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Uncle San outwardly submits, but in reality, he is only afraid of Chen Yongren's power within the Five Blessings Gang. He has been secretly conspiring and plotting something all along.

However, Uncle San never expected that his son, who was used to being arrogant and domineering, would actually rape a white girl.

Things got really ugly, and Uncle Three had no choice but to bite the bullet and beg Chen Yongren.

The surveillance footage from the Beverly Hills Police Department is brutally clear.

Su Ning stared at the screen on the tablet: Chen Tianhao—the slicked-back son of her third uncle—was dragging a disoriented blonde girl into a hotel room.

The girl's blue dress strap had slipped, and her eyes were unfocused, like blue glass beads in a fog.

“The surveillance footage cost $50,000,” Chen Zhiming explained in a low voice. “The girl’s father is a partner at the Wilson Law Firm and is running for California legislator. The police are under a lot of pressure.”

The video timestamp shows that at 03:17 AM, Chen Tianhao tore open the girl's clothes.

Suning pressed the pause button, his stomach churning with last night's dinner.

He recalled how his third uncle had been so obsequious at the Golden Dragon Teahouse that morning…

The usually arrogant old man was bent over so low that his back was almost folded in half, and his forehead was touching the tip of Chen Yongren's shoe.

"Ah Ren, I only have this one son..." Uncle's sobbing voice still echoed in my ears.

Chen Yongren simply pushed the teacup towards Su Ning and said, "You handle it."

This is not a request, it is a command.

It was an elaborately designed trap...

If Suning refuses, it would be disloyal to the gang; if handled improperly, it would offend both Uncle San and outsiders; even if successful, it would inevitably get tainted.

"How is the girl?" Su Ning closed the video, his voice dry like a desert wind.

“19 years old, a sophomore at USC, named Emma Wilson.” Chen Zhiming flipped through his notes. “Blood tests showed GHB levels three times the normal range, typical of date rape drugs. She is currently in the Department of Mental Health at Cedars-Sinai Hospital.”

The tablet's edge reflected Suning's distorted face.

When he first arrived in Los Angeles, he often delivered takeout to girls who stayed up all night studying.

They always add a bright smile after the tip, as unreserved as the California sunshine.

"Get the car ready." He suddenly stood up. "Let's go see Uncle San first."

……

Uncle San's mansion is hidden on the hills of Pasadena. The gate is made of vermilion, imitating the Forbidden City, but it is fitted with armored steel plates made in Israel.

As Su Ning walked through the courtyard, he noticed that there were at least three armed bodyguards hiding behind the artificial hill—twice as many as usual.

In the living room, the third uncle was disciplining his son.

Chen Tianhao knelt on the ground, his expensive Givenchy shirt wrinkled like a rag, and there was a clear handprint on his right cheek.

But Suning immediately saw the problem...

There was no remorse in the boy's eyes, only impatience, like a wild beast that had been temporarily tethered.

"Mr. Su!" Uncle San hurried over, instantly switching to obsequious mode, "It's so late and you've gone to all this trouble..."

Su Ning ignored him and squatted down in front of Chen Tianhao: "Tell me! Why are you recording this?"

Chen Tianhao was visibly taken aback: "Wh...what video?"

“It’s on your phone.” Su Ning’s voice was soft, but it made the room temperature drop instantly. “You were committing a crime while taking selfies and then sending them to your friends to show off. Now that video is circulating on the phones of half the male students at USC.”

Uncle San's face instantly turned ashen.

He was clearly unaware of this fatal detail.

"I...I drank too much..." Chen Tianhao began to tremble, "That bitch clearly seduced me first..."

Suning clenched his fist in his pocket.

He remembered Emily saying that Chen Tianhao had been suppressed by his third uncle two years ago for harassing a female waitress at a nightclub.

He is a repeat offender and shows no remorse whatsoever.

"Two hundred thousand US dollars." Su Ning stood up. "Cash, old bills, not consecutive numbers. Deliver it to Yihexuan before noon tomorrow."

Uncle San was overjoyed: "No problem! Is there anything else I need?"

“Your son’s passport and a plane ticket to Southeast Asia,” Su Ning said coldly. “Don’t let me see him in California until things calm down.”

"..."

As Su Ning was leaving, she noticed a statue of Guan Yu holding a knife enshrined in the slightly ajar door of her third uncle's study.

In the incense burner in front of the statue, three sticks of incense had burned to the end, but the ash stubbornly refused to fall.

It seems that even the gods and Buddhas in heaven disapprove of this beastly father and son...

