The Evil Prince - The Rise of the Storm 236-240

This post was last edited by Extinct Good Man on 2019-10-04 23:16.
Chapter 226 Full-Scale Launch
. Judging from their eyes, I knew that this time, I probably wouldn't be able to have peace. After what happened today, I guess everyone at Holy Dragon Academy will recognize me. Sigh... The storm is brewing... I can forget about peace and quiet from now on.
"Hey, Brother Li, you've been living quite the life lately, haven't you? Hehe, I envy your lifestyle. Sigh, but unfortunately, I can't live that kind of life. You're much better off than me." As I walked out of the Kendo Academy and onto the school playground, a nonchalant young man, probably in his twenties, lit a cigar, leaned against a red Lamborghini, and said to me with a half-smile, causing many students around to turn their heads.
Seeing the person in front of me, I unconsciously frowned. Having just finished my duel, I'd ignored everyone and walked out coolly, but I never expected to see the last person I wanted to see. I should have stayed inside; those silly students were annoying, but nothing compared to this guy in front of me.
"What, Brother Zhu, what brings you to our school?" I asked Zhu Zihao, frowning.
"Tsk tsk... why can't I? You know I'm your senior, I studied here seven years ago. Hehe, I just discovered there are so many more beautiful girls here. Ah, Brother Li, you really know how to enjoy life. I wish I hadn't left." Zhu Zihao sighed, looking at the girls playing around him. He then glanced at a girl in a miniskirt in the distance, her white thighs exposed, and whistled.
The girl, far from being disgusted by Zhu Zihao and the Lamborghini behind him, approached him with a seductive expression and said, "Hey, handsome, what's up? Got time for dinner tonight? I'm a poor soul... sigh... I don't even have money for food."
"Hehe, no problem, I'll treat you to the Shikoku Hotel tonight," Zhu Zihao chuckled, unhesitatingly putting his arm around the sexy woman walking towards him. He then patted her buttocks. The girl didn't say anything, only giving Zhu Zihao a flirtatious look. Without a word, Zhu Zihao pulled out five or six hundred-yuan bills from his pocket and stuffed them into the girl's blouse, giving her another pat as he said, "Beautiful lady, go in first, I'll take you out to play later."
The girl, without any hesitation, swayed her hips as she got into the car. Damn, is this woman even a college student? Students from prestigious universities are like prostitutes, but there's nothing you can do about it. Women these days are very materialistic; it's not uncommon for them to sell their bodies for money. No one can stop this widespread phenomenon. It's as if universities across the country are cradles of "cultured prostitutes," like gathering all the women into one large, educational brothel. Except for a few virtuous individuals, most will occasionally sell themselves, or entertain themselves with men here. In their words, it's called pursuing purity, pursuing freedom... Ugh... Actually, they're no different from those Japanese women. I think they don't need to talk about patriotism or anything like that. They shouldn't look down on the Japanese either; they're just like them.
"This is my territory!" I said to Zhu Zihao, frowning.
"Hehe, I know, don't worry, I won't cause trouble on your turf anymore, and... she's no longer one of yours. I came here to tell you that things have officially started, and you have a week." Zhu Zihao said to me with a half-smile, then got into his car, which vanished in a flash.
Although Zhu Zihao's words were vague, I understood. He meant that the girl was now hers. After all, I knew what kind of person Zhu Zihao was. This greedy woman would probably never appear at Holy Dragon Academy again. As for what happened next... well, it's just those underworld matters. It seems
... those people abroad are getting restless after seeing our internal strife. I just don't know which side they want to support, or which side they want to make their puppets. But judging from Zhu Zihao's words, they're probably starting to stir. I just don't know how they plan to play this game, but one thing is certain... Zhu Zihao told me I had one week left, meaning I only had three days, or less, to occupy the territory he promised me. Otherwise, things would get complicated. Occupying territory is one thing, but stabilizing it is another. At the very least, I needed three days to achieve partial stability, so my time was extremely tight.
During this time, our Bingjian Society traveled incredibly fast, and the enemies we faced crumbled at the first touch, suffering virtually no casualties. While the number of dead seemed substantial, numbering in the thousands, they were mostly street thugs. In short, we were contributing to society and purifying it.
In a short period, our Bingjian Society absorbed the entire territory of the JS Green Gang. Of course, this was partly due to the Green Gang's inaction; otherwise, how could our Bingjian Society have occupied such a large area in such a short time? After all, we are human, not gods.
"Xiao Bai, take SH tonight." I said to Xiao Bai after making the call. Although Xiao Bai only had 50,000 men, taking SH was no problem at all. After all, the Green Gang was completely inactive. They had already drained the Green Gang of all its strength, and the remaining men were no longer a threat, mostly just old, weak, and disabled soldiers. To put it bluntly, Zhu Zihao was just using these people to die. I have to say, Zhu Zihao is ruthless, at least more ruthless than me.
He now controls the Green Gang, and everyone in the Green Gang is his man, at least they are loyal to him. If it were me, I wouldn't pursue so much, but Zhu Zihao is different. He is still investigating, and what's even more outrageous is that this guy is actually using the lives of thousands of his own men as bait, clearly sending them to their deaths.
"Yes, Young Master Xie." Xiao Bai said without hesitation. To Xiao Bai, the Green Gang members were just trash, at least the ones left behind were trash, and eliminating them would be no difficulty at all.
"Okay, right, make some noise. I want some people to see this clearly. Remember, don't hold back tonight. Zhu Zihao's purpose in leaving those people behind is obvious: to be killed by us. Make it clean. You probably already know their distribution, right? Tonight... a lot of people will die... It's best to make a big commotion. I want everyone to know that Shanghai changed hands last night and a fierce struggle took place. Even if hundreds of civilians die, it doesn't matter. However... be selective when you strike. Don't worry about those decadent youths hanging out in bars. Send them to heaven. Let them do something for our Ice Mirror Society, and we can also lighten the burden on the country."
It was late at night, and Shanghai was unusually lively. The reputation of the "City That Never Sleeps" was fully displayed here. Countless people were admiring the beautiful scenery on the Bund at night. Beautiful girls walked by, and countless lecherous men whistled and screamed. In short, the whole area was bustling with activity.
"Rat-a-tat-tat..." Suddenly, a burst of gunfire rang out. Dozens of men in black bodysuits, wielding submachine guns, chased after a dozen or so fleeing men. They stood there, firing wildly at the fleeing men, then without hesitation, drove off in their cars, speeding away. The thousands of people around were stunned for a moment before beginning to panic and flee, screams filling the air. Although they had witnessed gang fights before, they were never openly fought in public. Even when they did, it was in sparsely populated areas. Moreover, in the past, the Green Gang had kept gang fights in Shanghai to a minimum. Even if small gangs had deep-seated hatred, they had to follow the rules set by the Green Gang to fight, otherwise, they would suffer a terrible fate. Therefore, the people of Shanghai had never seen such chaos before.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, in front of a Green Gang nightclub, a black jeep slowly pulled up. Two men carrying rocket launchers didn't hesitate, pulling out two rocket launchers and aiming them at the Green Gang's territory. Before they could react, "whoosh...whoosh..." they fired, then sped away into the bustling city, leaving behind a deafening roar and screams of agony.
"Rat-a-tat-boo..." In the most luxurious villa district of Shanghai, the night was far from peaceful. At least a thousand people from both sides engaged in a fierce firefight, mostly suppressed by the Ice Mirror Society. The deafening sounds of gunfire and shouts of killing could be heard for miles around. Grenades were also common, leaving the ground cratered. The once-wealthy were now under the protection of bodyguards, each with their families and mistresses hiding under the eaves of their homes, fearing being caught in the crossfire.
Similar incidents erupted almost everywhere in Shanghai that night: houses were bombed, cars burned, and so on. Wait a minute. The once peaceful city of Shanghai, under the rule of the Green Gang, was engulfed in flames. Although the death toll might not have been as high as the Ice Mirror Society's previous major operations, or even as high as a gang fight between two northern cities, this was the biggest event of its kind, undoubtedly shocking the entire nation.
