by Dragon King
The sun rose to the top of the sky above the Mingri Group’s headquarter before descending in the west.
Zhao Guang didn’t move a muscle while standing in the office for a whole day, and Elder Lu and Elder Sun sat stiffly in their chairs.
Zhao Haoran began to doze off at noon as if nothing was happening.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Cautious knocking sounded at the door.
“Come in,” Zhao Haoran opened his eyes and said.
A secretary walked in. “Mr. Chairman, the Black Tortoise Group called us today. They will resume the oil development project that had been paused last week. They said the funds have arrived, and the project can continue. The Vermilion Bird Group called us around the same time and said they would make plans for the new port project that had been put on hold.”
Zhao Guang turned to look at the secretary at the door. “Did they call us on the phone?”
“Yes, Mr. Chairman. They called almost at the same time, and I came here to report as soon as I confirmed the information,” the secretary answered respectfully.
The Black Tortoise Group and the Vermilion Bird Group respectively represented the on-land businesses of the North Ocean Dragon Clan and the South Ocean Dragon Clan. People in the business circle knew that these two groups were close allies and did things together. In fact, besides their alliance in business, they were also allies in the Dragon Tribe.
Different from the East Ocean Dragon Clan and the West Ocean Dragon Clan, the South Ocean Dragon Clan and the North Ocean Dragon Clan were comparatively weak in strength and wealth, which was why they had allied with each other. Obviously, before the calls, they had consulted with each other.
The softening in business showed their weakening in strategy regarding their attitude toward the East Ocean Dragon Clan!
Through their actions, they expressed their unwillingness to be rivals of the East Ocean Dragon Clan!
In other words, they didn’t want to get involved in the conflict between East Ocean and West Ocean and suffer loses.
In the last two days, the overseas funds of Mingri Group surged in and began acquiring the businesses and companies under Conqueror Group which were controlled by the West Ocean Dragon Clan. If the South Ocean Dragon Clan and the North Ocean Dragon Clan continued supporting the West Ocean Dragon Clan, the fire would soon spread to their territories.
The West Ocean Dragon Clan was declining while the East Ocean Dragon Clan suddenly became tough, willing to wage an official war. In this crucial moment, South Ocean and North Ocean had finally understood the situation.
“Ok. “Zhao Guang waved his hand.
The secretary silently backed out of the office.
“Elder Lu, Elder Sun,” Zhao Haoran called out.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Elder Lu and Elder Sun stood up in high spirit.
“The two of you go to the West Ocean Dragon Clan immediately,” Zhao Haoran said.
The two elders froze and waited for Zhao Haoran to continue.
“Send the notice of war to Zeng Xin,” Zhao Haoran continued.
Zeng Xin was the real name of Oldman Zeng who was just a junior in front of Zhao Haoran.
When Zhao Haoran was sweeping over the world, Zeng Xin was only an errand boy!
Oldman Zeng was proud because he was a powerful senior member of the Dragon Tribe. However, before Zhao Haoran, the leader of the Dragon Tribe in the great war several hundred years ago, he was nothing!
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Elder Lu and Elder Sun took the order.
In fact, they were surprised that Zhao Haoran wouldn’t stop even though the crisis had ended. He planned to give a heavy blow to the West Ocean Dragon Clan!
With this casual order from Zhao Haoran, the East Ocean Dragon Clan and the West Ocean Dragon Clan had now become official enemies.
However, the situation had changed, and Elder Lu and Elder Sun were now confident.
They walked out of the office with energy.
“Well, if Zhao Kuo is here, the situation wouldn’t have come to this state,” Zhao Haoran said with a little sigh.
Zhao Guang stood where he was and remained silent. Although his temperament was different from Zhao Kuo’s, they were brothers, and he missed Zhao Kuo very much. He wondered where his brother was.
Meanwhile, in Class Two of Grade Eight at LingZhao Middle School, the Class Advisor, Luo Ying, was standing on the teaching platform and lecturing the students about the upcoming final exams.
