Free Web NovelUsing barbarians to control barbarians.
You catch an enemy with another enemy.
That was the strategy I built this time.
Make the Princeling Faction and the Shanghai Clique keep each other in check.
That alone would reduce the pressure Hu Jintao was under.
In the last file I handed over, there was a front-page article scheduled to appear tomorrow in the newspapers owned by Murdoch.
[The suspicious money of Wanda Group.]
[The source of Chairman Wang Jianlin’s black funds.]
[Wanda Group’s shadowy ties to the Chinese mafia.]
There were more, including several planned feature articles tracing various allegations and money trails connected to Chairman Wang Jianlin.
“...This is going to be printed tomorrow in American and British newspapers?”
Zhou Yongkang’s buttonhole-sized eyes widened as if they were tearing open.
He couldn’t pull his gaze away from the document listing the article titles scheduled for release tomorrow.
“How about it? Can you move President Jiang Zemin now?”
“No matter what, this is...”
I frowned at Zhou Yongkang still hesitating.
“Then look at the last page. That’s where you’ll find the reason you need to risk your life to do this.”
At my words, Zhou Yongkang turned to the last page.
And both panic and fury appeared on his face at the same time.
“If you refuse my proposal, tomorrow’s front page will be replaced with that.”
The final page was full of titles listing allegations about Zhou Yongkang himself.
“What are you trying to pull?”
“I came to you because I wanted to talk. I’m giving you a chance. But if you refuse, then I can’t help it. I can’t deal with both you and Wang Jianlin at the same time.”
“...Why are you doing this? You don’t need to go this far, do you?”
With trembling hands, Zhou Yongkang lowered the file and spoke in a hollow voice.
“I consider anyone who covets what’s mine an enemy. But there’s one thing I forgive even less than that. Anyone who threatens my family, my friends, or the people around me—I crush them completely. And this time, someone who covets what’s mine and someone who threatens my family appeared at the same time. So I simply decided to deal with the easier target first.”
I lifted the liquor bottle and held it out to him.
Zhou Yongkang, still stunned, held out his glass, and as I poured into his empty cup, I said:
“Don’t think I’m talking to you because I’m scared of you, or afraid of fighting you. I’m barely holding myself back from tearing you apart right here. I’m not a patient man. Don’t test me again.”
Liquor overflowed from the glass, dripping heavily onto the floor.
I didn’t stop pouring.
“Liu Han of Hanlong Group is also connected to this matter. And I already know about your relationship with him.”
“...”
“I like conversations. But conversations are for people. Beasts who don’t understand words only end up beaten to death. So what will you do?”
The bottle of Maotai was empty before long.
I set the empty bottle down and stared at Zhou Yongkang with a cold gaze.
“Will you take the hand I’m offering? Or will you become my enemy and fight me?”
Now that I had leverage on him, Zhou Yongkang had no choice but to take my hand.
“If you’re going to take it, drink the cup. If not, flip it over.”
I opened a new bottle and poured my own glass.
With the cup in hand, I quietly watched him.
“Choose.”
I raised my own glass and drained it in one go.
Even after I set my cup down, he was still hesitating.
He was debating whether to hand me his leash, or use his remaining authority to pressure me.
There was no point speaking further. The decision was his.
Well, if he still didn’t understand after all this polite explanation, I’d simply use another method.
Zhou Yongkang finally made up his mind and downed his drink in one motion.
“This time, I’ll yield.”
I let out a short, incredulous laugh. Even now, he was desperately trying to protect his pride.
Fine. That wasn’t what mattered. That could be corrected later.
“You’ll need to do it properly. Hu Jintao’s Communist Youth League won’t defend the Princelings and will simply watch. Of course, they won’t support the Shanghai Clique either. That alone is enough to ensure Jiang Zemin will have no problem moving.”
“But President Jiang Zemin is practically Bo Xilai’s patron. How do we persuade him...?”
I answered Zhou Yongkang’s hesitation firmly.
“We’re not removing Bo Xilai. The target is Wanda Group and Wang Jianlin. But if Bo Xilai refuses to release his grip on him, then we can publish a feature story on the relationship between him and Wang Jianlin. Jiang Zemin won’t be able to protect him anymore.”
In truth, the relationship between Jiang Zemin and Bo Xilai was complicated.
Bo Xilai’s father, Bo Yibo, was one of the Eight Elders of the Communist Party.
Bo Yibo had backed Jiang Zemin and had helped him immensely in securing power.
And because of that, Jiang Zemin had supported Bo Xilai as he built his political influence.
“Take that and go see Bo Xilai. Tell him: Tomorrow, American and British media will publish these. And according to information obtained through the Ministry of State Security, an article about Bo Xilai himself is being prepared as well. Before things get bigger, he needs to set an example and strike hard.”
If Bo Xilai sensed the sparks were heading toward him, he’d be the first to cut Wang Jianlin loose.
“Understood. I’ll arrange a meeting with Bo Xilai immediately.”
“It’s already late. Can you meet him?”
“For something like this, he’ll get up even if he’s asleep.”
Well, that was true. I nodded.
“Can we kill Wang Jianlin?”
“No one can do that. The best we can do is seize his assets and make him spend his life in prison.”
I briefly recalled the history I knew.
Bo Xilai himself eventually received life imprisonment for corruption and didn’t die.
So that really was the limit here.
“All right. Then handle Wang Jianlin that way. And Liu Lifeng, the vice chairman under him—hand him over to me.”
“By hand over, you mean...?”
“Whatever I do to him—boil him, roast him, whatever—don’t concern yourself. Just finish the investigation and then send him to me.”
Zhou Yongkang hesitated.
“Or do you want to hand over Chairman Liu Han?”
