The Imperial Hunter - Chapter 82: Metamorphosis (9)
Gao Xusen balked before I could even finish explaining the details.
"No, that won't do. As you said, the Triads in this region are the Party and the state's dirty errand boys. If we sweep them out without a plan, all those secret projects we've been pushing through them as buffers will just float off into thin air. How am I supposed to clean up that mess? And it's not like I'm the only one those guanxi connections feed tribute to—the anger from all the other agencies and cadres tied to them, how do I handle that?"
Having rattled that off in one breath, Gao Xusen shook his head like a whining brat.
"I can't do it. That would just kill me faster!"
It was a natural reaction, given that heavyweights from the central Party's upper echelons down to the Ministry of State Security and the General Staff Department were all subcontracting to the Guangdong Triads. Even in distributing heroin and fentanyl produced in Southeast Asia, the Triads' network was an essential tool. If the Triads collapsed, it would mean losses of at least tens of billions of yuan every quarter. These were losses that would never surface publicly, which only made the rage of those padding their pockets all the fiercer.
I knew all this, yet I tossed out a cold sneer anyway.
"You're far too timid."
Gao Xusen faltered for a split second, his expression slipping.
"There's a flaw in what you just said, Section Chief."
"Where?"
"The part about those businesses floating into thin air if we remove the Triads."
"And that's wrong?"
"Yes. Wrong. Because most of those operations were shut down long ago. At this point, there's nothing left hanging in the balance."
"What... what do you mean?"
It was understandable if he was just some indirect crumb-picker. As an industry expert and courteous business partner, I laid out the reality for Gao Xusen.
"Let's start with their biggest cash cow: drug trafficking. You've heard the U.S. President named China as the top enemy in his war on drugs. There were complaints before, but this time it's official policy—that's the key."
In my view, this was the reelected President, riding anti-China sentiment, expanding his base while building a pretext for hardline diplomacy against Beijing.
"With the U.S. military cracking down and witch-hunt trials piling up, the Triads' North American branches and their local partners were scorched earth—not a root left behind."
Innocents got swept up in cages too, but to that madman President and his China-hating citizens, that hardly mattered. There were plenty of distractions: anti-racism riots and Black Lives Matter violence, surging superhuman crimes, the Trembling Giant's invasion, and more.
"So is the European market intact? Hardly. In this climate, keep peddling drugs and you're basically begging European nations to join hands with the U.S. and beat China. That's treason—straight-up aiding American foreign policy."
In short, all drug lines through the Triads ground to a complete, if temporary, halt.
"Well... that's true enough...."
Watching Gao Xusen soften with reluctant agreement was amusing. This public security bigwig in a southern hub city being clueless about it all? Ironclad proof of Beijing's central control over Triad drug ops. State Security or General Staff had those reins gripped tight. Otherwise, the Triads would've kept slinging, central command would've cracked down hard, and Gao—as the boots on the ground—would've known every detail.
I shifted in my seat and continued.
"What's left are scraps like human trafficking and arms smuggling. Of those, the only one useful to your Party is arms. But weapons aren't fast-consumables like drugs; black-market international arms deals are sporadic, one-offs mostly."
"They're still necessary, aren't they?"
"Disposable cutouts you could've severed anytime. Just prep new errand boys before you need them again."
Gao Xusen's eyes narrowed.
"...Like, say, your Nameless Company?"
"No. Fill Triad rabble's spots with the ones you hold the reins on, Section Chief. We'll take some equity in our company, sure—but no greed here."
"And you're satisfied with that little?"
"I said no greed. This Chinese soil isn't fit for foreigners building long-term bases. A true businessman knows what to chase and what to leave alone."
Look at all the companies that rushed in for the money—what became of them? China's shadows were more hostile than the sunlight, free from foreign scrutiny.
"Hah."
Gao Xusen sighed an apology.
"Sorry. I overreacted."
"No offense taken."
"But even if they're useless now, their connections aren't gone. How do you plan to handle that? Got something in mind?"
"Money solves it."
"Money? What money?"
"The cash from your political rivals' basements."
"......"
Gao Xusen pondered, then shot back with incredulous amusement.
"Director, are you suggesting I rob them? To a public security cadre whose job is catching thieves?"
"We'll catch the thieves. Some stolen goods will turn up in Triad ops, sure. But their basements and safes won't hold just bills, right?"
"Haha!"
The cadre burst into tense laughter.
"That bit earlier about us forging the connections—that what you meant?"
"Who could deny Triad-Black Sea Party ties with stolen goods and other evidence? Plenty of Black Sea natives in their ranks already."
Black Sea folk—unregistered masses—couldn't job-hunt normally. Bosses skimmed wages, and with no papers, no complaints filed, no homes bought, no banks, no hospitals. Life-or-death on luck alone. So the illegal-born gravitated to crime; hence their heavy presence in Triad muscle. Knowing their household-registration woes, Triads baited loyalty with fake IDs and papers—legal personhood as the hook.
Triad Black Sea boys weren't as desperate as Party rebels, but to the higher-ups, they were all filthy mongrels. I planned to stoke that class blindness in the Communist nobles for my gain.
"Fair enough," Gao Xusen nodded.
"For the prime 'righteous banditry,' what do you need from me?"
"Just intel."
"Intel?"
"On whose assets are stashed where. Your uncle may be in prison now, but as ex-Provincial Discipline Inspection chief, he's got a hidden dagger or two."
Otherwise, I'd track every proxy mansion myself—tedious, unlikely. A power player eyeing central ascent wouldn't skip insurance. Enemy weaknesses: eternal policies.
Of course, he'd need secret contact with Gao Ninghui first—but his network could manage.
"Pass the intel, and my company handles the rest."
"What if you get caught mid-op, or they trace back?"
Really? I masked my disdain with dry reply.
"Do I need to guarantee that too? No business is risk-free, Section Chief. Only sure thing is doing nothing. We can aid an exit abroad if it goes south."
Stung but mulling, Gao Xusen nodded again.
"...I'll do it. If it works, it opens a path not just for me, but Uncle too."
"I hope so."
"Succeed, and we'll treat you as blood brother to me and Uncle."
"That works."
Not rewriting the family tree—full guanxi as kin.
"Profit split? Pure Black Sea Party loot goes mostly to you, fair—but I'm risking plenty too."
Plenty? His uncle's faction still held ground; no purge without full trials, no guilt till final verdict. Gao's "risk" was laughable, but I indulged my future "brother."
"Straight fifty-fifty."
Not expecting that, Gao Xusen licked his lips.
"You'll do that?"
"Credit is my creed. Full video logs—you'll verify fairness. But."
"But?"
"I alone decide what stolen goods become evidence, and how much. Agree?"
Plain: I don't trust your restraint. Evidence volume is bust stats; skimping on earmarks derails everything.
"You underestimate me, Director."
Gao Xusen deflated, agreed.
"Fine. Pleasure doing business—again."
"Likewise."
"Anything you need, name it. Max support within my reach."
Plenty: public security gear, vehicles/plates, fake IDs, intranet access, patrol intel/control, maritime checks for sea evac. Too much now, so I picked urgent.
"Recommend a good nearby restaurant."
"...Restaurant?"
"Waiting on you, I starved my men. No excuse for a boss to let subordinates go hungry—unless it's dire."
"Hah... haha...."
A faint blush crept over Gao Xusen's stiffened face.