Hong Kong Storm: The King of Jobs

Chapter 387, Section 163: Stabilizing Morale

Professor A is not mute; he is a normal person. However, his records at the relief agency indicate that he is mute, so he adopted a vow of silence. He has been practicing this vow for ten years, and today is the last day of his vow.

For a person to persist for ten years without speaking, communicating only through sign language, can be called a miracle.

No matter how many people are there, it's none of our business!

Have our partners arrived yet?

Professor A stood up without looking at the situation inside the Donghua Yizhuang. As for the trivial matter of the Nine-Tailed Fox betraying him, there was no need to mention it. It was completely impossible to expect a dead friend to abide by morality.

Once the addiction kicks in, I'll confess everything, whether I know it or not.

However, there are many things the nine-tailed fox doesn't know. For example, her parents' coffins had long been transported out of Donghua Yizhuang and buried on the nameless hill behind her.

He has bought the mountain and erected a new grave on its summit.

The Analects says: "A child is weaned from its parents' arms after three years of life."

It is believed that parents should raise their children for at least three years, therefore children should observe a three-year mourning period to repay the kindness of raising them.

The Zhou Dynasty also included the three-year mourning period in its rites and laws, making it the most severe mourning period in the "Five Mourning Degrees" system, applicable to children mourning their parents, wives mourning their husbands, and subjects mourning their rulers.

Professor A believes that three years of mourning is too short. According to the Zhou Dynasty rites, one should observe mourning for ten years to repay the kindness of one's parents in raising them. This is because Professor A spent ten years of his life with his parents before they both passed away.

"Everyone except Ah J and Ah K has arrived. The cops don't know about the mountain via the back path."

"Isn't this too risky? To cause trouble right under the noses of the cops, they'd go crazy if they found out!"

Song Ci's face was full of worry. She had never been in favor of this gathering of partners. Ever since the water room problem occurred, she had advocated lying low for a while and waiting to see how things went.

But her husband, who had his own plans, disagreed. He believed that the bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish would be. He thought that when problems kept arising, the price should be raised so that he could make a quick buck. He believed that when others were fearful, he should be crazy, and when others were crazy, he should be fearful. He believed in breaking with common sense and going against the grain.

"Didi didi didi."

The alarm clock on the electronic watch went off. Professor A raised his wrist, glanced at the watch, coughed, picked up the broom woven from bamboo branches, and walked towards the steps.

Seeing that her husband was determined, Song Ci didn't say anything. She packed the insulated lunchbox and water bottle into her backpack and followed behind her husband up the mountain.

In the Remembrance Pavilion atop the mountain, four or five arrogant middle-aged men sized each other up, their words filled with mockery and probing. These men were all members of the Number Gang, specializing in the pork business.

Having been away from Hong Kong for many days, Ninth Sister sat on the railing, gazing silently at the distant clouds and mist.

These scoundrels in front of us are all incredibly capable. They usually hide in Kowloon Walled City and never come out. It's only because Professor A is so powerful that he was able to gather this group of people together.

Last night, Handsome Sheng called her and said that the trading could continue. She rushed to ask Prince, and when Prince nodded and said that everything was OK, she took the next available flight and rushed back to Hong Kong overnight. She made it to the meeting just in time.

She was representing her father this time, and she also needed to support her good friend, Ah J.

Rumors are circulating that Song Ci, as the eldest sister-in-law, disliked Ah J and Ah K and personally took care of them.

Song Sheng is incredibly powerful. If he helps his daughter, he can eliminate Ah J and Ah K without anyone noticing. But we're all brothers and sisters, so there's no need to make things too tense.

Both sides need to make concessions in order for the business to continue.

A's brain, J's storage, K's technology—if any one of them is missing, this business can't go on.

Thinking of this, Ninth Sister glanced at her watch and realized that there were still five minutes left before it was time for everyone to meet. Professor A was very punctual and hated it when others didn't keep to the schedule.

The sound of rubber tires rolling over mud echoed on the back mountain path, and a Toyota SUV appeared before everyone's eyes. When Ninth Sister saw the car, she happily stood up. Her Professor J had arrived!

