Chapter 18

“Take those words to prison and tell them to the cops!”

“Mr. Yan, Mr. Yan…” The man advised helplessly. “Calm down, calm down. Where is your gentlemanly demeanor?”

Yan Mingchang had completely lost his reason. The polished image he had always maintained in public was cast aside without a care in this moment. In a fit of hysteria, he shouted, “What the hell do I do now? Where can I even hide? What about my wife and kids? Frank, what about my wife and kids?”

Frank wasn’t angered by Yan Mingchang’s unhinged antics. If anything, he seemed faintly amused. “Don’t lose your cool like that, Mr. Yan. This is just the beginning. It won’t be long before those cops get a real taste of your influence.”

“I’m already in this deep—what more trouble can I stir up? Screw cooperating. I’m getting out of the country. I need to…”

Frank seized Yan Mingchang’s wrist. His smile faded into a blank mask as he pried the man off him and said coldly, “Yan Mingchang, don’t kid yourself into thinking you’re some saint. Remember all the dirty work you’ve done for me.”

Yan Mingchang collapsed onto the sofa in defeat. “Yeah, I’ve pulled off plenty of shady shit for you. If the cops nab me, you’re the first name out of my mouth.”

“Enough of that, Mr. Yan.” Frank’s smile returned. “No point rehashing it now. Wu Guojiang’s dead, but you still reached out to me—that tells me you’re open to cooperating. So let’s talk terms. What do you want to sweeten the pot?”

Yan Mingchang pulled himself together somewhat. He sat there on the sofa, breathing hard, before finally saying, “Fine. I’ll keep cooperating. But the cops are breathing down my neck right now. I need to get out of the country and lie low.”

“No problem at all.” Frank agreed without hesitation, then held up a single finger. “Wrap up this one deal, and you’re gone—America, Myanmar, Thailand. Pick your paradise.”

“My company’s done for in two days flat. They’ll seal it off once they dig deeper into the accounts. And that psycho Yu Bai—one death threat a day, lawyer letters every other. She’s got every one of my guys pinned down. She fed the cops everything on Wu Guojiang. I can’t handle this. I need out.”

Frank lifted his wine glass to his lips. “Company accounts, Mr. Yan? Any lawyer worth his salt can fix that. Relax. But with the cops swarming, stay away from the office.”

Yan Mingchang nearly exploded at Frank’s casual dismissal—and at promises that rang utterly hollow. His emotions surged once more.

“Hold on, I’m not done.” Frank cut off another outburst with a smile. “Coming to me for help proves you still trust me. Things are too hot out there right now, so hole up here. I guarantee your safety. As for Yu Bai…

“Don’t worry, Mr. Yan. She won’t be a problem anymore. I’ve had eyes on her for ages. Two months back in the country, and she’s cozying up to the cops nonstop—police station, tax office, you name it. She’s turned Pingling City’s market into a war zone. And her side hustles? No cleaner than yours… Sorry, didn’t mean to offend.”

His face wore a smile, laced with feigned apology.

Yan Mingchang brushed off the slight, but a deep-seated dread of Yu Bai lingered. Lately, she’d haunted him like a relentless specter, always one step ahead, as if she knew his every move before he made it.

A chill ran through Yan Mingchang. He said in a low voice, “I don’t care how you do it—just make sure that woman never crosses my path again. Otherwise, this deal’s off.”

Frank crossed his legs and leaned back against the sofa with a grin. “Rest assured on that front, Mr. Yan. Truth be told, she’s been grating on me too. Trying to gobble up everyone else and rule the roost—big ambitions, but can she even handle the meal?” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Time to keep those bum cops busy. Wu Guojiang’s been in the ground for ages, and they still haven’t ID’d the killer?”

“How do you plan to play it?”

He smirked. “Woman’s got enemies galore. Sic a few street punks on one of her spots, stir up some chaos, and she’ll be too tied up to hound you.”

Four a.m.

On the top floor of the Red Club, Yu Bai powered down her computer. With a lazy stretch, she rose and drifted to the window. Outside, the sky was lightening, hinting at a fine day ahead. On impulse, she decided to head downstairs for a walk. She’d spent so much time up here, gazing down on Pingling City’s nooks and crannies—its towering skyscrapers, winding rivers, every square inch of soil. Yet since her return, she hadn’t truly immersed herself in the pulse of the city.

Yu Bai took the elevator down and had just pushed open the door when, before she could draw a breath of fresh air, a shadowy figure lunged from the corner and slammed a stick into her waist.

Before Yu Bai could even register the searing pain, the stick swung at her again. She instinctively threw up her arm to block it, and the blow landed solidly on her forearm.

She heard a sharp “crack” from her own body, and her vision blurred for a moment. Glancing at the thug charging toward her with the stick raised, along with the heads popping up from behind the bushes, Yu Bai suddenly felt like this was the end for her right here.

She spun around and bolted back inside, but her high heels betrayed her after just two steps, nearly sending her sprawling. As she stumbled into the building, the glass door shattered behind her, showering her with a cascade of shards.

The noise set off the alarm. Its piercing wail cut through the quiet morning air, summoning the bodyguards who had been waiting on standby. They arrived just in time to stop the brazen attack before the stick could strike Yu Bai again.

The bodyguards helped Yu Bai to her feet. Her face was dark with fury, a mix of outrage and frustration boiling inside her.

“Madam, what should we do with these guys?”

Yu Bai lowered her gaze, frowning down at the thugs now pinned by the bodyguards, and said coldly, “Take them to the local police station.”

“Fuck, you bitch! You dare call the cops? I’ll fucking kill you!” The man who had led the charge with the stick thrashed wildly upon hearing her words, trying to break free from the bodyguards’ grip.

Yu Bai slapped him hard across the face twice, her expression thunderous. “Save that talk for the cops in prison!”

She turned to the bodyguards. “And remind the station chief to give this one special attention.” With that, she curled her lip at him in a smirk that held no warmth whatsoever.

The man was hauled away still spewing curses, and at last, Yu Bai’s ears rang with blessed silence. Only then did the pain in her arm and waist begin to creep in, making her wince. Were her bones broken?

She swore under her breath, regretting that she hadn’t broken a couple of his bones before they dragged him off.

She summoned one of the bodyguards to drive her to the hospital for a checkup.

Leaning back in the seat, she stared out at the bright morning sky. No matter how she sliced it, she’d come out on the losing end today. Sure enough, the spots where the stick had struck throbbed anew.

“Hiss—”

“Hang in there just a little longer, Madam. The hospital’s almost here.”

Yu Bai: “…”

She didn’t even feel like responding. She’d shelled out a fortune for these bodyguards, and yet they’d let her take two hits right on her own turf? It was beyond comprehension—unheard of!

Hang in there? Hang in there for what?

The driver tried again. “Does Madam know who those guys were with?”

Yu Bai’s pent-up rage had nowhere to go, and she refused to take it out on the bodyguards. So she held her tongue.