Seeing the look of eager curiosity on McSri’s face, Lin Luolan knew that her boss hadn’t yet grasped the gravity of the situation.
He took a moment to gather his thoughts and organize his words before saying, “Maysri, Yamada and the others have become a ticking time bomb for us. If we let them go, the threat they pose is simply too great—far exceeding even that of Li Yi and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce!”
“Lin… what do you mean by that?” Maxri asked, puzzled.
Lin Luolan immediately explained, “Mr. Maxri, have you ever considered what Yamada and his men would think—or do—if they went out and saw the organization they’d worked so hard to build wiped out overnight?”
“Well… of course they’ll rally their men and seek revenge against Li Yi and his forces!” Maxri said matter-of-factly.
Lin Luolan desperately wanted to slap this idiot in front of him to death. How did such a moron ever become the Commissioner of Police?
Forcing down her inner rage, Lin Luolan said in a low voice, “Maysri, do you think there’s a possibility that Yamada and the others might believe this was a trap set by us and Li Yi to round them all up…”
Before she could finish, Maxri interrupted urgently, “How could that be possible? Is their brains full of shit? Why would we set a trap with that yellow-skinned monkey to take them down?”
Lin Luolan really wanted to retort, “It’s your head that’s full of shit.”
But he held back and said instead, “The fact is, right after we ‘tricked’ them into coming to the police station, their gang was wiped out. We’d be as good as dead if we tried to clear our names.”
“Not to mention that yesterday you promised the public you’d investigate those cases and punish the criminals severely. Do you really think Yamada and the others will buy our explanation?”
Upon hearing this, Masri fell silent.
At that moment, Lin Luolan spoke again: “Maysri, the destruction of those gangs is a done deal. Even if Yamada and the others are released, it won’t change the situation. If they misunderstand and think we deliberately set them up, both you and I will face their retaliation!”
Maxri shuddered. The gang members were all desperate criminals; if they were determined to seek revenge, they were capable of anything.
In that case, it wouldn’t just ruin his career—it could even threaten his life.
After a brief silence, Maxley looked at Lin Luolan again and asked, “So what do you suggest we do now?”
“The best course of action for us right now is to go with the flow, turn this charade into a real arrest, and thoroughly pin the charges on Yamada and the others. Then we’ll bow our heads and apologize to Li Yi and the others!” Lin Luolan said, her words startling.
“You’re crazy… Do you know the consequences of this? There are powerful people backing those gangs. Do you think they’ll let us off the hook if we do this?” Maxley shouted.
“Of course I know the consequences, but do we have any other choice?”
“What do you mean by that?” Maxri asked, narrowing his eyes, his gaze filled with an obscure, enigmatic expression.
Lin Luolan walked slowly to the office window and pointed at the crowd below chanting slogans. “Max, do you see those people down there? Though you may dismiss them as insignificant commoners, once they’re provoked, they can unleash immense power that no ruler would dare to underestimate.”
“Right now, these people are once again surrounding the police station, and public opinion is heavily against us. Everyone—from the Governor’s Office and the business elite to foreign investors in Hong Kong and ordinary citizens—is demanding answers from us. If we release Yamada and the others at this moment, it would mean we’re standing in opposition to public sentiment. One misstep, and either our police force or you, Commissioner, could become the scapegoat!”
After hearing Lin Luolan’s analysis, Maxley immediately panicked.
Compared to the Governor’s Office and those business tycoons, he, as the Commissioner of Police, was truly no match for them.
Especially the Governor’s Office—if the situation truly reached a point of no return, driven by public opinion, they would inevitably seek a scapegoat, and he, as Commissioner of Police, would be the first to bear the brunt of it.
“Are we really going to do this?” Maxley said despondently.
“We have no way out. More importantly, without the cooperation of these triads, we simply cannot investigate Shield Security. Our plans to deal with Li Yi and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce will inevitably fail. We can’t just keep going down this path blindly.”
Lin Luolan continued, “Judging by last night’s events, their firepower far exceeds our expectations. If we really provoke them, we might not even have a chance to fight back.”
“But if we really push Yamada and the others out there, what if the people behind them retaliate against us?” Maxley said with a worried look on his face.
Seeing that Maxley’s expression had softened slightly, Lin Luolan pressed her advantage: “Setting aside the fact that Yamada and his men have become useless figureheads, the people behind them might not go to great lengths to fight us over this.”
“Besides, as long as we remain in our positions and retain control of the police force, we have nothing to fear from their retaliation. But if we fail to overcome the current crisis and are forced out of office, we’ll truly be like fish on a cutting board!”
Although Maxley didn’t possess much political acumen, he wasn’t actually stupid. Since Lin Luolan had laid it out so clearly, he naturally understood the stakes involved.
After a brief silence, Maxley clenched his teeth and said, “Then let’s do as you say. We’ll turn this charade into reality—use those gang leaders to quell the public’s anger!”
Lin Luolan immediately replied, “Since we’re going to do this, we have to go all the way. Not only must Yamada and the others receive harsh sentences, but their key lieutenants and the henchmen who fled to the police station last night must all be sent to prison as well!”
“Is that really necessary?”
“Mercy toward the enemy is cruelty toward ourselves. We can’t leave any potential threats behind!” Lin Luolan said.
“All right, then. I’ll leave this matter to you. I’ll go calm the crowd outside!” said Maxri.
“Maysri, it’s best if you don’t get personally involved in this. After all, we’re just following orders. If they don’t step in now, there’s a high chance we’ll be held accountable later,” Lin Luolan said.
“I understand. I’ll contact the Governor’s Office right away!”
“Alright…”
………
Far East Stock Exchange!
Just as McSri, Lin Luolan, and the others at the police station were plotting how to protect themselves, the atmosphere at the stock exchange was also growing tense.
Although there was still more than an hour before the market opened, a large number of business elites were already flocking to the venue, including the heads of major conglomerates.
Before 8:30 a.m., all the exchange’s dozens of VIP lounges were already occupied. Many latecomers had to squeeze in with friends who had reserved a lounge, while others simply went upstairs to find Li Futao.
After all, they were mainly there to watch the spectacle today; a viewing area would suffice, and there was no need to insist on a VIP room downstairs.
Thanks to the efforts of certain individuals, news of yesterday’s joint attack by overseas conglomerates on Hengye Real Estate—which resulted in a massive loss of 1.2 billion Hong Kong dollars for Star Investment—had already spread throughout high society.
Added to this was Li Yi’s statement yesterday that he would underwrite all listed companies owned by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
Consequently, every executive of a Chinese enterprise listed on the Far East Stock Exchange was present today, accompanied by their company’s financial staff.
At 8:30 a.m., amid a commotion, the key figures of the overseas consortium, flanked by a large contingent of bodyguards, entered the exchange hall, instantly causing a sensation.
Eagle-eyed observers also noticed that among them were quite a few local Hong Kong business owners, and even Dolsen, the head of the British-owned conglomerate who had not been seen in public for a long time, was present.
Less than two minutes after they entered the hall, a massive procession appeared behind them.
Leading this group was none other than Li Yi. At his side were not only over a hundred elite securities professionals from Starry Sky Company and a large contingent of heavily armed bodyguards, but also numerous prominent tycoons from Hong Kong’s elite circles, including Ho Dongying of the Ho family, “Ship King” Bao of the Bao family, and “Superman” Li of the Li family.
The fact that these tycoons were flanking Li Yi clearly demonstrated their determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with him and Starry Sky Corporation through thick and thin.
The two groups entered the exchange hall one after the other, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a showdown between two masters at the pinnacle of their powers—the scene was tense and grim…
……….