“It’s only half a month away from the final exams, and you must all work harder. Those who did well in the mid-term exams shouldn’t slack, and those who lagged behind in the mid-term exams must put in more effort to raise your rankings. Don’t think that you can relax and play after the final exams. After all, after this summer break, you will be in Grade Nine, facing high school entrance exams…”
The students in the classroom sat up straight, not daring to show any inattention while Luo Ying was giving a lecture.
Just released from the dragon palace, Zhao Yanzi had finally returned to school. With her hands behind her back, she sat very straight as well.
After Luo Ying’s lengthy lecture, all the students relaxed and began packing up their bags when Luo Ying suddenly said, “One more thing. I want to give special recognition to Zhao Yanzi.”
The students were surprised since they knew that in Luo Ying’s eyes, Zhao Yanzi was a poor student who always caused trouble.
Zhao Yanzi’s eyes widened in surprise as well.
“Zhao Yanzi had taken sick leave for a few days and just returned to school. However, the day before she was sick, she was on cleaning duty, and she did an excellent job!”
Luo Ying said with sincere appreciation and clapped her hands.
The students followed suit and applauded. Zhao Yanzi blushed, remembering that Hao Ren had helped her to do the cleaning. “I hope you will all stay for a while and watch how Zhao Yanzi cleans the classroom. We must all learn from her!” Luo Ying continued.
Clap… Another wave of applause sounded.
Zhao Yanzi’s face turned from pink to white.
“Hao Ren, you jerk…” Zhao Yanzi gritted her teeth in frustration.
359 High-End Banquet!
The golden sun was shining brightly in the sky.
When the day’s classes ended, Hao Ren went back to his dorm to put down his books before meeting Xie Yujia at the girls’ dorm and going back home together.
“Ren! Ren! Are you from a family that is worth tens of millions of yuan?” Zhou Liren chased after him and asked.
“No!” Hao Ren answered him with exasperation.
“Yu Rong told us the Bentley that appeared worth more than ten million yuan, is it true? Hey, we are good buddies. Can I go to your home and have a look?” Zhou Liren chased him downstairs and continued.
“If you go to my home and find out that my parents are Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang who came to give lectures in our school, you will be even more surprised,” Hao Ren thought to himself.
He quickened his steps and dashed to the first floor.
“Damn! Why do you run so fast? Are you flying?” Zhou Liren steadied himself by holding the rail and couldn’t catch up with Hao Ren.
Hao Ren was dashing out of the dorm building when he saw a huge black object blocking the entrance.
In the setting sun, the Bentley looked exceptionally majestic.
Hao Ren stopped running so he wouldn’t crash into the door of the Bentley.
“Gongzi Hao, you are invited to attend the banquet hosted by the mayor,” a middle-aged chauffeur who was wearing white gloves stood beside the car door and said respectfully.
Zhou Liren now caught up with Hao Ren. After hearing the words, his jaw dropped so much that two eggs could be squeezed into his wide-open mouth.
“Ugh. Who else will attend?” Hao Ren froze for a moment before asking.
“The old dragon king and Ms. Zi,” the chauffeur answered whil
e slightly lowering his head.
“Zhao Yanzi was finally released from the dragon palace,” Hao Ren thought to himself.
“The banquet will begin in half an hour, so we must hurry,” the chauffeur continued.
“Ok.” Hao Ren nodded. After a moment of thinking, he asked, “Can I bring someone with me?”
“It’s a banquet held in the City Hall. I’m afraid you can’t bring other guests,” the chauffeur answered.
“Then I can’t bring Xie Yujia with me…” While he was pondering this, Xie Yujia walked toward Hao Ren’s dorm building with her bag on her back.
Hao Ren strode towards her. “Zi’s grandpa asked me to attend a banquet. I’m afraid I can’t go back with you to have dinner with Grandma.”
Glancing at the Bentley at the entrance of the dorm building, Xie Yujia smiled and replied, “Ok! I’ll go back and have dinner with her then!”
Hao Ren looked at her apologetically. “Zi’s grandpa just returned from abroad…”
“It’s ok! You must try to please the elders.” Xie Yujia smiled again.
“I’ll head off then!” Hao Ren turned and asked the chauffeur, “Can you drop her off at my home after driving me to the banquet?”
“Yes, I can,” the chauffeur answered politely.
