This is not the end, but merely the beginning.
Amidst Ma Zhiguan's shrill screams, Chen Fan stepped on his ankle.
*Crack*, the sound of bone grinding against bone was nauseating.
The screams, however, abruptly stopped as Ma Zhiguan fainted from the sheer pain.
"Go fetch a basin of water!"
Chen Fan commanded expressionlessly.
Qin Tianyou assigned two men to fetch water.
The numerous dignitaries and socialites kneeling on the ground shivered.
This was too brutal!
Not only did he faint from pain, but he was to be splashed with water and revived, only to be tortured further.
What immense enmity, what profound hatred?
Some could not bear to look away, their gazes shifting.
Yuan Fangfei, however, was somewhat stunned. Compared to the suffering Ma Zhiguan was enduring, she was relatively fortunate.
She could not imagine what it would be like if Chen Fan were to inflict such methods upon her.
He Yifeng, seeing this, finally showed a flicker of fear in his eyes.
His face was pale, and despair engulfed him once more.
He knew that he would not escape the torment that Ma Zhiguan was experiencing.
Large drops of sweat dripped from his forehead. His mouth felt extremely dry.
Even Luo Jiuzhang, who sat beside him, could not help but shiver a few times.
"Everyone, do you find this cruel?"
Chen Fan observed the expressions of these influential figures and suddenly asked with a smile.
This smile sent shivers down the spines of many.
It was like the smile of a devil, striking them with terror.
No one dared to answer.
"Indeed, it is very cruel!"
Chen Fan stated indifferently, his tone calm.
"However, compared to the '采生折割' (cǎi shēng zhé gē - dismemberment of the living) inflicted upon some children, this cruelty does not even amount to one percent!"
He looked at He Yifeng, his voice turning cold again.
"He Yifeng, you must be very clear about this, right?"
"For an adult, losing limbs would at most render them crippled, as their bones and flesh would no longer grow.
"But '采生折割' used on children, their bodies continue to grow. Not only are they physically disabled, but they suffer continuously. This disability amplifies, their bodies become deformed and twisted, condemned for life, with no possibility of correction or treatment!"
As Chen Fan spoke, He Yifeng became the focus of everyone's attention.
"Mr. He from Silver City is also involved in such activities?"
Everyone found it unbelievable.
The owner of a club like Silver City being involved in something as horrific as '采生折割' seemed utterly incredible.
However, among the kneeling socialites, some seemed to recall something, their eyes widening, their faces showing nervousness, and beads of sweat appearing on their foreheads.
He Yifeng remained silent.
"Many would wonder, how could a magnate like He Yifeng, with his billions, engage in such deeds? Just as they wonder why Ma Zhiguan would do such a thing?"
Chen Fan said leisurely, "They fail to realize that when a person rots from the root, even if they grow into a towering tree, their core will be rotten and foul-smelling."
He surveyed everyone present, his voice chilling. "All of you here have come to stand up for He Yifeng. Therefore, I can only regard all of you as birds of a feather with He Yifeng!"
Instantly, all those kneeling cast looks of shock and hatred towards He Yifeng.
Most of them had rushed over after receiving He Yifeng's plea simply to curry favor with him. Who would have thought that He Yifeng would drag them down with him?
Now, intimidated by Chen Fan's power and brutal methods, they were no longer as confident as they had been upon arrival, certain that Chen Fan wouldn't dare to harm them.
Especially those with guilty consciences, who glared at He Yifeng with intense anger, wishing they could devour him alive.
Damn it, if He Yifeng truly engaged in such heinous acts, then they deserved to be implicated for standing up for him.
Amidst the shocked and furious expressions of these dignitaries and socialites, two team members returned with water and splashed it onto Ma Zhiguan.
Ma Zhiguan shivered violently and moaned as he regained consciousness.
The moment he opened his eyes and saw Chen Fan standing before him, Ma Zhiguan's body began to tremble.
Expressionlessly, Chen Fan raised his foot again.
"No... don't..."
Ma Zhiguan, unable to bear the pain, cried out in supplication.
Chen Fan did not pause for a moment, and his foot came down again.
*Crack*, the sickening sound of breaking bones echoed once more.
Amidst the screams, Ma Zhiguan immediately fainted, but this time, he was quickly awakened by the pain.
He lay on the ground like a puddle of mud, his entire face contorted in agony. In a hoarse voice, he begged, "Kill... me!"
"Killing you would be too easy. But how can I account to the children you harmed?"
Chen Fan said coldly.
"No... it wasn't me, it was He Yifeng... he did it..."
Ma Zhiguan wailed, "I... I told them to be more restrained, they wanted to make more money..."
His words made many dignitaries and socialites widen their eyes.
Many began to gnash their teeth at Ma Zhiguan.
They never expected that Ma Zhiguan, who was usually so smooth and sociable, mingling with the elite, was actually involved in such dealings.
Even more so, they never expected that the esteemed Mr. He of Silver City had also built his fortune through such abominable means.
However, some individuals were already somewhat prepared.
Chen Fan looked at He Yifeng and said coldly, "Do you have anything else to say?"
"I have nothing to say!"
He Yifeng's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He said hoarsely, "If you want to kill me, then do it!"
"Don't worry, you won't have to wait long!"
Chen Fan walked with his hands behind his back, stopping in front of a young man.
The young man was drenched in sweat. He looked at Chen Fan and pleaded, "It... it has nothing to do with me. I didn't know He Yifeng was doing such heinous things!"
Chen Fan stared at the man expressionlessly.
Under Chen Fan's gaze, the man's cold sweat continued to stream down.
Just as he found it difficult to even breathe, Chen Fan finally spoke:
"Your name is Cao Fang?"
"Yes, my name is Cao Fang, my father is Cao Zhengde."
The man quickly said, "We... we can talk this through."
Cao Zhengde was a well-known wealthy businessman in Hangjiang, with billions in assets and considerable influence in Hangjiang's business circles, possessing extensive connections.
"Then that's settled!"
Chen Fan's expression was cold, and an overwhelming killing intent appeared in his eyes.
The killing intent was almost tangible, like dark clouds pressing down, freezing the very air.
Cao Fang trembled at his words, his voice dry. "I... I wasn't involved in He Yifeng's affairs... I, you can't touch me..."
"You were indeed not involved in the coercion of children and '采生折割'. However, you are a regular at the Silver City club, a good friend of He Yifeng, and you spend tens of millions there every year!"
"That... that's not a crime... is it!"
Cao Fang was so drenched in sweat that his clothes were sticking to him.
"It's not a crime, but among the girls under fourteen who were tortured, there lies your heinous sin!"
Chen Fan's voice was indifferent.
"No... please spare me, my father is Cao Zhengde, I can pay money, I was wrong, I regret it..."
Cao Fang completely broke down, tears and snot streaming down his face.
Chen Fan remained unmoved, grabbed Cao Fang's head, and twisted it.
With a *crack*, Cao Fang's head lolled to the ground, his breath extinguished.
"Repentance should be done in hell; it would seem more sincere there!"
As the entire scene erupted in uproar, Chen Fan's indifferent voice reached everyone's ears.
Cao Fang, the eldest son of the Cao family, died just like that at Chen Fan's hands, without any resistance, insignificant.