Every action has its price.
The stout woman had her teeth knocked out for a single grumble.
By the time Chou Wen and Chou Hai ceased their struggle, Chu Fan had vanished without a trace.
With the source of their fear gone, the two brothers slumped to the ground, gasping for breath, believing the ordeal was finally over.
Little did they know, it was merely their assumption.
Around the same time, Ji Ningyue received a message.
Within an hour, all assets of the Chou family in Shanhai City were to disappear.
The Azure Dragon Consortium's advance was unstoppable.
Just as Chou Wen and his brother were sending the stout woman to the hospital, they received a call.
"What?"
Chou Wen collapsed onto the ground like a sack of mud.
"Big Brother, what's wrong?"
Chou Wen looked up dazedly, "Xiao Hai, our family is ruined..."
Upon learning the specifics, Chou Hai also crumpled to the ground, appearing utterly soulless.
In that moment, Chou Wen was filled with regret, regretting ever provoking Chu Fan.
With his sharp mind, he understood that while he had initially clashed with Chu Fan, he hadn't taken it seriously then.
It was his own foolishness, colluding with the stout woman to seek revenge, that led him to this predicament.
Who was he, truly?
With his unremarkable appearance, easily overlooked, he looked like an ordinary person, yet he could mobilize the Azure Dragon Consortium.
Chu Fan returned to the banquet hall to find most of the guests had already departed.
Guan Hongyun, who had been waiting, rushed forward with a smile upon seeing Chu Fan.
"My Lord, I apologize for my lack of attentiveness due to being busy with affairs. I hope you will not take offense."
"There's no need for such formality!"
"Feel at ease when you are with me. There's no need to treat me with such deliberate respect!"
"I dislike drawing too much attention!"
Guan Hongyun nodded, then hesitated before asking, "My Lord, Shangguan Hongyu wishes to pay his respects. May I ask if you would see him?"
Not far away, Shangguan Hongyu was gazing in their direction with eager anticipation.
Having previously humbled himself only to be ignored, Shangguan Hongyu realized that not everyone could capture Chu Fan's attention.
To establish a connection with him, one had to go through Guan Hongyun.
If Shangguan Hongyu hadn't intervened earlier, it would have drawn even more attention.
Chu Fan nodded.
Receiving the nod, Shangguan Hongyu trotted over, holding a wooden box crafted from fine nanmu wood.
"My Lord, a small token of my respect. I hope you will accept it."
Inside the box was a porcelain artifact that Chu Fan had noticed during the auction.
Many had vied for it then, and it was eventually acquired by Shangguan Hongyu for thirty million.
A treasure of considerable value, Shangguan Hongyu had rushed to present it to Chu Fan almost as soon as he received it.
Though he wasn't lacking in money or possessions, a friendly gesture should be met with grace. Chu Fan gestured with his chin, "Place it on the table!"
With the Master finally accepting the gift, Shangguan Hongyu's nervousness slightly subsided.
His greatest concern was that Chu Fan would refuse the gift.
After a brief introduction, Chu Fan turned back towards Shanhai Pavilion.
"Brother Hong!"
Content and joyful, Shangguan Hongyu was about to leave when Chou Wen called out from behind him.
With Chu Fan present, he could only feign unfamiliarity.
Seeing Chou Wen's haggard appearance, looking like a completely different person in just a few hours, Shangguan Hongyu frowned and asked, "What happened to you?"
"Alas..."
Chou Wen sighed helplessly, "Brother Hong, it's hard to explain in a few words. How about we talk in the car? Only you can save me now."
The Chou family had been struck by disaster.
Chou Wen knew that Chu Fan was the cause.
The only person he could think of for help was Shangguan Hongyu.
He firmly believed that Shangguan Hongyu must know Chu Fan's background.
Only by understanding the other party's background could he find the right approach to resolve the conflict.
In the car, after listening to Chou Wen's account, Shangguan Hongyu said with great helplessness, "Ah Wen, it's not that I don't want to help you, but this involves him, and I am also powerless."
"What were you thinking, provoking anyone but him?"
"Do you know who he is?"
"Do you know that I just gave him a treasure I bought for thirty million to curry favor and earn his approval?"
It's over!
Chou Wen knew that the Chou family was utterly finished, with no hope of recovery.
"Brother Hong, who exactly is he? Why do you even..."
Shangguan Hongyu shook his head slightly, "I don't know his exact identity, as his information is heavily classified, making it impossible to investigate."
"But he has a new title that you should have heard of."
"The King of Shanhai."
Chou Wen was horrified.
He couldn't imagine that the King of Shanhai, who resided in Shanhai Pavilion, was the seemingly ordinary Chu Fan.
What made his scalp tingle even more was that they had previously intended to break the King of Shanhai's leg?
To gouge out his eyes?
Gradually regaining his composure, Chou Wen finally understood what it felt like to stir up trouble from the "Tai Sui head."
Recalling the immense effort the Chou family had invested to reach their current standing, he couldn't bear to see it all undone due to such a mistake.
Chou Wen slid down, kneeling before Shangguan Hongyu in the car.
"Brother Hong, I beg you, save the Chou family."
"I had no idea of his identity, otherwise, I wouldn't have acted so recklessly."
"Considering our years of friendship, Brother Hong, please think of a way."
"Or can you arrange for me to meet him? I will personally plead with him!"
At this moment, Chou Wen clearly understood that only Chu Fan could resolve the Chou family's calamity.
With a single word, he could reduce the Chou family to nothing, or restore them to normal.
"Ah Wen, you..."
Shangguan Hongyu looked utterly conflicted.
Seeing Chou Wen, a grown man, burst into tears, he said helplessly, "Don't rush this matter. I've only just made contact with him!"
"Wait a little longer. Once our relationship progresses further, I will speak a good word for you."
"Then you can perform well, and it should be fine!"
"Thank you, Brother Hong, thank you!"
"As long as Brother Hong can help me resolve this matter, you will be the rebirth parents of the Chou family!"
...
After seeing Chou Wen off, Shangguan Hongyu's smiling face instantly turned cold.
"Master, do you really intend to help him?" the driver asked.
Shangguan Hongyu let out a cold laugh, "Am I an idiot?"
He knew firsthand how much effort it had taken to establish contact with Chu Fan.
Chou Wen had sought his own demise by provoking Chu Fan, and he couldn't be bothered to intervene further.
He didn't want to ruin his impression in Chu Fan's eyes over Chou Wen's trivial matter.
He had only agreed to help to stop Chou Wen from pestering him.
That night, the news of the Chou family's downfall sent shockwaves through Shanhai City's elite circles.
The Chou family's status in Shanhai City, while not top-tier, was far from insignificant; they were even slightly stronger than the Nan family.
Everyone was not shocked by the Chou family's decline, but by the speed of it.
In half an hour.
A family of considerable standing had vanished.
Such speed made families of higher status tremble from the bottom of their hearts, investigating the cause from all angles.
Chou Wen had already been instructed by Shangguan Hongyu not to reveal the truth to the outside world.
This would incur Chu Fan's displeasure and eliminate any chance of recovery.
As people probed and inquired, they only learned that the Chou family had provoked an existence they could not afford to offend.
For a time, Shanhai City was in a state of panic.
Mount Wan Shu.
Nan Baixuan, seeing the trending news, hurried to find Nan Zi'an.
"Dad, have you seen the trending news?"
"What trending news?"
"The Chou family, the Chou family is gone!"
"That Chou family?"
"Which other Chou family? The brothers who had a conflict with that lunatic, Chu Fan, just before the banquet started."
"What?"
Nan Zi'an shot up from his seat in shock.