A Dish Best Served Cold (The Man In Rage)
Chapter 71 Return of the Mercenary King

Inside the restaurant.

Sheng Tian and the bald-headed Mr. Du were wracked with despair and panic, as they knelt on the floor.

Just then, Chen Ao was interceding for them with Ye Fan.

Ye Fan glanced at the pair on the floor as he sipped his tea. And then he shook his head with a smile, "Forget it. Because Chen Ao is pleading on your behalf, I will let you off this time." "But I will give you a word of advice. In future, it is better to act with restraint. After all, you can never be certain if you can actually afford to offend the person you are looking down on." "Am I right? Mr. Sheng?"

Ye Fan stood up and patted Sheng Tian's shoulder. Being called "Mr. Sheng" had caused the latter's hair to stand on end.

Sheng Tian hurriedly promised to restrain his men and himself. He swore to never again abuse his position to bully others.

"Also, Mr. Chu, please call me Tian from now on. I can't bear the weight of 'Mr. Sheng'." Sheng Tian said with his head bowed. Due to his panic, sweat was pouring down his forehead. Ye Fan did not reply. After biding farewell to Chen Ao, he turned and prepared to leave.

But Chen Ao tried to get Ye Fan to stay. "Mr. Chu, why don't you stay for a little longer? We will be having a gathering in a moment. Perhaps Mr. Chu could...”

However, Ye Fan waved his hand dismissively and said, "No, thanks. If I get home late, my wife will worry."

"This~" When Chen Ao and the others heard this, they laughed awkwardly. "Mr. Chu is a family-oriented man. It is madam's good fortune to have married you."

Since Ye Fan had brought up his family life, Chen Ao and company did not continue to try to keep him. It would be disastrous if his staying here resulted in marital disharmony at home. "You mentioned a gathering. What kind of gathering is it?"

Chen Ao respectfully accompanied Ye Fan on his way out. Along the way, the latter casually asked about the upcoming gathering.

And the topic caused Chen Ao to frown unconsciously. "We ran into a little problem, so I asked everyone to gather here to discuss countermeasures."

"Problem? What kind of problem?" Ye Fan's interest was piqued immediately. Although Chen Ao was not an invincible existence in Jiangdong, he was still one of the top five most powerful figures in the province.

Ye Fan was curious to know what sort of problem could trouble a kingpin like Chen Ao.

Chen Ao sighed and said, "Ai, it is embarrassing to admit, but I will still tell you. Mr. Chu, you don't pay regular attention to the affairs in Jiangdong, so you don't know this. But things are a bit unstable here right now."

"Oh? Unstable? Don't tell me that there are still people you can't control in Jiangdong?"

Chen Ao shook his head and smiled bitterly. "It's not that he doesn't accept my leadership. It's more like he doesn't accept all the leaders of Jiangdong."

"Mr. Chu, have you heard about the consecutive deaths of Lin Qing-Quan, the top tycoon of Guyang city, and Niu Chao-Yang, the family head of the prestigious Niu family in Changdong city?"

"Didn't they pass away due to sickness?" The news had reported that their deaths were due to illness, and so Ye Fan had not given the matter much thought. But now that Chen Ao was bringing up the deaths all of sudden, Ye Fan could not help feeling suspicious about the circumstances surrounding their demises. "Are you saying

that..."

Chen Ao nodded and replied, "Yes. The two were murdered. They didn't die from sickness."

"And their murderer is the former top tycoon of Jiangdong, Wu He-Rong."

"Ten years ago, Wu He-Rong was the number one kingpin of Jiangdong. He was a cruel man. Someone who was willing to do anything for the sake of profit. Back then, he used unscrupulous means to bring about the ruin of his competitors and their families. Those victims became his stepping stones to success. Later, Wu He-Rong started making money from drug dealing. And finally, he incurred public wrath in Jiangdong. At that time, the top honchos from the sixteen cities of Jiangdong province worked together to report Wu He-Rong's misdeeds. In the end, they managed to topple his empire."

"Afterward, all of Wu He-Rong's men were sent to prison, but he managed to go into hiding overseas."

"Many people assumed that Wu He-Rong had died in some foreign country. Who would have thought that he would return to Jiangdong after hiding for ten years?"

"And after spending ten years in foreign lands, Wu He-Rong has mastered incredible skills. The Niu family had several dozen well-trained martial artists, but they could do nothing against him. And even Lin Qing-Quan's very expensive bodyguard was defeated in under one round. Wu He-Rong killed him with just a finger strike."

"Right now, everyone can feel the danger approaching. That's why we are gathering here tonight to come up with countermeasures against Wu He-Rong."

Chen Ao had a sombre expression on his face. Back then, he had been one of the people to report Wu He-Rong's misdeeds. And it was obvious that Wu He-Rong had returned for revenge. This matter must be resolved properly, or even Chen Ao himself would meet his end.

"Interesting. To think that a single person could cause such an upheaval in Jiangdong. It seems this Wu He-Rong is a capable man." As Ye Fan listened, a faint smile appeared on his lips. Afterward, he looked at Chen Ao and asked, "So now what? Have you thought of any countermeasure? Do you need my help?"

Chen Ao was overjoyed when he heard this. "Is the Chu family coming to our aid?"

"Haha-"

"If the Chu family intervenes, then we have nothing to worry about even if a hundred Wu He-Rongs show up."

At this moment, Chen Ao found himself in the throes of joy. These days, because of Wu He-Rong, he had been unable to eat or sleep well. If the Chu family was willing to intervene, then he would have nothing to worry about.

Chen Ao did know a little about the terrifying power of the Chu family.

Even a country had to take the Chus seriously. It would be easy for a power like that to deal with a stray like Wu He-Rong.

"You are overthinking this. I am talking about myself, not the Chu family."

But Ye Fan's next words crushed Chen Ao's hopes, and caused the latter's smile to freeze on his face.

"All by yourself? Against Wu He-Rong?" Chen Ao was stupefied.

"What? You don't believe me?" A faint smile appeared on Ye Fan's lips.

Chen Ao laughed embarrassedly and said, "Mr. Chu, it is not that I don't believe you. But this Wu He-Rong is a vicious fellow, and he is also a superb martial artist. I heard that he has been working as a mercenary in the west for the past ten years. He has learned many killing techniques. Although Mr. Chu is an excellent strategist and remarkably intelligent, but your intellect will not work on him. It will be like pitting a scholar against a gladiator in the arena. So~"

Chen Ao had said a lot. But one could summarize his lengthy speech into one sentence.

He was afraid that Wu He-Rong would beat Ye Fan to death.

Ye Fan had come from a powerful family and was remarkably intelligent. All these years, Ye Fan had not only supported Chen Ao financially, but had also devised cunning strategies for the latter. And thanks to Ye Fan's aid, Chen Ao had become the King of Jiangdong.

From the bottom of his heart, Chen Ao truly admired his benefactor.

But when it came to fighting, Chen Ao had no confidence in Ye Fan.

After all, he was not a burly man. And Ye Fan had come from a rich family, so his life was probably free from violence. It would be too easy for a mercenary king like Wu He-Rong - someone who had spent the last ten years on bloody battlefields - to kill the pampered young man.

"Fine-"

"It's fine if you don't believe me. I don't really want to get involved anyway."

Ye Fan snorted when he heard Chen Ao's tone, and then he left the restaurant.

But he had only taken a few steps out of the entrance, when a car came speeding toward him.

"Whoa!"