Chapter 270 When will we get married?
On one side, the Yao family was shocked; on the other side, the Sun family looked ashen-faced.
"Master Jiang...I..."
Thinking about what his family had just done, Sun Zhengyang, who had fainted and then woken up, was ashen-faced.
How did things escalate to this point when I was just arranging a blind date for my son?
Sun Zhengyang couldn't figure it out either.
He couldn't help but regret his family's recent arrogance.
However, he also knew that now was not the time for regrets; he had to resolve the issues at hand.
He cursed Jiang Ye in the heavens, yet he still made the president of that empire's enterprise sleep with him?
Is this person still Jiang Ye's woman?
Sun Zhengyang couldn't understand what kind of mind-altering drugs his family had taken to have such audacity.
"I'm a fair person. You need to explain what you just said. However, I won't make things difficult for you. Go back and think about how to resolve this. You can talk to Yao Lan and Uncle Yao later."
Jiang Bai was too lazy to argue with Sun Zhengyang's family, so he waved them away.
For Jiang Bai, this matter is now considered to be over.
As for the rest, it depends on how Sun Zhengyang behaves. If he really does nothing and thinks the matter is over, Jiang Bai believes that Xu Jie will teach him a lesson later.
"Yes, yes, yes... We'll go... We'll leave right away. Don't worry, Mr. Jiang, we'll definitely make President Yao satisfied, we definitely will."
Jiang Bai's words were like a pardon to Sun Zhengyang, who hurriedly grabbed his wife and children and fled as if he were escaping.
Jiang Bai waved his hand impatiently; he had more important things to do.
For example, dealing with Yao Lan's parents.
After Sun Zhengyang and his family, who had caused all the trouble, left in a sorry state, only Jiang Bai and Yao Lan's family of three remained inside, creating an awkward atmosphere.
We looked at each other, and for a long time no one said a word.
"Jiang... um... this..."
Yao Chonggu finally broke the silence, but found it awkward as soon as he opened his mouth. He wanted to call him "Master Jiang," but the other party's current identity was his daughter's boyfriend. Regardless of whether it was true or not, he just couldn't bring himself to call him "Master Jiang."
But if we don't call him "Master Jiang," what should we call him?
Xiao Jiang?
Or is he a newbie?
Logically speaking, that's the right way to address him, but Yao Chonggu found himself unable to bring himself to say it.
Jiang Bai reacted quickly: "Uncle, you can just call me Xiao Bai. That's what people I'm close to call me."
Jiang Bai's words put Yao Chonggu's mind at ease. At least Jiang Bai wasn't condescending, which reassured him. It meant that Jiang Bai valued Yao Lan.
"Okay... Xiaobai, sit down and talk to me..."
As Yao Chonggu's expression softened, before he could speak, Yao Lan's mother approached with a smile, pulled Jiang Bai to sit down, and seemed much more tactful than Yao Chonggu.
As Jiang Bai sat down, he turned to look at Yao Chonggu and said with a displeased expression, "What are you standing there for? Go and get out your good tea leaves and let Xiaobai have a taste."
After saying that, she looked at Jiang Bai with affection, her eyes full of satisfaction, and asked with concern, "Xiao Bai, how long have you known Lanlan? How old are you this year? Lanlan is a crazy girl, she hasn't made you angry with you, has she?"
A whole host of questions followed, and he acted like a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law, so affectionate that Yao Lan rolled her eyes, completely unaffected by Jiang Bai's identity.
Of course, this is also related to the fact that she doesn't know anything about Jiang Bai's background.
Not only her, but also Li Biyuan, who just left, and Sun Yang, how could they know so much?
Didn't you see that Li Biyuan, though frightened, still felt somewhat resentful when she left?
Yao Chonggu gave a helpless bitter smile at his wife's behavior, then sighed, turned around and left to get tea, leaving Jiang Bai sitting there.
Faced with these questions, Jiang Bai could only answer truthfully that he was twenty-three this year, soon to be twenty-four, and that he had known Yao Lan for more than half a year.
As for his relationship with Yao Lan, and whether Yao Lan ever made him angry, Jiang Bai really wanted to answer: "Your daughter not only makes me angry, she drives me crazy."
