「River City.」

「The Chen Residence.」

Chen Ruoping was having breakfast.

"Master, something terrible has happened!" The butler rushed in, his face etched with panic.

"What's all the commotion about?" Chen Ruoping loathed being disturbed during breakfast. Seeing the usually composed butler looking so distraught angered him, and he slammed his chopsticks onto the table.

"Master, the Young Miss... the Young Miss has returned," the butler said, anxiously wiping sweat from his brow.

"That defiant girl, where has she been running wild this time?" Chen Ruoping had two daughters and three sons. His elder daughter, Chen Xinlan, was married to Qin Hongbo of the Qin Corporation, while his younger daughter was in her thirties and still unmarried. This was a constant source of headaches for Chen Ruoping. The thought of the Qin Family inevitably led to thoughts of Lin Mu, and he instantly lost his appetite.

"No, not her." The butler, realizing his master had misunderstood, clarified, "It's... it's the Eldest Miss."

"Xinlan?" Chen Ruoping was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. "Quickly, let her in."

Seeing the butler still frozen in place, Chen Ruoping roared, "What are you waiting for?! Go!"

"Yes! Right away!" The butler scurried out.

"That won't be necessary." The words had barely faded when Chen Xinlan walked in.

Upon seeing his daughter, Chen Ruoping hurriedly ordered the butler, "Go, close the door. No one is to enter without my permission!"

"Yes!"

The butler, though perplexed, did not dare to question the order. He closed the door and retreated.

"Xinlan, how did it go? Did you get it?" Chen Ruoping asked eagerly as soon as the butler left.

THUD!

Chen Xinlan's eyes reddened as she suddenly dropped to her knees.

"Dad..." She burst into tears, her cries filled with grievance and humiliation.

"Xinlan, what is it?" Chen Ruoping was alarmed. "Get up. Even if we failed this time, don't we still have a few days left?"

"Dad, it's not that..." Chen Xinlan shook her head. "We've lost."

"What?" Chen Ruoping's entire body trembled. "How could we have lost? It's only been..."

"Dad..." Chen Xinlan could only weep, unable to form a complete sentence.

Chen Ruoping's face darkened. "Get up and tell me exactly what happened!"

Holding back her sobs, Chen Xinlan recounted the events of the previous night in full detail.

Dozens of tycoons kneeling at the entrance of the Qin Family Old Residence to confess their crimes, Tianxiang Group's chairman Huang Tianxiang committing suicide by poison, Qiao Tianhao becoming Lin Mu's subordinate... She didn't dare to omit the fact that the Old Madam had driven them from the Qin Family.

"Dad, we have nothing now! That old witch of the Qin Family has already thrown me out!" Chen Xinlan began to cry again, her voice full of anguish. "Dad, you have to stand up for me!"

Wiping her tears, she continued, "What right does the Old Madam have? On what grounds did she expel me from the Qin Family? Was it all because of Lin Mu and that little bitch Qin Luoli?"

He seemed not to hear Chen Xinlan's words, murmuring to himself, Lost? How could we have lost? It was a foolproof plan. How did we lose?

"Dad, I can't accept this!" Chen Xinlan's eyes shone with malicious venom as she spat bitterly, "I, Chen Xinlan, have never been so humiliated. I want revenge!"

Chen Ruoping's fingers trembled slightly. "You're saying that half of River City's most powerful figures knelt before Lin Mu to confess their crimes?"

"That's right. I saw it with my own eyes."

"Huang Tianxiang is dead?"

"Yes."

"And Qiao Tianhao has now been subdued by Lin Mu?"

"Dad, did you hear me?" Chen Xinlan said impatiently. "I said I want revenge!"

"Revenge?" Chen Ruoping let out a bitter laugh. "How? Even Qiao Tianhao failed. What could I possibly use to get revenge?"

"With the Chen Family's power in River City, as long as we're willing to pay the price, revenge isn't impossible!" Chen Xinlan's eyes shone with pure hatred.

Chen Ruoping fell into deep thought, considering his daughter's proposal. He had also been a hidden force behind the recent attack on the Qin Corporation. Otherwise, how could the company have suffered such massive losses overnight? The Chen Family's influence in River City was not to be underestimated. If they had succeeded, Qin Luoli's shares would have been forfeited. And while they would have gone to Qin Hongbo, that fool was no match for him. With his methods, Chen Ruoping could have easily manipulated him. Then, the Qin Corporation would have been his for the taking. But he had never imagined that they would fail, especially with victory so assured. It had only been three days! Not only had the Qin Corporation reversed its decline, but countless tycoons in River City had been forced to hand over their own businesses. Even Qiao Tianhao had to surrender all his assets and become Lin Mu's subordinate. To turn the tables so completely in just three days! This young man... he was terrifying! Chen Ruoping felt as if he were dreaming.

"My son has been cast out of the Qin Family, so I have no hope left for Qin Hongbo. But if we kill Lin Mu, I refuse to believe Qin Luoli and the Old Madam would dare to do anything to us!" Chen Xinlan sneered. "Once Lin Mu is dead, Qin Luoli will be nothing more than a tiger without teeth or claws, not a threat at all. What 'Master Lin'? In front of our Chen Family, he's not even as good as a dog!"

Chen Ruoping blinked. "Master Lin?"

Chen Xinlan tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Yes, that's what those people called him. They said Lin Mu is some 'Divine Doctor,' 'Master Lin,' and also the 'Miao King'... Dad, what's wrong?"

As she spoke, Chen Xinlan noticed her father's complexion change. His entire body began to twitch convulsively.

"Gasp... Master Lin... gack... gack..." Chen Ruoping's body trembled violently. It was as if something was lodged in his throat, and his face turned beet red.

"Dad, what's happening to you? Don't scare me!" Chen Xinlan was so panicked that tears started streaming down her face.

"Someone! Call a doctor, quickly!" she cried, holding onto Chen Ruoping, her own face turning deathly pale with fear.

"So that's it... so that's it..." Chen Ruoping finally managed to force the words out. "I was wondering how that man became so powerful... so that was it!"

HAHAHA!

Chen Ruoping jolted violently, spraying a mouthful of blood.

"So that was it... HAHAHA!"

With a final convulsion, Chen Ruoping slumped into his chair, his head dropping heavily forward.

"Dad!"

A commotion erupted outside as people rushed in. When they saw Chen Ruoping slumped in the chair with his head hanging low, their faces turned pale with shock, and they cried out in alarm.

In an instant, the entire Chen residence was plunged into chaos.

Gazing at the chaotic scene, Chen Xinlan felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. Her limbs turned to ice. Her father, the Patriarch of River City's Chen Family, was dead. And it was all because of a conversation with her. Lin Mu! It was all because of that man! Her father had literally been scared to death!

Soon, the news spread.

Chen Ruoping, Patriarch of the Chen Family in River City, had passed away at his home this morning.

He was seventy-nine years old.

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