150: Riverside Night Plot

The clamor and bloodshed of the underground boxing match were temporarily veiled by the night.

Li Zhan, accompanied by his group, returned to that bustling open-air food stall by the Tiger Gate Canal.

Unlike the casual visit last time, as soon as they approached this time, a young man in a black shirt with sharp, piercing eyes came forward to greet them.

He respectfully led them to a relatively secluded and quiet area by the canal embankment.

The view here was wide, and one could feel the cool breeze blowing from the river, while it was cleverly separated from the noisy main area by several large trees and stacks of beer crates.

Several square tables had been pushed together, already laden with an array of barbecue, seafood, stir-fried noodles, and iced beer.

Su Jingtang of Hong Kong's Wo Shing Wo and Gold Tooth Bing of Macau's Water Room were already waiting there.

Seeing Li Zhan approach, both men smiled and stood up to welcome him.

"Mr. Li, over here!" Su Jingtang said, waving with a smile.

"Mr. Li, the environment here is quite good!" Gold Tooth Bing also greeted him warmly.

Watching these two influential bosses of the Hong Kong and Macau underground world greet him so warmly, Li Zhan wore a smile, but his mind remained perfectly clear.

He realized once again that in this circle, strength was the only hard currency; respect and status were truly earned with one's own fists and feet.

The "heart-crushing victory" on the ring tonight would likely have far more profound consequences and status elevation than he had initially anticipated.

The henchmen from both sides tacitly dispersed to the surroundings, forming a loose security perimeter, ensuring the privacy of the bosses' conversation without being too conspicuous.

Li Zhan scanned the scene; the main table was just the right size for seven or eight people.

He smiled slightly, signaled to Old Zhou and Yang Yuying behind him, and led them to the main table.

Old Zhou nodded steadily, while Yang Yuying, looking slightly nervous, held Li Zhan's arm; this was her first time experiencing a meeting of this level.

"Brother Jiang, you and Big Ox and the others go to the table next to us and eat your fill," Li Zhan instructed his brothers.

"You got it, Senior Brother!" Big Ox, already tempted by the aroma, happily grabbed Brother Jiang and AZu, heading to the adjacent table also filled with food.

At the main table, everyone took their seats as host and guest.

Li Zhan naturally sat in the middle, with Old Zhou on his left and Yang Yuying on his right.

Opposite them were Su Jingtang and Gold Tooth Bing, along with a confidant each who looked like a strategist or a top lieutenant.

To Li Zhan's slight surprise, Su Jingtang's "nephew," Nickname, was also present.

She was still dressed in trendy men's clothing today, but she wasn't wearing the sunglasses that covered half her face, revealing delicate, even slightly heroic-looking features.

She seemed a bit reserved, keeping her head down most of the time, but occasionally couldn't help but look up to steal a quick glance at Li Zhan, her eyes filled with undisguised curiosity and inquiry.

Once she realized Li Zhan might be looking over, she would immediately lower her head like a startled fawn, pretending to be focused on the tableware in front of her.

"You two bosses are too kind to wait for me."

Li Zhan picked up an opened bottle of iced beer and filled the glasses of Su Jingtang and Gold Tooth Bing, his movements natural and casual, showing no trace of the aggressiveness he had displayed on the ring earlier.

"Hey, Mr. Li, you're being too formal... We just arrived early."

Gold Tooth Bing smiled and raised his glass, "Come, let's drink... Congratulations to Mr. Li for the complete victory tonight, boosting the prestige of us Chinese!"

"Cheers..." They clinked glasses, and as the cold beer went down, the atmosphere instantly warmed up.

Sizzling oysters, fragrant garlic scallops, crispy grilled chicken wings... various delicacies were constantly being brought over.

After a few drinks, the initial unfamiliarity gradually faded, and the conversation began to shift from casual chatter to deeper topics.

The sound of the canal water and the surrounding clamor became the background noise for this destined-to-be-extraordinary late-night talk.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew even livelier.

Su Jingtang put down his glass and gave a look to a confidant standing behind him, who wore gold-rimmed glasses and looked like a strategist.

The confidant immediately understood, took a thick document from the leather briefcase he was carrying, and walked quickly to Li Zhan, respectfully presenting it with both hands.

Su Jingtang explained with a smile, "Mr. Li, this is the full set of equity transfer agreements and relevant legal documents for the 'Port Authority Company' owned by Young Master Liu in Tiger Gate."

