Chapter 127: Mere Clay Chickens and Pottery Dogs

Lu Ming smiled upon hearing this and said, "They are nothing but a ragtag bunch of hoodlums; what is there to fear?"

"Mr. Lu, please be cautious. It is said that this Zhao Huang has blood on his hands and is a ruthless, vicious man. It would be best if we did not offend him lightly," Qin Yuanjiu said earnestly.

The other store managers, clearly aware of Zhao Huang’s reputation, all wore expressions of deep concern.

Lu Ming scanned the group and spoke slowly.

"Wherever Jiamei stands, it will not bow to any force. Remember my words: let this Zhao Huang come to find me. I will be staying here for the next few days."

With that, Lu Ming stood up and returned to his room with A-Duo, leaving Qin Yuanjiu and the others to exchange uneasy glances.

Jiamei was something he had built with his own hands; he would never allow such a situation to exist. Therefore, the moment he heard about the trouble, he decided without hesitation to stay and resolve the matter before returning.

After Lu Ming left, Qin Yuanjiu and the dozen or so store managers looked at one another, at a loss as to how to handle the situation.

A moment later, Qin Yuanjiu said, "I believe we should report this to President Huo. What do you all think?"

"Yes, that is the right thing to do."

"I agree. This is too significant a matter to be taken lightly."

"Indeed, that makes sense."

They all unanimously agreed that they should report to President Huo. In their view, no matter how capable Mr. Lu might be, he was still an outsider. Although President Huo had instructed them to follow his wishes, this had escalated beyond a trivial matter and now directly affected the future of Jiamei in the Sichuan region. They had to be careful.

Seeing that everyone was in agreement, Qin Yuanjiu took out his phone and called Huo Yutong. A moment later, the call connected, and after a brief exchange, he hung up.

"What did President Huo say?" the store managers asked anxiously, staring at him. After all, their safety and futures were at stake.

Qin Yuanjiu’s face went pale, and he said powerlessly, "President Huo said to follow Mr. Lu's arrangements in everything."

"What?"

"Such a big matter, just handed over to an outsider to handle?"

"Zhao Huang is a ruthless man. If this goes wrong, we could all suffer. What has gotten into President Huo?"

The group burst into a flurry of worried discussion. After a while, Qin Yuanjiu raised his voice: "Enough, stop arguing. Since President Huo has made her decision, we shall follow it."

The others lowered their heads in resignation. President Huo was the highest authority at Jiamei; her decision was final, and there was nothing they could do.

Qin Yuanjiu then took out his phone and said, "Since President Huo has decided and Mr. Lu is so insistent, I will inform Zhao Huang's men exactly as it is."

Resentment had begun to build in Qin Yuanjiu’s heart. He felt that the decisions made by Huo Yutong and Lu Ming were not only reckless but showed no regard for their safety. He decided to shift the responsibility squarely onto Lu Ming.

He dialed a number, and it was answered shortly after.

"I apologize, but our Mr. Lu has stated that Jiamei does not intend to pay this money anymore."

"Damn it, are you looking to die? And who the hell is this guy named Lu?" a furious voice roared from the other end.

Qin Yuanjiu said in a deep voice, "Mr. Lu is a distinguished guest of our President Huo. He said that if you are not satisfied, you can come and find him."

"Good, kid. Tell me where he is. Once I’m done with him, I’ll deal with you lot one by one."

Qin Yuanjiu frowned and replied, "He is in Room 508 of the Jia Tianxia Hotel. You can come find him anytime."

"Good. Just you wait." With that, the caller hung up.

Qin Yuanjiu sighed and sat down.

"What did they say?" the others asked hastily.

"What else could they say? They said once they finish off that man named Lu, they’ll come for us next," Qin Yuanjiu said with a grimace.

"What do we do now?"

Everyone looked distressed. Zhao Huang’s notoriety was well-known, and they were in no position to provoke him—nor could they hide, unless they quit their jobs. However, Jiamei offered excellent benefits, and they were reluctant to lose their positions.

