The Chief Detective Inspector is dead. I'm now the top police officer in Hong Kong!

Chapter 147 Conspiracy (24)

Deng Gengyun picked up a dumpling with his chopsticks, held it up to his eyes, and exclaimed with delight, "Making dumplings? Great, great!"

Zhang Jinrong scoffed, "You're crazy. Dumplings aren't bullets, they can't be used to hit people!"

“I opened a dumpling company with Sheng Shao and others. We buy tens of thousands of yuan worth of pork every month and sign supply contracts for three to five years. Does that count as revenue for the company?” Pi Zhibang asked rhetorically.

Zhang Jinrong's expression froze slightly. He exclaimed in astonishment, "You can play it like that?"

Qiao Jingxing and Huang Qixian exchanged a glance, already understanding Lin Tiansheng's plan: to generate profits for Chen Zhiming by purchasing smuggled pig heads.

Keep in mind that orders worth 20,000 to 30,000 yuan a month add up to 200,000 to 300,000 yuan a year, and over a million yuan in three years. That's a considerable amount of income for a branch of the business.

The Sapienza lost a batch of goods, and whether they can recover them is still uncertain. The difference between the rise and fall is obvious, and the disparity in capabilities is vividly demonstrated.

"Alright, let's not talk about those gangster stories anymore, let's play cards." Lin Tiansheng put down his chopsticks when he saw that everyone had drunk enough.

Chen Anquan's usually expressionless face finally broke into excitement as he rubbed his hands together and said, "Great! Let's play Big Two, or Blackjack!"

"It's twelve o'clock." Lin Tiansheng got up and left his seat, leaving behind the leftovers, which the servants cleaned up.

The group smoked cigars, sipped tea, and played cards until a little after 1 a.m. Qiao Jingxing, Pu Yongshi, Huang Qixian, and others took their leave one after another.

The four sergeants were too lazy to move, so they simply spent the night at their new place.

Two days later.

Wan Chai, Chao Kee Tea Restaurant.

Chen Zhiming, wearing a blue denim shirt, walked through the door, his eyes sweeping over the six dining tables before pinpointing one person. He stepped forward and said rudely, "Officer, knocking on my family's door in broad daylight and dragging me out of bed, it can't be anything good. Talk to me."

Lin Tiansheng closed the newspaper, looked up at the rising star, and said, "Ah Ming, you're really popular lately."

At the height of the power struggle for the Wan Chai gang leader position, enemies, police, and rivals could come knocking at any time. It wasn't unexpected that Chen Zhiming was taken away by the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB). However, he was surprised to find that he was being taken away by Leung Chun-pong from Wan Chai, but instead met Lam Tin-sing from West Kowloon. He sat down and said, "Young Master Sing?"

Lin Tiansheng wasn't familiar with a nobody like Chen Zhiming, so he smiled and tried to build rapport: "What, surprised?"

"Yeah, you're not going to overstep your bounds and try to use me as a scapegoat, are you?" Chen Zhiming asked warily, his eyes gleaming with suspicion. The New Bureau and the corrupt police were no longer on friendly terms; they'd fallen out. Meeting Lin Tiansheng was definitely not a good thing.

Of course, those working at the top can't get involved in the power struggles, but nobody wants to be dragged into the vortex.

With a refined smile, Lin Tiansheng handed over the menu and said cheerfully, "What do you mean by overstepping your bounds? I used to be in charge of Wan Chai, you've heard of that, right?"

"I'm sorry for disturbing your sleep, but I'll treat you to dinner."

Chen Zhiming went along with it, ordering a pork chop bun and milk tea, and whispered, "Next time something happens, just call. The police aren't afraid of being wiretapped."

"I'm afraid you'll record me." Lin Tiansheng's face hardened.

Chen Zhiming was speechless.

"All right."

"To be frank, I have a friend who sells dumplings, and I've heard that your pork prices are very fair." Lin Tiansheng pulled a business card from his breast pocket and tossed it over. "I don't do business based on a few pounds or ounces."

