Huo Ying, having arranged everything, took out his phone and dialed the number of the former official. "Mr. Dong, I haven't visited you in a while. Is it convenient?"
"You are most welcome, Elder Huo. Your visit is my honor..."
As soon as Huo Ying hung up, two teams of robust men in matching suits appeared. Their imposing presence indicated they were far from ordinary security guards; they were clearly elite former military personnel.
Soon, Huo Ying left with one team, while Li Haochen was escorted by the other back to the hotel to catch a helicopter to Hong Kong Island.
At the hotel, Liu Qinghe, who had returned with him, asked nervously, "Haochen, what happened?"
"Director Liu, I'm truly sorry. I seem to have implicated you..." Li Haochen explained about his bet.
"You... you're too daring! A hundred million, and you've lost it all?"
"I don't know yet. I'm waiting for Elder Huo's news. Money is secondary; I'm worried about unforeseen dangers. I was a bit thoughtless."
"It's not your fault. I didn't expect these families to have such control. No wonder the authorities have been making so many moves lately; they're quite arrogant. What do we do next?"
"Let's go to the Huo family's place for a while. Elder Huo has made arrangements, and it should be much safer there."
Soon, the two of them packed their luggage and were sent by the Huo family's security team to the helicopter pad on the rooftop. On their way up, they encountered several groups of tattooed youths from the underworld. Although their numbers were small, seeing Li Haochen and his escorts, they dared not cause trouble, merely casting unfriendly glances. This put Li Haochen and Liu Qinghe on edge, with Liu Qinghe particularly breaking into a cold sweat.
Fortunately, a few minutes later, they reached the rooftop safely. Seeing the helicopter ready for takeoff, both breathed a sigh of relief.
The captain of the escort team walked over, whispered a few words into Huo Ziyan's ear, and then returned to his post.
Huo Ziyan's expression turned solemn. She called out to Li Haochen and Liu Qinghe, "You two, hurry up and get on. We're leaving, and it will be alright."
Soon, the helicopter's rotor blades spun faster, and the fuselage slowly lifted off. Within seconds, it disappeared into the bustling metropolis.
Meanwhile, in a luxurious mansion in Deep Water Bay, Li Banqiao received a phone call and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the distant bay.
After a long while, he returned to his seat, made a few calls, and then got into his preferred Lexus to attend the meeting.
Half an hour later, Guo, Zheng, and the two Lis arrived outside a low-rise unit in Jia Hui residential area. In Hong Kong, this was considered a decent neighborhood, but the presence of the leaders of the four major families here indicated their immense power.
The four exchanged glances without much conversation. After a light knock, a butler-like figure opened the door. Upon entering, they saw Huo Ying already seated, enjoying tea and conversation with an elder, seemingly in good spirits.
"You're here, please sit down."
"Apologies for the intrusion, Mr. Dong."
The four sat down. Dong Hua poured them tea. Judging by its color and aroma, it was undoubtedly a high-grade tea, but even the best tea couldn't pique their interest at this moment.
"Try my tea. A leader from above showed his concern and specially sent some to me. Of course, it's not as good as what you usually drink, hehe!"
Dong Hua's words made the four shift uncomfortably, a hint of cold sweat breaking out. They were all pondering his statement, and the deeper they thought, the more fearful they became. This suggested certain intentions from the higher-ups.
"Mr. Dong, you misunderstand. We usually just have simple meals."
"Yes, Mr. Dong, please don't misunderstand."
"Come, drink your tea, before it gets cold and loses its flavor. I didn't invite you here for any other reason than to catch up and chat, hehe!"
"Good tea!"
The four took a sip and said in unison, though they tasted no flavor. Their minds were preoccupied with deciphering the underlying message.
Dong Hua refilled their cups and casually brought up the day's charity competition. "I heard this year's competition raised the most funds. Thank you all for your contributions to the Hong Kong and Macau charity cause!"
"It is our duty."
Dong Hua smiled, drained his tea, stood up, and said, "I am no longer in office. Today, I invited you here as a friend. I'm sure you've all guessed why. Besides, this is not like before. The old must be discarded; one must learn to embrace new things to avoid being eliminated, don't you agree? The floor is yours now, I need to practice some Tai Chi, hehe!"
His words were quite clear: he was extorting them. Li Banqiao and the others were terrified. This was clearly the higher-ups using Dong Hua to convey their resolve.
"Old Huo, we've known each other for decades. We truly did wrong in this matter. Rest assured, we will follow the rules and pay whatever is due."
"Old Li, I'm truly sorry. My daughter and your young friend were just playing. I hope you don't take it seriously. However, the pocket money for these two is not easy to come by, you see..."
The five engaged in a back-and-forth, with one side offering money and the other refusing, creating a rather amusing scene. In the end, Li Banqiao and the others could not give the money. Huo Ying also found it difficult to refuse. Dong Hua's decision upon his return was to return the principal and provide 50 million in compensation to each person. Thus, the matter concluded.
After the four departed, Dong Hua and Huo Ying resumed their conversation. "Elder Huo, do you think they will let go?"
"Difficult."
"Alas, I hope they can see the reality of the situation."
Leaving Jia Hui residential area, Li Banqiao and the other three left in a hurry, likely to find a way to cope.
Among the four, Li Banqiao was the quickest to make a decision. On his way home, he issued instructions for all mainland assets to be liquidated and moved westward.
"Grandfather, how did it go?"
"Da Zhi, stop concerning yourself with trivial matters. Do you think a fisherman could have so much money to bet? You lack composure in emergencies. How can you handle important responsibilities in the future? In a few days, you will go to the United States for a few years of training."
"