The police emergency lines throughout Shanghai were ringing off the hook overnight, waking high-ranking officials. All the Shanghai officials gathered to discuss the matter. Not only them, but even the central government was alerted. The central government officials all got up, sitting there with furrowed brows and worried expressions. Sirens
wailed throughout the streets and alleys of Shanghai, the roar of police cars echoing everywhere. Unfortunately, no matter how many police officers there were, it was all useless. Their role was merely to clean up the mess left by the gang fight. After all, they were just police, not gods; they couldn't possibly know where the gangs were fighting, especially with Zhou Xin, the leader, secretly manipulating things behind the scenes. Therefore, they were completely ineffective, only able to act like a fire brigade, rushing to wherever the trouble started.
"Bang... What's going on here? Can any of you tell me? This Ice Mirror Society actually invaded Shanghai, and made such a huge commotion. And the Green Gang, they're doing the same thing, fighting people in the streets. Don't they have any sense of the law? Look... look... what's this? Incendiary bombs, rocket launchers, sniper rifles... heavy machine guns, small mortars, what else haven't they used? What are they trying to do? Fighting in the middle of the city, and doing it so blatantly, do they have any respect for the law?" The chairman, sitting in the conference room, roared at the group of leaders in front of him. He rarely lost his temper, but when he did, everyone around him fell silent.
"This... Chairman... I have to say... the leader of the Ice Mirror Society is Li Tianxie, the heir of the Li family, and the leader of the Green Gang... I think their backer is the Zhu family. This... I think you understand what they represent," an official whispered to the chairman. This official was none other than Long Yi of the Dragon Group.
"Hmph, the three major families. Does being one of the three major families give them the right to act with impunity? Elder Li and Elder Zhu called, telling them to discipline their families properly and not go too far. Their actions this time are completely damaging the country's image. Don't they know what Shanghai is? How could they launch such a large-scale attack in that place? Aren't they slapping our government in the face?" the Chairman said angrily.
"Um... Chairman, this time the Li family, the Zhu family, and the Liu family have all agreed on a story. They demand that we keep this matter quiet, only making superficial and verbal statements, and not harm the Ice Mirror Society and the Green Gang. They also want us to truthfully disclose the casualties and losses, and not to conceal them as before. I think they have some ulterior motive." An official next to the Chairman said respectfully, his brows furrowing unconsciously as he spoke.
"What? What exactly are they trying to do?!" the Chairman asked angrily.
"According to our intelligence, international gang members have recently entered China through various means. Among them, the Italian Mafia has 40,000 members, the American Mafia has 30,000, and the Japanese Inagawa-gumi and Sumiyoshi-kai have at least 50,000 to 60,000 near our country, with 20,000 already infiltrated. It's not just the Russian Bolshevik Party gathering manpower at the border; judging from their appearance, they are preparing to send people in through various means after other families make their moves, and then attack our underworld. That's why the three major families have joined forces this time. I think this is a matter between the Li family and the Zhu family, but the Liu family doesn't want to offend either of them, so they've joined in putting pressure on us. But what do you think? Should we refuse them for now?" Long Yi asked the chairman in a low voice. The people here were all the chairman's confidants, or rather, people from neutral factions. In any case, none of them were from the three major families, at least on the surface. On the surface, none of these people were from the three major families. As for how many of them were secretly sent in by the three major families, who knows?
"Refuse? How can we refuse? Just do as they say. Since the three major families have unified their statements, they must have some kind of plan. Even if we disagree, they have ways to deal with it. The three major families together control 80% of the military and political power in the country. Many of us are under their control. What can we use to oppose them? Sigh... Forget it. Since they're doing this, I think they must have some kind of plan. They all know better than anyone what SH represents. If China doesn't benefit, they won't benefit either, so I think they should understand that."
Undoubtedly, the chairman's words were the most correct, and what he said was indeed the truth. Everyone around sighed unconsciously. They had no way to deal with the three major families.
The next morning, major newspapers, and even some foreign newspapers and television stations, began to report on the events of SH the previous night. Almost everyone knew that a fierce battle had taken place in SH the previous day. Many people began to pay attention to this, and many people knew who was responsible for yesterday's events. While marveling at the audacity of the Ice Mirror Society, they also began to pay attention to the country's actions.
Because the crackdown on gangs in China is exceptionally severe. Although there are many gangs, none dare to act so recklessly. In places like Shanghai, such actions would inevitably result in ruthless suppression, without even a chance for negotiation, as the impact is far too negative. Therefore, many people have begun to pay close attention to the government's actions. According to official statements
, this massive gang warfare is the largest since the founding of the People's Republic of China. At least a thousand people died last night, 600 civilians were injured, and over a hundred more died. The impact on the country is enormous. Yesterday's gang warfare involved rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, heavy machine guns, and other highly prohibited weapons, shocking the entire nation.
Given people's understanding of the country, generally speaking, if a hundred people die, they'll report ten, or even three to five. If a thousand die, they'll at most report 100. But this time, the country reported a thousand deaths, and many people speculated that it was over ten thousand. Moreover, due to the control of our three major families, outsiders received information that at least thirty thousand people from our two families died. Of course, we didn't die that many. However, the country immediately dispatched troops to suppress the Shanghai underworld, and our people left with the army, entering military camps. Afterwards, they quietly came out, carrying sufficient supplies, and ambushed around Shanghai. All of this was to deal with those who harbored wolfish ambitions towards China.

Chapter 227 Enticement
"Young Master Xie, everything has been handled. What do you think we should do next?" After the night's flames died down, after the storm subsided, and after everything returned to calm, a young white-collar worker led over a hundred subordinates standing at the entrance of my villa. They were all neatly dressed in suits, and he himself stood in front of me, respectfully speaking to me. Linghu Yan, standing behind me, was filled with question marks.
"Come in," I said calmly, then let Xiaobai in. Soon, at least three hundred men dressed in black surrounded the villa. Although this was the suburbs and had a decent population, such a display of force was rare. These men looked menacing, their faces filled with murderous intent; anyone could tell what they were up to. Many people glanced at them furtively from afar before quickly leaving. Nobody was stupid enough to provoke them. As for the police…
they were too busy to deal with this. While the national crackdown was all bark and no bite, it was comprehensive. Everyone in Shanghai with a criminal record had been arrested, including some of our Bingjian Society's leaders. Now, police were everywhere in Shanghai; all available officers, along with a division specially dispatched by the Eastern Military Region, were patrolling. There were sentries every ten steps and guards every five. These suburban areas were naturally deserted; they were military zones. But would the military care about our affairs? The answer is obviously no. This time, their commander is Tie Nan, the regimental commander I promoted last time. Why would he cause trouble for our Bingjian Society? He'd be too busy currying favor with us.
The arrival of these three hundred-plus people also signifies the arrival of six people: Wu Wei, Wu Jinniu, Zhou Tiexiong, Zhang Hu, and Ji Cheng, in addition to Xiao Bai. When they arrived, Linghu Yan, though looking utterly bewildered, still obediently poured tea for the seven of them and brought it over, making them extremely nervous and polite. These six aren't fools, even Wu Jinniu. They naturally know the status of those who follow me. Even if this person isn't my woman, they are my most trusted confidant. They naturally dare not be arrogant. Although their current status is second only to me, and they wouldn't even give a damn about mayors and provincial governors, they still dare not be disrespectful to me. After all, they all understand that everything they have comes from me. I am the foundation and core of the Bingjian Society. A single word from me can make someone rich and powerful, or just as easily, leave them destitute and miserable.
"Hehe, do you know why I tricked you all into coming here?" I said with a light laugh, watching my subordinates pick up a cup of tea.
"Young Master Xie, you're planning something, aren't you? If we're not mistaken, you want to move the headquarters south, right?" Wu Wei smiled slightly, also picking up a cup of tea and taking a small sip before speaking to me. Although his tone was tentative, his eyes revealed his certainty and exceptional confidence.
"Oh? Why do you think that? Or rather, what makes you think I would do that?" I asked Wu Wei with a half-smile.
Wu Wei smiled slightly after hearing my words. Although this incident was staged, no one knew about it. Everything was done for real, and Zhu Zihao did provide enough people to kill to make it look realistic. I only told Xiaobai about these things, but I didn't tell him the specifics. As for Wu Wei, no matter how smart he is, he couldn't possibly know. All he knows this time is that I took action against the Green Gang. So I heard that Wu Wei has been smiling a lot more lately. I think he thinks that although taking action against the Green Gang won't bring him any reward, it's still a small reward for his years of forbearance. Moreover, this is also the beginning of the Zhu family's expansion, so he's naturally in a good mood.
