At the start, I had to choose one of four options, and I immediately picked the Brahmin from the cou

"Four-fold discount? You're fucking throwing money at a beggar!"

Zhao Bin, his neck stiff, forced out a hoarse roar, "That's my dad's life's work! I didn't budge even when that bitch Duan Xue offered a 60% discount, and you just open your mouth and offer a 40% discount? Why should I? Even if it all rots in my hands, I won't let you, this opportunistic grandson, get it for free!"

He knew Li Xiao's family was very powerful, but so what? Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake! This is Tianshui City, not his Jiangyang County! His Zhao family has been cultivating relationships in both the legitimate and underworld circles of Tianshui City for over a decade. Do you really think they can be intimidated by a few words from a mere kid?

"Old Lin, let him go."

Li Xiao was not angry, not even raising an eyebrow, and simply uttered a few words.

Old Lin released his grip with a cold face and retreated behind Li Xiao, like a silent black iron wall. After he let go, Zhao Bin rubbed his arm, which was almost broken, staggered back two steps, and fell down on the sofa with a thud.

He was panting heavily, and looking at Li Xiao's calm and composed appearance, a ridiculous illusion suddenly arose in his mind—he thought Li Xiao was afraid.

After all, Tianshui City is the territory that the Zhao family has been operating in for more than ten years. Even if the Zhao family has fallen, as the saying goes, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. Does Li Xiao, an outsider from Jiangyang, really dare to do something so outrageous in Tianshui City?

"Li Xiao, I admit you're a big shot in Jiangyang County, even Wang Jianhui fell into your hands." Zhao Bin gritted his teeth, forcing a confident air as a rich second-generation, his eyes fixed fiercely on the agreement on the coffee table. "But Tianshui City isn't Jiangyang! My dad may be in the ICU, but all the connections he made and the backroom deals he secured are still there! You think you can just swallow up the last vestiges of my Zhao family's business with a 40% discount? Dream on! At worst, I'll file for bankruptcy protection tomorrow. Even if these eight concrete mixing plants are seized and auctioned off by the court, the remaining money will still be more than your 40% discount!"

Looking at Zhao Bin's self-righteous and stubborn face, Zhou Yanhuai, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but shake his head, looking at him as if he were a clown who didn't know his own death.

"Bankruptcy protection? Seizure and auction?"

Li Xiao suddenly laughed. It was a condescending, cold laugh that stripped away all the cruel realities. He stood up from the sofa, his tall figure casting a highly oppressive shadow in the dimly lit private room.

"Zhao Bin, did driving supercars since you were a kid ruin your brain? Do you really think the capital market is a game?" Li Xiao walked step by step to Zhao Bin, his leather shoes landing silently on the carpet, yet heavily on Zhao Bin's heart.

"You think that when the court seizes and auctions property, you get paid according to the market price? Let me teach you what liquidation is."

Li Xiao leaned down slightly, his dark eyes devoid of any warmth. "Tomorrow morning, the five creditor banks of the Linjiang project will jointly apply to the court for enforcement. Once your commercial concrete plant enters the judicial auction process, the starting price will be 70% of the appraised value. If it fails to sell in the first auction, the second auction will lower it by another 20%! After deducting all the exorbitant litigation fees, enforcement fees, and tax collection fees, the remaining money won't even be enough to fill the tens of millions hole your father has incurred!"

Li Xiao extended two fingers and tapped lightly on the agreement on the coffee table, making a "tap, tap" sound, as if tolling Zhao Bin's death knell.

"Not only that. Do you think all those connections your dad made will still acknowledge a debt-ridden good-for-nothing like you? Tomorrow, with the court's freezing order, all your bank cards and credit cards will instantly become worthless. The day after, the collection teams from all the major banks will strip you bare. The day after that, those cronies who used to call you 'Young Master Zhao' and freeload off you will avoid you like the plague. In less than a week, you won't even be able to afford a bowl of ramen and will be scavenging through trash cans on the streets like a stray dog!"

With each word Li Xiao spoke, the color drained from Zhao Bin's face. Until finally, he was trembling uncontrollably. The stubbornness he had displayed earlier, under Li Xiao's ruthless and piercing analysis, melted away like snow under the scorching sun.

Li Xiao straightened up, no longer looking at the spoiled brat whose psychological defenses had been completely shattered, but instead sweeping his cold gaze toward Hei Ge and several other underworld bosses who were standing to the side, already trembling with fear.

"He wants to keep this piece of meat rotten in the pot, what about you?" Li Xiao's tone was calm, yet it revealed an absolute will to control life and death. "Are you going to die with this good-for-nothing who's going to become a deadbeat tomorrow, or are you going to help me get him to sign the papers, so you can work for Lansheng Capital and live a comfortable life eating high-end meals in the High-tech Zone?"

Blackie shuddered violently, cold sweat trickling down his forehead along the scar. He'd been in the underworld for half his life; what kind of ruthless people hadn't he seen? But this was the first time he'd encountered a financial tycoon like Li Xiao, who could drive people to their deaths without shedding blood, and whose methods were utterly appalling.

Offending Zhao Bin might mean losing a windfall; but offending Li Xiao could mean their entire operation would be wiped out tomorrow!

"Young Master Li is right!" Blackie swallowed hard and immediately made the wisest decision. He turned around abruptly, strode up to Zhao Bin, grabbed Zhao Bin's hair, and slapped him hard across the face.

"Snapped!"

A crisp slap echoed through the private room. Zhao Bin was so slapped that he saw stars, and blood instantly spilled from the corner of his mouth.

"Brother Hei... what are you doing?!" Zhao Bin covered his face, looking incredulously at the gangster boss who had been calling him brother just a second ago.

"What are you doing? I'm saving your life!" Blackie's face was contorted with rage as he pointed at the agreement on the coffee table and cursed, "Young Master Li is so generous, giving you a 40% discount in real money so you can go abroad and have some fun. Don't you dare be ungrateful! If you really want to drag us down with you, Young Master Li won't even need to lift a finger; I'll have you drowned in the moat tonight! Sign it now!"

His former protector had instantly turned against him, becoming a deadly vengeful ghost. Looking at the menacing eyes of the gang leaders around him, Zhao Bin felt utterly hopeless. He knew that all was lost; the Zhao family had no place in Tianshui City anymore.

With trembling hands, he practically crawled to the coffee table and picked up the pure black Montblanc pen. The nib touched the paper, drawing a desperate and distorted signature, before he pressed down heavily with his blood-red handprint.

"Zhou the Fatty, collect the contract and make the payment."

Li Xiao didn't even glance at the priceless agreement again before turning and walking out of the private room.

"Okay, Brother Xiao!" Zhou Yanhuai was beaming with excitement as he quickly stuffed the agreement into a manila envelope. This involved eight commercial concrete mixing plants and the largest heavy truck fleet in Tianshui City! He'd achieved absolute control with only a 40% discount in cash—this was practically a textbook example of capital plunder!

Stepping out of the Nightclub, the early autumn breeze carried a hint of coolness. Old Lin opened the door of the Maybach, and Li Xiao sat in the back seat, his deep gaze fixed on the direction of Jiangyang County.

"Brother Xiao, the assets have been completely divested."

Zhou Yanhuai, sitting in the passenger seat, excitedly pushed up his glasses. "That woman Duan Xue and Ma Bochang now only have an empty shell company with 30 million yuan in debt. Tomorrow, as soon as the court opens, they'll be crying together!"