately go find Boss Monkey of the Chaoshan Gang and bring these benefits to him. Goodbye." Lin Yu said with a smile, then stood up and walked out, sending droplets of water splashing everywhere across the floor.

After soaking for just that short while, he surprisingly felt his legs turning weak, and he desperately wanted to lie down on a comfortable sofa for a nap and doze off. He thought to himself that it was no wonder so many people loved all-inclusive services; this truly was a unique kind of enjoyment.

At that moment, the man suddenly chuckled and said, "Human desires are bottomless, an unfillable abyss. The masses are often drowned in fame, fortune, and sensual pleasures, unable to extricate themselves. Having gained one thing, they want another; pushing for an inch, they demand a yard; having conquered land, they still gaze toward Long. Their minds are enslaved by their physical forms, with no end in sight. Yet human life between heaven and earth is as transient and illusory as a dream or a bubble, as small and drifting as duckweed on the vast sea. One must know contentment; one must learn to be content."

"You've grown too used to comfort and ease, turning into a tiger without teeth. I dare wager that the day of your Daxing Gang's disintegration is not far off." Lin Yu said with a hint of annoyance.

Without waiting for the bigwig to react, he strode quickly out of the sauna hall, returned to the locker room to grab a bath towel, and began drying himself off, preparing to dress and leave.

Thinking of this Daxing Gang leader, Third Master Wu, Lin Yu honestly felt deeply disappointed. There was not the slightest trace of an ambitious overlord's aura about this man—the kind who hungered to conquer the world. The reality fell vastly short of the generation-defining overlord he had imagined in his mind.

"Could it be that I've watched too many movies, or read too many biographies of figures like Du Yuesheng?" After getting dressed, Lin Yu thought with a lingering sense of grievance as he walked out.

No matter how he thought about it, he felt this boss was too spineless. Hearing an eighteen-year-old youth tell him his gang was about to be wiped out, the man hadn't reacted at all. He could sense that this definitely wasn't because the other party was magnanimous or possessed profound self-restraint.

Just as Lin Yu was walking out of the locker room in disappointment, two young and beautiful waitresses suddenly walked toward him from ahead.

The two of them walked up to Lin Yu, made a gesture inviting him forward, and one of them spoke, "Please this way. Our boss has been waiting for you in the private room for quite some time."