The night deepened, and the waterfront was brightly lit. High-rise buildings and the winding Huangpu River outlined a beautiful night scene, attracting a steady stream of visitors.
This was the most prosperous area in Longguo, where every inch of land was gold. The few residences nearby were astronomically priced and unavailable even at any price.
As the young master of the Hongzi faction of the Qinghong gang, Huang Xiaoxie owned a residence on the Donghai waterfront.
Just like his residence in Nanzhou, his Donghai waterfront dwelling was a sky villa. Standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could take in the entire waterfront view.
At eleven o'clock at night, Huang Xiaoxie stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, a glass of red wine in hand, sipping as he overlooked the waterfront's night scenery.
"Ding—"
Suddenly, his phone rang, breaking the silence of the room.
Huang Xiaoxie heard the sound, gently swirled the red wine in his glass, then tilted his head back and drained it in one gulp.
After finishing, he turned, walked to the sofa, placed the wine glass on the coffee table, picked up his phone, and answered.
"Young Master Huang, Huangfu Yingjun has replied. He said it's a sensitive period and it's not convenient for him to meet you."
Upon answering, a voice came from the earpiece.
The speaker was a prominent local playboy in Donghai, quite friendly with Huang Xiaoxie.
"Sensitive period? What does that mean?"
Huang Xiaoxie frowned.
His purpose in coming to Donghai was threefold, one of which was to invite Huangfu Yingjun for a meal and, through him, connect with the Huangfu family, thereby shifting their partnership from the Qingzi faction of Qinghong to the Hongzi faction.
This was also one of the gifts he had mentioned to his father, Huang Xiong!
"Young Master Huang, just as you predicted, Huangfu Yingjun deeply resents that fellow Jiang Wuming and also has issues with Chu Wansong. However, to de-escalate the situation, Chu Wansong sold thirty percent of his shares in a lithium mine he acquired in the southwest to the Huangfu family!
It is precisely because of this that the Huangfu family did not pursue the matter of Jiang Wuming hitting Huangfu Yingjun at Huangfu Villa that day!"
The Donghai playboy replied quickly, "Under these circumstances, Huangfu Yingjun is worried that meeting with you, if word gets out, will affect the Huangfu family's cooperation and relationship with Chu Wansong, and he'll be reprimanded by the elders of the Huangfu family!"
"Heh... that lithium mine in the southwest is a cash cow. Chu Wansong actually gave up thirty percent of his shares for that Jiang Wuming. What a generous gesture!"
Huang Xiaoxie said sarcastically, his expression as gloomy as if it could drip water. "I see. Thank you for your trouble, brother. We'll find time to have a meal after I'm done with my business."
"You're too kind, Young Master Huang. If you need anything in Donghai, just let me know anytime."
"Alright."
Huang Xiaoxie said, then hung up the phone, took out a cigar from the humidor, lit it, and took a deep puff.
Just then, his phone rang again.
This time, the caller was Sun Hao, the head of the Qinghong gang's film and television company.
"Brother Sun, is the matter handled?"
Huang Xiaoxie answered the phone and asked first.
"No... no, Young Master Huang."
Sun Hao replied with some awkwardness and unease. Before Huang Xiaoxie could speak, he quickly explained,
"Tonight, that Wu Fan appeared at Chu Weiyang's concert in Donghai, sang a song with Chu Weiyang, and confessed his feelings to her on stage, but was publicly rejected by Chu Weiyang!
After the concert, Wu Fan tried to invite Chu Weiyang for a late-night snack, intending to do something improper to her. However, he was thrown out of the backstage dressing room by Chu Weiyang's younger brother, Chu Feng..."
"This good-for-nothing!"
Hearing this, Huang Xiaoxie couldn't take it anymore, angrily stubbing out his cigar.
"Young Master Huang, this good-for-nothing is indeed incompetent, but more importantly, Chu Weiyang already has a boyfriend!" Sun Hao added.
"Who told you Chu Weiyang has a boyfriend?" Huang Xiaoxie asked with suspicion.
"Wu Fan told me. He said that when he was inviting Chu Weiyang, besides Chu Feng, a man and a woman were also present. The man was Chu Weiyang's boyfriend—Chu Feng called him brother-in-law in front of Wu Fan!" Sun Hao explained.
"Who is Chu Weiyang's boyfriend?" Huang Xiaoxie asked.
"Jiang Wuming! This is the information I just found out, and it's absolutely correct!" Sun Hao stated confidently.
"Damn it, I knew it! No wonder Chu Wansong went to such lengths to protect that Jiang Wuming for a past favor. So he wants Jiang Wuming to be his son-in-law and subsequently assist his son, Chu Feng. What a well-thought-out plan!"
Huang Xiaoxie made a subjective conjecture, his expression becoming even more gloomy.