Wu Wei chuckled and leaned back on the beige sofa, legs crossed, as he addressed the group around him, including me, saying, "Here's the thing. The reason I think Young Master Xie would do this is simple. Our Bingjian Society's influence in the North has been deeply rooted over the past few years. Although we have influence overseas, and in large areas, our strength is comparable to that in the mainland, we have no influence in the vast South. Now that our Bingjian Society has entered the South, we must consolidate our power. However, although the situation is good, we need to develop. Recently, we've added a province to our territory, including two major cities and the rich and prosperous Dapi area. Such places are densely populated and economically developed, and we can't absorb them all in an instant. Moreover, they won't let us take their territory without making a move. You know, Shanghai is their stronghold. I estimate that the Zhu family may have encountered something recently that has rendered them unable to manage this place. However, once they have freed up their resources, they may attack us. Therefore, we need to consolidate our power here."
"The best way to consolidate our position here is to reinforce our manpower. However, while the Ice Mirror Society has a considerable number of people, we can only mobilize a small portion. H City alone occupies 50,000 of our personnel—a full 50,000 elite troops. There are also a large number of Dark Hall personnel, I don't know the exact number, but it's definitely no less than 10,000, as well as 8,000 from the Punishment Hall, along with assassination teams, intelligence teams, administrative teams, warehouse management teams, and the surrounding garrisons, the city's garrison, and the special team responsible for guarding headquarters. That alone amounts to 50,000 people. Compared to our total strength of 280,000, 50,000 people are still a significant number." Even including our overseas brothers, the Bingjian Society only has a force of about 500,000. This already occupies one-tenth of the territory. We're like the ancient border guards, building up the capital region on the outskirts so we can have a large number of people here to protect the country and support the border at any time. So I think Young Master Xie will definitely do this. And... for the Bingjian Society, H City is no longer enough for us, because we've started to go international; H City is too remote..."
Wu Wei's words undoubtedly struck a chord with me. I truly thought so too. In my opinion, we'll inevitably clash with the Green Gang again sooner or later. At that time... our Bingjian Society will be in trouble. So I need to prepare early, to take root and flourish in Shanghai. The 50,000 people Xiaobai brought this time, plus the 8,000 people my Bingjian Society already had here, plus the 50,000 at headquarters, are enough for me to hold this position. With them here, I'm not afraid of any moves the Green Gang makes.
"Yes, that's right. The reason I called you here today is actually this simple matter. I need you to transfer 100,000 overseas personnel back to China, and then transfer 50,000 from our Northern Ice Mirror Society here. We also need to relocate our headquarters. Remember, you only have three days. I'm only giving you three days. You'll understand why later. Because this matter is of paramount importance, that's why I called you all here. The reason is simple: this is what I need you to do now. Of course, don't be afraid of others finding out. Do it openly and blatantly, let the Green Gang know that our Ice Mirror Society isn't afraid of them and is ready to fight them. Oh, and by the way, Wu Wei, arrange for the fundraising. I want to build a skyscraper in Shanghai, a 188-story, the tallest skyscraper. I'll spare no expense. I'll allocate 20 billion US dollars for initial funding. I want everyone to know about our Ice Mirror Society. I want our Ice Mirror Society's skyscraper to be the world's tallest building." I said loudly to the people around me.
"Yes, Young Master Xie." Several subordinates immediately stood up and respectfully said to me, then left one by one.
I watched my subordinates leave with satisfaction, nodding and smiling. It wasn't that I didn't trust them, but there were some things I couldn't tell them at the moment. After all, the less you know, the better.
After his men left, Xiao Bai didn't. He stood there, watching Zhang Hu and the others leave, and then whispered to me, "Young Master Xie, someone came looking for you today saying they have something to discuss with you. They found me at the former Green Gang headquarters that we occupied, saying they want to see you in person. I'm unsure what to do, so what do you think..."
"Oh? Who are they?" Although I had some guesses in my mind, I still asked Xiao Bai.
"They are representatives from the Inagawa-gumi of Japan, the Sumiyoshi-kai of Japan, the Torres family of Italy, the Gambino family of America, and the Bolshevik Party of Russia. What do you think..." Xiao Bai said, frowning. Although I didn't know what was going on, Xiao Bai subconsciously felt that there was definitely something wrong, which was why he had that expression.
"Hehe, I see. Did they leave you their contact address?" I said with a smile. Just as I thought, these guys, after losing their allies, were unwilling to accept that they had made such a big sacrifice but gained nothing, so they started looking for new partners, or rather, a new Du Youcheng. After much deliberation, they chose me. After all, compared to the Zhu family, I didn't seem as powerful, or rather... they didn't know me well enough. After all, the three great families of China are secrets that are difficult for outsiders to know, and I am the most secretive of the three great families, so it's normal that they didn't know.
"Yes, they left it. Young Master Xie, do you want to see them?" Xiaobai nodded and asked.
"See them? Of course, these are all big shots, of course I have to see them, but not now. Xiaobai, after you get back, call them and say that we have something to do recently and I can't see them for the time being. If they ask, just subtly reveal some of the content of the meeting you just had to let them know." I smiled mysteriously and said to Xiaobai.
"What... Young Master Xie is..." Xiaobai said to me in surprise.
"It's alright, just do as I say." I waved and smiled at Xiaobai, then closed my eyes and said nothing more. Xiaobai, seeing my expression, knew I was determined, so he left without saying anything more. Actually, the reason I had Xiaobai tell them was twofold: first, to delay them, and second, to make them believe I was truly prepared to take action against the Zhu family, thus lowering their guard. Delaying time was always good for me, as time was extremely tight for me.
Three days—Xiaobai, your tactic of finding me worked—and indeed, it delayed them for three days. However, three days was the limit. Those people weren't fools, and their daily expenses in China exceeded one hundred million US dollars. Even the largest organization couldn't afford that, so their time was also very tight. They kept urging me, and finally, after three days, our Ice Mirror Society's headquarters relocated. With 100,000 troops arriving from all directions, I had no other reason, so I agreed to meet them at the Hilton Hotel.
"Hello everyone, I apologize. Our gang has been incredibly busy lately, as you all know. We've been having a fierce battle with those bastards from the Green Gang. If it weren't for my influence within the country, we might be in serious trouble... We've wasted a lot of time these past few days relocating our headquarters, so we haven't had time to see you all. I hope you don't mind." I arrived at the Hilton Hotel in the Blue Building conference room and met the group. They had clearly been waiting for quite some time, sitting there banging on the table. I walked in and smiled at them. Given my status, and the fact that I didn't
need anything from them, they naturally raised their voices. "Godfather..." The group stood up and bowed respectfully. To be honest, my current status would make me a godfather-level figure even internationally, considering I command 500,000 men, making me comparable to any organization in the world.
"What brings you here?" I smiled and gestured for them to sit down before me.
"Hmm... Godfather, our five organizations know you've been in some trouble lately, so we want to cooperate with you." At this moment, the representative of the Torres family, the Italian Mafia, smiled and spoke to me. This man was a typical Italian nobleman, with brown hair and brown eyes, and spoke to me respectfully with a smile.
"Oh? Trouble? What trouble? I didn't know? I'm very curious. My Ice Mirror Society is currently sweeping the Green Gang, leaving them powerless. We've even taken over their stronghold. How could you say we're in trouble? Is there something wrong with your intelligence?" I said with a smile, pretending to be completely unaware.
"It seems, Godfather, you're still unaware of the dangerous situation the Ice Mirror Society is in... Based on our years of dealing with the Green Gang and the forces behind them, you must be in great danger." A blue-eyed, blond foreigner next to me said with a smile. This guy was a representative of the American Mafia. From his self-introduction, I learned that this wasn't just the Ganbiro family involved, because he said he represented the entire American Mafia. So I guessed he represented all five major families. It seems the five major American Mafia families weren't willing to let the Ganbiro family dominate, so they started acting now.
"Oh? Tell me what's going on," I asked the American representative, pretending not to know.
"It's like this, according to our understanding, the Green Gang and the Hong Gang are one entity. Both belong to a large family in your country, a family called the Zhu family. This family has existed for hundreds of years and is extremely powerful. They have people throughout the entire Chinese world, and at present, they have more than five million members, surpassing all other organizations. The reason you were able to succeed is simply because someone had restrained them before. They were bound to take action. Just think about five million people, how terrifying their power is! That's why we're informing you, because we believe your organization is a very promising organization, and you are a heroic figure, so we don't want you to die for no reason..." At this moment, the American representative said respectfully to me.
