Chapter 402: Chapter 402
Without further ado, Mr. Liang began to explain thoroughly.
"However, we are somewhat different. The situation on our family’s side has been entrenched since before the War of Resistance, already an influential local power with our own gang. At that time, China was chaotic, with all kinds of warlords and bandits occupying mountains. Some were starting revolutions, while others took the opportunity to develop local forces to arm themselves. After the founding of New China, the country took strong actions against criminal activities, gradually eradicating and reorganizing former Xiang Fei, rogue paths in Yun Gui, old gangs in Sichuan, and large families like magnates in the North. My father’s and uncles’ generation were quite perceptive; seeing the shift in the winds, they quickly laid low, surrendered all their weapons, and during a certain period even voluntarily turned over their assets to the government."
"In this way, we managed to preserve ourselves. Although our power wasn’t evident on the surface, the brotherhood remained intact. After enduring various difficult periods in the nation, during the initial phase of the reform and opening up, when the state’s control in this aspect wasn’t so strict, my father and his peers became active again. They regrouped, established Loyalty Hall, worshipped Lord Guan, and rode the wave of reform to expand it. They collected protection fees, engaged in street fights for money, and at their peak, when I was twenty, their influence spanned three provinces and twenty-seven cities. My father and his people were the first generation, and I am the successor."
Feng Chengjin’s eyebrows furrowed, and Mr. Liang continued, "But not all old gangs follow the same model as ours. Liang Tianyou and his lot only developed later. By then the coastal areas had prospered, while the inland remained poor. As the saying goes, ’bad elements arise from impoverished lands,’ without money, they resorted to more unlawful activities. Liang Tianyou’s group operated by village units, where the entire village shared one surname, and they were all poor, so they would all come up with ways to get rich together. As a result, they engaged in murder, arson, robbery, gun trafficking, and drug smuggling—there was nothing they wouldn’t do. Unfortunately, there weren’t many ways to conclusively deal with things during those years, and since many tasks were carried out by subordinates, several imprisonments lacked sufficient evidence to incarcerate him. Later, as their power grew, they not only cultivated strong social connections but also acquired guns, further deterring the police from acting."
Facing Feng Chengjin’s silent coldness, on the other end of the line, Mr. Liang shook his head and said, "I understand that for people like you, who have received proper education, it’s infuriating to see such lawless activities, especially intolerable when guns are involved. We are also angry because back in our old gang days, we emphasized passion and chivalry. We refrained from rape and looting; when it came to the term ’underworld,’ we focused more on the ’way’ rather than on the ’underworld.’ But they dared to do anything, and not only did they do it, they became increasingly excessive."
"So, upon realizing that this road was no longer viable, and with us getting older, having families and children became a constraint. The hustle and bustle of the underworld wearied us, and with the state’s stringent control, we just wanted to live a peaceful life like normal people. So when we had enough capital, we started transitioning. I was among the first and most successful to transition; in the early 1980s, I led my brothers to wash our hands early and entered business. Because of this, my rascal son, Liang Yichao, grew up in a clean environment, despite the complexities due to his father’s background, leading a life almost identical to other children from conventional business families."
"Liang Tianyou’s family was different. They started transitioning as late as the early 1990s. With our success stories as pathfinders, they positioned themselves higher. They directly established a corporate group, appointed directors, and to avoid public detection, they completely cleansed themselves, moving the family from the North to the South. On one side, they concealed their identity and laundered some still unclean family money, while on the other, they nurtured cultural literacy for their second-generation children, aiming to directly impact the elite circles."
Feng Chengjin furrowed his brows entirely this time, "The elite?"
"Indeed." Mr. Liang chuckled softly, "Don’t find it funny; it’s an inevitable trend of society. Regardless of the path, it’s all for money, power, and status. So if we can earn money properly, who would want to live in constant fear every day?"
Facing Feng Chengjin’s speechlessness.
Mr. Liang: "So, Cheng Jin, do you understand now what kind of force you are investigating? Over the years, Liang Tianyou and their power have long woven intricate connections across the North, and he even became sworn brothers with the crime boss in Heilongjiang. They fear nothing, and now, with the second generation, although they strive to cleanse the previous generation’s dirt, some traits naturally come from the environment. Their sinister nature is no less than the previous generation’s. Especially the person you asked me to investigate, Song Pingjun, now he is just idle, assisting only one person, the daughter of the chairman of Liangcheng Group, also the ex-girlfriend of Junsheng’s CEO He Qimo—Liang Shiman."
In an instant, everything about the intricate connections and causality was understood.
The air around Feng Chengjin’s brows tightened.
After a long time, amidst boundless silence and anger afterward.
Feng Chengjin couldn’t help but ask, "Does He Qimo really have no idea about all this over the years?"
"That unlucky fool?" Mr. Liang laughed, seemingly shifting his position, as the sound of the sofa being pressed down came through the receiver, "For such a disaster to befall him with such low probability, his misfortune is beyond measure. His mother was bribed with money, and his sister seduced and corrupted. He can hardly make sense of his own life, so he probably really doesn’t know. Besides, when he dated her, he was only in his teens. Even now that he’s in business, he deals in legitimate business. It’s very difficult to uncover the truth."
Feng Chengjin pressed his lips and didn’t speak.
After a pause, Mr. Liang continued, "But, since things have come to this stage, it’s impossible to say he doesn’t know. This kid is rather smart. I’d guess... He Qimo must have started to thoroughly suspect something since his sister was lured into using ’ice,’ and he followed the trail to investigate. His secretary, who also has the surname Liang, is the son of the only honest family from the village of this Northern Liang family, and somehow, after He captured him, he revealed a lot. So now he surely knows, for one, his quick and resolute divorce and breakup with the Gu Family’s heiress is a fact, and it’s also a fact that he’s now preparing to have his family and relatives immigrate and disperse."
"What do you mean by that?" Official source ıs NoveI★Fire.net
Mr. Liang paused, "He’s probably planning to take down Liang independently, taking them all down in one sweep."
"Independently? Against Liang?" Feng Chengjin’s voice was filled with even more shock.
Mr. Liang nodded, "To be more precise, even though he’s very unfortunate, having all these troubles with women come crashing down on him, not a single one was his original intention. But ultimately, these things, in any case, all arose because of him. He has no choice but to repay them. Perhaps when he chose this path, he never intended to implicate anyone else, ... nor did he plan to live."