Chapter 156: Intimidation

Before Hong Chen could even speak, Elder Shen broke the silence. "Hong Chen, listen to me carefully. If my son's and grandson's eyes cannot be cured, I will make your entire family blind!"

The members of the Shen family also glared furiously at Hong Chen. Yet, Hong Chen remained leisurely smoking a cigarette. He exhaled a cloud of smoke before slowly speaking, "Even if one is blind, they can at least still carry on the family line. Elder Shen, I advise you to temper your temper and face reality calmly. In my eyes, your Shen family is nothing more than a fart!"

With that, he turned his gaze to Qian Jingsong and said, "Mr. Qian, I will offer you a deal. Within three years, as long as your Qian family targets the Shen family at every turn—you don't even need to ruin them, just ensure that the Shen family operates at a continuous loss in Nanshi—I will invite a renowned physician to treat your son and guarantee the recovery of his reproductive capability. If I fail, I will compensate you one billion."

Luo Song, extremely perceptive, immediately chimed in, "My Luo family can guarantee Hong Chen's promise!"

Qian Jingsong's expression shifted. After a brief hesitation, he gritted his teeth and said, "I accept this condition. However, the guarantee of Young Master Luo alone is not enough..."

Luo Song sneered and said, "I'll have my father give you a call later. If you feel my father's weight is not enough, then my grandfather's."

Qian Jingsong's expression shifted once more. A flash of resolve crossed his eyes, and he nodded, "Very well!"

As long as Qian Duoduo could father children and their lineage could be preserved, everything else was secondary!

The members of the Shen family looked as though they had swallowed a fly; their expressions were ashen and twisted with ugly emotions. Elder Shen trembled with rage, his hands shaking as he hissed, "Hong Chen, why must you treat the Shen family this way?"

Hong Chen replied indifferently, "Because in your eyes, Elder Shen, a daughter is merely a tool for the Shen family to gain profit, while only a son is a true member of the Shen family. A son is not guilty of a crime even if he kills a daughter, let alone Lin Yuxin, who is merely your granddaughter. If the price were right, you would undoubtedly sell her off like a piece of merchandise. Shen Shanliang and Shen Tianbao inherited your mindset, selling Yuxin to Qian Duoduo. As a result, Yuxin walked through the gates of hell, yet Shen Shanliang and Shen Tianbao felt neither guilt nor remorse. Instead, they felt that Yuxin's self-will had ruined one of their deals, and they even swore to Qian Duoduo that they would personally deliver Yuxin to his bed next time!"

Hong Chen's voice suddenly rose, turning sharp and fierce: "It is utterly and thoroughly devoid of conscience! If the heavens still let those wretches keep their sight, then the heavens themselves must be blind!"

Listening to Hong Chen's words, the guests in the hall felt a succession of chills run through their hearts, their expressions complex beyond measure. Even among the Shen family members, a few wore looks of internal conflict and struggle.

Hong Chen looked at Elder Shen with icy eyes and said coldly, "Trying to reason with someone like you, who has no sense of right and wrong, no grasp of black and white, is like playing the lute to a cow. Only by presenting concrete, tangible interests can you be forced to weigh the gains and losses, forcing you to choose and compelling your submission."

Hong Chen's gaze swept across the male members of the Shen family one by one, his voice chillingly cold: "Listen well, all you men of the Shen family. If Elder Shen makes an irrational decision, you had better stop him. Otherwise, I will ensure the Shen family's bloodline is completely cut off!"

Once the lowest-status son-in-law of the lowest-status family, standing now in the main hall of the Shen family, facing all its core members, he had issued his terrifying threat!

Resolute, powerful, and indisputable!

It was like a massive boulder pressing down upon the hearts of the Shen family. Even Elder Shen fell into a heavy, oppressive silence, and not a single person dared to provoke or retort.

The absolute silence lasted for only three seconds before Luo Song's voice rang out again, lacking any overbearing tone yet sounding as resolute as iron: "If any member of the Shen family doubts Hong Chen's words, my Luo family can guarantee them. If necessary, my Luo family can execute them on his behalf!"

Luo Song's words made the hearts of the Shen family sink straight to the bottom.

"The Luo family is truly remarkable, acting however they please and riding roughshod over others. Luo Song, Hong Chen, don't be so arrogant and conceited." The Shen family had not questioned Hong Chen precisely because of Luo Song's unsparing support. To the Shen family, the Luo family was an insurmountable mountain. However, just because the Shen family did not dare to speak out did not mean no one else dared. A gloomy, sinister voice suddenly rang out.

