While He Twenty-seven tried hard to maintain his composure, he still broke down at the end. Crying, begging for mercy, struggling, cursing hysterically……he did all that could be done.

  Some said that this was actually not so surprising. Someone who could tough it out and survive in an environment where they were treated worse than dogs and could not see the light of day, having an ambitious heart as they climbed up to the top-how could someone like that truly not cherish their life?

  That did not change his sorry fate, though. When he had personally meticulously planned and executed this scheme, it was destined that there would be a victor and a loser, those who lived and those who met their ends.

  Jin Twenty-four was not a Bodhisattva. There was simply no way he could be merciful against someone who schemed to see him dead. Otherwise, there was no way he could have had his current achievements and have any prospects.

  Similarly, if the victor and loser of this battle had been different, the fates of the Jin family’s father and son would also have been irreversible.

  Daybreak.

  Another mine had collapsed in Binzhou the previous night, killing two people. Still, this was usual fare in the mining district in the first place as the media had no interest in it whatsoever.

  Only those in the industry were aware of just how much upheaval was hidden behind this small scale mine collapse for the entire Binzhou mining district, just how prominent the two casualties had once been.

  They were two famous figures who had reigned since the expansion of the mining district. One had crawled up from the depths of hell, a newcomer who most struck terror in the hearts of others. Still, whether in representing the past or the future, their journeys had ended here.

  “If someone acts against you but doesn’t have to pay a price for it, very soon……there will be countless people acting against you. While benevolence looks and sounds good, sometimes, having it attributed to you is no different to handing your head out on a silver platter.”


  “It actually isn’t scary if your capabilities outshine that of those above you. You can just rebel. The problem’s that some people are dumb. Not yet having the strength and a proper plan for rebelling, they already outshine the big guys. Hegemony is also not scary. What is scary is those who try to kill you midway. So, it’s best to rise to hegemony at once in a single go so others can’t swallow you up.”


  When Old Jin was telling Huang Yaming this, with splitting the territories of Jiang Three and He Twenty-seven as the starting point, a large scale contest had just occurred beneath the table.

  A massive reshuffle, with another five people kicked out of the game……some died, some left.

  The seven pieces of territory were mostly divided. Old Jin unquestionably profited the most from it. Still, precisely because he was already too powerful, powerful to the extent that others almost could not stand for it, some of the others teamed up and decided to put up some of the mines from the seven parties on sale.

  That would disperse and even out their power while allowing in fresh blood for the Binzhou Thirty.

  Having clearly been targeted by their combined efforts, Old Jin flipped his lid but still acquiesced in the end.

  Many people sighed in relief.

  Finally, this portion of the mines was split and sold to seven newcomers. Many people said that thereon, the new gameboard of the Binzhou Thirty had finally taken form.

  Then, suddenly, one day……after handling all the procedures, these seven people all transferred the mines they had acquired to a single person.

  The identity of the newcomer was soon revealed. As he appeared in the mining district, many realised that……they actually knew him. He was called Huang Yaming.

  Some had previously speculated about where exactly this guest of the Jin family might have been the day Jin Twenty-four’s villa had been attacked. Eleven and the others too had also similarly very much wished to ask Old Jin if he had any backup plans for if things had gone wrong that night.

  It was destined that this mystery would not be unravelled for them.

  Only some of the second gen of the Binzhou Thirty still remembered a strange incident. That day, they had ‘sent invitations amongst themselves’ and participated in a gathering. There had been handsome men and beautiful women alore at that gathering. Everything had gone very smoothly and all of them had really enjoyed themselves……it was just that no one could say who the first person who had sent the invitation was.

  Now things had truly changed for the Binzhou Thirty.

  “Look, all of a sudden, we’re so big that nobody can swallow us up,” Old Jin told Huang Yaming.

  The Binzhou Thirty who now had fewer than thirty people was still called the Binzhou Thirty. Jin Twenty-four became Jin Nineteen, and the Binzhou Thirty produced their youngest member and the first to be surnamed Huang, Huang Twenty-four……

  When newcomers were entering the Binzhou Thirty, they would have to undergo a very old-school ceremony which really gave off the atmosphere of the martial fraternity.

  Because so many parties were struggling to accept the state of affairs, Huang Yaming’s entry was delayed for rather long.

  In the end, it simply had to happen. In order to participate in the ceremony, Xu Tingsheng specially made a trip to the Binzhou mining district.