Unfortunately, Jiang Bai wisely refrained from saying those words in the face of Yao Lan's murderous glare.
Only when Yao Lan's mother asked about Jiang Bai's family situation did Jiang Bai answer truthfully.
As for his job, it's naturally something like the chairman of an imperial enterprise.
Hearing these answers, Yao Lan's mother was clearly satisfied, but she had some concerns about Jiang Bai's age. She was worried that Jiang Bai was too young and his mind was not yet settled, while Yao Lan was a few years older than him, which might cause some problems later.
However, he didn't say these words aloud. He only asked a few tentative questions before Yao Lan interrupted him.
Yao Chonggu then returned, brewed tea for Jiang Bai, and chatted symbolically for a while.
We talked for about half an hour, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
But at this moment, a single sentence from Yao Lan's mother immediately made Jiang Bai's smile, which had been full of laughter and conversation, freeze.
Because Yao Lan's mother asked, almost as if possessed, "Since your relationship is quite stable, when are you going to get married? Xiao Bai, Yao Lan is not young anymore, she'll be twenty-eight after the New Year."
"My friend's daughter's son is already several years old. You can wait, but she can't wait that long."
Jiang Bai's smile suddenly became somewhat awkward after hearing those words, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.
It was exactly what he feared. Jiang Bai was afraid the other party would bring up this matter when he arrived, and sure enough, they asked about it.
"Ah, next year, we'll get married next year... We're planning to talk it over some more, and if it's a good time, we'll get married next year!"
Before Jiang Bai could speak, Yao Lan put her arm around him, rested her head on his shoulder, and responded with a smile, looking quite happy.
Jiang Bai cried out in his heart at this.
"I'd never marry you!"
However, despite saying that, Jiang Bai wisely kept quiet.
Upon hearing this, Yao Lan's mother's face lit up with a bright smile. Even Yao Chonggu's expression was no longer as awkward as before, and his eyes showed more eagerness and satisfaction when he looked at Jiang Bai.
Their daughter's marriage had always been a worry for the couple, but now that they had heard a positive answer, they were finally relieved.
Besides, Jiang Bai's conditions are so good?
Their daughter likes it, even though she's a bit young, so what could they possibly be unhappy about?
They never worried about whether their daughter could keep their husbands.
She knows her own daughter best; it wouldn't be too difficult for Yao Lan to keep a man!
Yao Chonggu had even begun to plan in his mind that if he became Jiang Bai's father-in-law, he would be invincible in the business world of Tiandu.
With such a powerful son-in-law in charge, who would dare to give Yao Chonggu the slightest bit of attitude in the future?
Chapter 271 Let's go now!
"Okay, okay... It's good that you have this plan, then we can rest assured."
Yao Lan's mother said with a smile on her face.
He then became even more enthusiastic, peeling fruit for Jiang Bai, pouring tea for Jiang Bai, and even taking out the fine wine that Yao Chonggu had treasured and giving it to Jiang Bai, which made Yao Chonggu feel a pang of heartache.
Jiang Bai wanted to refuse. What kind of son-in-law visits a father-in-law's home without bringing gifts and then accepts gifts from him?
Unfortunately, before Jiang Bai could object, Yao Lan, her eyes shining, readily accepted it.
Jiang Bai was speechless at this.
They chatted for a while longer before Jiang Bai got up to say goodbye.
Originally, he was going to leave on his own, but unexpectedly, Yao Lan had no intention of staying at home at all. After saying goodbye to his parents, amidst his mother's embarrassment and his father's scolding, she pulled Jiang Bai directly into the car, stepped on the gas, and sped away.
As for Jiang Bai, what else could he do besides cover his forehead?
As Jiang Bai had predicted, Yao Lan immediately got angry after returning home. She called Ye Qingcheng downstairs and they finished off the two bottles of liquor that Yao Chonggu had treasured on the spot.
As for Jiang Bai, he was helplessly dragged into the mess by the two of them. Each of them drank a few ounces of baijiu and then went to sleep.
In the following days, Jiang Bai didn't have much to do. He would occasionally go to the company to take charge of the overall situation, and spend the rest of his time at home playing games.
I've recently become obsessed with a single-player strategy game set against the backdrop of centuries of war and political upheaval in Europe. I'm completely engrossed in it.