It was none other than Gao Yuanjie. Supported by his bodyguards, he had already stood up. As he watched the figure calmly stepping into the hall, his face showed the excitement and impatience of someone who had finally waited for his reinforcements.

From childhood until now, even when the Gao family was forced to leave their hometown, Gao Yuanjie had never suffered such humiliation as he had today. To be beaten black and blue in public like a stray dog—the physical pain was minor, but his image was completely destroyed and his face utterly lost!

He wanted revenge. He wanted to make Luo Song and Hong Chen pay a heavy price. As for the Luo family, he was not afraid; before coming to Nanshi, his father had explicitly told him that Hongcheng Group did not fear any first-tier family in Nanshi!

"Brother Ke, I was brutally beaten in public by members of the Luo family. My personal disgrace is nothing, but the dignity of Hongcheng Group cannot be lost. This score must be settled," Gao Yuanjie said in a tone mixed with three parts respect, three parts grievance, and four parts fury.

The burly man's expression remained indifferent. He only asked, "What happened?"

Gao Yuanjie pointed at Luo Song and Hong Chen, then quickly recounted the situation. Following the direction of his finger, the burly man looked over, and his gaze instantly locked onto Hong Chen. He caught Hong Chen giving an imperceptible shake of his head.

Who else could this burly man be if not Tank, whom Hong Chen had dispatched to oversee Nanshi?

Having received Hong Chen's hint, Tank naturally said nothing. He patiently listened to Gao Yuanjie finish. At that moment, a text message arrived on his phone. He took it out, glanced at it, and his eyes flickered slightly.

"Director Gao, what kind of outcome do you want?"

Before Gao Yuanjie could open his mouth, Elder Shen chimed in first, "Young Master Gao, I implore you to uphold justice for the Shen family. Our Shen family is willing to become a vassal of Hongcheng Group."

Elder Shen's tone was grave, devoid of a single trace of a joke. The Shen family members were startled, but quickly realized the truth: the old master had spotted an opportunity. The enemy of my enemy is a friend. If they could be accepted by Hongcheng Group, even as a vassal, the Shen family could vault from a dragon's gate and become a quasi-first-tier family.

Gao Yuanjie was stunned for a few seconds. Whatever was running through his mind, his previously unsightly expression recovered its usual composure and smile. He suddenly looked at Lin Yuxin and said gently, "Yuxin, what do you think?"

Lin Yuxin knitted her brows, her expression turning slightly cold. This was forcing her into submission!

"Yuxin, you also have the blood of the Shen family flowing in your veins. Hong Chen is an outsider and not worth your attachment. Your grandfather promises you that as long as you stand with the Shen family and stay with Young Master Gao, from now on, whoever in the Shen family dares to disrespect you, I will deal with them!"

Elder Shen's promise left the guests present speechless, unaware that for a man as deeply rooted in patriarchal prejudice as Elder Shen, this was already the greatest concession and compromise of his life.

Lin Yuxin glanced coldly at Elder Shen, then spoke without a shred of hesitation: "Grandfather, apart for a select few, everyone else in the Shen family is already a stranger to me."

With that, she turned to Gao Yuanjie and said, "Director Gao, on Monday, I will submit my resignation to the group."

Elder Shen and Gao Yuanjie constricted their pupils in unison, a surge of anger rising on their faces. Elder Shen let out a cold hum, while Gao Yuanjie stated, "Fine, I announce—I announce on behalf of Hongcheng Group that we accept the Shen family..."

"Director Gao, you are not the president of the group. You have no authority to speak on its behalf," Tank interrupted unceremoniously. Gao Yuanjie was taken aback; his father had told him that Tank held a transcendental position, yet would never interfere in any of the group's business decisions.

"What kind of outcome do you want?" Tank urged impatiently, his tone growing somewhat annoyed. "If you haven't decided yet, why not break his hands and legs, plus eight ribs?"

"Hisss..." A collective gasp of cold air swept through the hall. Too ruthless! Hands, feet, and eight ribs—that was enough to strip a man of half his life. Yet when Tank spoke of it, it sounded as casual as eating and drinking.

Gao Yuanjie was also slightly startled. He fell silent for a moment before finally pointing at Hong Chen: "Then teach him a lesson first!"

As the words fell, Tank moved. With a single punch thrown, a figure was immediately seen flying backward, followed by a crisp "crack" as several ribs snapped.

Immediately afterward, Gao Yuanjie's soul-shattering screams echoed through the air.