76: You can't force that woman; you have to be gentle!

"I agree!"

"I agree too!"

"Boss Ye is right! It should have been done this way long ago!"

...After a brief silence, the hall immediately erupted with a chorus of agreement.

Each voice was louder than the last, as if afraid to be a beat too slow in expressing their stance.

Many of the hostesses quietly raised their heads, looking at Ye Chen with a hint of complexity in their eyes.

Over the years, they had witnessed countless sordid acts here and endured too much.

This new boss... seems truly different?

But some people's expressions changed, their eyes flickering.

Humans die for wealth, birds die for food!

How could they be willing to have their source of income cut off?

Suddenly.

A middle-aged man with a full beard and a scorpion tattoo on his neck spoke up, steeling himself.

"Boss Ye, we understand the rules, but..."

"If we're not allowed to touch the quick money schemes from before, what will our brothers rely on to eat?"

"Just relying on alcohol commissions and dead wages, I'm afraid it won't be enough to live on."

With him leading the way.

Three or four others nearby also whispered their agreement; they were all small-time leaders previously in charge of "special operations."

Ye Chen looked at him, the smile on his face fading slightly.

"If you don't do those things, you can't live?"

The Bearded Man's Adam's apple bobbed: "It's not that we can't live, it's that the brothers are used to it..."

"If you can't live, then get lost." Ye Chen interrupted him, "Leave now."

The faces of those few immediately turned ugly.

The next second, they exchanged glances.

The Bearded Man gritted his teeth and waved his hand at the few people behind him: "Go!"

They turned and walked towards the door.

"Sister Meiting."

Ye Chen didn't even look at them, only giving Jin Meiting an instruction.

"Note down the names and appearances of these people."

"Tomorrow, compile their information, along with records of the businesses they handled previously, and send a copy to Officer Bai Shanshan."

Jin Meiting's lips curved slightly: "Understood."

Everyone: "???"

Good heavens!

The new boss is outrageous... They thought he was just telling them to get lost, but he turned around and reported them, leaving them no way out!

The few people who had already reached the door suddenly froze in their tracks!

The Bearded Man spun around, his face pale: "Boss Ye! What... do you mean?"

"Literally."

Ye Chen finally looked up.

"If you want to leave, I won't force you to stay."

"But after you leave, shouldn't you pay a price for what you've done before?"

"We... we're not leaving!" Another person, scared, quickly ran back, "Boss Ye, we were confused just now, we agree! A hundred percent agree!"

"Right, right! We're not leaving! Really not leaving!"

The few people vied to express their stance, the smiles they forced onto their faces uglier than tears.

What kind of joke was this?

They had previously engaged in gray industries; once reported, this group of them would definitely be spending more than ten years in prison!

Ye Chen's gaze turned completely cold.

"Don't."

"I understand, a heart that wants to leave cannot be held back, I won't force you."

"I gave you a chance to leave gracefully, considering you've put in effort here before."

"But now..."

His tone turned cold, "Either get out yourselves, or I'll call the police to pick you up, choose."

Those few people were struck by lightning, their faces ashen.

They finally understood that this new boss was far more ruthless! More decisive! And less sentimental than Zheng Hu!

He didn't even give them any room for maneuver... Under Ye Chen's cold gaze, they completely collapsed, not daring to say another word, and slunk away into the night outside the door.

A pin drop could be heard in the hall.

Those who had harbored hopes or even secretly plotted were now drenched in cold sweat.

Someone, it's unknown who, reacted first and shouted at the top of their lungs.

"Boss Ye! I agree! I firmly support the new rules!"

"I agree too! Legal operations are better!"

"From now on, we'll follow Boss Ye!"

...The clamor was even more fervent than before, and also more fearful.

When the noise subsided slightly, Ye Chen looked at Jin Meiting.

Jin Meiting understood and stepped forward, giving a charming smile.

"Everyone disperse, go do what you need to do."

"All department heads, please stay, there's a meeting in the small conference room in ten minutes."

The crowd dispersed as if granted a great pardon, but their footsteps were extremely light as they left, their gazes filled with awe as they looked at Ye Chen's retreating figure.

Ye Chen turned and gently patted Jin Meiting's arm: "The rest is up to you."

"Rest assured, Boss." Jin Meiting smiled sweetly, but a hint of complexity flashed in her eyes.

She knew that from tonight onwards... the fate of Tiangong and many people would be steered towards the unknown by this young man.