Nothing else has happened in the past few days.
I only heard that the day after visiting Yao Lan's house, Sun Zhengyang brought his whole family and a large number of gifts to visit Yao's family, but they were all chased away by the upright Yao Chonggu.
That evening, his brother-in-law, who was in big trouble, went to Sun Zhengyang's house and made a scene, and it is said that he even slapped his nephew twice.
For the next few days, Sun Zhengyang tried countless connections, and eventually found someone who gave Yao Chonggu face, thus bringing the matter to a close.
However, he sent his son abroad to live.
As for Sun Zhengyang's brother-in-law, he was completely dismissed.
Despite asking many people to intervene, no one was willing to offend this promising tiger of the southern border with Cheng Tiangang's word, so no one dared to help him. Now, he is said to have become a local police officer, living a miserable life.
Jiang Bai didn't care much about any of this, burying himself in his own game world and ignoring the outside world's commotion.
"Jiang Bai, what are you doing? I haven't seen you for days. Cai Ba has been taken around by Wu Tian for several days and is leaving tomorrow. You, his master, haven't even shown your face from beginning to end?"
That afternoon, Cheng Tiangang, who hadn't been heard from for several days, suddenly turned on the phone and immediately started talking about Cai Ba.
"I'm busy playing games, who has time to deal with him? Wu Tian is already being kind by playing with him. If it were up to me, I'd rather help Kuai Shitou throw this guy into the sea! You want me to play with him? Dream on!"
Jiang Bai played the game while leaning back in his soft leather chair, speaking lazily and somewhat impatiently.
Knowing Jiang Bai's specific thoughts, Cheng Tiangang did not refute Jiang Bai on this issue.
If it weren't for work requirements, Jiang Bai wouldn't even need to lift a finger against someone like Cai Ba; Cheng Tiangang himself would have ensured he never returned.
"Fine, I won't see you then. But you can have Wu Tian pass on a message to Cai Ba, saying that you're going to Taisipatia to see Khun Sa next week!"
"Huh? What? Say it again, when?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai, who was playing on his computer while smoking a cigarette, suddenly stood up and said with a look of astonishment.
He had long known that the trip to the West was inevitable, but he hadn't expected Cheng Tiangang to be in such a hurry.
"I know it's urgent, but there's nothing we can do. The higher-ups are paying close attention to this, especially since our undercover agents have recently lost contact, and police forces from various countries have suffered heavy losses under Khun Sa."
"In a few months, it will be harvest time. This year, the Black Triangle and Khun Sa-controlled areas have had favorable weather. The experts from the intelligence department analyzed that this year will definitely be a bumper year."
"It is foreseeable that this year's output will increase by at least 30% compared to previous years. What does 30% mean? Jiang Bai, you may not understand if you haven't done my job. That's at least tens of tons, or even more. We don't know how many people will suffer because of these things. So time is of the essence, and we can't afford to delay any longer."
Cheng Tiangang understood Jiang Bai's meaning, and he himself felt that the arrangement was somewhat hasty.
After all, Cai Ba has only been here for a few days, and he mentioned this matter when he arrived. Now Jiang Bai wants to go there?
It felt a bit like they were trying to take advantage of the situation.
But there's nothing we can do about it; when the situation is urgent, sometimes we can't think about anything else.
"You make it sound so simple. Do you think I'd go tell Chaiba that I'm going to Taisi to see Khun Sa? Khun Sa isn't stupid! If I went there so eagerly, wouldn't that be telling him I'm the one with the problem?"
"It would be a miracle if he didn't suspect anything!"
Jiang Bai said angrily, inwardly cursing the woman in the family of the person who designated this plan.
This is treating Jiang Bai like he's not human!
I never thought I'd be so reckless as to let Jiang Bai go. What if something happens?
Well, Jiang Bai is quite confident in himself!
It's not the ten thousand that's scary, it's the stuff; that place is Khun Sa's territory.
In Jiang Bai's previous thinking, even if he were to go to Taixi to see Khun Sa, it would be at least a few months later. They could cooperate here for a while and gain each other's trust.
It would only seem reasonable for Khun Sa to invite Jiang Bai twice more before he went.
