Chapter 312: Internal Conflict

Chen Xiaojing read the message over and over. Finally, she took a deep breath and pressed her trembling fingertip against the screen.

She sent a reply:

"Where are we meeting?"

...

She stared anxiously at the Holographic Screen. A second later, the reply made the blood rush to her head, nearly sending her into a frenzy.

First, the other party sent a communication code, instructing her to add a new Information Component.

Then came two simple lines of text:

"You have ten minutes to rephrase that."

...

Shortly after the message arrived, her secretary reported from outside the door:

"Boss, the signal source on the other end has disappeared. The device you connected to must have been destroyed."

The secretary was answered by a water cup violently smashing against the door.

"Get lost!!!" she roared, bordering on hysteria.

The secretary wisely took her leave.

Chen Xiaojing was left trapped in a complete dilemma. The Fifth Tier bodyguard at her side was already dead.

Not only did the other party hold the evidence of her murdering Mao Si, but they also likely possessed footage of her other crimes.

She had no other choice.

Finally, she added the new communication code. This time, she didn't order her subordinates to trace it. After a long period of thought, she sent another message:

"Where would you like to meet?"

Two hours later, bundled tightly in layers of silk scarves, she met the person she wished she could strangle to death on a quiet street in the Muke District.

Unexpectedly, his face was gentle and delicate. He wore a clean white T-shirt paired with casual pants. On the front of the shirt was the design of a Little Bird.

"What kind of liquor do you like to drink?" Chen Xiaojing asked, reciting the code.

"I only drink tea," Yan Jing said with a smile.

...

Chen Xiaojing's heart trembled, and her face sank.

It was the person on the other end.

"I hope you are clear on the current situation, Miss Chen."

Yan Jing smiled. "I assume there aren't any guns aimed at my head from a distance right now?"

In Mao Si's memories, the offensive methods of Smart Seeds still partially relied on firearms. Once a Third Tier stepped into the Transcendent Tier, they generally had ways to counter the firearms of ordinary people, but firearms wielded by Transcendent Tier cultivators were an entirely different matter.

They could still injure those in the Transcendent Tier.

But in the end, it was just another method.

Fourth Tier firearms could harm the Fourth Tier, but their effects on the Fifth Tier would be very weak, and so on.

He had already ordered Xiao Xin to monitor Chen Xiaojing all day, so he knew she hadn't pulled any tricks.

Furthermore, the body standing in front of Chen Xiaojing right now was not Luo Sheng's original body.

It was a painting.

"No, of course not," Chen Xiaojing said, instantly growing tense when she saw Yan Jing make a gesture of wielding a Scalpel.

"Here is some coconut water I just bought."

Yan Jing handed the coconut water to Chen Xiaojing. "Let's drink while we chat."

Chen Xiaojing took the cheap-looking boxed coconut water, unsure if she should drink it.

"What's wrong? You don't like it?" Yan Jing asked with a smile.

"No, it's not that—"

Chen Xiaojing squeezed the coconut water box open and tore off a corner. Staring at the sloshing translucent liquid inside, she opened her mouth several times but couldn't muster the courage to drink.

Who knew if there was something else mixed in?

"I don't need to add anything to it," Yan Jing said, smiling. "I'm a businessman."

"To do business, I can cast aside my conscience."

"Therefore, we are the same kind of people. You have no need to be afraid."

Hearing this, Chen Xiaojing hesitated for a few seconds before finally drinking the coconut water.

Fortunately, absolutely nothing happened.

Yan Jing's smile widened.

"Now that you've drunk the coconut water, we are on the same side."

"Miss Chen, do you still remember the three conditions I mentioned to you?"

Hearing this, Chen Xiaojing's face beneath the silk scarf turned ugly. Here it comes.

She hesitated for a moment before delivering her prepared speech:

"The three conditions you mentioned... First, money. I have some, but not much."

