195: Planning ahead, part two

Inside the office, the fragrance of tea curled in the air, yet it could not dispel the heavy atmosphere...

Li Zhan continued to analyze the situation calmly and clearly, pointing out the direction for the upcoming actions.

"At the moment, we are not completely on the defensive,"

He swept his gaze over everyone, his tone calm to the point of being cold, "As long as Young Master Liu is still in our hands, as long as he is still alive and hasn't been found, we still hold the initiative."

He looked at Shui Sheng, his instructions clear and detailed, "Shui Sheng, have your people film some footage of him alive."

Film some every day, using the date, the day's newspaper headlines, or similar things as the background, and make sure it's clearly visible.

When the time comes, depending on the situation, select a few and send them to his father.

I believe that as long as Vice Mayor Liu knows his son is still alive, he won't be so volatile and won't immediately resort to the most extreme measures."

He paused, his tone becoming heavier, "But pay attention to the details. The camera angle, background noise, and any trace that could potentially expose the location must be cleaned up completely. Don't let them find the location through the video."

You must personally oversee this matter."

Shui Sheng's expression was grave, and he immediately acknowledged the order, "Understood, Brother Zhan."

I will find the most professional strangers to do it. The location will be absolutely safe, and I will personally check all footage before deciding whether to send it."

Li Zhan stood up and paced slowly around the room, his thoughts racing.

"Additionally..." he continued to deploy, "Young Master Liu has been running rampant in Dongguan, and he has offended more than just one or two people."

The Liu Family cannot be said to cover the sky with one hand in Dongguan, nor can it be said that he can do whatever he wants."

He looked at Shui Sheng again and gave the second instruction, "Shui Sheng, take the evidence we previously collected regarding Young Master Liu's actions—those solid proofs of him bullying men and women and acting lawlessly—select a few that would most incite public anger but aren't easily traced back to us, and release them through several tabloids and online forums."

Take note..." he emphasized, "Find a few trustworthy, technically skilled computer experts to operate this. Use multiple jump servers and virtual identities. You must hide the source well and not expose yourself."

I think that based on Young Master Liu's 'reputation' over the years, releasing this batch of dirt should have an unexpected effect on public opinion, at least enough to cause some trouble for the Liu Family and distract them."

Shui Sheng nodded again, his thinking clear, "Alright, I will arrange for people to handle it immediately after the meeting."

We have computer experts ready; those college students who helped us handle network issues a few times before are technically reliable, have clean backgrounds, and are tight-lipped.

I will have them set up a separate network team in Shenzhen to ensure no traces can be found."

"Good, very good, let's do it that way..." Li Zhan nodded in approval.

He paced to the window and looked at the bustling street below. He knew in his heart that these actions could muddy the waters and buy time, but the real deciding factor did not depend entirely on this.

He still had one card, or rather, one hope—the Zhou Family.

Official people ultimately need other official people to keep them in check.

Now, it's a matter of whether the Zhou Family dares to enter the fray, or rather, whether they are willing to enter the fray for some interest or balance.

Therefore, he must do something more to push the Zhou Family, or at least, secure an opportunity for himself to have a dialogue with the Zhou Family.

Thinking of this, he stopped, turned around, swept his gaze over a few core confidants, and made a decision.

"Everyone, go separate ways and get busy immediately. Handle the matters in your hands as quickly as possible; the cleaner and more efficient, the better."

Then, he looked at Old Zhou, who had been sitting silently and steadily, "Old Zhou, help me call Sister Hua and Sister Hong over."

"Alright." Old Zhou replied briefly, stood up, and walked to the desk to pick up the internal phone.

Li Zhan sat back on the sofa, picked up his teacup, and his gaze became deep and unfathomable once again.

The next moves in this game of chess require more delicate placement.

Soon, Li Zhan was the only one left in the office.

He stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the gradually awakening Changan Town, his gaze profound.

The brief tranquility was soon broken by a knock on the door.

"Come in." Li Zhan did not turn around.

The door was pushed open, and Sister Hua and Sister Hong walked in one after the other.

Sister Hua was wearing a dark green embroidered cheongsam with a thin gauze shawl draped over it, exuding a mix of elegance, shrewdness, and charm;

Sister Hong was in a wine-red professional suit, with a curvaceous figure, a warm smile, and equally sharp eyes, but her posture was slightly more restrained compared to Sister Hua.

With no outsiders present, the two women's demeanor was much more natural and intimate.

They walked straight to the sofa, one on the left and one on the right, and sat down next to Li Zhan extremely naturally.

A smile appeared on Li Zhan's face, and he naturally extended both arms, casually resting his left and right hands on their thighs and patting them gently,

"Freshly brewed Pu'er, the temperature is just right." Li Zhan pointed his chin toward the tea set on the coffee table.

Sister Hua turned to the side, almost half-leaning against Li Zhan, picked up a cup of tea, and first brought it to Li Zhan's lips, her eyes darting with a playful pout,

"What's the matter, calling us over in such a rush? I was just about to head to the venue."

Sister Hong also smiled and poured herself a cup of tea, but her sitting posture was more upright than Sister Hua's. She looked at Li Zhan, her tone equally intimate but with a bit more of a subordinate's request,

"Brother Zhan, are there new arrangements?"

Li Zhan took a sip of tea from Sister Hua's hand, his expression slowly fading his smile, becoming serious, but his hands resting on their thighs were not withdrawn.

"I called you here because there is an urgent matter that I need to inform you about in advance, so you have an idea and can prepare early."

His voice lowered. Sister Hua and Sister Hong felt the change in his tone, the relaxation on their faces instantly faded, their bodies sat up slightly straighter, and they looked at him seriously.

Li Zhan did not mention the matter of Young Master Liu, only vaguely glossing over the reason,

"There might be some storms recently, and the pressure from official circles might be much greater than usual. It cannot be ruled out that someone might want to target our venues and cause us trouble."

He looked at Sister Hua first, "Sister Hua, you have the largest team and the biggest operation.

First, notify everyone that all the girls at the venues should be more restrained recently.

Second, be more disciplined with going out and drinking with guests; absolutely do not touch things that shouldn't be touched, especially 'pills' and the like. Whoever touches them dies.

In these extraordinary times, I don't want anyone to make mistakes in this regard and be caught by the authorities."

Sister Hua's expression tightened. Although she didn't know exactly what had happened, Li Zhan's solemn warning explained everything, and she immediately guaranteed,

"Understood... I will definitely engrave these words into the minds of every mommy and girl. If anyone dares to drop the ball at this time, I will definitely not show mercy."

"Hmm." Li Zhan nodded and continued, "Second, the Gambling Den must be shut down completely.

The sisters who were previously arranged to liven up the atmosphere at the Gambling Den and accompany those big clients will definitely be affected in their business. You must find a way to make up for the losses in this area from other aspects."

He paused and stated the plan he had already thought of, "Over in Macau, I have already negotiated a partnership for a gambling hall with Bing from the Water Room.

In the future, we need to organize clients to go there. You should select a group of the most outgoing, savvy, and tight-lipped sisters to form a special 'expatriate team' responsible for traveling with the guests to Macau, implementing a one-stop service, bringing our Dongguan standards there, and ensuring our guests have a great time in Macau as well.

This part of the income will be higher than in the casino, but it will also be harder work. You must strictly vet the candidates."

Sister Hua's eyes lit up; this was indeed a good path, and she quickly replied, "I understand, Brother Zhan. Leave this matter to me; I guarantee I will pick the best people, build up this line, and make it our new signature..."