Chapter 2430 — A Chance Encounter with Leader Bai
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
After all, they were the foremost family among the local powers, a notch above even the Hidden Han family in standing. If people had died and they simply turned a blind eye, showed no reaction at all, then the name of the Hidden Zhao family would likely no longer carry the same weight.
So, while Leader Zhu kept silent about Elder Pi and the others, he diverted the trouble onto the Gambler and his casino. Naturally, Elder Zhao could not swallow such an insult, and was already biding his time for a chance to make trouble for the Gambler.
Once the Gambler hung up, the cold sweat would not stop pouring from him. He wanted to find a way, and fast, to sell off the casino in his hands — only, the casino was an illegal business, and anyone without real nerve would not dare take it on.
Those who ran in the underworld were a countable few; each kept to his own line of business, and none of them crossed into another's territory. For anyone to suddenly fork over a huge sum to buy out the casino was really a bit unrealistic.
Though the casino's premises were rented, the gambling equipment inside was worth thirty or forty million, and with a steady stream of customers, even asking fifty million for it was not unreasonable — only, there were not many big brothers in the underworld who could produce fifty million.
Everyone had businesses in hand and a crew of brothers to feed; who could pull out that much cash?
The Gambler flipped back and forth through his phone book, his face clouded with worry...
After finishing his call with the Gambler, Wei Zhao mulled it over for a moment, then dialed Qiu Lingshan's cell phone again.
"Wei Zhao!" Qiu Lingshan was instantly delighted to see his call.
"Little silly girl, are you busy?" Wei Zhao asked.
"Not too bad. I just finished taking statements, and I'm looking into closing the case. In a bit I still have to go to the An family villa to verify some details with An Liwen and An Mingyue..." At this, Qiu Lingshan looked rather helpless. She knew perfectly well that the mastermind behind this was ninety percent likely An Liwen, and that the one who had stepped up to take the blame was merely a lackey. Yet there was nothing she could do — with insufficient evidence, she simply could not touch An Liwen.
"Mm, that works out well," Wei Zhao said. "After you get to An Liwen's place, drop him a few hints, beat around the bush a little."
"Hints? What hints?" Qiu Lingshan was puzzled; she had no idea what information Wei Zhao wanted leaked to An Liwen. Besides, if Wei Zhao wanted to pass something along, couldn't he go find An Liwen himself?
"Just tell him the Gambler is loaded — that they extorted twenty million from him to ransom his daughter back, and that a few days ago I squeezed another twenty million out of him. A casino really is a fine place to suck up money!" Wei Zhao said.
"The Gambler really runs a casino? Where is his place?" Qiu Lingshan asked instinctively. She had been keeping a bit of an eye on the Gambler for some time; rumor had it that he ran a casino, but she had never managed to pin down where his lair was. And with the kidnapping case the pressing matter at hand, the casino business had been set aside for the time being.
"Don't worry about that for now. Wait until An Liwen buys the place and has had his fill of showing off — then bring your people and raid his casino. Another great merit for you," Wei Zhao said.
"Let An Liwen buy the casino?" Qiu Lingshan was no fool; after a brief start she understood Wei Zhao's intent — to make An Liwen think the casino was a money-maker, and then go to the Gambler to buy it out. Still, she had her doubts: "Would An Liwen go buy a casino? And besides, would the Gambler sell?"
"He definitely will," Wei Zhao said with certainty. "And the Gambler is definitely eager to unload it."