Chapter Twenty-Two: Threats

A small breakfast shop.

Wang Zhibing watched Qin Yang devouring his meal, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and said, “Yang’s Jewelry was once quite renowned in the jewelry scene of Haitian City, standing out from the crowd. Not long ago, they acquired a new stock of jewels and hired Liu Yu, a famous jewelry designer from Haitan City. But unexpectedly, just yesterday morning, a band of jewel thieves appeared out of nowhere, stole all their treasures, and even shot Liu Yu dead. Now, Yang’s Jewelry is caught in a dire crisis. Their prominence has attracted the envy of competitors, who are now eyeing their vast market. The only way for Yang’s Jewelry to stabilize themselves during this disaster is to rely on influential support. The Deputy Mayor in charge of the economic sector, Long Hao, is their strongest pillar, and Long Qiuhu is his son. That’s why Yang Yaxin has no choice but to approach this spoiled second-generation heir.”

Qin Yang took a sip of porridge and asked, “What kind of person is this Long Qiuhu?”

“Long Qiuhu? According to my research, he’s one of the top young scions in all of Haitian City. Last night’s setup was orchestrated by him alone. To pull it off so quickly shows he’s got some skill,” Wang Zhibing said, shifting his posture and lighting a cigarette. “But I suspect he just wants to play around and be done with it. There’s also the possibility he wants to claim Yang’s Jewelry for himself. Getting close to Yang Yaxin would be a huge advantage for him.”

“We absolutely can’t let him succeed,” Qin Yang said through gritted teeth.

Wang Zhibing chuckled. “That’s not hard! Just say the word: if we buy out Yang’s Jewelry, even Long Qiuhu wouldn’t dare cross us. Yang Yaxin really doesn’t know what’s good for her, huh.”

Qin Yang rolled his eyes. After polishing off his breakfast, he sent Wang Zhibing away. He himself hurried home, worried that Gao Xiaolan would be anxious after he’d been out all night. Yet, at the entrance to his apartment complex, he spotted Qin Wu, looking pale and haggard. Puzzled, he walked over.

Seeing him approach, Qin Wu looked embarrassed, her usual willful charm gone. She twisted her fingers and said softly, “Qin Yang, I’m really sorry about last night. I…”

“Forget it. I’m not one to hold grudges.” As he said it, he felt no shame; most importantly, Qin Wu had shown real loyalty last night. For the sake of their friendship, he couldn’t argue with her. “Don’t I already know what happened? So, you came just to apologize?”

Qin Wu adjusted her backpack. “I just felt bad—like something was stuck in my heart. But since you’re not mad, I’ll go to class now. I don’t want to skip anymore.”

Qin Yang smiled as she walked away. Yet, before he could leave, a new group of uninvited guests arrived. The first to step out was Cao Long from last night, followed by his men, each one staring at Qin Yang as if facing a formidable enemy. Qin Yang sneered, “What? Only now do you show up? Don’t you think you’re a little late?”

“Why take offense, Mr. Qin? Last night truly wasn’t convenient,” Cao Long replied, still trying to gauge whether Qin Yang knew about everything that had happened. He dared not reveal any worry, lest Qin Yang seize on it.

Qin Yang glanced at him. “What are you afraid of? If I hadn’t gotten out, wouldn’t you be rotting in there with me?”

Cao Long’s heart skipped a beat, his expression shifting. Seeing this wasn’t the place to talk, he suggested they go elsewhere. Qin Yang didn’t object. They drove to a nearby teahouse, requested a private room, and sat face to face while Cao Long’s men stood guard outside, ready to bar others or rush in at their boss’s signal.

Qin Yang poured a full cup of Pu’er tea, which made Cao Long feel this man was not someone to be trifled with.

“Mr. Qin, I’m here to apologize for last night,” Cao Long began, deliberately omitting the part about drugging the wine, hoping to placate him. “Any losses you suffered, I’ll compensate in full.”

Qin Yang drained his tea in one gulp and said bluntly, “Don’t play games with me. Those useless fools outside couldn’t keep me here if they tried. Let’s not beat around the bush. You’re quite close with Long Qiuhu. If I wanted to bring him down, what would you do?”

Cao Long gasped. This man never played by the rules. He was a tough one. Still, clinging to hope, he said, “I’m just here to make amends. I wouldn’t go so far as to offend Long Qiuhu, would I?”

“And what if I made it public?” Qin Yang’s expression turned cold as ice.

Just as Cao Long was weighing his options, Qin Yang uttered something that chilled him to the marrow: “Ji Liehu broke out of prison last night.”

“What?” Cao Long’s face turned ashen, but he quickly composed himself.

Qin Yang smiled.

Last night at the Golden Pavilion, he had absorbed the souls of several of the dead. Having just used up fifteen soul points to read one of their memories, he was shocked to discover these men were all underlings of Ji Liehu. They had died because they’d uncovered the secret behind the drinks at the Golden Pavilion. Ji Liehu’s gang had once controlled all of Haitian City’s drug supply, making them hypersensitive to narcotics. Even with the Golden Pavilion’s efforts to hide the truth, Ji Liehu, who was investigating, saw through the facade.

Cao Long, ruthless as ever, had these men killed and handed Ji Liehu over to the police. He’d done all this to eliminate Ji Liehu’s followers. But Cao Long never imagined that the dead could still speak.

“If Ji Liehu finds out he was captured because of someone’s schemes, tell me, what do you think would happen to that person?” Qin Yang asked with a clownish grin, his smile inscrutable.

This time, Cao Long was truly afraid. He couldn’t understand how Qin Yang knew every detail that could destroy him. The implication was clear, even if unspoken. If he refused to follow Qin Yang’s orders, he would face both the police and Ji Liehu’s vengeance—no shelter from either side. Most importantly, if the true owner of the Golden Pavilion found out that a goldmine like this was ruined by his hand, the consequences would be tragic enough to draw tears.

As for dealing with Long Qiuhu—

If he handled it discreetly, he might gain temporary safety. But the moment he complied, he’d never escape Qin Yang’s grasp for the rest of his life.

“It’s a simple choice. So long as you’re useful, I won’t drag us both down. But if I’m not satisfied, I guarantee your suffering will be a thousand times worse than mine.” Qin Yang stood, patted him on the shoulder, and said, “You know how to reach me. I’ll be waiting for your answer.”