“Good!” Hao Ren pulled Xie Yujia into the car.
Standing at the entrance of the dorm building, Zhou Liren looked at Hao Ren and Xie Yujia in a daze.
Watching the Bentley driving toward the gate of the dorm area, Zhou Liren woke from his daze.
“Damn! You are mean! I want to sit in the ten-million-yuan Bentley and feel the difference!”
When the Bentley drove out of the dorm area, it attracted many girls’ attention. Fortunately, the unique car windows blocked their views. Otherwise, Hao Ren and Xie Yujia would be the main topic of their gossip.
Xie Yujia planned to take a bus back. When Hao Ren pulled her into the car and asked the chauffeur to drop her off, she felt a little awkward and a little touched as well.
“What kind of person is Zhao Yanzi’s grandpa?” Xie Yujia asked.
“Well, he’s an old man with great dignity,” Hao Ren answered her after a moment of thinking.
“Is he also a member of the Dragon Tribe?” Xie Yujia asked quietly.
“Yeah.” Hao Ren nodded and added silently, “And a strong man with intense murderous spirit.”
“Today, I made copies of all the notes of the courses we have together. I’ve crossed off the unnecessary parts, so you’ll pass if you review these notes.” Xie Yujia dug out some papers from her bag and showed them to Hao Ren.
“Thanks a lot!” Hao Ren smiled at her.
“It’s nothing!” Xie Yujia gave him a light punch before putting the papers back in her bag. “I’ll take them home and put them on your desk. You should read them when you have time, and the exams shouldn’t be a problem for you.”
“Ok! Ok!” Hao Ren nodded.
With Xie Yujia, the super excellent student, helping him with his final review, Hao Ren didn’t worry about failing the exams. He had more time to cultivate.
After all, Xie Yujia was fully supporting him.
The car arrived at the entrance of the City Hall. Hao Ren got off the car and asked the chauffeur to drive Xie Yujia home before passing the security check at the gate. Then, he walked toward the City Hall.
The City Hall was blazing with bright golden lights. Hao Ren quickly passed the special security check at the door since he had nothing on him but his cell phone, keys, and wallet.
In the hall, the mayor of East Ocean City was warmly greeting high-profile business people including Zhao Guang and Zhao Haoran.
Zhao Guang looked quite dashing in his silver suit, and Zhao Haoran’s black suit was better than Zhao Guang’s both in design and fabric.
The deputy mayor, Huang Xujie’s father, was present, but he had no chance to speak at this event; all he could do was smile and greet others.
Hao Ren looked around and saw Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang being surrounded by a group of people in the center of the hall.
“Uncle!”
A clear voice sounded behind him.
Hao Ren turned and saw Zhao Yanzi in a long red dress, standing with Zhao Hongyu at the entrance. She glared at him, wrinkling her nose.
“Ren, here you are.” Zhao Hongyu smiled at Hao Ren.
“Yeah. Hello, Auntie!” Hao Ren hurried to greet her.
“Why are you standing at the entrance? Come in with me…” Zhao Hongyu took his wrist and brought him into the hall as if he was one of her family members.
Walking on the other side of Zhao Hongyu, Zhao Yanzi rolled her eyes at him.
If she didn’t need to demonstrate how to clean the classroom before her classmates, she would have been here earlier.
However, for some unknown reason, she was pleased to see Hao Ren anyway.
Long red dress, white stockings, and a pair of high-heeled shoes made her look vivacious and pretty.
Only a few kids could attend today’s event. Even Huang Xujie, the son of the deputy mayor, was not qualified to enter.
Only the kids of prominent figures could come.
While Hao Ren and Zhao Yanzi walked into the hall with the famous architect, Zhao Hongyu, they caught everyone’s attention.
“That girl is Zhao Hongyu’s daughter, and her father is the CEO and Chairman of Mingri Group,” some businessmen began to talk among themselves.
“Who’s the young man on the left?”
“He seems to be the son of Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang, but he doesn’t like showing his face at public occasions.”
“The two families are very close. When Hao Zhonghua took the position of the head of the Ocean Research Institute, Zhao Guang donated 100 million yuan as its research fund.”
