As it neared the end of the workday, the receptionist called to say Ms. Shang wished to see him.
Chen Fan frowned. Shang Wushuang was proving rather persistent.
"Please, show her up!"
Chen Fan instructed.
Soon, Shang Wushuang appeared at his office door.
Without ceremony, she lounged on the Italian leather sofa, crossed her legs, and asked, "Should I call you Chen Tianjiao, or Chen Zhuo?"
"A name is just a label. Speak, why are you being so persistent? What exactly do you want?" Chen Fan asked indifferently.
"Persistence comes from liking you, from wanting to be together!" Shang Wushuang said with a smile.
Chen Fan replied, "If that's the case, you may leave."
Shang Wushuang chuckled, "You're quite boring, you understand nothing of charm."
Then, she continued, "Have you heard of the Hero Alliance?"
Chen Fan shook his head. "No."
"It's an alliance formed by several ancient martial arts families, pooling resources, exchanging martial arts, and advancing and retreating together!"
Chen Fan wasn't particularly concerned. "Is your Shang family a member?"
"Yes," Shang Wushuang confirmed. "More than that, Ji Cang and Batu, whom you met at the ghost market at the pass, are also members of the alliance!"
"How does this concern me?"
Chen Fan inquired.
"Not directly, but this is why I'm interested in you!"
Chen Fan stated blandly, "Are you going to invite me to join the Hero Alliance?"
"If you wish, I wouldn't mind, but I don't think you'd like it!" Shang Wushuang said. "In the beginning, the Hero Alliance was established with the aim of gathering heroes from the martial arts world, facilitating more opportunities for exchange and practice, in hopes that more powerful individuals could break through to the Martial Ancestor realm and jointly resist certain threats!"
Chen Fan was taken aback. "You mean pressure?"
"Yes."
Shang Wushuang explained, "That's what was initially said. I can't be sure what this threat is. Many say it's the era of firearms. Even a Martial Ancestor can be injured by a gunshot, and a missile strike would certainly be fatal!"
Chen Fan's expression turned peculiar.
The development of the times was an unstoppable torrent. No matter how strong martial arts were, they had their limits. How could they possibly resist?
Did the Hero Alliance's philosophy truly intend to withstand the ultimate weapons of technology like missiles and nuclear bombs?
"Regardless of the initial intention, as an organization exists for a longer time, it tends to change its nature."
Chen Fan's interest was piqued.
He had undergone rigorous training and, thanks to the mysterious power of the Dragon Tattoo Compass, he could be considered a martial artist.
He hadn't heard of these hidden matters before.
The Feng family should know, but they hadn't mentioned it to him during his last visit.
On such matters, the Feng family wouldn't intentionally conceal, but rather likely felt there was no need to specifically inform him.
"A loose organization either becomes unnecessary or it becomes even more tightly knit," Shang Wushuang said. "Some individuals within the organization have gradually developed ulterior motives, wanting to make the allied families comply with their wishes."
"Perhaps, this intention existed from the very beginning!"
Chen Fan remarked, "So, your Shang family is facing a crisis?"
"You could say that. It's not an urgent crisis, but it's difficult to avoid." Shang Wushuang continued, "After I confirmed your identity at the ghost market at the pass, I found you to be a very interesting person."
Chen Fan chuckled.
"You are a military commander. The imprint of the official system is too deep; it's basically impossible for you to join the Hero Alliance. Or, if you were to join, you would be strictly controlled and lack freedom!"
Chen Fan looked at Shang Wushuang.
For this woman to see these things meant she was no ordinary person.
Or rather, heirs of these martial arts families were rarely simple to deal with.
Fortunately, Chen Fan was not someone easily swayed by beauty, and he remained wary of her advances.
Shang Wushuang shrugged and said, "So, this is why I'm extending an olive branch to you."
"What aspects does the crisis you mentioned manifest in?" Chen Fan asked after his thoughts had settled.
"To be precise, it's resources," Shang Wushuang narrowed her eyes. "Martial arts cultivation is inseparable from heritage, experience, secret techniques, and medicinal aids."
"As the Hero Alliance grew, they gained control of the high-end medicinal herb market in the north."
"You know what the region beyond the pass is famous for, right?"
"Ginseng and furs?" Chen Fan replied.
Shang Wushuang nodded. "The ginseng and furs available on the market now are all byproducts discarded by the Hero Alliance. Even the best among them are merely ordinary. Ginseng over a hundred years old is worth its weight in gold, precisely because the Hero Alliance has acquired them all!"
"Other medicinal herbs beneficial for martial arts cultivation are no different!"
"Previously, our Shang family controlled one-third of the medicinal herb resources beyond the pass. Now, we have less than one-tenth, which is insufficient for our own use."
"A shortage of resources is unavoidable, isn't it?" Chen Fan didn't find it particularly strange. "The allocation of any resource involves the struggle for profit."
"Indeed, but no one wishes to be controlled by others, and the Shang family is no exception."
Shang Wushuang stated, "I watched your ten consecutive victories in the ghost market boxing ring. Your potential is extremely high. Once you step into the Martial Ancestor realm and are willing to help the Shang family, we will no longer be subject to others!"
Chen Fan smiled, "Then I apologize, but I cannot help you!"
"You can't help now, but that doesn't prevent me from building a good relationship with you. Once you are strong enough, you can help me."
Shang Wushuang continued, "You won four hundred million for me, and I'm in a good mood. I should reciprocate in some way."
"I don't need it!"
"I believe you will need it sooner or later."
Shang Wushuang said with a smile, "The day after tomorrow, I have to attend a birthday banquet. I'm lacking a male escort. How about you accompany me?"
"Not interested!"
Chen Fan refused decisively.
"You don't even ask whose birthday banquet it is."
Shang Wushuang said helplessly, "Are you really not giving me any face? I'm a great beauty, and you're rejecting my invitation without even asking."
"Whose birthday banquet is it then?"
Chen Fan asked, giving her some face.
After all, Shang Wushuang had provided him with a lot of information. It was only right for him to reciprocate.
Shang Wushuang gave a wry smile. "It's the Fang family's. The beautiful woman in white who accompanied me today is the youngest daughter of the Fang family."
"Fang Baiyan?"
Chen Fan recalled something and asked.
"Yes, that's him, the head of the Fang family."
Shang Wushuang said, "Interested?"
Chen Fan shook his head. "No."
"You truly don't know what's good for you." Shang Wushuang was exasperated. "If I didn't know I couldn't beat you, I would have beaten you up to vent my frustration."
With that, she huffed and got up to leave, saying, "I wasted so much of my breath!"
Chen Fan didn't see her out. He sat on the sofa, thinking about Fang Baiyan.
His memory was nearly photographic. The name Fang Baiyan appeared in that small booklet, and quite far back.
According to the booklet, the behind-the-scenes forces had been supporting Fang Baiyan for a long time.
This man wasn't very concerned with profit; he cared more about reputation!
Among the many individuals listed in the booklet, Fang Baiyan was a rather special one. His leverage wasn't about how much he had received, but rather a private matter.
Shaking his head, Chen Fan decided not to stir up unnecessary trouble and left the company to head home.
However, while he was still on his way, his phone suddenly rang.
It was Qi Wu.
"Sir, something's happened! Miss Chen has been kidnapped!"
Qi Wu said urgently into the phone.