After a long while, Qin Yuanjiu spoke up. "We can't just go on like this. Let's go to Mr. Lu’s room. If things get sticky, I happen to be somewhat acquainted with this Bai Kun. Perhaps I can put in a good word and find a turning point."

Everyone nodded in agreement. This Bai Kun was one of Zhao Huang’s subordinates, responsible for collecting extortion money, and Qin Yuanjiu had dealt with him a few times before. If Lu Ming couldn't handle the situation or caused even greater trouble, Qin Yuanjiu could step in, mediate, and then ask President Huo to reconsider, which might lead to a perfect resolution.

With the group in tow, Qin Yuanjiu headed toward Lu Ming’s room. Upon reaching the fifth floor, he knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Following Lu Ming’s voice, Qin Yuanjiu pushed the door open, followed by the others.

Seeing them, Lu Ming smiled. "It seems you are all still uneasy. Please, have a seat."

Lu Ming’s room was a business suite with a large living area, easily accommodating the dozen people. At Qin Yuanjiu’s gesture, they sat at the conference table on one side of the room, while Qin Yuanjiu sat next to Lu Ming. A-Duo immediately began brewing tea for them.

Once seated, Qin Yuanjiu said to Lu Ming, "Mr. Lu, it is not that we don't trust you, but everyone is afraid you might run into trouble. We thought it best to be here to provide support."

Lu Ming smiled. "Thank you all for your kind intentions." He understood they were simply worried he couldn't handle the situation, and he held no grudge against them for it.

"That Bai Kun said he would be here shortly. Do you think we need to make any preparations?" Qin Yuanjiu reminded him well-meaningly.

"To deal with a ragtag bunch? What preparations could possibly be needed?" Lu Ming said indifferently while watching the television.

Qin Yuanjiu and the others felt a sense of helplessness. Zhao Huang was a vicious man, and his subordinate Bai Kun was someone who walked with arrogance even in the capital; they were not people to be trifled with.

Just as Qin Yuanjiu was about to try and persuade him again, several men entered the room. The leader was a tall, burly man with a shaved head and a fierce expression, rolling two steel balls larger than walnuts in his hand, which made a clicking sound. He was followed by three others, all looking equally menacing, their eyes scanning the room like hawks.

Upon seeing the man, Qin Yuanjiu’s face turned white. He stood up and said, "Master Huang is here."

Zhao Huang glanced at him but ignored him entirely, asking, "Which one is the kid named Lu?"

As he spoke, he walked up to Lu Ming. Behind him, Bai Kun pulled up a chair and placed it opposite Lu Ming, saying, "Please have a seat, Master Huang."

Zhao Huang sat down with a heavy, imposing air, his eyes fixed on Lu Ming with a piercing glare.

Lu Ming smiled. "Since you already know it is me, why bother asking?"

Zhao Huang let out a loud laugh that made the entire room tremble. "So you’re the kid who said Jiamei wouldn't be paying any more protection money?"

"That is correct."

"Good kid. You've got guts."

Lu Ming looked at Zhao Huang coldly. "I advise you not to target Jiamei in the future, lest you bring about your own destruction."

"Hahahaha!"

Zhao Huang’s wild laughter echoed through the room. The sound carried a burst of internal energy that left everyone’s ears ringing; Qin Yuanjiu and his group were terrified. The sheer force of his laughter made their blood churn and their chests feel tight—it seemed the rumors about him were true.

"Someone! Break his legs, smash every tooth in his mouth, and rip out his tongue. Let’s see if he can still be so arrogant then."

The room fell into shock at Zhao Huang’s words. The legends were true; he was indeed incredibly brutal. It was no wonder no one in the capital dared to cross him. As the order was given, the three men behind him began to move toward Lu Ming.

Seeing this, Qin Yuanjiu hurriedly spoke up, "Master Huang, this can be discussed. Let's not resort to violence!"