349: Chapter 349 The attack was too sudden, a great start.

Outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, a curtain of rain enveloped the entire city.

Even in such weather, the streets below remained bustling with heavy traffic, and the prosperous scene hadn't faded in the slightest due to the wind and rain.

Inside the luxurious top-floor office of the Yuanchen Group building.

Chen Chen sat behind the large executive desk, holding his phone with both hands, his knuckles trembling slightly.

He held his breath, his face tense, as if waiting for a verdict that concerned his very life and livelihood.

Secretary Liu stood quietly to the side with his hands lowered, leaning forward, likewise listening intently with a nervous expression.

From the other end of the phone came a slightly uninhibited man's voice:

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"Gang Leader Chen, the person you wanted killed has already been dealt with, and it was handled very cleanly. We guarantee not even a single piece of minced meat or residue can be found."

"Within one week, please prepare the remaining money and pay it all in cash."

"Remember, we've never liked waiting for people. If you're a day late, someone will naturally come to collect it in person."

"As for whether they'll be taking the money or some other parts off your body, that will depend on that killer gentleman's mood that day. Don't say I didn't warn you..."

The voice on the phone was somewhat arrogant, blatantly issuing threats to this underworld overlord.

"Yes, yes!"

Chen Chen didn't mind at all, replying repeatedly:

"Please rest assured, Xiao Sa, and please rest assured, esteemed organization. I, Chen, guarantee with my own reputation that the final payment will definitely arrive on time."

There was a hint of deference in his tone that even he hadn't noticed.

With a beep, the phone hung up.

The office fell into a brief, dead silence.

The next second, "Bang!"

Chen Chen suddenly slammed his palm onto the desk, and the heavy mahogany executive desk emitted a muffled thud.

He jumped up from his chair, his face flushed, and an overwhelmingly suppressed ecstasy burst forth from his eyes:

"He's dead! He's really dead!"

Secretary Liu looked at Chen Chen, who was acting like a madman, recovering from his shock as he tentatively asked:

"Chairman, Lord Scorpion... was really killed just like that?"

"There's no mistake!"

Chen Chen nodded vigorously, his voice trembling slightly:

"From that kid Xiao Sa's tone, I can tell he isn't lying to me."

Hearing this, Secretary Liu's face was still filled with disbelief.

You must know that Scorpion was not some low-level cadre like Xu Hao.

This person's strength was extremely formidable, enough to rank in the top three within the entire Dongdu Branch of the Noah Organization.

Even if the three Protectors of the Red Tiger Gang back then had all come out together to launch a joint siege, they might not necessarily have been his match.

What's more, the abilities mastered by Scorpion were bizarre and unpredictable, killing people invisibly.

Even though they, as moles, had provided some intelligence to the other party, it had only scratched the surface, never probing the true bottom line of his abilities.

Therefore, in Secretary Liu's view, if that mysterious expert could rely on a sneak attack to heavily injure Scorpion and make him lose his mobility—

That would already be a very good result within their expectations.

As for finding an opportunity in less than two days to completely wipe out such a monster—

This truly exceeded their imagination.

Secretary Liu hesitated for a moment before breaking Chen Chen's excitement, proposing:

"Chairman, this is of great importance. Should we... confirm it once more?"

This suggestion was like a basin of cold water, causing the excitement on Chen Chen's face to recede slightly as a trace of doubt immediately welled up in his heart.

"Send people to investigate."

Hearing Chen Chen's order, Secretary Liu nodded immediately, walked aside, and dialed a phone call.

The subsequent wait became exceptionally long.

Chen Chen paced back and forth in the office.

Sometimes stopping in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows to look at the city in the rain, and sometimes irritably sitting back down in his chair, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the desk.

Secretary Liu stood quietly in place, but his frequent actions of raising his wrist to check his watch also exposed the lack of peace in his heart.

Half an hour later, the phone ringtone rang abruptly.

Secretary Liu quickly answered the phone and pressed the speakerphone button.

"Brother Liu, the police have surrounded the entire building at 444 Linjiang Avenue and put up cordon tape, not letting people get close."

