The noise in the China Merchants Group's conference hall gradually subsided.

Zhao Guoyang stood on the stage, beaming: "The first phase of the auction for shops in Lanzhou Department Store has successfully concluded! Those who won the bids, please transfer a 20% deposit to the Merchants Bureau account within three days. The account number is 352XXXX."

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Of the 479 shops offered, 326 were sold—a result that would be enough to allow the city leaders to have an extra dish for dinner.

Secretary Liu might be able to use this opportunity to advance his position as a division-level official. Funing has just been promoted to a prefecture-level city and is in dire need of achievements; at this crucial juncture, nobody wants any scandals to jeopardize the overall situation. This is one of the reasons why Zhang Cheng is still able to roam freely in Funing.

As soon as the auction ended, the merchants swarmed around Zhang Da's head like cats smelling fish.

"Young man, I'm Zhang Hao from Nanlin City, I deal in seafood. Here's my business card!"

"What is your surname, sir? It's a pleasure to meet you!"

One business card after another was handed to him, making Zhang Da's head spin. He tried to remain calm, but his mind was buzzing, and all he could remember was nodding and bowing.

Zhao Guoyang clapped his hands and said in a loud voice, "Gentlemen, the Investment Promotion Bureau has prepared a simple meal. Why don't you take this opportunity to get to know each other better!"

Who would refuse such a good deal?

Zhang Da Nao was half-pushed and half-shuffled into the China Merchants Bureau's canteen. He felt that these bosses were all very approachable and down-to-earth.

"Mr. Zhang, judging from your accent, are you a local from Funing?"

“Yes, yes, born and raised here!” Zhang Da Nao grinned.

"Where did Boss Zhang make his fortune? We'll have to look out for you in the future!"

While they were socializing, Zhao Guoyang came over with a smile: "Boss Zhang, Vice Mayor Sun would like to see you."

"Huh? Oh!" Zhang Da stood up abruptly, his nerves, which had just relaxed, tensed up again, and he didn't know where to put his hands and feet.

He followed Zhao Guoyang to the table at the very back of the cafeteria.

Vice Mayor Sun sized him up and said to his tablemate with a smile, "Our Funing is truly full of hidden talents. This Mr. Zhang has bought fifty shops all by himself!"

Zhao Guoyang tugged at Zhang Da's head, which looked like a wooden stake: "Sit down, sit down and let's talk!"

"Hey, hey!" Zhang Da sat down with his back straight, looking just like a new recruit waiting for inspection.

Vice Mayor Sun naturally understood that this "Boss Zhang" was merely a pawn that Zhang Cheng had placed in the spotlight. A few words of mild encouragement cost nothing and made him appear approachable—why not?

More than an hour later, the dinner ended. Zhang Da Nao barely touched his chopsticks the whole time, his cheeks stiff from forcing a smile. Sitting at the same table as a high-ranking leader was incredibly stressful.

Outside the China Merchants Group, on the curb.

Yin Zhengguo spat out his cigarette butt and watched the merchants walk out in twos and threes. His gaze sharpened and locked onto Zhang Da's head in the crowd.

Before the Jiaxing police arrived in Funing, they naturally investigated everyone around Zhang Cheng thoroughly. This big-headed guy was Zhang Cheng's top henchman in charge of sourcing goods.

He didn't show up; Zhang Cheng definitely didn't come today.

Yin Zhengguo gave Xie Kan, who was standing in a corner not far away, a wink.

Xie Kan understood, stubbed out his cigarette, and hovered at Zhang Da's head at a distance.

Zhang Da Nao tugged at the deadly tie around his neck. Suits are really not for humans to wear; it's just asking for trouble.

Just as he was grumbling to himself, he suddenly saw Zhang Jianhao waving at him from a wonton stall by the roadside.

"You sure know how to enjoy yourself!" Zhang Da Nao chuckled as he ran over and plopped down. "Boss, give me a bowl too!"

"Okay!" the stall owner readily agreed.

