Chapter 120: The Four Great Families Make Their Move

"You little brat."

"I've known many people in my time, but you are the first one to show such blatant disregard for the Star Palace Organization. Do you really think we wouldn't dare to kill you?"

"Since you’re so stubborn, then come and try your luck. It won’t be long before you pay the price for your recklessness."

The line went dead, leaving Lin Li speechless.

After all that buildup, Ye Aotian had called specifically just to spout some empty threats. Lin Li had hoped for something more original.

He let out a scoff as he hung up. It seemed Ye Aotian was feeling exceptionally confident in his own strength these days.

The next few days in Jiangcheng passed without incident. It wasn't until Lin Li woke up that morning that he received a call from Fang Tai.

Fang Tai had been overseeing the Tianxin District project.

Lin Li picked up the phone. "What’s the rush?"

Fang Tai sounded anxious on the other end. "We just got calls from several suppliers saying they won't be able to deliver our goods for the time being, and that we should figure out a solution ourselves."

"But our schedule has been incredibly tight lately. If we don't have backup supplies, I don't know what we're supposed to do next."

Fang Tai was at a loss, and given the current situation, their prospects looked grim.

Lin Li had already anticipated this. He had been wondering when the Four Great Families would make their move; he just hadn't expected them to lose their patience so soon.

"Brother Lin, shouldn't you be worried? You sound so indifferent to all this."

Fang Tai had expected Lin Li to be frantic and scrambling for a solution, but to his surprise, Lin Li remained perfectly calm—as if this were all part of his original plan and nothing had changed at all. It made Fang Tai wonder if he had been overreacting.

Lin Li replied with a serious tone, "Of course I know what’s going on."

"I knew long ago that the Four Great Families would join forces against us, so I made arrangements in advance. Did they really think that by buying off the material suppliers, they could leave us with no options?"

Lin Li let out a cold laugh. Fang Tai could hear the absolute confidence in his voice. Thinking back on how Lin Li had handled every challenge with complete certainty lately, Fang Tai realized that if he was still this calm, he must have a solid plan in place.

Fang Tai let out a sigh of relief. "It seems you’ve already got a plan, Brother Lin. I suppose I was just overthinking things."

Lin Li smiled. "I wouldn't call it a specific plan, but the people in charge need to be made aware of our difficulties."

"Only then will they understand the heavy price we are paying to complete this Tianxin District project."

Lin Li could have resolved the situation with a single word, but he wasn't in a hurry. For him, the better strategy was to let others know about their predicament. Only by doing so could he gradually gain the upper hand in the long run.

Though Fang Tai didn't fully grasp what Lin Li was planning, he knew that if it was Lin Li’s decision, he only needed to follow it unconditionally. The rest didn't matter.

After hanging up, Su Lan, who was beside him, asked, "Looks like there’s trouble in the Tianxin District?"

Lin Li nodded. "The Four Great Families have been preparing to take me down for a while now; they’ve just found a convenient moment."

"But they’re thinking too simply if they believe they can pressure me this way. If I were the type to be scared off by such tactics, we wouldn't be where we are today."

Lin Li understood the situation better than anyone. Others might think he would be forced to bow his head, but for him, that was simply not an option.

"You’ve been pushing the progress of the Tianxin District project, but this move of theirs is going to waste a lot of your time," Su Lan noted.

"I’m tempted to say you should just offer them some conciliatory words. Didn't Qin Guosheng face the same situation?"

Su Lan knew Lin Li wouldn't easily yield, but given how far things had escalated, she thought perhaps it was time for a different approach. To her surprise, Lin Li remained resolute.

"If I bow down now, they’ll just use the same tactic whenever they want to cause trouble later. A day or two might not matter, but no one can endure that kind of treatment indefinitely."

Lin Li knew that if he gave them this opening, he would be the one to suffer in the long run. He couldn't spend his life constantly dealing with the Four Great Families' harassment. Instead of yielding now, it was better to have a showdown. He needed to let the Four Great Families know that he was not someone to be trifled with.

"Your logic is sound, but the real trouble is figuring out how exactly we're going to deal with them," Su Lan said, still looking worried.

Lin Li gently patted her cheek. "Sister Lan, don't worry. We’ve known each other long enough for you to know that I always have my own considerations."

"If compromising could actually change the situation, why would I choose to keep fighting them? But this is a contest of wits. If they think this method will pressure me, then let them see what I’m truly capable of."

Seeing Lin Li’s absolute confidence, Su Lan was momentarily stunned. She had been managing the Qin Group, so she knew better than anyone how much pressure Lin Li had been under lately. Most people would have crumbled long ago.

But Lin Li was different. Even under such immense pressure, he could always find the best solution. Even Su Lan couldn't help but admire him. Now, seeing him remain so relaxed in the face of the Four Great Families' aggression, she realized that this was something ordinary people simply could not achieve.