"Ajiu!"

Professor J, who had just gotten off the bus, was very happy to see her best friend, Ninth Sister, though her smile seemed a little forced.

"Don't worry! I'll take care of the rest!"

Ninth Sister took Professor J's hand and whispered something. The two then walked hand in hand into the rain pavilion.

The other members of the demolition team in the rain pavilion all wore meaningful smiles when they saw Professor J arrive, knowing that there was a good show to watch.

"Everyone, I apologize for being late as the host!"

Professor A put the broom aside, gestured a few times in sign language, and the Song Dynasty poem behind her acted as her husband's translator, accurately conveying the meaning of her words.

"Haha! It's alright, it's good that the host can come. Professor A, it's been a long time!"

When Big-Eyed Willow, who was in charge of the Dutch channel, saw Professor A arrive, she stood up, put her hands together in a Buddhist gesture of respect, and continued, "At the Donghua Dijun Temple, I donated one million to Wong Tai Sin to help my uncle and aunt pass on to the afterlife, as a small token of my gratitude."

Professor A has very few hobbies, you could say none, but his partners all know that he is a filial son who observed ten years of mourning for his parents. The best way to curry favor with him is to donate money to the temple.

The rumors circulating in the community are mostly false, with only one true element: the professor and his sister did not grow up in a church orphanage at all; they grew up in a Chinese orphanage established by the Tin Hau Temple.

Of course, most of these rumors were spread by people present, with the aim of muddying the waters. For example, Ninth Sister attended Professor A and Song Ci's wedding, but still lied to Handsome Sheng, saying that Song Sheng wanted to marry Professor A.

"Thank you!"

Professor A gestured twice to express his gratitude to Big-Eyed Willow.

Upon seeing Professor A arrive, Professor J quickly stood up, walked to Professor A and his wife, and timidly said, "Boss! Sister-in-law!"

"Don't worry, it wasn't your sister-in-law who did it. We just ran into a roadblock!"

Professor A gestured a couple of times, and Song Ci didn't add any words to defend himself. He said that if he did it, he did it; if he didn't, he didn't. There was no need for him to hide it. If he really did it, Professor J wouldn't be able to escape the consequences.

Upon hearing Professor A's words, Professor J quickly nodded. She knew that her boss never lied; if he said he didn't do it, he meant it. She immediately stood beside Professor A, remaining silent but making her stance clear.

We must not lose our composure now. These people who are destroying our homes are vicious demons who devour people without spitting out their bones. We are all family members, and we must stick together.

Seeing that her best friend had changed her stance, Jiu Guniang could only raise the international friendship gesture to Professor J to show that she was very unhappy.

"Drip drip drip drip."

The winter rain pattered on the glazed tiles of the rain pavilion, making a dense sound.

Professor A gestured in sign language, then looked at his wife and asked Song Ci to express it.

"Ten years! It's rare that we meet here every year at the end of the year. Time has come full circle, but most of the faces haven't changed. It's truly a cause for celebration!"

Being able to sell pork for ten years is indeed a commendable achievement, and everyone present nodded in agreement with Professor A's words.

“Starting with the next batch of goods, my sister will no longer manage the warehouse. She will be in charge of the factory. Also, starting with the next batch of goods, pork prices will rise, with the retail price per gram increasing to sixty yuan. The price you will pay will also increase to twenty-five yuan per gram.”

The vendors present were all major players, buying goods by the ton. Take Big Eye Willow for example; he ships six tons of pork to Amsterdam every month, controlling the entire pork market in Amsterdam's Chinatown.

Even Sicilians, Annamese, and South Asians get their goods from him, since high-purity blue blood is more valuable than gold in the Nordic market.

Big-Eyed Willow has recently gotten involved with the legal thieves. These Red Goose people, protected by big shots, can talk a ton of money right off the bat, and they say that this is just an experiment, and if it's successful, they'll cooperate long-term.

The increase in purchase prices is unacceptable to these dismantlers.