……

The corridors of Cedars-Sinai Hospital made Suning more nervous than the courtroom.

The smell of disinfectant mingled with faint sobs, and the "No Loud Talking" sign on the wall seemed ironic.

Two men sat outside Emma Wilson's hospital room: the younger one was probably her brother, his knuckles white from clenching his fists too tightly; the older one—undoubtedly her father—had his gray hair neatly combed, and the muscles beneath his Armani suit were taut like swords ready to be drawn at any moment.

“Mr. Wilson?” Su Ning maintained a safe distance. “I am…”

“I know who you are.” Old Wilson’s voice was like the friction of a glacier. “A representative of the Chen Clan Chamber of Commerce. Tell your scumbag clients that we will not accept any conditions.”

Suning took out a photo from his inner pocket: "Do you recognize this person?"

The photo shows an Asian woman in a kimono holding a baby in front of a church.

Old Wilson's pupils contracted slightly...

That was his current wife and their one-month-old illegitimate child; the secrecy was so good that even his campaign team didn't know.

"Despicable!" Young Wilson rushed forward and grabbed Su Ning by the collar. "You yellow..."

"Mark!" his father snapped, "Go inside and keep your sister company."

"Humph!"

After his son reluctantly left, old Wilson straightened his tie: "How much?"

“Two hundred thousand in compensation, plus Chen Tianhao leaving the United States,” Su Ning said calmly. “In exchange, the police received Emma’s statement of withdrawal of the case, as well as… the negative of this photo.”

There was actually no film negative, but old Wilson didn't dare to gamble.

Looking at the bulging veins on the lawyer's forehead, Su Ning recalled the traditional Chinese medicine theory that "anger injures the liver"...

Excessive anger can indeed cause liver function indicators to spike.

"Anything else?" Old Wilson gritted his teeth. "People like you wouldn't just accept this much."

“A suggestion,” Su Ning said, handing over his business card. “Congressman Wilson could consider hosting a fundraising dinner at the Kinmen Chamber of Commerce. We have many members who are eager to… make political donations.”

This is a brilliant win-win solution.

Old Wilson was able to keep his family secrets while also securing campaign funds; while the Five Blessings received political protection.

As for justice...

Suning looked at the frosted glass on the ward door and could vaguely see a small, thin figure curled up on the bed.

Justice has always been a luxury in this city.

……

Three days after the settlement agreement was signed, Suning was trimming lavender in the backyard of Yihexuan.

These little purple flowers are more resilient than you might imagine; the more you prune them, the more profusely they bloom the following year.

"Suning, how could you do this?"

Emily's voice came from behind.

Su Ning turned around and saw the Los Angeles Times clutched in her hand...

The headline in the social section was: "USC Sexual Assault Case Mystery: Victim Suddenly Withdraws Charges."

“This is the task your father, Chen Yongren, gave me,” Su Ning continued pruning the flowers. “I chose the solution that causes the least damage.”

"Less damage?" Emily slammed the newspaper on the stone table. "That girl will live in the shadows for the rest of her life! And that beast is living a life of luxury in Thailand with Dad's money!"

A lavender petal stuck to the blade of the scissors, like a drop of purple blood.

Su Ning put down his tools and looked directly into Emily's angry eyes: "Do you know what will happen if we go through legal proceedings? Uncle Three will use all his connections to smear the victim; Wilson's political enemies will use his illegitimate son against him; and your father..."

“Don’t use my father as an excuse!” Emily interrupted him abruptly. “You have a choice! You can refuse!”

"And then?" Su Ning finally raised her voice, "Disappoint your father, Chen Yongren? Lose all protection? Watch Yihexuan be subjected to daily surprise inspections by the fire department, health department, and tax department?"

He grabbed a handful of soil and let it drip through his fingers. "I haven't been a clean person for a long time, ever since I accepted the first money from your father."

Emily took a half step back as if she had been slapped in the face.

Sunlight filtered through the grapevines, casting dappled shadows on her face, the spots of light shimmering as she trembled.

“I thought you were different,” she finally said, her voice as soft as a sigh. “That young man who held fast to his ideals at the Golden Gate Hotel…is he dead?”

Suning did not respond.

The answer is too obvious...

That person was standing here, his hands stained with the scent of lavender and the unseen stench of blood.

In the distance, a police car drove by with its siren blaring, whether to stop a crime or to cover up another scandal was unclear.

……

Uncle San's "thank you banquet" was held in the most secluded private room of Jinlong Teahouse.

