Qin Yu ignored Alon's words and sat directly across from him on the sofa, asking, "Anything bothering you lately?"
"What's there to be bothered about? I drink, have fun every day, and there are plenty of girls. Life couldn't be more comfortable," Alon laughed.
"Is that so?" Qin Yu looked skeptical and said, "There shouldn't be anything between us brothers that we can't talk about."
Alon's smile disappeared upon hearing this. He said, "It must be Zhao Bing who told you, damn it! Just wait and see, I'll give him a good beating."
"No need for others to tell me. I know what kind of person you are. A nightclub opens right in front of you, and you, Dragon Brother, have no reaction. Is that your character?"
Qin Yu pursed his lips, emphasizing the words "Dragon Brother." He knew his brother's character very well. He never liked being taken advantage of. Being provoked like this, according to his style, he should have gathered his friends and smashed that nightclub.
"Tell me, what's really going on? Does that nightclub have some background?"
Alon took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, flicked one towards Qin Yu, and took one for himself. After lighting it up and taking a puff, he said, "Qin Yu, your identity is different from mine. I've already chosen this path, and there are things I don't want to drag you into."
"Nonsense! Are you not considering me your brother anymore? Fine, I'll leave now, and let's not contact each other again."
Qin Yu made a move as if to stand up and leave, but Alon didn't stop him. He just smiled and watched Qin Yu's actions. Seeing this, Qin Yu reluctantly sat back down and said, "Alright, tell me what's going on. Let's discuss it together as brothers."
Alon also knew Qin Yu's character. In certain aspects, he was as stubborn as an ox. Since he couldn't hide it anymore, Alon decided to spill the beans and explain the situation in detail.
The Dreamland Nightclub run by Alon was an established venue in the county town. It had gained considerable fame due to its prime location and some connections with local authorities. With the backing of influential figures, there were rarely any troublemakers causing disruptions. Business was booming, and it was making a fortune.
However, success often breeds jealousy. Despite Alon's rising prominence in the county town, he had encountered resistance from a few established factions. After a series of confrontations, those factions were eventually forced to give up their territories, and Alon became a dominant force in the county town through his nightclub.
But six months ago, a shop across the street suddenly started its renovation. At that time, Alon didn't pay much attention to it since the town was rapidly changing, and it was common for old storefronts to undergo renovations. However, two months later, when the newly renovated shop opened for business, it turned out to be another nightclub named "Triumph Nightclub."
Alon was not the kind of person who would accept such a situation. The reason he had embarked on this path in the first place was because a group of high school sophomores approached him for protection money during his high school days. Out of anger, he had clashed with them, gradually establishing his dominance in high school. How could a person like him, who hated being taken advantage of, tolerate a rival nightclub opening right across from his own, directly challenging him?
On the night of Triumph Nightclub's opening, Alon gathered his men with the intention of smashing it. However, when they stormed into the nightclub, they were dumbfounded to find police officers in uniforms waiting for them. Without a word, they were all apprehended and taken to the police station.
Alon fell into a trap. It was his immediate reaction upon seeing the police. After all these years of mixing in society, he understood that he had fallen into a well-designed trap. If he couldn't even recognize such a scheme, he didn't deserve to be a leader in the underworld.
In order to bail out all his brothers, Alon had to spend half a year's income from the nightclub. However, there were still a few of his men who couldn't be released due to their extensive criminal records. They were likely to face imprisonment.
After leaving the police station, Alon used his connections within the force to track down a police chief who finally revealed the background of Triumph Nightclub. It turned out that the owner of the nightclub was a relative of the newly appointed deputy director of the Public Security Bureau. Of course, everyone understood that this relative was just a figurehead, and the real boss was the director of the Public Security Bureau.
Having suffered a setback, Alon refrained from impulsive actions. However, it was clear that the other party wouldn't stop there. Since they chose to open the nightclub there, they must have had the intention of getting rid of Alon.
With the previous connection to the police chief, the nightclub had never been subjected to inspections. Even if routine checks were conducted, they would be forewarned. But now, the police were frequently conducting surprise raids. Even if the nightclub had no major violations, the constant police presence scared away customers. After all, customers sought entertainment and would naturally choose to leave upon seeing the police. As a result, the Dreamland Nightclub's customer base gradually diminished, while Triumph Nightclub across the street started attracting more and more patrons.
"What's wrong with that deputy director? Didn't they talk to you?" Qin Yu asked after listening to Arong's words.
"How could they not? That scumbag sent someone to deliver a message, saying either I transfer the nightclub to him for 500,000 RMB or get ready to shut it down," Arong scoffed, with a disdainful expression. "I took over this nightclub two years ago for 700,000 RMB, plus the renovation costs. And now he wants to take it for 500,000 RMB? That's wishful thinking."
