Chapter 97: Mingsheng Group

Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Mingsheng Group

Fu City, in a high-rise building.

In the CEO’s office, a slightly hunched man in his fifties sat in a swivel chair, wearing reading glasses and flipping through a file. This was none other than Sun Mingsheng, the head of Mingsheng Group. Mingsheng Group operated various hotels and restaurants and held shares in numerous food companies. It was a considerably large corporation in Fu City.

KNOCK KNOCK!

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Sun Mingsheng said quietly, his eyes still on the documents in his hands.

CREAK!

The office door opened, and a male employee in gold-rimmed glasses walked in.

"Boss, the report from the research institute is out!" The man in gold-rimmed glasses placed a file on Sun Mingsheng’s desk.

"Mm," Sun Mingsheng nodded. He immediately set aside his other papers and hurriedly opened the research institute’s report to read it.

As his eyes swept over the report’s contents, Sun Mingsheng’s brow immediately furrowed, and his expression soured.

"Starch, dong quai, ginseng, goji berries, sugars, protein? These are all the ingredients you could identify?" Sun Mingsheng asked.

"That’s right. The grass carp feed is made of those ingredients," the man in the gold-rimmed glasses said.

"And the ratios?"

"We figured out all the ratios. We even created a batch of our own feed based on them." The man hesitated. "It’s just... the results weren’t exactly ideal."

"How ’not ideal’ are we talking?" Sun Mingsheng’s face darkened instantly.

"Er... well... the feed we made... when we put it in the water... the grass carp... they didn’t seem to... like it very much!" the man said, his eyes filled with anxiety.

"Useless! You’re all useless! What do I pay you useless trash for? The research institute burns through money like water, and this is the useless garbage you bring me? Utterly useless!" Sun Mingsheng exploded in a rage, throwing the report right in the man’s face. "Get back to it, now! I’m giving you one month. If you can’t figure it out, then all of you can pack your bags and get out! And you can forget about this month’s bonuses."

With trembling hands, the man in gold-rimmed glasses picked up the report from the floor and gave a bitter smile. "Boss, I’m afraid that’s impossible. We don’t have any more of the feed to study. That guy, Wu Feng, only managed to get less than half a bowl last time. It wasn’t nearly enough. He only stole that tiny amount, and we’ve already used it all up for analysis over the past few days."

"If you used it all up and there’s no more feed, then go get more!" Sun Mingsheng said in a low, dangerous voice. "You need to understand how crucial this formula is. The market for their Immortal Flavor Old Fish is already taking off. The brand’s reputation is spreading rapidly across the province, even the entire country. This is a massive business opportunity. If we can reproduce the formula—even if our version is slightly less effective, it doesn’t matter—it would be a surefire, can’t-lose business venture."

"I’m afraid that’s not going to work. The guy has a dog. That kid, Wu Feng, got bitten during the theft. What’s more, the owner went straight to Wu Feng’s martial arts hall, challenged them, and wiped the floor with the entire place. His martial skill is terrifyingly high. He’s not someone to be trifled with." The man hesitated for a moment. "Boss, why don’t we just try to buy the grass carp feed formula directly from that Ye Xing?"

"No, that’s not an option. A formula like this would cost tens of millions, if we could even get it." A glint appeared in Sun Mingsheng’s eyes. "I want to steal the fruits of his labor for the lowest possible price. That way, our costs are low, and the profits are huge."

"But I have a feeling that Ye Xing has already figured out we were behind it, through Wu Feng," the man said after a moment’s thought.

"Tch," Sun Mingsheng scoffed. "So what if he found out? What can a wet-behind-the-ears kid like him do to me?" His voice turned low and serious. "The most important thing right now is to get more of his fish feed for research. It looks like we’ll have to cause some trouble for him. Disrupt his routine and create an opportunity to steal more feed!"

After a pause, a flicker in his eyes, Sun Mingsheng beckoned the man closer. When the man leaned in, Sun Mingsheng whispered a series of instructions in his ear. "Here’s the plan. I want you to head back to Luoxian County right away, and then..."

...

Luoxian County, Bilin Village.

After coming down from Yunli Mountain and seeing Sister Chen off, Ye Xing returned to his ancestral home.

As he reached the gate to his ancestral home, Ye Xing stopped and looked ahead. A black Audi was parked at the entrance. Pacing back and forth was a powerfully built man with a fierce, imposing aura, holding a file. It was none other than Wu Qiang, the master of the Changchun Martial Arts Hall.

"Haha, Great Hero, you’re finally back! I’ve been waiting a long time for you," Wu Qiang exclaimed, hurrying over as soon as he saw Ye Xing.

"What can I do for you?" Ye Xing asked coolly.

"Here, for you," Wu Qiang said, handing the file to Ye Xing. "It’s all the information on Mingsheng Group and Sun Mingsheng. I had my men dig it up especially. I hope it can be of some help to you, Great Hero."

"Thoughtful of you." Ye Xing’s gaze flickered. He took the file from Wu Qiang and began to read.

"Hehe, it’s my duty, my duty," Wu Qiang said with a fawning smile, his attitude one of utmost respect.

Ye Xing began to leaf through the file. It contained a great deal of information on Sun Mingsheng. He had to admit, Wu Qiang, being from the underworld, was truly impressive when it came to gathering intelligence. The file on Sun Mingsheng was incredibly detailed. It not only described how Sun Mingsheng got his start and the things he had done, but it even had a crystal-clear record of how many mistresses he kept.

After a quick read-through, Ye Xing had a much better understanding of Sun Mingsheng.

"Sun Mingsheng. Male. Han ethnicity. 56 years old. Started an oil mill in his early years, making his first fortune from ’gutter oil.’ Later went into the pork floss pastry business, using meat from diseased pigs, which caused numerous cases of food poisoning... After several ventures, his rise was swift, and he established Mingsheng Group within a few years..."

’He’ll even make dirty money just to turn a profit. I despise people like this most of all. I couldn’t be bothered to go to Fu City before, but now, dealing with him will be like dispensing heavenly justice.’ A cold sneer touched the corner of Ye Xing’s mouth.

"So, Great Hero, is the information detailed enough?" Wu Qiang asked quickly. "If it’s not, I can have my men keep digging. I guarantee we’ll unearth eighteen generations of his ancestors."

"Haha, no need. This file is more than enough." Ye Xing’s eyes glinted as he offered a small smile. "And one more thing. Stop calling me ’Great Hero.’ It’s awkward. My name is Ye Xing."

"Yes, of course, of course." Wu Qiang’s eyes lit up with joy. He thought to himself, ’Looks like the Great Hero is starting to accept me. This is fantastic!’

Just as he said that, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the corner of the alley, growing louder as they approached. A boy of about fourteen sprinted toward them, legs pumping.

"Cousin Ye Xing! Cousin Ye Xing! I finally found you! Man, I’m exhausted!" Cheng Xiaohai gasped, running up to them while panting heavily.