Underworld: Starting with conquering countless lustful beauties

Upon hearing this, Jiang Hong suddenly laughed. The laughter was shrill and triumphant, echoing in the office late at night, sending chills down one's spine.

"Because I have his manhood in my hands."

"I have all the records of Ninth Master's transactions with Third Master Huang back then—including all the 'dirty work' Ninth Master did for Third Master Huang. Murder, wiping out entire families, arms dealing..." Jiang Hong swirled the wine glass in her hand. "If these things are exposed, even if Ninth Master doesn't die, he'll be skinned alive."

"This is your talisman." Chen Feng understood.

"Yes. That's the 'understanding' between us." After I left him, I opened my own business, Gold Splendor. He didn't stop me because he knew that as long as I was alive, these things were safe. But if I died…

"These things will be exposed automatically," Chen Feng continued.

"You're very smart." Jiang Hong gave him an approving look, "but this balance is based on 'non-aggression'."

Her expression turned serious: "By taking action against Zhao Biao this time, we've broken this balance. Although Zhao Biao is incompetent, he's one of Ninth Master's few 'loyal followers' on the surface, and his brother once took a knife for Ninth Master. Taking action against him is tantamount to slapping Ninth Master in the face."

What will he do?

"He'll test me." Jiang Hong walked up to Chen Feng, staring intently at him. "He wants to see how much wealth I've accumulated in the past five years, and he wants to see what kind of person this young man beside me is who dared to cripple Zhao Biao."

"If you disappoint him, he'll crush you without hesitation and then force me to hand over those things."

"If you satisfy him..." her voice became meaningful, "he might want to recruit you, use you against me. Perhaps even use you to replace me."

Chen Feng looked into Jiang Hong's eyes and said in a deep voice, "Sister Hong, aren't you afraid that I've really been bribed by Master Jiu by telling me all this?"

Jiang Hong paused for a moment, then laughed. This time, her smile was no longer stern, but rather carried a hint of sincerity.

"Chen Feng, do you know why I chose you?"

I chose you because of your eyes.

"Eye?"

"There's something in your eyes that I know very well—ruthlessness." Jiang Hong gently stroked a bloody mark on Chen Feng's cheek, her movements unusually tender. "That's the hatred that comes from being trampled on, used, and abandoned. You hate this cannibalistic world, you hate those powerful and privileged people."

"This kind of person will either die on the road or become a true hero."

Her hand slipped down and grasped Chen Feng's hand. Those hands, delicate and smooth from years of pampered life, were now slightly cold.

"Chen Feng, I don't need any promises from you. I only have one question for you—"

She looked directly into Chen Feng's eyes and said, slowly and deliberately, "Are you willing to carve out a bloody path through this chaotic world and become an underground emperor revered by thousands?"

These words were like a bombshell, exploding in the quiet office.

Chen Feng fell silent.

The underground emperor? We'd have to take down Ninth Master. He's the number one figure in the South District, and even in Donghai, he's a big name. Taking him down means either instant success or utter ruin.

But he remembered the old beggar's dying words: "Young man, if you want to live like a human being in this world, you have to have the ruthlessness to climb over other people's corpses."

He raised his head, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"Sister Hong, I don't know if I can make something of myself. But I can promise you—"

He gripped Jiang Hong's hand tightly, so firmly that she frowned slightly.

"As long as I, Chen Feng, have a breath left, I will never let you be used as a tool by anyone again. Anyone who wants to touch you will have to step over my dead body first."

Jiang Hong was stunned.

Over the years, countless sweet words had been uttered in front of her by both Ninth Master and other men. But this was the first time she had heard such straightforward and sincere words from Chen Feng.

There was no scheming, no exchange of benefits, just a simple promise.

"You brat..." Jiang Hong murmured softly, her voice trembling slightly, "Do you even know what you're saying?"

"I understand perfectly well." Chen Feng released her hand, stood up, and said, "Sister Hong, you gave me a chance."

Jiang Hong looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. After a moment, she walked to the wine cabinet, poured herself a glass of red wine, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Okay. Let's go back and rest first; we still have a long way to go."

……

For the next three days, Chen Feng was extremely busy.

With Zhao Biao's downfall, his power in the southern part of the city crumbled as well. The establishments that were originally under his control—two arcades, one billiards room, and two video arcades—are now ownerless.

Chen Feng, along with Da Zhuang and Chen Fang, went around receiving and signing contracts one by one.

Chen Feng distributed the 100,000 yuan reward from Sister Hong to his brothers, giving each of them 2,000 yuan, with an additional 1,000 yuan for minor injuries and another 2,000 yuan for serious injuries.

The word had spread throughout the underworld: following Brother Feng meant making money! Many thugs wanted to become Chen Feng's apprentices.

"Brother Feng, this billiards hall is awesome!" Chen Fang stood at the entrance of "Starry Sky Billiards," rubbing his hands excitedly. "It's even bigger than our village's threshing ground!"

"From now on, this is our territory." Chen Feng looked around, his gaze landing on the trembling shop assistants. "The old staff can continue doing their jobs as usual, and their wages will be paid as usual. But there's one condition—from now on, this place is under the management of Jinbihuihuang. Anyone who tries to betray us won't be so polite."

The shop assistants nodded repeatedly, each one looking relieved. They had long been fed up with Zhao Biao's exploitation, and now that they had a new boss who seemed to follow the rules, they were actually relieved.

Dazhuang, taking notes, said, "Brother Feng, we've taken over all six venues. Our initial estimate is at least a few hundred thousand in monthly revenue."

"After deducting costs and labor, how much is left?"

"Around seventy or eighty thousand."

Chen Feng nodded. Seventy or eighty thousand yuan was a considerable sum in those days. This was the first time in his life that he truly had his own territory. Although it nominally belonged to Jiang Hong, he actually held the operational control.

"By the way," Monkey leaned closer and whispered, "Brother Feng, Wang Defa sent someone to tell you today that he wants to invite you to dinner."

"Wang Defa?" Chen Feng narrowed his eyes. "Is that the fat guy who plotted against me with Zhao Biao before?"

"That's him." The monkey chuckled. "This bastard heard Zhao Biao was crippled, and he was scared like a grandson. He sent someone to Sister Hong's place overnight, bringing gifts and apologizing, saying that Zhao Biao forced him in the first place, and he had no choice..."

"Ha." Chen Feng sneered, "A fence-sitter."

"What Sister Hong means is, although this guy lacks backbone, he has money and connections, so keeping him alive is more useful than killing him." Monkey handed over a slip of paper. "This is his phone number. Do you want to meet him?"

Chen Feng took the note and pondered for a moment: "Let him wait. Now is not the time to see him."

Wang Defa could wait it out, but there was one person he couldn't keep waiting for long.

……

That evening, Chen Feng was inspecting the newly acquired arcade when Monkey rushed in.

"Brother Feng! Something's happened!"

"What's wrong?"

"A black Mercedes has arrived," Monkey said, his face pale. "The man says he was sent by Ninth Master to invite you to the South City Tea House for tea."

Chen Feng paused for a moment while lighting a cigarette, then resumed his normal actions and lit the flame with a "click".

What was bound to happen has finally happened.