Chapter 32: His Ambition to Rise

At ten o'clock in the evening, a woman braved the wind and snow, making her way toward Master Hou's villa. This woman was Wu Lihong. That afternoon, Chen Xuewen had called her aside, given her a bag, and instructed her to deliver it to Master Hou that evening. Wu Lihong had taken the night off specifically to come here.

The security guard at the gate initially intended to turn her away, but upon learning she had been sent by Chen Xuewen, he immediately went inside to announce her arrival. After all, the memory of Chen Xuewen carrying a severed head to the villa just a few days prior was still fresh in their minds. These guards had no desire to provoke such a ruthless man.

Not long after, the villa door opened, and Wu Lihong was escorted into the living room. Master Hou sat on the sofa, with Fang Ru at his side, lighting his pipe. Master Hou coughed as he puffed on the dry tobacco. Seeing Wu Lihong enter, Fang Ru looked her up and down several times, a glimmer of disdain flashing in her eyes.

Once he finished smoking, Master Hou sat up straight. "What did Chen Xuewen send you here for?"

Facing this underground kingpin who dominated Pingcheng, Wu Lihong was incredibly nervous. She kept her head down, her voice trembling as she said, "He... he asked me to deliver something to you."

Wu Lihong reached out and produced the bag she had been carrying. A bodyguard stepped forward and took it from her. Master Hou opened it to find a bank transfer slip, the recipient of which was a prominent figure in the city. A cold sneer played across Master Hou's face as he set the slip aside and said languidly, "What has he done?"

Wu Lihong hurriedly recounted the situation regarding Old Hei. She was unaware that Chen Xuewen had already crushed Old Hei and his men; she only knew that Old Hei was coming to retaliate against him.

Master Hou frowned slightly after hearing her out. "What? Is Chen Xuewen expecting me to help him deal with Old Hei? If that is the case, then he has truly disappointed me."

Wu Lihong quickly clarified, "No, Master Hou, he isn't asking for your help to deal with Old Hei. He... he asked me to pass on a message. He hopes you can intervene on his behalf with the Law Enforcement Squad."

Master Hou was taken aback. "The Law Enforcement Squad? What do you mean?"

Binzi, standing nearby, sneered upon hearing this. "Could this kid have actually called the police to arrest Old Hei and his men? Hmph, how embarrassing. Having to call the police to deal with a few small-time thugs?"

Fang Ru curled her lip. "Binzi, can't you use your brain? If he had called the police, he would be the victim; why would he need Master Hou to intervene?"

Binzi looked annoyed but ultimately shut his mouth in frustration. Master Hou glanced at Fang Ru and chuckled. "You seem to understand that kid quite well. Based on what you say, what do you think he's really up to?"

Fang Ru smiled. "I wouldn't say I understand him, but seeing how he dealt with Zhou Wancheng, I know he is not a simple man. Old Hei is nothing more than a third-rate hoodlum. If he couldn't even handle a small fry like that, he wouldn't be worthy of seeking your help. If I'm not mistaken, he has already won the fight. However, there were likely casualties, so he needs Master Hou to pull some strings to ensure he can walk out of the Law Enforcement Squad unscathed."

Master Hou laughed. "Xiao Ru, your assessment matches mine exactly. It seems this young man has quite a bit of ambition."

Fang Ru nodded faintly. "Crushing an Old Hei is nothing. But to injure him, end up in the Law Enforcement Squad, and then walk out without a hitch—that is what you call real skill."