Chapter 196: Old Li Runs Away

At Tianhong Port.

Li Hongze walked quickly out of the conference room, heading directly outside the building.

"Big Brother, there's a bathroom on the first floor," a brother behind him reminded.

"What bathroom," Li Hongze replied with furrowed brows, quickening his pace while instructing softly: "Get everyone, we're withdrawing."

"Ah?!"

"I said we're withdrawing, can't you hear?" Li Hongze replied hurriedly, having already left the main building, while the lackey behind him came to his senses and immediately called other brothers to leave.

Li Hongze crossed the courtyard, reached the entrance, and got in his car: "Go, back to the company."

"Good," the driver nodded.

"Take side streets, through the alleys," Li Hongze couldn't help reminding.

The people in the car weren't very high-ranking and didn't dare ask deeply, only looking dubiously at Li Hongze's expression in the rearview mirror.

The car quickly left the vicinity of the courtyard, cutting through alleys to return to Zha'nan District.

After driving for some distance, Li Hongze anxiously said again: "Don't go back to the company, directly leave the city - don't go through Sea Swallow Pit, go through the north of the city toward Zone One."

"Big Brother, what's really going on?" the driver demanded.

"Nothing, don't ask," Li Hongze couldn't be bothered to explain.

Just now, Li Hongze had received a call from Changqing Company's upper levels telling him the City Police Bureau might be dealing with Li Xing, and Wang Daolin was specifically assigned to handle this matter.

The upper levels hadn't said Li Hongze was also on the list to be dealt with, but he sensed danger himself. Because he had done too many dirty deeds with Li Xing - if the City Police Bureau investigated and Li Xing didn't keep his mouth shut, he would definitely be dealt with too.

Sitting in the car, Li Hongze felt extremely uneasy. He was a very clever person - the City Police Bureau suddenly moving to deal with Changqing wasn't a good sign.

This meant the city's upper levels had chosen to strongly support the Yu family between them and the dock gang and Changqing, and wanted to discipline these two groups.

Why was this happening?

Obviously, the Dock Workers Association's internal strife had gone on too long and caused too many big disturbances, making those above unable to tolerate it anymore, so they wanted to deal with them.

Dragon City's political environment was complex - large organizations like Changqing and the Dock Workers Association, besides having many people and great influence, also had close contact with the highest power levels here. If not for this reason, Li Hongze wouldn't have dared involve himself in the Zha'nan dock gang's internal strife.

Thinking of these things, Li Hongze felt somewhat regretful in his heart. He regretted betting too heavily on Xu Hu, to the point that as things developed, it became harder to extract himself.

After Gu Tongshan died, Li Hongze should have withdrawn, but human nature was greedy - he felt Xu Hu had a good chance and he also coveted the hugely profitable gold brick business.

Li Hongze sat in the car loosening his collar and urged again: "Drive faster!"

......

Inside Tianhong Port.

Xu Hu held his phone and called Baocheng who had gone back to get people: "Where are you, how much longer? Hurry, Wei Xiangzuo is about to come."

"About to enter the port."

"Good, that's it."

With that, they ended their call.

Xu Hu found Zhang Zhengfang and other council of elders members somewhat uneasily: "Old Zhang, Old He, the vice chairman called you all?"

"He did."

"The association supports me, but now Wei Xiangzuo has gone red-eyed," Xu Hu said softly. "Our situation isn't good - Changqing's people haven't come through, and Fugang's people entered the port first. I just called and people below told me Wei Xiangzuo has gathered over five hundred people on Second Street - I think we can't fight head-on."

"Then what do you mean?" Old He asked.

"Need to block Wei Xiangzuo, delay him until Baocheng brings people," Xu Hu replied directly.

The council of elders members looked at each other, instantly understanding Xu Hu's meaning.

"Hehe," Old He smiled and slowly nodded. "Alright, we'll go."

Actually they had no choice but to go, because these people had not only supported Xu Hu but also taken a lot of money from him - both sides were thoroughly bound together, neither could leave the other.

All the council of elders members stood up as Zhang Zhengfang looked at Xu Hu meaningfully saying: "If Zha'nan can't be controlled, then it'll be difficult."

Xu Hu nodded.

After exchanging a few words, the six or seven old men stepped out of the conference room.

At this point, most people present at the start of tonight's meeting had left - only Xu Hu and a few of his brothers remained in the room.

In the empty conference room, Xu Hu lit a cigarette irritably and suddenly looked up asking: "Hey, where's Li Hongze?"

"He said he was going to the bathroom!" one of Xu Hu's brothers stood up. "I'll go look for him."

Xu Hu turned to look out the window, taking a drag on his cigarette saying: "What's the point of looking! He felt Zha'nan was unstable and definitely ran back to his company - I'll call him."

......

At the entrance.

Old He turned back calling: "Let's go, Old Zhang!"

"You go first, I need to make a call," Zhang Zhengfang replied holding his phone at the entrance.

No one thought much of it as they got in their cars and headed directly to Second Street.

After seeing everyone leave, Zhang Zhengfang bent down to get in his car and looked up telling his driver: "Don't go to Second Street, go to Zhengyang Road."

The driver was stunned for a moment before immediately nodding: "Good."

......

In the Police Bureau's subordinate riot squad, over three hundred people had their communication devices confiscated by the squadron leader and gathered at designated locations, supervised by several temporarily assigned leaders, waiting together for orders from above.

At the same time, several leaders responsible for police matters in Tianhong Port were all called to the City Police Bureau by Director Lin's secretary.

In the Police Bureau, Director Guo announced the end of the meeting and left alone through the back door, telling the two men beside him: "Call the reporters, have the riot squad and Fugang District Police Department people ready - Zha'nan needs to be wrapped up."

"Understood!" the two nodded.

......

In the Yu family compound.

After receiving a call, Su Tianyu saw Yu Jinrong and Director Lin still chatting and immediately gave Yu Mingyuan a look.

Yu Mingyuan understood and walked outside the courtyard with Su Tianyu to talk softly.

"Zha'nan will have results soon, I need to go look," Su Tianyu instructed softly. "Don't worry, I'll arrange things clearly with Wei Xiangzuo's side."

"Will he be willing?" Yu Mingyuan asked.

"He'll have to be willing even if he's not, because if this succeeds, he'll be the biggest beneficiary," Su Tianyu replied briefly.

"Good, go then, be careful."

"Wait for my call," Su Tianyu nodded.

With that, Su Tianyu left by car.

......

On Second Street in Tianhong Port, Little Feng with white cloth wrapped around his arm stood at the front of the dark mass of people, asking Wei Xiangzuo: "All gathered - attack directly, Big Brother?"

"What's the hurry, wait a bit," Wei Xiangzuo waved his hand.