The two followed the security guard into the factory building. Inside, it was a completely different scene from the outside, with clean floors and tidy equipment. The workers were busy with their tasks in an orderly fashion.
No one paid attention to the new arrivals. The workers were just there to earn money, indifferent to anything else.
Led by the security guard, Long Xiao and Lin Xuan toured the entire factory. The guide was very competent, and as he led them, he shared all the information he knew with Long Xiao and Lin Xuan.
After gaining a comprehensive understanding of the electric vehicle factory, the two felt completely confident about acquiring the enterprise.
Upon emerging from the factory, the security guard informed them that the factory director was not present and rarely came here if there was nothing important.
"How can we find your factory director?" Long Xiao asked.
The security guard told Long Xiao that the director often frequented the Black Rose Bar at night, suggesting they might find him there.
On their way home, the two discussed going to the Black Rose Bar that evening. As soon as they arrived home, Lin Xuan received a call: the electric vehicle factory had caught fire, and the fire department was on the scene battling the blaze.
The two hurried downstairs and drove to the electric vehicle factory of the Xuan Xiao Group.
As Long Xiao parked the car, he saw Xue Hu walking towards them.
"Brother Long, someone set the place on fire," Xue Hu said.
The Xue family had shares in this electric vehicle factory, so Xue Hu visited it whenever he came to Donghai. He had just arrived when the fire broke out.
Although the fire had not yet been extinguished and the cause was unknown, Xue Hu had a gut feeling that this fire was no accident.
"Someone is targeting us. Who could it be?" Long Xiao mused.
Xue Hu shook his head and said, "It's hard to tell yet. We'll know after an investigation later."
It took the fire department two hours to completely extinguish the large fire. Long Xiao and the other two walked into the factory building, which was completely blackened. All the equipment had been destroyed by the fire.
"Alas, it seems all this equipment is ruined," Xue Hu sighed.
They gathered all the employees of the electric vehicle factory and questioned them one by one about their whereabouts before the fire and whether any outsiders had entered the premises.
The three of them questioned people until dark, finally learning from a security guard that a black man had entered the factory to look for someone before the fire. Shortly after the black man left, the fire broke out.
The security guard described the black man's appearance, and Xue Hu quickly drew a sketch.
Long Xiao sent the sketch drawn by Xue Hu to Luan Jiping and Ban Jianghong, asking them to dispatch people to find the black man.
Around seven in the evening, it was time for dinner. Long Xiao was about to go eat when Lin Xuan said, "Long Xiao, aren't we going to the Black Rose Bar?"
Upon hearing that they were going to the bar, Xue Hu said, "Let's skip dinner and go to the bar for a couple of drinks. We can also help you find the person."
The Black Rose Bar was located by the Yellow River. From the windows, one could see the ceaseless flow of the Yellow River.
After parking their car, as Long Xiao and the others were about to enter the bar, someone called out, "Isn't this Young Master Xue? Have you also come to a place like this for leisure?"
Xue Hu turned around and smiled, saying, "It's Young Master Zhao. Has your leg recovered recently?"
Long Xiao turned to look at Zhao Xintian. Upon seeing Long Xiao, Zhao Xintian immediately became nervous and said, "Greetings, Young Master Long."
Long Xiao nodded slightly and asked, "Is your leg alright now?"
"It's much better, much better. I can basically walk now," Zhao Xintian said, limping a few steps.
Ever since Long Xiao had warned the Zhao father and son last time, these two had become much more restrained. A few days ago, Long Xiao had met Zhao Xinyu and inquired about them. The Zhao father and son had not bullied him, and he now had some standing within the Zhao family.
As the four walked into the Black Rose Bar, Long Xiao asked, "Young Master Zhao, do you come here often?"
Zhao Xintian nodded and replied, "Yes, I'm a regular here."
"Young Master Zhao, do you know someone named Liu Si? He's the director of an electric vehicle factory."
"Liu Si? Of course, I know him. He comes here often. Everyone who comes here frequently knows him."
They entered the bar and found a place to sit. Soon, Zhao Xintian spotted Liu Si in the crowd.
Liu Si was about thirty-eight or thirty-nine years old, wearing a sharp suit and with his hair slicked back so perfectly that flies couldn't land on it. His small, triangular eyes darted around the crowd, specifically looking for the bare legs of young women.
"Liu Si, a friend is looking for you," Zhao Xintian called out.
Liu Si swayed his body over to Zhao Xintian and said with a smile, "Young Master Zhao, you didn't bring your usual girl today?"
"What girl? His leg is in such a state, he has the will but not the strength to conquer the battlefield anymore."
After a brief conversation, Zhao Xintian led Liu Si to Long Xiao and the other two.
Liu Si, not recognizing any of the three, asked, "Do you need something from me?"
Xue Hu nodded and said, "Yes, my friend is interested in your electric vehicle factory. One million, cash deal."
"Not selling," Liu Si replied curtly.
Xue Hu sneered, "Not selling? You really won't sell?"
Seeing that Xue Hu was about to get angry, Zhao Xintian quickly interjected, "Liu Si, this is Young Master Xue from the Xue family in the capital. This lady is Lin Xuan, the president of Xuan Xiao Group. And this is Long Xiao, the divine doctor from Xinglin Medicine Hall."
Liu Si looked at the three of them and felt a surge of nervousness. He couldn't afford to offend any of them. Whoever wanted to buy his electric vehicle factory, he had to sell.
"Young Master Xue, I rely on that factory to support my family. If I sell it, what will my family eat?"
"One million isn't enough for you to eat? You don't have to sell, we can buy other factories. But your electric vehicle factory won't be operating anymore."
Liu Si, terrified, dropped to his knees with a thud and pleaded, "Young Master Xue, please be merciful. I wouldn't dare offend you, but if I sell the factory, someone will kill me."
Long Xiao asked curiously, "The factory is yours. Why would someone kill you if you sell it?"
"On the surface, the factory is mine. In reality, this factory belongs to a Japanese man named Kameda Noguchi."
Long Xiao found it strange. Why would Kameda Noguchi not manage the factory with his own people, but secretly have a Chinese person manage it, and not want people to know that the electric vehicle factory belonged to him?
"Liu Si, what exactly is this electric vehicle factory for?" Long Xiao asked.
Liu Si furtively glanced around, and seeing no one paying attention, he whispered, "On the surface, the factory is making electric vehicles. In reality, most of the workers in the factory are Japanese. It seems they are conducting some kind of research."
Japanese people conducting research not in their own country, but coming to China to do so, must be involved in something illicit.
Xue Hu said thoughtfully, "I've heard rumors for a long time that the Japanese use building factories and schools in China as a cover for their shady dealings."
"Since that's the case, let's not trouble Liu Si anymore. Lin Xuan, let's look for other places. The electric vehicle industry hasn't been doing well in recent years, so there must be some factories that can't keep going and want to sell."
Lin Xuan nodded and said, "If we can't buy an existing factory, we can also look for factories to cooperate with."
Xue Hu asked with concern, "Ms. Lin, aren't you afraid of technology leakage?"
Lin Xuan smiled and replied, "Our patented technology is the battery. This battery is very special. Young Master Zhao should know about it."
Zhao Xintian looked at Lin Xuan awkwardly and said, "That battery is indeed special. The Japanese wanted to open it up and take a look, but several of them were killed in an explosion."