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The founding ceremony of Yongren Group was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, a venue that has hosted the Oscars.

Five hundred former gang members, dressed in ill-fitting suits, sat crampedly in leather chairs, watching a corporate promotional video played on a huge projection screen on stage.

Such a trendy way of promotion naturally attracted attention, and even the gang leaders who were initially indifferent couldn't help but take a closer look.

"From today onwards, the Five Blessings Gang is history." Suning's voice resounded throughout the venue through the top-notch sound system. "What you hold in your hands is not gang rules, but an employee handbook; not a resettlement allowance, but a share certificate."

The large screen switched to an organizational chart: traditional gangs became logistics, security, and catering departments; the blood-stained veterans were labeled with the title "Director" next to their portraits; and even the youngest thugs became "grassroots supervisors".

A few claps broke out from the audience, but most of the time there was whispering and murmuring.

The gunmen, used to wearing loose-fitting sportswear, tightened their ties, looking like wild beasts with collars on.

The commotion turned into gasps of surprise when CFO Ms. Zheng announced the salary plan...

"The base salary is three times your average income last year, with performance bonuses calculated separately. The first month's salary has already been prepaid."

Seeing the five extra digits in the account, even the most stubborn elders shut their mouths.

Only Uncle Lin, Uncle San's sworn brother, suddenly kicked over a chair: "I've risked my life for thirty years just to be a clerk?"

The whole place was dead silent.

Everyone remembers that the last time someone provoked them like that, Uncle Three personally hanged them to death at the dock with an iron hook.

Suning simply smiled and said, "The gross profit margin of the dock business that Uncle Lin is in charge of decreased by 12% last month."

He gestured to his assistant to hand him a document. “This is your son’s spending record at the Las Vegas casino—six million dollars, but it was recorded in the Chamber of Commerce’s accounts.”

Uncle Lin's face turned deathly pale instantly.

His son's gambling addiction is top secret.

"Actually, our new rules are very simple." Suning stepped off the stage, the sound of his leather shoes tapping on the marble floor like a countdown. "Those who generate profits will enjoy shareholder dividends; those who drag the team down..."

He stopped in front of Uncle Lin and handed him a photograph...

It's a silhouette of George Lam gambling heavily in a casino, "and he would send his children to Ivy League schools for further education."

The back of the photo is Columbia University's acceptance letter.

"..."

Lin Bo's hands began to tremble; he suddenly understood the rules of this new world...

Loyalty and righteousness are not valued here; only efficiency and leverage are.

The chaos in the first month of the reforms was beyond imagination.

Freight manager Marcus beats up a lazy former henchman in the warehouse; the finance department argues until dawn over money laundering accounts; and most absurdly, the two department heads enroll in MBA courses to compete for the title of "Department of the Year".

"It went more smoothly than expected." At the board meeting late at night, Suning reviewed the reports: "The crime rate dropped by 72%, and net profit increased by 41%."

The elders looked at each other in bewilderment.

They didn't quite understand these numbers, but bank accounts can't be faked...

Despite losing the "traditional business" of collecting protection money, the tax-free policy for logistics companies and the brand premium of restaurant chains have made the dividends more generous than during the underworld era.

“Chairwoman Su…” Mr. Wu, who was in charge of the nightclub, rubbed his hands together. “Those girls who don’t want to change careers…”

“Establish an artist management company.” Su Ning had already come up with a plan. “Legal performances, formal contracts, and all taxes due will be paid in full. The group will not be responsible for their private transactions with clients.”

He tapped the table. "Remember! Our new adversary is not any other gang."

After the meeting, Emily finally exploded in the private elevator: "Suning, are you serious? You're glorifying human trafficking as an entertainment industry?"

“Compared to before, at least they now have employment contracts and health insurance.” Suning pressed the parking button. “Change takes time. And once they start paying taxes normally, the federal government won’t see us as a thorn in their side.”

This answer failed to convince Emily.

She's four months pregnant, but her morning sickness is getting worse...

It's unclear whether it's a pregnancy reaction or a physiological aversion to her husband's actions.

On the day the FDA approved "Anshen No. 1" for market launch, Yongren Biotechnology's stock price surged by 300%.

This pain reliever, based on a traditional Chinese medicine formula, is highly effective despite not containing addictive ingredients, and has been hailed by the media as a "revolution in the medical field."

Few people know that the core formula of the laboratory came from a medical book provided by Suning, and the research and development funds were a perfect conversion of smuggling profits.

What no one discovered was that the main clinical trial site was the former drug distribution network of the Five Blessings Gang.

"A perfect closed loop." That's how the Wall Street Journal described Yongren Group's business model.

The reporter, of course, had no idea how many shady links were hidden within this "closed loop."

At the celebration banquet, Suning was surrounded by business elites who fawned over him.

