In a residential complex in downtown Tianhai City, the top-floor apartment was brightly lit. Inside, a crystal chandelier shone down on luxurious, elegant furniture. Huang Zhenyang, however, was too excited to notice his surroundings.

He stormed into Huang Sheng's study. "Let's go, quickly!"

"What's the matter?" Huang Sheng asked with a slight smile. He was still wearing the same casual denim outfit from the day before.

"You bet right!" Huang Zhenyang's face was alight with joy. "Elder Shuang and the man I planted with Huang Qi both sent word. That commoner, Xu Ke, really is Wong Qifu's fiancé, and he's been captured."

"How on earth did you predict this? You're incredible." Huang Zhenyang's eyes were filled with utter disbelief.

"I don't trust my brother's ability, but I've always trusted his luck," Huang Sheng said.

Huang Zhenyang was full of admiration. "The Huang Family is destined to rise! With you leading us, we might even dominate all of Tianhai."

"Uncle Four, you jest," Huang Sheng said, shaking his head.

Then, Huang Zhenyang hastily grabbed the suit from the desk. "Then let's hurry! It'll all be over if we're late."

"And what would we be going there for?" Huang Sheng revealed a flicker of an interested smile.

Seeing that Huang Sheng had no intention of moving, Huang Zhenyang froze. "We have to make our appearance! When the time comes, Elder Shuang will admit we arranged everything. Won't that build our prestige in the family and elevate our status?"

"You just said Elder Shuang will admit it. If that's the case, why do we need to go?" Huang Sheng smiled, his eyes showing the quiet confidence of a master strategist. "Besides, we can't be rash. The more critical the moment, the more patient we must be. This is especially true when it's time to harvest the fruit."

"Wong Qifu is not someone to be trifled with. If we rush out now, the risks outweigh the rewards. Furthermore, there's a difference between Huang Qi breaking certain rules and us breaking them."

"Don't worry, Uncle Four. Just relax. The credit that is rightfully ours won't run away."

After he spoke, Huang Zhenyang hesitated for a moment, remaining rooted to the spot.

「A silent night. An abandoned factory.」

The factory was part of this year's demolition and redevelopment project. Normally, no one would ever set foot here. But tonight, it was packed with people.

About a hundred men were scattered throughout the building.

Xu Ke was bound tightly, forced to kneel on the ground. Two brawny men with knives stood on either side of him, one with the blade held directly against Xu Ke's neck. Not far away, a black crossbow was aimed right at his forehead.

Ye Chen and Huang Qi were seated in chairs. The limping Song Zhong had returned and was standing behind Ye Chen with Siao Jia. Ouyang Shuang stood behind Huang Qi. As their retainer, she still had to give the Huang Family's young master some face in a public setting like this.

"Release him," said a grim-faced Wang Wu, who stood opposite them with about twenty men at his back. They were the first batch of reinforcements who had arrived in a rush.

"Have Wong Qifu come and talk to me." Ye Chen stood up with a smile, naturally taking charge. This earned him an awkward look from Huang Qi and a sneer of contempt from Ouyang Shuang.

"The Helmsman of the Wang Family isn't someone you can see just because you wish it!" Wang Wu barked.

"So, there's nothing to discuss?" Ye Chen shrugged.

Wang Wu's face darkened. "What do you want?"

"I already told you. Have Wong Qifu come talk to me," Ye Chen scoffed. "Talk to you? Are you authorized to make decisions?"

"Fine." Wang Wu sneered and dialed a number.

Seeing this, Ye Chen sat back down with a placid smile and waited patiently.

At that moment, watching Wang Wu make the call, Xu Ke's eyes flashed with resolve.

The call connected and was put on speakerphone.

"Sister Wang," Ye Chen began amiably.

"Find someone qualified to have The Dialogue with me," Wong Qifu's indifferent voice replied.

At her words, the entire factory fell dead silent.

Domineering! Utterly domineering!

How can she be so confident? Even with her man captured, she can still be this arrogant? The faces of everyone on Ye Chen's side instantly turned ugly.

"Sister Wang, am I not qualified?" Ye Chen asked, his face darkening.

"You?" Wong Qifu's voice was dismissive. "Who are you?"

Ye Chen's expression immediately stiffened. A gloating look appeared on Huang Qi's face.

Ye Chen's stiffness quickly melted into a cold smirk. "It seems Sister Wang no longer recognizes me as a younger brother. Fine. Then let me let you hear a beautiful sound."

"Siao Jia, go," Ye Chen said with a grin.

Siao Jia's face lit up with excitement. She walked up to Xu Ke, a look of vengeful satisfaction on her face. "Xu Ke, do you remember? I told you I'd pay you back for that slap you gave me at Hua Court."

"Now, it's time for me to return the favor!" She still vividly remembered the humiliation of being thrown out by him that night. Now, the tables had turned. The one kneeling on the ground, about to be slapped, was Xu Ke.

SLAP!

Siao Jia struck Xu Ke's face hard. His cheek immediately began to swell and turn red.

Siao Jia's face flushed with excitement. She felt an incredible sense of vindication. What annoyed her, though, was that Xu Ke didn't make a sound. He only let out a derisive snort.

Seeing this, Siao Jia's eyes widened. "You dare laugh at me?"

SLAP! SLAP!

She hit him again, once from each side! The handprints were bright red.

"Stop." After the two slaps, Ye Chen called a halt with a smile. "Sister Wang, can you tell who I am now?"

Silence came from Wong Qifu's end of the line.

Wang Wu's eyes widened, turning bloodshot with fury as his aura surged violently. The knife-wielder beside Xu Ke pressed the blade's point against his chest, right over his heart. Wang Wu's face contorted with helpless rage.

Just then, Wong Qifu spoke again, ignoring Ye Chen's question.

"You have violated the rules. Do you admit your guilt?" she asked coolly.

"Rules?" Ye Chen was startled for a second before his eyes turned grim. He remembered.

The six great families of Tianhai had a private agreement that all conflicts, whether in business or martial arts, must be settled through direct confrontation. If they started resorting to underhanded tactics amongst themselves—kidnapping, poisoning… If I kidnap you today, and you kidnap me tomorrow, wouldn't the world descend into chaos?

However, no one usually paid much attention to this rule. Remembering it now, Ye Chen cursed himself for the oversight. But the arrow was already on the bowstring; it had to be fired.

Huang Qi sneered. He was, of course, aware of the rule before the kidnapping, but his desperate situation had forced him to take a dangerous gamble. If he could carve out a huge piece of the pie from Wong Qifu this time, who cared about some rule?

"We didn't kidnap Mister Xu," Ye Chen said. "We invited him over for some tea and a chat, right?"

"Indeed," Huang Qi chimed in.

"Serve Mister Xu his tea," Ye Chen waved a hand.

SPLASH.

Siao Jia immediately threw the water in her hand onto Xu Ke's face. "Drink up!"

The liquid stung the raw, red marks on his face. Wang Wu gritted his teeth.

Ye Chen smiled. "That should suffice, shouldn't it?"

"Acceptable," Wong Qifu nodded. "Well then, since you've invited Xu Ke for tea, in the spirit of reciprocity, I must also invite some members of your two families for tea."

"What?" Ye Chen's face changed dramatically.

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