"Oh... I see." I said, pretending to be thoughtful. Damn, these foreigners know quite a lot, but do they know as much as I do? As a member of the Li family, I've been at odds with the Zhu family for hundreds of years. I know far more about the Zhu family's power than they do. These people are clearly trying to scare me...
Seeing my expression, the group decided to add fuel to the fire. At that moment, the representative of the Inagawa Group said to me, "Godfather, we've received word that they've started mobilizing their forces. As you know, they've already gathered 50,000 men near Shanghai, and that number is increasing. Their overseas agents and members of the Hong Gang are also on their way, bringing the total to over 300,000. So we urge you to act quickly, or it will be too late."
I nodded, feigning worry, and said, "Thank you for your kind reminders. I think we're in trouble this time. I knew all this, but I didn't expect it to be this complicated. I must take my leave now to make arrangements for my men. If possible, we should reconcile with the Green Gang; if not, we should cede our territory... Sigh..."
As I spoke, I seemed to convey a sense of helplessness and a sense of impending doom, yet also a hint of doubt as I spoke to the group in front of me. They unconsciously smiled upon hearing this.
"Actually, there is a way," the representative of the Sumiyoshi-kai said with a smile.
"What plan?" I turned around and asked the group of people in front of me, a hint of surprise in my expression.
"It's like this, our organizations have always been under pressure from the Qing Hong, and we also want to eliminate them. So we plan to form an alliance with you to deal with the Qing Hong and the Zhu family. At that time, we will have enough power to fight them. This is also the purpose of our visit." At this moment, the representative of the Sumiyoshi-kai said to me with a smile.
"I see... I've always believed in the principle of 'profit above all else.' What I want to know is what you can gain by helping me, and what benefits you'll receive?" I sat down again, speaking neither humbly nor arrogantly, clearly adopting a bargaining stance.
My sudden change of heart surprised them, but the Italian next to me said, "You can become the Godfather, the only Godfather of China, and what we want is their overseas territory, a little bit of overseas territory, and of course, a few port cities. What do you think, Godfather?"

Chapter 228 Witch Liu Yan
"Really? Are your demands really that simple?" I sat there, looking at them with a half-smile, clearly indicating that I didn't believe they wanted so little. Sometimes... even a lie can't be too fake... a balance of truth and falsehood is the highest level.
"Of course, would we have any other demands?" A representative from the Sumiyoshi-kai next to me said with a sincere face. To be honest, I felt like throwing up looking at him. These Japanese devils are so hypocritical, so incredibly hypocritical.
"In that case, I think we don't need to talk this time." Hearing this, I stood up without saying another word, preparing to leave. These guys are too shrewd. I had no choice but to put on a show, or they would easily see through my act. What I needed to play now was a leader who had encountered an exceptionally great difficulty, but remained calm, composed, and measured—a shrewd leader, not a fool.
"Why? Weren't we talking a good time just now? Godfather, why are you changing your mind?" At this moment, the American representative was getting impatient. After watching me walk to the door without turning back, he stood up and shouted at me.
"Why? It's simple. I need honest allies, not wolves who might stab me in the back at any moment. I think you need to understand this. What you all said earlier is simply unbelievable. If you were only after such small gains, you wouldn't have come to China. From what I understand, although they have a lot of overseas territory, most of it is no longer under their control, having split into countless small gangs. They could disappear at any time, and... even if they still exist, you would devour them. Because domestically, I'm there to keep them in check, and even if you all unite, the Green Gang can't do anything about it. But you..." "But they didn't do that. Instead, they traveled all the way to China... Hehe... To be honest, I'm not stupid. State your demands so we can continue talking. Otherwise... I'll have to take my leave." Hearing this, I smiled slightly, a hint of disdain in my expression, seemingly dissatisfied with their underestimation of my intelligence. While it's undeniable that I went a bit overboard, I had no choice but to say this to make these guys believe me more. If they couldn't even handle this, it would only prove they were a bunch of pigs, and the organization behind them was a bunch of pigs.
The group exchanged glances but remained silent, communicating only with their eyes. I didn't disturb them, returning to my chair and leaning back, watching their exchange with a half-smile. Then I simply closed my eyes to rest.
"Godfather, I think... you've won..." Half an hour later, the group of whispering acquaintances finally reached a conclusion. The representative of the Italian Torres family spoke to me thoughtfully.
"Hehe, alright, now state your demands, or rather, what benefits you want from me, and what benefits you can offer me. Remember... don't lie. My intelligence, while not top-tier, still covers some things, so you'd better not deceive me. You only have one chance... remember... only one..." I chuckled and sat up. One of my underlings who had followed me in lit a cigar for me. I took a puff, a smile playing on my lips, and looked at the group before me calmly.
"Well... our demands are actually quite simple. We hope to enter and develop within China. You know, our demands aren't high; we just need a very small territory in each city... very, very small... and we will help you defeat the Qing Dynasty and make you the sole godfather of China..." The Bolshevik representative stated their conditions to me very seriously.
"Gentlemen... a small territory? Heh, you certainly have quite the appetite. But... I agree, but... you must show me sufficient sincerity... remember... sufficient sincerity." I said with a half-smile after hearing this. But anyone could tell I wasn't joking.
"Well... we currently have 150,000 men in the China region who can work for you. What do you think? We'll tell you the locations of our men and have them readily available to your command to help you eliminate the Green Gang and unify the Chinese underworld. What do you think?" The Bolshevik representative continued with a smile.
"Heh, alright, in that case, gentlemen, show your sincerity. You help me eliminate 50,000 Green Gang men in the vicinity, and then our deal will be officially completed." I laughed and said to the men in front of me.
"No problem... we'll act in three days, but we need your cooperation." The men exchanged glances and then said to me.
"Of course... that's no problem." I smiled slightly at the foreigners in front of me and left.
Late at night, as I strolled through the streets, I saw the stars in the sky, so beautiful, bright, and dazzling. The moonlight was clear and cold. There was hardly anyone around; the area near Huaxia University was so deserted. The campus was almost empty. Around ten o'clock, most people had already returned to their dormitories and were sleeping. Even those who weren't were already sitting there, since the school gates were locked at 10:30. After enjoying the breeze on the playground, I closed my eyes and lay down on the grass. I didn't get up until the early hours of the next morning. I don't know why, but at that moment, I simply wanted to lie there. I didn't want to do anything else, nor did I want to. I just wanted to lie there, quietly, doing nothing, thinking nothing, feeling that moment of tranquility. It had become my greatest dream and my greatest joy. At that moment, all thoughts of beauty, power, profit, and desire seemed to have vanished from my mind, disappeared without a trace.
Unconsciously, I entered a special state, a very special state... I felt completely immersed in nature, everything around me seemed to merge with me, and all matter in the world seemed to have no gap between us. I felt connected to everything; I was the heavens... and the heavens were me... Heaven and earth were one with me, and nothing could take me away... At this moment, I felt as if I possessed everything, everything on earth... Yet I had no desire, no desire to possess it all, only feeling the vastness of heaven and earth, feeling all that was dreamlike...
The next morning, I awoke as the red sun slowly rose from the east. At that moment, I felt a clear mind, everything around me was exceptionally clear, everything seemed so perfect. Before... I always felt as if something was wrong, even though my power had reached the peak of the Grandmaster level... However, I couldn't freely unleash my domain. I always felt something was amiss. Although I could use the domain, I couldn't combine them. My fire domain and martial artist domain couldn't merge. I couldn't figure out why, but last night, a sudden feeling welled up inside me. I lay there, and unexpectedly, it led me to break through again, truly reaching the pinnacle of Grandmaster. Unity of Heaven and Man... becoming one with heaven and earth—that's what a Grandmaster is, able to freely manipulate the surrounding天地元气 (heaven and earth's energy). That's what a Grandmaster is...
After breakfast, I returned to the classroom. There was class, and I had to go, but I just lay there and slept. Anyway, since dealing with that Kazuo Wada a few days ago, no one's bothering me. Those guys are typical bullies who prey on the weak, so I'm happy to have some peace and quiet.
"Tianxie, Tianxie, wake up, wake up..." Just as I was sleeping, I was woken up by someone pushing me awake. I didn't know when, but a group of people were standing next to me. These guys were none other than my classmates. I don't know why they all came here, and they were shaking me while I was fast asleep in my dorm room.