Chen Zhiming muttered to himself, picked up the business card, and looked surprised: "Wanchai Ferry Pier?"

"I've heard of it," Lin Tiansheng asked with a smile.

Chen Zhiming slapped his thigh and said, "I still have two bags frozen in my freezer at home. It's unbelievable that it's a police station."

The purchasing power of a food store is a core power, and only the major shareholder can make the final decision.

Although he was a former gangster and not good at business, he was quick-witted. His expression changed as he looked at Lin Tiansheng, and he said with a grin, "Lin sir, you're backing me?"

"I'm not supporting anyone, I'm just buying things, is that okay?" Lin Tiansheng crossed his legs, looking quite relaxed.

Chen Zhiming nodded and exclaimed, "Brilliant, Lin sir! You're not afraid of being investigated by the ICAC even if you do it this way. Okay, I guarantee to deliver the best and highest quality fresh pork, and I will never use dead or diseased pigs as a substitute."

Legally speaking, it was legal and compliant for Wanchai Ferry Pier to buy meat from Sun Kee. The one who evaded taxes was Chan Chi-ming. Even if it is exposed, it is the supplier's problem.

Factory outlets already consume a large amount of fresh meat, and after Lin Tiansheng approached Ms. Zang, he quickly obtained authorization. However, local live pigs on Hong Kong Island weren't enough to supply the markets, so factory outlets were destined to find "suppliers."

In the short term, we can keep Chen Zhiming on board. Later, when the business grows, we can sign contracts with breeding companies.

Lin Tiansheng learned after asking around that after two months of stocking up, the factory store was officially up and running, with impressive sales performance and monthly profits exceeding 50,000. At the latest, they would expand production capacity again in six months.

One major reason, of course, is the involvement of corrupt police officers who helped distribute the goods, thus gaining strong endorsement. The second reason is the economic development of Hong Kong Island, which has made workers and white-collar workers extremely busy, with less free time and reduced time for cooking.

"Frozen products" became market darlings and were very popular as soon as they were launched. Like "pre-cooked meals" in later generations, they were selected by the market economy and could not escape it.

Taste and quality are secondary.

This is similar to the booming development of frozen glutinous rice balls, steamed buns, dumplings, and roasted chicken wings in mainland China during the 00s, which had a similar economic background.

The best product is the one that meets market demand.

Lin Tiansheng's actions were far more sophisticated than the elite faction's "wearing black shoes." Hearing this, he laughed and said, "You're smart enough to know your place. Don't try to fool my friend with rotten meat. If you make a guest sick, I'll clean up your place."

Chen Zhiming wasn't very good at business, and after taking over Wan Chai East, things didn't improve much. He gained the support of the police and patted his chest, assuring them, "Don't worry, Young Master Sheng, I'm a man of honor. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Is there anything I can help you with?"

“It’s simple. Take over the Wan Chai branch. Whoever gets in your way, you take them out.” Lin Tiansheng’s eyes were resolute. Chen Zhiming, with his extensive experience in the underworld, immediately understood, but asked with some skepticism, “Take out Shapiro?”

"In short, don't be soft-hearted." Lin Tiansheng smiled and hinted, believing that Chen Zhiming would fully understand when Liang Zhenbang took action.

After all, as a police officer, Leung Chun-pong couldn't personally help Shapiro sell heroin. So, knowing that Chan Chi-ming was confident of victory, the only way to support Shapiro was to confiscate Chan Chi-ming's drugs. When things happened, whether for power, status, the triad, or himself, Chan Chi-ming was essentially left with only one choice.

Lin Tiansheng's scheme is blatantly open. It doesn't matter if Liang Zhenbang doesn't step in; he can just sit back and watch Su Long win, with West Kowloon taking the lead in the cases, accumulating credit for each major case.

After finishing his business, he didn't linger. He got up, took out a HK$100 note, and placed it on the counter: "Keep the change."

"Take care, Lin sir." Chen Zhiming waved and greeted him, but then, suspicious, he turned and called Su Long to report the matter.

(End of this chapter)