Yunzhou, ancient city.
The Zhou Group, worth tens of billions, was mysteriously and fiercely attacked in the stock market.
The entire Zhou Group, seemingly a colossus, was utterly defenseless against the opponent's methods, sinking into an inescapable mire.
The speed at which Zhou Group's stock plummeted caused Chairman Zhou Xiong's once black hair to turn almost completely white overnight.
Zhou Group was the culmination of Zhou Xiong's life's work; he was a true self-made man.
His wife, who had shared the struggles of building the company with him, had passed away early, leaving behind only a daughter, whom he doted on and indulged in every way possible.
Zhou Xiong practically lived at the company, contacting all his friends for help.
However, it was as if everyone had been warned beforehand, offering various excuses and refusing to help Zhou Group, not daring to intervene.
Even local major banks refused to lend a hand to Zhou Group.
They remained indifferent to the immense profits Zhou Xiong was willing to offer, choosing to watch from the sidelines with cold eyes.
There was no choice; the person Zhou Xiong had offended was beyond their reach.
And Zhou Xiong knew he must have offended a powerful figure, the most tragic part being that he had no idea who it was.
In his heart, Zhou Xiong felt a vast, sky-obscuring hand looming over Zhou Group.
Contemplating the imminent bankruptcy and liquidation of Zhou Group, Zhou Xiong plunged into endless despair.
With no hope in sight, his face was devoid of color, pale and weak, his spirit utterly crushed.
What kind of influential figure could wield such absolute power in this ancient city?
To the extent that he couldn't find a single ally, to the point where banks wouldn't dare to say a word more.
Zhou Xiong usually kept his dealings cordial, as business inevitably involved offending people, and his goal was to avoid making enemies.
But some things, if they cannot be avoided, cannot be avoided simply by wishing to.
"Chairman Zhou Xiong seems somewhat lost."
Just as Zhou Xiong descended into despair, the office door was pushed open from the outside, and a young dandy walked in.
Li Tianhua smiled, strolled over casually, and eyed Zhou Xiong with a devil-may-care attitude.
Behind him, Zhou Xiong's secretary shook her head silently at her chairman; she truly dared not stop this person, as the Zhou Group was in such dire straits that they couldn't afford to offend anyone.
"Young Master Li's visit is unexpected. Welcome, welcome."
Seeing that the visitor was the most notorious playboy in the ancient city, Zhou Xiong took a deep breath, forcing a smile onto his ashen face.
Behind Young Master Li stood the formidable force of Huancheng Entertainment, a titan worth hundreds of billions. Even in normal times, Zhou Xiong wouldn't dare to offend him lightly, let alone now.
Thinking about it, Young Master Li was indeed a figure who could seemingly control everything in the ancient city.
Huancheng Entertainment, founded by Young Master Li's father, was so influential across the entire Jiuzhou entertainment industry that a mere stomp of their foot could cause an earthquake.
Although Huancheng Entertainment and Zhou Group operated in entirely different business sectors, many were willing to show face to Huancheng Entertainment.
Li Tianhua casually glanced at Zhou Xiong, his uninvited presence marked by a gloating smile.
Then, he swaggered over and sat down in Zhou Xiong's executive chair, crossing his legs on the desk, his arrogant and insolent demeanor leaving Zhou Xiong seething but unable to retort.
He drawled, "I heard Zhou Group is in big trouble lately. I'm curious, how many more days can Zhou Group last?"
Upon hearing this, the indignant Zhou Xiong assumed the playboy was behind Zhou Group's troubles and had appeared now to extract some condition before backing down.
Thus, Zhou Xiong humbly pleaded with him to spare Zhou Group.
"Please, Young Master Li, show mercy."
"If Zhou Group has ever offended you in any way, I will compensate you until you are satisfied."
To his surprise, Li Tianhua shook his head indifferently, pointing upwards with a gloating expression, "You've offended someone far greater than me, a truly influential figure."
To be called an influential figure by someone like Li Tianhua made Zhou Xiong's head spin.
Zhou Xiong himself had always been cautious, so when could he have possibly offended such a paramount figure that even Young Master Li would speak of them in such terms?
Seeing Zhou Xiong's stunned expression, Li Tianhua couldn't help but smirk.
He was merely following orders. In front of that Young Master Zhao, he was no different from Zhou Xiong, just a small fry.
However, not just anyone could do things for Young Master Zhao; if Young Master Zhao wanted him to handle something, it must be because he recognized his abilities.
He hadn't interacted much with Young Master Zhao, but if he could gain his favor, even his father couldn't lecture him arbitrarily.
After a brief conversation, Zhou Xiong's expression shifted from bewilderment to deep worry. He hadn't realized the truth was that his daughter had caught the eye of that Young Master Zhao.
Previously, Zhou Xiong had never imagined such a bizarre reason would lead to Zhou Group's current precarious state, with everyone in the company in a panic.
His daughter was Zhou Xiong's lifeblood. Even if Zhou Group were to collapse, he would never let his daughter be with that Young Master Zhao.
When it came to his daughter's well-being, Zhou Xiong's attitude changed drastically; he became firm.
If his daughter had to sacrifice her happiness for the other party to back down, he would rather Zhou Group declare bankruptcy and its assets be liquidated by the banks than compromise.
What he initially thought would be an easy task turned out to be dealing with someone incredibly stubborn. Li Tianhua found that his "well-meaning" persuasion had been met with ingratitude.
Li Tianhua became enraged on the spot, slamming his hand on the table, his eyes filled with disdain as he glared at Zhou Xiong, "Don't be ungrateful. Young Master Zhao is someone even I dare not provoke."
Zhou Xiong simply closed his eyes and said with unyielding resolve, "Young Master Li, please leave."
"Heh heh... You'll learn what despair means."
Li Tianhua was so angered by Zhou Xiong's foolishness that he chuckled. Before leaving, he couldn't resist leaving a parting threat.
After leaving Zhou Group, Li Tianhua instructed his bodyguard to drive and then called Young Master Zhao, his tone subservient and lacking the arrogance he had displayed earlier.
"Young Master Zhao, I apologize, I messed up. That old man absolutely refused to listen."
A languid male voice emanated from the other end of the line, speaking in a teasing tone, "Heh heh... Then handle it yourself."
The call ended, and Li Tianhua scratched his head in confusion. Young Master Zhao didn't seem as furious as he expected, but rather as if he had anticipated this.
Could it be that the young model he sent over last night had made Young Master Zhao "see reason" on his own?
...
Moyu Grand Hotel, the nineteen-story luxury suite.
Zhao Yunhai hung up Li Tianhua's call, his gaze cold as he looked out the floor-to-ceiling window.
You won't shed tears until you see the coffin. What happened to the previous me is now my business. Having inherited everything from the previous me, I must naturally fulfill his wishes.
Suddenly, his anger flared, and he couldn't help but grab the incredibly well-built young model beside him.
"I'm in a very bad mood right now, understand?"