And she, too, had no choice but to be tied to this ship.

But... she was willing.

Old Chen, the supervisor, watched the two disappear at the stairwell, swallowed hard, and murmured.

"This world... it's really changing..."

"From now on, we should call him General Manager Ye..."

...Provincial City, Zhao Family Manor.

Late at night, the main building was brightly lit.

On the leather sofa sat an old man with white hair.

His face was lean, his wrinkles deep, and he was twirling two oiled walnuts in his hand.

At first glance... he looked like an ordinary, refined old man.

But the several black-clad Bodyguards standing respectfully in the hall even deliberately softened their breathing... because he was Zhao Tiangang.

The undisputed 'Daoist Master' of the Provincial City's underground world, the true controller of the Azure Dragon Society.

At this moment, he listened expressionlessly to the report from the young man in front of him.

The young man was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a handsome appearance, and was none other than Zhao Tiangang's only grandson, the heir to the Zhao Family, Zhao Yi.

"Grandpa, that's roughly how things are."

Zhao Yi took a deep breath, "The root of everything seems to point to that person named Ye Chen."

Zhao Tiangang looked up and spoke calmly.

"Zheng Hu, crippled."

"Bing Lan, not brought back."

"Evidence, fell into someone else's hands."

He paused, a hint of coldness flashing deep within his ancient well-like eyes, "What do you think... should be done next?"

Zhao Yi bowed slightly: "Your grandson requests permission to personally go to Xiamen City."

Zhao Tiangang did not speak.

Zhao Yi's eyes grew sharper, and he continued.

"Zheng Hu is incompetent, Zhao Yuan is foolish, causing my Zhao Family's reputation to suffer."

"This Ye Chen has strange methods and unpredictable actions; if he remains, he will definitely become a future problem."

"Your grandson wishes to meet him, to see if he is a powerful dragon crossing the river, or an ignorant loach courting death."

"And while I'm there, I'll take care of what needs to be done."

"For example, obtaining Bing Lan."

Zhao Tiangang slowly nodded.

"Go."

"Remember, the Zhao Family's face, once lost, cannot be lost a second time."

"Handle things beautifully."

"Also..."

His voice deepened slightly.

"That woman cannot be forced; be gentle, otherwise, her constitution will not manifest, and the Zhao Family's plan will fail."

"Do you understand?"

Zhao Yi bowed deeply: "Your grandson understands, and will not fail Grandpa's trust."

He straightened up and turned to walk out.

Zhao Tiangang's gaze fell upon the deep night outside the window.

Xiamen City... Ye Chen... Bing Lan... He repeated softly, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned.

The night was still long.

And the wind, too, should be rising... Tiangong Nightclub.

The bed stopped shaking.

Ye Chen looked at the woman beside him who had fainted from exhaustion.

No surprise.

Because it was Jin Meiting.

She curled up beside him, her long black hair scattered on the pillow, a few strands sticking to her sweat-damp forehead.

Morning light seeped through the gap in the curtains, casting a faint glow on her smooth shoulder.

The sheet only covered her waist, revealing a large expanse of her fair back, her curves breathtaking.

Ye Chen touched his nose.

Last night, he took over Tiangong, cleaned house, set rules, and discussed with Jin Meiting until almost dawn... then Jin Meiting said she was tired and asked Ye Chen to help her back to her room to rest.

So they came to this exclusive top-floor private room.

And then... well, the woman wasn't tired anymore; instead, she was like a fire, burning fiercely... Ye Chen stretched, lifted the covers, got out of bed, and picked up the clothes scattered on the floor to put them on.

Just as he fastened his belt, the phone on the bedside table vibrated.

He picked it up and saw the caller ID was... Madam Bai.

So early?

Ye Chen swiped to answer: "Madam Bai, is something wrong?"

On the other end of the phone, Bai Wanqing's gentle voice, tinged with a hint of apology, came through: "Mr. Ye, I'm really sorry to disturb you so early."

"No matter, just speak directly." Ye Chen walked to the window, gently pulled back a sliver of the curtain, and looked down at the city, which had not yet fully awakened.

Bai Wanqing hesitated, then sighed and spoke.

"It's like this..."

"That old gentleman, Zhang Sansheng, he really finished memorizing the 'the yellow emperors inner canon.'"

"He's in the car outside my house right now, insisting on seeing you."

Ye Chen: "..."