The old man personally poured wine for Su Ning, every wrinkle on his face radiating obsequiousness.

"Su Ning, thanks to your intervention this time." His hand trembled slightly as he raised his glass. "Tianhao has arrived in Bangkok. I'll make him reflect on his actions."

Looking at the swaying Moutai in her glass, Su Ning imagined Chen Tianhao probably embracing a Thai model right now...

Reflecting on one's actions? They probably wouldn't even bother to pretend.

"It's nothing." Su Ning took a sip of wine, the fiery liquid burning her throat. "But Third Uncle, keep a close eye on your son. He might not be so lucky next time."

"Of course, of course!" Uncle San nodded repeatedly, then suddenly lowered his voice, "By the way! I heard your father-in-law is planning to let you take over the dock business? That position has always been our Chen family's..."

“Rumors.” Su Ning put down his glass. “I have no interest in gang affairs.”

Uncle San's smile froze on his face, and a sinister glint flashed in his eyes.

Just then, Chen Yongren pushed open the door and entered, followed by several federal officials.

Everyone immediately stood up, and their glasses clinked together.

"The problem is solved?" Chen Yongren sat down in the main seat as if he already knew the answer.

Suning nodded: "The Wilson family accepted the terms."

“Very good.” Chen Yongren looked around at everyone, his gaze finally settling on his third uncle. “Uncle, this is a one-time exception to your son’s matter. The Chamber of Commerce’s reputation isn’t always this valuable.”

Uncle San's wine cup shattered in his palm, and blood mixed with wine dripped onto the Ming Dynasty blue bricks.

No one dared to help him bandage his wound.

After the banquet, Chen Yongren kept Su Ning alone and asked, "I heard you and Emily had a fight?"

Suning gave a wry smile.

It was more than just arguing—Emily hadn't returned to her apartment for three days, only sending one text message: "Needs space to think."

“Women need to be coaxed.” Chen Yongren unexpectedly patted him on the shoulder. “Tomorrow is the anniversary of her mother’s death. Go to Rose Hill Cemetery to find her.”

On the way back, Su Ning gazed at the city lights flashing past the window.

In this city where angels and demons dance together, he is becoming increasingly adept at navigating the gray areas. But some things, like the disappointment in Emily's eyes, are stains that no amount of political maneuvering can erase.

My phone vibrated; it was a message from the factory manager: "The FDA's final inspection report has been approved, and the production line can resume operation."

Suning closed his eyes.

At least tonight, he can temporarily forget the empty blue eyes of that USC girl, forget the lavender petals stuck to the scissors, and forget that he is becoming the kind of person he used to hate the most.

The lights on the top floor were still on as the car drove past the Wilson Law Firm building.

I wonder if that future Congressman Wilson is also gazing at the same night sky right now, calculating the exchange ratio between conscience and self-interest.

……

The night view of Long Beach Harbor was fragmented by searchlights.

Suning followed behind Chen Yongren, his leather shoes making a sticky sound as they stepped on the damp container floor.

The salty sea breeze, carrying the smell of diesel fuel, created an ironic contrast with the "Seafood Import List" in his arms...

The "frozen pomfret" labeled above was actually 20 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside the fish's belly.

“The buyer of this shipment is a remnant of the San Diego cartel.” Chen Yongren’s cigarette butt glowed in the darkness. “My third uncle used to be in charge, but he was caught cheating last month.”

Suning knew what "cheating the scale" meant—unauthorized withholding of goods.

For someone in Uncle San's position to dare to do this, there are only two possibilities: extreme greed, or deliberate provocation.

"Why did you choose me?" The sea breeze ruffled Su Ning's hair.

Chen Yongren stopped in his tracks, and four burly men with guns suddenly emerged from the shadows of the container.

They silently surrounded Suning, their movements as practiced as if they had rehearsed it a thousand times.

“Test.” Chen Yongren stepped out of the light. “This shipment is worth four million US dollars. Now it’s yours.”

All four gunmen pulled the safety pins at the same time.

Su Ning's temples throbbed; he suddenly understood the rules of the game...

This is not a handover, but a meticulously designed test of survival.

Chen Yongren is forcing him to show his true colors: is he an illegal immigrant who can be slaughtered at will, or a gang successor who can stand up in a pool of blood?

“Container number CRKU684213.” Suning suddenly announced a string of numbers, his voice unusually steady. “Temperature set at -22 degrees Celsius, customs inspection probability 7.3%.”

“There’s a refrigerated truck at Pier 3. The driver’s name is Jose. His daughter is having heart surgery at the children’s hospital.”