"We have completed all the preliminary procedures according to the gambling agreement. Now, we are just waiting for the receiving party—that is, you, Mr. Li—to sign and complete the final change registration."

Li Zhan took the document and flipped through it briefly. The key terms were clear, and the procedures were complete, showing that the other party handled things with extreme prudence and experience.

He nodded with satisfaction and turned to call, "Brother Jiang, come here for a moment."

Brother Jiang, who had been closely watching the movements here from the adjacent table, immediately walked over carrying his briefcase.

"Brother Jiang... these are the transfer documents for the Port Authority Company; Mr. Su and his team have already handled them."

"You handle the handover as soon as possible, get the procedures done, and then notify Uncle Jiang that we can prepare to take over operations." Li Zhan handed over the documents.

Brother Jiang took the documents, quickly scanned the key pages, and his face immediately lit up with joy, "Great! Don't worry, Brother Zhan, I'll go take care of it first thing tomorrow morning."

"I guarantee we'll secure it as fast as possible... The brothers and equipment at the Wharf have been ready for a long time, just waiting for this piece of paper..."

He carefully put the documents into his briefcase, then respectfully bowed to Su Jingtang, Gold Tooth Bing, and the others at the table, "Thank you, Mr. Su, Brother Bing, for making this happen!" He then retreated to his seat.

Watching Brother Jiang's retreating figure, Gold Tooth Bing smacked his lips and laughed, "Young Master Liu really lost big this time, suffering heavy losses."

"But he brought it on himself; if you can't afford to play, don't play... Hmph... If he dared to use such low-down tactics in a Macau ring, he would have been dragged out and had his hands chopped off long ago!"

Su Jingtang took up the conversation, looking at Li Zhan with a probing tone, "Mr. Li... Young Master Liu went too far this time, almost taking your life."

"Now that he has lost the bet and his strength is greatly diminished, what do you plan to do next...?"

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear: he was asking if Li Zhan would take advantage of his weakness to strike him down, carrying out a more thorough revenge.

Li Zhan heard this, smiled, and raised his glass, his tone light, "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Su."

"However, that kid does have a good father, and he has considerable influence in official circles. I don't plan to go too far for now."

"You have to look at the owner before beating the dog; if you push too hard—even a rabbit will bite when desperate—there's no need to flip all the tables right now. Steady progress is the right path."

His words showed both his perspective and calmness, while also hinting at his considerations regarding the complex political and business relationships behind the scenes.

Su Jingtang listened, the look of admiration in his eyes deepening. He nodded, "Mr. Li is thoughtful and steady! I was overthinking it, worrying that you might be young and impetuous, acting without regard for the consequences. Haha, I'll punish myself with a drink..." He then downed a glass.

Gold Tooth Bing also chimed in with a smile, "It seems Mr. Li has had a full plan all along! I've heard that this 'Port Authority Company' in Tiger Gate is very lucrative and in a very critical location..."

Li Zhan laughed, "Brother Bing is well-informed. This company is indeed very helpful for some of my current 'logistics' business."

"But more importantly... it will be a very important fulcrum for our future cooperation."

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, "In the future, our guests can be arranged to come directly from the mainland through passenger ships here, first to Hong Kong, and then transfer to Macau."

"This route will be safer, more convenient, and more profitable than the current one."

Su Jingtang's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands, laughing, "Brilliant! So Mr. Li had already made arrangements, opening up this critical link... With this, the prospects for our cooperation will be even broader... Truly, heroes emerge from the young; your vision is far-reaching!"

The three of them looked at each other and smiled, raising their glasses again.

Next, they had an in-depth discussion on the specific operating model, profit distribution, risk control, and other details of this new route, tentatively finalizing a cooperation framework.

Throughout the process, the two women, Su Ziqing and Yang Yuying, could hardly get a word in.

They just sat quietly to the side, watching these men, amidst clinking glasses and lighthearted conversation, advance and implement matters involving huge sums of money and vast influence step by step.

The looks they gave Li Zhan were filled with complex emotions—for Su Ziqing, it was an increasingly intense curiosity and inquiry, while for Yang Yuying, it was adoration and reliance that was almost overflowing.

They had witnessed with their own eyes how this man used strength to win respect, and how he used wisdom and perspective to plan for the future.

In the end, they were full of food and drink, and both host and guests were satisfied.

A seemingly ordinary late-night snack had laid a solid foundation for a cooperation that would have significant future influence.

The sound of the canal water remained, but the trajectories of certain destinies had already quietly changed this night...