In the nightclub, on the central stage, the tension was razor-sharp.
Ning Zhe and Zhou Hao stood locked in a silent stare, their killing intent palpable.
Then Zhou Hao spoke, his voice steady but cold.
"It seems we've reached an impasse. But I can't just let this go. You made my sister cry. So here's what we're going to do: you and I fight, and we end our grudge here. After that, I won't bother you again."
Ning Zhe scoffed.
"Are you stupid? Why should I fight you?"
Zhou Hao's expression didn't change.
"You'll fight me whether you want to or not. You don't really have a choice."
He stepped forward slightly.
"Do you know why I'm in Tianhai? Because I was exiled by my sect. Now I manage their influence and industries here."
Ning Zhe narrowed his eyes.
"So?"
"So I have nothing to lose," Zhou Hao replied. "But you do. If you don't fight me, I'll declare war on the Tianhai branch of Ning Corporation. There will be a life and death war between Tianhai Ning corporation and the Holy Light sect's influence in all corners of Tianhai, light and dark. You might be powerful here, but I can still make you bleed. You're standing on a foundation. I'm standing on nothing. I'll take this as far as it goes."
He continued, voice sharp.
"You screw up here, and there'll be plenty of people waiting to drag you down. That 'potential heir' status of yours? Fragile. You just got out of a scandal, and your family already paid for your last screw-up. You want to start another mess so soon? I'm barefoot, Ning Zhe. I don't fear wearing shoes."
Ning Zhe chuckled darkly.
"You think your sect will let you go this far?"
Zhou Hao shrugged.
"Maybe not. But are you willing to take that chance?"
Ning Zhe fell silent.
Truth be told, he was furious with Xiao Hao. That idiot couldn't keep it in his pants and created this entire mess. Now Ning Zhe was tangled up in it. He and his father had plans to cooperate with Xiao Hao's family, and now it was spiraling out of control.
Everyone waited for his reply.
Finally, Ning Zhe muttered through clenched teeth,
"Fine. You are ruthless. I'll fight. But if you think I'm weak just because of your sneaky tricks, you're dead wrong. I'll make you regret this."
"If you think you can, then try," Zhou Hao answered coolly.
"Gladly."
Both of them gave subtle signals to their bodyguards, who stepped back and melted into the shadows in front of the stunned eyes of the people.
All nonessential personnel were cleared from the stage. This was one of the largest nightclubs in Tianhai, and it was just barely big enough for two peak Bright Strength warriors to fight without wrecking the entire building.
Zhou Hao and Ning Zhe stood ten meters apart, facing each other.
No one moved.
They waited—silent, focused, calculating.
Then, as if on cue…
They both launched forward—together.
On the other side of Tianhai...
Ninth Elder Longxuan received a message on his most secure red phone.
He hurriedly pulled it out and checked the message.
"Your Highness has initiated the plan. It's early, but not a problem."
Without wasting a moment, he made a joint call to the head of the Hong family and the current leader of the Imperial Bull Gang, Hong Biao.
The message was clear:
Today is the day the Wang family falls to fifth place—and the Hong family rises to take their position.
In the heart of Tianhai City…
At the center of the business district stood a fifty-story skyscraper. A large nameplate gleamed under the sunlight: Wang Investment. It was not only the core of the Wang family's financial empire but also one of the most powerful investment firms in the entire city.
Now, panic gripped the company.
Their stock was plummeting rapidly—already down 30%.
On the top floor, in the president's office, a man sat smoking one cigarette after another.
His mind was racing—thoughts spinning like a tornado.
"Who is it?"
"Who's taking action against Wang Investment?"
"Is this just about the company… or is someone targeting the entire Wang family?"
Suddenly, a stunning woman entered the room without knocking.
The man looked at her with irritation.
On any other day, he might have welcomed the distraction. After all, she was not just his secretary but also his pleasure companion.
But not today.
Today was a battlefield.
"President Wang, there's bad news."
This man was Wang Chen—the current president of Wang Investment and the father of Wang Wei.
"What is it?"
"Hong Corp is buying our shares aggressively. Their equity has already reached nearly 18%."
"Impossible. They don't have that kind of liquidity."
"It's true, President."
After a pause, Wang Chen exhaled slowly.
"…Alright. You may go."
As the door closed behind her, his face grew darker.
Who is it? It should not be the Hong family. Although the Hong family has been in the limelight recently, they do not have the capability to do this. Do not say the current Hong family, even if they are two times powerful, they can't create this problem for the wang investment. Is somebody or some other power using the Hong family as a front?
He picked up his phone and made a call.
The person on the other side answered immediately.
"Hmm, I've heard that from the outside, it looks like the Hong family is behind this. But there's a shadow—other forces are involved."
"Where did they get the money?"
There was a pause on the other end of the call.
Then came the reply:
"It's the Eastern Bank."
It felt like a bomb had gone off in Wang Chen's chest.
Things had just become far more serious.
The Eastern Bank?
One of the most powerful financial institutions in the world.
One of the feared Thirty-Three.
How did they get involved?
The voice on the other end continued,
"I've heard that the Rong family, the Bai family, and a few other business and underworld factions went to the Eastern Bank's Tianhai branch, together with the Hong family. They convinced the branch manager to approve a large loan. And it worked."
"Why didn't we know about this earlier?"
"That's on us. I caught wind of something, but I didn't realize the situation was this critical."
"We can't do anything directly right now. Can you stop the money flow?"
"I might be able to. But it'll be dangerous—far riskier than what we're facing now."
"Fine. I'm calling Dad. Maybe we can ask the Xiao family for help."
"Alright. But be careful. Don't push too hard—you know why."
"Yes."
Although the Hong family held a clear advantage for now, there was a limit.
If a company were attacked too aggressively and its share price dropped—especially without clear regulatory violations and reason—higher government institutions might step in to stabilize the economic system. They will also punish some undisciplined parties for the market instability.
But for Wang Chen, this wasn't just business—it was personal.
His pride was on the line. He had to act.
The person on the other end of the line was Wang Zhi, Wang Chen's brother.
He was the head of the Financial and Banking Regulation Commission of Tianhai—a powerful and influential position.
Just after he ended the call with Wang Chen, his phone rang again.
He answered—and after hearing what was said, his expression instantly changed.
Meanwhile, Wang Chen made another call—this time to his father, the head of the Wang family.
They needed to act fast.
The Xiao Family — the most powerful family in Tianhai.
The Xiao family estate is located on the eastern side of Tianhai. It spans across several vast traditional villas, complete with horse fields, golf courses, and every luxury one could imagine. Anyone who enters this place can immediately feel the power, influence, and deep-rooted tradition of the people who live here.
In the middle villa, in a quiet meeting room, several people sat drinking tea.
Tension lingered under the calm surface.
Then the man in the center of the room spoke:
"What is your opinion on the Wang family situation? We need to decide within ten minutes."