331: Chapter 331 The Alluring Assassin

At the center of the city, shrouded by the night.

Skyscrapers stood densely, neon lights flickered, resembling a dazzling river of stars.

Amidst all this, inside the top-floor office of a certain office building, the lights were still brightly lit.

It seemed that someone was still busy working.

On the mirror-like marble floor lay a soft, thick woolen carpet.

On the spacious mahogany executive desk sat a Dragon-shaped ashtray crafted from pure gold.

Under the illumination of the crystal chandelier, it gave off a vulgar, dazzling sense of ostentation.

On the wall behind the desk hung an elegant replica of "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains".

It faintly revealed the quite ambitious aspirations of the room's owner, hidden beneath the tacky, nouveau riche decor.

Xiaosa's hands were tied behind his back with hemp rope, and he knelt in the corner in utter wretchedness.

His originally somewhat Yingjun face was bruised black and blue, his eye sockets swollen, his mouth split, and it was even stained with wet blood.

Clearly, after being brought here, he had received quite a solid beating once again.

In the center of the room, the five punks guarding him were gathered around the coffee table in front of the sofa, smoking and playing cards noisily.

"Damn it, a pair of Kings! Bomb!"

"Fuck, how is it you winning money again? Did you kid step in dog shit today or something?"

"Haha, hand it over, you!"

A long-haired man with a cigarette dangling from his mouth opened his arms and deftly swept all the banknotes on the table in front of him.

He was precisely the punk who had previously threatened Xiaosa with a dagger and smashed his forehead with a baseball bat.

"A-Fei, did you fucking cheat?"

The tall, thin guy who had lost money stood up cursing, his face full of discontent.

He walked over to the corner, kicked Xiaosa, and cursed viciously:

"It's all your damn fault, you jinx; you passed all your bad luck onto me!"

Xiaosa let out a muffled grunt, arching his body in pain like a boiled shrimp, and cold sweat poured down from his forehead.

But he gritted his teeth tightly and didn't let out a single plea for mercy.

Seeing this, the others on the sofa not only didn't stop him, but instead burst into loud laughter:

"Aquan, can't afford to lose so you're taking your anger out on people?"

"Exactly, look at your pathetic self, using so much strength just to give Brother Xiaosa a massage."

At this moment, the scar-faced man spoke up:

"Alright, go easy on him. The boss will have questions later. If you beat him to death, who's going to take responsibility?"

Hearing this, Aquan sullenly retracted his leg.

Another punk with dyed yellow hair blew a smoke ring and asked impatiently:

"Scar, we've been waiting for the better part of the day. Why hasn't the gang leader arrived yet?"

"Yeah, didn't the gang leader tell us to bring the person over?"

The others couldn't help muttering a few words as well.

"Be patient."

The scar-faced man explained:

"When I called the boss this afternoon, Secretary Liu said that he was entertaining a very important guest. Tonight, he probably has to accompany him for dinner, drinks, and a full sauna package."

"Oh—"

Hearing this, everyone immediately wore knowing, lewd smiles.

Right at this moment, faint footsteps could be heard from outside the heavy office door.

It seemed someone was walking this way.

The noisy commotion abruptly stopped.

The punks, who a second ago were sprawling around and mouthing foul language,

the next second, as if electrocuted, all sprang up from the sofa.

Some frantically stuffed the poker cards and banknotes on the coffee table into the drawer, while others hurriedly stubbed out their cigarette butts in the ashtray.

Everyone quickly cleaned up, stood straight, and looked toward the doorway with solemn expressions.

Click.

The door lock turned, and it was pushed open from the outside.

Afterward, three people walked in.

At the head was a lean middle-aged man.

Sporting a pair of signature mustaches, wearing a well-tailored gray suit, and wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

This attire of his should have looked refined and elegant, but the eyes behind those lenses emitted a sinister and ruthless vibe.

Forming an extremely discordant sense of conflict with his outfit, it was full of an irrepressible Jianghu grass-roots bandit Qi.

Two people followed behind him.

One was a young man also wearing glasses, with a professional smile on his face, holding a briefcase. His temperament was restrained, giving people the feeling of a "cultured beast".

The other was a brawny man as robust as an iron tower, with muscles bulging all over his body. Just standing there, he brought a strong sense of oppression.

"Boss!", "Gang Leader!"

The scar-faced man hurriedly led his underlings in bowing and waist-bending, shouting respectfully.

"How many times do I have to say it, call me Chairman!"

The middle-aged man slightly frowned, scolded them with a sentence, and walked straight toward the large executive desk symbolizing power.

The person who came was none other than the leader of the Red Tiger Gang and the current chairman of the Yuanchen Group—Chen Chen.

"Yes, Chairman!"

Hearing this, everyone changed their tune.

After sitting down, Chen Chen took off his glasses and casually placed them on the desk.

Then he forcefully tugged at his tie and let out a long breath of turbid Qi.

