Chapter 45: Electronic Dynasty
The next morning, Chen Xue Wen woke up to find breakfast already laid out.
But Wu Li Hong was nowhere to be seen.
He didn’t dwell on it. After finishing his meal, he called Li Er Yong and the others, recounting last night’s ambush.
Hearing that Chen Xue Wen had been ambushed, Li Er Yong was shocked. Without hesitation, he jumped on a motorbike and rushed over.
Seeing Chen Xue Wen safe and sound, Li Er Yong finally let out a sigh of relief.
“That bastard He Fei! Just a useless parasite living off women!” he spat angrily. “All he does is strut around the Internet Cafe, tricking girls into bed, then forcing them to work the nightclubs and hand over their earnings.”
“And now this piece of trash dares ambush Wen Zi? He’s looking for a death wish!”
After cursing for a while, Li Er Yong turned to Chen Xue Wen. “Wen Zi, what do you want to do about it? Just say the word, and we’ll jump him first! We’ll make sure he never dares show his face again!”
Chen Xue Wen shook his head. “Not worth it for a nobody like him.”
Li Er Yong paused. “But… we can’t just let this slide, right?”
A faint smile appeared on Chen Xue Wen’s lips. “Who said I was letting it slide?”
As they spoke, Wang Zhen Dong and Li Tie Zhu arrived.
Li Tie Zhu walked in, eyes glued to his phone, fingers tapping away. Judging by his movements, he was still playing Snake Game.
Glancing up briefly at Chen Xue Wen, he confirmed there was no major issue before burying his head back into the game.
Meanwhile, Wang Zhen Dong rushed in with concern. “You alright, Wen Zi?”
Chen Xue Wen waved a hand dismissively. “I’m fine. That punk took more damage than I did.”
“I’ve already sent Lai Hou to handle him. No need for you guys to worry about it. Since you’re here, let’s get to our real business.”
Turning to Li Er Yong, he asked, “You asked the master to pick a good day for us. What’s the verdict?”
Li Er Yong nodded. “Three days from now is a lucky day. But, Wen Zi… are we really opening so soon? If we start operations just like that, Snake will definitely bring his men to cause trouble.”
Chen Xue Wen chuckled. “As long as he’s around, even if I delay a year, he’ll still come to stir up trouble.”
“Might as well handle it now and get it over with.”
He stood up. “Three days it is. Let’s go check out our new places.”
Hailing a cab, the group headed straight to Old Square.
Old Square was once the busiest area of Peaceful City, home to the old Supply and Marketing Cooperative. However, after 2000, new plazas popped up, stealing its former glory. Now, it was a haven for the city’s underbelly.
This was where all kinds of entertainment spots gathered—Skating Rinks, Billiard Halls, Internet Cafes, Arcades, and Video Halls. Naturally, fights and brawls were common, making it one of the roughest areas in town.
For Snake to control this place, he had to have real power. Even before him, Zhou Jing Hui and two other bosses had failed to dominate this turf. The fact that Snake took it all for himself said plenty about his capabilities.
As they arrived, Chen Xue Wen didn’t go straight to the arcades they were taking over. Instead, he took a slow tour around the area, letting Li Er Yong brief him on its history and power structure.
He had been here before, but only to play arcade games, watch movies, or surf the net. Occasionally, some yellow-haired thugs would shake him down for a few bucks, but that was standard in places like this.
However, the deeper workings of the area were still a mystery to him.
As they walked, Li Er Yong explained, “Snake controls this area mostly through the arcade business. The real money is in slot machines—those things rake in cash at insane speeds.”
“Other businesses around here? Most of them just pay him protection fees. He doesn’t directly run them.”
Taking mental notes, Chen Xue Wen mapped out the locations of every arcade they passed. These were Snake’s properties, after all.
Before long, they arrived at the biggest arcade in the district.
Unlike the others, this one was lavishly decorated, featuring a massive signboard showcasing characters from Street Fighter, King of Fighters, Three Kingdoms, and Journey to the West.
Four large golden characters stood bold across the entrance—Electronic Dynasty.
From outside, the commotion inside was evident—packed with people, the air thick with excitement.
Li Er Yong leaned in and whispered, “This is Snake’s headquarters. The biggest and busiest arcade in Peaceful City.”
“Cigarettes are free for anyone who plays here.”
“The place spans over a thousand square meters. The front four hundred meters are arcade machines.”
“The back six hundred are split in two—one side is slot machines, the other is a secret underground casino.”
Narrowing his eyes, Chen Xue Wen murmured, “With an operation this big, how much money does Electronic Dynasty pull in daily?”
Li Er Yong gestured with his hand, lowering his voice. “I heard from Old Black that the daily cash flow here is at least a hundred thousand.”
Chen Xue Wen’s eyes widened. “That’s three million a month!”
Li Er Yong quickly corrected him. “Wen Zi, it’s not that simple.”
“Arcades don’t have upfront costs, sure, but keeping a place this massive running costs a fortune. Staff salaries alone are a major expense.”
“Snake hires young, pretty girls as attendants to attract customers. Their wages aren’t cheap.”
“Then there’s rent, utilities, and feeding his goons. After all those expenses, he probably pockets two or three grand a day at most.”
Chen Xue Wen frowned. “Not as profitable as I thought.”
As they chatted, a sudden commotion rippled through the crowd.
Li Er Yong looked up, his face darkening. “Snake is here.”
Following his gaze, Chen Xue Wen saw the crowd parting, creating a pathway.
At the other end, a tall, sinister-eyed man strolled forward, his presence exuding danger.
By his side, he held a voluptuous woman with an impossibly slim waist. She looked to be in her early thirties, her beauty still dazzling. Her every movement oozed seduction.
Yet, no one dared to stare for too long.
Because the man beside her was the madman known as Snake.
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation