To Love You Again

While Linfeng was leading the way with Mr. Finch, his eyes were talking to Xiong Zhi.

Linfeng: I'll be just quick.

Xiong Zhi subtly smiled at him. Her eyes gave a reply.

Xiong Zhi: I understand. Go, seal the deal.

Linfeng smiled at her. He appreciated her cheering for him. But then he remembered the bug.

Even that bug flew away, who knows when 'it' would return?

Linfeng gave her one meaningful glance: Stay away from that bug. His virus is contagious.

Xiong Zhi did not understand that last glance. But she still nodded with a smile.

Xiong Zhi: I will take care. Remember, no talking to ladies alone. Good luck.

Linfeng gave her a subtle wink before he turned to the corner.

Linfeng: See you later, my love.

Xiong Zhi chuckled. She covered her smiling lips.

Ah, people would wonder if they saw her smiling alone like a fool.

Xiong Zhi took a glass of wine from the server. Her lips still contained a smile.

****

Linfeng went to a more secluded place with Mr. Finch. His smile was more sincere this time after having those sweet exchanges of glances with his Zhi'er.

Mr. Finch just ignored the sweet exchanged of the two. He would just pretend he was blind. After all, it wasn't his business to ask the young man about his woman, even they were interesting to watch.

On the way, many people came forward to greet and congratulate the young man, some also hinting their intentions for cooperation.

Linfeng politely greeted them back and retreated with ease. He was with Mr. Finch, and he would not let this big fish go for other fishes.

Inside an open lounge with fewer people, the pair took a seat.

Mr. Finch sipped from his wine cup elegantly. Finally, the two were alone.

Linfeng smiled politely at the older man, "Sorry for making you wait."

"No offense taken. You are the protagonist of this night, naturally, people will come to greet you. I am pleased that you gave me some of your time tonight."

"Mr. Finch is surely modest. How can I not accept your invitation? VIKINGS has a great reputation and influence. Jumping onto your boat is an opportunity one must not let go."

Mr. Finch smiled at Linfeng's compliment.

Who did not want to be complimented by a capable young King?

"Mr. Linfeng has good eyes. I have heard about you. It's amazing how you, from a butler family, managed to stand up against one of the legendary families in Asia. This feat is already amazing enough. And not to mention, you're already managing SC from a young age with your own earned funds. Who will not want a capable person in their team?"

Linfeng's smile faltered. But he recovered quickly. His eyes turned sharper as he looked at the old man.

Mr. Finch had clearly investigated his background, from his life as a butler, the dissolution of the treaty with the Xiong family, and to the growth of SC Company. Apparently, Mr. Finch attended this event knowing that he, Zhou Linfeng, would be introduced. 

Linfeng: …This person's means and resources are deep.

He quietly raised his guard up against Mr. Finch.

For this exemplary person to especially come out of his way and investigate him, he must have a purpose in mind.

But what for?

It could be that this person was truly interested in ZD World and was serious about getting the person behind this project on his side.

There was also a doubt that perhaps, the man had unhealthy interior motives.

Reality had long proved that any pie falling from the sky had a reason why it landed onto one's head.

Not showing anything on his face, Linfeng smiled again.

"Mr. Finch's resources are far and wide. With my current achievements, I'm nothing worth mentioning compared to you."

Mr. Finch's eyes curved up.

"That's not true. When I was your age, I'm not half as capable as you. I'm pretty sure, when you reach my age, you'll probably have the world in your hands."

Linfeng shook his head.

There was no way of knowing how the future would go. However, he would do his utmost to ensure that no one would be able to destroy it for him, and for her.

"Mr. Finch thinks too highly of me. I am honored." 

A group of people passed by and looked at them. 

Linfeng and Mr. Finch nodded back in greeting and smiled, before continuing with their conversation.

The guests knew then that the pair was not done with their talk yet. They distanced themselves, but still stayed around and glanced from time to time. They were looking for a chance to join the two men's discussion after their private talk. This was Mr. Finch and the newly appointed King after all.

"I don't want to occupy a lot of your time so I will be direct. VIKINGS Group wants you," Mr. Finch suddenly threw a straight ball.

Linfeng's face remained the same, but his fingers holding the wine cup stiffened.

'Me? Not SC?'

Mr. Finch saw the subtle confusion in his eyes.

He took another sip while looking around discreetly. In a very low voice, he whispered, "I've been in the industry for a long time. Success always needs some means to stay on top, and one will need many options and network to know their battlefield more. It happens that in my endeavor, I managed to have connections… down there." He pointed down.

Linfeng understood instantly.

'Underworld.'

A taboo word in the society, but also a means of security in the business industry.

Every successful man on top of the ranks would have some connections underground to some extent.

They had to know the current happenings, whether it be black or white, especially if there were undercurrent movements that could affect or target them.

Linfeng knew this principle, so he had formed his own connections in this darker area of the society, too.

But it could not compare to Mr. Finch's, the man who owned VIKINGS Group.

As the man who had expanded his influence in most parts of the world, especially in turbulent areas of Russia, Mr. Finch would naturally have some connections in the underworld as well. But this kind of network was usually left untold, because it danced on the thin line separating law from unlawful.

Also… what did this have to do with wanting Linfeng alone instead of cooperating with SC Company, a more credible partner with tangible achievements?

The mature and charming man in his later years glanced meaningfully at Linfeng.

"As you know, we long extended our scope in Russia for a long while now. We're doing really great in the circles below. However, recently, there's a certain Lord who is intent in expanding his territory."

Another sudden turn.

Linfeng silently listened.

His expression was still the same, as if they were only talking about a simple business proposal, but inside, his mind was running fast.

Mr. Finch said that they were doing great in the underworld.

For someone of his stature to say it, coupled with the meaningful connotation he was obviously implying, he either belonged to a big group in the underworld, or he was a Lord himself.

With Mr. Finch's status and power, he likely fell on the latter.

Linfeng took a sip.

How surprising.

The Lords underground either had their identity deeply hidden, or had their name plastered all over the underworld for deterrence. It was a show of power of how mysterious they were that no one was able to crack their identity or how someone could not touch them even their face and name was exposed.

However, only few fell on the latter category.

There was only four Lords in the underworld who exposed their names. Those were the people who was confident that they would not be touched even by the government.

They were the truly powerful people.

However, a question still needed to be answered.

Why was Mr. Finch telling him such a sensitive piece of information? Furthermore, exposing this deep precious secret?

"When that Lord was expanding in the North, I did not stop him and minded my own business. However, his movements recently are quite disturbing. He is also expanding in the South, pushing his roots deeply in Asia while uprooting others in the process."

Mr. Finch's eyes were dark.

"I've been in this battlefield for too long. I know clearly that someone is setting up schemes in the dark, but I don't know what his exact plan is. Is he coveting the overall of Asia's underworld, and wants to unite them all under his banner? Or is he wanting to launch an economic war?"

Linfeng's hand stilled.

He looked up and stared at the man before him, his eyes sharp.

What was Mr. Finch talking about?

An economic war?

Although Linfeng had no idea why Mr. Finch arrived to these assumptions, he knew that the man was not someone who talked nonsense.

His instincts lately had been bothering him.

Now, the sense of urgency had truly become clearer and more palpable.

He himself did not understand why.