As for the choice of an assistant, Liu Tiezhu had no leads for the moment, but Guo Qixing and Ma Qifeng were absolutely out of the question. First, recommending Guo Qixing would easily draw the Ming family's attention, which wouldn't suit their future plans. Second, Ma Qifeng was a hidden asset and couldn't be brought too close.
Liu Tiezhu pondered for a moment, too lazy to rack his brains over it, and glanced at the gifts sent by the twenty-plus squad leaders. He had no intention of returning these gifts. Even if he tried, those squad leaders wouldn't dare accept them. Since he was about to form a unit and needed substantial funds, he graciously accepted them.
Liu Tiezhu opened the box placed in the most prominent spot. Inside was a stack of cash and a self-recommendation letter. The sender was Lin Minghao, the leader of the 17th squad. The letter detailed his start date, the missions he'd participated in, and how many times he'd rendered meritorious service to the Ming family. Liu Tiezhu skimmed through it briefly, then set the letter aside and examined the cash in the box. Judging by the thickness and number of bills, he estimated it was about five thousand yuan. Adding in the cigarettes and alcohol, Lin Minghao's gift totaled roughly seven thousand yuan.
Liu Tiezhu pocketed the cash and continued inspecting the gifts from the other squad leaders. Half an hour later, he finished tallying them up. All twenty-plus squad leaders had sent money, following a pattern similar to Lin Minghao's. The cash amounts ranged from two thousand to seven thousand yuan. One squad leader named Zhang Tianlong was somewhat intriguing. His gift was just a paper box containing five hundred and sixty yuan. The recommendation letter only had his name, with no further details. Liu Tiezhu grew curious, wondering if this man was putting on a show or was genuinely talented.
As he mulled it over, Yan Wanli arrived with Yang Hua. Liu Tiezhu grabbed a high-end carton of cigarettes and handed it to Yan Wanli, instructing him to retrieve Zhang Tianlong's detailed records. After sending Yan Wanli off, Liu Tiezhu gestured for Yang Hua to sit down.
"Brother Zhu, I truly admire you from the bottom of my heart," Yang Hua said, his face full of awe as he looked at the table piled with gifts. He had joined the Ming family a month before Liu Tiezhu, yet he was still an unremarkable guard. Liu Tiezhu, in just over ten days, had risen to the top tier of the Ming family's middle management, wielding significant power. Seeing the mountain of cigarettes and alcohol on the table, Yang Hua knew Liu Tiezhu was living comfortably. In contrast, his own situation felt utterly worthless.
"What's there to admire? You can do it too someday." Liu Tiezhu smiled and tossed a pack of high-end cigarettes to Yang Hua. "Yang Hua, I won't beat around the bush with you. Staying in the Ming family has no future for you, and it'll cost you your life. Jiang Tianliang is still under the Ming family's watch, so he won't dare touch you for now. But once that noose around his neck is removed, he won't give us an easy time."
Yang Hua nodded. "Brother Zhu, I understand." Even without Liu Tiezhu's warning, he knew the Li family and Jiang Tianliang wouldn't let him off. That's why he'd been thinking of other options lately.
"Since you understand, I'll get straight to the point. I'm offering you a path now: help me build a team of about a hundred people, and we'll develop in secret. As for pay, whatever the Ming family gives, I'll double it. But the people you recruit must be loyal to me. How you test them is up to you." Now that Yang Hua understood his situation, Liu Tiezhu didn't mince words and laid out his plan.
"Brother Zhu, don't worry. This time, I won't let you down." Yang Hua thumped his chest, his tone resolute. He'd been fretting over finding a way out, and Liu Tiezhu's offer was his best option. As for candidates, he had a plan. In his two-plus months with the Ming family, he'd gotten to know many members. Quite a few squad members had already complained about the Ming family's unfairness and wanted to leave. If he could offer the same treatment, he believed they'd follow him soon.
"Get on it then. Aim to wrap it up in a week. Then meet Er Gouzi at the second floor of the Apricot Blossom Tavern, and he'll tell you how to proceed with the next step." As he spoke, Liu Tiezhu handed Yang Hua another stack of cash before sending him off.
The next day, when Liu Tiezhu woke up, Yan Wanli handed him Zhang Tianlong's records. "Captain, what do you need this guy's info for?" Liu Tiezhu was taken aback. From Yan Wanli's tone, it seemed he knew Zhang Tianlong. After a moment, Liu Tiezhu asked, "You know Zhang Tianlong?"
Yan Wanli replied, "How could I not? That guy's like a rock in a latrine—stubborn and foul-tempered. Almost everyone in the camp knows him. He relies on his real skills and never socializes with anyone, always acting high and mighty." "So he's self-righteous?" Liu Tiezhu chuckled. "Isn't it?" Yan Wanli continued, "Being an outcast in the camp is stupid. If he gets seriously hurt on a mission, who's going to help him?" Hearing this, Liu Tiezhu nodded in agreement. But in his mind, he had a different take. Zhang Tianlong lived by his skills and ignored the others, which meant his background was still clean. Someone without connections but with real talent was exactly what he needed.
"Captain, I think the best candidate for your assistant in our camp is Lin Minghao. He's a strong leader and has made plenty of contributions. Many in the camp respect him. If he becomes your assistant, you'll save a lot of brainpower." After badmouthing Zhang Tianlong, Yan Wanli started promoting Lin Minghao. Liu Tiezhu was surprised again. No wonder Lin Minghao's gift was placed first—it seemed like Yan Wanli's deliberate move. Someone as capable as Lin Minghao had never been utilized, which was suspicious. And Yan Wanli's enthusiastic recommendation only deepened Liu Tiezhu's doubts. But Liu Tiezhu didn't call him out. Smiling, he replied, "Lin Minghao is indeed capable. I'll consider recommending him to the Ming family's higher-ups." Hearing this, Yan Wanli was overjoyed. He'd taken a three-thousand-yuan bribe from Lin Minghao to help with this. Liu Tiezhu's response was almost a done deal. He could now go back and give Lin Minghao an answer. "Captain, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." "Go ahead." Liu Tiezhu waved his hand, dismissing Yan Wanli.
No sooner had Yan Wanli left than Lin Changxing walked in with a gift. Setting it down, he said with a fawning smile, "Captain, Brother Jiang said he wants to discuss something with you." Liu Tiezhu was startled. Jiang He coming to talk at this time—he didn't need to guess it was about the assistant recommendation. It seemed those old foxes wanted to meddle in this matter too.