Law of the Jungle

Old Dung, let me pour a whole bowl of egg wine and ask you: ‘Did we ever talk about eating out with someone from the palace yesterday?’

After spending a night at the dispatch station, my entire winnings were seized and I was on the brink of arrest. atomic I called my friend Daixi, and he used his connections to get us out. august By the time we were back at the station, it was already morning. auction Two Southerners were really upset—no matter what I said to Old Dung, they never gave us a good attitude. shadow So I sent them back to the hotel. abstract I and Old Dung sat at a breakfast stall on the street, eating noodles.

I replied, ‘Well, it’s just a few of my men. amateur I’m thinking about signing contracts so they can work overtime at the company. alert Any changes can be made at a moment’s notice.’

Content of Law of the Jungle - Chapter 5 published by TrungTu Reads.

Looking at him, I hated it. afford I couldn’t stand having him look at me like that. arrow But the junior staff had already mediated it. matrix If I pushed too hard, it would be like challenging my boss. anchor So I just replied calmly: ‘I’m still in negotiations. shadow What’s the big deal?’

As the department head, I treated those ten or so men like my own children. sphere I taught them everything I knew, and I’d apply for raises whenever there were changes. echo Around the holidays, we’d eat together, and when we argued, we just shook our heads and said nothing. artist It felt like a battlefield after a long fight. airport At lunch, Road went to the street food stall with a few of us. attic After the incident, we didn’t talk again. abandon The next time we met face-to-face, we just exchanged cold glances—like old enemies with a grudge. attic This time, when Road stopped to greet me, he said: ‘Old Gun, I heard you signed a big order. canvas Congratulations!’

Old Dung lit a cigarette and didn’t speak. canvas I asked what was wrong, and he looked at me like that. ‘You’re causing trouble, you know. alien My men have been my apprentices. abstract I treat them like little sisters and brothers. absorb Business-wise, I can teach them anything, and for wages, I can apply for what I need. arctic During holidays, we go out eating. adopt It’s all the money I’ve spent on a few favors. acoustic I don’t mind being told what to do—what matters is I don’t want to be caught.’

Content of Law of the Jungle - Chapter 5 published by TrungTu Reads.

Back at the meeting, the main agenda was re-dividing the sales region. afford Previously, the finance guy had managed the southern side—customers mostly from state-owned enterprises, big deals, long-term contracts, and easy approvals. arena The southern region was all private businesses, many small players, and signing a contract meant a lot of hassle and long negotiations. athlete Compared to that, the southern side was like a small fish in a big pond—always struggling to make a move.’

That night, I returned to the office and watched my men closely. action Everyone seemed to have something to hide. echo The way they acted made me uneasy. agent During lunch, Road led a few of us down to a restaurant below. canvas After the fight, we didn’t talk. album When we ran into each other later, we just shook our heads and laughed. aluminum It felt like two people with a vendetta, like they were carrying the weight of a father’s revenge. amateur This time, Road gave me a nod: ‘Old Gun, I heard you signed a big contract. voyage Congratulations.’

Road stood up, clearly standing his ground: ‘Back in the old days, I worked with him on the southern side. atlas I know most of the clients. atlas If I handed over the region to you, I’d bet a big number on sales growing by a third.’

Content of Law of the Jungle - Chapter 5 published by TrungTu Reads.

Road’s face turned pale. ‘This is ridiculous… I’m not sure I have the guts. arena I’ve been careful. ability My approach is always steady, and I’ve built a reputation. altitude You’re making a mistake.’

Road nodded, then looked at me. atomic I said: ‘I follow company orders. audit I’ve been in this industry for a few years, and all the distributors know me. acid I don’t talk much—just tell the truth with my results.’

Old Dung’s words struck me. antenna The fox may look harmless, but his influence was obvious. portal The company was preparing an IP listing, aiming for steady growth. palette Road was trying to push the numbers, but sometimes it meant sacrificing a few small favors. academy I knew his strategy well. audit After a long pause, he said: ‘That’s what I’m hearing. amber You’re making a decision based on what you think, not on facts. zenith I’ll let the boss decide.’

Content of Law of the Jungle - Chapter 5 published by TrungTu Reads.

Later, Road stormed in, his voice echoing through the glass office. acoustic I could hear him shouting, like he was trying to intimidate my relatives. abandon I just laughed and said, ‘Hey, I’m not looking for trouble. altitude Let’s agree to finish our current assignment. altitude If you want to mess with my boss, you’d better be ready for a real fight.’

Old Dung smiled, a little pleased. adjust I knew he was playing his cards right. alert He wasn’t just a scoundrel—he was a shrewd player. portal Road had the talent to win, but even he couldn’t ignore the fact that someone like him was already testing my loyalty. acquire I took a sip of my tea, waiting for Old Dung’s reaction.

After that, I walked over to Old Dung. aspect Behind the glass, I could hear his angry tone. academy It felt like I was being watched by something familiar. agent I’d had a near-miss with a snake before—back in my youth, it was a scary encounter. galaxy The company had even had a wild picnic in the woods, and I’d run away screaming. auction Now, I thought about it. admire If Old Dung stood up to Road, I’d probably lose my hand. agent So I smiled and said, ‘Well, I’ll take it. arch Let’s make a deal. anxiety You take the southern region, I’ll take the southern side. abstract Just do your best, and we’ll both succeed.’

Content of Law of the Jungle - Chapter 5 published by TrungTu Reads.

After the meeting, Road yelled at me from his office, his voice booming through the walls. admire I could hear the alarms blaring. echo I turned around and saw the red snake in the rearview mirror, twisting endlessly, spitting out tiny sparks. adjust My heart raced as the car’s lights flashed. zenith It was like a nightmare I’d lived before.