"What are you guys doing? What do you want?" I sat there, still looking half-asleep, and lazily said to the guys in front of me. To be honest, I hate being disturbed when I'm sleeping. If we weren't in class, I would definitely kick these bastards who disturbed my sleep to Antarctica without hesitation.
"It's like this, Tianxie, there's a basketball game at school tomorrow, and every class has to participate. The first-place winner gets a 30,000 yuan prize as class funds. As members of the school, we naturally have to join, but you know our class's situation. So we discussed it and found four people, but we're still one short, so we wanted to invite you to participate too." Our class monitor sat there and said to me, adjusting his glasses as he spoke. Damn... As the sports committee member, how come I didn't know about this? Am I just too outdated? Or am I just too uninformed?
"Why are you calling me!" I said listlessly.
"Tianxie, you're the sports committee member, and everyone in our class isn't very physically fit, but you're the best. You have to go! You have no reason to shirk your responsibility, right?" Before the class monitor could speak, a beautiful and charming voice came from the side and said sweetly to me. However, I felt a chill run down my spine when I heard it, because the owner of this voice... was Liu Yan... the woman who could definitely be called a witch... I hadn't seen her for the past few days and thought she had disappeared. I didn't expect her to appear at this time. It seems I can't escape now.
"But I can't play basketball, I don't want to go." I said lazily, and then continued to lie there and sleep.
"Tianxie, you can learn basketball if you don't know how. Besides, you're so strong, you're definitely better than them. And besides, you're the sports committee member, how can you shirk this responsibility? You're not just making up this lame excuse because you're lazy, are you?" At that moment, another cute voice rang in my ears. It was none other than... Murong Ruoqing.
With these two women here, I was completely under their thumb. I couldn't refuse Murong Ruoqing, but I didn't think she'd force me too much. However, doing so would be a bit inappropriate. As for Liu Yan, I bet if I refused her, she'd never forgive me. I knew her all too well.
"This..." I hesitated for a moment, unable to speak for a long time.
Before I could speak, Liu Yan, wearing a red low-cut top and a snow-white skirt, walked over. Seeing me, she bent down, exposing most of her white breasts. Just as I unconsciously swallowed, preparing to admire her, Liu Yan moved closer to my face and whispered in my ear, "I know... where's your little girlfriend? Want me to go find her? Hehe, you seem a bit restless lately, um... I heard you're close to Linghu Yan. I wonder if she'll kill you if I go talk to her. I remember your little girlfriend is incredibly jealous."
Ugh... This Liu Yan, I really don't know how I let her meet Qin Ziying. It was a mistake, an absolute mistake. I bet she did it on purpose, a blatant threat. But what can I do? After all, she's my teacher, and the absolute witch type—any man would be troubled by her. And she's so sexy and beautiful; it's hard to bring myself to do anything to her.
"Okay, I'll go." I said helplessly after hearing this, then rolled my eyes at Liu Yan. However, Liu Yan didn't seem to care much about my action, just gave a sweet smile and didn't say anything more. That expression and that movement were so arousing. I decided that as revenge, I must find a suitable time, a suitable place, and a suitable opportunity to have sex with Liu Yan.
"That's more like it, hehe, Tianxie really loves group activities! He's a role model for the whole class, everyone should learn from him!" Liu Yan smiled sweetly at the group of students around her, then winked at me and said, "But actually, I want to tell you all that, according to Chen Qianqian, one of Tianxie's high school friends, Li Tianxie was a basketball pro in high school! He just didn't like playing with ordinary players because he thought they were too easy for him, so he stopped playing basketball. But I think this time, for the honor of our class, Li Tianxie will definitely go all out and get first place! As a reward, I'll take everyone out for a day of fun, hehe, what do you think?"
"Great!! Great!!" Under Liu Yan's persuasion, the group immediately let out screams, both boys and girls started shouting happily. After all, nobody doesn't want to play.
After seeing this, Liu Yan winked at me. Good heavens, I really don't know how this woman knew about Chen Qianqian and even got information from her, including knowing that I can play basketball. Could Liu Yan's disappearance during this period have been specifically to investigate me?
Seeing this, I had no choice but to take action. Liu Yan had undoubtedly pushed me to the forefront, clearly playing me. But there was nothing I could do. I could only remember this woman and not give her a chance. If she did, I would definitely settle the score with her.
"Go! Go! Go!" It was already afternoon. I sat on the basketball court, listening to the students around me screaming and cheering for the players. On one side were tall, muscular guys in yellow jerseys—the physical education students, practically semi-professional basketball players. On the other side were small, thin guys in red jerseys—the Chinese Literature Department students. They were being completely outplayed, and the score was already 43-0 before halftime—it was truly embarrassing.
"Tianxie, why aren't you helping?" Chen Qianqian and Zhou Chen arrived at this moment. Seeing me, she sat down next to me and smiled.
"No rush. Honestly, Qianqian, how did you meet that woman Liu Yan? How did she know I can play basketball? You've really ruined my chances!" I said to Chen Qianqian, annoyed. To be honest, letting Liu Yan know my basketball skills was definitely not a good thing.
"Oh... it was Ms. Liu Yan who found me. She found out in the school archives that we went to the same school, so she came to find me. She said your teacher wanted to know more about you, and I figured it didn't matter, so I told her. But I know you don't like people knowing you can play ball, so I didn't say anything. But Ms. Liu tricked me into finding out, and I'm really sorry, Tianxie." Chen Qianqian said to me apologetically, but anyone could see that there was no remorse on her face. I bet she and Liu Yan had reached some kind of agreement, which is why she betrayed me without hesitation. I just don't know what kind of agreement they had reached.
"What? You seem unhappy that I know about you? Tell me what's wrong, and I'll give you an explanation." Just as I was about to say something more, Li Yan had already reached my side and sat down next to me without any hesitation, smiling at me. However, I don't know if this woman was doing it on purpose, but her super short skirt was already revealing the top of her snow-white thighs, and I could vaguely see her pink underwear from my position. Moreover, only I could see it because she was positioned very well. I bet she was doing it on purpose, absolutely. This Liu Yan was clearly trying to seduce me.
"Pink..." I looked at the inside of Liu Yan's beautiful thighs and said softly. After I said it, everyone was confused. Only Liu Yan's face turned red instantly, and she gave me a charming glare but didn't say anything.

Chapter 229 You Are My Lover
Temptation, blatant temptation! Liu Yan was definitely doing this on purpose. She knew exactly what I was talking about, yet she didn't say anything, and even deliberately widened the angle so I could clearly see the Winnie the Pooh on her pink panties. Wasn't this tempting me to commit a crime?
"Form is emptiness, emptiness is form...form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form..." Seeing this, I silently recited Buddhist scriptures, but I still couldn't resist stealing glances.
"Tianxie, the game has reached this point, are you really not going to make a move?" At this moment, a sweet and cute voice came from behind me. Murong Ruoqing, dressed in a white tracksuit, appeared behind me, smiling mischievously.
"Hmm, okay, I'll go on. Staying here is a waste of time. I'll go have some fun with them." Hearing this, I finally regained my composure and said with a half-smile, then walked onto the court.
"Substitution!!" I shouted.
After a whistle blew, I walked up in my white uniform. Seeing them all sweating profusely, I felt sorry for them. While the uniform might restrict my movements—it's not very convenient for large movements—it wasn't a problem for me. I didn't need any special skills to deal with these guys.
"Thwack, thwack, thwack..." The basketball repeatedly flew from my hands and into the hoop. I moved around the court with lightning speed, the basketball seemingly always in my hands, never falling into anyone else's. One basket after another went through my hands, scoring points, leaving everyone around me speechless, as if they couldn't believe it.
"Thwack!" After another high-flying dunk, the big, nerdy guys in yellow jerseys from the sports department were completely dumbfounded. Ignoring them, I smiled slightly and walked away, leaving behind a group of astonished gasps.
"How was it? I did pretty well, right?" Back in my own group, I smiled slightly and said to the women in front of me. There were still ten minutes left in the game, 134:43. Since I went up there, they hadn't scored a single point. At this point, our score was almost three times theirs, and their confidence was completely shattered. Those useless guys in my class could easily handle them, so I came back.
