Chapter 192: One Smile Topples a City, a Second Topples a Nation

Chapter 192: Chapter 192: One Smile Topples a City, a Second Topples a Nation

When Su Youning saw Ye Feng staring right at her full chest, her face instantly turned red. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest and said in a panic, "Don’t you dare bully me."

Ye Feng let out a chuckle. "Am I really that bad? Look, the cause of your ailment is simple. You bind your chest so tightly, it’s a wonder you don’t have chest pains! Go on, change into a bigger size. I guarantee you’ll feel better immediately."

Su Youning’s eyes lit up, but a moment later she shook her head in a panic. "Grandpa said if I let them be, it’ll attract disaster!"

Ye Feng placed his hands on Su Youning’s shoulders and looked at her, speaking with authority.

"Ningning, from now on, wear what you want. Wear what makes you look beautiful. I, Ye Feng, will protect you. I dare anyone to even think about messing with you!"

Su Youning’s eyes instantly lit up. "You... you’re not leaving me?"

Looking at Su Youning’s pleading, pitiful eyes, so full of longing, Ye Feng’s heart instantly softened. He could barely resist the urge to pull her into his arms, but a moment later, he hardened his heart and said,

"Ningning, I’ve told you before. I already have three women in my life. If we get together, I can’t offer you any kind of official status..."

"I don’t need any status..." Su Youning blurted out, but she immediately lowered her head, her face turning crimson.

Ye Feng froze. A moment later, he looked at Su Youning and asked, "Ningning, we haven’t known each other that long. How did you end up falling for me?"

Su Youning kept her head down, nervously fiddling with the hem of her clothes. "I feel safe when I’m with you."

Ye Feng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Oh, so you think of me as a guard dog!"

Hearing Ye Feng’s amusing remark, Su Youning let out a giggle.

Seeing Su Youning break into a real smile for the first time, Ye Feng felt as if the entire world had lost its color. He stood there, stunned, staring blankly at her as his breathing grew ragged.

Feeling the heat of Ye Feng’s breath, Su Youning’s body trembled. She took a step back and said flusteredly, "I’ll go change my clothes right now!"

With that, she turned away.

Ye Feng watched her retreating figure and sighed. "Ningning, I once read the line, ’Her smile, in a fleeting glance, holds a thousand charms, rendering all other beauties of the court colorless.’ I never understood what it meant, but now I do.

"I used to laugh at the story of how Li Zicheng lost everything because he was obsessed with the beauty Chen Yuanyuan, a mistake that allowed Wu Sangui to seize power. I always wondered, ’Was she really worth it?’ Now I understand. She was. If you were Chen Yuanyuan and I were in his shoes, I’d have done the same thing."

Su Youning froze for a second, her face turning crimson again. She shyly scurried into the adjoining suite, and Ye Feng could have sworn there was a new lightness in her step.

Ye Feng sat down on the sofa, his eyes fixed on the suite’s door with an expectant look. He muttered to himself, ’Ningning, I can’t wait to see your true splendor.’

But just then, his phone began to ring insistently. Ye Feng glanced at the screen and saw it was an unknown number. He answered it and said impatiently,

"Yeah, what is it? Spit it out. I’m waiting to watch a beauty change her clothes."

The line went dead silent.

Ye Feng hung up. He was just about to enjoy the wonderful view and had no intention of being interrupted.

But a moment later, the phone rang again. Seeing it was the same number, Ye Feng’s temper flared. He answered and said bluntly,

"Let me tell you something, I don’t care what you’re selling, I don’t want it! Don’t! If you call me again, I’ll chop you to pieces..."

He was about to hang up again when an urgent voice came through the phone. "Mr. Ye, it’s President Mu’s secretary, Lin Qingqing!"

It took Ye Feng a second to register. He gave an embarrassed laugh. "Sister Qingqing, my bad. I thought you were a telemarketer. Sorry about that. What’s up?"