Leaving now is clearly too hasty.
"Then what do you suggest we do? We definitely can't wait any longer. If we wait any longer, who knows how many more people will suffer. I didn't expect this year's production to be so high! This forces us to change our plans!"
Cheng Tiangang said angrily, expressing his surprise at the incident.
Having learned from Jiang Bai that Khun Sa had invited Jiang Bai, he convened a meeting to discuss the plan.
Originally, he planned for Jiang Bai to depart in the summer. He intended to send Jiang Bai there, and if possible, he would mobilize his forces to carry out the decapitation. If not, he wanted to establish a good relationship to lay the groundwork for luring Khun Sa out in the next step.
Unexpectedly, a recent Southeast Asian weather report and poppy production analysis put Cheng Tiangang in a completely passive position.
After discussions, the leaders of several countries felt that they could not tolerate Khun Sa's increased production, his unbridled expansion of power, and his harm to the people. Therefore, they proposed a solution to Cheng Tiangang as soon as possible.
This forced him to revise his previous plans!
This was a last resort.
However, there were some things that Cheng Tiangang could not tell Jiang Baiming directly, and could only express the meaning implicitly.
Chapter 272 Appealing to Emotion and Reason
"That's your business, what does it have to do with me?"
However, Cheng Tiangang's words did not sway Jiang Bai, and as always, Jiang Bai rejected Cheng Tiangang's proposal.
"Jiang Bai, you need to understand, you're not helping me, you're helping countless people suffering from drugs, helping those who haven't been harmed yet but are about to be ravaged by this rampant disaster…you…"
When Cheng Tiangang saw that his words had no effect, he did not give up and tried to reason with him and appeal to his emotions.
He didn't know, but if he had, he might have said to Jiang Bai, "The greatest heroes are those who serve their country and its people."
Or: "With great power comes great responsibility."
Such thought-provoking talk is actually nonsense that sends people to their deaths.
"I know... I know, Director Cheng, you're right... but even a complete idiot would realize something's wrong. You want me to go? To my death! Do you really think Khun Sa is a pig?"
"Brother, I'm not trying to be rude, but Khun Sa, that old guy, started as a scout at fifteen and got to where he is today. He earned it all through his own hard work, one shot at a time. He controlled the Black Triangle, established an anti-government army, and kept the Western government helpless for twenty years."
"If someone like that were truly stupid enough not to see this, they would have died countless times over by now! Why would you all be having such a headache?"
"Brother, I'm not trying to be mean, but even though you're known as the Tiger of Southern Xinjiang and dominate several southern provinces, if you and Khun Sa were to switch places, it wouldn't be difficult for Khun Sa to become the Tiger of Southern Xinjiang, but whether you could reach his level is another matter!"
"To deal with someone like that, it's one thing to not plan carefully, but to be so reckless is just plain stupid. It would be a miracle if you succeeded!"
"Besides, what are you sending me to do? If I go now, the plan to invite Khun Sa out will immediately fall apart, and then the only option will be beheading? Beheading him on his own turf? Do you think I'm Superman?"
Jiang Bai didn't buy into Cheng Tiangang's explanation and expressed his own thoughts.
Those at the top made the decision on a whim, but it was the people below who had to risk their lives.
Cheng Tiangang was in a dilemma, unable to withstand the pressure and was making such a reckless move.
But Jiang Bai wouldn't go along with their craziness; Jiang Bai wasn't part of the system.
He has money and free time now, and his life couldn't be more comfortable. Why would he need to make things difficult for himself?
Moreover, this unease could very well be a matter of life and death.
"I know that if we send you this time, all our previous plans will be in vain. But our situation as an undercover agent is unclear, and we have news of an impending harvest. The pressure from above is also immense, so we have no choice but to take a gamble."
After a moment of silence, Cheng Tiangang said this.
He did understand what Jiang Bai was saying.
In fact, he had protested to his superiors before, but this matter involved a wide range of issues and was not so simple; the situation was very complicated.
It is said that a retired party elder is very concerned about this matter and has even spoken out. Among the central leaders are his protégés, who are also very concerned about it. The higher-ups are under some pressure, which leaves Cheng Tiangang with few options.
