Silver Tuo King was the strongest in terms of martial arts here.
But his weakness was also the most obvious.
Given his experience and perspective, he was no match for Lu Chengwen when it came to scheming.
In a fight, a hundred Lu Chengwens wouldn't be his opponent. But when it came to playing mind games, a thousand of him couldn't keep up with Lu Chengwen's tactics.
Silver Tuo King was different from Iron Tuo King and Bronze Tuo King.
Whenever he was out on a mission, he dressed sharply in suits, exuding an air of sophistication.
He stayed in luxury hotels, rented high-end business cars, dined on Western cuisine, read English newspapers, drank coffee, savored red wine, and enjoyed the company of foreign women.
In short, this man knew how to enjoy life to the fullest and desperately pretended he wasn't just a red-clad enforcer for the Big Organization, but a true elite of society.
Lu Chengwen only needed three sentences with him to figure him out completely.
Silver Tuo King was the kind of person who, though he wouldn't say it out loud, secretly yearned for the urban lifestyle.
Deep down, he had no real love for serving the Big Organization.
But once he had joined, there was no way out—he could only keep moving forward.
Finally, after becoming the Silver Tuo King, he achieved financial freedom, so whenever he had the chance, he would play the role of a city elite, immersing himself in the urban life he craved.
When he saw real elites, he envied them beyond words.
They didn't have to fight or kneel in submission.
They talked about the stock market, discussed share prices, analyzed financial trends, or debated investment projects. They attended high-society dinners and exclusive events.
He had sneaked into a few upscale gatherings before, always lurking in a corner, watching those well-dressed, genuine business elites mingle, laugh, and network effortlessly.
Meanwhile, whenever someone shook his hand and asked what he did, he would panic, making up lies about being in "biotech research, specializing in human tissue excision and terminal biological care."
In reality, he was just a hitman.
The other person would nod politely, confused, then excuse themselves, leaving him both relieved and deeply disappointed.
Over the years, to maintain his elite persona, he had spent almost all his earnings, saving very little.
The Big Organization was too stingy with mission funds.
Five-star hotels weren't covered, and meals over 200 bucks had to come out of his own pocket.
Damn it! A decent bottle of red wine alone cost more than 200!
Now that he had no way back, his earlier outburst was just posturing to raise his value.
The subtext was: *I'm pissed! I'll kill you unless you pay up! And it better be more than what those other two got, because I'm worth more!*
Lu Chengwen ignored most of his bluster and immediately grasped his real demand—money.
And that made him almost laugh.
Money? That's the one thing he had in spades.
Subduing Silver Tuo King was even easier than he'd expected. If he'd known, he wouldn't have bothered with Bronze Tuo King and Iron Tuo King—he could've handled this alone.
Lu Chengwen smiled and walked over, helping him up. "This is a business environment—no need for kneeling. I treat Iron Tuo King and Bronze Tuo King like brothers, and you're no different."
"Yes, Boss Lu. You're truly like Zhuan Zhu, surpassing even Meng Chang—your might shakes both sides of the Yellow River, your wealth dominates the six provinces of Shandong…"
"Alright, alright."
Lu Chengwen slung an arm over his shoulder. "You and your men should lay low for now. I have a yacht down at the harbor—go relax there for a few days. If you need anything, contact Jiang Shihan. She'll handle all your expenses."
Then he added, "Later, when you join Da Sheng Group, I'll make you a vice president."
Silver Tuo King was stunned, then moved to tears.
This was a dream come true!
He was going to be a *vice president*!?
That put him a whole level above those so-called elites he'd once envied!
From now on… he could finally live *that* life!
Silver Tuo King trembled with excitement. Lu Chengwen patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Look at you, so worked up. I'll be counting on you for big things in the future—no need to be so nervous."
"Boss Lu… you really are like a father to me!"
"Mm, good." Lu Chengwen leaned in. "Tonight, go enjoy yourselves on the yacht. I'll have some friends send over a few beautiful women. Have fun."
"Thank you, Boss Lu!"
Silver Tuo King wiped his tears. "To show my sincerity, I can persuade my sworn brother to join us!"
"Your sworn brother?"
Bronze Tuo King reminded him, "Gold Tuo King."
Lu Chengwen chuckled. "No rush. We'll take it slow."
Silver Tuo King felt a little deflated that his suggestion wasn't immediately accepted. "Boss Lu, my brother and I are as close as blood. He'll definitely—"
"Ah, A-Yin."
"Yes, Boss Lu."
"Your mind isn't clear right now. Take some time to cool off. As for Gold Tuo King, let's set that aside for now. The entire Big Organization is probably hunting you three down. You need to stay calm and lay low. Enjoy yourselves first—there's no hurry to act."
"Boss Lu, you're too good to me!"
"My brothers get two things from me: First, generosity—I spare no expense for my people. Second, loyalty—as long as you're faithful to me, I'll never let you down."
---
Xu Xuejiao examined Leng Tianhao.
Leng Qingqiu stood nearby. "Well?"
"Not optimistic." Xu Xuejiao said. "On the surface, it looks like poisoning, but there's no trace of toxins in his system. It's more like mental trauma. But based on his behavior yesterday—aside from wanting to sell his shares and elope with that Luo Shiyin—everything else seemed normal."
Leng Qingqiu frowned. "Wanting to jump off a building is normal?"
