Chapter 450: Xin Chengkun

After listening to Huang Sanlang, Chen Erbao’s understanding of Huang Baiwen deepened.

‘This is a man who stops at nothing to achieve his goals!’

He knew exactly what he wanted and would do anything to get it. To him, other people’s lives were as insignificant as grass.

‘A man with no principles can’t even be called human!’

Chen Erbao took a deep breath, his expression growing calm.

“Huang Baiwen must be taken down. I don’t want you, his successor, to become like him. If you do, I’ll take you down the same way. I hope you understand that.”

He was blatantly threatening Huang Sanlang, but Huang Sanlang didn’t mind. In fact, he was even a little pleased.

‘An ally with principles is a reliable one.’

Huang Sanlang himself had never considered expanding his influence through such means. Even when suppressed by Huang Baiwen, living a life of extreme hardship, he never abandoned his principles.

“Rest assured, Mr. Chen. While I am ambitious and have my own agenda, I am not a piece of scum with no morals. If I ever become that kind of person, I will willingly accept my punishment.”

Chen Erbao nodded, his expression softening slightly.

“Now, let’s discuss how to deal with your older brother. You certainly know more about him than I do. Any thoughts?”

“Of course I do!”

Huang Sanlang had waited for this day for too long. He knew too many of Huang Baiwen’s secrets, but unfortunately, he couldn’t be the one to expose them. He didn’t have any subordinates who could withstand the immense pressure. But Chen Erbao, a young Grandmaster, gave him a glimmer of hope.

“When my older brother befriends and bribes people, he never shows up himself. He sends his most trusted confidant, the underground emperor of Binhai, Xin Chengkun.”

“Xin Chengkun?”

Chen Erbao repeated the name, his eyes flashing with contemplation.

Huang Sanlang continued:

“Mr. Chen, don’t underestimate Xin Chengkun. He may take orders from my older brother, but his own power is immense. He controls thirty percent of the entertainment venues in Binhai, and he has a legion of experts at his command… Of course, they’re no match for you, Mr. Chen, but… they have guns.”

Through Huang Sanlang’s explanation, Chen Erbao finally understood Xin Chengkun’s rise to power.

The man was from the Northeast. When Binhai underwent reforms in the last century, he was among the first wave of street thugs who came to the city to make their fortune.

In that era’s Binhai, many systems and rules were not yet perfect. If you wanted to get ahead, there were only two ways: pick a side and fight for your life.

The Huang Family wasn’t the most powerful family in Binhai back then, but they did control several of the city’s larger docks.

When Xin Chengkun first arrived in Binhai, he worked as an enforcer at one of the docks under the Huang Family’s name.

As the Huang Family gradually grew stronger, Xin Chengkun seized the opportunity. Relying on his daring and ruthless fighting spirit, he managed to latch onto the Huang Family’s great ship. He climbed his way up from a dock enforcer to eventually become the dock boss.

As the Huang Family solidified its position, Xin Chengkun began to fight for them. After more than a decade of bloody conflict, and as the upper echelons stabilized, Xin Chengkun, with the Huang Family’s support, successfully took control of Binhai’s entire criminal underworld.

And he survived countless life-and-death crises along the way.

It was because he was daring, willing to fight, and sharp. Of course, luck also played a significant part.

He wasn’t the only famous figure from that period. There were even those more capable than him, but they were all eventually crushed under the rolling wheels of history.

A person’s success depends not only on their own strength, but also, to a large extent, on the favor of destiny.

And in that era, Xin Chengkun was the one favored by fortune. He brought down countless powerful rivals and was the last one standing.

To this day, the name Xin Chengkun has become a legend in the Binhai underworld.

He is a living miracle!

That was why Huang Sanlang told Chen Erbao to be careful.

Anyone who could rise from such a chaotic era was not to be underestimated.

“Mr. Chen, Xin Chengkun’s base of operations is now in Xintiandi in the Pujiang District. He’s usually holding down the fort there. Of course, in a couple of years, he might just retire, take his money, and settle down abroad…”

Chen Erbao raised a hand, interrupting Huang Sanlang.

“My target is Huang Baiwen. What is his relationship with Xin Chengkun?”

Huang Sanlang had anticipated this question and replied in a calm, measured tone:

“When Huang Baiwen was first making his mark, the first person he recruited was Xin Chengkun. Xin Chengkun, in turn, didn’t hesitate to place his bets on him. For years now, every dirty deed Huang Baiwen has orchestrated was carried out by Xin Chengkun, with my brother pulling the strings from behind the scenes.”

Chen Erbao was a little curious when he heard this.

“So Xin Chengkun is just content being your older brother’s hatchet man?”

He was confused. ‘Logically, a man like Xin Chengkun wouldn’t be content just working for someone else, would he?’

‘Even if that someone is the direct heir of the big boss, the future Patriarch of the Huang Family.’

‘But Xin Chengkun is no longer the worthless thug he once was. He’s a titan in his own right!’

“I’m not sure about that either. Maybe my older brother promised Xin Chengkun some terms that were tempting enough for him… But that’s not important. What’s important is that Xin Chengkun has all the evidence of my older brother’s dealings in his possession, right there in the Xintiandi club. I’m sure of it!”

Huang Sanlang said with confidence.

But Chen Erbao didn’t quite believe him.

“How do you know so much?”

He didn’t believe Huang Sanlang could plant a mole next to Xin Chengkun. If Huang Sanlang had that kind of ability, he would have probably dared to openly oppose Huang Baiwen already.

Huang Sanlang smiled and pointed towards the door.

“Since you know Uncle Xu was once a Grandmaster, Mr. Chen, you should understand what a Grandmaster is capable of. Finding out this kind of information wouldn’t be too difficult, would it?”

Realization dawned on Chen Erbao.

If a Grandmaster took action and investigated deliberately, they could indeed get precise information.

‘However… based on my observations, Uncle Xu must have suffered a grievous injury that caused his Realm to decline. He probably doesn’t even have the strength of a Top-level Expert anymore.’

‘Why would a Grandmaster’s Realm fall?’

‘It seems Uncle Xu has his own secrets.’

“Years ago, by a fortunate coincidence, Uncle Xu came to owe me a favor. That’s why he helped me investigate Xintiandi. Unfortunately, after he repaid that favor, he left Binhai. It wasn’t until a year ago that he returned, grievously injured and near death, seeking my protection. I don’t know what happened in between, and I haven’t asked. In any case, it has nothing to do with our current plans.”

Chen Erbao nodded and didn’t ask any more questions.

‘Looks like Huang Sanlang is blessed by fortune,’ Chen Erbao thought. ‘Otherwise, how could he get a Grandmaster to owe him a favor?’

“So, you want me to steal that evidence from Xin Chengkun?”