Chapter 212 - 310: Dramatic Reversal

Xiang Huaqiang hurriedly added fuel to the fire.

"Brother King of the Underworld, these three have gone entirely too far. You absolutely cannot let them off the hook," he babbled. "Beating me up is a minor issue, but casually using your name is completely disrespecting you as the Lord of the Underworld."

Listening to Xiang Huaqiang’s incessant chatter, the King of the Underworld wanted nothing more than to slap him to death.

"Oh? And how do you propose we deal with them?" the King of the Underworld asked, offering Xiang Huaqiang a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Xiang Huaqiang never expected the King of the Underworld to ask for his opinion. He was so excited he practically felt dizzy.

"If you ask me, you should grab that woman and make her work as the lowest-tier hostess in the bar. As for those two broke losers, slash their hamstrings and tendons, and toss them on the street to be beggars!" he sneered.

Ever since the King of the Underworld had appeared, Ye Xuan and his group hadn’t spoken a single word. They simply stood quietly, watching Xiang Huaqiang "tattle" on them.

After hearing Xiang Huaqiang’s vicious suggestions, the King of the Underworld’s lips pressed into a thin line. His eyes were cold enough to kill.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" he asked in a low voice, staring intently at Xiang Huaqiang.

His intense demeanor made Xiang Huaqiang’s heart pound nervously. Why did it feel like the King of the Underworld’s anger was directed at him?

"I’m asking you a question. Are you sure you want to do that?" When Xiang Huaqiang didn’t answer, the King of the Underworld raised his voice and roared, startling Xiang Huaqiang so badly he shuddered.

"Yes! Let’s do exactly that!" Clutching his broken arm, he cast a resentful glare at Vermilion Bird and the others, gritted his teeth, and nodded vigorously.

Seeing him nod, the King of the Underworld revealed a bloodthirsty grin.

"Good. Very good."

With that, he didn’t spare Xiang Huaqiang another glance. Instead, he waved over the bar’s security guards.

"You guys, come here. Drag this woman to the back and make her a hostess. Then, sever his hamstrings and tendons, and throw him on the street to beg," he commanded.

Everyone assumed the King of the Underworld was about to exact revenge on Xiang Huaqiang’s behalf. However, as he issued these orders, his finger was pointed squarely at Xiang Huaqiang and his foreign female companion.

The security guards stared at each other in bewilderment. Finally, the captain of the guards braced himself and asked, "Boss, are you mistaken? You’re pointing at Young Master Xiang and his date."

Xiang Huaqiang was utterly dumbfounded, unable to comprehend why the King of the Underworld was pointing at him.

"Yeah, Brother King of the Underworld! Weren’t you going to help me vent my anger? Why are you pointing at me?"

The King of the Underworld shot Xiang Huaqiang an icy glare and declared in a dark tone, "I’m not mistaken. I’m talking about them."

The security captain was completely flabbergasted. He hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to follow orders. Gesturing to his subordinates, he moved to grab Xiang Huaqiang.

Panic set in. Xiang Huaqiang desperately grabbed the King of the Underworld’s arm and asked in confusion, "Brother King of the Underworld, what is the meaning of this? Aren’t you going to avenge me? Shouldn’t you be dealing with those broke losers?"

At that moment, Vermilion Bird, Ye Xuan, and Xuanwu slowly walked over.

"Brother King of the Underworld, why didn’t you tell me you were booking a booth out of your own pocket?" Xuanwu threw an arm around the King of the Underworld’s shoulder, a hint of complaint in his voice.

"Where would a guy like you get the money to book a booth and treat me to drinks? Besides, I own this bar. Why waste the money?" the King of the Underworld chuckled at Xuanwu, wearing a carefree expression.

"Kid, you’re living quite comfortably as the Lord of the Underworld. Spit it out. What other businesses do you own in Jingcheng?" Vermilion Bird remarked with a smile, lightly slapping the back of the King of the Underworld’s head.