As for why that reclusive elder would pay attention to this matter, Cheng Tiangang is still investigating. He has vaguely received information that Li Qingdi was involved.
However, this matter could not be explained to Jiang Baiming, as it involved several levels of struggle, and neither he nor Li Qingdi wanted Zhao Wuji to take the opportunity to get involved.
"It's easy for you to say. It's not you, Director Cheng, who's going to risk your life. You think you can just talk your way out of it and expect me to risk my life? Do you really think I'm one of those young men under you who would risk their lives to become martyrs?"
Jiang Bai responded irritably.
"Last time we discussed the construction of the expressway network in several southern provinces, and I've already made the arrangements. On March 17th, you can have your people prepare to submit their bids at the bidding conferences held by the transportation departments of each province."
When appealing to emotions and reasoning with him failed, Cheng Tiangang resorted to bribery, presenting the conditions he had previously agreed upon with Jiang Bai.
"I, Jiang Bai, want money, but I'm not a desperate man who'd rather die than give up money. Brother, that's Khun Sa's lair. If the old guy doesn't notice anything amiss and actually attacks me, what am I supposed to do?"
"Besides, he's as stupid as a pig. He can't even detect me. If I kill him and want to leave, how am I supposed to leave? Does he really think that being a grandmaster of martial arts makes him invincible?"
"Who do you think I am? Zhao Zilong of Changban Slope, who charged in and out of an army of 800,000 seven times?"
"Brother, times have changed! Not to mention me, even if the God of War Zhao Zilong were reborn, it wouldn't be possible. Khun Sa doesn't have 800,000 troops, but he certainly has 100,000. The problem is that these 100,000 are all fully armed modern troops!"
"They have guns, cannons, tanks, and even airplanes. How do you expect me to slaughter them on their own turf? Even if I succeeded, how would I escape unscathed?"
Jiang Bai said angrily, completely ignoring Cheng Tiangang's words.
Jiang Bai wouldn't risk so much for such a small amount of profit.
Even the most skilled grandmasters of Chinese martial arts are still human, not gods!
It's true that Jiang Bai is one or two times more powerful than a typical Grandmaster, but he's still just a human being!
Jiang Bai really couldn't handle a one-man army.
Forget about him, even if you brought Xu Changsheng here, he couldn't do this.
Individual strength is always limited; otherwise, the world would have been ruled by these masters long ago, and it wouldn't have developed to the state it is today.
Jiang Bai's words silenced Cheng Tiangang, who remained speechless for a long while, knowing that Jiang Bai's words made sense.
Rather than being impatient for quick results, taking things step by step is the right approach.
The problem is that his opponents are not giving him a chance to proceed gradually, and for many reasons, Cheng Tiangang is under a lot of pressure.
After a long silence, Cheng Tiangang said, "I know this is a dangerous matter, but you are indeed the most suitable candidate. After the initial cooperation, even if Khun Sa has some doubts about your visit, he will not take action immediately."
"You have a chance, even a very good chance, to get close to him. Once you get close, I believe that with your abilities, you will definitely be able to successfully decapitate him."
"Even if we can't get close, as long as we can determine his approximate location, we can still eliminate him. Two years ago, the Western side imported a batch of land-based missiles, which can accurately strike targets within an 800-kilometer range. As long as we know Khun Sa's approximate location, he won't be able to escape. I will persuade them to use land-based missiles to deal with Khun Sa."
"If that's the case, your danger will be greatly reduced. Once Khun Sa is dead, his gang will immediately fall apart."
"To be honest, there are many internal conflicts within the Khun Sa Group. If it weren't for Khun Sa's high prestige and great power, the group might have already fallen apart. Even so, the fact that his subordinates send assassins to each other and sabotage each other is still rampant."
"Once Khun Sa is dead, they'll turn on you immediately, and you'll have a chance to leave..."
Chapter 273 Efficiency
"Most importantly, you are the most suitable person I have available right now."
"You are a grandmaster of martial arts, with a high survival rate, and you will not be immediately targeted by Khun Sa. I cannot find anyone more suitable than you."
Finally, Cheng Tiangang revealed his true feelings.
He has many people at his disposal, but he can't find anyone more suitable than Jiang Bai.
