After distributing the plan to Asa Katsuragi and Kong Tai, Xu Yang called over the heavyweight Zuo Hongchen.
Xu Yang sized up the chubby man. Zuo Hongchen had entered the office, and now Xu Yang felt even more estranged from him; his attire concealed his features and exuded mystery, which made Zuo Hongchen more afraid. Zuo Hongchen could only offer a slight smile to ease his own nervousness.
"Boss," he said, "our performance has been poor lately. The price of imported products is on the rise, and the costs of our main business items—food, beverages, and clothing—are skyrocketing. Intercontinental shipping has also stopped because of the war, except for a few routes that are secure enough; the rest are easy prey for Black Fire Innovation's submarines."
"You seem to be in good shape personally," Xu Yang scrutinized Zuo Hongchen, who seemed to have gained some weight.
"I've made a bit of money on the side," Zuo Hongchen admitted, "shorting Kyoto Infinity."