“They must have known each other before that…”
“A few days ago, when Mingri Group was in a crisis, Hao Zhonghua called his friends to help the group out of difficulty.”
“It seems that the Conqueror Group has somehow offended Mingri Group. In the past couple of days, Mingri Group has brought back an acquisition team from the U.S., and it has been trying everything to cut off the business chain of Conqueror Group.”
“It’s at the request of Mingri Group that the mayor hosted this banquet, and the aim is to restore the influence and reputation of Mingri Group in the region.”
“I think Conqueror Group is no match for Mingri Group. We’d better stand with Mingri Group, or we will be bought by it one day…” One of the businessmen said cautiously.
While they were talking, Zhao Hongyu took Hao Ren and Zhao Yanzi to Zhao Guang and Zhao Haoran.
“Grandpa…” Zhao Yanzi looked up and greeted Zhao Haoran in a low voice.
After his return from abroad, Zhao Haoran had been staying in the Mingri Group’s headquarter day and night, issuing orders. At the same time, Zhao Yanzi was grounded in the dragon palace; this was the first time that the grandpa and granddaughter met.
“Eh!” Zhao Haoran replied coldly.
Zhao Haoran didn’t show any fondness toward Zhao Yanzi, a lazy cultivator who was almost 1,000 years younger and even lost her natal dragon core.
Discouraged, Zhao Yanzi stepped back to stand behind Zhao Hongyu.
Seeing Hao Ren and Zhao Yanzi’s arrival, Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang disengaged themselves from their acquaintances and walked toward Zhao Hongyu and her group.
“Good Evening! Mr. Hao! Yue Yang!” Zhao Hongyu stepped forward to greet them.
In her beautiful dress and matching pieces of jewelry, Zhao Hongyu looked very elegant.
“Good evening! Hongyu, Mr. Zhao!” Yue Yang nodded at Zhao Hongyu politely and greeted them with a smile.
“This is my father, Zhao Haoran,” Zhao Guang introduced his father.
“Nice to meet you!” Hao Zhonghua reached out his right hand graciously.
As one of the significant figures who were behind the scenes in the U.S. financia
l market, Zhao Haoran looked dignified even when he remained silent. He lifted his hand and shook hands with Hao Zhonghua.
“This mortal is quite extraordinary,” Zhao Haoran thought to himself after seeing Hao Zhonghua not being suppressed by his aura.
He looked toward Yue Yang who was standing by Hao Zhonghua’s side and found her also quite unique with her bright eyes and elegant temperament.
At this moment, another guest walked in.
It was the world-famous painter, Qin Shaoyang, who was dressed in a casual purple suit.
360 Zi’s Reappearance
There was a three centimeters long scar on Qin Shaoyang’s left ear. Yet, because of his long hair, the injury wasn’t noticeable.
“Mr. Qin…” the mayor quickly greeted Qin Shaoyang.
If Hao Zhonghua and Yue Yang were known as the leading figures in East Ocean’s science community, then Qin Shaoyang would be known as the most significant person in East Ocean’s art community.
Leaders and talented people were needed to develop a city’s economy and reputation. Therefore, it was a must for the mayor to greet Qin Shaoyang personally because of the latter’s popularity within the art community.
Qin Shaoyang cracked a charming smile as he shook the mayor’s hand. However, his wound hurt a little as he smiled.
“This Qin Shaoyang, didn’t he become the associate dean of the Arts Program in your university?” Hao Zhonghua asked Hao Ren.
“Mm. Dad, you know him?” Hao Ren asked.
“Not really. I have seen him a few times before at a few events. There was one time when your mom and I received an award overseas, he was one of the guests,” Hao Zhonghua said.
“It isn’t necessary to be too close to him,” Hao Ren advised immediately.
Because of Hao Zhonghua’s status, he would definitely be able to meet people like Qin Shaoyang. In turn, Qin Shaoyang could also get in touch with Hao Zhonghua in some ways.
At this moment, Hao Ren worried about Qin Shaoyang getting close to his family!
However, Hao Ren was also confident that if Qin Shaoyang dared to harm his family, even if the Dragon God Shrine were supporting the latter, he would not hesitate to eliminate him!
