In the following few days.
One by one, the establishments under Qian Deshui were investigated and shut down, on grounds of suspected drug trafficking, and some for suspected illicit transactions. But Qian Deshui knew these were not his doing.
In recent years, he had steered clear of such activities, as the saying goes in the underworld, he had washed his hands of it.
Yet, he was now being targeted!
In his desperation, Qian Deshui could only turn to Chen Jin Chao for help, saying with a pained expression, "Young Master Chen, those things were truly not done by me. I feel someone is deliberately smearing me."
"And I have a rough idea who it is!"
"Oh?" Chen Jin Chao's interest was piqued.
"It's related to Qian Men from the southwest. I heard that Hong Xing Wen, the son of Qian Men's leader, has been in Ning Hai City these days and is very close to Ning Fei. If I'm not mistaken, these things are their joint effort."
Chen Jin Chao's eyebrows shot up. Ning Fei really didn't rest for a single day.
He had originally planned to find a dark and windy night to infiltrate Ning Fei's home and eliminate him without a trace. Since Ning Fei wasn't playing by the rules, Chen Jin Chao saw no need to either.
He hadn't expected Ning Fei to be quicker than him, already enlisting a third-party force.
"Still harboring ill intentions," Chen Jin Chao sneered.
"By the way, what's the background of this Qian Men you mentioned?"
Qian Deshui truthfully explained—
Qian Men was the most powerful organization in the southwestern border region. Ostensibly a legitimate trading group, in reality, any shady transaction Chen Jin Chao could think of could be found within Qian Men.
Hong Xing Wen was the crown prince of Qian Men.
"Qian Men has been looking for an opportunity to enter Jiangnan for years. After I retired, a vacuum appeared in the gray areas of the Jiangnan region, and Qian Men's actions have become more frequent recently."
Now, the two of them were colluding, creating immense trouble for Qian Deshui.
"How do you think we should respond?" Chen Jin Chao asked Qian Deshui. Qian Deshui hesitated, "It's difficult. Qian Men is coming on strong, and with Ning Fei's assistance, they're like a fish in water. I have no strength left to resist. Without your backing, Young Master Chen, I'll be nothing more than fish on a chopping block."
Chen Jin Chao nodded, "If I'm not mistaken, Ning Fei's actions won't stop here. The bigger blow is yet to come."
Qian Deshui only now realized, it might be too late.
Qian Deshui suddenly thought of something, his expression changing drastically. "Young Master Chen, I'll make a phone call outside. Please wait a moment."
Chen Jin Chao grunted.
Qian Deshui rushed outside to make a call, but it wouldn't connect!
"Xin Ran, pick up the phone quickly!" Qian Deshui had been married twice, but both ended in divorce for various reasons. Later, he met his current confidante, Meng Xin Ran.
Their relationship was very good. A significant reason Qian Deshui had retired was to provide Meng Xin Ran with a stable environment. Over the years, Meng Xin Ran had also advised him behind the scenes, helping him make the right decisions many times.
One could say, Meng Xin Ran had ascended to the status of Qian Deshui's soulmate.
When Chen Jin Chao hinted at it, he realized Ning Fei might make a move against Meng Xin Ran, and he wanted her to find a safe place to hide in time.
Now the call wouldn't connect!
After trying four or five times without success, Qian Deshui's heart trembled with anxiety.
Ring!
As Qian Deshui was lost in thought, his phone suddenly rang. It was Meng Xin Ran calling!
"Hoo—"
"You scared me half to death. I thought something had happened. Seems I was just scaring myself," he muttered with a smile.
He answered the call.
With lingering fear, Qian Deshui said, "Xin Ran, where are you? I'll send someone to pick you up immediately. Someone has been causing trouble for me lately, so it's best if you don't show yourself."
Meng Xin Ran's primary profession was as a dance teacher, so taking a few days off wasn't an issue.
There was no response from the other end.
"Hello?"
Qian Deshui frowned. "Are you listening to me?"
Fortunately, there was still a faint sound of breathing from the receiver, which stopped Qian Deshui from becoming more anxious. When a voice finally came from the phone, Qian Deshui's face changed again.
"Are you Qian Deshui?" It was a man's voice!
Qian Deshui almost crushed his phone, growling, "Who are you? Where is Xin Ran?"
The phone was Meng Xin Ran's personal item, how could it have fallen into a stranger's hands? The man coldly chuckled, "You mean that woman? She has a great taste. We had a lot of fun."
Qian Deshui's rage erupted!
Chen Jin Chao's prediction was correct. Ning Fei had indeed prepared a major move!
It directly caused Qian Deshui to collapse inwardly!
"Bastards, what are you doing?!" Qian Deshui roared, his anger audible to Chen Jin Chao inside.
"Of course, it's about Meng Xin Ran," the man said with a wicked smile.
Qian Deshui, a grown man, after experiencing extreme anger, began to beg the man, "Please, I'm begging you, just let Xin Ran go. I'll give you anything you want, even my life!"
"Men should settle things like men, why involve the innocent!"
"Please..."
The man laughed heartily, "I'd like to let her go, but she's already dead. All I can return to you is a phantom of beauty."
Qian Deshui let out a desperate roar, "Ning Fei, I'll curse your ancestors! If I don't kill you, I'm not human! And Hong Xing Wen, you've pushed me too far!"
Beep—
The man hung up the phone, leaving Qian Deshui's rage with nowhere to vent.
Qian Deshui was in a state of utter collapse, standing still in a daze. At this moment, his phone vibrated again. He blankly raised his phone and saw a series of photos that were hard to look at, each showing Meng Xin Ran in a state of misery!
Chen Jin Chao appeared beside Qian Deshui without him noticing. He didn't need Qian Deshui to say anything; he could guess what had happened.
The words "My condolences" were impossible to utter.
Qian Deshui trembled all over, a low sob escaping him.
Before Chen Jin Chao could speak, Qian Deshui lowered his head and knelt heavily with a thud!
Chen Jin Chao wanted to help him up, but Qian Deshui refused, whimpering, "Young Master Chen, they killed my Xin Ran! She was the one I loved most, my soulmate."
"My condolences," Chen Jin Chao said with a heavy heart.
Qian Deshui wept profusely. The fact that he, a former formidable figure, could cry so sorrowfully showed how important Meng Xin Ran was to him!
"Wuwuwu, I killed her..."
"I swear, I will avenge her. I will chop off Ning Fei and Hong Xing Wen's heads!"
"Young Master Chen, what should I do?"
Qian Deshui's tone had turned into a plea. Chen Jin Chao felt a pang of sympathy, his gaze gradually turning icy. "Indeed, I was too merciful. They did this precisely to provoke us. They will come to us."
"The day of revenge will not be far!"