Ye Qiu’s words dropped, and the room fell into stunned silence, every eye staring at him in disbelief.
“Is this kid nuts?”
“He’s telling Young Master Zhang to eat the tablet, does he want to die?”
“He’s gotta be tired of living!”
“Talk about a fearless calf taking on a tiger, provoking Zhang, he’s asking for it!”
Zhang’s eyes burned as he fixated on the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow, but Ye Qiu’s remark made his brows shoot up.
“Do you even know who I am?”
Zhang glared at Ye Qiu, his tone dripping with menace.
“I don’t care who you are, I just care if you’ll eat the tablet,” Ye Qiu said. “What’s this, you made the bet and now you’re backing out?”
Before Zhang could snap, his lackeys jumped in, pointing at Ye Qiu and hurling insults:
“You bastard, looking to die?”
“Acting so cocky in front of Young Master Zhang, tired of living?”
“Do you know who you’re talking to?”
“Guess you don’t know Zhang’s status, or even with ten thousand guts, you wouldn’t dare act this wild.”
Ye Qiu chuckled, “Sounds like Zhang’s a big deal?”
“Listen up, kid, let me formally introduce Young Master Zhang, hope you don’t wet yourself,” a lackey boasted smugly. “Young Master Zhang is a rising star in the capital, a genius of our time.”
“At just twenty-two, he’s already earned a doctorate from Yale.”
“He’s even been named a century outstanding alumnus by Yale.”
This clown, a doctorate?
Probably bought it!
Ye Qiu barely had the thought when the lackey continued, “Beyond that, he’s got another title.”
“He’s the second son of the Zhang family, one of the capital’s four great clans.”
“Ever heard of the Zhang family?”
“You don’t even know Young Master Zhang, so you probably don’t grasp the Zhang family’s power, let me enlighten you.”
“Zhang’s grandfather once held a high office, wielding immense authority.”
“His uncle’s now a regional governor, ruling a territory.”
“His father’s the chairman of a listed conglomerate, controlling billions.”
“You dared tell Zhang to eat the tablet, aren’t you just begging to die?”
Ye Qiu’s eyes narrowed.
He’d sensed Zhang’s background was hefty, but not this hefty.
Still, his expression didn’t shift.
The Zhangs might be impressive, but were they more impressive than the Ye family?
Besides, he’d beaten Bai Yujing and Xiao Qingdi, so why fear a spoiled brat like this?
Another thought struck Ye Qiu.
Over twenty years ago, among those who ambushed Ye Wudi, many hailed from the capital’s elite families—including the Zhangs.
“Should I start collecting some interest from this punk?”
Ye Qiu eyed Zhang, mulling it over.
Seeing Ye Qiu silent, the lackeys assumed he was scared, grinning triumphantly, “Kid, Zhang’s name scare the piss out of you?”
“Why pick a fight with anyone but Young Master Zhang, isn’t that just suicide?”
“Here’s a deal, bark like a dog on stage a few times, and I’ll convince Zhang to let you off, how’s that?”
“Enough!”
Zhang stood abruptly, scolding the lackey, then smiled at Ye Qiu, “I was just joking about the bet, no need to take it seriously.”
“I’m a Zhang, sure, but I can’t bully people with my status, right?”
“Come down, don’t hold up the auction.”
Zhang played the gracious noble, exuding the air of a great family’s scion.
Yet Ye Qiu didn’t budge from the stage.
“Young Master Zhang, sure you won’t eat the tablet and break your word?”
“Didn’t I just say it was a joke? Even if I go back on it, what can you do?” Zhang smirked, not taking Ye Qiu seriously at all.
Ye Qiu said, “Hope you don’t regret it.”
Threatening me?
Zhang’s face darkened.
His lackeys, seeing their boss’s mood shift, started yelling:
“Kid, don’t push your luck.”
“Zhang’s letting it slide, and you’re still harping on it?”
“Watch how you end up dead.”
Ye Qiu ignored them, took the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow, and returned to his seat.
This only fueled the lackeys’ rage.
“Damn it, where’d this little punk come from, threatening Young Master Zhang, intolerable!”
“Look at his smug face, makes me wanna slap him.”
“Young Master Zhang, say the word, we’ll trash him.”
Zhang glanced back at Ye Qiu, irritation simmering.
“The Great Xia Dragon Sparrow was mine, if you hadn’t butted in, I’d have snagged the tablet for a million.”
“Now you dare threaten me, if I don’t teach you a lesson, how do I keep my rep in the capital?”
“Just wait.”
Zhang muttered, then ordered his lackeys, “Keep an eye on him, we’ll deal with him after the auction.”
“Don’t worry, Young Master Zhang, once it’s over, I’ll snag the Dragon Sparrow back for you.”
Smack!
Zhang slapped the lackey’s head, cursing, “Can you talk right? It was already mine!”
“Right, right, the Dragon Sparrow’s yours, we’ll grab it back later.”
Satisfied, Zhang said, “Get it done, and tonight I’ll treat you all to a wild time at Heaven on Earth.”
“Young Master Zhang, you’ve been abroad too long, Heaven on Earth’s been shut down.”
“Then pick a spot.”
“How about Shengshi Mingliu? Heard they’ve got plenty of girls, high looks, and they’re open.”
…
Backstage.
The female bodyguard gaped, “Holy crap, he actually pulled a treasure out of that tablet.”
The girl smiled, unfazed, as if she’d expected it.
“That kid’s got insane luck, snagging a priceless gem, who knows how many are green with envy,” the bodyguard went on. “But he’s in for it now.”
“Why’s that?” the girl asked.
“Miss, think about it, he’s pissed off Young Master Zhang, no way Zhang lets that slide.”
The bodyguard continued, “I heard Zhang’s been abroad until recently, now back and strutting around the capital with his family’s clout, nobody dares cross him.”
“That kid got a priceless treasure, sure, but I can’t stand him.”
“Why not?” the girl asked.
“With Zhang’s crew cussing him out like that, he didn’t even talk back, total wimp, no guts at all.”
“You think he’s a wimp?” The girl shot her a surprised look.
“Isn’t he?”
“He’s no wimp, just watch, someone’s about to get it.”
