Chapter 125: He Who Learns from Me Shall Live

Tang Tianxiong, the second son of the Tang family in Deep City, enjoyed a life of luxury from a young age, sheltered by his family’s wealth and influence. Two years ago, during a tight spot, he even dabbled in being a middleman for official documents with his friends in government, making a quick profit. After being severely reprimanded, he reined himself in and no longer dared to exploit his family’s reputation recklessly, but he still had to find a way to make money.

He had no interest in legitimate means, feeling they contradicted his own philosophy of life. After much deliberation, he became a mediator, utilizing his extensive social connections to solve disputes within his circle. Whenever he resolved an issue himself, all the earnings went into his pocket; if he needed help from others, he split the profit evenly. Fair and measured in his dealings, he never took on cases from outside the province. Coupled with his family’s influence, people tolerated his actions.

And so, at thirty-six, Tang Tianxiong officially embarked on this path. This was now his third year in the business.

“How amusing,” he mused.

It’s said that trouble doesn’t come more than three times. The first two years had gone smoothly—when conflicts arose, both sides would show him respect and back down voluntarily. Yet, barely into his third year, the very first case he took on landed him a real thorn.

Who did this brat think he was?

Suppressing his anger, Tang Tianxiong asked, “You really are ill-mannered, always talking about genitals or someone’s parents.”

“If you were in my shoes, you’d be even less polite—insulting you is being kind,” Zhang Tianfeng replied, setting down his chopsticks. “That bastard Xu Kuangdao must’ve hired you. Did he tell you what kind of background I have?”

“He was very clear: you’re from out of province, a friend of the Huo family in Harbor City—a big deal.”

“But remember, the Huo family may call the shots in Harbor City, but here in Deep City, even a dragon must coil up, because this is where the Four Sea Dragon Kings reside.”

“The Four Sea Dragon Kings? I wouldn’t mind playing the Monkey King for once. So, do you want to be the dragon prince who gets skinned, or the East Sea Dragon King who loses his treasure?”

“Young man, you’re courting disaster.”

“Sorry, I’m made of titanium alloy—light, sturdy, and precious, used in aerospace.”

“All right, I see you have no intention of giving me face. We’ll see how this plays out.”

Zhang Tianfeng’s words were edged with hostility, each sentence barbed and impossible to reason with. Tang Tianxiong didn’t even have a full grasp of the situation—he was here simply because he needed money, and had rushed over when Xu Kuangdao mentioned there was an out-of-town troublemaker.

With this kind of confidence, there was no way Zhang was just some glove-puppet for the Huo family.

This needed thorough investigation—he wouldn’t do a hundred-dollar job for a five-dollar fee.

Tang Tianxiong’s presence made no impact on Zhang Tianfeng, who carried on with his plans undisturbed.

At three in the afternoon, the court convened on schedule. Akira Toriyama and other manga artists arrived just in time. After testifying to their identities, the outcome of the case was a foregone conclusion.

Almost the very moment the judge brought down the gavel, Zhang Tianfeng stood up and, before everyone, sued Tianlong Company for plagiarizing their creative work.

“Mr. Zhang, please follow the normal procedure to file your lawsuit and submit all your evidence.”

“Oh, so I still have to go through official channels? I thought money could solve everything here.” Zhang nodded and glanced at Xu Kuangdao in the audience. “Well, Boss Xu, expect a letter from my lawyer. This time, there’s no escaping responsibility—my people have already gathered all the connections between you and Tianlong Company.”

Xu Kuangdao stood, buttoning his collar, his expression calm. “Either settle with me out of court—I’ll pay you off—or take me to court and I’ll drag this out until you’re dead!”

The cost of time is the greatest in lawsuits. Many outstanding small companies have died in court, unable to endure the prolonged process after filing suit for infringement.

But Zhang Tianfeng wouldn’t have sued if he hadn’t prepared for this.

“Then let’s see who falls first, this time!”

“Hmph, we’ll see.”

Having lost the case, there was no reason to linger. As soon as Xu Kuangdao returned home, he found Tang Tianxiong already sitting in the courtyard, sipping tea.

“Boss Tang, what brings you here?”

“Boss Xu, tell me the truth—what’s with that kid?”

“I wouldn’t dare fool you—I still want to make a living in Deep City,” Xu Kuangdao replied with a helpless smile. “The kid’s luck is good—he became a guest of the Huo family, and he’s clever, building a small business for himself. I originally wanted to use the patent and copyright lawsuit to bring him down, but he outmaneuvered me and got authorization directly from the original creators, ruining my plan.”

“If you have questions, just ask—I’ll tell you everything.”

Tang Tianxiong thought for a moment and shook his head. He already knew what he needed to know. Based on his experience, this young man was a tough, slippery character, impervious to threats—a rare breed, usually found among teenagers or men in their twenties, most of whom would still be working factory jobs, unable to flaunt such boldness.

Truly, he had lived to see it—a self-made young upstart right before his eyes.

Things had gotten complicated.

“If you’re out of ideas, Boss Tang, you can listen to my approach—maybe it’ll inspire you,” Xu Kuangdao offered.

“All right, I’m listening.”

Xu Kuangdao’s strategy was just as he’d stated before leaving the courthouse: if Zhang Tianfeng would settle, he’d pay him off, but only if Zhang acknowledged the licensing agreement. If not, then he’d drag the lawsuit out, while at the same time hiring other small factories to churn out counterfeit versions of Zhang’s products, using shoddy or even toxic materials, all labeled as Blue Square Toy Factory, to ruin their reputation forever.

After listening, Tang Tianxiong fell silent, then asked, “Are you sure he’s going to stick with the toy factory business?”

“He’s set up subsidiaries in every provincial capital and is negotiating for tax incentives—my friends in government told me, so it’s definitely accurate.”

“If the source is reliable, then there’s no problem. No one would invest heavily in a path with no future.”

Tang Tianxiong said, “Brother, this really isn’t easy for me. In the past, I could have called in some friends to scare him a bit, but now that’s impossible—you know what I mean.”

“I do. It’s not your fault, Boss Tang—the kid is just too slippery. He came from nothing, and he has no shortage of tricks.”

“As long as you understand. I’ll be off, then.”

With that, Tang Tianxiong politely declined further involvement and left swiftly.

This kind of decisive approach unsettled Xu Kuangdao, but he didn’t dwell on it. He immediately picked up the phone to issue instructions—he was going to emulate Zhang Tianfeng’s path to expansion.