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Novel Catalog
Chapter 48
The room fell into a stunned silence. Huang Yuming’s words hung in the air, and everyone around the table exchanged uneasy glances.
The gang bosses who had come to pressure him now found themselves at a crossroads. They had thought that after all the losses Huang Yuming had suffered, he would have been desperate and would bow to Hei Long. But here he was, sitting back with the calm arrogance of a man who was unbothered by the turmoil around him. He even mocked Hei Long as a “little worm” in front of them all, a declaration that would normally get a man killed in the underworld.
The tension in the room was palpable, and some of the bosses began to shift uncomfortably in their seats, not sure what to make of Huang Yuming’s sudden boldness. He had clearly given up on appeasing anyone. But was he really crazy, or was there something more to his defiance?
“Huang Yuming, are you out of your mind?” one of the older bosses finally spoke, his voice low with a mix of concern and disbelief. “You’re pushing it too far. Even if you think you can take down Hei Long, he’s not the kind of guy who just lets things slide. You’re walking a very fine line.”
But Huang Yuming didn’t even flinch. He simply puffed on his cigarette, his eyes narrowing with calculation. “I’ve made my decision,” he said, exhaling the smoke slowly. “Do what you want. But don’t come crawling back to me later, begging for a piece of my business once I’ve dealt with him.”
The other bosses exchanged looks, the room charged with an unspoken question: What did Huang Yuming know that they didn’t? The answer was uncertain, but they could sense that the balance of power was shifting in a way none of them had anticipated.
Suddenly, one of the younger gang leaders, who had been silent up until this point, leaned forward. “Huang Yuming, you’re playing with fire. If you think you can handle the fallout from offending Hei Long like this, you’re mistaken. You might have money and influence, but you won’t survive this alone. We’re just offering a lifeline here—”
“Enough,” Huang Yuming cut him off sharply, his voice like ice. “You all talk as if I need your help. Let me tell you something. The worm you’re all so scared of?” He let out a cold laugh. “He’s already finished. And if any of you want to line up behind him, be my guest. But mark my words—if you’re not with me, you’re against me.”
There was a long pause as the tension in the room thickened. The gang bosses looked at each other, trying to gauge whether Huang Yuming was bluffing, or if he really had something up his sleeve.
The younger boss who had spoken earlier appeared to struggle with the decision. “You’re seriously going to face Hei Long’s wrath alone, then?” he asked, almost incredulous.
Huang Yuming’s expression hardened, and he crushed his cigarette into the ashtray. “If anyone wants to follow Hei Long, you can leave now. But if you’re smart enough to see the bigger picture, you’ll stay. Because after all this blows over, I’ll still be standing, and you’ll all be begging for a chance to work with me.”
For a moment, the room was silent. Huang Yuming’s challenge was clear: stand with him, or get left behind. Slowly, one by one, the bosses began to exchange glances, some looking nervous, others unsure whether to risk aligning with him.
The younger boss who had tried to reason with Huang Yuming stood up. “Fine. You’ve made your choice. We’ll see how far you get with it.”
The tension was still thick, but some of the gang leaders began to file out of the room, their resolve wavering. Not everyone was convinced, but there was enough doubt now, enough unease, to shift the balance of power.
Huang Yuming leaned back in his chair, unbothered by the exit of the others. His mind was elsewhere, his eyes calculating, plotting the next move in the game he had just set into motion. He was playing a dangerous game, but he was confident he knew the stakes better than anyone in the room.
As the last of the bosses left, Huang Yuming allowed himself a small smile. The ball was in his court now. And if Hei Long didn’t understand that yet, he would soon enough.