Qin Yu frowned. It was clear that the other party wanted to seize the nightclub, taking advantage of their connections with the authorities. It was even possible that the deputy director had this idea. Qin Yu had heard his elder uncle occasionally mention the newly appointed deputy director of the Public Security Bureau. Apparently, he was someone recommended by the county party secretary, and he had been specifically transferred from another place to take charge of the Public Security Bureau, as the current director was nearing retirement age.
Both brothers fell silent, sitting on the sofa, lost in thought as they lit their cigarettes. The room was soon filled with smoke.
An urgent ringtone broke the silence. Qin Yu glanced at Arong and took out his phone from his pocket. Seeing that it was a call from his elder uncle, he answered it.
"Hello, Uncle."
"Xiaoyu, where are you right now?"
"I'm in the county town. Is there something wrong?"
"Tell me your exact location. I'll come pick you up. There's something I need to discuss with you," said Uncle in a slightly urgent voice. Qin Yu informed him that he was currently below the Dreamland Nightclub. Uncle instructed him to stay there and assured him that he would come to pick him up immediately.
After hanging up the phone, Qin Yu speculated that his uncle's call was probably related to the County Chief's family. Without hesitation, he got up from the sofa and advised Arong, "I have something to take care of now. During this time, please don't do anything rash. Let's discuss it properly when I come back. Please, don't act impulsively."
He was worried that his brother, in his anger, might do something regardless of the consequences, which would likely give the other party an opportunity to exploit.
"I am very calm, your big uncle called you, right? I won't accompany you downstairs so that your big uncle doesn't see anything bad," Arong replied. He was familiar with Qin Yu's family and knew that his uncle was the mayor of the town. Arong himself had a burly physique and a tough-looking face, giving off the appearance of a thug, so he didn't want to be seen by Qin Yu's uncle.
After leaving the nightclub, Qin Yu stood on the street, squinting as he surveyed the Triumph Nightclub across the road. After a moment, an idea surfaced in his mind, and he took out his phone to call Arong.
"Hey, why are you still standing at the entrance? Why are you calling me?" came Arong's lazy voice from above. Qin Yu looked up and saw a head sticking out of the window on the second floor—it was Arong.
"I have a plan to deal with the Triumph Nightclub," Qin Yu ignored the head above and continued in a lowered voice, "Go find someone to make a mirror, a diamond-shaped mirror that reflects light strongly. Place it in the window of your second-floor room, adjust the position so that the light is reflected onto the sign of the Triumph Nightclub."
"A mirror, reflecting light? What good will that do?" Sensing Qin Yu's caution, Arong no longer stuck his head out and asked quietly through the phone.
"Don't ask now. I'll tell you later. Just remember to do as I say. Also, don't let too many people know about this."
Qin Yu spotted a black Audi approaching—it was his uncle's car. Without time to explain further to Arong, he quickly ended the call and went to meet his uncle.
"Xiaoyu, get in the car."
The car window rolled down, and Uncle called out to Qin Yu.
Qin Yu opened the car door and got in. The black Audi immediately started and disappeared around the corner of the street...
"What's he up to, being all secretive?"
Arong watched the Audi disappear and then turned around, closing the window. After a moment of contemplation, he made another phone call.
"Zhao Bing, go find a diamond-shaped mirror. It shouldn't be too small; ideally, it should be the height of a child. You personally handle this matter and deliver it to the second floor through the back door. Don't tell anyone else."
Although Arong didn't understand what Qin Yu was up to, he had complete trust in him. So he instructed Zhao Bing to get the mirror.
On the other end, Qin Yu got into the Audi and realized there was someone else in the car as well—someone he recognized. It was Secretary Wang, whom he had met before. Secretary Wang had a serious expression on his face, but when he saw Qin Yu enter, he forced a smile and nodded.
"Uncle, Secretary Wang, are you looking for me because of the County Chief's family?"
If Qin Yu had only been speculating before, now that he saw Secretary Wang in the car, he was certain it was indeed about the County Chief's family.
"Xiaoyu, let Secretary Wang explain."
Qin Yu's uncle was personally driving the car. Upon hearing this, Secretary Wang spoke up.
"Master Qin, we did indeed come to find you regarding the County Chief's family."
Secretary Wang didn't beat around the bush and directly explained the situation.
After taking the talisman from Qin Yu last time, Secretary Wang had given it to the County Chief. After much persuasion, the County Chief was convinced and placed the talisman on the lintel of the door. It had indeed produced the desired effect, as the County Chief's daughter stopped having nightmares. However, something strange happened last night.
The chandelier in the main hall of the County Chief's residence fell for no reason, shattering the fish tank displayed in the hall. All the fish died due to electric shock, leaving the hall in a mess. Additionally, the talisman floated down from the lintel and broke into two pieces.
"The talisman cracked!"
Qin Yu was shocked. No one knew better than him about the function of the talisman that gathered spiritual energy. Unless intentionally damaged, it was highly unlikely for such a talisman to break.