Is anyone reading this? Come on, guys! A whole chapter 193 was missing for at least seven days, and nobody complained. Why? Anyway, I have added the chapter with 194, making it chapters 193-194.
Let's hear some comments give power stones and whatever else you've got!
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{Chapter: 199 Shock and admiration!!}
"The Qingshan Gang?" Mei Yuxian's brow furrowed slightly. Her interest did not grow—in fact, it waned a bit more.
The Qingshan Gang was indeed a significant presence in Jiangbei, with fingers in many industries. But this kind of proposition didn't exactly excite her. It seemed more like a personal vendetta than a business opportunity.
She also knew from recent intelligence that Lin Yuan and the Tang family had been simultaneously targeting the Qingshan Gang. Clearly, Lin Yuan had some grudge against them—or more specifically, someone in the gang.
Could it be that Lin Yuan simply wanted to eliminate them as quickly as possible, and was now seeking her help to accelerate that goal?
With that in mind, Mei Yuxian gave a direct and frank response. "Xiao Yuan, if you really want to eliminate the Qingshan Gang, your sister is willing to lend a hand. I don't have any particular affection for them anyway. But if you're suggesting formal cooperation, I'll have to decline. The Qingshan Gang simply doesn't offer enough benefit to warrant a full three-party alliance."
From her standpoint, such an endeavor wasn't worth stretching the resources of the Mei Group. The reward didn't match the risk. And even though she was growing fond of Lin Yuan, business was never about favors or sentiment—it was about results.
In Mei Yuxian's mind, Lin Yuan was simply trying to crush Qingshan Gang using overwhelming force—and she wasn't wrong.
Lin Yuan was not at all upset by Mei Yuxian's initial rejection. He understood her well—Mei Yuxian always put the interests of the Mei family first whenever she made decisions. She was a calculating, strategic woman who wouldn't move without a clear return. If this proposed cooperation were truly just about dismantling the Qingshan Gang, then her reaction made perfect sense.
But Lin Yuan had more cards to play.
Lin Yuan smiled faintly and calmly said, "If it were only about taking down the Qingshan Gang, I wouldn't even need the Mei family's involvement. But what if I told you the real power behind the Qingshan Gang isn't them alone—but the Chen family?"
"The Chen family?" Mei Yuxian's eyes narrowed slightly, her expression tinged with surprise.
"Since when did the Chen family get involved with your conflict against the Qingshan Gang?" she asked with furrowed brows.
"Earlier today, Chen Zheng personally came to back Ye Feng," Lin Yuan explained with a light tone, as if he had been expecting this question. "You know who Chen Meng is, right? The patriarch of the Chen family?"
"I do," Mei Yuxian replied with a slight nod.
"Well," Lin Yuan continued, "Chen Meng owes Ye Feng a great debt. Ye Feng saved his life once, and ever since, they've maintained a very close relationship. Ye Feng and the leader of the Qingshan Gang are practically sworn brothers. Through Ye Feng, the Qingshan Gang gained direct support from the Chen family. But even before Ye Feng, the Chen family and the Qingshan Gang already had informal dealings. Ye Feng simply accelerated and deepened their cooperation."
He leaned forward slightly and added with a subtle edge in his voice, "Think about it. How else could the Qingshan Gang have managed to withstand the combined suppression efforts from both the Lin and Tang families for so long?"
Mei Yuxian took a moment to absorb everything Lin Yuan was saying. Her expression turned contemplative.
"If what you're saying is true, then the Chen family's involvement changes everything," she said seriously. "But how deep do their ties go? How much are they actually helping the Qingshan Gang?"
Lin Yuan chuckled lightly and answered, "That, I can't say for certain. But whether their involvement is shallow or deep, the Chen family has already put their reputation and resources on the line. And that's more than enough for us to act. Which brings me to the first key point: the goal isn't just to dismantle the Qingshan Gang. It's to wound the Chen family in the process."
He then raised his second finger. "And here's the second point: in the Xiling District, there are numerous businesses and fixed assets under the Qingshan Gang's name. But if we investigate them closely, we'll find that many of these actually belong to the Chen family, or are closely tied to their interests. Two examples—Fengyu Port and Wuyuan Factory—are essentially masked assets."
Hearing that, Mei Yuxian immediately picked up her phone and ordered her team to discreetly investigate the ownership and financial ties of the businesses Lin Yuan had mentioned. She had to verify the truth before making a decision.
A few moments later, her people got back to her—and every detail Lin Yuan provided turned out to be accurate.
Stunned by the precision of his information, Mei Yuxian finally believed him completely. Lin Yuan had no reason to deceive her, and his accuracy and depth of insight earned her admiration.
With a rare, satisfied smile, Mei Yuxian looked at him and said decisively, "Alright, Xiao Yuan. Let's cooperate. If what you say is true, I'll personally participate in bringing down the Qingshan Gang—and make sure the Chen family pays dearly for backing them."