He held a glass of champagne, talked about philanthropy with a congressman, and discussed quarterly reports with a fund manager, looking every bit like a new generation entrepreneur.

Only the most observant person would notice that his wedding ring on his left ring finger had been missing for three months.

"Mr. Su," a waiter quietly handed over a note, "Madam is in labor and has been taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital."

The champagne glass slipped from Suning's hand, clattering silently onto the Persian carpet.

As he rushed out of the banquet hall, several bodyguards in black immediately gave chase...

This security team, composed of former Marine Corps special forces soldiers, earns a million-dollar annual salary but is willing to take bullets for their boss.

The wait outside the delivery room was like torture.

Suning stared at the "undergoing surgery" indicator light, feeling utterly powerless for the first time.

He controls a black-and-white empire worth hundreds of millions of dollars, yet he cannot share even a fraction of his wife's pain.

"Boss," Marcus rushed over, lowering his voice, "Linber's men hijacked that shipment from Mexico..."

"Don't bother me now." Su Ning's voice was as cold as a scalpel.

"But when it comes to cartels, they demand..."

“Follow the new rules,” Su Ning interrupted him. “Article 12 of Chapter 3 of the Company Law.”

Marcus was taken aback.

The rule was that commercial disputes should be resolved through arbitration first, and a "special procurement procedure" could be initiated if necessary—in the old world, this was called a bloodbath against the other party's entire family.

When the newborn's first cry was heard, Suning's phone rang.

It was an encrypted email from Ms. Zheng: Mr. Lin's private plane lost contact over the Caribbean Sea, and the last signal captured by radar was near a frequency commonly used by the cartel for fishing boats.

"Congratulations, it's a healthy boy." The nurse came out carrying the swaddled baby. "Madam wishes to see you."

The baby's face was wrinkled, yet it possessed a strange tranquility.

Suning accepted it carefully, as if holding the fragility and hope of the entire universe in his hands.

In that instant, the Yongren Group, the Wufu Gang, and all their conspiracies and schemes became insignificant.

"Suning, have you thought of a name for him?" Emily asked weakly.

Su Ning gazed into her son's clear eyes: "Su Fan. I hope he never has to face the darkness we went through."

Emily suddenly burst into tears.

This is the first time in three years that Suning has mentioned the darkness of this period, and also the first time that he has expressed regret for the past.

As dusk settles in Los Angeles outside the window, the LED screen of the Yongren Group Building is scrolling through advertisements for "Anshen No. 1"...

"Traditional wisdom, modern life."

These eight characters shimmered in the night sky, like a belated apology, and also like a footnote to a new era.

……

An underground casino in Los Angeles' Chinatown in 1990.

In the haze of cigarette smoke, thirty machetes cleaved down simultaneously, splitting the gambling table in two. The handsome and tall Su Ning stood in the center of the shattered table, his black suit spotless.

“From today onwards, the Five Blessings Gang will no longer be petty thugs.” He looked around at the more than three hundred gang members in the hall, his voice like an ice blade slicing through glass. “We will wear suits and ties and do legitimate business.”

A few snickers came from the audience.

Veteran gangster Chen Abing, cigar in hand, said: "Ah Ning, your father-in-law has been running casinos and brothels for thirty years, and now you want to change careers? Are we going to starve?"

Su Ning slowly walked up to Chen Abing, then suddenly grabbed a teapot from the table and smashed it on his head.

Porcelain shards flew everywhere, and blood streamed down Chen Abing's fat face. The casino fell silent instantly.

“Yongren Group was already listed last month.” Su Ning took out a handkerchief to wipe her fingers. “Those willing to wear suits will have an interview at the new office tomorrow. The rest…”

He kicked Chen Abing, who was groaning on the ground, and said, "You'll end up like him."

"..."

Yongren Group purchased a 28-story building in downtown Los Angeles as its headquarters.

Inside the 28-story glass curtain wall building, Suning stood in front of the panoramic office window, overlooking the city below.

Behind him, two female secretaries in business suits were reporting the quarterly financial report.

"Chairman, our import and export business grew by 40% last quarter, but shipping costs ate up too many profits." CFO Lin Anna adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses. "Pacific Shipping's demands are becoming increasingly outrageous."

Su Ning turned the jade ring on his left little finger—it was the token of the leader of the Five Blessings Gang.

"Joberini will play golf tomorrow," he said without turning his head.

"clear."

The next day, Santa Monica Golf Club.

Italian businessman Bellini swings his club, the white ball streaking across the azure sky.

“Su, your shipping problem is very simple.” He spoke with a heavy accent, “Give me the exclusive agency rights for your Chinese goods, and I’ll give you a 30% discount on shipping costs.”

Suning smiled and fiddled with his golf club: "I heard your nephew opened a seafood restaurant on Venice Beach last month?"

