Yang Jian signed the casino partnership agreement, and Yang Fan began to fulfill his promise, taking him to meet high-ranking military officials the next day.
They were to meet a brigade commander from the National Democratic Alliance Army of the Fourth Special Administrative Region of Shan State. When they knocked on the brigade commander's door, the level of luxury inside made Yang Jian's jaw drop.
It was a large villa located near the Golden Triangle, estimated to cover over ten mu. It not only had meticulously landscaped gardens but also a tennis court and a swimming pool.
Most astonishingly, there was a small zoo inside. A robust and docile white tiger was leisurely strolling in the yard, clearly a pet. Other lions, leopards, and golden pythons were confined to a separate enclosure.
Led by a soldier in uniform, the two passed a clear pond and saw a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy wearing sunglasses, lounging on a recliner. Two orderlies of similar age stood beside him, one holding a fishing rod and the other a fruit platter, continuously feeding cut fruit into the boy's mouth.
"This is the brigade commander's son. He's a little tyrant, so don't provoke him. He'll shoot people," Yang Fan reminded Yang Jian as they walked.
Yang Jian, however, inwardly scoffed. What kind of place was this? The local populace was so poor they couldn't even secure basic necessities, and soldiers only earned two hundred yuan a month, while these officials lived like emperors, indulging in extreme luxury.
Upon entering the villa, Yang Jian was once again amazed. The interior could only be described as resplendent. Such opulent design and decoration would be rare even in China.
"Instructor Yang, welcome to my home," a burly middle-aged man in his forties appeared in the hall.
"General, it's been a while. You look well and seem to have aged several years," Yang Fan greeted with clasped fists.
On the way, Yang Jian had learned that Yang Fan was the combat instructor for the brigade commander's subordinate special forces battalion, and they had a good personal relationship. The brigade commander also held shares in the casino and the rubber processing plant.
The brigade commander laughed heartily, "Of course, I'm in good spirits. That Chinese herbal prescription you gave me is indeed effective. I feel like I've returned to my twenties; I can do it several times a night."
"General, the prescription is good, but you should also exercise restraint. If you truly deplete your body, you won't be able to recover it," Yang Fan advised.
"Haha, no worries, no worries. My health is excellent. And who is this brother?"
"General, this is my younger brother, Yang Jian. He just arrived from China and came specifically to see you today."
Yang Jian quickly handed the gifts he was carrying to a nearby orderly, "Hello, General. It's our first meeting. This is just a small token of my appreciation."
These gifts were prepared by Yang Fan. He said the brigade commander wasn't short of money but paid great attention to health preservation, so he had brought cordyceps and a century-old ginseng.
The brigade commander sized Yang Jian up, "Good, young man, you look talented. Judging by your physique, you must know martial arts, right?"
"A little, I learned from my brother," Yang Jian replied.
Yang Fan chuckled, "General, my brother is far more capable than I am. Not only is his combat skill on par with mine, but he also created a very practical staff technique that once struck fear into the hearts of the underworld in Hancheng and Dongjiang."
"Is that so? I'd love to see it. Brother Yang, could you demonstrate?"
This request displeased Yang Jian slightly; he was unwilling to perform for others. "General, I didn't bring any weapons, and my staff technique emphasizes practicality over showmanship."
"It's fine, I'll arrange whatever weapon you need. Also, I'll find a few people for you to spar with. Orderlies, call the guard squad to the training ground."
The brigade commander seemed greatly interested in Yang Jian and led Yang Fan and Yang Jian to the military training ground behind the villa.
Before long, the orderlies delivered two eighty-centimeter wooden staffs as Yang Jian requested. Ten soldiers from the guard squad also arrived, carrying wooden staffs.
Accompanying them was the young man who had been fishing by the river earlier; he had clearly come to watch the spectacle.
"General, my attacks are all aimed at joints and vital points, which can easily injure people," Yang Jian stated, needing to give a heads-up to avoid trouble.
The brigade commander waved his hand dismissively, "It's fine. Even if you kill someone, you won't be held responsible. However, if you happen to get injured, I won't be responsible either. Do you want to fight one-on-one or one-on-two?"
"All of them, then," Yang Jian said, wanting to finish this tedious display quickly so they could discuss saving San Pang.
The brigade commander's eyes widened in surprise, "All of them? Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Alright, you all heard him. He might kill you. If you want to save your lives, attack with all your might. You won't be held accountable even if you kill him." The brigade commander was clearly angered by Yang Jian's arrogance and issued a strict order to the guard squad.
The ten members of the guard squad were all spirited young men in their late teens. Hearing Yang Jian's condescending challenge, they were already furious and immediately spread out, surrounding him.
Yang Jian held the wooden staffs, stretched his neck, wrists, and ankles, and then assumed a stance.
"Take him down," with a command from the guard squad leader, the ten well-trained young men attacked simultaneously.
With a low growl, Yang Jian executed a forward roll. Both wooden staffs struck out simultaneously, accurately hitting the calves of two guards, causing them to fall immediately.
This was a spar. In a real life-or-death fight, Yang Jian would have targeted their ankles and knees, incapacitating them instantly. Even so, Yang Jian's attacks would cause bone fractures in these two guards.
With a series of clanging impacts from the wooden staffs, in less than three minutes, all ten guards lay on the ground, clutching their legs and groaning.
This scene left the brigade commander and his son dumbfounded.
Yang Jian handed the wooden staffs to an orderly and brushed the dust off his clothes. He used the "Ditan Dao" (ground-sweeping saber) technique, which specifically targeted the opponent's lower body, thus he spent more time rolling on the ground.
An orderly led him to a nearby room to wash his hands.
"Excellent, Instructor Yang. Your brother is incredibly skilled. Can he be my bodyguard?" the brigade commander exclaimed in admiration after recovering, wanting to keep Yang Jian by his side.
Yang Fan smiled, "General, that request cannot be fulfilled. My brother's financial strength surpasses mine. He is known as the 'King of Gamblers' in China and also manages several large companies. With such wealth, how could he possibly be your bodyguard?"
"Really? He's this capable at such a young age? That's a real shame."
"He's here this time to invest, and he also has a small matter he wishes to request your help with."
"Oh, if that's the case, let's discuss it inside." The brigade commander was somewhat disappointed that he couldn't recruit Yang Jian, but he was very interested in someone bringing money to invest. Accepting bribes was a significant source of his income; otherwise, how could he maintain such a luxurious lifestyle?