The gunmen looked at each other in bewilderment.

Chen Yongren's cigarette butt arced through the air and fell into the sea: "You investigated?"

“To survive in America, you must know yourself and your enemy.” Su Ning unlocked his phone, the screen light illuminating his calm expression. “If something goes wrong tonight, Jose will receive a hospital bill payment text message; if everything goes well, his daughter will receive a recovery card.”

A deathly silence enveloped the dock.

In the distance, the sound of cargo ship horns sounded like the howl of some giant beast.

"Hahaha……"

Finally, Chen Yongren burst into laughter, which startled the seagulls perched on the crane.

"Nine o'clock tomorrow, Jinlong Teahouse." He patted Su Ning on the shoulder, so hard it looked like he was going to leave a bruise. "It's time to arrange for you to meet the other 'shareholders'."

On the way back, Su Ning found that her right hand was trembling uncontrollably.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly until his knuckles turned white.

The man in the rearview mirror was dressed in a suit and tie, but something in his eyes had changed forever.

The employees at Yihexuan noticed that their boss had been acting strangely lately.

Suning, who has always only used lavender essential oil, suddenly added a bottle of Tom Ford Oud perfume to his office.

Even stranger, he seemed to be using smells to mark the passage of time...

It has a fresh herbal scent during the day, and transforms into a deep woody note at night.

On Wednesday afternoon, Emily walked in while Suning was interviewing a new assistant.

She hadn't been to the restaurant for two weeks; jeans and a loose sweater had replaced her usual business suit, and her wedding ring on her left ring finger was gone.

“Su Ning, we need to talk.” She got straight to the point.

Suning gestured for the job applicant to leave.

After the door closed, Emily tossed a folder onto the desk.

Inside were screenshots of dock surveillance footage, copies of freight documents, and José's daughter's hospitalization records.

"Explain yourself?" The disappointment in her voice was more piercing than her anger.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the documents, and the blurry figures in the black and white images seemed to be making a silent accusation.

Suning picked up the top photo...

It is a profile picture of him and Chen Yongren talking at the pier, the time shown is 3:17 a.m.

"You sent someone to follow me?"

"I'm protecting you!" Emily suddenly raised her voice. "Do you know how Uncle Three is investigating you? He hired a former Mossad agent!"

Suning walked to the wine cabinet and poured himself a glass of single malt.

The burning sensation in his throat from the alcohol reminded him of the sea breeze at the dock that night.

"So?" he heard himself say, "The business world is like a battlefield; it's normal to have a backup plan."

“Normal?” Emily snatched his glass. “You call this normal? What about that little girl who had heart surgery? Is using patients as bargaining chips part of your family motto of ‘great doctors with noble character’?”

The wine glass shattered on the marble floor, shards flying everywhere.

A shard of glass grazed Suning's ankle, and drops of blood seeped into the camel-colored carpet, turning into a dark brown stain.

“Do you know why my father chose you?” Emily suddenly calmed down, a calmness more terrifying than hysteria. “Because he saw that you were the same kind of people—both adept at disguising despicable acts as acts of desperation.”

As she turned to leave, the gust of air she created jolted the documents on the table.

At the bottom, a photo that Suning had never seen before was revealed: Chen Tianhao is in a high-end club in Thailand, raising a glass with a white man in military uniform.

The date in the corner of the photo is yesterday.

The "shareholders' meeting" at Jinlong Tea House is more like a mini United Nations meeting.

Italians, Russians, Japanese yakuza representatives, and several men in suits who looked like politicians were talking in various languages ​​around a mahogany round table.

As a newcomer, Suning was assigned to the last seat.

"Gentlemen," Chen Yongren tapped the rim of his teacup with the lid, "let me introduce our new partner, Su Ning of Yihexuan."

A dozen scrutinizing gazes pierced through.

A bald, muscular Russian man with a double-headed eagle tattooed on his arm muttered in English, "What can a restaurant owner do? Make us our last supper?"

Amid the laughter, Suning calmly took out his tablet and pulled up a set of data: "In the past six months, the purity of heroin handled by Uncle San has dropped from 87% to 62%, while the accounts show that the price has increased by 15%."

He swiped the screen. "This is the original test report from the Mexican laboratory."

The laughter stopped abruptly.

Uncle San's face turned ashen, and the teacup in his hand cracked with a snap.

“Furthermore,” Suning continued, “the actual volume of electronic component containers arriving at Yokohama Port last quarter was 12% less than the declared volume. The difference…”

He looked at the Japanese representative and said, "I'm afraid it didn't go into the Chamber of Commerce's vault."

