Chapter 135: Wash Your Necks Clean
Chapter 135: Wash Your Necks Clean
“Enough, Zhang Yang, don’t go too far.” Bai Wensheng stared at Zhang Yang and said slowly, “Everyone here is your senior. It’s one thing to be ungrateful, but to mock and insult us? You really think you’re that great? If the Business Alliance decides to blacklist you, even ten Nuwas won’t be enough to save you.”
Zhang Yang glanced at him, picked up the coconut juice before him, drank it all in one go, and then slowly replied, “I’ll be waiting.”
“Zhang Yang, let’s talk calmly—there’s no need to ruin the harmony,” Peng Huai said. Though he already despised Zhang Yang to the core, he had to keep up appearances. If the meeting collapsed now, it would go completely against their goal, disappointing both President Du and old Master Du.
“The one ruining the harmony isn’t me.” Zhang Yang realized he’d already eaten everything within reach. He hadn’t even had dinner before coming here, and these bastards chose a meeting in a hotel without a buffet? Seriously.
He swept a glance around at the group of onlookers with mixed expressions and said coldly, “If you were sincere, why bring a bunch of shrimp soldiers and crab generals?”
The Business Alliance members who had been repeatedly insulted by Zhang Yang couldn’t hold back anymore. A large group stood up, yelling and cursing at him. Of course, their words were the same old nonsense—not worth hearing.
Zhang Yang simply closed his eyes. He knew his words were harsh. Everyone here was a billionaire, a so-called elite of society—no one ever dared talk to them like this.
But Zhang Yang didn’t give a damn. As far as he was concerned, as long as they didn’t provoke him, he wouldn’t care if they lived or died. But now, they were clearly backing Bai Wensheng. And Bai Wensheng was—
His enemy. They sided with his enemy, and he was supposed to give them face? Dream on.
His Nuwa Company didn’t need them, didn’t depend on them. They had nothing to do with each other, yet these people thought they were big shots?
After a while, as the guy next to him rambled on endlessly, Zhang Yang seized the chance to eat the wax apples sitting in front of him. Real Tainan wax apples—juicy and sweet.
The guy speaking suddenly choked up, staring at Zhang Yang, who was munching away. He swallowed back the insult he was about to spit out.
Zhang Yang raised his head slightly, looked at him, and said, “Go on, you’re not bothering me.”
The man was so furious he slammed his stuff down, yanked his chair, and stormed off.
Peng Huai nearly lost it. He quickly cleared his throat and shouted, “Everyone, please calm down. I think this meeting will end here for now. You may all leave.”
Those who had long been restless felt relieved at his words and hurriedly got up to leave.
When the room was nearly empty, Peng Huai glanced at his assistant and ordered quietly, “Close the door.”
Once the door was shut, Peng Huai stood, clasped his hands behind his back, walked over to Zhang Yang, and stared at him deeply. Taking a heavy breath, he spoke slowly, “I’ll make the decision on behalf of President Bai. Fifty million—doubled. One hundred million. As long as you let this go, one hundred million in real cash will be transferred to your account immediately. Think about it—your Nuwa Company’s registered capital is only twenty million. One life is worth about a million at best.”
“If life can be measured by money, then tell me, Elder Peng—how much is yours worth?”
“You… don’t be so ungrateful.” Peng Huai finally lost composure. “I’m sure your friends have already felt the pressure. Even if you don’t think for yourself, at least think of them. I know you’re a man of loyalty—you wouldn’t just watch your friends or their families get crushed, would you?”
“Old man, are you threatening me?”
“Not a threat—just reality. Business is war. To defeat your opponent, any tactic is fair game.”
“Your grandson’s name is Peng Peng, right?”
Peng Huai’s body trembled slightly. He stared at Zhang Yang, his eyes not moving away. “That’s right. What do you want?”
“He’s an American citizen now, isn’t he? Tell him—citizenship won’t save him. Do bad things, and no matter where you hide, you’ll pay the price.”
