Chapter 1013: Back Home!

After seeing Zhou Rui off, Li Yi fell deep in thought.

When Sang Chai and his group launched their attack, the authorities back home were already aware of the situation and took it very seriously.

After investigating the equity structures of the Xini Group, the Nanfei Group, and companies like Feilida and Dayang, the higher-ups realized this was no simple matter. The attack by these major conglomerates was far from just a few ordinary companies trying to make a profit.

What’s more, when these bastards struck, they had both the police department’s cooperation and triad organizations causing trouble behind the scenes—a two-pronged attack from both the underworld and the authorities, clearly intent on eliminating their target.

Their sudden alliance and declaration of war against Li Yi and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce clearly revealed that their true intentions lay elsewhere—it was a ploy to eliminate Li Yi, the vanguard of the movement.

Upon learning the truth of the matter, authorities in Beijing began to grow anxious.

After all, if those people’s schemes were to succeed, it would be a blow to China’s international reputation.

Consequently, upon receiving the news, the higher-ups sprang into action.

Not only did they instruct the foreign exchange department to raise funds for Starry Sky Company, but various secret agencies—including State Security—also sprang into action, doing everything in their power to ensure Li Yi’s safety and providing intelligence support to Zhang Ziqiang, Zhou Wen, and Shield Security.

Otherwise, relying solely on Yang Wenguang, Yan Guangming, and their team, it would be impossible to uproot organizations like the Yamaguchi-gumi and the Tiger Hall so easily.

Even so, the authorities in Beijing remained deeply concerned. After all, the enemy they were facing this time was no ordinary foe—not only were they immensely powerful, but there were also shadowy forces behind the scenes fanning the flames.

The outcome of the battle was still uncertain, so the Beijing authorities had made other preparations as well.

But what they never could have imagined was that Li Yi and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce would manage to turn the tide against all odds. Not only did they foil the schemes of Sangchai and his cohorts, but they also made a fortune in the process.

More importantly, through this major conflict, the higher-ups recognized the potential of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce… no, to be precise, they gained a whole new understanding of its potential.

After all, the authorities’ greatest concern now is that those bastards might resort to desperate measures—wreaking havoc on Hong Kong Island’s economy under extreme pressure. And they have indeed been using this threat against us, leaving us somewhat hesitant to act.

But now things are different. With a single battle, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce has swept aside the six major conglomerates, cementing its position on Hong Kong Island.

As long as the Chinese Chamber of Commerce exists, those bastards won’t be able to manipulate Hong Kong Island’s economy so easily—not even those pseudo-gentlemen from the British Isles.

Consequently, the importance of Li Yi, Star Company, and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce has suddenly become glaringly apparent, which is why the higher-ups have commended them.

On the international stage, the six major conglomerates’ assault on the Chinese Chamber of Commerce bore a striking resemblance to the six major sects besieging the Summit of Light. Behind the scenes, it reflected the intense, sword-and-swordplay-filled rivalry between major powers, naturally drawing the attention of nations worldwide.

What was expected to be a fierce battle turned out to be a professional player crushing a novice.

In particular, after Li Yi had successfully lured Sang Chai and others into a trap, he actually dispatched his team on expeditions to London, Tokyo, and New York—a move that clearly sent shockwaves through those with ulterior motives.

This inevitably brings to mind that ancient Chinese saying: “Those who dare to offend the mighty Han shall be punished, no matter how far they may be!”

It can be said that Li Yi and his team warned those with ulterior motives through their actions, while simultaneously enhancing China’s international prestige.

Now that the matter is settled, it is only natural to recognize their contributions and bestow rewards. Not only should Zhang Ziqiang, Zhou Wen, and others be commended, but Li Yi, Zhou Rui, Yang Qian, Yang Wenguang, and Yan Guangming are also on the list.

Although Li Yi wasn’t particularly interested in this, he knew he couldn’t shirk his responsibilities.

After all, he might not care about such things, but Zhou Rui, Zhang Ziqiang, Yang Qian, and the others were counting on these merits for promotions and pay raises; he couldn’t hold them back.

Once a precedent is set, it’s not easy to turn back…

……….

The next day!

In a daze, Li Yi thought he heard someone knocking on the door. Half-asleep, he crawled out of bed.

As soon as he sat up, his head felt dizzy, and his mind went blank.

Sitting on the bed, Li Yi rubbed his temples as he tried to recall the events of the previous night.

Last night, his father-in-law had treated him, Jiang Longyin, his older sister’s husband Yang Wenguang, as well as Zhang Ziqiang, Zhou Wen, and others to a meal at a restaurant to welcome them to the area.

During the meal, the group ordered several bottles of liquor. Although Li Yi hadn’t drunk much, his tolerance was well-known—just one small glass was enough to leave him feeling dizzy, so he’d fallen asleep as soon as he got home.

After resting for a while, Li Yi finally got out of bed and opened the door.

Seeing Yang Wenguang standing outside the door, Li Yi immediately asked, “Brother-in-law, what’s up?”

“Director Zhou has come to pick us up,” Yang Wenguang said. “He says the flight takes off at nine o’clock, so we need to hurry to the airport.”

Li Yi glanced at his watch and realized it was almost 7 o’clock.

And the flight they were taking today wasn’t a regular commercial airliner—it was a military aircraft.

The military airport was located in the northern suburbs, a good forty-plus kilometers from the provincial government compound, so time was a bit tight.

Li Yi didn’t want to keep them waiting, so he immediately asked his brother-in-law to gather the others quickly, while he went back inside to get dressed and wash up.

A dozen minutes later, everyone was ready. After a quick breakfast, they headed straight for the airport, accompanied by Zhou Rui and the others.

Upon arriving at the military airport, an Ilyushin-14 passenger plane was already waiting on the runway.

After military personnel checked Li Yi and the others’ credentials, they immediately escorted them to board the plane.

Once Li Yi and the others had successfully boarded, the cabin door closed, and the plane began taxiing down the runway…

After several hours of flight, at 2:00 p.m., the plane touched down smoothly at the Beijing Military District’s air force base.

When the plane took off from Guangzhou, the weather was fair and sunny, with the sun shining brightly.

However, upon landing at the airport, the scene was blanketed in snow, with snowflakes swirling through the air.

As soon as they stepped off the plane, the biting cold wind made Li Yi and his companions shiver uncontrollably!

Just as Li Yi was wondering how to get back to the city, he saw two jeeps pull up in front of them, and two young men in military uniforms stepped out.

The two young men quickly approached Li Yi and asked, “Are you Mr. Li Yi?”

“I am Li Yi. And you are?”

“We’re from the Internal Affairs Unit of the Beijing Military District. We’ve been ordered to wait here for you and your group!”

“By whose orders?” Zhou Yang asked curiously.

“Director Zhou’s orders!”

Realizing it was a vehicle Zhou Rui had arranged in advance, Li Yi didn’t hesitate. He immediately got into the car with Zhang Ziqiang, Zhou Rui, and the others. After giving the address, the two Jeeps headed straight for the Li family’s courtyard house.

By the time the vehicles arrived at the Li family’s courtyard, it was nearly three o’clock.

After unloading the gifts they’d brought from the vehicles, Li Yi finally pushed open the gate to his home.

The moment he opened the door, Li Yi spotted someone in the courtyard who took him by surprise…