  He arrived a day earlier and stayed at Old Jin’s home.

  Seeing him, Little Jinshan said, “Something’s lacking, Uncle Xu. Do you know? Recently, I’ve been feeling especially like something’s lacking.”


  Xu Tingsheng asked him, “What?”


  Little Jinshan said, “It feels like before I’ve grown up, my empire has already been conquered by Old Jin. I was pretty happy at first, but then I realised. If they do this, what am I to conquer in the future?!”


  Xu Tingsheng slapped him, “Brat, is the world so small in your eyes? There are swathes of territory to be conquered outside……have more ambition! Broaden your horizons and eye something bigger.”


  Little Jinshan rubbed his head, saying, “True. I’ve got to at least do better than Old Jin. Still, does our style work in the outside world?”


  “At its essence, anywhere is the same: Human hearts, human nature, knowledge, posture……” Xu Tingsheng said, “Still, you’d best learn some more styles.”


  Right there and then, he began conversing in English with Little Jinshan about energy sources.

  Little Jinshan had not let down the home tutor Old Jin had found him. He could still somewhat grasp some of what Xu Tingsheng was saying.

  So long as he wished to and was happy to learn, this child’s learning ability was definitely at a terrifying level.

  Still, Xu Tingsheng soon switched back to Mandarin. At the end of the day, he intended to use this to broach another topic.

  After guiding Little Jinshan to speak a bunch about the detriments of coal as an energy source, Xu Tingsheng switched to asking Old Jin and Huang Yaming, “Old Jin, Yaming, what do you think?”


  Huang Yaming hastily asked, “What do you mean……shut down shop? This right now is a money-printing machine!”


  Xu Tingsheng said, “It’s fine. Still, everything has its ebb and flow. It’s the same for industries too, especially for coal which intrinsically has too many problems. It’s impossible for it to always do this well. I hope that while you’re raking in the cash, you can start allocating your funds for the future, keeping your eyes open for opportunities. It’s less significant for Yaming who’s involved in both entertainment and mining, but you must still take note. As for Old Jin, while you’ve dispersed much of your funds, your wealth is still rather concentrated. You should make preparations to be able to turn away from it easily.”


  Old Jin looked thoughtfully at Xu Tingsheng.

  Huang Yaming asked directly, “There’s at least got to be a few more years, right?”


  If it were in the past, Xu Tingsheng would have ceased speaking at this point.

  Still, after meeting Zhou Yuandai, his mentality had changed a lot.

  “There should still be a few years,” Xu Tingsheng thought back hard on it and recollected that the golden age of the coal mining industry was approximately the ten years between 2002 and 2012.

  “It’s probably not for another four, five years,” He said.

  “This is your analysis?” Huang Yaming asked, his joy at having become a magnate diminishing quite a bit after hearing that the good times in the industry would only be for four to five years more.

  “Just a random guess. You don’t believe me?” Xu Tingsheng smiled.

  “I do! You’re Godly Swindler Xu now, after all!” Huang Yaming said, inadvertently leaving Xu Tingsheng lost for words.

  “Can it truly decline to the extent that I must extricate myself? Also, if it’s four or five years, that’s actually still early! With you around, our progress is unparalleled……why are you in such a rush to say this now?” The previously silent Old Jin suddenly asked.

  Xu Tingsheng composed himself, “I don’t want you two to feel too secure sitting on your empires. If you’re too invested in it, you’ll naturally overlook other things happening nearby. Sinking ships are usually only discovered when water has flowed in. The larger the vessel, the more this applies. Especially Huang Yaming……I guess you aren’t really thinking much of Bright Brilliance right now. Isn’t that right?”


  Huang Yaming flashed a ‘I’ve been caught’ smile.

  After a while, he said in a heavy tone, “Bright Brilliance will always be around.”


  Xu Tingsheng said, “Not only must it always be around, it must be made the best possible.”
……

  The third time Fang Ruli ‘casually’ passed by in the living room, Xu Tingsheng finally went after her.

  “Miss me, stinky fish? Xu Tingsheng intercepted her and asked.

  “Why’re you in Binzhou?” Fang Ruli asked, “Hmph! Who’d miss you! Sick pervert, self-delusional as always.”


  Three days later, Xu Tingsheng left Binzhou.

  She did not send him off.

  Little Jinshan sent a text, saying that she was standing at the second floor balcony and bawling.

  Xu Tingsheng sent a reply: You’ve got to help take good care of her, Little Pervert.