"I asked around through my brothers in the police force. It's said that an extremely heinous murder happened here last night, and a female corpse had already been carried out earlier..."

"Also, this seems to be the hiding place of the 'Rain Night Butcher' who caused widespread panic a while ago."

"Did the police catch the Rain Night Butcher?"

Hearing this, Secretary Liu immediately pursued the question.

"Probably not yet. They've locked down the specifics tightly. All we know is that perverted sex maniac's whereabouts are unknown and he hasn't been caught yet."

"Alright, you continue staying there and report any situation at any time."

The phone call hung up.

"It seems it really is true..."

Secretary Liu finally let out a long sigh of relief. He turned to Chen Chen and analyzed:

"Chairman, according to Scorpion's habits, whether executing missions or in daily life, he likes to roam around at night and rarely shows his face during the day."

"444 Linjiang Avenue is precisely one of Scorpion's hiding places that we provided to that killer gentleman. The police found criminal evidence there, but he wasn't present. Things are looking ominous for him..."

Chen Chen nodded slightly. The excited expression on his face had restrained compared to before, but a hint of awe had increased.

For an expert of Scorpion's caliber to be killed was tantamount to dropping a blockbuster bomb on the Dongdu Branch of the Noah Organization.

This news simply couldn't be kept under wraps; I'm afraid it won't be long before it spreads across the entire underground world.

"Little Liu."

Chen Chen sat back down in his spacious boss's chair, his gaze suddenly turning sharp: "How is the fund-raising coming along?"

"I'm thinking of ways."

Secretary Liu showed a troubled expression:

"Chairman, as you know, most of our funds flow through multi-layered nesting via overseas accounts and shell companies. To withdraw such a large sum of clean cash in a short time involves a very complex process and easily attracts attention."

"We must speed up!"

Chen Chen heightened his tone: "The other party only gave one week. If we overdue, we can't afford the consequences..."

He paused for a moment, leaving the rest unsaid, but Secretary Liu already understood.

The style of operation of that kind of killer organization never reasons with you.

Secretary Liu nodded to acknowledge the order, then sighed slightly:

"I originally thought the other party would need at least one to two weeks to figure out the situation and make proper preparations before making a move. I didn't expect him to strike so cleanly and neatly."

"I didn't expect it either."

Chen Chen gave the same sentiment, then changed the subject, the light of ambition flashing in his eyes.

"But isn't this even better?"

"The earlier Scorpion dies, the faster the restraints on us are lifted, and the more we can untie our hands and feet!"

Chen Chen's thoughts spun rapidly. Now he could almost be certain.

The man behind Xiao Sa was the mastermind of the dock warehouse massacre.

Even the annihilation of Noah's entire pursuer team at the garbage disposal plant was done by their organization.

Being able to kill Scorpion so easily naturally meant they fully had the capability to accomplish all of that.

A mysterious organization with such terrifying strength, and one that dared to confront Noah head-on...

This was perhaps an excellent opportunity for him to break free from control and be reborn.

Thinking of this, Chen Chen looked at his trusted aide and continued along the topic:

"We and this killer gentleman are currently still in a purely employment relationship. During the last meeting, the other party also did not express an intention for in-depth cooperation."

"Now that Scorpion is dead, the transaction is considered complete. Wanting to make connections in the future probably won't be that easy."

Secretary Liu immediately grasped the chairman's intention. After pondering a little, he proposed:

"Chairman, we can consider starting from Xiao Sa."

"Oh?"

"Since we intend to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with the other party, we must have a stable and reliable communication channel."

"Xiao Sa was originally a person from our Red Tiger Gang, and his background is completely clear. It is most appropriate for him to act as this middleman."

"We can give him a nominal position as a consultant of the Yuanchen Group. The status sounds prestigious, but it doesn't involve core business. Let's first rope him in with this title and make him wholeheartedly maintain this line."

"In the future, through him, we can smoothly connect with the higher-ups of that organization, gradually gain their trust, and ultimately deeply bind the interests of both sides to form a more solid alliance."

