Li sat by the table, he picked his cards. Lin cheered him up as he tried to play, the first round began between twelve players.
Zhao approached them slowly, he stood not too far away from Li. Li played and won a few rounds, he lost four. He walked out the moment he noticed his money raised to the amount of fifteen million yuan. He realized he had a taste and a win for gambling with the big boys. Lin couldn't be happier, she smiled at his big win.
Zhao stared at him impressed, he hid himself from the crowd and maintained his calm confidence from the shoulders. Li put his fifteen million yuan in his bag and walked far away from the table the moment he received ugly looks from the guests he played with.
They moved over to the strippers section and then he gave Lin some money to play with. She moved forward to lay the money on the girls. Zhao moved closer to him while he watched the strippers dance on the poles. "I guess the vanity took over your personality faster than I expected Li."
"Excuse me?" He turned around and he froze. "Good evening Zhao."
"Zhao? Wow. Someone's reached maximum confidence rate. What are you doing here Li? And that girl? Your bimbo?"
"That's my personal assistant and we are just here to have a little fun. Just to relax a little. Nothing serious."
Zhao stared at him calmly, "Nothing serious? You are here in a gambling facility and you have a lady partially nude. You have a lot of money made from the gambling table and of course you don't know what to do with it. You just made new enemies more than friends and then you have a glass of really expensive wine. Explain this to me."
"Why are you scolding? I'm an executive."
"Assistant to me, Zhao Ming. You don't even have a clan you belong to, why did you gamble? And you've not changed your apartment either, no protection of any sort. What if they come for you?"
"Fine. What clan would you like me to be a part of?" Li asked.
"You just sat with a mix of six clans. Which would you like?"
"A tough one."
Zhao asked, "Are you tough?"
"What?"
"You heard me clearly."
"Are you tough? Li Wei?"
"Yeah sure. I am."
"Unbelievable." He threw his hands in the air, Zhao sat on the chair. "Li? Sit."
Li sat on the chair. "Any other issues."
"Yeah sure. I've got some issues to tell, first I need you to get yourself and Lin to the real red party inside. Now. You'll meet the clan there. Come with me."
Lin walked over to them. "Good evening sir. I exhausted my money. Where are we going?" She smiled like she was half drunk. She sat close to Li. Li knew she didn't exhaust it. She lied.
Zhao couldn't contain his upset emotions, he walked off. Li followed him.
Lin followed Li side by side. They reached a door, it had four guards there, all were armed and alert. They recognized Zhao, "Good evening sir. And they with you?"
"Yes they are." He replied. They walked into the party. They noticed the lights were all red and majority of the crowd were drunk, Li noticed most of the persons were partially nude and he knew this party had to be illegal. He walked past a few tables, he noticed the smell of something off.
He knew hard drugs were present. He sat by Zhao and so did Lin. Lin could tell this wasn't the safest place to be in and she adjusted her dress a little. She stared at some persons like she knew them from somewhere. Maybe a Deja vu.
Zhao orders the drinks. The food followed. "Li there's something I need us to discuss. There's something else beside the contract we already signed. There's more work than needed and that's why I didn't want your bimbo assistant here but anyway she's here already and from the looks of things, she wouldn't want to be some where else."
Li replied, "Speak to me. She can move a little."
Zhao turned to her, "Lin give us space."
Lin moved to the bar. He turned back to Li. He asked, "Do you still have the money with you? The one from the envelope?"
"Yes I do."
"Bring the rest you already have. Give it all to me."
"Okay?" He dropped them on the palms of Zhao. Zhao dropped the money of the table.
"Li?"
"Yes?"
"Why didn't you spend all of it?"
"I didn't have time to get my apartment."
"Okay. Now take this money and put it in the bank. The moment you do that. Don't look back and walk out boldly. If you can pass this stage then we could think of putting you in the clan. Also try your best to spend lightly. Duty will call." Zhao said.
"Alright. Tomorrow morning."
"No. Tonight." Zhao replied.
"What? Why? How? No bankers around." Li said.
"Are you sure? How well do you know the Jade City?" Zhao took a glass of wine down his throat.
"Okay. I guess you know more. Show me. At least before Lin gets here."
Zhao dropped his glass and opened a bag. He placed a few documents on the table, Li could barely see through the red lights but he knew this wasn't a normal deal.
"Li? I need you to sign here and there. You'll be taking on the next mission for tomorrow."
"What's that?" Li asked.
"Have you heard of gold? Diamond? Maybe Jade? How about Money prints?"
"Yes I know them. All of them."
"Good. Now there's more to the story than it is. Have you ever seen fake gold? Money? Diamonds?"
"Yes." Li knew where this went, he didn't want it at all.
"Good. I brought a briefcase you'll need to move into the bank tomorrow. Slightly before 9am. Do that and then you can be a part of the clan."
"What other options do I have?"
"Be oppressed and be set at a short pace. You already have a set of men that wan my your fifteen million yuan. What else?"
Li stared at him quietly. Zhao asked, "What's it going to be?"
"I agree."
"Good. Sign in all the documents."
Li signed, Zhao bent lower and whispered to him, "I already booked a house for you. Give the remaining money on this table to Lin and let her take it instead. Go with the fifteen million. Win her over and try to use her politely. You have one ally now. That's the start of a clan." He sipped from his glass of whiskey and blew the smoke from his cigarette on Li.
"Li? Meet me outside. Take your house documents and give Lin the car. Take the new one I bought you. It's bigger." He said.
He gave Li a kiss on his cheek and then his lips. He withdrew his body to his former position.
Li looked up at him for a while and continued writing.
Lin walked back to the table and sat. "I don't like it there at all. Too many faces."
Zhao asked, "Lin? Would you like a drink?"
"Yes, thank you sir." Zhao extended to her a bottle of wine. She smiled at him calmly.
Zhao walked away.
Li turned to Lin, "Take the money on the table and walk straight to the car. That's your balance."
"Fifty thousand yuan for me? Thank you sir. You can call me anytime." She put the money in her bag after counting it. She walked out of the party.
Li took the documents and walked out last. He tipped the guards with a little amount and he walked off.