Chapter 1 Gu Baisun's Decision

Gu Baisun and Wei Xiangzuo chatted for a long time in the desolate cemetery that night before parting ways.

Dawn.

Gu Baisun returned home, took a hot shower, and brought a pitcher of cold water to his mother's room.

Before Gu's mother passed away, she lived mostly as a recluse, passing the time by tending to flowers and plants. After she passed, Gu Baisun didn't change anything in the room. Every night when he returned home, he would water the plants, afraid they would wither.

After a while, Guo Zhengdao arrived at the Gu residence and went to the guest room on the second floor.

"Uncle Guo!" Gu Baisun greeted, turning his head. "Make yourself at home."

Guo Zhengdao didn't enter the room, but stood at the door, one hand in his pocket, and asked, "So, I'll handle things here?"

"Yes." Gu Baisun nodded slowly. "We'll directly contact those who have already paid. For those who haven't, we'll wait a little longer."

"Won't contacting them first leak the news?" Guo Zhengdao asked.

"No." Gu Baisun shook his head. "You have to know what these people are after. Besides, there's no need to be too direct. Just mingle, maintain relationships, and then wait for the results."

Guo Zhengdao nodded. "Alright, I understand."

"Don't tell anyone about this." Gu Baisun stood up and wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve. "The situation is very chaotic right now. It's hard to tell who's a friend and who's an enemy, even with sharp eyes. The core operation is only known to you, me, and Uncle Niu."

"Okay!"

With the serious matters discussed, Guo Zhengdao scratched his nose. "Then get some rest. I'm leaving."

Gu Baisun looked at his back and grinned. "Uncle Guo, why don't you and Uncle Niu move in with me?"

Guo Zhengdao turned back, looking at him in surprise. "What's wrong?"

"...My house feels too empty now." Gu Baisun looked at him and chuckled.

"Just call me 'Brother' from now on." Guo Zhengdao waved his hand. "Let's be brothers. I'll move in tomorrow."

After speaking, Guo Zhengdao left.

Gu Baisun turned his head and looked at everything in the room. After a moment, he packed his things and returned to his own room.

...

In the following two days.

Tan Mingzhao and Zhang Ming's side, as well as Gu Baisun, Wei Xiangzuo, and Yu Zheng's side, all began to frantically recruit people and gather votes.

The elder members of the dockworkers' general association, the chairmen of the various district branches, and the hundred voters in each district were all on the recruitment lists of both sides. For a time, some people made a fortune, while others cursed, having gained nothing.

In short, the competition between the two sides was very fierce, and all transactions were conducted under the table. No one knew exactly how many votes the other side had secured or how many people they had recruited.

Friday afternoon, around three-thirty.

Su Tianyu, along with Monkey and others, went to the criminal detention center of the police department to interrogate Dong Pengyu.

"Slap!"

As soon as Monkey saw Dong Pengyu, he couldn't help but give him a big smack on the back of the head. "Long time no see, brother!"

"Why are your hands so itchy? Director Dong is cooperating so well. Why do you keep hitting him?" Su Tianyu scolded.

"We're good brothers. He missed me too." Hou Guoyu grinned in response.

Su Tianyu looked at Dong Pengyu with his hands behind his back. "I apologize for my brother's rudeness."

"I beg you, Officer Su, can we not act anymore?" Dong Pengyu was almost crying. "Next time, please don't hit me first. Just ask me whatever you want. You'll see how cooperative I am."

Su Tianyu was moved by these sincere words and immediately asked with his hands behind his back, "The public vote, how many votes can your Donggang district provide me with?"

"Including the chairman's vote, it has to be one hundred and one! We'll definitely give you the full vote." Dong Pengyu replied without hesitation. "I haven't even been sentenced yet! If anyone in my family doesn't vote for Wei Xiangzuo, they're going against me! I'll mess up their whole family!"

"I heard your second brother isn't very bright. He wouldn't have secretly taken money from the other side, would he?" Su Tianyu gave a warning in advance.

"Blood is thicker than water! Officer Su, even if he's stupid, he wouldn't screw me over." Dong Pengyu said decisively. "I don't even need to call him. Just have someone go to my house and tell him that the vote must be cast for Wei Xiangzuo! As long as I'm not dead, he can never be the heir."

"He has control?" Su Tianyu asked.

"Absolutely." Dong Pengyu nodded.

Dong Pengyu has no moral bottom line, nor does he have any respect for rules or society. He does whatever business makes money. But this person has one good thing about him, and that is that he knows what's what. He doesn't act like a chairman. Once he realizes something can't be done, he immediately chooses to compromise.

Perhaps this is the way such people survive.

Su Tianyu has a very poor impression of this person, because this bastard not only sells harmful "medicine," but also continues to engage in bullying and domination after he gets rich. Many fishermen in Donggang have suffered because of him.

However, Su Tianyu is annoyed, but deep down he is still a reasonable person. "You can control things well from inside! The asking price outside is seven million for a chairman and one million for a hundred votes in a district! If it works out, I'll give you as much as everyone else gets!"

Dong Pengyu was stunned, completely unexpected that Su Tianyu would play this card.

"You offend me, and I'll take a step back. If you offend me again, I'll beat you to death!" Su Tianyu pointed at his face and said seriously, "But if you submit and act sensibly, I'll be too lazy to mess with you!"

"Yes, I understand, Officer Su!"

"Say hello and get him a smaller cell and meals from the police officers' kitchen!" Su Tianyu instructed the guard and turned to leave.

...

After Gou Liuzi secured all the votes in the Donggang district, Wei Xiangzuo also arranged to meet with his old friend, the top leader of the Fukuoka district.

The two had always been close, and they quickly came to an agreement.

At the same time.

Inside the military headquarters, Tan Mingzhao held a teacup and cursed with a gloomy face, "This Yu Zheng is really a fence-sitter! He was running to us all the time a while ago, but these days he's been active on the other side!"

"Yes, I have reliable information that Yu Zheng is helping Gu Baisun recruit people. It is said that one chairman has already re-aligned because of him," Zhang Ming replied.

"Get him!" Tan Mingzhao put down the teacup and said to the middle-aged man in plain clothes beside him, "Announce to the public that before the vote, whoever can...!"

...

Inside an apartment in Dragon City.

Yang Dong sat on the sofa and looked up at Guizi Wu, saying, "Aren't you following Yu Zheng? Why are you bringing your votes here?"

"He's not very particular about how he does things. I don't want to follow him anymore." Guizi Wu said directly, "...Everyone is counting on this public vote to make some money. Whoever pays more, I'll follow."

"How many votes do you have?"

"A little over a hundred, all scattered votes!" Guizi Wu replied.

Yang Dong scratched his head. "You've been with Yu Zheng all this time. It's hard for me to trust you!"