Yang Jian trained at the gym until past nine o'clock when he met Yang Fan returning from outside. Before Yang Jian could speak, Yang Fan invited him out for a late-night snack.
The four of them walked to a barbecue joint five to six hundred meters from the gym to eat skewers. The place was crowded, with all the tables inside occupied, so they had to find a spot in the walkway by the roadside.
The outdoor tables were all square, about fifty to sixty centimeters high, with small wooden stools. Though they looked simple, they were quite comfortable to sit on.
Yang Fan had brought his two disciples with him, his eldest, A Feng, and another named Xiao Jiu. They had been out with Yang Fan on business that afternoon and hadn't eaten dinner yet, so they ordered a lot of food and two buckets of draft beer.
Yang Fan leaned against the road, with Yang Jian sitting opposite him. A Feng and Xiao Jiu sat on either side.
"Little Yang, thank you for what you did this morning."
After ordering, Yang Fan personally poured Yang Jian a glass of wine.
Yang Jian smiled and said, "Brother Fan, why are you being so polite? Besides, I didn't do anything this morning, I just showed up to make up the numbers."
"You can't say that. What happened this morning seemed easy, but it was actually very risky. Your overall qualities are better than all my disciples, which is why you were chosen. Brother Tong also appreciates you very much and wants to invite you to be his assistant. Are you interested?"
This was Yang Fan's real reason for inviting Yang Jian for a late-night snack.
"Be Mr. Luo's assistant? I can't. My education level is too low, and I don't understand anything. I can't do this job."
"Don't refuse so quickly. We'll give you time to consider. It's called an assistant, but it's actually a personal bodyguard. You're more than capable, and the annual salary is five hundred thousand. This compensation should be the highest in the industry in Hancheng right now."
Five hundred thousand annual salary? That number was indeed a bit staggering. If he hadn't been burdened by huge debts, Yang Jian would have almost agreed immediately. Why bother with engineering projects or building factories? None of those could earn him this much in a year, and without any investment.
"Brother Fan, I really can't do this. My situation is a bit special. Please thank Brother Tong for his trust on my behalf."
Yang Jian refused without hesitation. Luo Tong might be a good boss, and his influence was likely stronger than Yu Feng's family. However, this man was a crime boss, and associating with him carried too much risk. Five hundred thousand wasn't easy money; at a critical moment, he'd have to take bullets for him.
"I said, don't rush to make a decision yet. Take more time to consider. Come, let's drink."
"Brother Fan, I actually have something to ask you today too."
Yang Jian raised his glass to clink with his and downed the drink in one go.
"Speak. I won't be vague either if you have something."
"Can you arrange for me to deal cards at the casino again?"
"You want to deal two shifts? Can't you do it at other venues?"
"No, I want to bring in my own 'Emperor Company' to deal."
Yang Fan stared at him for a moment before saying, "You want to split from Boss Song and start your own venture?"
Yang Fan had clearly misunderstood. Those involved in the underworld were wary of brothers falling out and betrayal. Starting a new venture wasn't forbidden, but one should avoid the previous boss's interest chains and not steal their business, otherwise, they would be scorned.
It was fine for Yang Jian to start his own Emperor Company. By normal standards, he should have gone to other venues to deal, and no one would have objected. However, this venue was taken over by Song Jianhao, who had been dealing there for two months. If Yang Jian also dealt there, it would be exploiting Song Jianhao and disrespecting him.
"Brother Fan, listen to me. It's not that Brother Hao and I are splitting up. It's just that my situation is special, and I need to speed up my earning pace, so I have to find a new path."
Yang Jian then recounted his experiences in Xichuan and everything that had happened since the Chinese New Year, including the chase he experienced when he returned home, without any concealment.
"Brother, you really are a legendary figure. Then tell me about your grievances with Liu Ming and Boss Xiong, what exactly happened."
Yang Fan became extremely interested in Yang Jian's past.
There was no choice. Yang Jian started again, talking about how he lost two hundred thousand to Brother Mao in a game of 'playing cotton', all the way to his experience of being driven to Xichuan by his father.
After listening, Yang Fan raised his wine glass. "Brother, you're amazing. Let's have another."
"Cheers."
"Brother Jian, I'll toast you too."
A Feng and Xiao Jiu also raised their glasses to Yang Jian.
Yang Jian drank three cups in a row, feeling a bit uncomfortable in his stomach, and quickly ate a few mouthfuls of food to settle it.
"Brother, with your ability and reputation, you could completely thrive in Xinhe District. Why are you following Song Jianhao to run this Emperor Company? Do you want me to arrange some brothers to go back to Xinhe, take care of that Wu Laizi and Bao Guo first, and then integrate the entire Xinhe underworld, becoming the boss of Xinhe?"
At this point, Yang Fan began to understand why Yang Jian was unwilling to be Luo Tong's assistant. He had the potential and ability to be a leader himself.
Yang Jian quickly waved his hands. "Brother Fan, stop joking. My involvement in the casino is just a temporary measure. Getting involved in the underworld is even less likely."
"Everyone has their own aspirations. I won't force you. However, Wu Laizi and Bao Guo, as you mentioned, are a big threat to you and should be dealt with sooner. Let A Feng and the others accompany you to take care of these two, so as to avoid future trouble."
Yang Fan's approach was to eliminate potential dangers in advance.
"Thank you, Brother Fan. I'll definitely ask for your help then, but the immediate priority is still to accumulate funds."
Yang Jian knew very well that Wu Laizi and Bao Guo were now very wary of him. It would be unlikely to deal with them using the same methods as Liu Ming. His chances of winning if he fought them with Biao Biao and Liang Liang were not high.
Seeking help from Yang Fan and his group was a good idea. His disciples were all highly skilled professionals, each capable of fighting ten men, far superior to Biao Biao and Liang Liang.
However, asking them to help in Xinhe carried significant risks. They wouldn't do it for free; not only would there be considerable remuneration, but they would also have to deal with potential accidents. Therefore, sufficient funds needed to be reserved.
"Brother, I understand your situation. I'll explain to Brother Tong. As for you wanting to deal independently, that's easy. It's just a word from me. When do you want to start?"
"I need to build my team first and bring people from home to work. I can't use Brother Hao's people. Maybe in a couple of days."
"No problem. If you need more manpower, I'll arrange it for you. It's just about being a dealer and losing money, right? We'll make sure you're satisfied."
"Thank you, Brother Fan. I'll go back and discuss it with Biao Biao and the others. I also need to inform Brother Hao about this, so he doesn't have any reservations."
"Yes, you should inform him. Although his company mainly relies on you for courage and support, you were brought out by him after all. You shouldn't forget your roots. Be open and honest, and you'll still be good brothers."
"Brother Fan, you're right. I still need to learn the rules of the underworld from you. Come, I'll toast you."
As Yang Jian spoke, he poured a glass of wine. Just as he raised it, he saw a man walking from the roadside pull out a homemade shotgun from his怀.