Chapter 177: Continuing the Encirclement

In Dragon City, at a three-story gambling den in Tianhong Port, Gu Baishun had Xu Hu's lackeys play cards downstairs while he took only two people up to a second-floor private room.

After drinking tea and waiting for about twenty minutes, a man in his thirties finally walked in.

"Oh my, Young Master Gu has come," the man smiled and greeted Gu Baishun.

"Brother You, long time no see," Gu Baishun stood up and politely extended his hand.

The man called Brother You looked over the other two people in the room before raising his arm to shake hands with Gu Baishun, then sat down in the chair opposite.

"Have some business, Young Master Gu?" Brother You asked very directly.

"Indeed... have some business," Gu Baishun scratched his head with an awkward expression, seeming to hesitate for a long time before forcing himself to say: "There's been quite a bit of chaos lately, and we have some internal conflicts in Zha'nan. I came to talk with you, see how we should handle things going forward."

Brother You picked up his teacup, paused before replying: "How to handle it? Whoever's gone, we all still need to survive."

"That's right, no matter what happens above, we dock gang brothers still need to support our families and live," Gu Baishun followed the other's words. "Today I went to the General Association and talked with the council of elders people - everyone strongly supports Brother Hu taking over Zha'nan. Plus Wei Xiangzuo colluded with outsiders to kill my father, so the association definitely won't tolerate him anymore. So I came to interact with everyone, see if we can quickly merge Zha'nan's various businesses and trades together."

Besides doing maritime business, the Dock Workers Association also had many livelihoods on land.

The "meat shops" at various district ports, gambling dens, entertainment boats at sea, as well as various seafood businesses, ground-level supermarkets, restaurants and other industries - the dock gang was involved in all of them.

Doing this was essentially diversified operations. Because maritime business had cycles - the monthly cargo volume was actually relatively fixed, and running a few more or fewer shipments didn't affect the total amount much.

But ground businesses could create more extra benefits. Simply put, when there was no cargo at sea, the brothers below would still have income, money to earn, things to do.

In other districts, ground business was basically controlled by one gang leader, and after deducting the monthly cut for the General Association, the rest was distributed by each district's dock gang themselves. This involved who had invested, who had contributed - all balanced by the gang leader for profit distribution.

But Zha'nan's situation was special - Wei Xiangzuo occupied a very heavy position in internal power. That is, the hall master took away some of the gang leader's authority, leading to Zha'nan District's ground business also being in a split state.

One part was managed and operated by Xu Hu's side, another part was controlled by Wei Xiangzuo, with the two occupying roughly a 6:4 ratio.

......

Today Gu Baishun came to find this gambling den's temporary manager with the purpose of helping Xu Hu take "territory" and occupy storefronts - this strategy was proposed by the traitor Cheng Gang. His motivation was simple - once Xu Hu swallowed all the storefront businesses under Wei Xiangzuo, the lackeys below would have nothing to do and no money to earn, so naturally those who should scatter would scatter, those who should surrender would surrender.

This move could be considered pulling the firewood from under the cauldron, but when discussing with the other party, Gu Baishun didn't show an aggressive attitude, but rather came to negotiate.

After understanding the other's meaning, Brother You took a drink of tea and said with slightly furrowed brows: "Wei Xiangzuo colluding with outsiders to kill Old Gu absolutely broke the rules - we have nothing to say about that, definitely won't support him anymore, and have no objections to however the General Association wants to deal with him. But that said, we've always had a rule in Zha'nan - whoever invested money in the storefronts and businesses has the say. We can pay money to the hall and General Association according to the previous shares, but there's no reason to directly hand over the business!"

Gu Baishun rubbed his palms: "It's like this - Brother Hu said he'll buy out the money invested in the stores at current market price, not forcibly take them for nothing."

"If we sell the business we eat from, how do we live afterwards?" Brother You asked.

"This won't affect anything - everyone is still dock gang people, Brother Hu won't let the brothers below have nothing to do and no money to earn," Gu Baishun replied with a smile.

Brother You waved his hand: "I don't have anything against Xu Hu. Let's talk honestly - the several storefronts on this street were all invested in by my big brother together with Old Wei. Now he's gone and I can't find him, I can only temporarily manage the business here. But I don't have the authority to directly sell and hand over the business - you understand my meaning?"

Hearing this, Gu Baishun unconsciously licked his lips.

"If you want to take it, then find my big brother. If he agrees, I have no objection," Brother You added again.

Gu Baishun appeared very constrained, looking at the other, seemingly at a loss for what to do.

"Old You, why are you being so stubborn?" Just then, one of Xu Hu's brothers who had come with Gu Baishun directly said with furrowed brows: "You also know your big brother has run away, so what are you still insisting on?! Those above say they want to collect it and are even paying money - why don't you just handle it and be done? Want to wait until faces are turned before regretting?"

Brother You looked at him without responding.

"Wei Xiangzuo doesn't even care about you anymore, and your big brother has run who knows where - how can you still not see things clearly?" the other continued softly. "These days, how many people has the Marine Police arrested in the port, how many people have been thrown into the sea - you don't know?"

Brother You paused before calling back: "Is there more tea? Bring some more."

At these words, the door was pushed open and over ten men walked in expressionlessly, standing on both sides of the wall.

Gu Baishun looked toward outside with furrowed brows to see many people gathered at the second floor doorway looking in.

Xu Hu's brother raised his eyebrows and asked with tilted neck: "Old You, you're not stupid enough to rebel, are you?"

"The storefronts and businesses are how brothers make a living," Old You stood up and looked at him saying: "Hand them over and our lives aren't in our own hands anymore! Moreover, this business really isn't mine - if I really sold it, I couldn't answer to my big brother."

Xu Hu's brother slowly stood up: "You really won't believe it until you see the coffin!"

"Wei Xiangzuo got in trouble, how many people has Xu Hu ruined in Zha'nan?" Old You replied just as decisively. "If those above really don't give a way to live, then let's make trouble! If Zha'nan descends into chaos and the Police Bureau gets anxious, they'll still have to fucking arrest all the council of elders people!"

Hearing this, Xu Hu's brother furrowed his brows tightly.

"If you want to incorporate us, you need to show sincerity! Who can submit just through clubs and hammers?!" After speaking, Brother You turned and left.

Gu Baishun pulled Xu Hu's brother's arm and persuaded softly: "Forget it, forget it, don't make trouble for now - the Police Bureau is indeed watching Zha'nan."

......

In the Xinaluo region.

After arriving here, Su Tianyu waited with Wei Xiangzuo for half a day before finally seeing people come from the port.

In a single-story house, a middle-aged man around forty with a Marine Police service weapon at his waist looked at Wei Xiangzuo with furrowed brows saying: "...Now it's spread crazy, saying you killed Gu Tongshan."