I chose one of four options at the start, and I chose the number one clan in Lingnan.

Lei Ye sat in the main seat, twirling his jade thumb ring, his voice deep and resonant.

"It's eight o'clock, and that young man from the Lin family still hasn't arrived? Does he really think I, the person in charge of the provincial capital, am just a figurehead?"

Third Master Qiao quickly chimed in, holding his wine glass as he walked to the center of the hall, pointing towards the door and shouting loudly.

"Lin Ting, that coward, knows Lei Ye's reputation and is so scared that he doesn't even dare to leave the house."

Listen up, everyone. If Lin Ting doesn't crawl through this door on his knees and sign the contract today...

"Tomorrow morning, Grandpa Lei will send bulldozers to level their ancestral graves in Tazhai and crush their dilapidated ancestral hall to rubble!"

Qian Jin stood up and applauded: "Chairman Qiao is right. People from poor, remote villages like Tazhai dare to run wild in the city."

"Level their ancestral graves, and see how arrogant they still are."

Boss Li chimed in, "With just one word from Master Lei, the Lin family's business in the city is completely finished. From now on, we'll still make our fortunes by following Chairman Qiao and Master Lei."

The owners of the machine shop raised their glasses to toast Master Lei and Master Qiao.

Lei Ye picked up his teacup and gently skimmed off the foam: "Tomorrow, I'll bring in ten heavy bulldozers, and I'll personally go to Tazhai to oversee their digging."

The rules for this prefecture-level city need to be re-established.

Master Qiao, beaming, said, "Don't worry, Master Lei, I'll have the bulldozer ready tonight."

Tomorrow morning, I will personally lead a team to dig up all the bones from the Lin family's ancestral graves and hang them on the archway in Tazhai Town.

The bald vice president stepped forward: "Third Master, what should we do with Lin Ting's more than one hundred cargo ships and those six deep-water docks?"

Third Master Qiao sneered: "After we level their ancestral graves tomorrow, Lin Ting will have to obediently hand over the dock transfer agreement."

As for those cargo ships, sink them all and feed them to turtles. Anyone who dares to steal our livelihood from the Sanyi Society, I'll make 100,000 members of the Lin family beg for food in a prefecture-level city.”

Qian Jin took out the documents from his briefcase and slammed them on the table: "Chairman Qiao, this is the shutdown order from the Municipal Construction Commission."

If Master Lei gives the word tomorrow, the Lin family's construction team will have its license revoked.

I had Leng Qiu take over their project at the Municipal Square entirely.

Qian Jin continued to boast: "Master Lei, I had the provincial experts look at the formula for the Lin family's special cement. It's a revolutionary technology."

With the formula, Lei Ye will undoubtedly dominate the construction industry in the provincial capital.

Lei nodded: "I want the formula, and I'll cripple him. Anyone who dares to disrespect me, Lei, will have no place in Jiangnan Province."

Mr. Li walked over with a wine glass in his hand: "The Lin family's five-axis CNC machine tool is a real treasure."

"All the equipment in our dozen or so machining plants combined doesn't even compare to that one of their machines. Tomorrow we'll raze their ancestral graves to the ground and force Lin Ting to hand over the blueprints."

Lei Ye tapped the table: "The blueprints are mine, you can use the machine tools. I'll take 70% of the profits from this prefecture-level city, and you can divide the rest among yourselves."

Everyone was overjoyed and agreed repeatedly, and the hall was filled with cheers.

Third Master Qiao picked up a glass of Moutai and walked up to Master Lei: "Master Lei is generous. If we work with Master Lei, our Sanyi Society will be able to do whatever we want in the provincial capital."

That little bastard Lin Ting thinks he can turn the world upside down just because he acquired six docks. He has no idea how deep the power of capital is.

This glass of wine is a toast to you. The fact that Lin Ting didn't dare to come today proves that he has been terrified by the pomp and circumstance of the provincial capital.

From now on, this prefecture-level city will be your backyard, Master Lei's.

Lei Ye picked up his wine glass, just touching it to his lips.

A screeching sound of brakes echoed from the street outside the restaurant.

The screech of brakes wasn't from just one car, but rather the shrieking sound caused by hundreds of vehicles simultaneously slamming on their brakes.

