"I've dealt with her, Young Master Xu, Young Master Chong." The burly thug bowed low after handling Zhao Xinyue, beads of cold sweat dotting his forehead. He had even changed his form of address to show his respect for Xu Ke.

Ye Chong's lips trembled. "Young Master Xu, are you satisfied?"

Xu Ke clicked his tongue. "Young Master Chong, I didn't realize you upper-class folk were so violent. Weren't we lower-class people supposed to be the violent ones?"

He knew Ye Chong was just stalling for time by having Zhao Xinyue 'dealt with'. Fine by him. He was stalling too, so they were all happy to drag things out.

Hearing Xu Ke's blatant mockery, Ye Chong looked mortified but still forced a smile. "You have a peculiar sense of humor, Young Master Xu. Aren't we all in the same circle? There's no such thing as upper or lower class."

Xu Ke smirked contemptuously. "Indeed. You're certainly adaptable, Young Master Chong. You know just which way the wind blows. The very essence of the Ye Family style, I see."

Ye Chong's chest burned with a humiliating rage, but knowing Xu Ke was insulting his family, he still squeezed out a smile. "You flatter me, Young Master Xu."

Seeing this, Xu Ke didn't respond, merely sighing to himself. Leaving someone as spinelessly adaptable as Ye Chong alive felt like having a fishbone stuck in his throat. A pity he couldn't finish him off tonight. If he did, the Wang Family would be difficult to deal with back at the Martial Alliance.

"Then step aside," Xu Ke said coolly. "I'm leaving."

As he spoke, the faces of everyone present stiffened. Let him just walk away with their man, right in front of them? Where would that leave the Ye Family's dignity?

The burly thug stepped forward, bowing low. "Young Master Xu, I must ask you to release Young Master Chong."

"Release him?" The tip of Xu Ke's knife nudged forward. Ye Chong winced, his face paling again. Xu Ke leaned in. "Young Master Chong, am I holding you?"

You fucking bastard, of course you're holding me! Ye Chong cursed inwardly. Out loud, he forced a smile. "No, Young Master Xu. You're not holding me at all."

"Did you hear that?" Xu Ke looked at the burly thug and said coolly, "Your Young Master Chong and I hit it off immediately. He wants to have a nice long chat with me and doesn't want to be separated. And here you are, his subordinate, spouting nonsense. Do you have a death wish?"

At his words, the faces of the surrounding men turned as black as the bottom of a pot. 'Hit it off immediately'? 'Doesn't want to be separated'? How can this guy twist the truth so shamelessly?

Zhou Yi Yi and Wang Qiya were also shocked. Wang Qiya had heard about Xu Ke's exploits and knew he had a sharp tongue, but she never imagined he could spout such brazen nonsense in front of so many people with a straight face. No wonder he ended up with my domineering, tyrannical sister... On that front, they're two peas in a pod.

The burly thug cursed inwardly but kept his tone diplomatic. "But, even if you two really... really did hit it off, shouldn't you find a more pleasant place to have a drink and talk? I think the private rooms here at the Golden K Bar are quite nice."

Xu Ke raised an eyebrow. "Let me get this straight. Are you stupid enough to think I'm stupid, or are you just so stupid that you think sitting down with a gang of thugs who are ready to stab me is a good idea?"

The burly thug's face turned a deep, liverish purple. This is too much! He's twisting everything I say into an insult!

Just then, Xu Ke noticed Zhou Yi Yi's phone in the thug's pocket. He raised an eyebrow. "Give the phone back."

The thug froze, about to refuse. He's holding our young master hostage and he wants the phone back, too?

But Ye Chong spoke through clenched teeth, "Give it to him."

It's not like there's anything valuable on her phone, anyway, Ye Chong thought. Besides, I have no idea what he'll do next. It's not worth getting stabbed a few more times over something so pointless.

Looking utterly defeated, the burly thug reluctantly pulled out the phone.

Xu Ke had no free hand to take it. Zhou Yi Yi was still in a daze.

Seeing this, Xu Ke frowned. "Take the phone."

What is this woman doing? he thought.

Zhou Yi Yi snapped out of her stupor. "Oh, okay!"

She immediately stepped forward, took the phone, and scurried back behind Xu Ke. Only when she had stood in front of him for that brief moment did she feel the immense pressure of one person facing down dozens of men. As she passed by him, Zhou Yi Yi whispered, "Thank you."

Xu Ke gave a slight nod but said nothing.

Returning to Wang Qiya's side, Zhou Yi Yi bit her lip and said in a low voice, "It's a good thing your brother-in-law showed up." She knew that if Xu Ke hadn't simply and brutally taken Ye Chong hostage, the three of them would have been injured by now.

"Yeah," Wang Qiya nodded, her expression still grim as she stared at her own phone. Her messages still weren't going through.

Then, Zhou Yi Yi stared at Xu Ke's back and said out of the blue, "Your brother-in-law is quite handsome..."

Wang Qiya was startled. "He's my brother-in-law. Don't you get any ideas."

Is my best friend developing a crush on him?

"I... I'm not..." Zhou Yi Yi stammered.

...

After Zhou Yi Yi took her phone, Ye Chong spoke up. "Are you satisfied now, Young Master Xu?"

"It'll do," Xu Ke nodded slightly. His eyes remained fixed on the burly thug and the others, who didn't dare move, but he lowered his voice so only Ye Chong could hear. "How about a deal, Young Master Chong?"

"A deal?" Ye Chong's pupils constricted. What is he planning?

He cripples me and then wants to make a deal? Is he insane?

"I know you've wanted to kill Ye Fan for a long time," Xu Ke said coolly. "How about we do it together?"

At his words, Ye Chong's pupils shrank, and his expression changed drastically. "What nonsense are you spouting?" How could he possibly know that I want to kill Ye Fan?

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Xu Ke said with a faint smile.

Ye Chong opened his mouth to reply, but just then, Xu Ke turned his head toward the stairwell. The sound of footsteps was approaching, growing louder. Someone was coming.

Everyone else heard it too and whipped their heads around to look, Ye Chong included.

An old man in black with an expressionless face walked up the stairs.

Seeing him, Xu Ke's lips curled into a smile, a weight lifting from his heart. Wang Wu.

Seeing that the newcomer was from the Wang Family, Ye Chong's face stiffened again.

"Mister Xu, Second Miss..." Wang Wu bowed slightly.

When Wang Qiya saw him, she looked ashamed. "Uncle Wu, I..."

"Save it for when we get back," Xu Ke interrupted Wang Qiya before she could apologize. He turned to Wang Wu. "Uncle Wu, please take Zhou Yi Yi and Qi Ya home."

"Yes, sir," Wang Wu replied with a bow.

No one dared to interrupt the exchange between Wang Wu and Xu Ke. Wang Wu's powerful aura was so overwhelming that it silenced everyone in the hall.

He then strode boldly into the center of the crowd, and not a single person dared to block his path.

One of the thugs, perhaps so intimidated by Wang Wu's presence that his nerve broke, suddenly lifted his club and swung at the back of Wang Wu's head as he passed.

Without so much as turning, Wang Wu simply thrust his palm back, knocking the man out cold.

Seeing him expressionlessly defeat a man so effortlessly, the crowd couldn't help but gulp. He makes it look easier than swatting a fly.

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