Chapter 74: Arrangements

After Zhou Xuan left, the large man, trembling with pain, pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Liu Ze’s number.

"Hello, Brother Ze. I’m sorry, the mission failed."

"What do you mean? How did you mess this up? You couldn't even handle a high school student?" Liu Ze’s voice came through, filled with astonishment.

"Brother Ze, that Zhou Xuan is too formidable. The three of us were no match for him at all. We didn't even last a single round before we were taken down." Mentioning this made the man feel quite embarrassed. As a prominent gang leader from Yangcheng, to be defeated so easily by a high schooler—if word got out, no one would believe it. It was a complete humiliation.

"Lao Ba, are you joking with me? April Fool’s Day has already passed. Do you want to see what happens to you when you get back?" Liu Ze couldn't believe his ears and asked with deep suspicion.

It was absurd. Lao Ba’s combat skills were top-tier in Yangcheng; he could easily handle several ordinary men at once. Yet, he was claiming that the three of them had been rendered completely helpless by a high school student.

Lao Ba felt truly ashamed, but he admitted the hard-to-believe truth: "Brother Ze, it’s the truth! I’m not lying to you. The three of us were taken down by him in two moves. We’re still lying on the ground now. He also told me to pass on a message: if you dare to send anyone to Rongzhou again, none of them will be returning."

"Damn it, you bastard! You actually dared to sell me out? You’ve got some nerve," Liu Ze roared, assuming Lao Ba had betrayed him by telling Zhou Xuan that he was the one behind the order to break Zhou Xuan’s legs.

Lao Ba hurriedly explained, "Brother Ze, that Zhou Xuan guessed it himself. I initially tried to frame Chen Yulin, the richest man in Jiangbei, but Zhou Xuan wasn't fooled at all. Besides, when he left, he mentioned that he and Chen Yulin are good friends. He also said that if we hadn't left Rongzhou today, we wouldn't have had the chance to leave at all."

After a long silence, Liu Ze’s voice returned: "So, Zhou Xuan actually has ties to Chen Yulin! Since you’ve been exposed, come back immediately. We’ll discuss Zhou Xuan later. I didn't expect his martial arts skills to be so exceptional that even you were no match for him. Since Chen Yulin is siding with him, sending more people is useless."

Liu Ze seemed wary of Chen Yulin and didn't want to provoke him further. He immediately dropped the idea of sending more people to deal with Zhou Xuan and ordered Lao Ba to return.

Sitting in his office, Liu Ze felt incredibly frustrated as he thought about the situation. He had expected an easy success, but it had failed. Even more surprising was Zhou Xuan's formidable combat strength and his terrifyingly powerful network of connections.

In Rongzhou, he was backed by Chen Yulin, who in turn was supported by a very influential figure in the city. In the provincial capital, he had connections like Deng Ting'an and Wang Ximing, and there was even a mysterious family descendant in the capital. To think that Zhou Xuan, a kid from the countryside, could cultivate such a network was simply bizarre.

After returning, Zhou Xuan felt a lingering unease regarding the Tengfei Group. He decided to call Chen Yulin, the wealthiest man in Jiangbei.

"Oh? A call from Zhou Xuan? This is quite rare," Chen Yulin said, sounding surprised. They hadn't been in touch since their last meeting, though Chen had kept tabs on Zhou Xuan’s affairs.

He knew that *The Ming Dynasty* was written by Zhou Xuan and had sold nearly two million copies in just two months. He also knew that Zhou Xuan had opened a company in the provincial capital and clashed with Liu Teng’s son from the Tengfei Group. However, because Zhou Xuan was close friends with Deng Cheng, the son of the Blue Sky Group’s Deng Ting’an, and Wang Ximing, son of the Provincial Organization Department Minister, everything had turned out fine. Furthermore, Zhou Xuan’s Huanyu Software had swept the national internet cafe market with great sales.

Though Chen didn't know the exact extent of Zhou Xuan’s wealth, he estimated that between the software sales and the royalties from his book, Zhou was already worth at least twenty million.

Realizing that Zhou Xuan was only sixteen and already a multi-millionaire, Chen Yulin couldn't help but twitch. When he was sixteen, he had already dropped out of school and was hanging around Tanyu Street.

Seeing these achievements, Chen Yulin felt more strongly than ever that Zhou Xuan’s future was limitless. The insights Zhou Xuan had previously shared about the logistics industry had left a deep impression on him.

Chen had been planning to call Zhou Xuan to discuss the logistics industry further, so he teased, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Zhou Xuan laughed. "Forgive me, Mr. Chen, I've been quite busy lately. I’ll treat you to tea next time."

"There’s no need to wait for next time. I’m free recently. How about I come to NC tomorrow and we call Li Yunxi to get together?" Chen Yulin wasn't about to miss the chance to meet now that Zhou Xuan had reached out.

After learning that Li Jing was Li Yunxi’s father, Zhou Xuan also wanted to build a closer relationship with Chen Yulin. Hearing this, he readily agreed. "That sounds great. I’ll be waiting for you in NC, Mr. Chen."

"Good, I’ll be there tomorrow. But you must have a reason for calling, Zhou Xuan. Don't be a stranger—if you need help, just say the word," Chen Yulin said generously.

After a moment of thought, Zhou Xuan said, "Actually, I do need a favor, Mr. Chen..."

Zhou Xuan explained his conflict with Liu Ze of the Tengfei Group and asked if Chen could send a few people to look after his parents. Chen Yulin agreed readily.

"Haha, no problem. That’s a small matter. I’ve never liked the people at Tengfei Group anyway. If they show up, I’ll be the one breaking their legs."

Zhou Xuan was surprised by how quickly Chen Yulin agreed, without any hesitation. "Thank you, Mr. Chen."

"Don't mention it. Liu Teng and I have had our own grudges for a long time. When my transport company tried to enter the Yangcheng market, we clashed with him. We had a few fights, and since then, I haven't stepped foot in Yangcheng, and his Tengfei Group won't be setting foot in Rongzhou either," Chen Yulin explained. "But be careful—Liu Teng is a ruthless man. Do you need me to send a couple of bodyguards for you?"

Zhou Xuan was surprised by the existing rivalry, but he politely declined the offer. "I’ll be fine; I can protect myself. I just need you to look after my parents."

"Alright, but if you have any trouble, let me know. I’ll help wherever I can."

"Understood. See you tomorrow, Mr. Chen."

"See you tomorrow."