At the same time, Yang Chen pushed the car's speed to its limit, arriving at Borent Entertainment in just twenty minutes.
Gazing at the dazzlingly luxurious nightclub, a flash of coldness passed through his eyes. Without hesitation, he slammed his foot on the accelerator.
**Boom!**
A deafening crash echoed as the Volkswagen Phaeton plowed straight into the lobby of Borent Entertainment, only coming to a stop after smashing headfirst into the reception desk.
"Holy shit! What just happened?" Countless people stared in stunned silence at the black sedan, its front end nearly totaled.
**Bang!**
The car door flew off, and Yang Chen stepped out unharmed.
Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief. Despite the severe crash, he didn't have a single scratch on him—not even a minor injury.
"President Xiong, a Phaeton just crashed into the lobby!" The manager of Borent Entertainment rushed to the top floor in a panic to report.
Hearing this, Xiong Boren frowned slightly. "A car accident?"
He couldn't understand how a car could crash into the lobby when there wasn't even a road in front of Borent Entertainment's entrance.
"President Xiong, I think this guy means trouble. He's young, demanded to see you as soon as he got out of the car, and took down all the security guards in the club." The manager shuddered as he recalled the scene in the lobby.
A lone man, fighting single-handedly, had sent people flying with every punch. Despite working in the nightlife industry for years, the manager had never seen anyone so terrifyingly strong.
Initially puzzled, Xiong Boren's lips curled into a faint smile upon hearing the manager's words. "No problem. Tell security to stand down and let him come up."
"President Xiong, but—"
The manager hesitated, but Xiong Boren's frown silenced him. "Do you not understand my orders?"
"Y-yes, President Xiong! I'll arrange it right away!" The manager quickly turned and left.
"He's faster than I expected."
Xiong Boren's smile never faded as he opened a black briefcase in front of him, packed full of hundred-yuan bills.
"Three million yuan. As long as you make him suffer a fate worse than death, it's all yours." Xiong Boren smirked as he glanced at the hulking black man standing beside him.
By the time the manager returned to the first-floor lobby, over twenty security guards were sprawled on the ground, none able to stand.
Apart from Yang Chen, another tall, muscular man stood behind him—none other than Ma Chao, his ever-loyal shadow.
Beneath Ma Chao's foot lay a bloodied, barely conscious man, his face so battered he was unrecognizable. Otherwise, the staff of Borent Entertainment would have immediately identified him.
"O-our President Xiong is in VIP Room Zero on the top floor. H-he said you can go up." The manager's voice trembled as he took in the sight of the fallen guards.
Just as expected. Yang Chen now understood—Qin Xi's presence here today was part of Xiong Boren's scheme. The real target was him.
Without hesitation, Yang Chen headed for the elevator. Ma Chao dragged the unconscious man by one leg, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.
The Xiong family had risen to become one of Jiangzhou's top-tier families by dominating the entertainment industry. Nearly fifty percent of the city's nightlife venues belonged to them.
Given the nature of the business, underground connections were inevitable. Thus, causing trouble in a Xiong family establishment was practically unthinkable.
"Who were those two young guys? They're insane to dare make a scene in the Xiong family's turf!"
"Just a couple of reckless thugs who can fight. Do they really think they can just waltz in and out of a Xiong family property?"
"I heard last year, some idiot caused trouble at one of the Xiong family's clubs. The next day, his body was fished out of the Old Dragon River—bloated beyond recognition."
...
As Yang Chen and Ma Chao disappeared into the elevator, almost no one believed they would leave alive.
"President Xiong has declared that all drinks are on the house tonight! Let's keep the party going!" The manager grabbed a microphone and announced.
The crowd erupted in cheers. "Long live President Xiong!"
While the party raged downstairs, Yang Chen and Ma Chao had already reached the top floor.
Inside VIP Room Zero, Xiong Boren wore a faint smile as the two young men barged in. He barely spared a glance at the bloodied figure tossed aside like trash.