“Liu Lifeng isn’t part of the Princelings, so there won’t be much trouble. And Wang Jianlin is about to lose his own head, so he’ll abandon that man.”
At the mention of handing over Liu Han—someone tied directly to him—Zhou Yongkang reacted immediately.
I smirked at that.
“Good. Then it’s settled. And manage Liu Han properly. Tell him to stick to his business and stop poking around in places he shouldn’t. By the way, did you know? Liu Han has been involved in extortion, kidnapping, and murder.”
“...This is news to me.”
Yeah, right.
If he knew, he was an accomplice; if he didn’t, he was incompetent.
And incompetence absolutely wasn’t something Zhou Yongkang was guilty of.
Even with Jiang Zemin’s protection, he never would’ve risen this high if he lacked ability.
“If he crosses my line one more time, I won’t let it go.”
“...I’ll relay that.”
“Then let’s have one last drink and call it a night. You’re going to be busy starting today.”
After filling each other’s cups, we finished the final drink.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“Oh, and—”
I reached into my inner pocket and pulled out a small memo and a business card.
“What’s this...?”
“I figured it would be a shame to give only Wanda Group. Contact Naspers and tell them to invest in these. You’ll earn more than ten times your investment within one to two years. These are Chinese companies preparing for IPOs on Nasdaq and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.”
“Thank you. This will make persuading President Jiang Zemin much easier.”
Zhou Yongkang unfolded the memo.
It listed Chinese companies scheduled to go public soon.
“Then I’ll be going. I’ll contact you once things progress.”
“Use the number on that card. It connects directly to me.”
Zhou Yongkang left first.
I watched the door he exited through and smiled coldly.
* * *
After leaving the bar, Zhou Yongkang immediately called Bo Xilai.
— Minister of Public Security, what brings you to call at this hour?
“Bo Xilai. Come out and meet me right now.”
— Right now? It’s rather late...
It was nearly midnight.
But Zhou Yongkang didn’t care and continued speaking.
“It’s urgent. I’ll go straight to your home. You’re in Beijing now, right?”
— Yes, I’m in Beijing.
“I’ll arrive in thirty minutes.”
— Understood. I’ll prepare to receive you.
After hanging up, Zhou Yongkang turned to his secretary, who was driving.
“Prepare every document on Wanda Group. I want them on my desk first thing tomorrow.”
“Only Wanda Group?”
“Yes. Wanda Group, Chairman Wang Jianlin, and Liu Lifeng. Gather everything from the Ministry of Public Security and also from the Ministry of State Security. All of it.”
The Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of State Security were in the same building.
In Korean terms, it was like the police and the national intelligence service sharing one building.
The secretary, aware of the delicate relationship between closely placed but mutually wary institutions, hesitated.
“The Ministry of State Security isn’t something I can access.”
“Then I’ll call them myself. I’ll tell them to hand everything over to you.”
Zhou Yongkang dialed the head of the Ministry of State Security.
— Zhou Yongkang. Why are you calling at this hour?
“Xu Yongyue. I need a favor.”
— A favor? From me?
“...”
Unlike Zhou Yongkang, who belonged to the Shanghai Clique, Xu Yongyue was close to Hu Jintao.
Meaning, they were rivals.
With a sigh, Zhou Yongkang said:
“Hand over the material the Ministry of State Security has on Wanda Group and Chairman Wang Jianlin.”
— What? What is this... Don’t tell me you—
“Don’t ask. Just help me. I’ll help you later in return. Can you do that?”
— ...Fine. Understood.
Zhou Yongkang ended the call.
Staring down at his phone, he ground his teeth.
“Damn it. Having to beg that bastard too?! Damn! Damn!”
Unable to contain his rising anger, he slammed his hand repeatedly on the passenger seat.
* * *
A little later.
The door opened and Hao Xun entered.
“Did the conversation end well?”
I nodded.
“This is a good place. Security is airtight. It was a nice experience.”
“My apologies. Those are simply the rules of this establishment.”
“Haha, I’m not complaining. Creating a place like this, and having the senior leadership of the Communist Party accept it—that itself speaks to the Vice Leader’s abilities.”
Hao Xun definitely had talent.
Too capable to be confined to the shadows.
“In any case, tell them to bring a fresh table. Zhou Yongkang—he really lacked manners.”
Bowing slightly, Hao Xun pressed the bell to summon the staff.
“Bring in a new table setting.”
“Oh, and let’s switch to whiskey. Maotai just isn’t my ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) taste.”
“Understood. I’ll have them bring in the newly arrived bottles.”
Until the staff returned with the new setup, we chatted.
“Is everything sorted out in Guangzhou?” freewёbnoνel.com
“Yes. We took over all of 14K’s businesses, and we also took care of everyone directly involved in this incident. We packed them nicely and tossed them into a pig farm. The pigs must be eating well right now.”
He said horrifying things as casually as breathing.
Well, that was China for you. I smiled and asked:
“No loose ends?”
“None. Cleanly handled.”
“As expected, the Vice Leader really knows how to clean up.”
Soon the new table arrived.
Hao Xun opened a bottle and poured me a drink.
“You don’t have to pour for me.”
“Still... Then just the first glass.”
I drank the glass he poured and extended mine toward him.
“In China, offering a drink like this isn’t considered etiquette, right? But in Korea, if you receive one cup, you return one. So take it.”
In China, passing your cup was considered improper, as far as I knew.
Hao Xun didn’t mind and accepted my glass.
He filled the empty cup and asked:
“Vice Leader, how did you end up in the triads? You don’t seem like someone who started out a gangster.”
After drinking the cup I had poured for him, he handed the glass back. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
“It’s a bit of a long story.”
“I’ve got plenty of time today. Let’s drink and hear your story.”
The drinking session stretched on endlessly.
I listened to Hao Xun’s story while tilting back my glass.
