Chapter 0021: Who’s the Real Ruthless One?

Meeting Chen Liuhe's cold, indifferent gaze, the hardened thug—who wouldn't blink at murder or arson—felt a surge of overwhelming fear. He forcibly swallowed the excruciating pain radiating from his wrist, not daring to breathe too loudly.

Nodding with satisfaction, Chen Liuhe turned and crouched in front of the leader. Smiling faintly, he asked, "Got any more buddies out there?"

The middle-aged man, the eldest of the trio, stared at Chen Liuhe in terror, his eyes brimming with dread. Compared to this young man, he realized their so-called viciousness was laughable—this guy was the real devil.

"Y-Yes… yes… so you can't kill me," the man stammered, his voice trembling.

Chen Liuhe nodded, and just as the man thought he might hesitate, Chen Liuhe's smile widened. "Too bad—I love chasing thrills."

With that, he seized the man's head and slammed it into the floor. A series of dull thuds echoed through the room like a death knell tolling.

The man's head smashed against the ground repeatedly, each strike solid and unrelenting. In less than thirty seconds, his scalp split open, blood pooling around him. His initial screams and struggles faded into feeble gasps as he teetered on the brink of death.

Silence fell—absolute, suffocating silence. Everyone seemed to forget how to breathe, the air thick with a palpable aura of horror. The scene was bone-chilling.

Chen Liuhe's display of power and brutality inspired both fear and awe. No one dared feel even a flicker of relief at escaping danger, terrified that displeasing this cold-blooded demon might bring his wrath upon them.

Sitting on the sofa, Chen Liuhe tossed Huang Baiwan a cigarette. "Old Huang, calm your nerves." His smile reverted to its usual lazy charm.

Lighting one for himself, he glanced at the three thugs lying like dead dogs on the floor. He pulled out his phone and dropped it in front of the barely-breathing leader. "Call your pals. Tell them to come here."

If he wasn't going to act, fine—but once he did, he'd clean house completely.

"N-No… no more… just the three of us fled to Bianzhou. I only said that to save my skin," the leader rasped, his voice broken.

Chen Liuhe studied him for a moment, then nodded. He could spot a lie a mile away, and this guy wasn't bluffing.

Turning to a petrified guard, he said, "Go get Qin Ruohan to handle the cleanup." The guard bolted out like he'd been granted a pardon, scrambling over himself to escape.

The others remained crouched, hearts pounding, too afraid to stand. They had no clue what this demon, more ruthless than any fugitive, was thinking.

"Manager Fu, having fun?" Chen Liuhe cast a sidelong glance at Fu Jianfeng, sprawled on the floor.

Fu Jianfeng, pale as death and utterly humiliated, flinched. He didn't dare meet Chen Liuhe's eyes. He had no idea what kind of monster Qin Ruohan had brought in, and he'd been dumb enough to cross him—nearly getting him killed in the process. Now, all he felt was fear, raw and consuming. The fate of those three thugs was seared into his mind, and he dreaded being next.

"Fu Jianfeng, your recklessness almost got everyone here killed to cover your ass. Don't you think you deserve to die?" Chen Liuhe asked casually.

"No, no, don't kill me! You can't kill me—please don't!" Fu Jianfeng shrieked, scooting back in panic. A wet patch spread across his crotch—he'd pissed himself from Chen Liuhe's single sentence.

Disgust filled the room as everyone glared at him, resentment simmering. This bastard had nearly cost them their lives. If not for the freakish Chen Liuhe, they'd all be dead or worse.

Suddenly, they realized Fu Jianfeng—once a towering, capable figure in their eyes—was nothing compared to Chen Liuhe. He was pathetic, shameful.

Chen Liuhe sneered. "Fu Jianfeng, pretending to be tough without the skills is just stupidity. And you? You're the poster boy for it."

Just then, the door burst open. The stench of blood hit Qin Ruohan, who covered her nose and mouth, nearly gagging.

Her expression froze as she took in the carnage—blood pooling on the floor, the broken bodies. She'd heard a brief rundown from the guard on her way, knowing something big had happened, but she hadn't imagined it escalating this far.

Before she could speak, Fu Jianfeng, on the verge of collapse, scrambled toward her like she was his savior. "Boss Qin, save me! Chen Liuhe wants to kill me—he's a devil, a maniac! Save me!"

