"There are many paths to great wealth. You can steal, you can rob, or you can swindle. But if you try to lay your hands on us, I guarantee you, the risk will be greater than robbing an armored car!" Zhou Yunkang said with a laugh.
He paused, then continued, "Do you know who I am? You dare to interfere with the Black Dragon Group? Even if you're a wolf or a tiger, I'll chop off your dog head!"
"It seems our negotiations are doomed to fail," Chen Liuhe said, shrugging. It was then he finally spared a glance for Qin Ruohan, a playful smile on his lips. "What? Were you just about to compromise?"
Qin Ruohan glared at Zhou Yunkang, her face frozen in anger, gritting her teeth. "He threatened my brother! If I don't sign the contract, they'll go after my brother!"
Chen Liuhe nodded, then sneered at Zhou Yunkang. "You truly are a bunch of shameless beasts in human clothing." He paused. "Alright, let's talk business. Big Brother Zhou, I have a suggestion: why don't your Black Dragon Group drop the idea of taking over this club?"
Zhou Yunkang was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter, a laugh full of disdain and irritation. "Are you looking for death? I'll say it right now: if I don't leave here with a signed transfer agreement, none of you might see tomorrow's sun."
"Tsk, tsk. The Black Dragon Group is truly impressive. But coming from your mouth, those words sound soft and utterly ineffective," Chen Liuhe chuckled lightly, then asked Huang Baiwan, "Old Huang, are you scared?"
"Scared of what, a hammer?" Huang Baiwan grinned, showing his yellow teeth. He was a lone bachelor with no family, and from the moment he started investigating Zhou Yunkang for Chen Liuhe, he had already put his life on the line.
Chen Liuhe then said, "Big Brother Zhou, I'll be frank with you today. Since I've intervened, this club is no longer yours to touch. You won't get it. I don't care if you're the Black Dragon Group or the Black Dog Group."
Zhou Yunkang's face turned completely cold. He looked at Qin Ruohan and demanded, "Is this your idea?"
Qin Ruohan pressed her lips together, remaining silent, clearly tacitly agreeing with Chen Liuhe's words.
Zhou Yunkang nodded, then stood up with a cold sneer. "Good. Very good." Killing intent now flickered in his eyes. After speaking those few words, he turned to leave.
"What? Leaving before we're finished talking? Did I say you could leave?" Chen Liuhe's lazy voice drifted out.
Zhou Yunkang glared at him. "You little punk, I'm walking out of here right now! If you've got the guts, try and stop me!" With that, Zhou Yunkang continued walking, his posture rather arrogant.
Chen Liuhe let out a cold laugh. Without any warning, he picked up the ashtray from the table and hurled it.
BANG! A muffled thud, followed by Zhou Yunkang's cry of pain. A gash opened on the back of Zhou Yunkang's head, and bright red blood began to flow.
Witnessing this, Qin Ruohan clapped her hand over her mouth in horror, staring at Chen Liuhe in disbelief. Had this guy gone mad? That was Zhou Yunkang, the Vice President of the Black Dragon Group! Attacking him like this, the situation was clearly going to escalate beyond control.
She felt a sense of utter despair. They had now made a deadly enemy of the Black Dragon Group. How could they negotiate under such circumstances? If she couldn't reconcile with the Black Dragon Group, what good would it do to save the club tonight? She couldn't fight against them; a tragic end awaited her.
Chen Liuhe paid no mind to Qin Ruohan's thoughts. He looked coldly at Zhou Yunkang, who was on the floor clutching his head. "Keeping you here isn't a difficult task for me."
"You're dead! I'm going to make sure you die a horrible death!" Zhou Yunkang wailed. He couldn't believe Chen Liuhe dared to lay a hand on him. How many years had it been since anyone dared to attack him?
"Drag him over," Chen Liuhe told Huang Baiwan. Without a word, Huang Baiwan stepped forward, grabbed Zhou Yunkang by the head, and forcibly dragged him to Chen Liuhe's feet, leaving a trail of blood on the floor.
"Whether I live or die is uncertain, but if you don't talk to me properly today, you will die a very miserable death." Chen Liuhe said, narrowing his eyes. There was no legendary chilling aura or murderous intent, just these plain words, yet they inexplicably struck fear into the hearts of both Qin Ruohan and Zhou Yunkang.
"Your Black Dragon Group has power, but I'll be frank. My brother and I are two roughnecks with nothing to lose. Call us lowlifes if you want. We genuinely dare to kill and rob. At worst, we'll just disappear."
Chen Liuhe's words instilled fear in Zhou Yunkang. As the saying goes, "the barefoot don't fear the shoed."
Zhou Yunkang gasped for breath, enduring the intense pain. He looked at Chen Liuhe, finally showing some compromise. "Talk? How do we talk?" He wasn't afraid of the well-dressed rich powerful people who were fiercer than him; he feared those who had absolutely no regard for their own lives.
