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

Lin Ting put down his wine glass, and the crisp sound of the glass base hitting the stainless steel tabletop silenced everyone in the banquet hall.

Lin Fei grabbed Lei Ye by the collar with one hand and dragged this once powerful figure in the provincial capital all the way to the elevator.

Lei's mouth was full of blood, and he couldn't utter a single harsh word.

On the ground, Third Master Qiao covered his scalded face and pretended to be dead, lying in the blood and grime.

Qian Jin and the other machining bosses didn't dare to lift their heads, fearing they would be the next ones to be forced into the dumping operation.

Lin Ting straightened the cuffs of his long gown, then turned and walked out.

"Leave fifty people behind to watch them clean the ground. By dawn tomorrow, I want to see all the Sanyihui signs changed to Lin's." Lin Ting instructed as he walked.

"Understood!" the men of Zhongtang responded in unison.

Lin Ting walked to the door, stopped, and looked back at Qian Jin, who was lying on the glass turntable.

"Director Qian, I won't see the exclusive contracting approval for the Municipal Square by 8:00 AM tomorrow. Zhongtang will pick you up from the Municipal Construction Commission after get off work."

Qian Jin shuddered, tumbled off the table, and knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Don't worry, Grandfather! The approval document will definitely be delivered to Tazhai before eight o'clock! I'll deliver it myself!"

Lin Ting ignored his assurance and stepped out of the Royal Dynasty Restaurant. A hundred black SUVs still blocked Jianguo Road.

He sat in the back seat of the lead car, and the convoy drove away from the city center, leaving behind a restaurant that had been completely renamed Lin's.

Inside the car, Lin Ting leaned back in the leather seat, closing his eyes to rest.

Lin Fu, in the passenger seat, was holding a tablet computer, quickly flipping through the intelligence he had just compiled, his face growing increasingly grim.

"Grandpa, we've found out. The Mitsui Group was led by Kenjiro Mitsui, an oligarch in the heavy industry sector in Japan."

"They claim to have brought 10 billion yuan in funds and intend to acquire the entire special bearing and high-precision machine tool industry in Jiangnan Province," Lin Fu reported, turning his head.

Lin Ting opened his eyes.

"If 10 billion can't buy out the heavy industry in Jiangnan Province, who's leading the way for them?"

Lin Fu swiped the screen and brought up several intricate equity structure diagrams.

"They are the Jiangnan financial groups. After Leng Qiu fled, the provincial task force focused on the financial transactions of the three major financial groups."

They desperately needed foreign capital to come in and stir things up, and the Mitsui Group was the foreign investment they brought in.

The zaibatsu (conglomerate) has announced that if Mitsui can acquire Hongtu Machinery Factory, the Jiangnan zaibatsu is willing to give up half of the profits from the Municipal Plaza.

"If they can't beat us, they'll just turn to foreign patrons. These compradors are still so spineless." Lin Ting sneered.

Lin Fu frowned and tapped twice on the tablet.

"Grandpa, the Mitsui Group holds 70% of the world's high-end bearing patents."

They spread the word that any local company that did not accept the acquisition would have its supply of upstream specialty steel and precision testing equipment cut off.

We just secured the deal with Hongtu. Although Lao Wei has produced a prototype, mass production will be very difficult if the upstream supply chain gets blocked.

Lin Ting lightly tapped his knee.

"Technological barriers? They don't even deserve to talk about technology in front of the Lin family," Lin Ting said calmly.

Lin Fu swallowed hard.

"Grandpa, the Mitsui Group not only blocks technology, but also blocks distribution channels."

They have issued an ultimatum to all machine shops in the city: anyone who dares to take on a subcontracting order from the Lin family will never be granted maintenance authorization for imported CNC machine tools.

"Those restaurant owners who are here tonight will all side with Mitsui tomorrow."

"They're like weather vanes, they just bend whichever way the wind blows." Lin Ting looked out the window at the receding street scene.

"Ignore them. They don't deserve to eat the Lin family's food. Inform Lao Wei that starting tomorrow, Hongtu will be under complete lockdown."

Without Zhongtang's note, not even a fly is allowed to enter the workshop.

The convoy drove into Tazhai Town and stopped in front of the Lin Clan Ancestral Hall.

Lin Ting entered the ancestral hall, where Lin Dayou, Lin Dabiao, and other hall masters were already waiting in the courtyard.

"The assets acquired tonight should be absorbed immediately." Lin Ting walked to the armchair and sat down.

"Dayou, first thing tomorrow morning, bring the construction team to the Sanyihui Logistics Park, smash the signboard, and replace it with Lin's Logistics."

Any driver who objects will be fired and replaced by someone from the Lin family.

Lin Dayou patted his chest and answered loudly.

"Don't worry, Grandpa, the logistics park will be completely transformed before dawn. I'll take all those old junk cars that Qiao Laosan left behind to the junkyard for recycling."

"Da Biao, Zhongtang has dispatched three hundred men to take over the six deep-water docks."

Tell the boat captains of Wangjia Village that starting tomorrow, only Lin's cargo ships are allowed on the river. Anyone who dares to stop them will be sunk, boat and all.

Lin Dabiao nodded emphatically.

"Grandpa, what should we do with the original crew at the dock? A few troublemakers are threatening to cause trouble with the marine police."

"Those who cause trouble, break their legs and throw them off the dock. The Lin family spent ten million to buy this property; it's none of our business to interfere," Lin Ting said coldly.

Lin Ting turned to look at Lin Fu.

"Give Lao Wei 200 million yuan in cash. Tell him that no matter how the Mitsui Group tries to block the upstream supply, I want to see the first batch of five-axis machine tools put into mass production within three days."

If you can't buy specialty steel, buy scrap steel. I'll give him the formula, and he can refine it himself!

Lin Fu was taken aback.

"Grandpa, you want to smelt special steel yourself? We don't have a blast furnace, nor do we have the smelting qualifications."

"The qualifications can be obtained by spending money; if there's no blast furnace, then we'll buy one."

We'll buy all those nearly bankrupt steel mills on the outskirts of the city before nightfall tomorrow and rename them Lin's Heavy Industry Plant No. 2.

"If we don't have enough money, we'll transfer it from the logistics park's account," Lin Ting said decisively.

Lin Ting stood up and looked around at everyone.

"Lei Ye from the provincial capital has fallen, the Sanyi Society has been destroyed, and now foreigners are trying to steal the spoils with 10 billion dollars."

They thought that with the Jiangnan tycoons leading the way, they could act with impunity in this prefecture-level city.

Lin Ting picked up his walnut wood cane and slammed it heavily on the blue brick floor.

"On the Lin family's territory, I set the rules. If the Mitsui Group dares to interfere, I'll chop off their hands."

"Don't even think about taking a single penny of the 10 billion yuan with you; leave it all to build roads in Tazhai!"

The men of the Lin family in the courtyard roared in unison.

"It's all up to Grandfather to decide!"

At 2 a.m., Tazhai Town gradually quieted down.

Lin Ting had just sat down in the study in the backyard, preparing to access the system to check the prosperity score.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate.

Lin Fu didn't even knock; he simply pushed open the wooden door to the study, holding a vibrating satellite phone in his hand.

"Grandpa, something's happened!" Lin Fu was covered in sweat.

Lin Ting frowned.

"What's the panic?"

"It's Sun Jianguo, the representative from Jiangnan Heavy Industry! He just called ten times, but couldn't get through to your cell phone, so he called the special line in the auditorium directly." Lin Fu handed over the phone.

Lin Ting took the phone and pressed the answer button.

On the other end of the phone, Sun Jianguo sounded extremely anxious.