Manager Tian shook his head and said helplessly, "I've already contacted him, but he claimed his old injury had flared up and refused to come back no matter what. As for paying a high price to hire bodyguards, which of the skilled fighters in Shanghai isn't a member of the Green Gang? If those leaders are determined to stop us, we can't find any good fighters even if we pay a high price. We can't just bring back a few peasants to make up the numbers!"
Upon hearing this, Fu Yaozu's expression changed again. After hesitating for a long time, he finally made up his mind and said, "It seems that in the concession, we are being pushed around by everyone and have become like rats crossing the street. Now we can't even protect our lives. So I might as well swallow my pride and go to Jiangbei, leave the concession and go to the city. We will go and seek refuge with the Japanese. I am still useful to them, and they will not abandon me."
Having been pushed to this point, Fu Yaozu had no choice but to give up. However, when he picked up the phone and dialed the number he had previously used to contact Hasegawa Masaki, he quickly put the phone down with a strange expression on his face.
Manager Tian quickly asked, "What? Have the Japanese changed their minds?"
Fu Yaozu shook his head dejectedly and said softly, "They won't let me go to the city center. They want me to stay in the French Concession. What they want are the supplies in the French Concession. If I leave, I will be of no use to them."
"But we~"
"However, they said that someone would come to protect us soon and support us in continuing to acquire supplies!" Fu Yaozu's eyes darted around, and finally he looked at Manager Tian, saying in a surprised tone, "The Japanese actually bribed Lu Laosan, I really didn't expect that!"
Lu Laosan's real name is Lu Tianqiao. He is a senior figure in the Green Gang and one of its leaders. He once competed with Yue Sheng for the top position, but he was outmatched and had to withdraw. After Yue Sheng left Shanghai, Lu Tianqiao started to emerge and used all his skills to try to take over. During this time, he both attacked and won over Yue Sheng's old subordinates. He directly absorbed the weaker ones and spent a lot of money to win over the stronger ones. As a result, his power quickly expanded, and now he is the most powerful figure in the Green Gang. It seems that he is about to take over Yue Sheng's position.
Fu Yaozu could hardly believe that such a person had been won over by the Japanese. If that were the case, with the support of the Green Gang in the concession, he would have nothing to fear!
Manager Tian was also completely stunned by the news. When Yue Sheng was in charge, the Green Gang was determined to resist the Japanese. Their disciples sacrificed their lives for the country and were willing to go to the front lines to save the nation.
However, in just a few months, Lu Tianqiao was about to change his ways and sell himself to the Japanese. This change was too drastic and hard to accept. Even Fu Yaozu found it unbelievable.
However, the Japanese made it very clear that Lu Tianqiao would soon send people to protect his safety and provide support for him in future acquisitions. At that time, with the power of the Green Gang, who would dare to refuse to do business with him?
Fu Yaozu became more and more excited as he thought about it. Now that he had Lu Tianqiao backing him up, with the power of the Green Gang disciples, he could easily find the group that tried to assassinate him and solve the immediate problem. Otherwise, he would never dare to go out again.
Meanwhile, at the residence of Lu Tianqiao, a bigwig of the Green Gang in the French Concession, Lu Tianqiao was instructing his disciple Zhao Rong: "Take twenty men and go to Fu Yaozu's house. Protect this kid well. The Japanese want to protect him, but they can't reach into the concession, so we'll have to take action."
“Master, now everyone knows that Fu Yaozu has ties with the Japanese. If we make a move, we'll be putting ourselves in the open,” said Luo Zidong, another disciple, somewhat hesitantly. Luo Zidong was Lu Tianqiao’s most capable assistant and disciple, resourceful and meticulous, and Lu Tianqiao relied heavily on him.
Lu Tianqiao slapped the armrest of the chair, stood up, took a few steps around the room, and said thoughtfully, "I didn't want to make things clear so soon either. I originally thought I would wait until the overall situation within the gang was settled before saying anything, but the Japanese are pressing me hard, and I have no choice. After all, we've taken their benefits!"
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