CHAPTER 782: CHAPTER 780: TRIUMPHANT RETURN [4TH UPDATE]

The Hongmen Banquet starts at ten in the morning.

However, normally speaking, people tend to trickle in from nine o’clock.

There are rules, or rather, unspoken rules, for entering.

Simply put, those who are lower-ranked come earlier!

The reason for this, apart from face-saving measures and waiting for big names to arrive later.

The most crucial reason is, the lower the rank, the more there is a need to network.

This leads to the earlier you arrive, the better the spot you can find, the more familiar you can become with the layout and seating arrangements, to facilitate conversation with the big shots.

So, while Lu Xiaobu was still sleeping, quite a number of people had already arrived here.

Although the clout of these people varied, it wasn’t by much, so they could still chat together.

"Hey, isn’t that Brother Li? Long time no see, long time no see!"

"Young Wang, you’re doing quite well this year!"

"Well? Not at all! My rank hasn’t budged!"

"Come on! Lu Xiaobu shot up like a rocket this year, from dead last to halfway up the mountain. You didn’t fall, so that’s already badass!"

"Look, Brother Zhang is here! Brother Zhang, over here! Just as prominent and promising as ever!"

"Fellows, I’ve brought gifts!"

"Don’t be like that, let’s just talk rankings here, not age. You’re ranked higher than us two old bones!"

"Merely living on the lingering shade of my forefathers, it’s nothing, really!"

"Don’t say that, it makes no sense!"

"..."

Conversation and pleasantries abound, with many distinct cliques quite apparent.

But however clear these small cliques are, none are as conspicuous as one of them.

That’s the E-sports circle!

This little clique almost seems isolated by the surrounding people!

Only they are talking amongst themselves.

"Sigh, check this out, if I had known, I wouldn’t have come!"

"Not come? That would be even more troublesome! Not coming would lead others to take you as one of Lu Xiaobu’s die-hard fans, tell me if that isn’t a hassle?!"

"Damn! Damned if you do, damned if you don’t!"

"Think about how glorious we were in the first half of the year! And then Lu Xiaobu, with his damn urges, had to compete with Black Rose, and now look, we’re all trapped in this mess! And we get dragged down with him!"

"Hehehe, listen to you! Without Lu Xiaobu, could you have made it into this circle?! I remember you were still hovering around the Third Level Rich List last year. What do you call that!"

"Fine! I’m nothing, but you are! Go on with your play, I’m leaving! Pretending to be a big shot!"

"Hey, look at this guy!"

"All right, all right, no need for that! Let’s just discuss what our next step should be!"

"..."

The E-sports circle, influenced by Lu Xiaobu, clearly had bad tempers, and their words betrayed their distrust in Lu Xiaobu!

Clearly, in their eyes, the likelihood of Lu Xiaobu losing was high!

People were still arriving intermittently; some circles were expanding, while others were shrinking, or even disbanding!

They didn’t just find a spot to drink alone; they merged into the larger circles.

After all, in the current environment, there’s no shortage of conversation topics – just discuss Lu Xiaobu!

So, the consequence was that, by the end, nearly everyone was discussing Lu Xiaobu.

"Lu Xiaobu has made a rotten move!"

"A rotten move? I don’t think so. If Lu Xiaobu doesn’t fall, where do we get our meat from?"

"Hehehe! Don’t be so blunt, huh!"

"That’s bullshit! Who in their right mind doesn’t know about you! Don’t think we don’t know who your lady is! You were just chasing after..."

"Fuck off! Elder Wang, business is business, I’m here for the New Year countdown, not to brawl with you!"

"Alright, alright, you’re in a rush! But keep an eye on your lady! Just yesterday, I saw her hanging around with some young hottie!"

"Motherfucker!" The guy slammed his glass down and punched the other guy square in the face.

The other fellow was no pushover either and threw a punch right back!

People around them just shrugged their shoulders, used to such sights!

These folks might act all high and mighty in front of ordinary people, but here, they just let loose!

It’s like high schoolers in front of elementary kids, acting all big and tough, but among other high schoolers, they’re all equal, laughing, cursing, fighting as they please!

Of course, that’s provided no big shots are around!

Speaking of which, Xia Jie and Zhan Longyan, along with those twenty-one others, are the real big shots here!

"Tsks tsk tsk, it’s started again! Elder Wang always brings up that same old thing!"

"You all know, ever since Elder Wang got screwed over by that guy, he’s been holding a grudge!"

"Let’s ignore them, it’s just business as usual, let’s carry on!"

"Let me throw out a hypothesis, guys! Do you think Xiaobu is really thinking with his dick? What if this is all just a trap he’s set up?"

"No way! Black Rose has already made their move, what’s the point in him setting a trap now?!"

"Exactly! Plus, Xiaobu has put a ton of money into this, with so much of his liquidity tied up, it’d be hard for him to back out now! What tricks could he possibly have left?!"

"Indeed! Looks like the prodigal son is making a dramatic return to the Jianghu!"

"Look, look, the big shots are coming!"

"..."

Everyone quickly turned around to look and saw all twenty-three of them from behind Black Rose Company, including Xia Jie and Zhan Longyan, had arrived!

That’s the biggest clique in this banquet, inseparable and rock solid.

With them here, it’s like they are the main characters of the party.

So their entrance alone was with a different kind of presence!

Majestic and triumphant!

Like heroes returning from a victorious battle!

The others quickly surrounded them, each with a beaming smile.

"Congratulations, hearty congratulations!"

"Kudos, President Xia, President Zhan, on taking down Xiaobu!"

"You big bosses have really got an eye for things! This move has cornered Xiaobu!"

"It’s not just about having an eye for things, but courage too! Would you dare to put up 5 billion yourself?!"

"Bullshit, I don’t even have 5 billion in liquid assets!"

"Anyway! These guys are our heroes, eradicating the big cancer of our business world!"

"..."

Hearing these flatteries, you should know – in their minds, Xiaobu is as good as dead!

And so you have the rush to cozy up to power!

After all, everyone knows that once the final hammer comes down, a new powerhouse will emerge from these twenty-three individuals, filling the vacuum left by Xiaobu and controlling the biggest market!

And whoever hugs the big thigh will get to sip the most soup!