"You said you're a businessman, so you should know that trying to make money by emptying my pockets isn't a long-term strategy. The people who truly make money earn it from the public. I can cooperate with you, and together we can take other people's money."

After speaking, she nervously watched his expression, hoping to glean something to guide the rest of the negotiation.

Her second sentence had been a famous quote from her father. She didn't know whether the person across from her would agree with it.

To her surprise, upon hearing this, Yan Jing burst into laughter.

"Taking money from the common people at the bottom... hahaha! Miss Chen, you truly live up to your reputation as a past business prodigy. I completely agree. Please, continue."

Seeing Yan Jing's reaction, Chen Xiaojing secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Next, you wanted sales channels. That's not a problem either. My network in the Muke District is definitely more than enough, and I know you aren't someone lacking in social acumen."

"From now on, you'll be the public face, and I'll exert force from behind the scenes. In three months at the earliest, our company will be on the right track."

"Mhm. And the final point?" Yan Jing asked.

"The last point is what I wanted to discuss with you," Chen Xiaojing said.

"You don't have the goods, but neither do I. I truly cannot satisfy your demand on this front."

"In other words, it's a no-go?" The smile vanished from Yan Jing's face.

"I'm not saying it's a no-go," Chen Xiaojing hastily replied.

She cursed inwardly before continuing, "I mean that the two of us can't pull it off on our own."

"If you want to move forward, we need to bring someone else in."

"Bring someone else in?" Yan Jing blinked, then shook his head. "I don't trust other people."

"She is a very good friend of mine," Chen Xiaojing said. "I assure you, there will be absolutely no problems with her."

"No, your assurance holds no real weight with me."

As Yan Jing spoke, he suddenly advanced on Chen Xiaojing. Startled, she subconsciously took a few steps back.

Then, as if he had become a completely different person, Yan Jing spoke in a low, hoarse voice:

"Miss Chen, of course there are still some things in this world that can be trusted—feelings, bloodlines, or perhaps promises—but those are for ordinary people. We are different. For rotten people like us, those things are useless."

"Listen carefully. Threats, secrets, and benefits—only these are the foundations of trust. If you can't obtain these things from this so-called friend of yours, then don't talk to me about cooperation anymore."

"Do you understand?"

Chen Xiaojing was a bit frightened by Yan Jing's sudden change in demeanor. She swallowed unconsciously before saying, "But I really can't handle her."

"Then handle your friend exactly as I handled you."

Chen Xiaojing's eyes widened in disbelief, and she subconsciously retorted, "But she's my friend."

"She can also be a former friend."

Yan Jing flashed a gloomy smile.

But in a flash, he seemingly reverted to his previous gentle demeanor. Taking a few steps back, he looked at the dumbfounded Chen Xiaojing and smiled.

"Of course, Miss Chen, you can choose to ignore my words. However, I am only giving you one final day. After tomorrow, I expect you to have everything sorted out."

With that, Yan Jing gave Chen Xiaojing a slight bow.

"Goodbye, Miss Chen. I look forward to our next meeting."

Then he turned and walked away.

Only when Yan Jing's figure vanished at the end of the street did Chen Xiaojing, breaking slightly free from her fear, remember that she hadn't planted the micro-tracker—which she kept in her Information Component for emergencies—on Yan Jing.

At this moment, however, she was extremely glad she hadn't done so.

Would planting it have even worked? What if she had been discovered? In that brief moment of interaction just now, she had actually seen the shadow of her own father in him.

"But what do I do now?"

Her mind was a chaotic mess. Finally, she took a deep breath and made her decision.

Night fell.

The members of the Four Masters Society gathered together once again.

Today's theme was Texas Hold'em.

The four of them gambled against each other. As the game progressed, their stakes changed from money to the "stars" they were each promoting.

"Stars" were a strategic resource in the Peace Heavenly Kingdom. Compared to the fake politicians whose true natures had long been exposed, these so-called stars were much better at securing a place in the hearts of the weather-beaten, lower-class citizens.