"Hehe, Tianxie, I knew you were the best." Chen Qianqian said excitedly to me with a smile in her eyes. This girl still hadn't changed her hobby after all these years. Zhou Chen, on the other hand, didn't seem interested, just smiled at me. I guess she's used to it, used to my solo performance.
Liu Yan and Murong Ruoqing, standing beside me, seemed a bit dumbfounded, staring at me as if in disbelief. Liu Yan unconsciously stammered, "I didn't expect you to be so amazing..." "
Tianxie, can you come out for a bit? I have some questions for you." As I was preparing to go home in the evening, my phone suddenly rang. It was none other than Murong Ruoqing calling. Her voice sounded somewhat agitated, and I didn't know what she was thinking. Judging from her tone, she was clearly very upset. While Murong Ruoqing usually spoke with the same voice, it had a more lively and endearing quality, but this time it sounded completely choked with emotion.
"What happened?" I frowned unconsciously upon hearing this. Subconsciously, I was convinced that something must have happened to Murong Ruoqing, otherwise her voice wouldn't be like this. So I asked her.
"Um... something's come up. I'll be waiting for you at a café near the school. You have to come, okay?" Murong Ruoqing said to me with a hint of excitement, as if she were slightly expectant.
"Okay, sure, wait for me. I'll be there in five minutes." I nodded and left, heading towards the café near the school gate. When I arrived, a small, pink café appeared before me. It was quite crowded; after all, many college students appreciate romance, and this was a very romantic place. Although it wasn't large, the surrounding environment was indeed lovely—pink decorations, warm lighting, and soft music—making it easy to become completely immersed. It was undeniably a perfect place for romance, but I wondered why Murong Ruoqing had asked me to come.
"Hehe, you're here quite early. What's up? Did something happen?" I found Murong Ruoqing in a quiet corner and walked over, smiling as I spoke to her. Seeing that she was looking down and not saying anything, I asked in surprise.
Hearing my words, Murong Ruoqing raised her head. After a long while, she raised her head again, her lovely face now streaked with tears, her eyes brimming with moisture. With a choked voice, she said to me, "I...I found him."
"Who? Who did you find?" I asked Murong Ruoqing, stunned for a moment.
But then I understood what she meant. Although I hadn't known Murong Ruoqing for long, I knew she was a strong and optimistic girl. Few things could make her cry, except for her...first love. Uh, that is, me.
"Does she already know it's me?" I guessed. Looking at Murong Ruoqing's expression and recalling what had just happened, I became even more certain. But I couldn't just volunteer, could I? I couldn't bring myself to ask for help. It wasn't shyness, nor was it about pride, nor any of those ridiculous principles—everyone knows I have almost no principles when it comes to women. It was just that at this moment, it was really difficult for me to speak up. If I were to, the nature of the situation would change drastically, so I couldn't say that.
"Congratulations! Hehe, I bet you're very happy. So why are you crying? By the way, where is he?" I said to Murong Ruoqing with a smile, pretending to be completely unaware.
"No, I'm not happy. I'm just too excited. He... he's here..." Murong Ruoqing said softly to me. Although she was still sobbing a little, the sobs were gradually fading, and a blush appeared on her face. She seemed a little shy and expectant as she spoke, a typical young girl already in love.
"What? He's here? Where? Where?" After hearing this, I continued to play dumb, and then deliberately looked around. I couldn't help it; if you're going to pretend, you have to do it thoroughly. I was helpless.
"He...he's right in front of me," Murong Ruoqing whispered to me, then lowered her head again. Her voice was barely louder than a mosquito's buzz; luckily, my hearing is quite sensitive, otherwise I wouldn't have heard a thing. I never expected this cute little girl to be so shy after falling in love.
"In front of you?" I said in surprise, then looked around, then at myself, pointing at myself with a surprised expression, and said to Murong Ruoqing, "You...you're not talking about me, are you?"
"Yes..." Murong Ruoqing softly hummed in agreement, confirming my previous guess, which relieved me.
"Um... how did you find me? How could you say it was me? I don't remember knowing you before." I said, feeling annoyed. Actually, I really didn't recognize you. It's not that I'm heartless, it's just that it's been so long that even with a good memory, I would have forgotten. I'm a super-aged child, so my memory is a bit hazy, let alone an ordinary person. I only stayed there for three days. Even a superhuman wouldn't remember someone they were classmates with for less than three days in kindergarten. Even if they did remember, they wouldn't remember what they looked like. So it's normal that we didn't recognize each other when we met.
"Um... do you remember a classmate named Liu Guowei in our class? He used to bully me all the time. Back then... you went and helped me teach them a lesson. From then on, they didn't dare to bully me anymore, and we became friends. But after I left the country, we lost contact. However, a few days ago, through Sister Qingshuang's connection, I found him. He's studying at Longjing University. I asked him about you, and I didn't expect him to know you. I was just blindly trying things out, but I didn't expect him to know you, so he sent me your photo, address, and name..." Murong Ruoqing said softly to me. She was a little embarrassed after saying that, after all, she was a girl, and it was indeed a bit inappropriate for her to say such things. When she finished speaking, she took out a photo, a photo of herself when she was a child, a very cute little girl with a baby face.
Looking at the photos, I couldn't help but smile, recalling some of the happiest days of my childhood. Without thinking, I took out a childhood photo from my leather bag and placed it on the table. Murong Ruoqing looked at my picture, and tears welled up in her eyes again. She then ran to my side, no longer hiding her sobs, and hugged me tightly, bursting into tears.
To be honest, the scene was very touching, but unfortunately, the location was inappropriate. Everyone in the café stared at me, as if I had committed some unforgivable sin. I could hear them whispering amongst themselves, and without asking, I knew they were talking about the two of us, especially me. Perhaps in their minds, I had become a womanizer who started relationships and then abandoned me, or a lecherous scoundrel. Judging from their looks, they certainly weren't thinking anything good.
"Don't leave me again, okay?" Murong Ruoqing whispered to me after crying for a while.
"Hmm..." What could I say to this girl who was so devoted to me, this girl so hopelessly in love? Everything she had done was enough to move any man who knew her to tears. If I didn't accept her, I felt like a sinner; if I treated her badly, I felt like I could be torn to pieces.
Hearing this, Murong Ruoqing hugged me even tighter, as if afraid I would disappear from her side if she let go.
"Um... Ruoqing, there are some things I feel I have to tell you. Although you might be very sad after hearing them, I don't want to deceive you. I need to make these things clear to you first, otherwise I would be betraying my conscience." I said to Murong Ruoqing with utmost seriousness, then sat down on the sofa next to her, looking at her intently.
Looking at my face, Murong Ruoqing smiled slightly, nodded gently, and leaned into my arms.
"Actually... I'm a very fickle person..." I whispered to Murong Ruoqing beside me. Before I could finish speaking, I felt Murong Ruoqing unconsciously hug me tighter.
I patted her shoulder to reassure her and continued, "Actually, do you remember Youyue? The little girl who used to go to school with me?"
"Yes, I remember, of course I remember that girl." Murong Ruoqing whispered back to me.
"Well, not only Youyue, but I've had relationships with seven or eight other women. I want you to understand this. Ruoqing, your feelings are persistent and sincere, so I don't want to hide anything from you. I just want you to know my situation so you won't get hurt. That's why I'm telling you this. How you choose is up to you. What I want you to know is that I don't want to deceive you..." I said to Murong Ruoqing very seriously.
After listening to my words, Murong Ruoqing pondered for a moment before softly saying to me, "Thank you, Tianxie, thank you for telling me all this. Didn't I say before that no matter what, I would find my first love? No matter what, as long as he has even a little place for me in his heart, I'll be at peace. I must be with him, otherwise I wouldn't have waited so long, nor would I have gone to all this trouble to search. Thank you for not lying to me. I feel so happy, at least you're not a hypocrite." Murong Ruoqing said softly to me, a smile appearing on her lips, a smile of contentment.
"Mm," I smiled slightly at Murong Ruoqing, then looked down at her unconsciously. Murong Ruoqing seemed to realize something, her breathing becoming heavy, and she slowly closed her eyes, leaning against me and raising her head, slowly bringing her small, red lips to my lips.
"Mmm..." Our lips finally met, and we unconsciously began to kiss softly, our tongues entwining in a passionate kiss. At first, Murong Ruoqing seemed quite awkward, but gradually, she became more skilled, her tongue moving more freely in sync with mine, our tongues passionately intertwining. After the kiss, our breathing was heavy. We
opened our eyes, looked at each other, and smiled simultaneously.
