Chapter 689 - 434: ‘The Pledge!’ (Part 2)
Chapter 689: Chapter 434: ‘The Pledge!’ (Part 2)
Or rather.
Even if Xu Liang really has come to defect, he still has to be on guard!
After all, judging from the other party’s résumé... none of his "partners" have met a good end.
"President Wang, this....."
The person on the other end of the line was clearly a bit stunned, not knowing what this was about.
Although his own status was far above that of ordinary people, compared to those who could get into the Cross Ferry Group, he was ultimately just a small fry.
If he stayed wary of the other side, kept his guard up, and that behavior earned their resentment...
Wouldn’t he be in for it?
"Just do what you’re told!"
Wang Chenghua barked coldly, then added a line.
"President Zhe is aware of this."
With that reassurance.
The other party finally let out a long breath, then agreed.
"Alright, I’ll get on it right away!"
The next moment.
Wang Chenghua didn’t hesitate any longer and hung up directly.
He sat at his desk, sinking into thought.
The pledge of loyalty was the biggest obstacle to the other party joining the group—once that hurdle was cleared...
Then perhaps it would be time to think about himself!
"Let’s hope this man doesn’t turn his face and deny people."
Wang Chenghua muttered under his breath.
Zhao Jie’s case would be heard on November 15.
Now that he’d already reached a cooperative arrangement with Xu Liang, then... the other party had no reason to drag a teammate down.
Or rather, even if he wanted to screw them over, he’d at least wait until after joining the group.
If he got his bones crushed and marrow sucked out by the other party in court... then Wang Chenghua would be more than a little upset.
After all, he might have money... but just recently he’d scraped together eight million for Zhuge Rong, and shifted forty million to the Cross Group!
Close to fifty million, half a hundred million—even in any company in 2026 that would be enough to hurt, let alone in the present year of 2005.
The money was already sunk in, and he hadn’t gotten any return yet. If Xu Liang decided to squeeze him for another chunk...
That would truly be the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
However...
"It doesn’t make sense."
After mulling it over again and again, Wang Chenghua finally settled his heart.
"No matter how you look at it....."
"There’s no reason to change face this fast."
No matter how bottomless someone is, how devoid of morals... they’d at least wait until things were wrapped up before stabbing you in the back.
He was still doing things for the guy, so...
"It doesn’t make sense."
...
...
November 12.
Wang Chenghua called Ye Ji back in again, shared with him Xu Liang’s current attitude, revealed a bit of information, and very obliquely reminded him that the two sides were presently on the same side.
At the same time.
After much hesitation, Zhuge Rong finally steeled himself and prepared to withdraw the notice to the Bureau of Justice.
The result was obvious.
The moment he got through on the phone... Zhuge Rong was immediately cursed out like a dog; though it was only a scolding over the line, the other party’s attitude was clear enough.
Things had developed to this point.....
With people like Zhao De, Dean Qian, and Wang Hai stepping in, and both sides facing off non-stop for days, this was no longer just some ordinary notice about the judicial environment!
In fact, the notice had already slipped out of the hands of both Zhuge Rong and Xu Liang!
The notice was still going on in some weird, deadlocked way, and people like Zhao De remained silent as they continued to stand off against it.
However, after receiving some information from Xu Liang, both sides’ attitudes were slowly easing.
...
November 13.
There were less than two days left before the first-instance hearing in the Zhao Jie case.
After holding back for two days without making a move, believing he had already lowered Zhuge Rong’s guard, Xu Liang began to follow up on the phone call the other party had made earlier.
Unfortunately, the guy was even more alert than he’d expected.
He didn’t find anything, but he wasn’t disheartened.
As long as the man was still in Upper City... as long as he was still in Eastern Country, he’d catch him sooner or later!
At the same time.
That night, a strange number got through to Xu Liang, and from their conversation he learned that the other party’s identity was somewhat special.
Hu Wei, president of the Red Heart Association welfare and aid organization!
In other words, the president of the aid association that Zhuge Rong controlled personally, his personal wallet in all but name, which he fronted as managing.
Out of caution, Xu Liang didn’t keep the conversation going for too long.
...
November 14.
The day before the Zhao Jie case was to be heard.
Xu Liang didn’t put his focus on the hearing; instead, after repeated probing back and forth with Hu Wei, he obtained a piece of information that puzzled him greatly.
At 11:30 a.m.