“Professor A, it’s too sudden for you to talk about raising prices at this time. The Filipinos just placed an order with me, and I’ve already received the deposit. They want 700 kilograms of pork. If your purchase price doubles, I won’t make any profit at all.”

Sitting on the railing, the thin, bespectacled man spoke directly, saying that he had already negotiated with the client and that raising prices now would definitely result in him losing money.

"Yup!"

"Things will definitely go badly starting with the next batch. Those drug dealers are all ruthless. If they see us raising prices, they'll think we're not following the rules. We'll all be in deep trouble then!"

Those present, each offering their own opinion, all voiced their opposition.

Professor A, standing in the center of the pavilion, did not use sign language. Instead, he listened to the opinions of everyone present and only began to use sign language when the discussion subsided.

“J, your boss asked how much stock is left in the warehouse?” Song Ci looked at Professor J beside her and spoke up for her husband.

Professor J was a bit troubled, but when the boss asked questions, he honestly told him the amount of goods in the warehouse: "There are less than two tons of goods left in the warehouse! The few tons of goods in the factory were taken by the cops before they could be transported out."

"I've already moved the goods overnight, I guarantee no one will find out."

Upon hearing that only two tons of goods remained, the members of the Number Gang present turned their attention to Professor A. Two tons of goods were simply not enough; even if one person took them all, it would be a drop in the ocean.

Now the decision-making power has shifted back to Professor A. Price increases are a minor issue; the real problem is insufficient supply.

“I have a batch of inventory, which was given to me by an old friend, Ms. Bai. I can transfer it to everyone at half the price of the market price.”

After Professor A finished gesturing, Song Ci quickly explained in sign language: "Also, I am someone who has come from hunger, and I always carry two bags of chocolate in my pocket in case of need."

"Therefore, I have 20 tons of pork in my reserve warehouse, which I think is enough for everyone's needs for this month."

“It will take four months from the establishment of the new factory to the commissioning of the production line. During these four months, we only have these twenty-two tons of goods.”

"Things are valued because they are scarce. It's not unacceptable for me to raise prices, is it?"

"Also, this time we will not accept orders of a few hundred kilograms at a time. This time we will order by the ton, and the payment method will remain the same as before."

"I think everyone is okay with this, right?"

"They're all easygoing friends, why would they argue over trivial matters!"

Professor A, with a smile on his face, looked at all the demolition companies present, wanting to hear their answers.

"Professor A, what you're doing is against the rules."

"Number Gang will provide you with protection and channels. They won't interfere with your other businesses, but the goods you sell to Number Gang for dismantling can only be handed over to Xiao Zi Dui. You haven't gotten too old and forgotten about this, have you?"

Upon hearing that someone was going to overturn the table and smash the pot, Ninth Sister immediately exploded. She stood up and expressed her dissatisfaction.

Without the protection of a prefix, the bookmaker and the demolition company are like a piece of roast pork, a stray dog ​​like a jackal or a gangster, who can bite them. Professor A really thinks he's a big shot and wants to make decisions.

"This time is no exception; this will be the rule from now on."

"To make up for the losses of the filial piety pile, after each transaction, I will set aside 20 million as a fee and give it to Uncle Qi."

"As for the goods piled up with the character '孝' (filial piety), I will give them a 20% discount and prioritize their supply."

"I think there's really no problem!"

Song Ci glanced at Ninth Sister with a cold smile on her face, but still translated it word for word.

After each transaction, Xiaozidui would receive 20 million, which sounds like a good deal. Any fool would definitely take a bite.

But the fools were blinded by the 20 million, completely ignoring the fact that they had lost control!
After a few such transactions, Professor A had already established trust with these number-sharing gangs and could then easily remove the "filial piety" group, even if some of them were also members of the "filial piety" group.

Nobody wants to have a father weighing them down, because these demolition workers have to pay an astronomical amount of fees every month.

If Professor A succeeds in making this happen, then Xiaozidui will be a complete fool, having been taken advantage of and still having to pay the person in charge.

