Chapter 32: Are You Even Worthy to Speak of This?

Just as Wang Dongpo stood in a daze, unsure what to do, Lin Li rushed forward and struck the back of his neck. Without a moment’s hesitation, Lin Li turned and left, not wishing to waste any more time on this man.

Having finished with Wang Dongpo, Lin Li made his way without delay to the spot where Qin Guosheng had just been. By the time he arrived, the two bodyguards who had been with Qin Guosheng had already been taken care of, and Qin himself had been led away to an unknown location. This, after all, was what Lin Li had arranged earlier with Leng Ningxue.

Originally, Qin Guosheng need not have come here at all. But Lin Li had spoken with such certainty, making it sound as if the matter could be resolved with ease. And Qin Guosheng, too, harbored a deep desire to see his enemy fall step by step into a deadly trap. Thus, without much thought, he had followed Lin Li here, convinced there would be no unexpected complications.

Yet, barely a moment had passed before Qin Guosheng was whisked away by strangers.

“It seems the plan worked perfectly,” Lin Li said, a smug smile curving his lips.

…

Qin Guosheng was now in a state of panic. By the original arrangement, he ought to have been quite safe. Yet even he did not understand what had gone awry. He had thought there was nothing to fear, and just as he let his guard down, several mysterious figures appeared from nowhere and abducted him.

Blindfolded, he was taken to an unfamiliar place. He could guess it was some villa, but he had no way of knowing where. All he could do now was plead.

“Listen, brothers, I know you’re just in this for the money. You probably don’t know who I am. My name is Qin Guosheng, of the Qin family. If you let me go, I’ll make sure you’re well rewarded—more money than you could ever imagine,” he said, his voice trembling with urgency.

For someone as cautious as Qin Guosheng, to end up in such a predicament was unthinkable. But he had made a fatal miscalculation at the most crucial moment, and now he was paying the price for his recklessness.

Just then, someone tore the cloth from his head. Qin Guosheng had expected to see members of the Leng family or some other rival clan, for given the current climate, there were many who wished him harm. Even he could not be certain who his enemies were.

But when he saw the faces before him, he was struck dumb with astonishment—it was his own subordinates.

“You idiots, what do you think you’re doing? Untie me at once!” Qin Guosheng shouted, recognizing his own men.

But the two remained unmoved. At first, Qin Guosheng raged, but as time passed, he began to sense something was terribly wrong, and his tone gradually softened.

“What’s going on with you two? Untie me now. I know you might have your doubts, but don’t do anything foolish.”

If at first he could still muster some confidence, now, faced with their grim composure, even Qin Guosheng began to grasp the gravity of the situation. These men were not joking.

Sure enough, one of them laughed and said, “Boss Qin, I suppose you still don’t know what trouble you’re about to face, do you?”

Qin Guosheng stared back, bewildered. He had no idea what they intended, only a vague sense that something had gone terribly wrong.

“You two have been with me for years. You know what kind of man I am. Let me go today, and I’ll forget everything that’s happened.”

Zhang Xiaodong laughed. “Well, well. That’s our Boss Qin—threats, bribes, every trick in the book. If we were any weaker, we might actually be swayed by you.”

They regarded him with mocking eyes. The other man, with a square face, spoke up: “Boss Qin, I wouldn’t waste your breath. Today, no matter what you say, there’s nothing you can do to change our minds.”

After hearing their words, Qin Guosheng fell silent for a long time. Everything should have been under his control. Now, faced with this reversal, he had no idea what to do next. Yet clearly, these two had no intention of giving him time to think.

“Tell me, who put you up to this? Search your hearts—have I ever treated you unfairly? What could possibly drive you to betray me?” Qin Guosheng demanded, his tone grave.

They both laughed. “See? What did I say? Even at the end, Boss Qin has no idea what his real mistake was.”

The square-faced man was clearly displeased, but he forced down his anger. Zhang Xiaodong said, “Qin Guosheng, you old bastard, you really have the nerve to say you’ve never wronged us? Search your conscience. How have you treated the brothers who fought at your side all these years? Without us, would you have what you have now? And what did you do, once you had power? You cast all your old comrades aside. Whenever your son made a mess, we had to clean it up. You even made my own brother your scapegoat!”

At these words, Qin Guosheng realized he had indeed been unscrupulous, but he felt not the slightest regret. Even now, he would make the same choice—for his son’s sake.

The square-faced man seemed to read Qin Guosheng’s thoughts. He glanced at his companion and said quietly, “There’s no use talking to him. Look at his face—do you see even a hint of remorse?” He shook his head, regarding Qin Guosheng with disdain.

“Lin Li won’t let you get away with this. Just wait—he’ll be here soon, and when he comes, you’ll all die,” Qin Guosheng snarled, his face twisted in rage.

But the two paid him no mind. Qin Guosheng still had not grasped his situation, but they understood far better than he did.