"Since we're talking, of course, I have my bargaining chips." Chen Liuhe's face regained its smile. A look from him signaled Huang Baiwan to help Zhou Yunkang onto the sofa.
Without further delay, Chen Liuhe pulled a stack of photos from his pocket and tossed them onto the coffee table. He looked at Zhou Yunkang with disdain. "Big Brother Zhou, honestly, I admire you. You're a role model for our generation."
Ignoring Chen Liuhe's sarcasm, Zhou Yunkang's face turned instantly pale when he saw the stack of photos. He frantically grabbed them, flipping through them one by one, his expression growing increasingly ugly.
Before Zhou Yunkang could speak, Chen Liuhe said, "Big Brother Zhou, I believe you know better than anyone how you climbed to your current position. What do you think your wife would react if she saw these photos? Without her, what kind of fate would await you in the Black Dragon Group?"
"Bastard! You investigated me? How did you get these photos?" Zhou Yunkang could no longer remain calm. He glared at Chen Liuhe, enraged, his eyes as if he wanted to devour him.
"I told you, who dares to climb Liangshan without real skills? When negotiating with a big boss like you, my brother and I naturally have to prepare," Chen Liuhe said calmly. "As for how I got these photos, Big Brother Zhou, don't worry about it. People have their ways, ghosts have theirs. You dared to do these things; are you afraid others can't find out?"
Chen Liuhe asked with a smile, "Tell me, what do you think these photos are worth in your mind? Are they worth an entertainment club?"
Taking several deep breaths, Zhou Yunkang tried to calm himself. He tossed the photos away, pretending to be unfazed. "You're too naive if you think these photos can threaten me. It's normal for men to be philanderers. Even if my wife found out, nothing would come of it in the end. And what about your fate?"
"Heh heh, what if your father-in-law found out you dared to mess with his woman? What fate do you think awaits you then? Sunk to the bottom of West Lake, or dismembered and fed to dogs?" Chen Liuhe asked playfully. At these words, Zhou Yunkang's face turned pale again. Then, he let out a terrified cry, "How... how do you know all this?"
Chen Liuhe sneered, shaking his head without speaking. He knew that he had hit Zhou Yunkang's critical weakness. A man who had climbed to his current position step by step by relying on women would not willingly watch all of it disappear. Moreover, Zhou Yunkang was very afraid of death. And if he was afraid of death, he would have to compromise.
A long moment later, Zhou Yunkang, clutching his wound, slumped onto the sofa, letting out a hollow, helpless laugh. "You win. I truly underestimated you."
Chen Liuhe smiled calmly. "Winning or losing isn't important. What's important is that we both get what we want. We both hope to live peacefully, and even better."
Zhou Yunkang said, "Tell me, what exactly do you want?"
"You should be very clear," Chen Liuhe said, smiling at Zhou Yunkang, but that smile, in Zhou Yunkang's eyes, had become almost devilish.
"You overestimate me. I can't decide on such a big matter. I'm just a vice president of the Black Dragon Group. The one who truly makes decisions is only one person, and that's Zhang Yongfu. He's the one who set his eyes on this club, spending so much effort. He won't give up halfway," Zhou Yunkang said.
"Then tell me, what value do you have for us?" Chen Liuhe asked.
"Trying to make Zhang Yongfu give up on 'Golden Jade Hall'? That's impossible!" Zhou Yunkang stated. "Even if you kill me, it won't help."
Hearing this, Chen Liuhe fell silent. He glanced at Qin Ruohan, then turned back to Zhou Yunkang. "People live for peace and prosperity. We don't want to fall out with the Black Dragon Group; it wouldn't be good for anyone."
He paused, then made an executive decision. "How about this? Let's meet halfway. We can at most give up 20% of the shares. That's the bottom line."
Zhou Yunkang's face was grim. "Twenty percent? That's too little! Zhang Yongfu will never agree. He wants the entire 'Golden Jade Hall'."
Chen Liuhe patted Zhou Yunkang's shoulder, speaking earnestly. "Of course, I know it's difficult. But aren't you still mediating in the middle? Otherwise, wouldn't your life be utterly worthless?"
This threatening remark sent a jolt through Zhou Yunkang's heart. Chen Liuhe continued, "You can tell Zhang Yongfu that there's no need to be completely ruthless. It's always good to leave a little room for future encounters. Money can never be earned enough. If we push this to a point where everyone is ruined, then no one will come out well."
"I can try," Zhou Yunkang said, taking a deep breath. He knew he had no other choice.
"That's right. I believe that with your ability, you can handle all this. After all, you wouldn't want the position you've gained today to vanish into thin air, would you?" Chen Liuhe smiled. "Alright, go get your wound bandaged. We'll wait for your good news."
Even after Zhou Yunkang left, Chen Liuhe remained perfectly calm. Huang Baiwan couldn't help but give Chen Liuhe a thumbs-up, his face full of admiration. "Brother Six, you're amazing. You completely shattered that Zhou Yunkang's mental defenses!"