“I think you’re the one courting death!”
Li Quan glared coldly at Wang Xiong. His subservience to Li Feng didn’t mean he was weak or easily bullied. As a member of the Li family, he carried the pride of a major clan. Now, not only had Wang Xiong barged into his home without permission, but he was also mocking him with killing intent. Even the most patient person would snap, let alone Li Quan.
“Is that so? Do you believe I could kill you right now?” Wang Xiong’s expression was icy as he spoke. At his words, several burly men slowly surrounded Li Quan.
“You dare?” Li Quan stared back, his eyes flashing with cold killing intent.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Wang Xiong, thinking he might have been played for a fool by Li Quan, felt a surge of anger. He slapped Li Quan across the face.
Slap!
A red handprint appeared on Li Quan’s cheek.
“You…” Li Quan glared at Wang Xiong, his eyes filled with disbelief. He never imagined Wang Xiong would dare strike him.
“What’s with the glare? Think I wouldn’t dare?” Wang Xiong sneered disdainfully, looking at Li Quan as if he were an idiot.
“You, Wang Xiong, you’re good. I’ll remember you,” Li Quan said through gritted teeth, his gaze as if etching Wang Xiong into his memory.
At that moment, Li Quan’s intent to kill Wang Xiong was unprecedented. He decided that Wang Xiong must die, no matter what. And once he became the Li family heir, he would uproot the Black Stone Gang entirely.
Wang Xiong laughed loudly, his eyes full of disdain. “Speak. What’s your scheme?”
Initially, Wang Xiong hadn’t suspected Li Quan. But he admired Master Wen, and since even Master Wen doubted Li Quan, he had to take it seriously. He arranged for surveillance on Li Quan and found him buying antiques with Li Feng, laughing and chatting as if they had no deep enmity. Though Li Quan might be pretending, Wang Xiong’s preconceived notion was that Li Quan was likely conspiring with Li Feng, playing them all for fools.
“Scheme? What scheme?” Li Quan looked at Wang Xiong with confusion and bewilderment, completely lost as to what Wang Xiong was talking about.
“Don’t play dumb with me,” Wang Xiong snorted, his gaze icy. “What’s your plot with Li Feng? Speak, and I might spare your life today. Otherwise…”
A steel knife appeared in Wang Xiong’s hand. He looked at Li Quan coldly and said, “Otherwise, I’ll make you bleed three feet.”
Li Quan stared back coldly. “Wang Xiong, I think you’re the one who’s mad. Li Feng and I are sworn enemies. What scheme could we possibly have?”
“Who’d believe that? I certainly don’t,” Wang Xiong said, sneering. If Li Feng were truly a weakling, he might believe Li Quan wouldn’t betray him. But was Li Feng a weakling? No, Li Feng was not only not a weakling but also cunning and ruthless, the perfect target for loyalty. Someone like Li Quan betraying him would show a lack of vision.
“Utter nonsense. I’m working with you to deal with Li Feng. What scheme could there be?” Li Quan said coldly.
“Is that so? With Li Feng so formidable, you’d betray him? Hmph, do you take me for an idiot?” Wang Xiong glared at him.
“Formidable? A weakling, how formidable could he be?” Li Quan sneered with disdain.
“Weakling?” Wang Xiong laughed loudly, his eyes fixed on Li Quan.
Li Quan stared back coldly.
“Li Quan, do you know what Li Feng has been up to lately?” Wang Xiong suddenly asked.
“A weakling like him, what could he do?” Li Quan scoffed dismissively. Having followed Li Feng for years, didn’t he know him well?
“Haha, Li Quan, are you messing with me?” Wang Xiong laughed, his laughter laced with intense killing intent. Li Quan was close to Li Feng; how could he not know what Li Feng had been doing? The whole world knew by now, and Li Quan was still pretending in front of him, treating him like a fool.
“Wang Xiong, what’s that supposed to mean?” Li Quan glared angrily. Wang Xiong had barged into his home inexplicably, slapped him for no reason, and now asked these baffling questions. He was furious.
“What’s it mean? You know the Sun Group, right?” Wang Xiong asked coldly.
“Yes, Sun Xipeng’s Sun Group. Sun Xipeng is Hu Yuanyuan’s classmate and has always bullied Li Feng,” Li Quan said, glancing at Wang Xiong, confused. “Just say what you mean. Stop acting mysterious.”
A mere Black Stone Gang manager daring to act superior in front of him—did he not know how to spell “death”?
“The Sun Group was taken over,” Wang Xiong said, his gaze fixed on Li Quan.