"You must be Yang Chen." Xiong Boren lounged on the sofa, legs crossed, a premium Cuban cigar between his fingers.
Behind him stood a shirtless black man, his muscles bulging as if ready to explode. From the moment Yang Chen and Ma Chao entered, the black man's gaze locked onto them, brimming with hostility.
On the innermost sofa lay a familiar figure—Qin Xi.
Seeing that she was merely unconscious and her clothes undisturbed, Yang Chen finally relaxed.
"Seems like you've been waiting for me for a while?" Yang Chen's voice was icy.
Xiong Boren exhaled a plume of smoke, narrowing his eyes. "I've waited a bit. If not for wanting you to witness certain… unspeakable acts, your wife might already be this black brother's plaything."
A sharp glint flashed in Yang Chen's eyes. To speak of Qin Xi like this—Xiong Boren was digging his own grave.
"Brother Chen, let me kill him!" Ma Chao stepped forward, murderous intent radiating from him.
Yang Chen raised a hand to stop him, then took a seat opposite Xiong Boren. "Seems like your son's recent ordeal didn't teach you a lesson. Tell me, if history repeated itself with the father, what would the headlines say?"
"'Brokeback Mountain: The Untold Secrets Between the Xiong Father and Son'—how does that sound, President Xiong?" Yang Chen smirked.
"Hahaha!" Xiong Boren laughed instead of taking offense. "Interesting! Very interesting! It's been years since I've met a young man as bold as you."
"I'm just alright. Compared to your son, I'm nothing."
Yang Chen's eyes narrowed. "Your son dared to kidnap an innocent woman. I used to wonder what kind of father could raise such trash. Now I get it—the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
"I can't fathom where a nobody from a third-rate family gets the audacity to look down on me, Xiong Boren." He stubbed out the remaining half of his cigar, his smile vanishing.
"If I said it's just me, would you believe it?" Yang Chen replied with a grin.
Xiong Boren shook his head. "Aren't you afraid that offending me means you won't live to see tomorrow's sunrise?"
"Do you really think I'd come here unprepared, knowing who you are?" Yang Chen's tone shifted.
"What do you mean?" A bad feeling crept into Xiong Boren's gut as he followed Yang Chen's gaze to the figure at Ma Chao's feet.
The build, height, and clothes all matched. The more Xiong Boren looked, the more familiar the man seemed—until he spotted a black mole on the man's neck. His eyes widened in horror as he roared, "Xiong Wei!"
Seeing that Xiong Boren had recognized his son, Yang Chen's lips curled. "Ma Chao, your mission was to beat this bastard so badly even his father wouldn't recognize him. Since he did, consider this a failure."
Ma Chao grinned. "Brother Chen, next time, I won't fail."
Hearing their exchange, Xiong Boren's composed expression twisted into pure rage. "I wasn't planning to kill you, but now—I've changed my mind."
"Many want me dead. Some even have the power to do it. But you? You're not even close."
Yang Chen stood, his aura exploding with killing intent so palpable that the black man instinctively stepped back.
*Thud. Thud. Thud.*
Yang Chen strode toward Qin Xi.
"Kill him! I'll give you five million!" Xiong Boren snarled.
The black man, initially hesitant, steeled himself at the increased bounty and lunged at Yang Chen.
Yang Chen acted as if he didn't notice, his focus solely on Qin Xi.
Seeing this, Xiong Boren sneered. "Samba is a former Black Country boxing champion. One punch from him can crush your skull. And you're not even dodging? You're begging for death!"
As Samba's fist hurtled toward Yang Chen's head, Xiong Boren's face twisted with glee, already envisioning the fatal blow.
"Get lost!"
But Ma Chao was faster. With a thunderous shout, he intercepted Samba.
**Crack!**
A single punch bent Samba's wrist at a ninety-degree angle. The sound of snapping bone echoed sharply through the silent VIP room.