Earlier at the hotel, in order to ingratiate himself with that "noble guest" from a top-tier aristocratic family, he had practically bent his waist until it broke.

The innate, imperial royalty Qi of the other party, and the gaze that viewed him as mere pigs, dogs, or straw, brought an invisible pressure that left him with lingering fear even now.

But there was no help for it; for the sake of his livelihood, future, and climbing higher, this thigh must be tightly hugged.

Chen Chen made a fierce vow in his heart:

Just wait! When Laozi one day grasps true power as well, it will be time for you haughty bastards to come and kneel to lick my toes!

Suppressing the churning in his heart, Chen Chen lifted his eyelids and swept his gaze around the office.

"Right, where is the person I asked you to invite today?"

He only saw a few underlings standing like pestles and didn't see any other outsiders, causing his brows to knit together once more.

"Boss... oh, no, Chairman."

The scar-faced man hurriedly pointed towards the corner and replied, "We've already invited the person here; he's right over there."

Chen Chen looked in the direction he pointed.

When he saw Xiaosa curled up on the ground and covered in injuries, the fire Qi that he had just suppressed suddenly surged straight to his brain, causing his blood pressure to skyrocket.

"What the fuck are you guys doing?"

He abruptly stood up, pointed at the scar-faced man's nose, and roared:

"I told you to go invite the person over, and this is how you guys invite him for Laozi?!"

The scar-faced man and all the underlings were dumbfounded.

They looked at each other in dismay, their hearts filled with confusion:

Didn't the boss previously... always "invite people" like this?

Chen Chen filled with Qi, pacing back and forth, growing increasingly hysterical.

"Before was before, now is now!"

"Laozi is now the dignified chairman of a group company! We need to speak of civilization and rules, understand?"

"Fuck!"

The more he spoke, the more fire Qi flared up. With a flying kick, he viciously struck the abdomen of Aquan, the tallest and most conspicuous showoff.

"Why did you grow so tall? Did you grow up eating pig swill?! How the fuck do you not grow any brains at all?!"

Aquan let out a miserable scream and immediately collapsed onto the ground with his body arched.

"Boss, we..."

The scar-faced man tried to explain.

"Your mother's boss!"

Chen Chen turned around and delivered a slap, a crisp "slap" landing viciously across the scar-faced man's face:

"Do you still regard Laozi as the boss? How the fuck can you never remember the things I entrust to you? Can't you use your brain when doing things?!"

"Yes, yes, Chairman..."

The scar-faced man covered his face and hurriedly lowered his head to admit his mistake.

The other underlings also huddled together like quails, holding their breath and scared completely silent.

"A bunch of pig brains, trash!"

Chen Chen then pointed at everyone and cursed furiously:

"If Laozi wanted to kidnap someone, would I bring him to my own office?"

"Laozi would have long since encased him in concrete and thrown him into the sea to feed the fish, not even a single hair left to be found!"

"Damn it, if I hadn't recently learned to be vegetarian, today I would definitely pour every single one of you into a concrete barrel!"

Xiaosa lay on the ground, blankly watching this practically magical scene.

At the same time, he was so scared that he didn't even dare to draw a breath of Qi, shrinking as much as possible into the corner of the wall for fear that the gang leader would vent his anger on him.

"Chairman, please calm your Qi."

At this moment, the bespectacled young man stepped forward and softly dissuaded him.

After beating and scolding them for a while, the fire Qi accumulated in Chen Chen's heart finally dissipated a little.

He took a deep breath of Qi, and when he turned his head to look at Xiaosa huddled in the corner, his gaze flickered slightly.

Afterward, the ferocious look on his face instantly vanished, forcefully squeezing out a smile that was uglier than crying.

"Oh my, little brother, I am truly sorry for startling you."

He hurried over and actually personally helped the bewildered Xiaosa up from the ground:

"My subordinates are truly too unacquainted with manners. Come, let me see, where are you injured? Is it serious?"

Xiaosa bared his teeth, drawing in cold Qi straight from the pain, and muttered inwardly:

Fuck, take a look and see if there's any part of my body that isn't injured?

He couldn't figure out what the situation was right now, but seeing Chen Chen asking, he could only answer honestly, speaking vaguely:

"That short guy beat my head several times with a baseball bat... That tall guy kicked my stomach in pain, making me want to vomit."

He trembled his fingers, pointing at the two guys who had been the most ruthless when beating him.

"Good."

Hearing this, Chen Chen abruptly turned his head, his expression turning gloomy once more as he looked toward the muscular brawny man:

"Awei, you must give an explanation to our invited distinguished guest."

Awei clasped his hands together, his knuckles making crackling sounds of "crack crack," and walked toward those punks with a sinister smile.

That body of rock-like bulging muscles was filled with explosive oppressive force.

"Boss! No, no, Chairman, spare our lives!"

"We know we were wrong; in the future we will definitely use our brains more when doing things..."

The scar-faced man and the others were so scared that their legs went soft, and they all knelt down in unison.