"All you have to do is open your mouth and run your legs off! You're not just making me run errands, you're making me risk my life! Do you think... if you were in my shoes, would you agree?"
Jiang Bai asked in an annoyed tone.
Cheng Tiangang made it sound simple, but Jiang Bai was the one risking his life!
"If you agree... I'll go with you this time!"
After a long silence, Cheng Tiangang suddenly said this.
Jiang Bai was stunned by those words, while the conference room immediately erupted in chaos.
"Director Cheng, this won't do! It's too dangerous!"
"Director Cheng, you're supposed to be in charge of the overall situation, how can you take such a risk? Let me go."
"Director Cheng, Jiang Bai is enough. Khun Sa has information on your identity. Once you enter Taixi, he will find out immediately. It's too dangerous!"
"Yes, Director Cheng can't go!"
"Director Cheng..."
Before Jiang Bai could even speak, the people in the conference room started talking, offering all sorts of reasons, excuses, and obstacles, leaving Jiang Bai speechless.
"A bunch of sycophants! Why didn't you stop me when I went there? Cheng Tiangang only said a few words, and you all acted like your parents were about to die! What the hell, am I not human or what?"
"I'm fine as long as I'm in danger, but you're all so anxious when Cheng Tiangang is in danger?"
Jiang Bai had meant these words in his heart, but he was startled by Cheng Tiangang's words and blurted them out, which were clearly transmitted over the phone.
"Forehead..."
The entire conference room fell silent in an instant. We looked at each other, feeling incredibly awkward.
Even Cheng Tiangang himself blushed deeply.
After coughing awkwardly twice, Cheng Tiangang said, "Jiang Bai, I'm telling the truth. As long as you're willing to go, I'll go with you. There's no reason why you, Jiang Bai, would dare to risk your life while I, Cheng Tiangang, stay at home and let you gossip!"
Jiang Bai didn't actually intend to let Cheng Tiangang go; in Jiang Bai's view, the guy was a burden.
It would be troublesome enough for one person to go alone, but if he came along, I would have to take care of him too.
So Jiang Bai rejected the proposal, but unfortunately Cheng Tiangang was determined to go, so Jiang Bai didn't insist.
After some discussion, it was decided that Jiang Bai would go to Taixi under the guise of tourism, while Cheng Tiangang would follow behind. The two would not travel together. Cheng Tiangang would lead the task force to contact Taixi and set up camp there.
Jiang Bai, on the other hand, went about his business as usual.
Just to be on the safe side, I won't notify Cai Ba; I'll just go play by myself.
Given Khun Sa's influence in Western Thailand, the other side would definitely know as soon as Jiang Bai enters the country.
If Khun Sa is willing, he will naturally come to him; if he is not willing, he will not force him. Jiang Bai will just play around and come back.
This was the result of bargaining between Jiang Bai and Cheng Tiangang.
In fact, according to Cheng Tiangang's idea, Jiang Bai should have taken the initiative to contact Kunsha and then wait for an opportunity to carry out the decapitation operation.
Jiang Bai decisively rejected this incredibly stupid suggestion.
If he really did that, he'd never even get to see Khun Sa.
A week passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Jiang Bai established a construction engineering company, Empire Construction!
Xiao Tian was temporarily given the title of general manager, and a professional company was hired to acquire the company. It cost more than ten million yuan to acquire the construction company that was on the verge of bankruptcy but had a first-class qualification.
Following Cheng Tiangang's instructions, they then participated in bidding activities for projects in various provinces.
Jiang Bai dumped all of this on Xiao Tian, asking him to temporarily take charge of the coordination work, and to bring Xiao Tian back to his side when a suitable candidate was found.
As for Jiang Bai, he took a flight from Thai Airways directly to Thailand.
At the airport in Ayutthaya, Jiang Bai leisurely disembarked from the plane, carrying a suitcase.
I went out, hailed a taxi, asked the driver to find me a hotel, and began my journey through Western Thailand.
Jiang Bai doesn't understand Thai, but he speaks English fluently.
Besides learning the entire Oxford Dictionary by himself, Jiang Bai's English proficiency is naturally beyond question, thanks to his photographic memory and exposure to dozens of American TV series.
Simple communication is not a problem.
