159: Chapter 159 Personal Guidance Before Attending the Banquet
The next morning at ten o'clock, Su Ya's safe house.
The bedroom door opened, and Su Ya walked out. She had changed into a wine-red deep-V evening gown with a slit reaching up to the root of her thigh. Her long hair was pinned up, and she wore exquisite light makeup. Paired with those gold-rimmed glasses, her entire being radiated a lethal sense of pure desire.
Lin Fan was sitting on the sofa smoking. When he saw Su Ya come out, his eyes instantly went wide.
“Lawyer Su, if you go to the negotiation dressed like this, Wen Lan will probably be steamed to death. You're going there to steal the spotlight, aren't you?” Lin Fan stubbed out his cigarette and walked toward her.
Su Ya tugged at the hem of her skirt uncomfortably. “The zipper for this dress is in the back, and I can't reach it. You... give me a hand.”
Lin Fan walked around behind her. A large expanse of Su Ya's snow-white skin was exposed to the air, her shoulder blades as delicate as a work of art.
Lin Fan reached out and pinched the metal head of the zipper. He didn't rush to pull it up, but instead deliberately let his knuckles graze lightly across Su Ya's spine.
Su Ya's whole body shuddered as if she had been struck by an electric current, and a fine layer of goosebumps rose on her skin.
“You... hurry up,” Su Ya said, her voice tight.
“What’s the rush? Before going to a Hongmen Banquet, you have to relax first.” Lin Fan slowly pulled the zipper up, then rested his hands on Su Ya's shoulders, turning her around to face him.
“When we get to the dinner later, Wen Lan will definitely try to use Basong's influence to pressure me. You don't need to worry about anything else; just focus on hitting the loopholes in her contract. Remember, keep your presence strong. Don't let your legs go weak from fear like they did at the law firm yesterday.” Lin Fan looked down at her, his voice low.
Su Ya took a deep breath and nodded. “I know. I spent the night looking into Wen Lan's background in Southeast Asia. Those shell companies under her name actually have very strained capital chains. She's desperate for the Solid-state Battery project to cash out.”
“Smart.” Lin Fan gave her nose an appreciative flick. “As long as you can nail her down on the legal terms, leave the remaining issue of force to me.”
Eleven-thirty in the morning.
Lin Fan led Su Ya and Leng Xing as they swaggered into the Mankou Grand Hotel.
The rooftop revolving restaurant had been cleared out. A long table was set in the center of the hall, and Wen Lan sat at the head in a black deep-V gown. Standing behind her was the Scarface from yesterday, along with three other Ancient Martial Arts Masters with sinister gazes.
Seeing Lin Fan walk in with Su Ya, a flash of jealousy and malice crossed Wen Lan's eyes.
“Boss Lin certainly has fine tastes, bringing such a beautiful lawyer along to talk business. Aren't you afraid that swords and guns have no eyes and might hurt the beauty?” Wen Lan mocked sarcastically.
Lin Fan pulled out a chair and sat down with a broad, commanding posture. Su Ya sat beside him, opened her briefcase, and took out her documents.
“President Wen must be joking. I'm a timid man; if I don't bring someone who knows the law when I go out, I'm afraid President Wen would scam me until there's nothing left but bones.” Lin Fan picked up a red wine glass from the table and swirled it.
Wen Lan gave a cold snort and shot a look at Scarface. Scarface threw a document in front of Lin Fan.
“This is the cooperation agreement. Hand over the source code for the Solid-state Battery, and the Taisheng Group's channels will be yours. Sign it, and I'll let yesterday's matter slide. Otherwise, Basong's army will surround this place immediately,” Wen Lan said condescendingly.
Lin Fan didn't even look at the document, turning instead to look at Su Ya.
Su Ya pushed up her glasses and flipped open the documents she had prepared, her voice cool and professional.
“President Wen, according to Article 32 of the Mankou Commercial Law, this agreement of yours constitutes a coerced transaction and possesses no legal validity in itself. Furthermore, according to my investigation, your 'Xinghai Investment' currently has a debt ratio as high as eighty percent. You simply cannot provide the funds to take over Taisheng Group's channels.”