“Oh, Sun Xipeng’s such an idiot. A perfectly good Sun Group, taken over,” Li Quan said, stunned, then sneered. Sun Xipeng never respected him before; he deserved his misfortune.
“It was Li Feng who took over the Sun Group,” Wang Xiong said, staring at Li Quan, enunciating each word.
“What?” Li Quan looked at Wang Xiong in shock, his face full of disbelief.
“See for yourself,” Wang Xiong said, taking a few A4 sheets from his subordinate and tossing them in front of Li Quan. The papers detailed everything Li Feng had done against Su Xin and Sun Xipeng.
Li Quan picked them up, glanced at them, and collapsed to the floor, devastated. “How? How could this be?”
If what was written was true, he was the idiot, played like a puppet by Li Feng without realizing it.
He thought Li Feng was a weakling, but Li Feng saw him as a fool. Who was playing whom?
“See it clearly now? How much do you think Li Feng’s shares in Xiangfeng Investment are worth? Let me tell you, those shares are worthless.”
Wang Xiong’s expression was cold. “Last time at Tianya Pavilion, when we signed the deal, Li Feng probably already had a counterplan. Shares in a shell company, a fifteen-billion loan—he’s treating us like idiots.”
“He deserves to die,” Li Quan said, his eyes cold with killing intent. He had always seen Li Feng as a weakling, scheming to take his place, to seize his wealth, status, even his woman.
But in the end, he was the delusional one. While he plotted against Li Feng, Li Feng treated him like an idiot, using him all along.
When did Li Feng change?
Li Quan thought back and realized it started after Li Feng left the hospital last time, when he dealt with Sun Xipeng. He should have noticed then, but he was too convinced Li Feng was a weakling to consider it.
Even if Li Feng had changed and was no longer a weakling, so what? He had to die. Only with Li Feng dead could Li Quan get what he wanted.
“Exactly, he deserves to die. I want him dead,” Wang Xiong nodded, his eyes flashing with killing intent.
“Don’t worry. Li Feng got the cursed painting. He’s not far from death,” Li Quan said coldly.
“Cursed painting? What’s that?”
Li Quan explained the cursed painting. Wang Xiong sneered, “Li Quan, you’re an idiot. You believe in such nonsense? Hmph, if Li Feng doesn’t die in ten years, will you wait ten years?”
“Well…” Li Quan realized he was right. If Li Feng didn’t study the painting, he might not die. And who could guarantee the painting would kill him? It was too far-fetched. Before, he could have lured Li Feng to study it and see the results, but now, knowing Li Feng wasn’t the weakling he thought, his plan might not work.
“No more waiting. Li Feng must die, and within days,” Wang Xiong said. He had made a promise to Master Wen. Failing to deal with Li Feng would be a loss of face.
“Within days, huh?”
A cold glint flashed in Li Quan’s eyes. “I’ll arrange a meeting with Li Feng. You prepare the men. This time, we’ll make sure he has no grave to rest in.”
Meanwhile, Li Feng was actively preparing. This battle wasn’t just about revenge; it was about whether he could establish himself in Tianhai City. If he could take down the Black Stone Gang, he would have his own territory and a foundation to rise. If he failed, he might have to leave Tianhai City, facing relentless retaliation.
Looking at the sky, Li Feng asked An Hu beside him, “What’s the situation?”
“Shao Feng, the Black Stone Gang has mobilized a large force, about three hundred men, heading toward Tianya Pavilion. From what I know, this is likely their most elite force. They must be planning something soon,” An Hu replied.
“Tianya Pavilion, huh? Do we know what they’re up to?”
“The details aren’t clear. Their assembly was too rushed, and we don’t have much useful intel,” An Hu answered. Given half a month, he could build a complete intelligence network in Tianhai City, but time was too short now.
“No need to guess. Their target is me. They really think highly of me, three hundred men. Hmph, let’s see if the Black Stone Gang is still the same without those three hundred,” Li Feng sneered. “Tell Tian Lang to proceed as planned. I want to catch them off guard.”
“Yes.”
An Hu pulled out his phone to relay Li Feng’s orders.
Looking at An Hu, Li Feng said, “Let’s go take a look. Today, I’ll test the Black Stone Gang’s strength myself.”
“Shao Feng, I’ve been itching for action,” An Hu said eagerly. Since arriving in Tianhai City, it had been nothing but training. This was a rare chance to fight, and he didn’t want to miss it.
“Good. Let’s see who takes down more today,” Li Feng said, heading out.