The King of the Underworld rubbed the spot where he’d been hit and shrugged. "Not that many. Just dabbling in a bit of every industry."

Watching them joke around with the King of the Underworld, the crowd was utterly astounded.

What was going on? What exactly was the relationship between these three and the King of the Underworld? Were they dreaming? Was this really the ruthless, murderous Lord of the Underworld?

Xiang Huaqiang was petrified on the spot.

The "broke losers" he had looked down upon—the very people he had wanted to cripple and force into prostitution—were actually close friends with the King of the Underworld.

It was over. He was completely finished.

His face turned ashen as he slumped onto the floor, too terrified to even imagine the consequences that awaited him.

"What are you standing around for? Drag them away. Don’t block the entrance; we still have a business to run," the King of the Underworld ordered, shooting a disdainful glance down at Xiang Huaqiang and urging the security captain to move.

The security captain didn’t dare disobey now. He signaled his men with his eyes, and they reached out to grab Xiang Huaqiang’s arms.

After being dragged a little over a meter away, Xiang Huaqiang suddenly thrashed like a madman, breaking free from the guards’ grasp. He scrambled to the King of the Underworld’s feet and desperately clung to his pant leg.

"Brother King of the Underworld, I was blind! I was a snob who looked down on my betters! Please spare me this once! I’ll never do it again!" he wailed. "My mom is the third wife of the Xiang family, and my dad favors her a lot! If you let me go, how about I have her give you a billion?"

Disgusted by the sight of Xiang Huaqiang groveling on the floor like a dog, the King of the Underworld impatiently kicked him away.

"Do I look like I lack a billion? Drag him out of here, now!"

Xiang Huaqiang rolled across the floor from the force of the kick. Upon hearing those words, he scrambled back on his hands and knees and hugged the King of the Underworld’s thigh.

"No, no! Two billion! Three billion! No matter how much, as long as you name a price, my mom and dad will pay it! Brother King of the Underworld, I’m begging you, let me off the hook this once!" he cried.

The King of the Underworld’s face darkened drastically. The security captain, sensing the danger, used every ounce of his strength to pry Xiang Huaqiang away, but the man simply refused to let go.

Seeing his pathetic state, Ye Xuan patted the King of the Underworld’s shoulder.

"Forget it. It’s not that big of a deal. Just have the Xiang family send over a billion to ransom him."

Upon hearing Ye Xuan’s words, the King of the Underworld’s gloomy expression slightly improved.

"Are you going to let go of my leg or what?" he barked at Xiang Huaqiang before delivering another kick, this time to his chest.

If Ye Xuan hadn’t spoken up, Xiang Huaqiang’s fate today would have been far worse than just losing his limbs.

"Thank you, boss! Thank you, boss!" Having narrowly escaped with his life, a tearful and snot-nosed Xiang Huaqiang kowtowed to Ye Xuan in elation.

Ye Xuan smiled somewhat awkwardly, then turned and walked into the bar.

He had spared Xiang Huaqiang simply because he didn’t want the King of the Underworld to make an enemy of the Xiang family. While the King of the Underworld’s power in Jingcheng was formidable, the Xiang family was no pushover either. It was best to avoid an all-out conflict if possible.

Meanwhile, the security guard who had initially helped Xiang Huaqiang humiliate Ye Xuan and his group was cowering in a corner, shivering like a leaf.

When he saw Xuanwu and the others laughing and chatting with the King of the Underworld, he had nearly wet his pants in terror. Seeing Ye Xuan approach the bar’s entrance, the guard squeezed his eyes shut in dread, terrified that Ye Xuan would complain to the King of the Underworld.

If that happened, his life would surely be forfeit.

Ye Xuan naturally noticed the security guard, but he didn’t say a word. He merely glanced at the man before stepping inside the bar.

A minor lackey wasn’t worth him holding a grudge.