The woman who came to knock on the window was beautiful, flawless in both her face and figure.
Especially the two high, rounded buttocks encased beneath her short skirt, and the pair of long, fair legs that supported them, naturally evoked an irresistible urge in those with a fondness for leg appreciation.
But I had no intention of admiring her.
Because the woman was smiling at me through the window, and it was a smile that hid a dagger!
I knew very well that if I chose to refuse or ignore her invitation, the next second she would turn hostile without the slightest hesitation.
So, I had no choice but to open the door and get out of the car.
As I was about to exit, I subtly met Camel's gaze, signaling him not to make any rash moves and to follow discreetly, observing the situation.
After all, the woman had only asked me to get out and follow her; she hadn't explicitly stated that Camel and the others couldn't come along.
After getting into the Grand Cherokee with the woman, the convoy that had surrounded me immediately returned to normal, proceeding in an orderly fashion ahead.
Through the rearview mirror above the center console, I, sitting in the back seat, saw the shadow of the used Passat in the traffic flow not far behind.
Confirming that Camel and the others were following the convoy, I slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
Since Mr. He was looking for me, I was certain I wouldn't be in any danger until we met.
As long as Camel and the others didn't lose the trail, I would try to find a way to establish contact with them in a timely manner once we arrived at the destination…
About twenty minutes later.
The convoy, led by the Grand Cherokee, stopped in front of the most luxurious New Yaohan casino in the city.
After getting out of the car, surrounded (or rather, enclosed) by a group of bodyguards, I followed the woman into the New Yaohan casino.
Then, we walked straight through the lobby.
After passing through the lobby, for some unknown reason, the woman walking in front of me suddenly slowed her pace.
Seeing this, I, walking behind her, muttered to myself: The only person who could make this woman, whose status appeared to be high, start to scrutinize details before even arriving, must be Mr. He, the owner of New Yaohan.
It was only at this moment that I believed the woman's words with 100% certainty.
It seemed that Mr. He really wanted to see me!
As we approached a large door flanked by surveillance cameras, I saw a group of bodyguards in suits and ties standing on either side of the entrance.
Each of them was broad-shouldered and full of vigor, with their hands clasped behind their backs, standing like gatekeepers in their respective positions.
Judging solely by their demeanor, these individuals were clearly different from the bodyguards behind me.
Although their expressions weren't overly fierce, the imposing aura emanating from them was clearly the result of extensive experience.
Upon pushing the door open, I found a row of men in uniform standing in the spacious room. They all stood rigidly behind an elderly gentleman.
The elderly gentleman was seated at the bar with his back to us, holding a half-smoked cigar.
The slowly rising cigar smoke swirled around him, enveloping him and giving him a rather mysterious appearance.
If my guess was correct, this elderly gentleman must be Mr. He, the gambling king of Aojiang.
Even though I could only see his back, shrouded in smoke, I felt an inexplicable pressure, like that of mountains and heavy peaks, upon meeting Mr. He for the first time.
Mr. He, born in 1921, was now 88 years old.
One would expect an elderly man of his age to be hunched over, frail, and gasping for breath after a few steps.
But Mr. He was completely different. Not only was his back straight, but judging by his posture, his height was easily over 1.8 meters.
The aura Mr. He exuded was nothing like that of an elderly man who could barely lift a shoulder or carry a hand, and who would pant after a short walk.
Instead, he resembled a powerful figure who had just passed the age of knowing destiny and was in his prime!
On either side of Mr. He stood another person.
One was an elder with white hair but eyes as sharp as a falcon's.
The other was a middle-aged man dressed in flashy attire, exuding an extreme sense of arrogance and domineering presence.
The identity of the white-haired elder was not hard to guess; he was either a butler or a prominent figure in Aojiang's underworld.
As for the middle-aged man…
Seeing this scene, I couldn't help but frown inwardly.
The middle-aged man's appearance suggested he was not someone easy to deal with, yet he stood by Mr. He's side.
In other words, he was someone Mr. He trusted deeply.
If the middle-aged man were to confront me directly later, my situation would be precarious!
Even if I could contact Camel and Gao Jing, who were waiting outside, they might not arrive in time to rush in and save me.
…
While I was mentally calculating my chances of survival, the beautiful woman who had brought me in spoke.
"Boss, I've brought him."
Upon hearing this, Mr. He did not turn around immediately, remaining with his back to everyone.
Seeing this, the beautiful woman immediately said to the bodyguards and the men in uniform, "You can all leave now!"
As soon as the order was given, the bodyguards and the men in uniform left the room with crisp, orderly efficiency.
Once they were gone, only five of us remained in the vast room: myself, the beautiful woman, Mr. He, the white-haired elder, and the middle-aged man.
At this moment, Mr. He suddenly turned around without warning, his gaze sharp and piercing as he fixed on me and asked, "Your name is Chen Xiang?"
Since Mr. He had made his fortune through gambling, he could be considered half an underworld figure.
It was my first time conversing with a prominent figure from the underworld, and I couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
I remained silent, nodding instinctively.
"The incident that happened the night before last downstairs at the Qiming Street Shunhe Hotel, that was you, wasn't it?"
Hearing Mr. He's words, I couldn't help but think, "This is bad."
So, it was indeed about this matter.
With less than a week left before the Gambling King competition officially commenced, the image of Aojiang city could not afford to be tarnished or damaged by anyone.
Even if there were reasons for my actions, my behavior in the busy downtown area and my subsequent conflict with Shi Jianguo had undoubtedly harmed Aojiang's image and Mr. He's reputation.
Begging for mercy wouldn't necessarily save my life.
Of course, I wouldn't bow my head and beg.
Mr. He's questioning tone and attitude, without any regard for the facts, made me extremely, incredibly, and utterly displeased.
Are all the powerful individuals who have made it big in this world just cold-blooded animals who, for their own selfish gain, can disregard anyone, anything, or even any independent life form?
With this thought, I frowned and looked at Mr. He, replying word by word, "It was me! Mr. He, if you feel that my actions have caused you to lose face… you can kill me or torture me as you please!"