The Comedy of Chaos
The masked man, momentarily stunned by the sheer audacity of the traffic complaint, finally recovered and pointed his wrench menacingly at Li Tianyi.
"Get lost, kid! This is private business!" the thug barked, his voice muffled by the cheap balaclava.
Li Tianyi sighed, a subtle sign of his displeasure. He glanced down at his pristine coffee cup. "I see. You are prioritizing a low-value, high-risk physical operation over efficient negotiation. A predictable mistake."
He didn't move. He simply pressed a discreet button on his dashboard.
Simultaneously, two things happened:
A calm voice, belonging to Long Wei (Chief Personal Bodyguard), came through the car's internal speaker: "Perimeter secured, Chairman Li. Immediate response authorized."
The two masked men struggling with the resisting young woman suddenly found their ankles ensnared by thin, near-invisible cables that emerged from the ground, deploying with shocking speed and precision. They tumbled instantly, pulling the remaining two thugs off balance.
This was the work of The Shadow Contingent, the Dynasty's elite security force, moving unseen and with total efficiency.
The Executive Order
Li Tianyi didn't bother watching the messy physical engagement. That was Long Wei's domain, a service he paid handsomely for. He picked up his phone and called his Chief Executive Assistant, Su Qingyao.
"Qingyao," Li Tianyi instructed, his voice even. "I am currently witnessing a chaotic kidnapping on Olive Boulevard. The perpetrators used a low-grade tactical SUV and displayed zero professionalism. A severe inefficiency."
"Understood, Chairman Li," Su Qingyao's professional voice instantly replied. "Logistics are mobilizing. I have already diverted police patrol routes based on the initial GPS flare-up."
"Excellent. Now, analyze the victim," Li Tianyi continued. "She is Lin Meixue, CEO of the Blue Sky Tech startup. Find her rival's most recent major investment—the one that will collapse if she disappears."
"Processing," Su Qingyao responded instantly. "The rival is The Bronze Tiger Syndicate, a known competitor to our Dragon Capital Group in the regional infrastructure sector. They have a major bridge project bid due this afternoon."
Li Tianyi smiled faintly. "Then the solution is simple. Have our Legal Team file an immediate, aggressive injunction against the Bronze Tiger Syndicate for corporate espionage and kidnapping—citing the chaos I witnessed. Simultaneously, instruct our Finance Division to short the Bronze Tiger's stock by twenty percent. They should feel the pinch immediately."
He didn't need to fight the thugs; he could crash their entire financial structure before they even reached their safe house.
The Rescue and The Disdain for Dirt
By the time Li Tianyi ended his call, the scene had entirely changed. Long Wei had arrived, moving with the quiet, lethal grace of a true martial arts master. He hadn't drawn any overt weapon; he simply neutralized the four thugs with swift, non-lethal strikes that left them tangled and groaning.
The victim, Lin Meixue, was released and stood panting, adjusting her expensive, slightly torn business suit. She looked around, bewildered, before her eyes landed on Li Tianyi—the elegantly calm figure in the vintage car, holding a coffee cup.
"Are you... alright, Chairman Li?" Lin Meixue asked, recognizing him immediately despite the chaos.
Li Tianyi surveyed the scene: the smashed sedan, the dirty ropes, the four groaning men, and the debris.
"I am fine, Miss Lin," Li Tianyi replied, his voice slightly clipped with annoyance. "However, I cannot say the same for my morning. This road is now contaminated with low-grade debris and unsophisticated criminal energy. It will require professional cleaning."
He nodded to Long Wei. "Wei, ensure Miss Lin is safely escorted home by a Shadow Contingent vehicle. Then, have our Logistics Division send a cleaning crew immediately. I refuse to drive through this filth."
Li Tianyi placed his Aston Martin in reverse, executing a smooth, elegant U-turn. He hadn't been the hero in a flashy way, but he had solved the problem—financially, physically, and logistically—with the absolute minimum of personal exertion.
He drove away, leaving the stunned victim, the neutralized thugs, and his efficiently cleaning up the chaos. His philosophy held true: even crime was just an inefficient business problem waiting for the Dragon King's elegant, financial solution. He needed a cleaner route for his coffee run.