November 21, 20XX (Wednesday)Hidden Headquarters & Zhao Manor
Zhao Yang and his friends, before they become as close as they are today, had been working continuously to control the underground market since they had discovered that most of the shares of their companies are controlled by the people belonging underground, they had made a pact and had put effort as a group to be the leaders in the underground market or as commonly known as "Black Market."
They had little success at first but with Yang"s capable leaders.h.i.+p and the other"s flawless execution, they"ve achieved almost total control three years ago and are now known as the Five Dragons of the Underworld.
At first, they undertook control of the market because they wanted their companies to be safe but then they realized that as long as the market had someone to control it, it"s not as dangerous. Most people, who buy from the illegal market, are people who had no other means and are forced to undertake transactions that may exchange their lives as collateral. Examples of these people are those that had relatives at the hospital and have no money to pay for medical expenses. They had decided then that controlling the Black Market would also achieve a much stable peace at it also controls the gang raids and fights on the streets.
Each of them controlled a sector of the black market; Chang Min controls the mercenaries and the gangs, Hao Chen controls the people whose business was debt and loans, Dr. Zhang Li Xi controls the people who sell anything health related, Alexandre controls information and punishments, while Zhao Yang controls the rest.
Zhao Yang yawned again as he sat on the centre with Secretary Bai standing at his back. He opened one of the files that were given to him and then started the meeting with, "Reports? Who wants to start?"
"Report!" A man with a large horizontal scar in his cheek went forward and immediately said, "We have already cornered the Chen Patriarch for the payment of his loan, he had sold the condo unit his son has."
Zhao Yang laughed at how easy that was to do. Now even a week of his pressuring, the Father had given up? How weak! His smile had turned bleak when he asked, "What about the mother?"
"She has not left her son"s bedside," the man reported with nervousness. The group of subordinates on the floor had always been the most scared of the CEO who was always smiling at them and to be tasked with an important a.s.signment, naturally, the man had done it with great effort. They were scared what the consequences would be should they failed, "We still have not done anything to the Mother yet."
Zhao Yang hummed a long tune of contemplation before nodding, "You don"t have to hurry everything in a month, as long as the Chen Family suffers, I don"t care how long it would take."
"Yes!"
And that started more reports about the current Black Market. The other four of his friends were content to listen to him and was sometimes chiming in. Zhao Yang yawned again when he looked at the clock and notice it was already lunchtime, they dismissed the crowd of people for a break.
Leaving only the five friends with their five secretaries. Chang Min then turned towards Zhao Yang, "I also have something to report."
His words took everybody in surprise. The Arms and Weapons manufacturing CEO was not one to report with this many people, usually, it was just he and Yang. Although the other friends were somewhat jealous of the camaraderie Xue Chang Min and Zhao Yang had, they accepted it reluctantly because Chang Min treats them especially closer than he does with Zhao Yang.
"I had heard that one member of the group "Arcadia" is on his way to Beijing," Chang Min"s grip of his chair"s armrest tighten with the equal force to his scrunched up face, "If you have truly read her files, You know who they are… Protect her!"
Alexandre, Dr. Zhang Li Xi, and Hao Chen did not get what Chang Min was saying a hundred percent but they know it was not great news because Zhao Yang, the man who was not scared of anything, blanched white. The colour on his lips gone as his eyes started to be unfocused, clearly in deep thought before replying a moment later, "I will triple the security around her."
Alexandre sighed after a while before he tapped his fingers with anxious feet tapping the same beat. He too had not so great news. He said after a tensed silence, "Talking about coming here to Beijing, I heard Hao Ren and Ye Lan will be back next month on the 8th."
Hao Chen choked on his saliva, "My traitorous Older Brother is really shameless."
"That s.l.u.t too, " Dr. Zhang Li Xi agreed causing Alexandre to sweatdrop at their childish remarks.
Zhao Yang snorted at the mention of his former friend and ex-girlfriend. As if they had some control over his thought when really all he could think about right now were the cute baby photos of Mei Li he had uncovered. He wondered if they had babies, would one inherit Mei Li"s golden eyes? He would love if he had a mini Mei Li calling him papa. Would daddy be a better term?
A cough from Alexandre interrupted his daydreaming, making him remember what they were talking beforehand. He rolled his eyes before saying, "Let them come. I really don"t care."
Seeing as the one involved in the issue 3 years ago, Zhao Yang, didn"t speak much about it, the four other men refrained from continuing the topic and proceeded to eat their lunch.
It had taken the whole day for the meeting to end and the rest of the time was spent chatting. Zhao Yang looked at his watch: 4:28 pm. It was a beet early but he needed to get ready for his date, anyway.
He stood up while murmuring a short "see you later" to his friends. Secretary Bai, knowing why he was in a hurry, had immediately cleaned the papers the CEO had scattered on his chair.
"Are you going already? " Zhang Li Xi asked while drinking a mouthful of the tasteless beer in his hands.
"It"s still 4:30 pm," Hao Chen followed soon, c.o.c.king his head to the large watch on the side.
"I"m going on a date, " Zhao Yang"s smile was too genius not to be teased.
A chorus oh"s and ah"s irritated Zhao Yang"s ears. He smirked in amus.e.m.e.nt when Xue Chang Min"s right eyebrow twitched. He knew his friend would contact him when he was ready for Yang to know his side of the story but for now, a beautiful woman was waiting for him. Who would not hurry home for that reason?