The temperature in the conference room plummeted.

Approval flashed in Chen Yongren's eyes—this was exactly the effect he wanted: to use Suning to put pressure on all sides and establish new authority at the same time.

“Little friend,” the Italian representative said slowly, twirling his pasta, “do you know why we tolerate Mr. Chen taking a 20% cut? Because he never breaks the rules.”

Suning smiled: "The new rule is—purity must be restored to the original standard, and the difference must be made up within three days. Otherwise..."

He pressed the remote control, and the projector lit up, displaying a series of bank transfer records. "Your accounts in the Cayman Islands may receive a greeting from the IRS."

A deathly silence enveloped the conference room.

These accounts are the most crucial secrets of all parties involved; even Chen Yongren doesn't know the specific details.

How exactly did Suning acquire it?

“My men will take over the dock quality control tomorrow,” Chen Yongren announced. “Now, let’s raise a glass to welcome our new partner.”

After the meeting, Uncle San stopped Su Ning in the parking lot: "Kid, you think you've won?"

The old man's eyes gleamed with a venomous light. "Tianhao knows a lot of military friends in Thailand... They're particularly creative when it comes to traitors."

Su Ning straightened his cuffs, revealing a seemingly ordinary watch on his wrist: "Third Uncle, do you know about the remote transmission function of a heart rate monitor? Your heart rate was really high just now. I suggest you eat less oily food."

He leaned close to the old man's ear and said, "By the way! The surveillance footage from that 'Paradise Club' in Bangkok is really clear."

"..."

Watching his third uncle stagger away, Su Ning took out his mobile phone and dialed a number: "Dr. Lin, prepare to activate the 'purification protocol'."

Suning's core team is gathered in the command center converted from an abandoned cannery.

This unusual team includes:

Marcus, a former police academy student, was expelled for assaulting a suspected rapist and is now in charge of armed security.
"Cockroach," a genius hacker addicted to drugs, wears glasses and huddles in front of a monitor, monitoring 37 surveillance systems around the world.
Ms. Zheng, a bankrupt Wall Street analyst, used financial models to help Suning launder money.
There's also Dr. Lin, whose medicine can both cure diseases and kill.

“Boss, ‘Cockroach’ found something good.” Marcus, with a toothpick in his mouth, brought up the screen. “Uncle San transferred 500,000 to a Cambodian account yesterday. The recipient was ‘White Elephant Security’—actually a mercenary intermediary.”

Su Ning stared at her third uncle's bank statements on the screen, recalling the photo Emily had left of Chen Tianhao with the soldiers.

The pieces begin to come together—what are the father and son planning?
"Sister Zheng, what percentage of our shares are in Uncle San's shipping company?"

“32%, the second largest shareholder.” Ms. Zheng adjusted her glasses. “But the largest shareholder is a shell company, and the actual controller is…”

“It’s Chen Yongren,” Su Ning continued. “That’s why Third Uncle wants to change shareholders.”

He walked to the window, where the setting sun had turned the factory's corrugated iron roof blood red.

This situation was more dangerous than he had imagined...

Third Uncle not only wants to get rid of him, but also to shake Chen Yongren's rule.

The information Emily inadvertently provided may be the key.

“Marcus, take two people to Rosehill Cemetery tomorrow night,” Su Ning suddenly said. “It’s Emily’s mother’s death anniversary, and Uncle San won’t let this opportunity pass.”

"Should we intervene?"

“No.” Su Ning’s voice was as cold as a scalpel. “Observation and recording. I need to know who Third Uncle is colluding with.”

"clear."

After Marcus left, Suning stood alone in front of the monitor screen.

More than a dozen screens flashed simultaneously, displaying key locations such as the dock, teahouse, and Uncle San's mansion.

One of the split screens shows the live feed of Yihexuan, where Emily is packing up her personal belongings in the office, her movements as decisive as if she were cutting away the past.

In fact, Suning never considered itself a partner with the other party; it was merely a transaction where both parties got what they wanted.

In the mirror-like reflection, he saw a strange light in his own eyes...

That wasn't the gaze of the illegal immigrant Su Ning, nor the gaze of the traditional Chinese medicine practitioner Su Ning; it belonged to another self about to be reborn in blood and fire.

The pager vibrated, and Chen Yongren sent a short message: "Family dinner tomorrow night, dress formally. We have important guests."

Outside the window, night falls in Los Angeles.

...(End of chapter)