From rejecting the beautiful female CEO to becoming extremely powerful

Lei Hu's figure turned into the side door of the main building, and Lu Yunzhou didn't rush to move.

He scanned the area around the parking lot.

Three people were standing behind the artificial hill to the north, while two people were pacing back and forth on the lakeside boardwalk to the east. Their even gait suggested they were soldiers.

A sunshade curtain was hung on the second-floor terrace of the main building, and shadowy figures could be faintly seen moving beneath it. Observation posts were set up high up.

A rough count shows that there are at least forty people on the surface, not counting the hidden sentries.

"President Su."

Lu Yunzhou lowered his voice and took half a step closer, saying, "If something happens here, the chances of getting out are almost zero."

Su Qingwan didn't stop, only letting out a snort through her nose: "You think I don't know?"

Lu Yunzhou swallowed hard and remained silent.

Before the two reached the steps of the main building, they heard the sound of wheels crushing stones behind them.

A long black Mercedes came to a smooth stop, the door opened, and Xiao Sihai got out of the back seat.

Four people followed behind him, one of whom was Brother Leopard.

Xiao Sihai walked over slowly, but the bodyguards from other forces around him made way for him.

Without saying hello, he walked to a spot two steps in front of Su Qingwan and stopped.

"Qingwan, you should be aware of the situation here today. Give up the equity in those two port projects to keep things peaceful. Don't try to hold on."

Su Qingwan stopped and turned to look at him.

"Xiao Sihai, I've been married to you for seven years, and this is the first time I've known that you would advise someone to back down."

She pursed her lips, her voice low, but every word was barbed.

"You think you've fulfilled your obligation by paying that pittance of protection money? Why don't you go in and kneel down for me, and they'll reduce your fine?"

Xiao Sihai's expression didn't change much; he just slightly raised his eyelids.

"what ever."

He pulled his coat collar tighter. "I've warned you about the consequences of being too concerned with saving face. You'll have to bear the consequences yourself."

After saying this, Xiao Sihai led his men toward the passage on the right side of the main building.

Su Qingwan stared at his back for two seconds, sneered, slammed her high heels on the stone slab, turned around and strode toward the main entrance.

Six people stood inside the threshold, two of them holding testing equipment, and the other four with their hands on their waists, their sharp eyes scanning everyone who approached.

Su Qingwan stepped onto the stairs.

Lu Yunzhou followed.

Stop.

A hand was placed across his chest.

The burly man was the same height as him and had a deep voice: "Non-parliamentary members and authorized entourages, stop behind the line and wait."

Lu Yunzhou stopped in his tracks and looked up at Su Qingwan, who had already walked inside the door.

Su Qingwan turned around.

From three steps away, her gaze swept across his face without any extra expression.

"Wait outside."

Her voice was as calm as if she were giving a trivial instruction: "No matter what's going on inside, don't act impulsively."

Lu Yunzhou's throat tightened, and he took half a step forward, only to be stopped.

"President Su."

He lowered his voice, his eyes fixed on her, "If anything goes wrong inside, I'll rush in, no matter what the rules are."

Su Qingwan was stunned for a moment.

On that refined and stern face, the corner of his mouth twitched, unable to hold back.

"Lu Yunzhou, look around."

She gestured with her chin towards the sentries and armed personnel around her, "Can you kick this door open?"

Lu Yunzhou didn't respond.

Su Qingwan stopped smiling, turned around, and her skirt swept across the threshold.

The footsteps faded into the distance, and the figure was swallowed up by the dim light at the end of the corridor.

The iron gate closed from the inside and locked with a click.

Lu Yunzhou stood there, staring at the door for five seconds before looking away.

He retreated to the edge of the parking lot and leaned against the fender of an SUV.

Less than two minutes later, Xiao Sihai's group also passed through the checkpoint and filed in through the right-hand passage.

Leopard walked at the very back, his pace slowing slightly. He glanced into the iron gate, then consciously stepped back and stood by the flower bed on the north side of the parking lot.

Lu Yunzhou looked at his location, hesitated for three seconds, took out a cigarette case from his pocket, slapped out a cigarette, and walked towards Brother Leopard.

"Brother Leopard."

Leopard Brother turned his head.

Square face, buzz cut, and an old scar below his left ear.

Lu Yunzhou handed him a cigarette.

"Um."

Leopard took it, but didn't light it.

Lu Yunzhou lit one for himself, took a puff, and leaned against the stone edge of the flower bed.

After a half-minute silence, he spoke casually, "Brother Leopard, this is my first time in an event like this, so I'm a bit unsure of myself. Just who is this person in charge here today?"

Leopard glanced at him sideways but didn't reply immediately.

Lu Yunzhou added, "Lei Hu just said at the door that if anyone inside stomped their foot, Sheng An would shake. I want to know who's at the very top."

Leopard then brought the cigarette to his lips and borrowed the light that Lu Yunzhou handed him.

The cigarette butt glowed briefly, and he exhaled a puff of white smoke.

"Ninth Master".

When he uttered those two words, his tone was even lower than usual.

Lu Yunzhou waited for the next part.

Leopard took a couple of puffs of his cigarette, his gaze falling on the curtained window on the second floor of the main building.

"You've been working under President Xiao for a while now, so you should know how much influence President Xiao carries in Sheng'an."

Leopard Brother's voice was extremely low, and his lips barely moved, "Ninth Master is the one sitting above President Xiao."

"The entire Cloud Peak, from the land to the rules to every single chair inside, was decided by him."

Lu Yunzhou held the cigarette between his fingers without moving, a sudden tightness in his back.

He sat on top of Xiao Sihai's head.

This sentence carries more weight than Lei Hu's entire speech combined.

Leopard flicked away the cigarette ash and lowered his voice even further: "I've been following President Xiao for three years, and I've only heard bits and pieces of information about Ninth Master's surname and background."

He started his career in the south, then moved north, and his influence spanned both the legitimate and criminal worlds.

"At least half of these twelve chairs at Sheng An's residence were only available to him with his consent."

Lu Yunzhou stubbed out his cigarette and rubbed the ash off his fingertips.

"What is President Xiao's position in his eyes?"

Leopard was silent for a few seconds, as if considering how far to go.

"Mr. Xiao ranks fourth in the council."

When he spoke, he didn't look at Lu Yunzhou, but stared at the black-clad men patrolling in the distance. "Ninth Master doesn't occupy a seat, but the fate of all the seats is up to him with a single word."

They don't occupy seats, but they can decide whether or not a seat is taken.

Lu Yunzhou went over those words in his mind twice, and his stomach felt heavy.

Su Qingwan didn't just offend one elder; she offended the entire set of rules.

And the person who made the rules is sitting in that building right now.

"Brother Leopard, one last question."

Lu Yunzhou put the cigarette case back in his pocket. "What's Ninth Master's attitude towards President Su's matter?"

Leopard stubbed out his cigarette on the edge of the flower bed and turned to walk back.

He took two steps, paused, didn't turn around, and only left a sentence.

"The worst attitude Ninth Master can have is to remain silent."

Lu Yunzhou stood still, the wind blowing across the lake, carrying moisture and the smell of mud.

The curtains on the second floor of the main building moved slightly, as if someone had peeked out from inside, before being drawn back down.

Faint footsteps could be heard coming from inside; many people's footsteps mingled together, walking in the same direction.

The meeting is about to begin.