Lin Muyang wasn’t oblivious to the underlying meaning in Zhao Weixiang’s words.
Zhao Weixiang’s remarks were clearly insinuating that the so-called social elites of Bright Pearl City acted lawlessly and recklessly, turning the city into a chaotic mess and severely damaging its business environment.
This was something Lin Muyang understood all too well.
However, he believed the difficulty of doing business wasn’t due to those underworld figures but rather because his project had hit another dead end.
Last year, through a deal with Liu Yutong of the supermarket chain, he had secured a piece of land. He had originally thought that by packaging the redevelopment of the old western district into a financial investment product, he could make a hefty profit.
But as they say, the plan was ambitious, while reality was harsh.
The collateral-backed investment fund he launched simply wasn’t selling. Subscribers were few and far between, and instead, it was hemorrhaging money every month.
Left with no choice, he had to scramble for financing everywhere.
To put it bluntly, he was looking for people to pour money into his investment product—anyone who bought in would essentially become a stakeholder in his western district redevelopment project.
Unfortunately, everyone had politely turned him down.
Since the end of last year, it was as if all the wealthy individuals had conspired in advance to tighten their purse strings, refusing to part with their money easily.
This wasn’t entirely Lin Muyang’s fault. He had no idea that in just a few months, a global financial crisis would erupt, shaking the world.
While his western district redevelopment project sounded promising, the timing couldn’t have been worse.
Had he launched this fund next year, investors would have flocked to it.
But the problem was, he wouldn’t last that long before his scheme imploded.
Lin Muyang was inherently a bit arrogant, and his strained relationship with his father meant that even now, with his project in trouble, he never considered asking his father for help.
He wanted to succeed on his own merits.
It was this stubborn determination that gave Zhao Weixiang the perfect opening.
Zhao Weixiang was indeed a shrewd businessman.
In Bright Pearl City, aside from him, there wasn’t a second person whom Lin Muyang would willingly call “brother.”
When Zhao Weixiang learned of Lin Muyang’s financial troubles, he not only lent him a substantial sum but also actively tapped into his own network to help secure more funding.
Touched by Zhao Weixiang’s apparent generosity and convinced that he was a straightforward businessman untainted by shady dealings, Lin Muyang’s impression of him grew increasingly favorable.
Whenever the two met, their conversations revolved around business and brotherhood.
Zhao Weixiang never once asked Lin Muyang to leverage his father’s political connections or use his influence for personal gain.
This made Lin Muyang feel at ease—their relationship felt pure, uncomplicated.
Of course, Lin Muyang wasn’t a complete fool. He had tested Zhao Weixiang’s ambitions more than once.
And each time, Zhao Weixiang’s responses satisfied him.
The man would always emphasize how content he was with his current ventures, admitting he had no grand ambitions—just a desire to live comfortably in Bright Pearl City, make a modest income, and steer clear of underworld entanglements.
In short, Lin Muyang’s assessment of Zhao Weixiang could be summed up in one sentence: not greedy, not pretentious, fiercely loyal, and worth befriending deeply.
Another crucial point was that Lin Muyang found Zhao Weixiang easier to control than those power-hungry types who acted like they owned the world, stirring up trouble and refusing to listen.
Hearing Zhao Weixiang’s words, Lin Muyang pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. “Brother Zhao, you’re right. Bright Pearl City is too chaotic—too many voices, too much noise.”
“In that case, let’s start by silencing the loudest troublemakers!”
Initially, Lin Muyang had no intention of meddling in underworld affairs. He saw no need for it and wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Besides, his father had warned him repeatedly to keep his distance from those shady figures.
But now, whether it was Liu Yutong nearly falling victim to an assassination attempt or his own financial interests at stake, he felt compelled to step in and clean things up himself.
First, it would allow him to vent some anger on Liu Yutong’s behalf.
Second, only by taming those troublemakers could he secure smoother financing and keep his project moving forward.
Zhao Weixiang’s earlier remarks had made it clear—the investors he approached were hesitant to commit precisely because they feared Bright Pearl City lacked stability.
Seeing Lin Muyang’s reaction, Zhao Weixiang inwardly rejoiced. The hook was set. But outwardly, he continued playing the concerned advisor. “Young Master Lin, forgive my bluntness, but these waters run deeper and murkier than you think. Those who dare to make noise—do you think they don’t have powerful backers? If you move against them, you’ll stir up a hornet’s nest. The fallout might outweigh the gains.”
“What I’m saying is, maybe we should take our time? Let me redouble my efforts to secure your financing first. If that fails, then we can reconsider. No need to rush into action.”
His words sounded like genuine concern, but Lin Muyang was beyond listening.
Not only had those people gone too far, but he also couldn’t afford to wait any longer. His project couldn’t be stalled indefinitely—delay meant certain death.
“Brother Zhao, I can’t wait. If they want to set Bright Pearl City ablaze with chaos, then let them burn in it!”
“I’ll make sure they learn the consequences of crossing the line here!”
Lin Muyang poured himself a full glass of liquor, downed it in one gulp, then turned and strode out without another word.
Zhao Weixiang quickly stood, calling after his retreating figure, “Hey, Young Master Lin, don’t act rashly! Whatever you decide, I’ll stand by you. Just say the word, and I’ll move heaven and earth to help!”
Lin Muyang merely waved a dismissive hand behind him before vanishing through the door.
The office fell silent once more.
Zhao Weixiang remained standing, the feigned urgency and worry on his face melting away into eerie calm.
He adjusted his collar slightly, then poured himself a glass of red wine and walked to the window.
Outside, the glow of flames still flickered over East Harbor.
Zhao Weixiang took a sip, a smirk curling at the corner of his lips.
“Go on, Young Master Lin. Fan those flames higher. Let everything burn to ashes!”
“Once the dust settles, the underworld of Bright Pearl City will finally have its true master.”
Just as he was admiring the fiery spectacle, his phone rang.
He answered, exchanged a few terse instructions, then hung up.
His smile turned colder, edged with cruelty.
“Wang Shi, you useless pawn… At least you’ll serve one final purpose—dragging Young Master Lin into the abyss with you. A fitting end.”
Zhao Weixiang tipped his head back and drained the glass. Then, without a glance, he casually let it drop.
Crash!
The crystal wine glass shattered into countless pieces.
