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Novel Catalog
Chapter 36
The atmosphere in the clubhouse was thick with tension as Hei Hu seethed with rage. His pride had been bruised beyond repair, and his frustration with his men was palpable. Lin Qiang, standing across from him, watched the scene unfold with a mix of amusement and disbelief. Hei Hu, for all his boasting, had failed spectacularly. The reality of the situation was slowly sinking in for both of them.
“Are you really going to call them back?” Lin Qiang asked, his tone mocking. He couldn’t help but find amusement in Hei Hu’s bluster. “It seems like your so-called reputation is already in tatters.”
Hei Hu ground his teeth together in fury but didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he turned to bark orders at his subordinates, who were already shuffling uneasily. The sight of the men—who had been detained—returning to the construction site to work for free was a blow to Hei Hu’s ego. He had never been disrespected like this before. It wasn’t just about the money; it was about his authority being openly challenged.
“You don’t understand, Lin Qiang!” Hei Hu snapped, finally managing to regain some composure. “This is about control. Nobody gets to embarrass me like this—not Huang Yuming, not anyone.”
Lin Qiang didn’t even bother hiding the disdain in his smile. “Control? It seems you’ve lost control of the situation already, Brother Hu. But by all means, go ahead and call them back. I’m sure that will fix everything.”
As Hei Hu turned away to make the necessary arrangements, Lin Qiang felt a sense of satisfaction. He had expected this kind of failure from the start, but watching Hei Hu flounder was still entertaining. For all his posturing, the man was clearly out of his depth.
But even as Lin Qiang reveled in his moment of superiority, he knew that the stakes were much higher. Hei Hu might be a failure in this instance, but Huang Yuming—who had set things in motion—was still a formidable opponent. Lin Qiang’s main concern was not the small-time gangster in front of him, but the elusive, dangerous businessman who had the power to turn everything upside down.
At that moment, the door to the clubhouse opened, and a figure stepped inside, pulling Lin Qiang from his thoughts.
“CEO Lin,” the newcomer said, his voice calm but urgent. “There’s something you need to hear.”
Lin Qiang turned sharply, the distraction breaking his brief moment of smugness. “What is it?” he asked.
The man handed him a folder, which Lin Qiang flipped open quickly. His eyes scanned the documents inside, and his brow furrowed.
“This is a report on Huang Yuming,” the man explained. “There’s more going on with him than you realize. He’s not just a businessman, he’s someone with connections that even I’m not comfortable with.”
Lin Qiang narrowed his eyes, taking in the details. “What kind of connections?”
The man hesitated before continuing. “Let’s just say there are people who don’t want him to fail. Powerful people, CEO Lin. I’d be careful if I were you.”
Lin Qiang’s lips tightened into a thin line. It seemed that Huang Yuming was not just a businessman; he was a force to be reckoned with. The realization sent a chill through Lin Qiang, and he understood now that he had underestimated his rival. The last thing he wanted was to make an enemy of someone who had powerful backers.
“Damn it,” Lin Qiang muttered under his breath, realizing that the stakes were much higher than he had thought.
Meanwhile, Hei Hu had gathered his men and was preparing for his next move. His anger had not subsided, but the fire in his eyes had cooled into something more calculating. He wasn’t about to let this setback define him, and he would make sure that Huang Yuming paid for embarrassing him and his men. But deep down, he knew the odds were stacked against him.
The game was no longer just about money or reputation—it was a fight for survival. And in this world, survival meant aligning with the right people.