In the hospital ward, Xu Liang put away his phone, furrowing his brows as he looked at Yang Ruoxi and Su Yu around him, then slowly said:
"A pledge of loyalty..."
From their exchange, Xu Liang had confirmed Hu Wei’s identity and his purpose.
The identity of "president" wasn’t the surprising part.
The main thing was why he’d come!
Judging from what the other party said, he’d come to...
"Deliver a pledge of loyalty!"
Xu Liang frowned, falling into thought, quite at a loss.
To join the International Cross Ferry Group, one had to offer a pledge of loyalty, and Hu Wei was the one that Wang Chenghua had arranged to send this thing to him!
It was just that...
"What is that supposed to be?" Su Yu asked in confusion.
Yang Ruoxi arched a brow, put her hands on her hips, and asked suspiciously, "Is it about giving them money?"
In a typical interest group, the pledge of loyalty is money.
If it isn’t, then it just means the money isn’t enough!
It’s just that...
"Hard to say."
After thinking for a while, Xu Liang finally shook his head heavily, not daring to take it lightly.
In his mind flashed the image of Zhao Jie in the police station reception room, transformed into a "meat worm"; countless thoughts crawled out of the corners of his mind, only to be pressed back down by him.
"In any case... there’s no rush for now."
Xu Liang spoke frankly:
"Let’s deal with the hearing first!"
Since Hu Wei was connected to Wang Chenghua, the other side naturally knew about the hearing, so he hadn’t scheduled the delivery of the pledge of loyalty for now.
Instead, they would only make contact after the hearing was over!
Before that, he wouldn’t even know what this so-called pledge of loyalty actually was.
So...
"We wait for tomorrow’s hearing!"
Xu Liang said decisively.
As he spoke, a sharp light flashed in his eyes.
Clearly, he had already made up his mind to take a vicious bite out of Amcor Company!
Of course, given Zhao Jie’s current condition... money might be useless.
But whether she needed money was one thing, and whether he, as her legal representative, was willing to fight for it was another!
After all, if there was enough money... maybe Zhao Jie’s hearing could be restored, and she wouldn’t have to live in darkness anymore.
So.
"Let’s squeeze Wang Chenghua a bit harder; whatever infamy comes of it, I’ll shoulder it."
Until...
...
...
November 15!
The day of the first-instance hearing in the Zhao Jie case!
Upper City.
Basic-level People’s Court.
This case was an administrative one; the vast majority of this type of case was undertaken by basic-level People’s Courts, and only those involving the State Council, Customs, or major accidents within the jurisdiction would be handled by the Intermediate People’s Court.
Of course.
Even though the court trying the case was a basic-level court, don’t forget—this was Upper City.
Even as a basic court, just from the building alone, its appearance was in no way inferior to the Middle Courts in other regions!
The parties to the case were, on the defendant’s side: the official Drainage Service Center and Amcor City Pipe Engineering Company.
Because the incident arose out of Amcor Company, the main responsibility fell on Wang Chenghua’s side, with Ye Ji in charge of appearing in court, while the Drainage Service Center kept a low profile and went into cold treatment mode.
The plaintiff was Zhao Jie, with Xu Liang serving as her legal representative.
The case was scheduled to be heard at 1:00 p.m.
But Ye Ji did not show up only at one.
At noon, 12:00.
In the court’s waiting room, dressed in a suit and tie, Ye Ji paused, raised his wrist to glance at his watch, and murmured after seeing the time.
"One hour left..."
There was only an hour to go before the hearing!
But Ye Ji... for no good reason, couldn’t sit still; this restlessness seemed to have no source, he didn’t even know why it was there.
Maybe it was because...
"Is this cooperation... really a cooperative relationship?"
Some images suddenly flashed across Ye Ji’s mind, making his brow knit at once.
In front of his eyes, he saw again the words Wang Chenghua had told him one by one.
"Go fight the lawsuit with peace of mind, nothing will happen..."
"Xu Liang is one of ours, and Zhao Jie can’t speak anyway; as long as we gag the judge, we’ll be fine."
"Remember to coordinate with him..."
That’s right.
Before the hearing, he remembered that was what Wang Chenghua had told him.
Thinking of this.
Ye Ji rubbed his chin, a suspicious look crossing his face; something about this felt off.
But in the end, he shook his head and gathered his thoughts.
"Forget it, maybe I’m just being paranoid. Since President Wang dares to instruct me like that..."
"He must have his reasons!"