Wang Wu and Tang Yingchang, standing behind him, couldn't help but laugh. Xu Ke's words were just too vicious.

Peng Hetong felt his heart being torn to shreds. "The password is six eights. There's forty million in there."

"Forty million."

Xu Ke nodded slightly and unceremoniously accepted it. "Well, since Chief Peng and I have such a good relationship now, I forgive you."

"Really? Then you'll retract the recording?" Peng Hetong immediately beamed with joy.

"Of course not!"

Xu Ke chuckled. "A moment ago, didn't you want to dock yourself another year's salary and take a major demerit? Now's the time to arrange it."

Upon hearing this, Peng Hetong felt a fresh wave of agony, but he had already given up forty million...

Having invested so much, he could only bite the bullet and continue to punish himself.

…

Prioritizing efficiency, the Martial Alliance enforced punishments swiftly.

In less than ten minutes, Peng Hetong had logged onto the Martial Alliance intranet and briskly recorded a major demerit and salary deduction for himself.

The Martial Alliance's regulations did include a system for self-punishment, but it was rarely ever used.

At this point, counting the price he had paid for offending Xu Ke the last time, Peng Hetong was now docked a year and three months' salary, on top of receiving a warning and a major demerit.

This made his promotion utterly hopeless, but he felt a sense of relief.

It was still better than being stripped of his position and locked up with Sun Luo and the others.

So, after Peng Hetong recorded his own punishment…

He turned to Xu Ke, who was sitting on the sofa, and forced a smile. "Mister Xu, are you satisfied now?"

"Satisfied."

Xu Ke smiled.

"Then the recording you mentioned has been retracted, right?"

Peng Hetong rubbed his hands together.

Although Chen Xiong no longer had the right to punish him again for this matter—seeing as he'd already made the punitive decision with Yuan Shang's approval—Peng Hetong still wanted to confirm one last time, just to be safe.

But Xu Ke just looked at him, taken aback. "What did you say?"

"The recording..."

Peng Hetong froze as well.

Realization dawned on Xu Ke. "Oh, that! I deleted it a moment ago."

"And don't worry, this matter is over. If I were to keep dragging it on, even Alliance Leader Chen would scold me."

Only then did the heavy stone in Peng Hetong's heart finally lift, and he managed a weak smile. "Then I'll be going now."

"Go ahead."

Yuan Shang waved his hand.

Peng Hetong left the living room.

As he walked away, his figure seemed forlorn and anxious, caught between loss and relief.

After watching his back disappear, Yuan Shang suddenly burst out laughing. "That was a vicious trick!"

"Vicious how?"

Xu Ke couldn't help but chuckle. "How was I supposed to know the guy couldn't take a simple bluff?"

"Absolutely incredible!"

Yuan Shang gave a thumbs-up. "You told me not to back down under any circumstances. You were so convincing I almost believed I had a recording myself."

"I've really seen it all today. It's the first time I've ever seen someone so happy to give themselves a major demerit."

"You should have seen his face! HAHAHA..."

"That poor bastard is probably walking out the door half-relieved and half-miserable. A full forty million..."

"HAHAHA."

Xu Ke couldn't hold it in any longer and roared with laughter.

Yuan Shang's sheer schadenfreude was what made him laugh.

Behind Xu Ke, Tang Yingchang and Wang Wu were also shaking their heads, struggling to suppress their own laughter.

…

In reality, the entire affair was a bluff concocted by Yuan Shang and Xu Ke to deceive Peng Hetong. They simply led him to believe they possessed a recording, pressuring him into punishing himself to avoid sanctions from the Martial Alliance. Initially, they had only intended to scare him. The worst-case scenario was Peng Hetong discovering the truth; the best was merely gaining some leverage over him. Who could have known that Peng Hetong, without a second thought, would inflict such a harsh penalty on himself, admitting to dereliction of duty?

It left even Xu Ke a little dumbfounded. Does Peng Hetong have some kind of grudge against himself?!

What Xu Ke didn't realize was that ever since he had produced Ye Fan's incredibly detailed evidence as if by magic, Peng Hetong had been convinced that Xu Ke had spies in the Ye Family. Therefore, he assumed Xu Ke must also possess a detailed recording of his conversations with them. That, combined with Yuan Shang's supreme confidence and impartial facade—an expression that all but screamed, "You're finished, Peng Hetong"—made him crack.

Ye Fan was facing death. Peng Hetong figured he stood no chance against Xu Ke's schemes, so he chose to punish himself.

Who knew...

It had all been a feint from the start. He'd lost forty million for nothing and completely torpedoed his future prospects for promotion within the Martial Alliance.

…

「In the reception hall on the second floor of the Martial Alliance.」

After the laughter died down, Yuan Shang tidied up the coffee table. "Xu Ke, Elder Tang, Uncle Wu, please, have a seat."

Xu Ke spoke up. "Will forcing Lin Zhongtian to leave have any impact on you?"

"No, what impact could it have on me?" Yuan Shang said nonchalantly. "I was planning to go against him even before you arrived. You showing up just helped draw his fire."

"Speaking of which, I even gained someone to take the blame for me. I really hit the jackpot with you," he added with a cheerful laugh.

Hearing this, Xu Ke chuckled. "If you put it that way, Vice Alliance Leader Yuan should probably give me a reward."

"Hahaha, no problem."

Yuan Shang slapped his thigh and pushed a cup of tea in front of Xu Ke. "Consider this your reward."

Xu Ke shook his head. "No wonder Brother Duan says you're stingy."

Yuan Shang was instantly indignant. "Why does that bastard always spout such nonsense?"

Wang Wu, watching from the side, couldn't help but sigh. In all of Tianhai, Xu Ke was probably the only one who could chat with Yuan Shang like this.

After the joking subsided, Yuan Shang's expression turned serious. "Lin Zhongtian probably won't let this go. After all, Wong Ting's reputation is at stake."

"But according to Martial Alliance regulations, he can't change the outcome, can he?" Xu Ke mused. "Even as an Elder from the main alliance, he can't just violate the rules, right?"

"Of course not," Yuan Shang said, shaking his head. "But," he added, his expression darkening slightly, "if you were to agree to reconcile with the Huang Family, then the situation would become unpredictable."

At his words, Xu Ke's eyes narrowed.

Yuan Shang's words held a deeper meaning. He would never relent, but it was hard to say whether Lin Zhongtian had a way to force his hand.

Yuan Shang patted Xu Ke's shoulder. "He's a Martial Alliance Elder, after all. In any case, be on your guard."

"So, if you run into any trouble, come find me immediately."

"Understood," Xu Ke said with a nod.

…

「Liuzhu Sky Garden Restaurant.」

This was one of Tianhai City's rare high-rise restaurants. Dining here offered a panoramic view of the bustling metropolis below, a sight that was both refreshing and deeply satisfying.

But at this moment, Lin Zhongtian was not feeling refreshed at all.

Sitting across from him, Huang Sheng was pouring wine. "Elder Lin, please, calm down. It's lunchtime. Let's have some wine and put your troubles aside for now."

He already knew Lin Zhongtian had suffered a setback at the Martial Alliance.

However, Huang Sheng felt it was only to be expected.

Lin Zhongtian had arrived planning to take someone away by force. How could Xu Ke possibly have let him succeed?

It was precisely because Huang Sheng knew failure was certain that he hadn't even shown up, content to let Lin Zhongtian throw a tantrum at the Tianhai Martial Alliance.

After all, it was enough for Lin Zhongtian to lose face on his own; there was no need for him to go along and share the humiliation.

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