Lin Yuan's smile widened, and he handed over a neatly prepared folder containing a contract and a detailed strategic plan.
"Then I look forward to a fruitful collaboration, Sister Yuxian," he said warmly. "Please, take a look at the terms and the blueprint I've outlined."
For Mei Yuxian, the Qingshan Gang alone held no appeal. But when the opportunity came to strike at the Chen family—especially knowing they could lose six to seven percent of their total industry—her interest was fully ignited.
For a family as powerful and wealthy as the Chens, losing six or seven percent might sound manageable on paper. But in reality, it could mean losing tens of billions in assets. Even more importantly, several of these assets, such as Fengyu Port and Wuyuan Factory, held tremendous long-term value.
If she could seize control of Fengyu Port, for example, she could significantly streamline and expand her own supply chains. The profits could multiply several times over with proper restructuring. The port might not be strategically vital for the Chen family or Qingshan Gang due to their different business focuses, but for Mei Yuxian, it was a golden opportunity to consolidate her power and increase the Mei Group's influence.
And the best part? She wouldn't have to pay full price for these assets in a normal negotiation. Instead, through the collapse of the Qingshan Gang and the unraveling of Chen family's hidden investments, she could simply take them.
By the time the dust settled and the Chen family's assets were scattered and vulnerable, seizing control of Fengyu Port would no longer be an uphill battle. It would become merely a matter of timing and execution.
What surprised Mei Yuxian the most was that Lin Yuan had already prepared everything in advance—right down to the official contract and a full strategic dossier.
The documents were now spread out before her on the elegant glass table in her office, waiting to be reviewed. Without wasting a moment, Mei Yuxian leaned forward, her expression growing increasingly serious as she began reading through the files.
Line by line, page by page, the more she read, the more a strange chill crept over her.
The plan Lin Yuan had drafted wasn't just impressive—it was terrifying in its precision.
"Xiao Yuan, this plan of yours…" Mei Yuxian began, her voice trailing off in disbelief.
Before she could finish her sentence, Lin Yuan calmly cut in, his tone firm but casual. "Sister Yuxian, you don't need to worry. The plan is solid. If you're still unsure, you're welcome to run your own risk assessments and calculate the odds of success."
Mei Yuxian waved her hand dismissively. "No… it's not that I doubt your plan. In fact, I believe you. I truly do. It's just that this plan—it's far too intricate. Almost disturbingly so. Where in the world did you get all this information?"
She looked up at him with a mixture of curiosity and awe. It wasn't just a blueprint for destruction; it was practically a death sentence for the Qingshan Gang.
As she continued reading, Mei Yuxian couldn't hide her growing astonishment. Lin Yuan's strategic assault plan didn't simply outline broad goals or vague directions—it broke everything down into excruciatingly detailed steps. He had specified how many personnel would be deployed, what each operative would wear, the precise timing of every move down to the minute or even the second, and contingency steps for every possible countermeasure.
The plan even accounted for psychological impact. If just one part of the enemy's operation slipped up—even slightly—the entire structure of the Qingshan Gang would collapse inwards like a dying star. And even if they executed everything flawlessly, they would still be left with no way out.
Reading through it felt less like analyzing a business strategy and more like watching a prophecy unfold.
In Mei Yuxian's mind, it was as if the Qingshan Gang had already been wiped out. The plan was so realistic, so clear in execution, that she could practically hear the gang's panicked cries and watch their empire crumble before her eyes.
A quiet realization washed over her—if this level of strategic brilliance were ever directed toward the Mei family, even she might not be able to stop it. Even with all their resources and influence, they could be dismantled piece by piece.
The most unsettling part of all was the fact that Lin Yuan had access to information that no ordinary person should know—intimate, sensitive data about both the Qingshan Gang and the Chen family. Data that would take months, if not years, of deep espionage to uncover.
She stared at him, deeply intrigued. "Xiao Yuan… how in the world do you know all this?"
Lin Yuan smiled leisurely, as if it were no big deal. He raised an eyebrow and said in a relaxed tone, "Sister Yuxian, have you forgotten? I'm a fortune master. This kind of thing is child's play for me—like flipping through the pages of a storybook. To some, it may seem supernatural, but for me, it's a casual afternoon hobby."
Then, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, he added playfully, "You can think of me as the abandoned disciple of Qingyun Sect… Han Li himself."
He was referencing a well-known fictional character—Han Li, from a popular urban harem novel, a man famed for his mysterious origins and profound capabilities.
"Pfft!" Mei Yuxian couldn't help but burst out laughing, quickly covering her mouth with her hand to stifle the sound. Lin Yuan's sudden shift from cold strategist to cheeky storyteller had caught her completely off guard.
Although she laughed, the lingering impression left by his plan remained burned in her mind.
Lin Yuan was far more dangerous—and capable—than she had originally thought.
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