After my divorce at thirty, I developed an intelligence network.

The system. It doesn't play games; it only solves problems.

It won't weave you illusory castles in the air; it will only give you the most solid stepping stone for the next step.

This stone is often placed in a place that you can see but overlook due to blind spots in your thinking.

He opened his eyes and looked out the window. A moment later, he would find the phone to call the woman who sent chills down his spine and had once stirred up insane thoughts in him.

This time, he wasn't going to beg for mercy or return the money, but rather... to discuss a business deal.

My mood inexplicably calmed down.

He rolled down the car window a crack to let in some air and dispel the stale smell inside.

He gulped down a mouthful of water, his Adam's apple bobbing.

He took out his phone and found Jiang Yan's phone number.

His finger hovered over the dial button for a moment, then pressed it down hard.

beep - beep -

The busy signal was amplified in the quiet carriage.

He could almost picture the woman's impatient expression on the other end of the phone.

Click.

connected.

There was no angry rebuke or sarcastic remark as expected.

"Speak," Jiang Yan's voice came, clear, cold, and direct.

Gong Yuelong took a breath and got straight to the point:

"Boss Jiang, there's a project with a little over ten tons of rebar that I'm eager to sell."

I have connections with key people. Are you interested in taking over? I need funding and resources.

There was a silence on the other end of the phone for about two or three seconds.

The brief silence made Gong Yuelong's eyes narrow slightly.

Immediately, a playful exhale came from the receiver:

"Heh... Mr. Gong. Looks like your luck is starting to turn around? Things are getting better and better."

She didn't ask about the source of the information or question its authenticity; instead, she went straight to the next question:

"How much do you need?"

Decisive and efficient, it's the mindset of a businessman.

Gong Yuelong had already calculated it and immediately announced the figures: "The principal is less than 20,000. If you act quickly, the profit margin is right here."

He paused, then delivered his carefully considered profit-sharing plan:

"Profit split: you get 60%, I get 40%."

He gave up the lion's share.

Because he knew that without Jiang Yan's funds and connections, this intelligence was just a piece of paper.

Forty percent is what he deserves as the information provider and the person who facilitated the initial communication, and it's a share that makes the other party feel that he is a person of sense and not greedy.

There was another brief silence on the other end of the phone, then Jiang Yan's voice came through again:

I'll send it to you on WeChat in a bit.

"happy."

She added two words at the end, it's unclear whether she was commenting on the matter itself or on his way of doing things.

beep - beep - beep -

The call was disconnected.

Silence returned to the carriage.

Gong Yuelong slowly put down his phone and noticed that his palms were sweaty.

"It's done... just like that?"

He leaned back in his chair, momentarily lost in thought.

There was no heated debate, no humble pleading, and not even any unnecessary chatter as I had expected.

Just as the system predicted, once you find the right person and say the most direct and valuable things, things will be done.

He had previously overcomplicated the issue, always feeling that he had nothing and was unworthy to negotiate with a tiger.

But they forget that, in some people's eyes, accurate information and feasible entry points are the hardest currency.

The system doesn't make you stronger; it only tells you how to complete your first truly valuable exchange given your current weakness.

While I was thinking, my phone rang.

Gong Yuelong looked at the transfer information in the chat box, smiled, and first sent a "thank you." Then, he clicked "receive."

"It'll be done soon."

He started the car and sped towards the Gold Coast project site.

His footsteps trod on the paved road of the Gold Coast project site, his boots covered with dust left over from yesterday's timber clearing.

The construction site was as noisy as ever, with tower cranes spinning and the air filled with the smell of cement.

But this time, he stepped into a waste disposal area that was no longer on the edge.

Based on the vague directions he received from Engineer Chen yesterday and the descriptions in the system intelligence, he bypassed the main building under construction and headed towards the material storage area at the back of the project.

The area was relatively secluded, with rows of temporary warehouses and open-air material yards with blue roofs lined up in succession.

He quickly found his target—a stocky middle-aged man.

Viewed from the side, his face is round and plump; this is Project Manager Wu, nicknamed "Fatty Wu".

Gong Yuelong took out a cigarette case and walked over quickly.

"Manager Wu, busy?" he greeted, handing over a white cigarette at the same time.

Fatty Wu turned his head, his small eyes scanning him up and down without any particular expression.

He took the cigarette, lit it with the light Gong Yuelong offered, took a puff, and then mumbled, "You are...?"

"My surname is Gong. I collect scrap steel and the like."

Gong Yuelong introduced himself, his gaze sweeping over the neatly stacked steel bars beside him.

Fatty Wu scanned Gong Yuelong from head to toe.

Then I asked directly:

"How much...steel bar can you eat?"

To be straightforward, direct, and skip all the probing, focusing directly on the size of the transaction.

Gong Yuelong felt slightly relieved. The other party's reaction meant that the intelligence was correct and that things were going well.

He answered just as decisively:

"Ten tons or so should be no problem."

Fatty Wu slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, squinted at the tower crane operating in the distance, and seemed to be weighing something.

A few seconds later, he turned back:

"We have threads ranging from Φ22 to Φ25. They're from Laiwu Steel, and the labels are complete."

He quoted a price nearly 40% lower than the market wholesale price, then stared at Gong Yuelong.

"That's the price. If you want it, come tonight after 10 PM with your own car, right here. Cash on delivery, weigh and load the goods, that's it."

The conditions are clear: time, location, price, and method are all laid out.

There is no room for bargaining, and no need for extra promises.

Gong Yuelong knew that this was the rule for this kind of gray-area dealing.

He nodded immediately: "Okay, tonight at ten o'clock."

With the matter settled, the atmosphere seemed to ease slightly.

Gong Yuelong was about to give a brief self-introduction to pave the way for a possible future collaboration.

Fatty Wu waved his hand:

"Forget it, let's leave it at that. Knowing the name won't make any difference."

He flicked away his cigarette butt, crushed it with his foot, and said in a flat voice, "The more unfamiliar the face, the more... efficient they are. Understand?"

After saying that, he stopped looking at Gong Yuelong and turned to leave.

Gong Yuelong stood there, watching Wu Pangzi's sturdy back, pondering those last words.

"The more unfamiliar the face, the more efficient they are."

He understood. In these transactions that skirt the edges of the rules, knowing less is itself a form of safety.

Fatty Wu didn't need to know who Gong Yuelong was, what his past was, or who was behind him.

All you need to know is that he can come up with the money and drive the goods away, and that after this deal is completed, there will likely be no further contact.

This kind of pure, one-off, clean transactional relationship carries the least risk for both parties.

When the system was being simulated, it may have already calculated the psychology and rules of this gray area.

"It's done."

Gong Yuelong turned around and walked slowly toward the project headquarters gate.