RMM -Chapter 154 Well Worth the Trip

“This time, Big Brother has gone abroad.”

Long Ge smiled proudly and spoke slowly.

“Abroad?” Xi Yuechen felt a stir in his heart at these words but kept his face expressionless, waiting for Long Ge to continue.

“Don’t think Big Brother went on a holiday trip. I’ll tell you, he went to Country Y for a gathering.”

Xi Yuechen had suspected there was something fishy when Bai Xiong suddenly disappeared, but he never expected him to have gone to Country Y.

Province D is near the national border, neighboring several countries. This partly explains why drug trafficking is so rampant there.

Southeast Asia has always been a major producer of raw materials for drugs like opium and is one of the regions where drug trade is most active. Each year, a portion of the world’s drugs originates from this area. The harm is serious, but there’s little that can be done. Within the country, the government strictly cracks down on drugs, and the cultivation of drug-related plants is rare. But neighboring countries each have their own policies, taking different approaches. Overall, they also try to suppress drug activity, but the truth is that these countries remain some of the most lawless regions in Asia in terms of drug trade.

Being the neighboring province, D naturally became a “juicy target” for foreign criminal groups. If they wanted to push their market into Country Z, D Province was the easiest and most convenient route.

Given these conditions, many people risked their lives for money. Waves after waves of traffickers tried their luck, using every trick for power and profit. Naturally, D Province became the area in the country with the most frequent and brazen drug activity.

Drugs have always been harmful, especially to the people of this country, leaving dark marks in history. Since ancient times, drugs have been severely punished, and in modern times, the state has been even stricter. Yet in D Province, any measure yields limited results. Drug syndicates persist, and trafficking remains rampant.

This is partly because of the wide, constant inflow of drugs into D Province. Even if one batch is destroyed, another enters the market.

Take the Yanmen gang as an example. Numerous criminal groups operate in D, already established as organized forces, not just chaotic mobs. They have talent, money to open paths, and every action leaves no trace. Even knowing their crimes are enormous, authorities can do little—law enforcement requires evidence, and these criminals are cunning, always cautious. Each time the police act, they find nothing.

Yanmen is just one example. If it were only Yanmen, the government wouldn’t be so troubled. Take one down, another emerges. Only by thoroughly eradicating them can drug trafficking be effectively suppressed. Ultimately, the authorities had to cooperate with the military, investing massive manpower and resources to create a special plan.

Moreover, southern D Province has a tropical monsoon climate with complex terrain and dense jungles. The border cuts through this thick forest. Human activity is scarce, making cross-border trafficking easier. Those who frequent such areas move with skill, and once they vanish into the dense jungle, they become untraceable.

This makes government enforcement extremely difficult. Paramilitary units have intercepted some traffickers, but many evade capture. Even when caught, resistance is fierce—sometimes self-inflicted deaths occur. Evidence and full seizure are minimal, rarely achieving desired results.

These traffickers are reckless, driven by greed. Confrontation has limited effect. To cleanse D Province and secure the border, the root cause must be eliminated; otherwise, the problem will persist.

Thus, the plan was implemented: a carefully selected special task force, supported by the government and military, aiming to strike hard at the criminal groups in D Province. Catching them all is impossible, but capturing the leaders would leave the rest like headless flies—harmless and gradually eliminated.

Now Bai Xiong has gone to Country Y. Why? What kind of “gathering” could make Bai Xiong personally attend? And what kind of business could make him so visibly pleased? Yanmen is already flourishing; ordinary deals wouldn’t excite him. What deal was this?

A string of questions ran through Xi Yuechen’s mind, and curiosity showed on his face. “Long Ge, may I ask—given Yanmen’s current strength, what could make Big Brother so happy?”

“Do you think he’d explain everything to me?” Long Ge snorted, amused. “It’s beneficial for Yanmen, that’s all. Big Brother knows what he’s doing. We just follow his lead.”

Long Ge laughed heartily and continued eating, clearly in a good mood.

Xi Yuechen wasn’t disappointed; he hadn’t expected to get details. Bai Xiong wouldn’t announce such secrets widely anyway.

Still, it was clear that this trip abroad was likely just a cover. The attendees were probably not upstanding citizens. Anyone mingling with a drug lord like Bai Xiong likely had a shady background.

Moreover, Bai Xiong had successfully closed several major deals. This raised suspicion—the so-called “gathering” probably held hidden motives.

Xi Yuechen boldly speculated: could this gathering actually be a “drug lord convention”? Otherwise, why would Bai Xiong go abroad for business?

And if Bai Xiong was satisfied, others wouldn’t leave empty-handed. If they were all from the underworld, no one would take a loss; they likely benefited too.

Judging from Bai Xiong’s deals alone, drugs were undoubtedly involved.

Xi Yuechen’s eyes flashed coldly. Yanmen couldn’t linger any longer, or it would collude further with foreign criminals, causing untold trouble for the country and its people.

They ate quickly; the portions were small, leaving quite a bit of food on the table.

“Cheng, Big Brother will be back in a few days. That’s why I called you back. Big Brother will likely summon us, and I’ll bring you along,” Long Ge said, smoking as he spoke, the smoke veiling his expression.

“Is that okay? Won’t Big Brother be upset?” Xi Yuechen asked, anxious. “He called you to discuss things—bringing an outsider like me, would it spoil the mood?”

Bai Xiong’s summons would be a small internal meeting. Even if the trip abroad isn’t mentioned, seeing Bai Xiong is a valuable opportunity.

Bai Xiong has been a leader for years; ordinary matters or people don’t faze him. Xi Yuechen had been in Bai Xiong’s favor before, but after such a long absence, who knows if Bai Xiong still remembers someone named Cheng Yue?

With this chance, Xi Yuechen wouldn’t pass it up, but he still needed to act appropriately.

“What’s the big deal?” Long Ge raised his brow, slightly displeased. “They follow Big Brother around all day—why can’t I bring someone along? He won’t be upset over that.”

Long Ge felt frustrated. They had worked together with Big Brother to succeed. Now the situation improved, others thrived, while he was sidelined—unable to see Big Brother more than a few times a month. Thinking about it made him resentful.

“You have this chance now—if I don’t bring you along, when will you see Big Brother again?”

Long Ge wasn’t foolish. He wanted Xi Yuechen to rise in rank, but he needed him to see Big Brother. Otherwise, he’d have to wait indefinitely for Bai Xiong to summon Cheng Yue. More exposure meant more opportunity to get close to him.

Thus, Long Ge wouldn’t miss this chance.

He had his reasons. Bai Xiong was in a good mood, so even if an outsider came along, he wouldn’t lose face—maybe a few jokes, at most. Bai Xiong had shown appreciation for Xi Yuechen before; bringing him along now likely wouldn’t cause displeasure. Even if he did, it would be temporary. The real priority was for Cheng Yue to appear before Big Brother.

Seeing Long Ge’s determination, Xi Yuechen inwardly smirked but showed gratitude outwardly. “Thank you, Long Ge, for worrying about me. I’ll make sure to seize this opportunity.”

Both were now in high spirits, each having gotten what they wanted—well worth the trip.

“Alright, no need for formalities now. Don’t worry too much. Wait for my call,” Long Ge waved, reminding him, “Be alert then. If you mess up, there’s only so much I can do to help.”

“Yes, I’ll be careful,” Xi Yuechen nodded seriously, looking attentive and determined, putting Long Ge at ease.