Furthermore, the Xiaozidui gang has its own establishments and its own cronies. They all need pork to support their henchmen and their daughters. If they lose that money, they'll rebel and ask Deng Qi, the boss, if he's just sitting in his chair all day doing nothing.

"Professor A, all these years of good fortune and prosperity for you are thanks to the blessings of our Number Gang!"

"You call my dad, call the prince. If they both agree, I won't say a word. Congratulations, Professor A, on your great fortune."

Ninth Sister sneered, her eyes sweeping over each of the numbered gang members present, before leaving without a word.

After seeing that Ninth Sister had left, Professor A gestured for a long time. Song Ci then said, "I will talk to Seventh Uncle. He will agree, and the Crown Prince will not have any objections."

"Don't worry, everyone!"

"Now everyone can place their orders as usual!"

The members of the number gang present looked at each other without saying a word, but unlike Ninth Sister, they didn't storm off. They just sat there, looking down at their crotches.

"I need four tons! The knife is already at my scalp, I have to get past this hurdle first."

Having just hitched a ride with the ruthless Hong'e thief, Liu couldn't worry about anything else right now. The Hong'e thief had already paid the deposit, and if the goods couldn't be delivered on time, his entire family would be in danger.

After saying that, he took out three purple-gold cube chips from his pocket. These were not the chips from the water room's mud coin hall, but the Lisboa Casino's own chips, which were also the highest-level chips, worth two million each.

This kind of top-tier stakes can't be played in the main hall; you can only play in the most exclusive VIP room, Legend Club.

Because Macau doesn't currently have a capital verification rule, these top-tier chips are the best for transaction payments. However, there are standards for joining Legend Club, and it's all played by well-known and reputable individuals.

If a player spends less than 20 million per quarter, they also need two guarantors who are members of Po Leung Kuk. This is done to prevent professional poker players and cheaters from entering the game.

Being a home-destroyer is even worse than being a con artist. If you discover someone is a con artist, at most they'll have a hand cut off, but if you discover someone is a home-destroyer, everyone will want to kill them.

"This is the deposit; the rest will be paid the same as before."

When Song Ci heard that Big-Eyed Willow wanted to pay with dog food, she rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky. But Professor A didn't care. He made an OK sign, indicating that the deal was done.

Once the first person took the lead, the rest of the dealers followed suit and bought up all the remaining stock.

However, they couldn't get the highest-level chips, so they could only settle the bill with gold chips worth 100,000 each.

After checking the Song Ci poems and confirming that the number was correct, he nodded.

See you again this time next year!

Professor A gestured a few times, indicating that the guest should leave.

They'd heard this phrase every year, and the demolition team members of the Number Gang already knew it all too well. They all stood up, said goodbye to Professor A, and left the Rain Pavilion. This matter wasn't over yet; they had to go to Deng Qi's office to apologize, or the knife-wielding men would come knocking on their door tonight.

After everyone had left, Professor J finally spoke up: "Boss, Ah Hu and Ah K have both been arrested by the cops. They'll definitely implicate us. Our godparents are buried in Donghua Mortuary, and only Ah Hu and Ah K know that."

"The Donghua Mortuary is now teeming with police, and the pharmacy has been shut down by them."

"After securing this shipment, should we leave Hong Kong, move to another location, and regroup?"

Song Ci also agreed with her sister-in-law's idea of ​​having an affair. It was now obvious that the police had their eyes on them, and if they didn't leave quickly, they were sure to suffer the consequences.

The cops don't have that keen sense of smell; these good-for-nothings can't catch us!

After this shipment, we will leave Hong Kong and will not be back for the next five years. Sell all your real estate holdings to avoid future problems.

The deposits collected today will be divided into three parts: one for Deng Qi, one for my father-in-law, and the remaining part will be used to buy a cargo ship.

Winter is just around the corner, and even in Hong Kong, you can feel the biting cold in the wind. It's time to leave.

Professor A picked up a bamboo broom and swept the fallen leaves from top to bottom.

(End of this chapter)