Chapter 158: Internal Strife

Xie Tianhua was curious to meet this Zhang Rui. He wanted to see what kind of person could leave someone like Hei Zi completely helpless. After all, Hei Zi was no pushover; he was considered a tough character in the underworld of the Bohai District.

"Exactly! Didn't I tell you? I wouldn't last ten moves against him."

Tian Xing was determined to recruit Zhang Rui to Tianhua Company. If he could partner with Zhang Rui, he could easily remove the thorn in his side, Zou Dian. Having that man constantly hovering around was an eyesore, but Tian Xing lacked the influence to take him down on his own. He had to be cautious in everything he did. Brother Hua, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the rivalry between them; as long as they were competing for his favor, they would both strive to impress him, and Xie Tianhua would ultimately be the one to benefit.

"Is he really that capable? Set up a meeting for me; tell him I want to see him."

Xie Tianhua’s enduring success in Bohai stemmed from his keen eye for talent. Whenever he identified someone with potential, he would find a way to bring them into his fold. It was a double victory: gaining a skilled subordinate while eliminating a potential future enemy. It was a win-win.

"Understood."

Tian Xing beamed, shooting a side-glance at Zou Dian before remarking, "Zou Dian, why are you bringing an animal out with you? Did you stop raising dogs and switch to livestock?"

As he spoke, Tian Xing gestured toward the chubby man trailing behind Zou Dian. The man shrank back into the crowd, too terrified to show his face.

Zou Dian sneered. "I’m not trying to lecture you, Tian Xing, but you’re supposedly Hei Zi’s brother. He got beaten up by this Zhang Rui, and you didn't even lift a finger? Is this how we respond when someone from Tianhua Company gets hit? Doesn't that make Brother Hua look bad? How is Hei Zi supposed to keep working at the Money Box after this?"

Zou Dian loved playing this game—flattering Brother Hua while forcing him to turn his attention toward Tian Xing. For years, their bickering had followed this exact rhythm.

"Enough! You two argue the moment you see each other. Do you even look like leaders? No wonder the subordinates are a mess—the problem starts with you two!"

Xie Tianhua barked, then added, "A duel is about fairness. If you lose, blame your own lack of skill. Holding a grudge afterward is pathetic."

Hearing this, Zou Dian’s blood boiled. *This Brother Hua is biased again,* he thought. *Fairness in a fight? What year is this? That's nonsense. You do whatever it takes to put the other guy down. Why bother with such useless sentiments?*

However, Zou Dian dared not talk back, especially in front of their men. Challenging the boss was a major taboo, and arrogant as he was, Zou Dian wasn't foolish enough to invite a beating.

"But," Xie Tianhua continued, "if a brother is bullied and you do nothing, it will only chill the hearts of your men."

Xie Tianhua’s words always covered both sides of an argument. He had to have the final say; no matter how others defended themselves, he would label them as extreme or wrong. Only his perspective was the absolute truth.

"Brother Hua is right. I’ll talk to Zhang Rui and straighten him out," Tian Xing said earnestly. "If that doesn't work, I’ll just dock his pay from the project."

"How you handle it is your business."

Brother Hua pulled a stack of cash from his clutch and tossed it to Hei Zi. "Take this, buy some supplements, and recover. Working the night shift at the bar is tiring enough; use this chance to rest up. I’ll be waiting for your return."

Hei Zi, moved to tears, tried to push himself up on his arms, but Brother Hua pressed him back down. "Forget the formalities! I’m leaving. Get well. Brother Shuangfei from Longju County invited me over, so I’m going to pay him a visit."

"Brother Hua, let me come with you? That Shuangfei doesn't look like a good guy. What if he’s setting a trap?"

Tian Xing had heard stories about this Brother Shuangfei from Hei Zi—a man with immense power and a peculiar habit of only sleeping with twins, or at least two women at once. He was incredibly wealthy, with assets in the billions.

"It’s fine. Won’t Jing Kang be there? Shuangfei asked me to meet him and have a chat. My sworn brother is someone who can make the entire county shake with a single stomp. I doubt little Shuangfei would dare pull any tricks."

Xie Tianhua wanted to reach this Brother Shuangfei in hopes of establishing a connection with the Longsheng Group behind him. As his company diversified into new industries, he would need significant capital. Without a strong financial backer, it would be difficult to proceed.

"Let me go with you, Brother Hua. I’m familiar with Longju, just in case..."

Zou Dian chimed in eagerly. "We aren't thugs who only think about fighting and killing. In this society, you win with your brain and focus on making money. We’re going there to build a profitable relationship, right, Brother Hua?"

Xie Tianhua chuckled, acknowledging that Zou Dian had hit the mark. "Fine. Zou Dian, you come with me. We leave now. I want to see my brother Jing Kang; it’s been a while."

The group quickly cleared the room. Tian Xing followed them to the end of the hallway before returning.

"What a piece of work," Tian Xing grumbled as he walked back in. "That suck-up Zou Dian... I don't know why Brother Hua likes such a sycophant."

As he entered the room, he stopped short—two people were already inside.

Hei Zi looked at him awkwardly. "Brother Xing, let’s not talk about that while we have guests."

"Damn! When did you get here? I was just in the hallway; how did I miss you?" Tian Xing asked, looking excitedly at Zhang Rui and Yang Jiaojiao.

"Oh, we took the stairs," Zhang Rui replied. He was worried about running into Xia Yu at the hospital. If these two women bumped into each other, a scene was inevitable.

"Is Yang Jiaojiao alright after last night?" Tian Xing asked, recalling how Zhang Rui had called him in a panic searching for her.

"Oh, she's fine. Her phone just died, which scared the family," Zhang Rui said, glossing over the details. The daughter of the deputy mayor was a sensitive subject; the less said, the better. For public figures like them, avoiding unnecessary trouble was paramount.

Jiaojiao opened her mouth but said nothing. She didn't understand why Zhang Rui lied, but she understood the importance of saving face for a man in front of others.

"How are you, Brother Hei? Are your wounds healing?" Zhang Rui asked, setting down a pile of supplements and fruit. He had come straight to the hospital after rescuing Jiaojiao. First, because he felt responsible for Hei Zi’s injuries; second, because Hei Zi was Tian Xing’s subordinate and a friend; and third, he was intrigued by the faint trace of the "Seven-Injury Fist" he sensed on Hei Zi, and he wanted to investigate it further.