Chapter 40: Can I Go with You?
"The younger generation of the Chen Family really is something else. Tell your grandfather that this isn't over. If Chen Feng doesn't show up to apologize, my Yunlong Group would be more than happy to see how we stack up against the Chen Conglomerate's finances!"
Zhang Long scoffed. 'She's threatening me.' He knew that even though Chen Yao had sided with them today, even going so far as to strike Chen Feng, his own act of storming their headquarters without any warning had made her lose face.
But so what?
When it came to throwing his weight around, Zhang Long had never backed down from anyone.
Leaving the Chen Building, Zhou Fan hauled Liu Chuang along with one hand and parted ways with Zhang Long.
"Let's go. To your place!" Zhou Fan kicked Liu Chuang, his tone absolute.
"Boss, I swear I don't have any backups! And I didn't know Chen Yi was your woman! Please, just let me go!" Liu Chuang pleaded, begging nonstop as he led the way.
But Zhou Fan simply ignored him. Every time Liu Chuang slowed down, he got a swift kick. He was basically kicked the entire way.
"Find them yourself. Don't make me get my hands dirty."
They arrived at Liu Chuang's rented place, a small studio apartment. Zhou Fan casually locked the door and pointed at him.
"There really are no more! That was the only copy, and you have it now!" Liu Chuang's eyes darted away. Inwardly, he was cursing Chen Yi's name. 'After this is over, I'll find a way to get my revenge. I'll force her to take even more photos and post them everywhere. I'll destroy her reputation until she has no choice but to do whatever I say!'
"It seems you're determined to do this the hard way." Zhou Fan gave Liu Chuang a mocking glance. "Fine. If you're so eager to die, I'll be happy to oblige." 'I know his type all too well. He definitely has backups, and there's no way it's just one.'
As he spoke, a scarlet hue appeared in Zhou Fan's eyes, and everything in the room became transparent to his gaze.
He shot Liu Chuang a cold glare, the killing intent in his eyes intensifying. He walked over to the headboard and then to the bathroom, retrieving a USB drive from each location. He returned to stand before Liu Chuang and, meeting the man's shocked expression, slapped him across the face.
SLAP!
The force of the blow sent Liu Chuang staggering into the bathroom.
"Y-you… what are you doing? You already got the backups!" Liu Chuang scrambled to his feet in terror, pressing his back flat against the wall. His voice trembled, and when he opened his mouth, a bloody tooth fell out.
Zhou Fan ignored him. His eyes were like ice as he tapped his palm against the wall a few times before giving it a hard push. A hidden compartment sprang open.
The moment the compartment opened, Liu Chuang's face went ashen, and he slumped to the floor.
The hidden space was dark and grim. Inside, two iron chains were anchored to a pipe on the wall. The other ends were bound to the hands and feet of a young girl.
The girl's mouth was sealed with duct tape, and she wore only a single, thin layer of clothing. Her terrified eyes locked onto Zhou Fan as she shook her head frantically, her gaze a mixture of pure terror and pleading.
"I've never claimed to be a good man. In this world, good people don't get happy endings. But I'm not a complete monster, either. I have my own bottom line."
Zhou Fan's voice was exceptionally cold, as if it had crawled up from hell itself. He grabbed a fistful of Liu Chuang's hair and threw him down in front of the girl.
SNAP!
Zhou Fan gripped the iron chain with both hands, muscles straining, and snapped it in two. He then unceremoniously ripped the tape from the girl's mouth. "You have two choices. Either walk away from here and never mention you saw me, or kill him yourself. If you do, I'll have your back."
With that, Zhou Fan took half a step back, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it, trying to calm the raging bloodlust within him.
The girl was stunned for a moment. She looked from Zhou Fan to Liu Chuang, who was slumped on the ground in a stupor. A vicious glint slowly appeared in her eyes. She grabbed a length of the broken chain and, with all her might, brought it crashing down on Liu Chuang's head.
One minute, five minutes, ten minutes…
The girl bludgeoned Liu Chuang's head for a full twenty minutes, putting every last ounce of her strength into each blow. When she finally lacked the energy to lift the chain again, she collapsed to the ground and began to weep silently.
"When you're done crying, we'll go. Where do you live? I'll take you home."
Zhou Fan took out his phone and sent a text to someone named Fan, briefly explaining the situation. Then, he glanced at Liu Chuang's body.
"I… I just leave? Like this?"
The girl scrubbed the tears from her face, lifted her head, and asked in a small voice.
Zhou Fan slapped his forehead in frustration. 'Right.' He'd forgotten. He quickly took off his jacket and handed it to her. "This will have to do for now. It's not like I can give you my pants, too."
"I remember… I had clothes with me when I was brought here." The girl pointed toward the bedroom. After a nod from Zhou Fan, she walked right in.
Zhou Fan sat on the sofa, waiting. Before long, the bedroom door opened, and the girl emerged in a fresh set of clothes.
She wore a simple, clean outfit: a pair of faded jeans and a black t-shirt. She was holding Zhou Fan's jacket in her arms.
"You said you'd have my back. Can I come with you?"