Chapter 282: The Rules of Shanghai
It was hard to get a taxi there. The man from the Yuan Family walked for nearly forty minutes before finally getting into a cab and heading directly to the Liu Family Company.
It was late, and the lights in the company building were almost all off.
Having no other choice, he could only check into the hotel across the street for the night.
The next morning, he came to the company early. "I want to see your President Liu! I'm from the Yuan Family!"
Hearing he was from the Yuan Family, the receptionist notified the top floor.
Before long, a secretary came down personally to receive him. "Why are you alone? Where is he?"
The man from the Yuan Family quickly forced a smile. "I'll tell your President Liu in person shortly."
Top floor.
The Liu Family had expected the Yuan Family to come and apologize, handing over the person they wanted. They hadn't expected only one man to show up.
"You didn't bring the person we want. Is your Yuan Family determined to make an enemy of us?"
"No, that's not it, President Liu. You've misunderstood!" The man from the Yuan Family had the fawning look of a lackey. "President Liu, I'm actually here to cooperate with you."
"I know where to find the person you're looking for. Yuan Tiancheng has a special relationship with him and will never hand him over!"
"Then tell me, where is he? You'd better not be lying to me, or I won't go easy on you!"
"Of course I wouldn't lie to you." The man from the Yuan Family didn't forget to seize the opportunity to air his grievances with Yuan Tiancheng. "He kicked me out for a mere outsider!"
"He disregarded our family ties, so I don't care anymore either. I know some of Yuan Tiancheng's secrets, and I can tell you all of them!"
President Liu heard this and realized the man could be of some use. "Alright. Since the Yuan Family has cast you out, you can stay with me for the time being."
"Oh, and don't forget the man I want. I want to see him tonight!"
"Of course. I guarantee you'll see him!"
The man from the Yuan Family was arranged to rest in one of the Liu Family's properties.
He cautiously took out a cell phone. It was Yuan Tiancheng's.
He had secretly taken it before leaving the Yuan residence. At the time, Yuan Tiancheng had set his phone aside and hadn't noticed the man's furtive movement.
Plus, it was crowded and chaotic at the time, which gave him the perfect opportunity to act.
This was also one of the reasons he dared to seek cooperation with the Liu Family!
'Only with a bargaining chip in hand could he make himself more useful!'
The man from the Yuan Family found someone to unlock the phone's passcode and looked through its files.
Sure enough, there was a number with the character 'Xiao' written next to it.
'This must be the guy.' He had vaguely heard the name before.
He immediately sent a text message to the number: Shengshi Huating, 10 PM.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ye received the text but didn't think much of it. He assumed Yuan Tiancheng had found some new information and that it was inconvenient to call, so he was opting to meet in person.
Soon, it was ten o'clock at night.
At the entrance of Shengshi Huating.
A car slowly pulled to a stop.
The driver looked at Xiao Ye. "Mr. Xiao, please. Our Patriarch is waiting for you at another location."
Xiao Ye frowned slightly, vaguely sensing that something was wrong.
'It was unlikely Yuan Tiancheng would change the location halfway through. Did something unexpected really come up?'
Still, Xiao Ye got into the car.
「Half an hour later.」
He arrived at a private villa.
The moment he got out of the car, he was surrounded by a group of bodyguards.
Members of the Liu Family walked out, among them the very same Young Master Liu from the other day.
Xiao Ye understood at once. 'I've fallen into a trap.'
The man from the Yuan Family was standing beside them, an obsequious look on his face. "President Liu, you see? I brought him here just as I promised."
"Mm, well done."
President Liu said casually, not bothering to spare him another glance, and fixed his gaze on Xiao Ye.
"So you're the one who dared to cause trouble for my Liu Family?"
Young Master Liu immediately shouted from the side, "Yes, that's the punk, Second Uncle! You have to help me get even!"
"This brat actually dared to look down on me! Today, I'll make him kneel and apologize, no matter what!"
President Liu nodded and ordered Xiao Ye about with imperious arrogance. "Did you hear that? Kneel and apologize. Or do you need us to make you?"
Young Master Liu was even more arrogant. "Punk, last time I told you to apologize, you didn't listen."
"Well, look at you now. You've fallen into my hands, and this won't be as simple as a mere apology."
Xiao Ye's expression remained unchanged, but his gaze was icy. "I'll give you a chance now, too."
"You've wasted my time. Now kneel and apologize immediately!"
The Liu Family members were silent for a few seconds before bursting into mocking laughter.
"Punk, this is Liu Family turf! And our Liu Family is one of the most prominent families in all of Shanghai!"
"You actually dare to tell us to apologize? You really have a death wish!"
Young Master Liu hated Xiao Ye's calm and unruffled appearance the most. "Since you're looking for death, I'll grant you your wish!"
"A few of you, pin him down!"
"Today, I'm going to personally teach him the rules of Shanghai!"
Xiao Ye laughed. "Your Liu Family doesn't represent Shanghai."
'This is the nation's territory. Do they really think they're powerful enough to be compared to the country itself?'
'A local tyrant might call himself an Emperor, but he's still just a petty warlord—not the true sovereign!'
Young Master Liu boasted shamelessly, "In Shanghai, the Liu Family is the law! The Liu Family's rules are Shanghai's rules!"
As he spoke, several bodyguards began to close in. Four of them formed a pincer, trapping Xiao Ye in the middle.
Xiao Ye stretched his limbs. 'Perfect.' He'd spent a lot of energy investigating these past few days.
'Plus, the lack of any significant progress has left him feeling rather irritated.'
'Today, I can use these people to vent some of that pent-up frustration!'
As the bodyguards drew near, Xiao Ye suddenly moved!
THUD! THUD!
A few thuds later.
The four bodyguards were on the ground.
The Liu Family members were stunned. They hadn't expected Xiao Ye to actually be a trained fighter.
"No wonder you're so arrogant, punk. Turns out you just know a few cheap tricks."
"All of you, get him! Pin him down!"
"The first one to subdue him gets 100,000!"
100,000! That was more than half a year's salary!
Hearing this, the rest of the bodyguards were instantly motivated. Their eyes, now fixed on Xiao Ye, looked at him as if he were prey.
As the crowd surged forward again, a few more muffled thuds rang out.
This time, not a single bodyguard was left standing.
The members of the Liu Family fell silent, unable to find their voices for a long moment.
'Their bodyguards... were taken care of just like that?'
'This… this was like some kind of cosmic joke!'
'These were the experts they had paid good money for! And they couldn't even handle a single person!'
As Xiao Ye gradually closed in, the Liu Family members finally snapped out of it, backing away in fear.
The previously arrogant Young Master Liu was now so frightened his legs felt weak. "Wh-what are you going to do?!"
"I'm warning you! If you dare to lay a single finger on us, I guarantee you won't be able to survive in Shanghai!"
"This is the Liu Family! If I want you to suffer, you will suffer! I'm willing to let you off the hook today. Get out of here now!"