We arrived at Sino-Burmese Street at 5:30 in the afternoon.
I told Wen Siqiang to wait for me in the car and that I would call him if there were any special circumstances.
I should buy Wen Siqiang a mobile phone; it would be much more convenient.
When I entered the house, Bo Gang was still sitting in his original spot. He was wearing traditional Burmese clothing and a headscarf. His large frame completely filled the rattan chair.
Looking at him like this, he didn't resemble a murderous demon at all, but rather an old foreigner.
It's a pity he wasn't just any ordinary foreigner; his mind was filled with robbery and murder, all about money and profit.
He looked up at me and said, "That bastard Kang Gong is well-connected. We were all played. He donated so much and, in one fell swoop, became a hero of Myanmar. As for us, we ended up neither here nor there, and on top of that, we got a bad reputation for incompetence. Now they've stripped me of my military authority, leaving me only as a consultant in a government department. Damn it, if I want to wage guerrilla warfare in the future and tear a hole in the sky, let's see if they still don't take me seriously!"
Bo Gang was indeed a ruffian, solving problems with impulse and without thinking. Although we had used him this time, if he had handled it well, he would have benefited for a lifetime. How did he mess it up like this?
I looked at him and asked, "What are your plans?"
Bo Gang: "What plans can I have? We need to start our business quickly. I need a large sum of money to build an army, and you have to solve it for me!"
What kind of logic is this? He wants to build an army, and I have to solve it for him. This is sheer bandit logic.
I said, "Now that Kang Gong is back, can he let me go? He's watching my every move. If we touch this now, it's a dead end!"
Bo Gang: "All I have is this stuff. Am I supposed to let it rot before cashing in? I don't care. Figure out a way to get rid of it for me, or you won't get to keep your life, nor the lives of your wives and concubines."
This bastard has me cornered, and he always brings my family into it. They are my weakness, my Achilles' heel, and he hits the mark every time.
I said, "It's still difficult. I'll give you a suggestion. The raw stone business is very good here right now, and the demand for finished products in the country is very high. As long as you can get the raw stones, I'll help you sell as many as you have, even for free. I won't take a penny from you."
Bo Gang: "Raw stones? Where am I supposed to find raw stones? Unless I rob them!"
Raw stones are a business, a trade, requiring investment. But he, without hesitation, suggests stealing.
I gave a bitter smile. Dealing with this kind of person, there's no logic to be found.
Bo Gang: "I have to go back. You hurry up with what I told you. Someone will contact you in the next couple of days!"
I said, "You also need to consider what I said. You're over there; you must have channels to get stones. As long as the quality is good, this amount of money is not a problem. Why take the risk of beheading by walking a narrow path when there's a sunlit avenue?"
He said, "I'll think about it. In any case, help me make money as soon as possible!"
With that, he got up. I quickly said my goodbyes. Dealing with people like him is like dancing on the tip of a knife; the sooner you leave, the better.
I went out and got into the car. I told Wen Siqiang, "Let's go back to Da Shijie."
Wen Siqiang didn't say a word and drove off.
Sitting in the car, I felt a bit troubled. The Crown Prince's situation was still not resolved. His father was released, which should have eased some of the pressure from Bo Gang. But now, it was the opposite; the pressure had escalated, making it suffocating.
I need to find a breakthrough to break this chain of predicaments. Otherwise, the three of them will be like a winch, slowly grinding me to death.
When I returned to the office, Lan Ya asked me, "Not going well? Your expression looks so serious."
I said, "Yes, Bo Gang has the drugs. He needs us to help him liquidate them, or he'll go after my family! I suggested he supply us with raw stones, which would be a win-win situation and not illegal. Guess what he said? He said he doesn't have raw stones, unless he robs them! Raw stones are a business, acquired through trade. And he wants to get them by shooting!"
Lan Ya: "This Bo Gang is ultimately a menace. We should discuss it with Brother Bao. It would be best to get rid of him, or he'll push us to a dead end."
I said, "Yes, I was thinking the same thing on the way. We must find a way to eliminate him!"
Lan Ya picked up the phone and called Brother Bao, asking him to come over to discuss how to get rid of Bo Gang.
Just then, Wen Siqiang came in and said that the people we recruited for training had all arrived and asked if I wanted to start.
I told Lan Ya that I would go to the training class first and to inform Brother Bao when he arrived.
We had selected thirty people in total, primarily for security and service. They were divided into two teams, and two private rooms were prepared for their training.
They were gathered in one room waiting for me, and would be split up for lessons later.
I went over and gave them some important points regarding the opening of the new company and the rules for receiving guests. I saw Xiao Hong among the service staff; she was in charge of this group.
The security team also had a leader selected, an old employee from Da Shijie named Sanzi. He was tall and burly, dark-skinned, and knew a bit of martial arts.
I asked them to split into two groups, with one group going to another room.
The remaining security team's training was relatively simple. A mat was placed in the middle of the room, and they paired up for sparring. Those eliminated would wait, and the winners would proceed to the next round.
Those eliminated in the first round would be put under the leadership of the team leader for intensive training over ten days. After ten days, a second competition would be held, and the bottom five would be dismissed.
Dismissal didn't mean being fired; they would just be assigned to ordinary positions. Important positions would be filled by the winners.
For the female staff, the training mainly focused on etiquette and Mandarin. I specifically went to the training company to find an etiquette teacher to instruct them.
At this moment, my phone rang. Lan Ya said that Brother Bao had arrived at the office.
I hurried over to meet Brother Bao.
Brother Bao had likely heard the situation from Lan Ya, and his expression was as grave as mine. He must have also felt the seriousness of the matter. This Bo Gang was putting immense pressure on us.
Brother Bao: "We'll meet with Brother Qing tomorrow to discuss Bo Gang in detail. If we want to take him down, we need to find his lair first. I heard from Brother Qing that ever since the last incident, he hasn't been back to that waterfront villa in Yangon. He likely has a base camp somewhere along the border. Brother Qing has already arranged for informants to investigate his activity locations there. Once we figure it out, we should eradicate him! We can't be like Kang Gong, who couldn't be killed, and now we have an additional enemy. If we can't kill Bo Gang in one go, we'll be the ones who die."
I nodded. Yes, if we can't kill him in one go, our lives will be on a countdown.
Bo Gang came from a guerrilla background; he had experience in jungle warfare. The mountainous terrain of Myanmar is crisscrossed, with precipitous geography and poor transportation. He could defend when retreating and attack when advancing, which is very disadvantageous for us. Fighting him requires a hundredfold effort; we can only win, not afford to lose!