The sound of rubber tires rubbing against the asphalt road penetrated the soundproof glass on the eighth floor, making people's eardrums ache.

Immediately afterwards, the dull roar of engines came from all directions.

Lei frowned and put down his wine glass: "Qiao Laosan, what kind of commotion did you arrange?"

Master Qiao was completely bewildered: "Master Lei, I didn't send anyone. The place is just guarded by our Sanyi Society's henchmen."

The entire Jianguo Road has long been blocked off by traffic control; unauthorized vehicles simply cannot get in.

Qian Jin ran to the window, wanting to look down, but the heavy blackout curtains were drawn tightly shut. He tried to pull them open, but was stopped by Third Master Qiao.

"Don't draw the curtains. Master Lei is eating here; he can't be exposed to outside light," Master Qiao scolded.

Qian Jin quickly withdrew his hand.

The roar from downstairs grew louder and louder, mixed with the sound of synchronized footsteps.

The footsteps were extremely heavy, echoing on the asphalt road and making the windows on the eighth floor vibrate. It wasn't just a few people, but hundreds or even thousands.

The four crew-cut bodyguards behind Lei Ye stepped forward in unison, their right hands reaching directly to the hem of his suit jacket.

"Go take a look," Lei Ye ordered.

Third Master Qiao pointed at the two henchmen at the door: "Go downstairs and see who's causing trouble outside."

Tell them that Boss Lei is upstairs, and tell them to get lost. If they make any more noise, break all their legs.

Two henchmen opened the banquet hall doors and ran out.

The restaurant owners in the lobby looked at each other, not daring to even touch their chopsticks.

Mr. Li wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: "President Qiao, could the person who came be from the Lin family?"

I heard that the Lin family's Zhongtang branch is full of strong men over 1.8 meters tall, and each one of them could take on five in a fight.

Third Master Qiao spat: "So what if the Lin family sends people? With Master Lei here, even if Lin Ting brings a hundred men, they'll just be throwing their lives away."

Lei Ye's men have some serious weapons; would those peasants from the Lin family with hoes dare to charge in?

"If they dare to trespass into the Royal Dynasty Restaurant, I'll make sure they all leave lying down today."

Qian Jin added, trying to bolster his courage: "That's right, the city bureau has already given instructions that no matter what happens at the Royal Dynasty Restaurant tonight, the police won't come."

If Lin Ting dares to force his way in, arrest him on charges of disturbing public order. This is self-defense.

Lei Ye leaned back in his chair and twirled his jade thumb ring faster: "If Lin Ting really dares to come, it will save us the trouble of going to Tazhai tomorrow."

Right here today, I'll break both his legs, make him sign the papers, and then get out of here. I want to see just how tough his bones are.

Half an hour passed.

The two henchmen I sent out didn't come back, not even a phone call.

The roaring noise downstairs suddenly stopped, and the silence outside was unsettling.

The bald vice president swallowed hard: "Third Master, something's wrong. All the hundred-plus brothers guarding the place downstairs are completely silent."

They usually drink and play drinking games; you can hear them even on the eighth floor.

Third Master Qiao took out his phone and dialed the number of the gang leader downstairs.

There was only a busy tone on the phone; no one answered.

Lei Ye stood up, and four bodyguards immediately drew their guns, standing in front of him with their guns pointed at the door.

"Old Qiao, this place of yours is drafty," Lei said in an unfriendly tone.

Master Qiao panicked and pointed at the remaining henchmen: "You guys, grab your weapons and go downstairs to provide backup. No matter who you see, just attack them."

The henchmen had just pulled out the steel pipes from their waists, and hadn't even reached the door yet.

A muffled thud came from the hallway outside, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the wall.

The two heavy solid wood doors of the banquet hall were forced open.

The door slammed against the wall with a loud bang.

A security guard in the Royal Dynasty Restaurant uniform, his face covered in blood, tumbled and crawled into the lobby.

He left a long trail of blood on the carpet, which rolled all the way to the head table.

Master Qiao grabbed the security guard by the collar: "What's going on down there? Where are our Sanyi Society members?"

The security guard trembled, pointing out the window, his voice hoarse: "Chairman...it's completely dark outside!"