Chapter 111: The Black Hand's Counterstrike

“Uncle Qing, why did you teach that kid Ye Fei the ‘Tiger and Crane Dual Form’? If he won’t learn it, then teach me!” the long-haired man said.

“That boy has great potential in martial arts, but it’s a pity. Your temperament still needs more training. When you become more steady, I’ll teach you. Otherwise, I’ll pass it on to you only when I die, so the legacy won’t be lost,” the elderly man in the green robe replied.

“Contact Ting Fang! Tell him that Ye Fei is not easy to deal with. I’ve already lost to him,” the old man ordered.

The long-haired man obediently carried out his orders.

...

Ye Fei had defeated the elderly man in green, yet he felt no joy. He knew he had refused the other party’s offer of reconciliation and recruitment, and that they would surely have countermeasures.

However, Ye Fei did not expect the retaliation to come so swiftly. By the afternoon, a series of troubling messages arrived.

“Xiyi—” Ye Fei was surprised. Xiyi knew he was engaged in something important and seldom called to disturb him.

“Ye Fei, when will you be back?” Xiyi asked over the phone.

“My work here isn’t finished yet. It might take a few more days,” Ye Fei replied.

“Oh,” Xiyi said softly, as if hesitant to speak further.

Ye Fei asked, “Xiyi, is there something you want to tell me?”

“No,” Xiyi hesitated before replying.

“You can’t hide things from me. If there’s something, just say it! I can’t solve it if you don’t tell me,” Ye Fei urged, sensing that something was wrong.

After a pause, Xiyi said, “Ye Fei, I’m not sure if I should tell you. Manyun and the others said you’re busy with something important and don’t want to bother you. But if I don’t say anything, Manyun’s company is in big trouble now. Even Director Zhang can’t help.”

“Manyun and the others are in trouble? Even Zhang Linsheng can’t assist?” Ye Fei frowned.

After some thought, Ye Fei said, “Alright, I understand. I’ll handle it. Don’t worry too much—your health and the baby are most important. Once I finish my business here, everything will be fine.”

Xiyi knew Ye Fei was busy and quickly ended the call.

Ye Fei then contacted Zhang Linsheng.

“Ye Fei, you want to ask about Tianxiang Company, right?” Zhang Linsheng spoke directly.

“Who’s behind this?” Ye Fei inquired.

“Many forces are acting covertly. Some are taking advantage of the situation, hoping to see Tianxiang collapse. The main players are Fang Tingfang’s Fang Group, Black Demon Security, Lu Weiming from Ronggui and the Ming Gang. These four are all working to bring down Tianxiang’s Deep Sea branch. The Sunrise Group from Xiangdao is also meddling in secret. The rest are small companies with no real power, just opportunists,” Zhang Linsheng explained.

“Old rivals, all of them,” Ye Fei murmured.

He knew Fang Tingfang’s influence was vast. Even if Fang acted alone, Tianxiang would be overwhelmed. Zhang Linsheng himself couldn’t resist that force, let alone now when multiple powerful groups had joined in.

Moreover, Fang Tingfang’s extensive network in Deep Sea wielded immense power, making the situation even more dire.

“Alright. I’ll think of a way. If it gets too bad, just make sure to protect yourselves. How long can you hold on now?” Ye Fei asked.

“Before yesterday, it wasn’t too serious. We could hold on longer. But starting today, the four major forces led by Fang Tingfang’s Fang Group have intensified their pressure. They’re suppressing us from all sides. Many projects have been halted, and some partners would rather breach contracts than continue working with us. Construction is stalled, and Tianxiang is close to ceasing operations,” Zhang Linsheng reported.

Ye Fei realized that his refusal to reconcile had prompted this pressure campaign, aimed at dismantling his support system.

“Understood,” Ye Fei said gravely.

Fang Tingfang’s plan was nearly flawless. Their financial resources and vast connections gave them the upper hand. Even with Zhang Linsheng’s help—the richest man in Deep Sea—Ye Fei could not fight back effectively.

“Damn it,” Ye Fei cursed inwardly. The attack was aimed at his weakest point. In terms of finances, all he had was the shares worth 500 million gifted by Zhang Linsheng, which was insignificant. As for connections, his current role as a security guard limited him; the most influential people he knew were only a handful like Zhang Linsheng.

While Ye Fei was pondering solutions, his phone rang.

“Director Zhang?” Ye Fei asked, surprised.

It was Zhang Linsheng calling again, shortly after their last conversation.

“Ye Fei, good news!” Zhang Linsheng exclaimed.

“What news?” Ye Fei’s spirits lifted. Zhang Linsheng wouldn’t call without reason.

“Haha, the Liu Group stepped in unexpectedly and stabilized the situation for now. Though still critical, things are under control,” Zhang Linsheng said.

“The Liu Group? That’s great. We’ve bought some time. If we can uncover their wrongdoing, the authorities can intervene and resolve this crisis,” Ye Fei said with hope, though aware time was now even more pressing.

“There’s more good news. Not only did the Liu Group help, but the police chief and several influential officials got involved, pushing back against significant pressure,” Zhang Linsheng added with a smile.

Ye Fei knew the Liu Group’s intervention was thanks to Liu Yiyi’s assistance.

The involvement of Deep Sea officials was likely due to Zhao Dan and Liu Zixuan’s influence, as well as Ye Fei’s previous help in eliminating a gang of kidnappers and discovering an invaluable nameless imperial tomb. Officials who benefited couldn’t stand aside—they owed a favor.

“Ye Fei, although the situation is stable for now, this won’t last long. The enemy’s forces are too strong. We must prepare early. If necessary, we may have to abandon Tianxiang Company,” Zhang Linsheng warned.

“I understand,” Ye Fei nodded. But he would not give up on Tianxiang until the very end because he knew it was the key to changing Manyun’s fate.