Throughout the journey, the driver talked and gestured enthusiastically, telling Jiang Bai about the local customs and culture of Guman City.
They also told Jiang Bai which places had delicious food, which places had cheap prices, and which places had beautiful women, etc.
He was clearly a very talkative guy. Jiang Bai smiled but said nothing, only nodding occasionally.
Soon after, Jiang Bai arrived at a five-star hotel in the city center, checked in after presenting his credentials.
After entering the hotel and taking a hot shower, Jiang Bai hadn't yet decided where to go for fun the next day when there was a knock on the door of his room.
"Knock knock knock".
Three muffled knocks sounded on the door, leaving Jiang Bai, who had just put on his bathrobe, somewhat bewildered.
Upon opening the door, he was astonished to find two tall, imposing men and a woman in a black jacket standing in front of him.
Upon seeing Jiang Bai, the woman at the head of the group bowed to him and politely greeted him in Mandarin, "Are you Mr. Jiang Bai?"
"Who are you?"
Jiang Bai asked in surprise, already having guessed the identity of the person who came, but he pretended to be surprised.
"My name is Teh Jesdaporn Surya, you can call me Surya. I am one of General Khun Sa's men."
The other party was straightforward and made no attempt to hide anything. He bowed respectfully to Jiang Bai, then smiled and revealed his identity.
"General Khun Sa has immense influence. I knew he was powerful in the Western Regions, but I never imagined it had reached this level! I've only been here for a little over two hours since I entered the country, how did you manage to find me here?"
"I even suspect that General Khun Sa started monitoring me back in the country!"
Despite knowing the other party's identity, Jiang Bai was still somewhat alarmed.
When he left home, he just randomly bought a flight to Taixi. He didn't have a specific itinerary, nor did he tell Cai Ba and the others. He just came quietly by himself.
Logically speaking, even if it were discovered, it shouldn't have happened so quickly.
It's important to know that Thailand is a tourist destination with a thriving tourism industry. Ayutthaya Airport handles tens of thousands of passengers daily, and this number doubles during peak seasons.
With so many people and such a large flow of people every day, I just strolled over here without attracting anyone's attention.
But now, things are really messed up. I just took a hot shower at the hotel and my hair isn't even dry yet, and Khun Sa's men have already arrived?
This efficiency... is a bit too fast, isn't it?
Chapter 274 Astounding Power
His words caused Surya's expression to change, and he quickly bowed and said, "Mr. Jiang, please don't misunderstand. General Khun Sa has absolutely no intention of monitoring you, much less placing anyone by your side."
"You should know that we do not have this capability, and even if we did, we would not do it. You are Mr. Khun Sa's best partner and best friend in China. The General would never use such despicable means with friends."
But Jiang Bai didn't let them off the hook. He stared blankly at Su Liya, who was staring with wide eyes, looking pitiful and sincere, and didn't even let them in the door.
"I'm very curious, since there's no one with me, how could you find me so quickly when I'm just a tourist on a tourist visa?"
Jiang Bai couldn't help but suspect this. If Khun Sa found him tomorrow or the day after, Jiang Bai wouldn't be surprised at all.
If Tai Xikun Sa didn't even have this much power, he wouldn't have survived long ago.
But now, isn't this speed a bit too fast?
"This... is actually very simple. As you know, General Khun Sa is a very powerful figure in the Western government."
"From top to bottom, countless people are paid by General Khun Sa and serve him. To be frank, if General Khun Sa wanted, he could know exactly what the King would have for dinner tonight, what pajamas he would wear, and which mistress the President would spend the night with. Nothing could be hidden from him."
"At least 40% of the people in the Thai government are paid by General Khun Sa. We have influence in key departments such as the military, police, politics, customs, and taxation, and some of them are in important positions."
"It's quite a coincidence. There happened to be one of General Khun Sa's men at the immigration office. He had previously accompanied Chai Ba to China. You don't know him, but he had the chance to meet you once and reported this information to General Khun Sa."
"When the general heard that you had come, he sent me here specifically to see you and to be in charge of your hospitality."
Suriya explained to Jiang Bai with a smile, and it was not hard to hear her admiration for Khun Sa in her words.
