Li Wei knew he could not defeat Zhao Kun alone. The crime lord had too many men, too much influence, and a tight grip on the city's marketplace.
After Zhao Kun's thugs wrecked Li Wei's shop, leaving him battered and bruised, he decided to fight back—but with strategy, not brute force.
The following night, Li Wei met Song Wen and a group of merchants in a dimly lit backroom of a tea house. These men, like Li Wei, had suffered under Zhao Kun's forced "protection fees" and violent threats.
The room was tense as they sat around a wide, worn wooden table, the only light coming from a flickering candle that cast uneven shadows on the walls.
Song Wen, the merchant Li Wei had saved, spoke first, his voice measured but urgent. "Brother Li, Zhao Kun will come back for you. He will not stop until your shop is destroyed or until you are dead."
Li Wei nodded, agreeing with Song Wen's words. His jaw clenched slightly, pain still lingering in his bruised face.
"That is why we have to strike first," he said.
A younger merchant, Ren, who ran a small noodle shop, leaned forward. His expression was skeptical, yet there was an underlying frustration in his eyes—a hidden desire for revenge.
"How?" Ren asked. "He has dozens of men. We are just merchants. We don't know how to fight."
Li Wei exhaled slowly, his mind racing. He had spent the entire night without sleep, planning his next move.
Then he spoke. "We don't have to face him directly. Zhao Kun's power comes from fear—and money. His men follow him because he pays them. The officials let him operate because he bribes them. If we cut off those payments, Zhao Kun will fall."
The room fell silent as the merchants processed his words.
Song Wen narrowed his eyes. "Are you talking about Master Chen?"
A quiet sigh swept through the group. Master Chen—the chief tax officer. A corrupt bureaucrat rumored to be protecting Zhao Kun in exchange for bribes.
If Chen withdrew his protection, Zhao Kun would be vulnerable—not only to the law but to his own disloyal men, who would abandon him the moment his power began to fade.
Ren shook his head, skeptical. "Chen is untouchable. His connections go all the way to the provincial capital. Challenging him is suicide."
Li Wei's eyes flickered toward the candle flame, watching as it wavered, its glow dancing across the wooden table.
"No one is untouchable," he said quietly, almost as if convincing himself as well. "We just need to be smarter than them."
Vincent listened intently to the conversation, watching as Li Wei stepped into the role of a leader—not just a desperate man fighting for survival, but someone who understood power and how to dismantle it.
***
The merchants agreed they needed to move fast. If Zhao Kun planned to retaliate, they had little time before his gang struck again.
The first step was weakening his influence—without triggering direct conflict.
They would use the oldest weapon in any war—rumors.
Over the next few days, the merchants worked through their networks, spreading whispers across the busy marketplace.
Some traders began murmuring that Zhao Kun was increasing his protection fees, demanding twice as much as before.
Others planted rumors among Zhao Kun's own men, suggesting that their boss was losing favor with his powerful allies.
At the same time, another group quietly suggested that Zhao Kun had angered the tax officials—hinting that Master Chen himself had grown impatient with his criminal dealings.
Like poison, the rumors spread.
Zhao Kun's men, who had already harbored doubts, grew uneasy. Some questioned his leadership, while others fled, fearing they were caught in a dangerous shift in power.
Disputes broke out among the gang members, further weakening Zhao Kun's grip over the streets.
Vincent watched in fascination.
This was a battle for control, not unlike corporate warfare. But here, it was happening in back alleys, in markets, in whispered conversations—silent daggers hidden beneath layers of deception.
***
With Zhao Kun's leadership crumbling, Li Wei knew it was time for the most dangerous part of the plan—confronting Master Chen.
If they could force or convince Chen to withdraw his support for Zhao Kun, the crime lord would lose his protection—and be left exposed.
Through careful maneuvering, Li Wei arranged a meeting with Chen under the pretense of discussing tax issues. When he stepped into Chen's lavish office, his heart pounded, but his face remained calm.
Chen, a rotund man with a permanent smirk, lounged behind an ornate wooden desk, watching Li Wei with amusement.
"I hear you have been causing trouble, Li Wei," Chen said, his voice dripping with mockery.
Li Wei fought the urge to snap back. Trouble? Zhao Kun's men had destroyed his livelihood, yet Chen had done nothing.
But Li Wei knew anger would not win this battle. He kept his voice steady.
"I came to offer information, Master Chen. Something that concerns your interests."
Chen raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.
Li Wei took another step forward, lowering his voice. "Zhao Kun's operation is collapsing. His men are turning against him, and the merchants are resisting his control. If he falls, the bribes you depend on will disappear. But if you act now—arrest him, seize his assets—you will be hailed as the man who rid this city of its worst criminal. The governor will reward you, and the merchants will be in your debt."
Chen's expression darkened slightly, his eyes calculating.
Li Wei continued, pressing his advantage. "I know you protect Zhao Kun because of the profits. But now, he is becoming a liability. The longer you shield him, the greater the risk that his downfall will drag you down too."
Chen said nothing for a long time.
Then, slowly, he leaned back in his chair. "Bold words, merchant. But if I move against Zhao Kun, how do I know you and your people will not turn on me next?"
Li Wei met his gaze. "We are merchants, not rebels. We want peace to do business. Help us, and we will ensure the market thrives—under your supervision, of course."
Chen chuckled, shaking his head. "You have courage. Fine—I will stop protecting him. But if this backfires, you die."
Li Wei nodded, keeping his face neutral even as the words echoed in his mind. "Then I must make sure that does not happen."
Chen studied him for a long moment, tapping his fingers against the desk as if weighing his options.
Li Wei held his breath. This deal was a double-edged sword.
If Chen followed through, Zhao Kun would fall.
But if Chen betrayed them—or if the plan failed—Li Wei's life, and the lives of the merchants, would be the price to pay.