By slightly embellishing their life stories, building them a robust persona, and having them offer a few smiles to the public through electronic screens, they could drive the people—who had never seen a genuine smile in their lives—absolutely crazy for them.

Thus, they were often the key to securing ballots and serving as mouthpieces.

Every financial conglomerate cultivated at least a few stars of their own.

Tonight's gamble had been largely unremarkable, until this current hand.

Chen Xiaojing had folded early, leaving the other three locked in a final struggle.

Only the final "river" card remained unflipped. All of them had gone all-in. They all agreed to run the river card only once, which likely meant their existing hands were already quite strong.

Song Haozhe, the leader of the four, looked toward the mechanical species beside Zhou Mo, already beginning to wink and make faces at her.

He was the one among them with the most indiscriminate tastes. Whether male or female, animal species or human, he refused no one.

Although the mechanical species deviated somewhat from his aesthetic preferences, as long as it wore a layer of skin to become a pseudo-native species, it was practically the same.

"Fold, everyone."

His hole cards were an Ace and a Queen, and the four community cards on the table were Ace, Ace, 3, and 3.

This already gave him a very strong full house.

Anyone could tell he was holding an Ace.

Yet the other two made no move to fold.

When the final card was flipped, everyone revealed their hands.

Zhou Mo frowned. The river was a Queen. The Ace and Jack in his hand were useless. Although he also had a full house, his opponent's was clearly higher.

Song Haozhe stood up and cheered loudly, even jumping right onto the poker table and tossing his cards into the air.

That was, until the cold, glamorous woman beside him spoke up:

"I have four 3s."

"What?!!"

Song Haozhe looked down at the two 3s in the woman's hand.

It was a true cooler hand. The woman won both of their "stars," including the male star sitting beside Song Haozhe, who happened to be his current favorite.

"He's mine now." The woman gave a faint smile. It wasn't radiant, but it was brimming with absolute smugness.

Unexpectedly, Song Haozhe suddenly sneered viciously. He turned around and drove his fist straight into the face of the male star next to him.

Blood splattered instantly, splashing onto the ceiling.

"You want him, right?"

Song Haozhe smiled cruelly, speaking to the woman whose face had turned grim:

"Zeng Qing, if you want him, then take back damaged goods."

Saying this, Song Haozhe threw two more heavy punches at the male star. Blood continuously sprayed as screams echoed. Zhou Mo seemed accustomed to this, looking on with complete indifference. Chen Xiaojing kept her head down; her mind hadn't been on the game all day.

Only Zeng Qing's face grew increasingly ugly. Finally, she said softly, "You can keep him."

With that, she turned and left.

Chen Xiaojing immediately chased after her.

Seeing Zeng Qing leave, Song Haozhe laughed triumphantly. He cupped the man's bloody face and grinned:

"You're still mine! See that! I'm the one who made you stay! Hurry up, thank me! Say it, hurry!"

...

Chen Xiaojing chased her all the way outside and grabbed Zeng Qing's hand.

"Sister Qing, don't be angry. Brother Song has always been like this, we all know that, right?"

"He is a madman," Zeng Qing said coldly.

"No wonder the Song Wang Group abandoned him, their rightful direct heir."

Chen Xiaojing's eyes widened in shock. She quickly looked back to confirm that Song Haozhe hadn't followed them out and heard this, then whispered, "Sister Qing, it's better not to say such things to Brother Song's face."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Zeng Qing looked at Chen Xiaojing, making no effort to hide the disgust in her eyes.

"You aren't much better than him."

With that, Zeng Qing walked away in her high heels.

Burning with anger after being inexplicably insulted, Chen Xiaojing stared at the arm she had just used to pull Zeng Qing and sneered.

"Did you think you were any better, Zeng Qing? Just wait. I can't be the only one falling into hell—"