They didn't doubt for a second that if Awei's punch came down, their heads would burst open like watermelons.

"Chairman, restrain your anger."

Secretary Liu once again spoke up at the exact right moment to dissuade him:

"Give them a chance to redeem themselves through meritorious service. Although they are a bit stupid, they are after all doing their best to handle matters for you."

Hearing this, Chen Chen finally cast his gaze back toward Xiaosa, seemingly wanting to listen to his opinion.

Xiaosa's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly understood that the other party was simply putting on a show for him to watch.

Thus, he hurriedly waved his hand and endured the pain to say:

"Forget it, forget it. My life is worthless; it's not worth the gang leader blaming the brothers in the gang for this..."

"Hey, Brother Xiaosa, your words sound too distant."

Chen Chen immediately took over the conversation and then shouted to those loyal underlings kneeling on the ground:

"What are you all standing around for? Why aren't you quickly serving Brother Xiaosa to sit down on the sofa?"

"If Brother Xiaosa is unwilling to forgive you, I'll throw all of you into the sea to feed the fish tonight!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

As if granted a grand amnesty, the scar-faced man and the others scrambled over and helped him untie the ropes on his hands.

Especially Aquan and A-Fei, who had been named, performed with utmost eagerness.

"Brother Xiaosa, walk slowly, watch your footing."

"Brother Xiaosa, let me wipe your face..."

Dazed, Xiaosa was escorted by these scoundrels who had just been beating and kicking him, sitting down on the soft genuine leather sofa.

Someone even specially tore off their own sleeve to carefully wipe the blood stains off his face, making him look slightly more presentable.

"Alright, all of you get lost outside!"

Seeing this, Chen Chen waved his hand impatiently.

After the scar-faced man and the others left, the office grew quiet once again.

Only then did he speak once more, gesturing:

"Secretary Liu."

The bespectacled Secretary Liu nodded and took out a metal ring resembling a detector from his briefcase, pressing the switch.

After a soft "beep" sound,

he held the instrument and walked around the office very skillfully.

Carefully scanning every corner, from the chandelier to the potted plants.

After confirming safety, he nodded toward Chen Chen.

Only then did Chen Chen completely relax.

Instead of sitting back in his executive chair, he sat down on the sofa opposite Xiaosa.

Those sinister eyes seemed to conceal some meaning as they scrutinized Xiaosa.

Xiaosa was looked at by him until he felt restless, his hands nervously twisting together.

Recalling his neurotic performance just moments ago, his heart was even more unsettled.

For a long time, a trace of imperceptible satisfaction flashed in Chen Chen's eyes before he slowly spoke:

"Brother Xiaosa, you and that... 'Mr. Assassin', should still be in contact, right?"

As soon as the four words "Mr. Assassin" came out, Xiaosa's heart skipped a beat, thinking to himself that it really was related to that person after all.

But he still chose to play dumb at the first instance, shaking his head blankly:

"Wh... what Mr. Assassin? I don't Dao ah..."

His mouth was still red and swollen, and his speech whistled.

This denial consequently sounded like it lacked much Qi.

"Hey, you don't need to worry."

Chen Chen smiled slightly, his tone incomparably soft:

"Although you resigned from our company back then and joined a new company, this is just the normal circulation of social talent."

"I won't blame you. After all, people move to higher places while water flows to lower places; the wise person submits to circumstances."

Saying this, he stood up once more and walked toward the executive desk.

"Previously, there were indeed some misunderstandings between us."

As Chen Chen spoke, he took out a fine Cuban cigar from the cigar box on the desk and personally cut it with a cigar clipper.

Then he handed it to Xiaosa and took out a windproof lighter to light it for him.

"But now, we share a common enemy and a common goal. We can completely turn hostility into friendship. Don't you agree?"

Xiaosa had that cigar, which was thicker than his fingers, held in his mouth, and he was completely dazed.

He nodded in a daze.

He simply couldn't figure out what medicine this gang leader, who used to be high and mighty, fierce, and cruel in his eyes, was selling in his gourd by showing him all sorts of favorability now.

Chen Chen also lit one for himself, took a leisurely puff, and exhaled thick white smoke rings.

Watching Xiaosa's bewildered look, he continued speaking:

"To be honest, I greatly admire this Mr. Assassin."

"A single person and a single blade, taking the head of a commanding general amidst an army of tens of thousands as if reaching into one's pocket to take something—such demeanor, such heroism, is truly fascinating."

He deliberately used flowery language, trying to sound cultured, yet appearing completely out of place.

"It is only a pity that I have never had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of Mr. Assassin in person and drink wine while chatting of the Dao; it is truly one of life's great regrets."

"Right now, I happen to have a business deal that I'd like to invite him over to discuss."

Speaking up to here, Chen Chen finally revealed his true intentions.

He chuckled, but his gaze suddenly turned sharp, staring fixedly at Xiaosa:

"To be precise, it should be cooperation!"