Wen Lan's expression changed. “What kind of thing are you to dare investigate my background!”
Su Ya looked Wen Lan directly in the eye without backing down. “I am Mr. Lin's private lawyer. Not only have I checked your background, but I also know that you attempted to transfer fifty billion in funds out of the country through an underground bank yesterday. If General Basong happened to find out, how do you think he would react?”
As soon as these words were spoken, Wen Lan's face turned completely dark.
The air in the restaurant seemed to freeze instantly.
Wen Lan glared fixedly at Su Ya, her eyes looking as if she wanted to swallow her alive. “You bitch, you dare threaten me?”
Scarface and the three Ancient Martial Arts Masters immediately took a step forward, their bodies radiating a cold killing intent. Leng Xing instantly drew her dagger, shielding Lin Fan and Su Ya's flank.
Lin Fan, however, acted as if nothing was wrong. He reached under the table and gently covered Su Ya's hand, which was resting on her lap.
Su Ya was so nervous her palms were sweating, and she was startled when Lin Fan suddenly grabbed her hand. She wanted to pull it back, but Lin Fan held on tighter, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand.
The thrill of these little movements under the high-tension negotiation table caused Su Ya's face to instantly turn flush red.
“President Wen, don't be so angry.” Lin Fan leaned back in his chair, playing with a lighter in his other hand. “Lawyer Su is just stating facts. You and Basong are already suspicious of each other. If I give this evidence of the fund transfer to Basong, do you think he'll still keep you around?”
Wen Lan gnashed her teeth. “Lin Fan, do you really think you've got me? Even if Basong turns against me, you won't walk out of this door today! Hand over the source code, and I'll leave your corpse intact!”
“You want the source code? Fine.” Lin Fan pulled a USB drive from his pocket and tossed it onto the table.
Wen Lan's eyes lit up, and she was just about to reach for it.
Lin Fan suddenly kicked the long table. The heavy solid wood table slid out directly, slamming hard into Wen Lan's stomach and knocking her over along with her chair.
“Do it!” Wen Lan shrieked from the floor.
Scarface roared and was the first to pounce at Lin Fan. The other three Ancient Martial Arts Masters also struck simultaneously, sealing off all of Lin Fan's paths of retreat.
Lin Fan pulled Su Ya behind him, his Nine Yang Internal Power erupting instantly.
He did not shrink back, meeting Scarface's fist head-on while using the Taiji Force-Shedding Method. Scarface's punching power was skillfully neutralized by Lin Fan, who then followed up with a knife-hand strike to Scarface's neck.
Scarface let out a muffled groan and collapsed limply.
But the attacks from the other three masters had already arrived. Lin Fan couldn't dodge in time and took a punch directly to his back, which stung like fire.
“Xinger, protect her and get to the elevator!” Lin Fan roared.
Leng Xing shielded Su Ya as they retreated. Lin Fan fought the three Ancient Martial Arts Masters alone. Although the Nine Yang Divine Art was domineering, two fists were no match for four hands, and he gradually began to fall into a disadvantage.
Wen Lan crawled up from the floor, clutching her stomach and laughing with a hideous expression. “Lin Fan, you're dead today! Kill him for me!”
Just then, Lin Fan suddenly changed his tactics. He stopped defending and, taking a palm strike to his left shoulder, forced his way into the middle of the three. He grabbed the arms of two of them and poured his Nine Yang Internal Power into them without reservation.
“Ah—” The two let out shrill screams as their meridians were directly shattered by the domineering Nine Yang Internal Power, and they slumped to the ground.
Seeing this, the remaining master was scared out of his wits and turned to run. Lin Fan sent a flying kick out, sending him flying until he crashed into the wall and fainted.
The entire battle happened extremely fast; in less than two minutes, all four Ancient Martial Arts Masters were incapacitated.
Lin Fan clutched his left shoulder, gasping for breath. He walked over to Wen Lan and looked down at the terrified woman.
“President Wen, it seems the dogs you keep aren't fierce enough.” Lin Fan gave a cold laugh.