"Clap clap clap..." Suddenly, a discordant clapping sound rang out in the coffee shop. A playboy-looking guy walked in, accompanied by four henchmen, each tall and imposing, exuding an aura of authority and clearly well-trained. They radiated a palpable killing intent, indicating they were no ordinary people. The one in front was a handsome young man, about seventeen or eighteen years old, with good looks, but his face was pale, his limbs weak, and dark circles under his eyes. It was obvious he was a womanizer. He smiled at us.
"Tsk tsk... Such mutual affection, really... Good, good, it's been so long since I've seen anything like this. I'm so moved, Sister Murong, I never thought you'd do something like this with a man? Weren't you always only thinking about your so-called first love? Tsk tsk... If that's the case, then I'm truly heartbroken. You'd rather choose this pretty boy than me, you have no taste at all." At this moment, the annoying guy in front of me said to Murong Ruoqing beside me with a mocking expression. This guy was none other than Ximen Qing, the heir of the Ximen family. It's amazing he's still alive. It seems that not finishing off the Ximen family in one fell swoop last time was a mistake.
"You... Ximen Qing, don't talk nonsense! This is my first love, his name is Li Tianxie. Don't spout nonsense. I've told you I don't like you, so don't bother me anymore!" Murong Ruoqing, standing next to me, said angrily to Ximen Qing. Her words surprised me. How did Murong Ruoqing know Ximen Qing? But then I realized I was too slow to react. Murong... Murong Ruoqing's surname is Murong, isn't that easy to find? You know, there aren't many people in China with the surname Murong, and even fewer who are wealthy. This is the only family that knows the Ximen family, one of the eight great families of China...
"Tianxie, ignore him, let's go." Murong Ruoqing glared angrily at Ximen Qing, then pulled me away from there.
"Tsk tsk... Sister Murong, do you know that the guy next to you is a notorious playboy at school? He's with several beautiful women, even I'm drooling over them." Ximen Qing glanced at me coldly before speaking to Murong Ruoqing.
"Hmph, I know. It's none of your business, thank you, but don't worry about me. I'll handle my own affairs. What kind of person my boyfriend is is none of your concern. He's fine with whatever he wants, I like him, it's none of your business." Murong Ruoqing retorted angrily to Ximen Qing.
A cold glint flashed in Ximen Qing's eyes upon hearing this. He glanced at me, a murderous glint in his eyes, then a smile appeared on his lips as he said to Murong Ruoqing with a half-smile, "It's none of my business, but I think Uncle Murong will be interested." (

Volume 7: Hancheng Strategy)

Chapter 230 The Villain Ximen Jian
"You... Ximen Qing, you despicable villain, what else can you do besides tell my father? Let me tell you, don't even dream about it, I will never like you. Even if all the men in this world died, I still wouldn't like you. Stop your wishful thinking... Let me tell you... I hate you." Murong Qing said angrily to Ximen Jian in front of her. It seemed that this Ximen Jian had been bothering her for quite some time.
"Is that so? Hehe, I don't think so. I think... you will be mine one day... As for those who compete with me... hehe... I would never mind making them disappear from this world." Ximen Jian said with a half-smile, then glanced at me intentionally or unintentionally in front of Murong Qing.
This Ximen Jian, truly ignorant and fearless. I think if the older generation of the Ximen family elders or the patriarch Ximen Qing saw this situation, they would definitely leave without hesitation. I think they remember my appearance to the bone. But who is Ximen Jian? A notorious spendthrift, a serial addict to gambling, drugs, and prostitution. He does the things his family forbids and defies the things they ask him to do. If he weren't the only son in the Ximen family, he would probably have been killed dozens of times over by Ximen Qing by now. Given his personality, I think even if Ximen Qing put my picture in front of him, he wouldn't even glance at it. In his eyes, he's always been the most important person, the second most important, the type who thinks he's invincible.
Besides, regarding what happened two years ago, even if he had seen my picture, he wouldn't recognize me now. After all, I've been quiet for two years without causing any trouble; I've already forgotten what I should have forgotten.
"You... Ximen Jian... Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Your Ximen family's businesses were completely wiped out a few years ago, leaving your family severely weakened and still not recovered. That's why you want to form a marriage alliance with our Murong family—all for our money! You're utterly despicable and vile. Don't think that just because you act all innocent in front of my father, he'll believe you. Don't forget, I'm his daughter." Everyone has a sore spot, and without a doubt, after our recognition just now, I've become Murong Ruoqing's sore spot. Hearing Ximen Jian's words, Murong Ruoqing spoke angrily, even revealing some unspoken, tacit understandings.
I think the head of the Murong family understands this principle. The reason he still allows Ximen Jian to get close to Murong Ruoqing is probably because he himself intends to form a marriage alliance. After all, the Ximen family was severely punished by our Li family two years ago, but we only eliminated some of their visible members and killed some peripheral disciples. The biggest loss was Ximen Wang, the Ximen family's first expert. However, none of that matters. What matters is that the Ximen family still has strength. Undoubtedly, as one of the eight great families whose martial prowess can rival the Dongfang family, the Ximen family is a great help to the Murong family, which has been transforming into a business family and has basically abandoned its old ways. The head of the Murong family probably also intends to form a marriage alliance, which is why he allows Ximen Jian to hover around Murong Ruoqing. Otherwise, the Murong family would have no reason to fear the Ximen family, since the Ximen family can't do anything to them.
Undoubtedly, Murong Ruoqing's words caused Ximen Jian's expression to change. After giving Murong Ruoqing and me a cold look, he chuckled dryly, seemingly unconcerned, and said to Murong Ruoqing, "Hehe... It's not just me who thinks this way; I think Uncle thinks so too. As for whether it's true or not, I think you know better than I do, so I won't say more."
Hearing this, Murong Ruoqing's face paled slightly. She looked at me and, seeing that I had no expression, seemed slightly relieved. Then, without saying a word, she pulled me away.
"Kid... you'd better be careful... If you know what's good for you, leave Ruoqing. She's not someone you can have. If you don't, hmph, don't blame me." As I walked past Ximen Jian, he said softly to me. Although his voice was very soft, I believe everyone could hear him clearly.
I chuckled dismissively. This Ximen Jian really didn't know his own limitations. It seemed he hadn't even looked at the information his family had given him, otherwise he wouldn't have said such things. However, I didn't say anything more. Now wasn't the time to fall out with the Ximen family. Although the Ximen family was powerful, my Li family didn't take them seriously. But now was the time for us to fight against external enemies alongside the Zhu family. Offending the Liu family now, who had finally allied with us, wouldn't be a wise choice.
Of course, if Ximen Jian didn't know what was good for him, I wouldn't mind teaching him a lesson. I believed that even if I killed Ximen Jian, the Liu family wouldn't say anything, as long as it wasn't like last time.
Speaking of which, I have to admit that my unscrupulous father and grandfather were indeed more decisive and efficient than me, never hesitating. In that respect, I still couldn't
compare to them. "I'm sorry," Murong Ruoqing said sadly, her head bowed, as we walked out of the coffee shop.
"Sorry for what?" I smiled slightly at Murong Ruoqing.
"I'm sorry, I didn't tell you my identity. I lied to you, but I swear, I really didn't mean to. I absolutely didn't mean to deceive you. I'm a young lady from the Murong family, one of the eight great families of China... I'm sorry, Tianxie, I didn't mean to lie to you. I just hadn't had a chance to tell you all this yet. Please don't be angry." Murong Ruoqing said to me, tears streaming down her face.
"How could I? Don't worry, I'm not that petty. I won't get angry over something like this. Don't worry..." I put my arm around Murong Ruoqing's shoulder and smiled at her. This Ruoqing was so adorable. She was crying her eyes out over something so small. It's really hard to find a girl like this in this era. She was a pure and innocent girl. In an era where there were more prostitutes than virgins, she was the cream of the crop.
"Really? You're not angry?" Murong Ruoqing looked up at me with hopeful eyes, as if she couldn't believe it and asked me with a slightly doubtful tone.
"Of course I'm not angry. I've already told you, would I lie to you?" I said with a smile to Murong Ruoqing.