Glancing at the reeking Fu Jianfeng, Qin Ruohan frowned but ignored him, her eyes settling on Chen Liuhe, lounging on the sofa and smoking nonchalantly.

Chen Liuhe chuckled, shaking his head. "Boss Qin, you've got quite the crew of elite soldiers here."

Standing up, he stretched lazily. "Since you're here, I'll leave this mess to you." He pointed at the three thugs. "These guys are probably wanted fugitives who escaped to Bianzhou. Hand them over to the law or let them loose—your call."

"Been a hell of a night—I'm beat. Heading home now doesn't count as clocking out early, right?" He picked up his phone; it was only 8:30 p.m.

It sounded like a question, but he didn't wait for an answer. Under the awestruck gazes of everyone, he sauntered out, as if the bloodbath he'd orchestrated had nothing to do with him.

At the door, he paused, beckoning Huang Baiwan. "Old Huang, come here." Huang Baiwan trotted over eagerly. "Sixth Bro, what's up?"

Chen Liuhe lit another cigarette, walking as he spoke. "Stay here and keep an eye on things. Don't let those three bastards pull any tricks." Pausing, he added, "And watch Qin Ruohan. That woman's got more going on in her head than she lets on. Tomorrow, tell me how she handles these three."

With that, he waved dismissively and headed downstairs. Huang Baiwan turned back to the room.

The survivors, who'd just begun to relax after their ordeal, tensed up again when Huang Baiwan returned, instantly falling silent and submissive.

In their minds, Chen Liuhe and Huang Baiwan were no longer "useless cowards." These two were the real deal—tough as nails. Huang Baiwan's grit and guts outshone them all by a mile.

As for Chen Liuhe, words couldn't capture their shock. He was a bona fide badass who hid his strength in plain sight.

What's real swagger? It's when you think someone's a total nobody, a joke not worth a glance, only for them to turn around and become a giant you can't even reach on tiptoes.

Qin Ruohan's shock gradually subsided. Her delicate brows furrowed as a flurry of thoughts raced through her mind. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke. "Get all the injured to the hospital first. Have someone clean up the blood."

She scanned the room. "Once you leave this room, I expect everyone to forget this ever happened. No talking, no cops."

Huang Baiwan frowned deeply, instinctively cautioning, "Boss Qin, Sixth Bro meant for them to be turned over to the law. These three are dangerous—you should think this through."

If anyone else had questioned her, Qin Ruohan would've snapped. But with Huang Baiwan, tied so closely to Chen Liuhe, she couldn't—and wouldn't—dare.

Softening her tone, she said, "Old Huang, it's not that I don't want to. You know how sensitive this business is. If word gets out, we could be shut down with one order."

Huang Baiwan fell silent. She wasn't wrong, but he worried there was more to her reasoning.

He opened his mouth but ultimately held back.

"Old Huang, I'll explain this to Chen Liuhe myself," Qin Ruohan reassured him.

Then, her tone sharpened as she addressed the room. "I hope you all take my words to heart. The club will compensate you for tonight's scare, but if anyone's loose lips cause trouble for us, I'll hold them accountable to the end."

"Enough—get the injured to the hospital." With that, she turned and left, leaving Huang Baiwan in charge.

"Boss Qin! Boss Qin!" Fu Jianfeng, finally regaining his wits, scrambled after her.

Qin Ruohan glanced back, her brows creasing slightly, though she kept her expression neutral. "Manager Fu, something to say?" She still afforded him some respect. Despite his arrogance, Fu Jianfeng had real talent in management—a key player in her success running the club. Even after tonight's colossal screw-up and embarrassment, she swallowed her anger and refrained from chewing him out.

"Boss Qin, I have to warn you," Fu Jianfeng blurted. "I don't know where you found Chen Liuhe, but I guarantee he's a walking danger. You didn't see it—the way he went at it in there, he's no clean slate. He's a disaster waiting to happen if he stays. Frankly, working with him gives me zero sense of security."

He rattled it off in one breath, the classic case of forgetting the pain once the wound heals. Not only did Chen Liuhe's earlier terror fail to teach him a lesson, but even the man's life-saving intervention was tossed aside. Gratitude? Nonexistent. His resentment only deepened.