The night passed without incident!
Early the next morning, Li Yi got up.
After a quick breakfast, he went to his study, handling company business while waiting for his guest to arrive.
Shortly after his brother-in-law left last night, Huang Lixing called him to say he’d made arrangements with Dolsen—he’d be bringing Dolsen personally to Cloud Peak No. 1 tomorrow morning.
So, Li Yi was now waiting for Dolsen!
He wanted to know exactly what business the head of this British-owned conglomerate had in meeting with him!
At 9:30, Li Yi was reviewing the company’s financial reports for the first three quarters when a soft knock suddenly sounded at the door.
“Come in!”
As the study door swung open, Zhang Ziqiang strode in and said, “Brother Yi, Mr. Huang and Mr. Dolsen are here. They’re waiting for you in the living room!”
“Show them to the conference room on the second floor. I’ll be right there!” Li Yi said.
“Yes, sir!”
By the time Li Yi arrived at the reception room, Huang Lixing and Dolsen had already arrived, though they appeared to have just entered and hadn’t yet taken their seats.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they took their seats, with the hosts and guests seated accordingly.
Someone poured a cup of coffee for Dorson, while Li Yi poured a cup of light tea for himself and Huang Lixing.
Then, Li Yi looked at Dolsen and said, “It’s been a long time. I heard you wanted to see me—is there something on your mind?”
Dawson’s eyes met Li Yi’s, and after a long moment, he said, “Li, you’re in big trouble!”
Hearing this, Li Yi’s expression froze for a moment, and then his brows furrowed.
It wasn’t that Dolsen’s words had made him particularly angry, but rather that they gave him a strange sense of familiarity.
Upon closer reflection, he realized—good grief—that wasn’t exactly what he used to say all the time when he was pretending to be a fortune-teller?
“You’re in big trouble”—wasn’t that just another way of saying your forehead is dark and you’re in for a bloody disaster?
He never expected that one day someone would say the exact same thing to him. This reminded Li Yi of an old saying: What goes around comes around!
After composing himself slightly, Li Yi said calmly, “Oh? I wonder where this trouble you’re referring to is coming from—the British Hong Kong government… or perhaps Downing Street?”
Dawson didn’t seem surprised by Li Yi’s response; instead, he smiled and said, “As I expected, you couldn’t be kept in the dark about this. I’m just curious—how does Mr. Li Yi plan to handle it?”
“How we handle it is none of Mr. Dolsen’s concern. I, for one, would like to know what stance Dolsen and the British-owned conglomerate are taking in this matter—do you intend to kick us while we’re down, or sit on the sidelines and watch the fire burn?” Li Yi said coolly.
The situation was far from clear, and Li Yi didn’t have the time or energy to beat around the bush with Dowson, so he spoke directly.
Dawson replied with an inscrutable expression, “Li, what do you think we’ll choose—to kick someone when they’re down, or…”
But before he could finish, Li Yi cut him off with an authoritative tone: “I don’t know if you’ve heard the saying: ‘Those who dare to offend the mighty Han shall be punished, no matter how far they may be!’”
“It doesn’t matter what you choose, but once we deem you an enemy, there’s only one outcome…”
“What?”
“Total annihilation!” Li Yi said coldly.
As if sensing Li Yi’s intense killing intent, Dalson didn’t hesitate and said directly, “Li, my main purpose in coming here today is to tell you that neither I nor the British Capital Group harbors any hostility toward you. We don’t want to be your enemies!”
“I don’t believe it—or more accurately, I don’t believe you!” Li Yi said bluntly.
Although Dolsen was now adopting a very humble posture, Li Yi dared not trust him easily. After all, if those politicians on Downing Street truly wanted to bring the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to its knees, they would have to send someone to take over this mess.
And currently, the only organization capable of doing so is the British Capital Group. Based on this alone, Li Yi didn’t believe a word Dolsen said.
In his view, what Dolsen had just said was most likely an attempt to hedge his bets, ultimately aiming to profit from both sides.
This wasn’t merely Li Yi’s subjective speculation; rather, it was a principle the Jewish people had adhered to for centuries. No matter what they did, they preferred to hedge their bets—no matter who won, they were always the ultimate victors.
Moreover, in Li Yi’s view, Dolsen had absolutely no reason to bow to him.
Dawson paused briefly, then said, “Li, I understand your concerns. To demonstrate my sincerity, I’ll tell you everything I know!”
“Fine, then let’s see just how sincere you are!” Li Yi said coolly.
“Li, as far as I know, the ones targeting you this time are the people from Downing Street. Their goal is to dissolve the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and drive your forces out of Hong Kong Island…”
Before he could finish, Li Yi cut him off: “Save the formalities. Let’s get to the point. For instance, how exactly do those people on Downing Street plan to take us down? And which factions are involved in this?”
“From what I know, the entire plan is divided into three steps. The first step is to destroy your reputation and that of Star Investment. The specific method involves using local triads to constantly provoke you—ideally, to spark large-scale street fights in the city. At that point, the police will intervene and launch a full-scale investigation into you.”
Dorson continued, “While the investigation is underway, they’ll target Mr. Huang. They’ll mobilize every media outlet on Hong Kong Island to expose his past business dealings, linking Star Investment to triads and criminal organizations to undermine public support for you!”
“Go on,” Li Yi said.
Dawson continued, “The second step targets the companies and assets under your name. While the police are conducting a full-scale investigation into you, they will contact major conglomerates to launch a coordinated attack on your companies and the member firms of the entire Chinese Chamber of Commerce, further undermining your influence and prestige.”
“The final step is for our British-owned conglomerate to step in. We’ll find ways to co-opt the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, divide you from within, and ultimately cause the entire organization to fall apart—restoring Hong Kong Island to the era when it was controlled by British-owned conglomerates!”
After hearing Dolsen’s words, both Li Yi and Huang Lixing couldn’t help but gasp in shock.
Those bastards really are scheming and cunning.
And judging by the plan as a whole, every step was a deadly trap.
If they succeeded in their scheme, while Starry Sky Company and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce might not be completely wiped out, they would certainly be severely weakened.
After a brief silence, Li Yi fixed his gaze on Dowson and said, “I can see your sincerity now, and I believe you genuinely don’t want to be our enemy. But I’m still a bit puzzled—why are you doing this? After all, if this plan succeeds, your British-owned group stands to gain a great deal.”
“Even if we take a step back and assume it doesn’t succeed, you wouldn’t suffer any major losses. There’s absolutely no reason for you to come talk to me about this!”
A cold smile flashed across Dolsen’s face as he replied, “Li, you’re right—if the plan succeeds, the British Capital Group will indeed reap enormous benefits. But that doesn’t include me personally!”
Hearing this, a look of confusion flashed across Li Yi’s face. There was a lot packed into what this guy was saying.
Recalling Dalson’s previous predicament, a sudden realization struck Li Yi—he seemed to have figured something out.
But he couldn’t be certain, so he immediately asked, “Dawson, be more specific. Why aren’t you included among those people?”
A look of sorrow flashed across Dolsen’s face, then quickly turned to intense anger. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Because, just like you, I’m also a target of their attacks. The only difference is that their hostility toward you is out in the open, while their hostility toward me is hidden in the shadows!”
The moment those words left his mouth, Li Yi instantly understood—his earlier guess had been correct!
At that moment, he felt confident…
……….