Hearing this, Chen Chen hesitated slightly:

"Would a member of a killer organization be willing to come back and rejoin our Red Tiger Gang?"

"Yes."

Secretary Liu answered affirmatively:

"Based on my observation, Xiao Sa's strength and family background are very ordinary. He shouldn't be a core member of that organization, but rather more like a peripheral contact person."

"Precisely because of this, he needs a decent identity and a stable income even more to improve his life."

"We give him these benefits, and he maintains the relationship for us. It's beneficial for both sides. I think that organization would also be glad to see us proactively extending goodwill."

"Good!"

Chen Chen made the final decision: "Leave this matter to you to handle."

"Yes, Chairman."

Only Chen Chen was left in the office.

He slowly got up and walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling windows.

Overlooking the huge city beneath his feet that was still operating orderly in the rain.

The flush on his face had not completely faded, and deep in his eyes burned a raging ambition.

Scorpion was dead; the massive mountain pressing down on top of his head had finally been moved away.

Next was the time for him to fully flex his muscles.

...

Crackle, snap—

A string of a thousand firecrackers exploded at the courtyard entrance, deafening.

Shattered red paper scraps fluttered about with the scent of gunpowder smoke, like a lively red rain falling.

Fang Cheng threw away the slender bamboo pole he used to light the firecrackers and clapped his hands.

Turning around, he saw the smiles on his family members' faces.

"Good! Loud enough!"

Uncle Li Dingjian shouted at the top of his lungs: "This is called an auspicious start, and also house-protecting firecrackers."

"You guys, be careful, don't let the sparks splash onto you."

Mother Li Biyun repeatedly exhorted, but the curve of her lips leaked her inner joy.

Grandfather Li Zhenhua wore a brand-new dark Tang suit, looking vigorous and spirited.

He looked at the brand-new couplets pasted beneath the black tiles and white walls, the satisfaction in his eyes almost overflowing:

"Liveliness is good; with human presence, the house can come alive. From now on, this will be our home in Dongdu."

Fang Cheng walked over with a smile and supported Grandfather Li Zhenhua's arm:

"Grandfather, let's go inside and take a look. Uncle put a lot of thought into decorating this house."

This courtyard located on the old street of Wanghu Town.

Viewed from the outside, with its black tiles, white walls, and flying eaves, the antique style blended seamlessly with the scenery of the entire street.

After nearly two months of renovation, the interior had already taken on a completely new look.

The ground in the courtyard was paved with non-slip bluestone slabs, and elegant flower beds were built in the corners.

Beneath those two trees that were already lush with branches and leaves, one had a stone table and stone stools set up, while the other had a sturdy swing frame erected.

When summer arrived, cooling off and resting here, one could imagine how leisurely and comfortable it would be.

Pushing open the heavy carved gates, a scent mixed with a faint woody fragrance and fresh air rushed toward them.

The interior decoration style was a blend of traditional and modern aesthetics.

In the living room sat a set of smooth-lined mahogany sofas and a coffee table, and several ink paintings with distant and deep Concepts hung on the wall.

Looking up, the ceiling was a flat-top design without main lights, and the concealed central air conditioning vents ensured a comfortable temperature.

The floor was paved with warm and delicate oak flooring, making not the slightest sound when stepped on.

"Dad, look, is this TV big enough? Eighty-five inches. You can watch the news and operas when you're free, it doesn't hurt your eyes."

Li Dingjian pointed at the LCD TV that occupied almost half the wall, introducing it smugly as if presenting a treasure:

"And this, a fully automatic massage chair. Later I'll set up the program for you so you can get a massage every day to promote blood circulation and dredge the collaterals."

Li Biyun cared more about practicality. She touched the standing water dispenser beside the sofa, looked at the brand-new air purifier in the corner, and nodded in satisfaction:

"Dingjian, you thought of everything. These appliances are all major brands, Dad can use them with peace of mind."

"Of course, being used by my dad, how could I be sloppy about it?"

Li Dingjian laughed heartily.

"Grandfather, I also prepared a gift for you to congratulate you on your housewarming."