Zhang Jianhao slurped down half a bowl of wontons, wiped his mouth, and asked, "Big Head Bro, is everything done?"

Zhang Da Nao grinned smugly: "Fifty shops, no more, no less, 535,000!"

Zhang Jianhao's lips twitched. Big-Headed Bro has really gotten cocky lately, talking about hundreds of thousands without batting an eye.

In fact, Zhang Da Nao himself had become numb. Before, he would casually ask for 10,000 or 15,000, treating money like paper.

"Sword Master, where's Er Gouzi?"

Zhang Jianhao shrugged: "I don't know. But Brother Gou instructed me that once you're done here, you should immediately go to Wenzhou to get the goods."

"Going again?" The stall owner just brought over some wontons. Zhang Da Tou took them, somewhat helplessly. "I just came back from Wenzhou the other day. Okay, I'll go to the station to buy a ticket after I finish eating."

"Okay." Zhang Jianhao nodded, stood up, and said, "Enjoy your meal, Big Head Bro, I'm leaving now."

"become!"

Zhang Jianhao grinned and strolled away, naturally paying for the wontons with Zhang Da Nao, thus getting a small advantage.

Xie Kan frowned, watching Zhang Jianhao's departing figure, and hesitated for a moment. The records showed that Zhang Da Nao was in charge of internal affairs, while Zhang Jianhao was Zhang Cheng's personal bodyguard.

He made up his mind and quickly followed Zhang Jianhao. As long as Zhang Cheng was in Funing, following this line was the right thing to do.

A few dozen meters away, there was a window seat in a noodle shop.

Zhang Cheng put down his half-eaten bowl of knife-cut noodles, watched Xie Kan follow Zhang Jianhao away, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

That's all the skill he has...

He finished his noodles in a few bites, paid, and headed to the wonton stall.

Zhang Da Nao was eating his second bowl when he felt someone sitting opposite him. He looked up and saw...

"Er Gouzi? What brings you here!"

Zhang Cheng smiled and said, "Go to the station and buy two tickets."

Why?

"secret."

Zhang Da Nao pursed his lips, not asking any further questions: "Want a bowl? This place has authentic wontons!"

"Didn't the China Merchants Group provide meals?"

“I’m under control,” Zhang Da said with a bitter face, “How could I dare to eat it…”

Zhang Cheng chuckled: "Then you can eat slowly, I'll be going now."

At the same time, at the Jiefang Street Police Station.

Zhao Zhengyong knocked on Zhong Te's office door, looking somewhat uneasy.

"Chief Zhong, I just received news that those guys in Jiaxing seem to have found Zhang Cheng's trail."

Zhong Te raised an eyebrow, recalling Secretary Liu's words, and snorted coldly: "What does it have to do with me?"

Zhao Zhengyong was taken aback, not expecting Zhong Te to react this way. He quickly moved closer and lowered his voice: "Chief Zhong, I heard that the people from Jiaxing are planning to make a move at the bus station... How about we go and see what's going on?"

Zhong Te's eyes suddenly lit up. Secretary Liu forbade him from touching Zhang Cheng, but he didn't say he couldn't watch the show. He couldn't just watch from afar without making a move himself; surely that wouldn't cause more trouble?

He sized up Zhao Zhengyong: "Where did you get all these rumors, kid? Are they accurate?"

Zhao Zhengyong felt a little uneasy under their gazes and coughed twice: "One of my younger brothers overheard those people from Jiaxing chatting at a noodle shop..."

“Alright, alright,” Zhong Te waved his hand to interrupt, he wasn’t interested in listening to this nonsense. “Go find a place with a good view near the bus station, we’ll go there in a bit.”

"Alright!" Zhao Zhengyong breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhong Te never imagined that his most trusted "lackey" had already been thoroughly tamed by Zhang Cheng with a few thousand yuan.

Two hours later, at the county guesthouse.

Xie Kan pushed open the door, his face beaming with barely suppressed excitement.

"Captain! We've caught Zhang Cheng red-handed!"