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Chapter 93: Impossible
“Ye Chen isn’t at the Wang family home,” the Wang patriarch declared, blatantly lying, as Ye Chen was indeed there.
“Mr. Wang, are you trying to insult the Li family’s intelligence network? You think I’m unaware of whether he’s here?”
Li Zhong was visibly insulted. His decision to come here was based on reliable information indicating Ye Chen’s presence at the Wang estate. If Ye Chen weren’t actually there, there would be no reason for Li Zhong to challenge the Wang family.
“Li Zhong, are you accusing my father of lying?”
Wang Hong entered amidst the tension. With such significant developments, it was inevitable for him to return.
“I’m not just accusing, I’m certain your father is deceiving me. Is the Wang family prepared to antagonize the Li family over this?”
Li Zhong’s eyes were icy, his statement elevating the situation to a potential family feud.
“Even if we become adversaries, do you believe the Wang family would fear the Li family?”
Wang Hong stood firm, confronting Li Zhong’s domineering stance. Showing any sign of weakness would only embolden Li Zhong further. The possibility of surrendering Ye Chen was off the table, setting the stage for an inevitable clash with the Li family.
“What if the Luo family were to join us against you? Would the Wang family still remain unafraid?” Luo Mingde sneered, adding pressure to the situation.
A hint of concern flashed in Wang Hong’s eyes. The addition of the Luo family to the Li family’s side would indeed tip the scales against the Wangs. While the Wangs’ strong foundation would prevent their complete downfall, a combined assault by the Li and Luo families would undoubtedly result in substantial losses for them.
“Whether fear is in the cards, we’ll see. You’re not welcome here, escort them out,” Wang Hong declared resolutely, signaling the end of any diplomatic facade.
With no intention of surrendering Ye Chen, hostility with these families was now a certainty. The decision not to relinquish Ye Chen was unanimous among the Wangs, from the patriarch down to every family member.
“Very well, I’ll take note of this.” Li Zhong’s gaze upon Wang Hong turned deeply icy. “I hope your family won’t live to regret this decision.”
With those words, Li Zhong stormed out, anger palpable in his stride. Luo Mingde, following suit, cast a derisive sneer at Wang Hong before departing.
Once they were gone, a heavy silence fell over the patriarch and Wang Hong.
“Father, you don’t hold it against me for acting on my own and provoking them?” Wang Hong asked, looking concernedly at the patriarch.
“Offending them was an unavoidable outcome,” the patriarch calmly stated, absolving Wang Hong of any blame. Given the circumstances, sacrificing Ye Chen was never an option.
“Sorry for bringing trouble to the Wang family,” Ye Chen said as he descended the stairs, having overheard the entire conversation. Although the Wangs were determined to shield him, Ye Chen wasn’t fully reassured, prompting him to eavesdrop.
“You saved my life, helping you is only right. And since Li Ting is not dead, settling this matter shouldn’t be too difficult,” the patriarch comforted Ye Chen, who looked regretful.
But was Ye Chen genuinely remorseful? No, it was a pretense. Having already antagonized two of the four major families, it was crucial for him to firmly ally with the Wangs.
“Actually, I do have a solution to this situation, but it will require some sacrifice from you, Ye Chen,” Wang Hong proposed thoughtfully.
“What solution?” Ye Chen asked eagerly.
“This method might not be to your liking. If that’s the case, forget I ever mentioned it,” prefaced Wang Hong.
“My idea is for you to make a concession, to appease Li Ting. If you manage to secure her forgiveness, the Li family, despite their discontent, may cease their pursuit of you.”
Upon hearing Wang Hong’s suggestion to win over Li Ting, Ye Chen’s expression instantly soured. Yes, he had injured Li Ting, but were they aware of the extent of the harm she had inflicted upon him? The wounds inflicted by her ‘joy toy’ were still raw and bleeding.
Observing Ye Chen’s reticence, Wang Hong realized his proposal wouldn’t be accepted.
“You might want to think about it. Leveraging the Li family’s influence could help you deal with Chen Luo.”
Ye Chen’s eyes showed a brief spark at the mention of dealing with Chen Luo. However, the idea of seeking Li Ting’s forgiveness was beyond his capacity. For Ye Chen, Li Ting had become akin to a psychological scar.
The memories of that night sent shivers down Ye Chen’s spine. His loathing for Li Ting rivalled that for Chen Luo.
Even with the prospect of confronting Chen Luo, Ye Chen couldn’t bring himself to bend to Li Ting. As the protagonist, his pride was non-negotiable.
“There’s no need to think about it. It’s utterly impossible.”
Wang Hong’s eyes betrayed a hint of disappointment as he heard Ye Chen’s resolute rejection.
“Then, you should try to gain Xiao Yongqiang’s support. With him on our side, we can stand our ground against the Luo and Li families,” suggested Wang Hong, aware of the positive rapport between Ye Chen and Xiao Yongqiang.
“Understood,” Ye Chen responded, nodding.
While reaching out to Xiao Yongqiang seemed viable, he was unsure of Xiao’s willingness to help. Their communication had lessened recently, and although Ye Chen had previously saved his life, there was no guarantee of Xiao Yongqiang’s current support.
Meanwhile, Luo Mingde and Li Zhong had sought out Chen Luo to strategize against Ye Chen and the Wang family. Challenging the Wangs, a formidable family, was no easy feat. Thus, Luo Mingde had persuaded Li Zhong to collaborate with Chen Luo in their campaign.
“Mr. Luo, are you certain about Chen Luo’s reliability?” asked Li Zhong, unfamiliar with Chen Luo’s reputation.
The emergence of such a significant figure in the city was news to him. Indeed, without particular attention, one might remain oblivious to Chen Luo’s capabilities.
“Rest assured, Chen Luo will undoubtedly prove useful in our confrontation with the Wang family and Ye Chen,” Luo Mingde reassured him.
He was convinced of Chen Luo’s backing by a substantial force. Even without it, Chen Luo’s overt influence warranted serious consideration.
Luo Mingde, who closely monitored Chen Luo, was privy to a secret piece of information. The current underground queen of the city, Bai Meixiang, shared an extraordinary connection with Chen Luo. There was a high probability that Bai Meixiang was one of Chen Luo’s people.
Bai Meixiang, the undisputed ruler of the city’s underworld, had garnered the attention of its four major families. Chen Luo’s ability to win over someone like Bai Meixiang clearly set him apart from the ordinary.
Not long after, Chen Luo arrived at Mingxuan Pavilion, the same venue where Luo Mingde had previously hosted him for a meal.
“Chen Luo, allow me to introduce you. This gentleman here is the head of the city’s Li family,” Luo Mingde introduced Li Zhong to Chen Luo.
Chen Luo, however, already recognized Li Zhong. He had diligently gathered information on the city’s influential figures, possessing detailed profiles of each.
“Mr. Li, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Chen Luo reached out to shake Li Zhong’s hand. Li Zhong reciprocated with polite courtesy. Since Luo Mingde had spoken highly of Chen Luo, there must be something noteworthy about him.
“May I ask the reason for Mr. Luo’s invitation today?”
Chen Luo hadn’t been briefed on the specific reasons for Luo Mingde’s invitation, but he had a hunch it pertained to Ye Chen. It was a fairly obvious deduction.
“To speak candidly, I’ve invited you here concerning Ye Chen. As we’ve previously discussed, we’re looking to join forces against him,” Luo Mingde stated, cutting straight to the chase.
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