However, he had brought the trouble upon himself and had to bear the consequences for now. If things became truly unmanageable, he would consider the opinions of his trusted subordinates.
Li Chonglou, meanwhile, quickly put the matter behind him.
He hadn't signed a contract of servitude, and if he didn't even have the freedom to move about, he wouldn't bother with Feng Jie anymore.
He then left Luozhen, where the car wash was located.
The central district of Shangjing was Chaoyang District, the most economically vibrant area in the entire city. It was different from the eastern district. The east was primarily focused on trade; no matter how developed, it wasn't suitable for gathering people. In fact, machines were more important than people there.
Chaoyang District, on the other hand, was practically a twenty-four-hour hub of activity. Even in the dead of night, around three or four in the morning, the area was brightly lit everywhere.
As soon as Li Chonglou stepped out of the taxi, he felt the bustling energy of the place.
He looked around and saw young men and women everywhere, shopping. Their clothing and styles were at the forefront of fashion. His own simple, plain attire made him seem a bit out of place.
"Step right up, don't miss out! The best job opportunities, the best benefits. Come join us, and we'll all get rich together."
A voice that clashed slightly with the surroundings suddenly rang out. Li Chonglou then saw a flyer being handed to him.
"Sir, would you like to know more? We offer international positions. Even if you have no skills, as long as you're willing to work hard, you can earn a lot of money."
Looking up, he saw a middle-aged man dressed in a suit, looking quite presentable and rather refined.
Li Chonglou couldn't possibly take a job now, nor did he have the means. He waved his hand to politely decline.
"Sir, are you sure you don't want to take a look? We're a development company, and we've just received a major contract, urgently needing employees. You can even pick your position."
The man blocked his path, seeming rather insistent.
"Sorry, I already have a job, and I'm not particularly in need of money right now."
A flicker of disappointment flashed in the man's eyes, but it quickly disappeared. He forcefully pressed the flyer into Li Chonglou's hand.
"Sir, if anyone you know needs a job, you can give it to them too. Our salaries are the highest in the industry, and we can handle all the visa paperwork. Plus, if you refer someone, you'll receive a referral fee."
Li Chonglou thought that if he were an ordinary laborer, he might have actually been tempted by that offer.
In the end, Li Chonglou accepted the flyer, not because he was genuinely interested, but because the man seemed like he would pester him endlessly if he didn't. Li Chonglou didn't want any further interaction.
As soon as the man left, a large hand clapped onto Li Chonglou's shoulder.
"Did you bring the goods?"
Li Chonglou turned to look and saw Da Bao.
Da Bao now looked completely different from when Li Chonglou had first seen him. He appeared as if he were recovering from a serious illness.
The difference was that Li Chonglou had at least had a bit of color in his lips back then, while Da Bao's face was ashen, and his lips were pale.
An uninformed observer might have mistaken him for a drug addict.
Li Chonglou took out a small bottle and handed it over, calmly saying, "Let's find a place to rest first."
Da Bao quickly took the bottle, skillfully poured out a pill, and swallowed it.
Remarkably, his complexion improved at a visible rate. In less than half a minute, his color returned to a level similar to that of a normal person.
It seemed that this fellow was actually an honest person.
To be honest, Li Chonglou hadn't believed Da Bao's story about the poison at first. Even if it were true, he likely still had the antidote.
But now, it seemed Da Bao had been telling the truth all along; his life was truly in Li Chonglou's hands.
"What is this antidote? The effect is so pronounced?"
"It's only a temporary relief. This poison has no true antidote."
A hint of despair flashed in Da Bao's eyes, as if he had accepted his impending death. Li Chonglou couldn't help but console him, "Don't be so discouraged. This world is full of miracles. Perhaps one day you'll encounter something that can truly cure it."
Da Bao simply chuckled at this and changed the subject. He looked in the direction the previous man had gone and asked, "You didn't agree to apply for a job with him, did you?"
"How did you know? Did he try to recruit you too?"
Da Bao shook his head. "I just know their tactics. They lure naive people abroad with high salaries and then sell you off. If you're lucky, you might survive for a while, doing illegal things for others. If you're unlucky, you'll be gone the same day."
Li Chonglou's pupils constricted sharply.
"Traffickers?"
"Something like that. To be precise, it's telecom fraud, which also includes black market businesses like organ trading."
Da Bao said this expressionlessly, as if he were accustomed to it. However, Li Chonglou was deeply shaken.
He had heard of this black industry before, but this was the most prosperous area of Shangjing. Had they become so brazen?
That couldn't be right. Shangjing was still under Lin Qianqian's jurisdiction. With her personality, she wouldn't ignore such matters, would she?
Thinking of this, Li Chonglou asked in a deep voice, "Doesn't the Administration handle this?"
Matters concerning ordinary people were usually handled by the Administration. Only when it involved martial artists and cultivators would the General Administration intervene. Given the current situation in Shangjing, Lin Qianqian should have taken strong action.
Had something happened on her end as well?
Da Bao calmly replied, "The Administration is too stretched to deal with such matters now. Don't you know that other major powers have turned their attention towards China?"
"What's going on?"
Li Chonglou had truly never heard of such a thing. Before this, he had believed that China's primary conflict was with the underground world.
Da Bao glanced around and then shook his head. "This isn't a place to talk. Come with me."
Da Bao then expertly led Li Chonglou to a quiet coffee shop.
After they sat down, Da Bao began to explain, "I'm not from the inner circles, so I don't know the root cause. I only know that the three major superpowers, besides China, are all provoking us. It seems they're fighting over something."
Da Bao slowly recounted the information he knew. From a commoner's perspective, Li Chonglou saw a precarious China.
Economically, for the past few months, those superpowers had been intentionally or unintentionally imposing blockade policies on China, with international trade being the first casualty.
Shangjing's East Port played an undeniable role in China's rapid rise on the world stage. However, a few months ago, the orders it received had plummeted.
The direct consequence of this phenomenon was the currency exchange rate.
Da Bao didn't understand the deeper implications. He only knew that as a Chinese national, it had become harder for him to earn money abroad, which was also the main reason he had returned to China.