"That person just now... is called Ximen Jian, the heir of the Ximen family, one of the eight great families of China. Their family is very powerful. Although they were severely punished a few years ago, they have recovered now. Ximen Jian is a very annoying person. He's been following me around for the past few years. He's extremely treacherous and vicious. You have to be careful, I'm afraid he might harm you." Murong Ruoqing said to me with a worried expression. It seems that Murong Ruoqing is not naive to the point of being stupid; she knows quite a bit. At least she knows something about Ximen Jian and knows what kind of person he is.
"Is that so? Hehe, don't worry, I'm not stupid. I'll be careful." After hearing this, I smiled slightly at Murong Ruoqing and winked, a slight smile appearing on my lips.
Murong Ruoqing nodded after hearing my words, a relieved smile appearing on her face. Suddenly, Murong Ruoqing's phone rang. She paused for a moment before answering. A deep, steady male voice came from the other end, saying a few words to her. Though brief, Murong Ruoqing's expression changed. She glanced at me, then walked to a corner and angrily spoke into the phone. While it wouldn't be difficult for me to hear what Murong Ruoqing was saying from ten meters away, I didn't do it. I felt it was immoral, utterly immoral. I had no interest in doing such a thing to my woman—or at least a woman who was almost a woman.
After a while, Murong Ruoqing was clearly upset. Holding the phone, she walked over listlessly, head down, saying nothing.
"What's wrong? What happened?" I asked softly.
"N-nothing..." Murong Ruoqing said慌张地.
Her appearance and tone were so convincing that even an idiot would know she was lying; she was definitely hiding something. But sometimes, if she didn't want to talk, I wouldn't force her. I could just have someone investigate—it's just a bit of a hassle.
"Tianxie... um... that was my dad just now. He said he wanted me to take you home; he wants to talk to you." As we walked silently along the path, Murong Ruoqing suddenly raised her head and spoke softly to me, as if she had made a decision.
"See me? Sure. No problem." I was stunned for a moment after hearing this. I knew without asking that it must be that guy Ximen Jian's doing. I wondered what he had said, but I was certain he hadn't said anything nice. Otherwise, Murong Ruoqing wouldn't have that expression, and her conversation with her family wouldn't have been so unpleasant. It seemed I'd have to have a good talk with this guy sometime.
"Really no problem?" Murong Ruoqing glanced at me, a slight hint of joy in her eyes.
"Of course, what's the problem? We'll meet as soon as possible, right? It's just a little earlier now." I smiled slightly and said half-jokingly to Murong Ruoqing in front of me.
"Hmm..." Murong Ruoqing didn't object after hearing my words, she just nodded with her head down and didn't say anything more, as if she agreed. I could clearly see a blush on her face, she was obviously very happy with what I said.
Before long, we arrived together at the Murong family's villa in Shanghai. It was located in the suburbs and wasn't far from Shenglong Academy, only a ten-minute drive. After leaving the school, we found a car and quickly arrived at the gate of Murong Ruoqing's house.
The Murong family lived up to its reputation as the richest of the eight great families. The entire family was exceptionally grand and magnificent, covering an area of about 300 acres. The entire villa was built near a hill, a huge complex of buildings stretching out. Unlike the Dongfang family, the Murong family's buildings were full of modern style. Obviously, this was not their family territory, but one of their residences in Shanghai. The family residence should be even more magnificent.
Wide asphalt roads, tall pines and cypresses, red brick walls, and modern buildings comparable to a palace—the entire hillside, illuminated by nightlights, resembled a dazzling underwater crystal palace. A dozen or so people stood in neat rows guarding the entrance. Although the surrounding area was exceptionally well-hidden, it was clear that at least thirty infrared automatic guns were concealed near the entrance. Any unauthorized intruder would be instantly riddled with bullets. Inside the family villa, there were at least a hundred martial artists, including several experts, the most powerful being a grandmaster. It seemed the Murong family had invested heavily in this place.
Following Murong Ruoqing's footsteps, we entered without encountering any obstacles. I strolled along, admiring the surrounding scenery, especially the trees, flowers, and even the paving stones—all incredibly valuable. The Murong family's wealth was truly impressive. Take, for example, the central fountain, carved from the finest natural white marble, worth at least tens of millions of dollars. It was inlaid with genuine gemstones, and the forehead of the figure at the top of the sculpture was surrounded by a ring of South African rough diamonds. It was enough to make one's mouth water. Without exaggeration, whoever could steal this fountain would be set for life.
Throughout the walk, Murong Ruoqing subtly observed my expression. I don't know if she was afraid I'd feel inferior or what, but she kept stealing glances at me. Although she pretended to be nonchalant, these small actions didn't escape my notice. It was clear this girl was exceptionally observant.
"Tianxie, my dad sometimes says some harsh things. Could you please bear with him for a bit?" Murong Ruoqing whispered to me as we entered the main villa, which resembled a castle. No one knows a father better than his daughter, and Murong Ruoqing knew her father very well. She had sensed something amiss, which was why she said this to me.
"Hmm." I hummed in response and followed Murong Ruoqing inside. Stepping onto the pure wool carpet, we entered a magnificent hall. My vision widened, with huge, gilded pillars surrounding the villa and crystal chandeliers at the top. Several sofas were placed in the center of the spacious and comfortable living room. A middle-aged man in a gray suit with a small mustache sat there, a Cuban cigar in his hand and a glass of red wine in his hand. Beside him sat two handsome young men. One of them was none other than Simon Jian, whom we had met before. He was chatting with the middle-aged man and gave us a bright smile when he saw us, but to me, that smile seemed particularly sinister. The other young man looked about 24 or 25 years old, with a seven-tenths resemblance to the middle-aged man and a three-tenths resemblance to Murong Ruoqing. He was also wearing a white suit and holding a glass of wine, looking at us.
"Ximen Jian, you despicable scoundrel! It was you who betrayed us!" Before we could all speak, Murong Ruoqing, who was next to me, could no longer contain her anger upon seeing Ximen Jian and angrily cursed him. Ximen
Jian's lips twitched slightly at Murong Ruoqing's actions. He gave an awkward laugh, unsure of what to say, a venomous glint in his eyes. Murong Ruoqing's actions had greatly embarrassed him, and he was naturally unhappy. However, because there were others present, he couldn't say anything, so he forced a smile, which looked extremely unpleasant.
"Nonsense... Ruoqing, what kind of person are you? How can a young lady be so rude? How have I taught you? Have you forgotten everything I taught you?" Before Ximen Jian could speak, the middle-aged man next to him changed his expression and spoke sternly to Murong Ruoqing. It seemed this man was Murong Ruoqing's father, the patriarch of the Murong family, Murong Bo.
"Yes... Sister, really! Brother Ximen was only worried about you, afraid you'd be fooled by some shady characters, that's why he notified us. How could you treat him like this? Apologize to Brother Ximen right now!" The young man beside him chimed in, judging from his tone, he must be Murong Ruoqing's brother.
"Hmm... Hmm... No need for that... I think Sister Ruoqing wasn't being unreasonable. She's still young, after all. She must have been misled by someone to say that. Uncle, Brother, please forgive her. I think she knows she was wrong." Upon hearing this, Ximen Jian immediately smiled and pretended to be magnanimous as he spoke to the two men in front of him.
"Murong Jian, stop pretending to be a good person. You know best what kind of scum you are. I'll expose you to your face. Don't think I don't know why Ali, who used to be with me, suddenly died. It was all because of you, you despicable thief. You used my name to lure Ali out, then raped her, causing her to commit suicide out of shame and anger. I'm telling you, Ali told me about it before she died. I knew all along, but... my father and the others always sided with you. I knew it was useless to say anything, so I didn't. But today, I couldn't hold back anymore. You despicable villain, you've harmed so many people, and you're still pretending to be a good person. Let me tell you, I feel disgusted just looking at you, you know? Seeing you reminds me of Ali. If I weren't powerless, I would definitely kill you to avenge Ali." Murong Ruoqing said agitatedly, clearly her dissatisfaction with Ximen Jian had reached a certain point, and at this moment, Ximen Jian's hypocritical act had pushed Murong Ruoqing to her breaking point.
"Shut up... Where did you hear this rumor? Don't talk nonsense here. Get upstairs now! What kind of girl acts like this? You're a disgrace to the Murong family! Go upstairs!" Before Ximen Jian could speak, Murong Bo stood up and shouted angrily at Murong Qing.

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