Chapter 115: Collaboration of Interests

Dark clouds of island power struggles were gathering, though Xiao Kaitian was not clear on the details; this did not mean he was unaware. He had thoroughly investigated the unique political geography of the port city, its local atmosphere of freedom, openness, and tolerance. The old adage that fortune favors the bold did not suit him. What he needed to do, beyond relying on his own skills, was to comprehensively consider all influencing factors.

The power of martial cultivators was formidable—a force difficult to balance in this world—but that did not mean the state fully recognized them. Though the reasons for the legitimate existence of martial cultivation remained unclear, the conflict between cultivators and the state was undeniable. This contradiction was his bargaining chip in negotiations. The more cards he held, the greater his chances of survival.

Upon arriving in the port city, naturally there were those who sought to kill him, and just as naturally, those who wished to protect him. His movements were not covert; on the contrary, they were bold and open. Time passed swiftly, and the moment for the port city martial cultivation auction arrived. Just as Xiao Kaitian was preparing, a call came from Luo Yanxin.

“Mr. Xiao, I am waiting for you at the entrance of the Peninsula Hotel. The parking time here cannot be too long,” Luo Yanxin explained without any concern for offending him. “Are you ready?”

Xiao Kaitian was punctual to a fault. The appointment was at two in the afternoon, but he had been ready for forty minutes. Wearing sunglasses, he sat comfortably in the hotel’s guest area. As Luo Yanxin’s call came through, he rose and headed out.

“I’m ready. I’m at the entrance.”

He was greeted by a red Maserati, its sleek curves resembling a crouching tiger—an indication of its owner’s temperament.

The driver was a girl with short hair just brushing her ears. Unlike the dazzling beauties at evening galas, she wore a silver suit that was crisp and neat. She was not stunningly beautiful, merely pleasant to look at, but the sharp intelligence flickering in her eyes was something Xiao Kaitian had never encountered before.

As Xiao Kaitian settled into the passenger seat and reached for the seatbelt, Luo Yanxin’s bright eyes curiously studied him.

“What is it?” he asked, noticing her gaze. The Maserati was a bit cramped for his long legs, and he reluctantly tucked them in, meeting her eyes. “Is there a problem?”

“No,” Luo Yanxin smiled and started the engine. “At this auction, we’re partners. I want to get to know you properly. Manager Yu Mei speaks very highly of you.”

“And your relationship with Manager Yu...” Xiao Kaitian asked casually.

“We handled quite a few projects in Haidu, initially at First Seaview Development, where we first met,” Luo Yanxin replied, brushing some wind-tousled hair from her forehead. “When I was asked to come this time, I paid more attention. I’m quite familiar with the port city.”

“Is that so?” Xiao Kaitian curled his lips. “The Eight Great Families of Shangjing: Jiang, Bian, Gu, Qin, Xiao, Su, Luo, and Zhao. I thought you belonged to the Luo family.”

Luo Yanxin nearly slammed the brakes. Years immersed in social dealings prevented her from making a scene. “You know about them?”

“It’s a guess. Each of the Eight Great Families dominates different fields. The Luo family focuses on developing the Nanling area. The port city, for historical reasons, has many Nanling natives, so naturally, I suspected something.”

A faint smile curved Luo Yanxin’s lips. She liked this straightforwardness. The materials she had seen painted Xiao Kaitian in a less than flattering light—what nonsense was that? “Since you know, I won’t hide it. I am indeed from the Luo family of Shangjing.”

“And also the head of the Luo family’s power in the port city. Manager Yu Mei is just an intermediary. We are genuinely interested in making contact with you.”

“What is the reason?” Xiao Kaitian lowered the window against the rushing wind, pulled out a red Marlboro, and offered it to her. Seeing her shake her head, he nodded. “A business collaboration.”

“We’ve dealt with the port city’s autonomous government before. Your ‘Qing Tang World’ project includes constructing a direct transport link between the two regions,” Luo Yanxin explained, lowering the other window as well.

Interesting. Xiao Kaitian smiled. Everything he had done was under close watch by the national government. Fortunately, nothing had gone too far. Both sides were presenting intentions to cooperate.

“You want to facilitate this?” Xiao Kaitian flicked his cigarette ash outside.

“The port city is one of our major foundations. Its vigorous development benefits us,” Luo Yanxin said, understanding that one must be willing to risk to gain. After their brief conversation, she felt Xiao Kaitian was not someone who could be easily fooled. “We each seek mutual benefit.”

“Hu—” Xiao Kaitian exhaled smoke. Luo Yanxin’s proposal was indeed tempting. If they could cooperate with the port city’s autonomous government to establish a transportation hub linking the city and the Qing Tang World project, the benefits for the future of the project would be immense.

Yet he remained silent, unsettled because he had not yet unraveled everything. Who knew if Luo Yanxin’s words were genuine?

Seeing his hesitation, a gleam of sharpness flashed in Luo Yanxin’s eyes. This was the right attitude; the more cautious he was, the more confident he must be in his project.

Luo Yanxin was no fool. She had followed the online discourse about Qing Tang World, Qixi Media Consulting, and the battles within the Han Tang entertainment circle closely.

“We understand your concerns,” Luo Yanxin explained. “What I mean is, could you further consider the feasibility of implementation? Our Luo family cannot promise full support, but at least we can remain neutral moving forward.”

This was a thought-provoking statement. A flicker of strangeness crossed Xiao Kaitian’s eyes as he noticed the “we” Luo Yanxin mentioned—perhaps representing both the Luo family and the state.

No matter which power it was, it was an entity he now needed to win over.

Realizing this, he smiled instantly. “I will think it over carefully. For me and the Qing Tang World project, this would be an incredibly profitable opportunity. But it involves many complexities, so I must consider it thoroughly.”

“No problem,” Luo Yanxin smiled back. “This is a major cooperation. If all goes well, I will make the arrangements.”

“Good. But you seem quite confident in me,” Xiao Kaitian smiled as he closed the window. Without the noise of rushing air, their conversation became clearer. “Aren’t you worried I might not deliver?”

“There is concern,” Luo Yanxin nodded without hesitation. “But what we value more is the future...”