Chapter 55 Changing the Plan

Xue Gang chewed over these words carefully, feeling that something wasn't quite right. It felt as though they were specifically aimed at him.

We all came in the same vehicle, so why are you singling me out?

Could it be that you can tell I'm an undercover agent at a glance, or do I have the word "police" written on my forehead?

Among these people, I'm certainly not the only one without a shoulder bag—at least three or four others aren't carrying one either. Why didn't you mention them?

He felt a bit aggrieved. I am a veteran criminal investigator; is my acting really that poor?

Before Xue Gang could ponder any further, his train of thought was interrupted by a chorus of agreement from those around him.

"Exactly, exactly! We're all here to make money, not to play around."

"As long as the boss isn't lying to us, of course we'll follow along and work hard. Who has time to buy inventory just for fun? Naturally, we're going to set up stalls and sell it!"

Lu Fan pressed both hands downward, signaling everyone to quiet down.

"Ha-ha-ha, I was just making an offhand remark. Of course I believe in everyone's sincerity. Bailu, collect the money and write this big brother a receipt, and make sure to add my last two sentences to it."

Bailu currently idolized Lu Fan, listening to his every word with rapt attention. She immediately took out a receipt book, pressed it against the truck door, and filled out a receipt.

Written right on it was: After taking the goods, if you fail to set up your stall, or do not sell according to the company's marketing methods, no refunds will be given!

Xue Gang took the receipt with an expression of calm indifference, though his heart was pounding. Why did he suddenly feel like prey that had just stepped into a trap?

Having spent years investigating major felony cases and dealing with all kinds of criminals, he frequently encountered danger, which had given him instincts far superior to those of an ordinary person.

The moment the other man spoke, he had felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

He was very familiar with this sensation—it was the feeling of impending danger, or of his cover being blown.

He remembered once while pursuing a fugitive, just as he stepped into a courtyard, this exact feeling had suddenly hit him. He instinctively threw himself to the ground, and the very spot where he had just been standing was instantly blasted open by a gunshot.

The criminal had been using a homemade muzzle-loader loaded with a massive amount of gunpowder; being hit by it was almost certain death.

Why would he have this feeling now?

He had thoroughly checked out the group of people who came with him along the way; they were just ordinary street vendors from various large markets around Jiangcheng, not ferocious criminals.

The man and woman standing before him had also been meticulously observed by him. Although the man was tall and broad-shouldered, his physique was frail—he reckoned Yi Yi could take him down single-handedly—and the woman posed no threat whatsoever, both of them looking completely harmless.

Of course, there was another possibility: they had guns.

If he weren't surrounded by a crowd, he really would have liked to dive behind some cover right now and observe closely.

...

Lu Fan watched as Bailu happily counted the money once more, tucked it into her shoulder bag, and wore a blissful expression.

He couldn't help smiling slightly. What a money-grubber; you'll have plenty of counting to do in the future.

His gaze swept over the crowd once more. Originally, he had planned to take these people to the garment factory to give his lecture, as a fixed venue made it easy to build trust.

However, with two undercover agents mixed into the team, he no longer wished to follow his original plan.

He attached great importance to that plot of land and really did not want to invite complications.

How Lao Ding's garment factory came to be, what role he himself played in it, and what benefits he gained were matters that were very easy to investigate.

One only needed to track down the former female factory workers and interview them one by one, or simply ask Zhu Xiaoman, the accountant, to know the whole story.

To minimize trouble, he was willing to make a bit less money and accept it.

With his mind racing, Lu Fan pointed casually at a large sign on a distant high-rise building and said, "See that? The Tycoon Hotel. We'll be holding our meeting over there shortly. In the morning, I'll teach you all the marketing methods and briefly explain the company's supplier system and where your profit margins lie. In the afternoon, we'll delineate the market territories, assigning each person a specific area of the markets to be responsible for. You'll also actively share your specific situations so we can discuss them together."

"When evening comes, we'll head out for a field inspection on-site, and you can personally observe the kind of results I've achieved through my efforts over the past few days. That way, everyone will have a more intuitive understanding."

"Once all of that is done, we'll discuss the matter of taking on inventory."

"Alright, Brother Shihu, Ermei, I'll head over first. You guys follow right after."

With those words, Lu Fan waved his hand, and a taxi slowly pulled up to the curb.

Disregarding the rest of the group, he led Bailu into the taxi.

As soon as Lu Fan left, the crowd began to murmur amongst themselves.

Someone asked, "Huzi, is this guy reliable? How come he's so young?"

Shihu laughed, "Whether he's reliable or not, it doesn't matter what I say—you'll find out by tonight. When we delineate the market territories this afternoon, you'd better try to claim as many areas as you can, otherwise you'll definitely regret it, and don't say I didn't warn you."

"If it's really that profitable, why doesn't he just do it himself instead of dragging us along?"

"That's a matter of vision. People like us only see the little hundred or two hundred yuan we make each day, but President Lu is running a big business. Can he be compared to us?"

Jiang Ermei urged from the side, "Stop arguing and get in the cars quickly. Don't keep President Lu waiting."

At the back of the crowd, Xue Gang and Yi Yi were also whispering to each other.

"Yi Yi, why don't you sit this out? You can provide support from the periphery, and if anything happens, call for backup."

"Master, why? We've already infiltrated the enemy's camp, half the mission is already successful."

"I just have a feeling this thing isn't that simple, like something went wrong somewhere in the middle. When you were taking photos last night, did you cross paths with that man? Did he recognize you?"

"Surely not? There were so many people last night, and it was so chaotic. I even put on makeup specially today, changed my clothes, and altered my appearance a lot. Who would have the time to remember a stranger? Besides, even if he did recognize me, he has no idea what I do!"

"Hmm, what you say makes some sense. I observed him closely just now; his expression didn't change when he looked at you. Still, we need to change our plan. Don't make a move today. Even if we gather evidence, don't expose them on the spot—we'll handle everything after we head back."

"Why?"

Xue Gang didn't answer her; he couldn't very well admit that his gut was feeling uneasy today, and past instincts like this had helped him avert danger many times.

Jiang Ermei began calling for everyone to board the vehicles, and the two of them hurried over.

...

Arriving at the Tycoon Hotel, Lu Fan directly booked a small conference room and two tables for lunch.

The Tycoon Hotel was a foreign-affiliated four-star hotel and considered the best hotel in the Dongping District.

Yesterday noon, he had dined with Liu Yuee and Bailu right there in the hotel's dining department.

The waitresses inside were all pretty with graceful figures and pleasing facial features, wearing double-slit cheongsams that revealed snow-white legs, making for a very pleasant sight.

When Lu Fan led Bailu to the small conference room, a waitress was already waiting by the door.

"Hello, Mr. Lu. I am Qi Xue, the exclusive attendant for Conference Room 1306. I will be serving you today. If you have any needs, please feel free to let me know."

"Alright, thank you."

"Then please take a look at the room setup. Do any adjustments need to be made?"

Lu Fan glanced inside. The conference room could accommodate around thirty people and was nicely decorated, with mahogany materials used for the perimeter and ceiling, and thick carpets covering the floor.

The conference table and chairs were styled in European office furniture, a design that wouldn't look dated even a decade later.

Right in the center of the table sat a projector, and on the right-hand side stood a huge white board.

At each seat, there was a lidded teacup, alongside stationery and ballpoint pens bearing the hotel's logo.

Near the back, melon seeds, peanuts, and fruit platters were arranged at intervals.

Five hundred yuan—it was truly money well spent!

"It looks great. Could you please go down to the lobby and welcome my guests for me?"

"Certainly!"

...

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