SPLASH…

The liquor spattered onto the floor.

Li Lang looked at the group, a mocking smile flashing in his eyes.

I do feel a bit of regret, though. Li Lang thought. He actually had a pretty good relationship with Yang Dong from the Dapeng Trading Company; the two had even engaged in some secret dealings in the past. But for some reason, Li Lang couldn't get through to him despite making numerous calls yesterday. Otherwise, with Yang Dong's cooperation, he was certain he could have inflicted even greater humiliation upon Xu Ke.

The group was furious. "What are you trying to do?"

"Waiter, get him out of here!"

The waiter hurried over. "Mister Li, this is not your private room. Please leave immediately and do not cause any damage."

"Oh?" Li Lang let out a cold laugh. "I was planning to leave, but it seems Mister Xu's companions are very dissatisfied with me. They even hurled abuse at me. This has caused me great emotional distress. According to the rules of Jincheng, this isn't a place where people can pick fights at will. I wonder, could your staff perhaps have them apologize to me first?"

The waiter's expression changed at his words.

Lin Chu and Chen Qiang were so angry their faces turned red. "Shameless!"

"You're the one causing trouble! What does this have to do with us?" they shouted.

But Li Lang replied with an innocent look, "When did I ever cause trouble? I merely stated a few facts. Is that considered shameless? Was anything I just said untrue? If there's anything inconsistent with reality, please point it out, and I will sincerely apologize."

He looked at them mockingly.

Go on! Point it out! Let's see who'll be more embarrassed: me, for having to apologize, or Xu Ke, for having his dirty laundry aired in public!

The faces of everyone in the room turned ashen. Only then did Lin Chu and Qiang Zi realize they had fallen into Li Lang's trap. Even though they all knew Li Lang was deliberately provoking and humiliating Xu Ke, they couldn't refute him. If they actually started debating the specifics of Xu Ke being cuckolded and living as a kept man, it would only cause Xu Ke even more shame.

But if they couldn't point out what was wrong with Li Lang's words, they would be the ones forced to apologize. To apologize after being humiliated? Absurd! This was tantamount to Li Lang slapping every single one of them across the face.

Silence fell over the private room as everyone stared daggers at Li Lang. Seeing their furious yet helpless expressions, the triumphant look in Li Lang's eyes deepened. He then glanced at the expressionless Xu Ke, his heart filled with even more contempt.

Low-class people really are low-class, always just putting on an act. Does he think he can solve this difficult situation by just staying silent and playing dumb? How naive! Li Lang sneered inwardly.

At the same time, he couldn't help but shake his head and laugh to himself. To think that my father and I were so cautious, even hiring reporters to ambush Xu Ke… what a joke. That was a complete waste of effort! Why not just walk right up and slap him in the face like I'm doing now? This is so much easier than hiring reporters, and far more satisfying!

"Alright, if you aren't going to correct me, then I'll trouble you to apologize. Otherwise, this scene is going to get very ugly, don't you think?" Li Lang said slowly, adopting the posture of a victor, his eyes toying with them like a cat with a mouse.

Lin Chu and Qiang Zi exchanged a glance, then gritted their teeth. "It's our fault. It has nothing to do with Xu Ke…"

"We'll be the ones to apologize." They decided to take the fall themselves rather than drag Xu Ke down with them.

Hearing this, Li Lang's eyebrows shot up. As if I'd let them off that easily.

He was just about to speak, but at that moment, Xu Ke held up a hand. "Qiang Zi, Lin Chu…"

His words made them both pause. Xu Ke's gaze locked onto Li Lang. "Li Lang, you're really asking for a beating."

"Heh, you should just hurry up and apologize," Li Lang said, having no intention of taking the bait. He'd long heard that Xu Ke had a sharp tongue and decided that the best strategy was to avoid a verbal spar.

"Apologize?" Xu Ke let out a laugh, but his eyes were devoid of amusement, filled only with ice. "Why do I need to apologize?"

"Your companions insulted me. Don't I deserve an apology?" Li Lang sneered. "What? This is the Dapeng Trading Company's territory. Don't you plan on following their rules? Xu Ke, I understand you've just stepped into Tianhai's elite circle and don't know anything yet. I advise you to be more cautious. Rashness and ignorance will only lead you to offend people, and when that time comes, not even the Wang Family will be able to protect you."

Li Lang's tone was mocking, his eyes brimming with a thick sense of superiority. No matter what Xu Ke chose, Li Lang was confident he would remain invincible. After all, not even the members of the six major families would dare act recklessly in the Dapeng Trading Company's hotel.

"I think you've misunderstood something," Xu Ke said with a chuckle. "My companions didn't insult you. Calling you shameless, calling you a piece of trash… those were actually compliments. You see, in my book, your brother is a mongrel. The fact that you're just a piece of trash is me being generous."

The others winced. Xu Ke's words were as venomous as ever.

Anger instinctively flared in Li Lang's eyes. Xu Ke's words were truly infuriating. But he quickly recovered, a nasty grin spreading across his face. "What? So you won't apologize and instead choose to escalate the insults? Waiter, does your hotel intend to let a guest who so blatantly disregards the rules continue to dine here? Aren't you going to throw him out?"

Li Lang immediately put pressure on the waiter.

"This…" The waiter turned to Xu Ke with an apologetic look. "Mister Xu, I'm sorry, but our hotel does not permit malicious insults. So, I'm going to have to ask you to leave…" His face was grim. Though he knew Xu Ke was the victim, he had to follow the rules.

If you weren't arguing in front of me, I wouldn't have to deal with any of this, would I? Why did you have to cause trouble right here? the waiter complained inwardly.

Seeing the waiter move to kick them out, Li Lang's lips curled in a smug smile. Xu Ke's companions looked utterly humiliated. They had been insulted, and now they were being thrown out? Guilt washed over Lin Chu and Qiang Zi. This was all their fault.

But at that moment, Xu Ke just smiled at the waiter. "It's fine. I know your hotel doesn't allow malicious insults. But I wouldn't classify what I said as a malicious insult."

"What?" The waiter was stunned. You called his brother a mongrel and him a piece of trash, and that's not a malicious insult?

Li Lang just scoffed. No matter how good Xu Ke is with words, he can't possibly spin his way out of this, can he?

"Because what I'm about to do should probably be classified as malicious assault, right?" Xu Ke said coolly.

His words hung in the air, leaving everyone stunned for a second.

The next moment, they saw a blur. Xu Ke shot forward and a fierce slap cracked across Li Lang's face.

"Li Lang, I told you that you were asking for it."

SMACK!

The slap was immensely powerful. Li Lang's cheek swelled up instantly as he sprayed a mouthful of blood and spit.

"Ah!" Li Lang screamed in agony. He was scared out of his wits. Xu Ke actually dared to hit me?! And he hit me so hard!

But Xu Ke wasn't finished.

After the slap, he drove a fist straight into Li Lang's stomach.

THUD.

A sickening sound echoed. Li Lang's eyes bulged, his internal organs twisting into a single, painful knot. The next moment, Xu Ke viciously kicked him, sending him flying. Li Lang crashed into a wall cabinet, sending the glass wine cups and jade fruit platters on it tumbling to the ground.

CRASH!

The private room was in shambles. The entire room fell deathly silent.

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