It also subtly implies a desire to show off one's strength to Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai remained silent in response. He knew that Khun Sa wielded considerable power in the Western region.
As a leader of an anti-government armed force who controlled a vast territory, he lacked sufficient power and would have been wiped out long ago.
However, Jiang Bai did not expect that Khun Sa's power had grown to such an extent, and that his infiltration of the Western government had reached such a degree.
It's important to know that political turmoil in the West has actually lasted for many years, with warlords and democrats taking turns in power. There have been long periods of military dictatorship as well as peaceful democratic periods.
Political turmoil led to economic stagnation, government corruption and chaos, and plunged society into a dark period...
Jiang Bai knew all of this.
In recent years, however, the country has gradually entered a period of democratic governance. The national economy has improved, and the government's control has increased. Apart from Khun Sa, several minor warlord leaders have now surrendered to the government and transformed into generals in the government army.
The level of corruption has also improved.
Thanks to tourism and agriculture, the western Thai economy has shown signs of taking off this year.
Public trust in the government is steadily increasing.
But now it seems that this is just the surface. The fact that the government has been infiltrated to this extent by Khun Sa is quite terrifying.
At the same time, Jiang Bai became worried about Cheng Tiangang's actions.
Given how rotten things are in the West, it will be very difficult for Cheng Tiangang and his group to hide.
It's not that there wasn't a single good person in Thailand. In fact, most people and those with a sense of justice deeply resented Khun Sa and wished he could be eliminated as soon as possible.
Those who cooperate with Cheng Tiangang must also be people in this field.
However, based on Suria's few words, Jiang Bai was very pessimistic about Cheng Tiangang's group.
Once they enter the country and begin their operations, it will be difficult for Khun Sa to detect them.
Even before arriving, Cheng Tiangang had explained to the people here that they had jointly organized a highly confidential action team.
This could prevent Khun Sa from finding out about their situation and purpose, but Jiang Bai believed that it was only temporary.
It was only a matter of time before Khun Sa found out about the secret operations team.
Because if they want to take action, they cannot avoid the Thai police and the Thai military.
Once they are alerted, Khun Sa will immediately receive the news, and it will be uncertain who will behead whom.
Who knows, before Cheng Tiangang even has a chance to make a move, someone might already have a gun pointed at his head.
Or, before they could even speak, a group of rioting soldiers would rush over and shoot them all.
These things are not impossible in the West.
Khun Sa definitely has the ability to do this.
Although filled with doubt and uncertainty, wondering whether to inform Cheng Tiangang and redeploy the plans, Jiang Bai smiled and said, "General Khun Sa's influence in the Western Regions has surprised me..."
"To be honest, before I came to Taixi, I already knew that General Khun Sa had a huge and deeply entrenched power there, but I still didn't expect it to have developed to this extent!"
"If it were a few years earlier, General Khun Sa would have been able to launch a military coup and establish a military dictatorship."
As he spoke, Jiang Bai expressed great admiration and envy, and stopped blocking the doorway, letting Su Liya and the other two in.
As they walked and talked, they reached the suite's living room. While gesturing for Surya to sit down, Surya herself found a comfortable spot and leaned back on the soft sofa.
"Military dictatorship?"
Upon hearing this word, a hint of disdain flashed across Surya's face.
Then, as if noticing Jiang Bai's strange look, Suria thought for a moment, then smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Jiang may not be familiar with the situation in Taixi."
"The forces in the Western region are divided into three main parts: political parties, the military, and General Khun Sa."
"The so-called military dictatorship is mostly a military coup launched by some people with great prestige in the military. However, even if this person establishes a dictatorial government, he cannot represent the entire military. The military in the West is too complicated."
"There are numerous factions, which are intricate and complex, and they are constantly fighting each other. For example, there are the surrender faction and the local faction, the old and new factions within the local faction, the naval faction, the air force faction, and so on. The extent of their struggle is unimaginable."
"Otherwise, given the military's formidable strength, how could it be overthrown by a few political parties if it united as one? And how could such a ridiculous thing as a military government overthrowing another military government happen?"
"Even the most authoritative one, Bingba, never unified these mountain strongholds and integrated them together. Otherwise, General Khun Sa would not have been able to hold on for ten years."