Fang Cheng said, taking a long brocade box from the side.

"You child, we're all family, why bring any gifts."

Grandfather Li Zhenhua complained verbally, but the wrinkles of his smile deepened.

Fang Cheng opened the box, and an exquisitely framed vertical scroll slowly unfolded.

In the painting, several vigorous ancient pine trees stood upright beside a mountain stream.

Two red-crowned cranes in graceful postures either stood with their necks stretched or lowered their heads to forage, against a background of distant mountains shrouded in clouds and mist.

"This should be called... Pines and Cranes of Longevity, right?"

Grandfather Li Zhenhua's eyes lit up. He carefully extended his finger, gently brushing across the surface of the scroll to feel the texture of the paper.

"Yes."

Fang Cheng smiled and explained:

"This is an authentic work by the modern master Liu Haisu. It's not particularly precious, but the brushwork is exquisite and the auspicious meaning is good. Pines and cranes for longevity, household peace—it's just right for hanging in the living room."

"Good, good painting, good auspicious meaning!"

Grandfather praised repeatedly: "Chengcheng has been thoughtful. I like this painting, hang it on the wall behind the sofa."

Seeing the old man's heartfelt joy, Li Biyun and Li Dingjian also looked at each other and smiled.

"Alright, we've looked at the painting too, and it's getting late. I'll go cook."

Li Biyun rolled up her sleeves, preparing to walk towards the kitchen.

"Sis, why don't you rest for a while?"

Li Dingjian tried to dissuade her: "I originally contacted a master chef from a hotel and asked him to bring two apprentices over to make a table of dishes, sparing you the fatigue."

"That won't do!"

Li Biyun immediately shook her head with a resolute attitude:

"The first meal of a housewarming must be cooked by oneself so that the days will become increasingly prosperous. This is called 'fire-starting meal' or 'housewarming banquet'. Having someone else help cook will split away the family's fortune."

"Your sister is right."

Grandfather Li Zhenhua spoke up from the side: "In our hometown, we also have to cook rice with new grain, signifying that the rice jar is always full and the household is thriving."

"Fine, I'll listen to you all."

Li Dingjian smiled and raised his hands in surrender.

"Mom, I'll be your assistant."

Fang Cheng followed his mother towards the kitchen.

The kitchen was spacious and bright, fully equipped with kitchenware.

A brand-new double-door refrigerator, built-in oven, and dishwasher were all present, and there was also a large kitchen island in the middle.

Fang Cheng tied on an apron and nimbly handled the ingredients.

The iron wok was heated piping hot over the stove fire, and the oil hissed the moment it entered the wok.

With a flick of his wrist, the sliced pork kidneys slid into the wok. As the spatula flew back and forth, flames leaped over a foot high from the edge of the wok.

The spatula collided with the wok wall, producing a crisp sound.

Sauce was poured along the edge of the wok, instantly stirring up a rich aroma.

Before long, a plate of Stir-fried Pork Kidneys was quickly served out, bright red in color and fragrant.

"Chengcheng, your Culinary Arts are getting better and better. This posture is catching up to a hotel master chef!"

Li Biyun stood nearby, glanced at it, and praised without stinginess.

Fang Cheng smiled slightly, watching a prompt message quietly emerge before his eyes:

[ Culinary Arts Experience + 1 ].

Li Biyun was breaking apart green vegetables one by one, carefully rinsing off the mud and sand at the roots of the leaves under the faucet, while muttering:

"This kitchen is decorated really well, it's almost bigger than our living room at home. Your uncle really knows how to spend money."

"Thinking back a few months ago, he was still idle, sighing over the money for Dad's surgery. I didn't expect that now he buys a house and renovates it for Dad without even blinking an eye..."

Li Biyun sighed, her words carrying a bit of gratification and emotion.

Hearing this, Fang Cheng felt a slight stir in his heart.

Grandfather's retirement residence could be considered completely resolved.

Next, he should also consider getting a better place to live for his mother.

As for the issue of money?

That had long ceased to be a problem.

It wouldn't be long before he would be a bona fide multimillionaire.