The moment the words fell, He Zhonghua's stern face turned icy, like a movie villain transforming into a cold, ruthless, and emotionless demon, staring directly at me.
His gaze was as if he would tear me to shreds if I didn't agree!
I knew He Zhonghua was using his home turf to further pressure me with his influence.
If I chose to refuse, the consequences would likely be...
Just then, Li Wenting, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke, "Impressive! Truly impressive!"
"I never imagined that in just two years, you could grow to this extent!"
"Judging by this stance, if Chen Xiang doesn't agree, will he really never return?"
Upon hearing this, He Zhonghua's expression faltered slightly, and the cold aura he exuded dissipated completely.
"Sister Wenting, you can leave, but... if he doesn't agree, he absolutely cannot leave!"
Whether it was my imagination or not, as He Zhonghua replied, I saw a hint of timidity in his eyes.
If I wasn't mistaken, this scene indicated that He Zhonghua was very afraid of Li Wenting!?
Could it be true? What was Li Wenting's background?
While I was secretly pondering Li Wenting's identity, she began to respond.
"Heh heh~"
A cold smile played on her lips, and Li Wenting seemed to dismiss He Zhonghua entirely, her eyes filled with disdain and contempt.
As for He Zhonghua himself, being stared at by Li Wenting like a hunter locking onto prey, he immediately felt extremely uncomfortable.
Seeing this, I immediately concluded in my heart: the key to escaping this predicament lay with Li Wenting! Because He Zhonghua was very wary of her!
For some reason, a strong desire for knowledge suddenly surged within me, a desperate need to understand who Li Wenting truly was.
A woman's curiosity about a man and her desire to understand him are considered the beginning of her fall.
Little did I know, it was the same for a man towards a woman!
Even though I knew this feeling was dangerous, I couldn't help but want to get closer.
For no other reason, women like Li Wenting, who harbored secrets, naturally attracted men's attention...
At this moment, due to Li Wenting's inexplicable cold smile, He Zhonghua's face turned very unpleasant. The timidity in his eyes gradually dissipated, and a flicker of anger began to rise.
"Li Wenting, do you really think you're something special!?"
Fiercely glaring at the smirking, silent Li Wenting, as if her gaze had completely ignited the long-suppressed anger within him.
He Zhonghua suddenly lost his temper, pointing at Li Wenting and shouting, "Your Li family is merely a close subordinate who followed the old man from the beginning. Two years ago, the old man recognized you as his goddaughter, and out of respect for seniority, he called you sister. Now you've really gotten full of yourself?"
"I'll say it again, if you want to leave, you can leave now, but Chen Xiang must stay!"
Hearing this, Li Wenting walked step by step towards He Zhonghua, looked him directly in the eyes, and asked in a deep, measured tone, "Mr. He's mission to me is to protect Chen Xiang closely, twenty-four hours a day! Therefore..."
"Either we go together, or we stay here together!"
He Zhonghua suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahahahahaha~"
After laughing heartily, He Zhonghua's expression turned stern, and he looked at Li Wenting with cold eyes, saying, "Since you disregard the respect I, He Zhonghua, have shown, then don't blame me for being impolite!"
"For the Thousand King Tournament, I have endured for many years and have already laid out a grand plan in secret. Seeing that my long-cherished wish is about to be fulfilled tonight, I absolutely will not allow anyone at tonight's final gambling table to still have their hearts with the old man!!!"
Hearing He Zhonghua say this, my brow furrowed instantly.
What did he mean by that?
Could it be that the other eight participants in the finals tonight, including Yu Shuang, had already colluded with him and were all bought off?
If that were the case, it would truly be terrifying!
After all, apart from the ultimate champion, the other participants in the finals also received extremely generous rewards.
If the contestants were materialistic, they would be bribed with rewards.
If they valued their future, conditions would be presented on the spot.
When all these people, without exception, would choose their future and pledge allegiance to He Zhonghua in full view of everyone...
For Mr. He, this would be a world-shattering killing blow!
Losing face was secondary; the most crucial thing was the hearts of the people, which could collapse directly!
Thinking of this, my entire body instantly turned ice-cold.
If Mr. He's side was not yet aware of this news, then if He Zhonghua succeeded in his scheme tonight, my revenge plan might be directly thwarted!
No! I must leave! And I must leave immediately!
Therefore, I need to quickly devise a way to escape.
Whether it's breaking through the encirclement with brute force or decisively taking He Zhonghua hostage, preparation and mental conditioning are necessary.
My fate is determined by me, not by heaven. I will not be a pawn or a chess piece in anyone's hands. My life and death, my wins and losses, are up to me to decide!!!
Seeing Li Wenting's somber expression and hearing her words, He Zhonghua immediately sneered triumphantly, "Heh heh~ Being good at fighting is useless!"
"In this day and age, when you're out and about, it all comes down to three things."
"Money, money, and more money!"
"As long as you have money, you can do whatever you want!"
"You can have people, you can have weapons!"
"Good at fighting? Let's see if your fists are faster than the bullets in my men's guns?"
"Fa Cai, I'll leave the rest to you."
After speaking, He Zhonghua waved to the gambler named Fa Cai, signaling him to handle all subsequent matters.
At this moment, cold sweat was already breaking out all over me.
Because I knew that once Li Wenting's reputation failed to deter them, the next step would be the unmasking and turning of tables.
Given the current situation, it was impossible to fight my way out with just fists and kicks. The only way was to subdue He Zhonghua.
I had to find an absolutely foolproof opportunity, and it had to be successful from the first move, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.
Just as I was preparing to make a move on He Zhonghua, Li Wenting beside me suddenly tugged at my sleeve, gesturing for me to look.
I instinctively turned my head to look...
In front of the gambling table, five people, led by Fa Cai, had all drawn their guns and were locking their sights on me!!!
Fortunately, I hadn't made a move yet, otherwise, I suspect I would probably be lying on the ground riddled with bullet holes by now...