Bellini's expression suddenly changed.

That restaurant was actually a drug distribution point, and it was raided by the anti-narcotics bureau just last week.

Drugs are legal in the United States, and many companies are involved in this business. Even the Yongren Group has not completely given up on it, but has just become more secretive.

“Business is business.” Suning swung his club lightly, and the ball landed steadily on the green. “Yongren Group will be establishing its own shipping company next week. I hope Mr. Bellini… won’t have any objections.”

"..."

That evening, news of Bellini's luxury yacht exploding at the dock made the evening news.

Suning was watching news reports in a private cinema when his phone rang.

"Chairman, the people from Pacific Shipping have agreed to meet and discuss the acquisition," Lin Anna's voice came through the microphone.

"well done!"

In the spring of 1991, Yung-Ren Shipping was officially established.

At the opening party, the Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles personally cut the ribbon, but no one noticed the pale faces of several former Pacific Shipping shareholders in the corner.

The crisis struck on a rainy night in September.

Suning was in his penthouse apartment negotiating with "guests" from Hong Kong when he suddenly received an urgent phone call.

"Chairman, customs has seized three of our containers!" The voice of "White-haired Seven," a veteran of the Five Blessings Gang, was hoarse. "They contain the handicrafts intended for the Triads!"

Suning's pupils constricted slightly.

Those 200 cloisonné vases contained heroin worth 20 million US dollars.

He hung up the phone and smiled apologetically at the Hong Kong customer: "Sorry! There's a small problem I need to deal with."

Three days later, the FBI raided the Yongren Group warehouse.

When the masked special police broke down the door, they found only shelves piled high with authentic Chinese handicrafts.

The police officer in charge was inspecting the goods in disbelief, while Su Ning stood aside, leisurely sipping his Pu'er tea.

“Officer, should I send a lawyer to the Federal Building to make a statement?” he asked politely.

"..."

That night, a gang shootout occurred in the Long Beach Port warehouse area.

The bodies of five Italian men were stuffed into a shipping container and transported to international waters; one of them was missing three fingers on his right hand…

That's the symbol of the second-in-command of the Bellini family.

……

The "Oriental Pearl" chain supermarket has opened its doors in the Chinese community of Los Angeles.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Suning shook hands warmly with the state legislator, both smiling broadly under the flashing lights.

No one noticed that the congressman had an extra $500,000 check in his suit pocket.

At the back door of the supermarket, several tattooed youths were tying their "unruly" competitors to a van.

In the supermarket basement, Bai Touqi was counting piles of cash, 30% of which would flow into politicians' campaign funds through various channels.

Christmas Eve, 1991, Fifth Avenue, New York.

Suning stood in front of the "Oriental Pearl" flagship store and gave an interview to The Wall Street Journal.

"China's reform and opening up has brought unlimited business opportunities." He spoke eloquently into the microphone, "Yongren Group will continue to build bridges for Sino-US trade."

After the reporter left, the Hong Kong guest emerged from the shadows: "Mr. Su, the Triads need double the amount of handicrafts next year."

Snowflakes fell on Suning's cashmere coat. He looked at the "limited edition cloisonné" priced at five thousand US dollars in the shop window and smiled slightly: "Tell Mr. Jiang that Yongren Group is always willing to... promote cultural exchange."

……

Suning stood on the top floor of the Yongren Group's Los Angeles headquarters building, overlooking the rising city through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

"Chairman, this is last month's financial statement." Secretary Li gently pushed open the door and placed a document on the large mahogany desk.

Suning turned around and quickly glanced at the report.

The numbers are impressive—sales revenue increased by 120% year-on-year, and profits nearly doubled.

But he frowned slightly: "The US market share is still too small."

"But Chairman, the American market has high barriers to entry, and our products really lack competitiveness..." Xiao Li said cautiously.

“No,” Su Ning interrupted her, tapping his fingers on the table, “we’re doing it the wrong way. What do Americans need? Good quality, low-priced goods. Made in China meets that need perfectly, but we need to change our strategy—establish a sales network directly in the United States.”

This idea had been brewing in Suning's mind for a long time.

He then convened a board meeting and proposed a new plan to expand into the U.S. market.

The meeting room immediately erupted in chaos.

“Chairman, this is too risky! Our expansion over the past two years has been too rapid, and we could easily be dragged down.” The CFO was the first to object.

“Yes! The US market has complex regulations and fierce competition, so we’ve done a great job to achieve what we have now…” the marketing director chimed in.

Suning looked around at everyone and slowly stood up: "Gentlemen, China is undergoing reform and opening up, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If we are only satisfied with being middlemen, we will never have control over pricing. I have decided to personally take charge of the overall layout and development of the US market."

"..."

The board ultimately failed to persuade the stubborn founder.

...(End of chapter)