Lin Qingqing sighed. "Mr. Ye, President Mu is under a malicious financial attack. Her cash flow is about to be cut off. If it’s convenient, could you please come to the Cyan Cloud Group headquarters in Nanjun?"

Ye Feng’s eyes narrowed. "Someone is targeting my sister? I get it. I’m on my way."

After hanging up, Ye Feng stood up and went to pull the door open, but it was locked from the outside.

Ye Feng gave a wry smile, turned, walked to the window, pushed it open, and jumped right out.

He hadn’t gone far before Ah Dao fell into step behind him. Without turning his head, Ye Feng said,

"Ah Dao, you stay here and protect Ningning. I won’t allow a single hair on her head to be harmed."

Ah Dao grunted in acknowledgment and stopped in his tracks.

Ye Feng quickly made his way outside and got into his car. Just as he was about to start the engine, a call came in from Xiao Zhan. Ye Feng answered, his voice cold.

"Talk."

Xiao Zhan’s urgent voice came over the line. "Sir, I have news. Gao Wei, from the Gao family—the number one family in Nanjun—has contacted all the major players in the city. He’s raised ten billion in capital and is preparing to make a move on the Cyan Cloud Group!"

"So, he contacted you as well," Ye Feng said, his eyes narrowing.

Xiao Zhan spoke quickly. "Yes, he did. He asked me to raise two billion and promised a ten percent return after they took down the Cyan Cloud Group. But I refused.

"Sir, I am willing to raise four billion and place it at the Cyan Cloud Group’s disposal to counter Gao Wei’s attack!"

Ye Feng nodded slightly. "That’s very good of you. I, Ye Feng, will remember this."

He hung up the phone, a cold smirk spreading across his face. ’They want to go after my sister? Fine. The Gao family has no reason to exist anymore.’

He then made another call. "Squad Leader Wang, gather all our men and head to the Gao family estate immediately. Tonight, I want the Gao family to disappear from Nanjun."

He hung up, slammed his foot on the accelerator, and the car roared off toward the Gao family’s estate.

...

Nanjun.

The city center.

Here sat a luxurious mansion on a sprawling estate.

To own such an estate in the heart of the city, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, spoke volumes about the family’s immense wealth.

This was the home of Nanjun’s wealthiest family: the Gao family.

A few security guards were lazing around the main gate, idly chatting and judging a beautiful woman who was walking down the street. They were completely at ease.

But just then, headlights flashed wildly in the distance, followed by the roar of engines. An instant later, a convoy of several hundred black sedans came screaming toward them, screeching to a halt in a sharp cacophony of brakes.

Countless burly men in black suits and crew cuts leaped from the cars, quickly falling into formation. The gleaming machetes in their hands cast a chilling glint under the lights as a palpable, overwhelming killing intent surged into the air.

The guards at the gate saw this and shrieked, "Who the hell are you? How dare you cause trouble at the Gao family’s residence! Do you have a death wish?!"

The words had barely left their mouths when a middle-aged man in a Tang suit burst from the crowd of men in black. He rushed straight at the guards and brought his machete down on their heads.

THWACK! THWACK! A series of sickening sounds was followed by agonizing screams. The remaining guards watched in horror as three of their colleagues collapsed into pools of their own blood.

The middle-aged man wiped the fresh blood from his face and roared, "Surround the Gao estate! No one gets out! I’m wiping out the Gao family tonight. Don’t you let a single person escape!"

"Sir!" the men in black suits roared in unison. They quickly fanned out, forming a tight perimeter around the entire Gao estate.

The remaining guards at the gate finally got a clear look at the man in the Tang suit in the bright light and screamed in terror, "It’s the underground emperor of Nanjun... Duan Peng, Master Duan Liu!"

"Oh god! Hurry, go report to the Patriarch! We have a huge problem!"

With that, the guard turned and scrambled in a panic toward the inner courtyard of the Gao estate.