Because obtaining a video of Chu Weiyang engaging in intimacy was the second gift he had promised his father, Huang Xiong.
Chu Wansong doted on Chu Weiyang like his own treasure.
If he possessed a video of Chu Weiyang's intimate moments, it would be equivalent to holding Chu Wansong by the throat!
In the future, if the Hongzi faction went to war with the Qingzi faction, the Hongzi faction could use this gift to deal a devastating blow to Chu Wansong, even achieving the effect of winning without fighting.
After ending his call with Sun Hao, Huang Xiaoxie immediately dialed Lei Bao.
Lei Bao, the person in charge of the Hongzi faction's underground boxing, had accompanied Huang Xiaoxie to Donghai but was staying at a hotel with his men, not with Huang Xiaoxie.
"Brother Lei, have your people prepare themselves. We'll get things done tomorrow," Huang Xiaoxie instructed.
"Young Master Huang, didn't you say we should handle other matters first for the next two days?"
Lei Bao sounded surprised. He knew what Huang Xiaoxie wanted him to do and that Huang Xiaoxie had other important matters to attend to.
"The plan has changed. Also, have someone investigate Jiang Wuming's whereabouts. Find a way to encounter him and create a plausible opportunity to act!"
Huang Xiaoxie did not explain, but instead gave another instruction.
Since the other two matters were no longer feasible, he decided to bring back a part of Jiang Wuming's body to Nanzhou and complete the two gifts!
...
At one o'clock in the morning, Jiang Wuming, Chu Weiyang, Huangfu Weixia, and Chu Feng returned to the Donghai Martial Arts Academy after having a late-night snack in Chu Feng's car.
Huangfu Weixia and Chu Feng returned to their respective dormitories, while Jiang Wuming returned to Sword Valley alone.
"Wuming, you're back?"
The moment Jiang Wuming stepped into Sword Valley, Xia Xueqin emerged from her room.
"Aunt Xia, why are you still awake?" Jiang Wuming asked.
"I was waiting for you."
Xia Xueqin replied, "I heard about what happened at Huangfu Villa, and I know who Chu Wansong is. He's quite famous in Donghai."
Jiang Wuming did not speak immediately. He knew Xia Xueqin would have questions for him.
As expected, Xia Xueqin asked directly, "Why did he help you? Does he want to recruit you?"
"No, Aunt Xia."
Jiang Wuming shook his head and said, "The Chu family and the Jiang family have historical ties from the previous generation, and my father once saved Chu Wansong's life."
"So that's how it is."
Xia Xueqin was relieved upon hearing this. She hesitated for a moment, then spoke again, warning him, "Since Chu Wansong doesn't want to recruit you to work for him, I'm relieved. However, Wuming, I advise you not to get too close to Chu Wansong, and certainly not to get involved in the Qinghong conflict."
"Why?" Jiang Wuming asked.
"Firstly, you are now a teacher at the Donghai Martial Arts Academy and, in a sense, a staff member of the Military Department. Doing so would affect your reputation, and people might even use it to target you.
Secondly, the leader of the Hongzi faction of Qinghong, Huang Xiong, was one of the first students at the Donghai Martial Arts Academy with me and your father—he was expelled from the Donghai Martial Arts Academy because of your father!"
Xia Xueqin explained, then recounted to Jiang Wuming the events of Huang Xiong and Jiang Zhan back then, and warned him:
"That Huang Xiong is narrow-minded and ruthless in his actions! If he finds out you are too close to Chu Wansong, or if you get involved in the Qinghong conflict, the new and old grudges combined will certainly lead him to try and eliminate you!"
"Aunt Xia, what is Huang Xiong's strength?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wuming's expression remained as calm as water, and he asked again.
"He is a Two-Star War God, and ranked tenth on the global Two-Star War God rankings!"
Xia Xueqin replied, her tone filled with concern.
She didn't want Jiang Wuming to encounter any accidents, yet she couldn't protect him all the time.
"Aunt Xia, don't worry. If that Huang Xiong foolishly tries to attack me, I'll slap him into a dead dog with one hand."
Jiang Wuming said calmly, as if speaking of a trivial matter.
"You... what did you say?!"
Xia Xueqin stared at Jiang Wuming with shock.
"Aunt Xia, I am actually the Hall Master of the War Dragon Hall."
Jiang Wuming no longer concealed his identity and revealed his true position.
"You..."
Xia Xueqin's eyes widened, and she looked at Jiang Wuming in disbelief.
At this moment, she tried to connect Jiang Wuming with the War Dragon Hall Master who had recently shaken the global martial arts world, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't reconcile the two identities.
Because.
A young man, twenty years old.
The Hall Master of the War Dragon Hall.
Ranked first on the Two-Star War God list!
...