Chapter 82: Tragic Zhao Tianming

The punch carried a hint of internal force, surging into Li Nianlong's body.

"Abnormal energy detected in the host's body, preliminarily identified as internal force, system automatically initiates energy decomposition... Decomposition complete, decomposed energy begins to convert into experience points... Conversion complete, experience points begin to merge... Congratulations to the host for gaining 20 experience points."

20 experience points? Damn it! What a joke!

"When did you become so gossipy?" Feeling annoyed, Li Nianlong remained composed on the surface, smiling as he scolded, "Don't feed me those empty words. Come on in and sit down. What's the matter?"

Seeing Li Nianlong's lack of reaction to his True Qi, Zhao Tianming remained composed, giving him a thumbs-up. "Long ge, you're as straightforward as ever. My bad for being pushy."

Entering the villa, Nalan Ruyue brewed a pot of hot tea and placed it on the coffee table, smiling and gesturing: Please help yourself.

"Thanks, sister-in-law." Zhao Tianming expressed his gratitude, but his eyes flashed with surprise upon hearing the word 'sister-in-law'. Seeing Nalan Ruyue's smiling face, he quickly retreated into the kitchen.

Looking at Li Nianlong, Zhao Tianming whispered, "Long ge, who is she?"

Li Nianlong handed him a cup of tea. "Ruyue doesn't speak, it's natural."

"That's a pity." Zhao Tianming took the cup, a hint of regret in his eyes. "But she looks gentle and virtuous, and she's so beautiful. You're lucky."

Li Nianlong smiled faintly. "Stop saying useless things. Speak up!" Pouring himself a cup, he added, "What's the matter?"

"You can't hide anything from you." Zhao Tianming chuckled, taking a sip of tea. "Long ge, you know what my family does. Last month, Old Man Liu came to you... Haha, we're brothers, isn't it convenient to sell me some information?"

Li Nianlong glanced at him. "Black Rat Gang is Tianfu's top intelligence organization. Is it not embarrassing for the deputy leader to buy information from an ordinary person like me?"

"No information is the real embarrassment." Zhao Tianming sneered. "Someone is offering a high price just to know what Old Man Liu did here. If you're willing to tell me, I'll split the information fee with you."

"Oh?" Li Nianlong looked at him. "How much?"

"Five million."

"Pfft!" Li Nianlong almost spat out his tea. "Haha... How much?"

"Hehehe..." Zhao Tianming grinned mischievously. "Long ge, it's been two years, and you've changed a lot. Five million scares you like a hillbilly. Where's the guy who used to treat money like dirt?"

"Get lost!" If the tea weren't too hot, Li Nianlong would've poured it over Zhao Tianming's head. "You, the esteemed deputy leader of the Black Rat Gang, don't have to worry about money. I'm all alone now. If I don't make money, what will I eat?"

"Don't say that." Zhao Tianming's expression softened, with a hint of apology. "Long ge, I haven't contacted you in these two years, and I didn't even know about Auntie's passing... I..."

"Forget it." Seeing Zhao Tianming's sincere expression, Li Nianlong waved his hand. "It's all in the past. The lack of contact is also my fault, nothing to do with you." He paused. "Who's so bored to spend a billion on this useless information?"

"Business secrets, I can't say." Seeing Li Nianlong unwilling to talk more, Zhao Tianming reverted to his usual playful demeanor. "But since someone's willing to pay, we can't just sit on it, right? I came personally because this matter concerns you, to avoid any misunderstandings. If we can make money amicably, that would be even better."

"I see." Li Nianlong nodded, handing his bank card to Zhao Tianming. "Five million, not a penny less."

Zhao Tianming was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Long ge, you're still as straightforward as ever! This money came too easily. We should strengthen our cooperation in the future and let the light of money shine on both of us forever!"

"Forget it! I don't want to be an information dealer." After Zhao Tianming completed the transfer and received the SMS notification, Li Nianlong said, "But selling information does bring in money quickly."

"That's right, and it's a steady income without offending anyone." Zhao Tianming smirked. "Long ge, the money's here. Let's share it!"

Li Nianlong nodded. "It's nothing major. My mother is Old Man Liu's illegitimate daughter. A while back, with all the deaths in the Liu family, those peripheral branches were scared stiff. None of them dared to step up, so Old Man Liu thought of me, his cheap grandson, wanting me to inherit the position of the Liu family head."