“You… you’re too arrogant. Don’t think a small rehab center makes you invincible.”
“You’re the arrogant ones.” Zhang Yang stared coldly at the old man’s wrinkled face. “In the eyes of you so-called elites, everyone else is just a pawn for you to toy with. Human lives mean nothing, right?”
“Enough nonsense.” Peng Huai was truly furious now. His facial muscles trembled slightly as he slammed his hand down and stomped back to his seat. “You’ll pay the price for this.”
Seeing this, Bai Wensheng realized the talk had fallen apart—just as he’d expected. Fortunately, the Du family was still willing to step in for him.
Zhang Yang looked around, gave a faint smile, clapped his hands, and stood up. “I’ll take my leave.”
As he reached the door, he turned around to glance at Bai Wensheng and Peng Huai, saying slowly, “Wash your necks clean.”
Peng Huai didn’t quite catch it. After Zhang Yang left, he looked at Bai Wensheng and asked, “What did he just say?”
“He told us to wash our necks.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Peng Huai frowned.
“It means we’re dead men walking.”
“Damn it, too arrogant!” Peng Huai roared, grabbing a cup and smashing it on the floor. “Get them moving.”
*****
Not long after Zhang Yang returned, dozens of major corporations in the Southeast Province held an emergency press conference, accusing someone of slandering Bai Pharmaceuticals and framing its chairman, Bai Wensheng, which caused the company’s stock to plummet. They jointly declared their support for Bai Pharmaceuticals. The Peng family’s Yongfeng Group immediately announced the purchase of twenty million Bai Pharmaceuticals shares, followed by Hitter Biotech and Puke Group.
Soon after, Bai Wensheng announced that “Ailan” was officially hitting the market, offered at a discounted price.
Driven by this series of positive news, Bai Pharmaceuticals’ stock rebounded from the brink of collapse, rising from 1.2 yuan to close at 1.29 that day.
It looked like Bai Pharmaceuticals was making a miraculous comeback overnight.
But that same night, Qiao Xier, Director of Nuwa Pharmaceuticals Division, together with the “Dragonborn” Project research team, released a joint statement: Nuwa Company and the Dragonborn Project had successfully tackled another major human health threat—cardiovascular disease. Their upcoming product, Lingguang One, along with its future models, would be used for treating cerebral thrombosis, vegetative patients, and Parkinson’s disease.
The first phase of verification had already succeeded, and clinical trials were expected to begin within a week!
Shortly after, Qiao Xier, again as Director of Nuwa Pharmaceuticals Division, announced that the company’s next research focus would be developing urgently needed domestic alternatives to various imported drugs.
Although she didn’t reveal which imported drugs, the news immediately caused retail investors who had bought Bai Pharmaceuticals stock that afternoon to cry foul—since Bai Pharmaceuticals’ main business was importing and rebranding such drugs, Nuwa’s announcement hit them like a bomb.
But that wasn’t the end. Rumors spread that the Meining City Prosecutor’s Office had officially restricted Bai Wensheng, Chairman of Bai Pharmaceuticals, from leaving the country on suspicion of hiring a hitman.
Soon after, netizens exposed that Bai Wensheng was also suspected of bribing Deputy Director Ou from Yuetian District, who had recently been placed under investigation. The police were now thoroughly looking into the case.
Once these reports surfaced, investors furiously cursed out Yongfeng Group and the other companies that had supported Bai Pharmaceuticals that afternoon.
Some even called in to report them for insider trading!
To everyone’s surprise, the Banking Regulatory Department responded, announcing a full investigation into the matter.
In just a few short hours, the situation had completely flipped—Bai Pharmaceuticals’ fragile recovery was crushed once again.
One could easily imagine what the company’s stock would look like when the market opened the next morning.
But by then, Bai Wensheng no longer had time to care—because this was only the beginning of the storm.