"He was doing it for love. Maybe the moment Luo Shiyin jumped, he felt the call of devotion or something."
Leng Qingqiu forced herself to stay calm. "Xuejiao, I know we're not exactly friends. Because of Chengwen, we've both been… less than pleased with each other. But this is my father. I'm worried sick about him. I need your help—*sincerely*."
Xu Xuejiao felt a pang of guilt seeing Leng Qingqiu like this.
She softened. "His condition doesn't seem like an illness. It's more like… some kind of mental manipulation. I've heard rumors about certain outsiders using dark arts to control minds. Maybe it's something like that. And… I was a bit harsh earlier. Sorry."
Leng Qingqiu smiled faintly. "Women facing rivals tend to get aggressive. I understand. Especially people like us…"
She slipped her hands into her pockets, forcing a smile. "We never like losing to anyone."
Xu Xuejiao nodded. "I'm not entirely sure, but I think Chengwen didn't seem surprised by this situation. He might know something."
Leng Qingqiu's eyes sharpened.
With everything that had happened today, her mind had been overloaded, and she hadn't been as calm or observant as Xu Xuejiao.
But now that it was pointed out, she remembered.
Just as she was about to call Lu Chengwen, he walked in.
"Sorry, had a lot to deal with. How's your dad?"
For some reason, the moment Leng Qingqiu saw Lu Chengwen, she felt an inexplicable sense of security.
This man had helped her time and again in moments of crisis.
This time, he had single-handedly thwarted Long Aotian and Huo Wendong's schemes, not only saving Qianfeng Group but also ensuring her smooth succession as Snow City's first female chairperson.
"Chengwen, Xuejiao says my father might be under some kind of dark influence—something beyond medical treatment."
Lu Chengwen nodded. "It's dark arts. Luo Shiyin's doing."
Both women were shocked.
"What kind of dark arts?"
"Basically, she has an extreme ability to control men. She can make them fall desperately in love with her, obey her every word, and in the worst cases, lose their minds completely—becoming puppets that only listen to her."
The two girls exchanged horrified glances.
"That serious!? Then she could get anything she wants?" Xu Xuejiao gasped, suddenly envious of such power.
Lu Chengwen shook his head. "Women who use this kind of power are cursed. Well, not exactly cursed, but… think about it. If every man in the world came running at your beck and call, completely brainless, just mindless puppets—would you still find men interesting? You'd start seeing them as pathetic, worthless dolls. So, she might seem glamorous, but in reality, she's miserable."
Leng Qingqiu didn't care about any of that. "Then what about my father?"
Lu Chengwen grinned. "He doesn't even care about you. Why bother with him? If he can sleep, let him sleep. It's fine."
"Stop joking!"
"Alright, alright."
Lu Chengwen rubbed his chin. "But I really don't know how to fix this. I don't know much about Luo Shiyin either."
Leng Qingqiu narrowed her eyes. "Huo Wendong! Could he also be under her spell?"
Xu Xuejiao asked, "Luo Shiyin tried to seduce you too. Did you fall for her tricks?"
Leng Qingqiu added, "Chengwen, you *can't* let her trap you. Otherwise, we'll all be lost without you."
Xu Xuejiao smirked. "Oh, he'd *love* to be trapped. Don't let his act fool you—his mind is always calculating, especially when there's a beautiful woman involved."
Leng Qingqiu pressed, "Do you like Luo Shiyin too?"
Lu Chengwen snapped, "Both of you, shut up! Damn, can I even get a word in?"
He sighed. "I don't know the specifics, but that woman's eyes are dangerous. Men who meet her gaze can easily fall under her spell. Oh, and her scent—she can release pheromones to cloud men's minds. In short, she's dangerous."
"Then my father has no hope?"
Lu Chengwen said, "It's probably not that bad. His condition is worse than Huo Wendong's, but I think he'll recover on his own after a while."
"You *think*?"
"I can only guess! Should I go ask Luo Shiyin myself? What if I end up—"
Both women glared. "End up *what*?"
"Anyway, she tried to control me, but I dodged it."
Leng Qingqiu: "You *really* dodged it?"
Xu Xuejiao: "No half-hearted resistance?"
Leng Qingqiu: "Or maybe you *initiated* something?"
Xu Xuejiao: "If there's a good opportunity, you wouldn't dodge—you'd *leap* at it, right?"
Leng Qingqiu: "Has everything that could've happened *already* happened?"
Xu Xuejiao: "Is *that* why you've been hot and cold with me lately?"
Lu Chengwen stared at them. "You two are *insane*!"
Xu Xuejiao, seeing he was genuinely angry, tugged his sleeve. "We were just teasing. Don't be mad."
Leng Qingqiu suppressed a smile. "I need to head to the company. Need a ride?"
"No." Xu Xuejiao said. "We're going to see Grandpa Chen. He's been missing Chengwen lately."
The moment Lu Chengwen thought of Chen Qiuyun, his head started throbbing.
"Can I skip it?"
Xu Xuejiao raised an eyebrow. "Don't think I don't know what you're planning. You want to go at night so you can see your *first love*, right?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Chen Mengyun went on a business trip to Europe and is flying back tonight. Don't tell me you didn't know."
Lu Chengwen froze, then quickly said, "Let's go. Right now!"
Xu Xuejiao was puzzled. "Why?"
"If we go now, we won't have to go tonight—and I won't have to see Chen Mengyun."