"Did you agree?" Zhao Tianming's eyes widened. The head of the Liu family! That's someone even the Black Rat Gang needs to look up to.

"Do I look like an idiot?" Li Nianlong snorted. "Being the head of the Liu family might seem glamorous, but with none of the peripheral branches daring to compete, I'm afraid I'll be signing my own death warrant."

"Ah, what a pity!" Zhao Tianming lamented, but he felt relieved inside. "Long ge, if it were me, even if I were only the head of the Liu family for a day, it would have been worth it. That's the Emperor of Tianfu!"

"You can go for it! I'll say you're my life-and-death brother, and my position is yours too. Old Man Liu will definitely agree, and you'll be the true Emperor of Tianfu." Li Nianlong sneered.

"Cough, no, I'm fine as the deputy leader of the Black Rat Gang. Let someone else take the big position in the Liu family!" 

"Coward."

"You know me well, Long ge."

"..."

"But seriously..." Zhao Tianming looked at Li Nianlong. "Long ge, I didn't expect you to have this background. Although you're only Old Man Liu's illegitimate grandson, your blood ties with the Liu family are close. If this news gets out, you'll be untouchable in Tianfu, at the very least."

Li Nianlong shook his head. "After so many years of brotherhood, you should know my temperament."

"That's true." Zhao Tianming chuckled. "You're the kind of guy who would abandon both wealth and power for freedom. How could you be blinded by worldly power?"

Li Nianlong smiled faintly. At that moment, the TV was broadcasting a street interview, and the interviewee was a foreigner. Seizing the opportunity, Li Nianlong casually asked, "I've noticed a lot more foreigners on the streets these days. Since you're well-informed, do you know what's going on?"

"Hehe

, Long ge, does this count as buying information?" Zhao Tianming rubbed his fingers.

"Start with ten bucks."

"Damn!" Zhao Tianming almost spat out blood. "You're treating me like a beggar!" He paused. "Fine, since you're my brother, I'll give you this information for free."

"What's up? Do those foreigners really have some secret?" Li Nianlong's expression 'changed.' "Could they be planning terrorist attacks again?"

"No, no." Zhao Tianming waved his hand, loosening his tie. "These foreigners are looking for something. As for what it is, I'm not sure, but it's probably some of our Huaxia's antiques or something. Huaxia's antiques are famous worldwide, and there's no shortage of foreigners willing to take risks for them."

"I see. As long as they're not terrorists." Li Nianlong nodded. "Let's have dinner here tonight! You don't need to leave. Let's have a good chat, just the two of us."

"Eating is fine, but staying overnight is a no-no." At the mention of staying overnight, Zhao Tianming looked dejected. "You know my wife, she doesn't trust me at all. As long as it's outside Tianfu, I have to go home overnight. Even if it's outside Tianfu, there's a high chance I'll have to tag along. Ah, the life of a brother is tough!"

Li Nianlong was taken aback. "Zhao Xin?"

"Who else could it be?" Zhao Tianming smiled bitterly. "Ah, I thought she was quite innocent back in school, but who would have thought... Why did I pursue her blindly? Long ge, I regret it!"

Zhao Xin was Li Nianlong's junior in university, two years below him and Zhao Tianming. In their junior year, Zhao Xin was a freshman, extremely pure and innocent. Zhao Tianming was captivated at first sight and pursued her vigorously. Half a year later, Zhao Tianming succeeded, but after getting what he wanted, Zhao Xin gradually revealed her true colors: a possessive and domineering woman. To make matters worse, she had a terrifying identity to back up her possessiveness—the granddaughter of the head of the Zhao family, one of the top ten families in Huaxia.

Even worse, Zhao Xin got pregnant immediately, and no matter how much Zhao Tianming begged, she refused to abort the child. When Zhao Xin's father learned that his daughter had become pregnant in her freshman year, he almost destroyed Zhao Tianming. Fortunately, Zhao Tianming's identity as the deputy leader of the Black Rat Gang saved his life. Although the Black Rat Gang wasn't a major family, it was a significant intelligence organization in the country, just enough to match Zhao Xin's status. So, they got married before graduating from university. Five months later, Zhao Xin gave birth to a son.

Mother over son, Zhao Xin's status in the Black Rat Gang became even higher, coupled with her identity as the granddaughter of the Zhao family's head. Thus, the tragic story of Zhao Tianming, the deputy leader of the Black Rat Gang, unfolded.