Chapter 39: Tonight, No One Leaves

"That depends on your performance." Mr. Zong popped open a bottle of brandy and filled a glass to the brim. "Drink it all and you can leave. If not, you're not going anywhere tonight."

Biting her lip, Yaoyao frowned and grabbed the glass, gulping it down in large swigs.

"Whoa! Did you see that? This little girl can really drink!"

Within moments, she had finished the entire glass. Her stomach churned, and her head began to spin. "I—I'm done. I can go now, right?"

Just as she staggered a couple of steps, the man yanked her back into his arms. "Hey now, since you're so good at drinking, why don't you stay and keep me company?"

"Let me go! Let me go!" Her head swam, her body weak, and the whole room seemed to spin around her.

"Oho, a feisty one? I like that!" Mr. Zong laughed lasciviously, leaning in with his greasy lips to kiss her.

"No!" In a panic, she grabbed a nearby bottle and smashed it over his head.

"Mr. Zong?!"

Blood sprayed from the man's forehead. The deafening music came to a halt. All eyes in the club turned toward the scene, a mix of fear and curiosity filling the air.

"You little bitch! You dare hit me?" Mr. Zong wiped the blood from his face, his eyes bulging with rage. He slapped her hard across the face, then again.

"Ugh!" Yaoyao tasted blood in her mouth, her cheeks burning in pain.

"You little whore, you want to act all high and mighty? Fine! Tonight, I'll strip you down right here in front of everyone and let them all take turns!"

With a wave of his hand, two of his goons grabbed the now limp Yaoyao from the couch.

"Please… I'm begging you… let me go…" Her voice was weak, her resistance feeble. Whether from the alcohol or the beating, she could barely think straight. In this world of decadence and danger, her fragile figure looked pitifully small. All she had wanted was to earn enough money for her grandfather's dialysis treatment…

"What are you standing there for? Strip her—now!"

"Yes, sir!"

The two men reached for her clothes. Around them, no one stepped forward to help. Some even looked on in anticipation, as if watching a show. It seemed she wouldn't escape tonight…

"Mr. Zong."

At that crucial moment, a familiar voice broke through her foggy consciousness. That voice…

"Huh? Isn't that… Mr. Yu?!"

Every eye in the club shifted toward the man walking over. A stir rippled through the crowd.

"Hey, hey—is that really Yu Aotian, the boss of the Yulong Syndicate?"

"No, he's the president of Bosen Group now."

"Whatever, same guy! They say he likes to hang out here, but I've never seen him before. To think I'd witness him in the flesh tonight—what a sight!"

Whispers spread like wildfire.

Wherever Yu Aotian went, he was the center of attention. The stories surrounding him were countless, all legendary.

"What's this? Got yourself a head wound?" Yu Aotian walked over to Mr. Zong with his hands in his pockets, smirking.

"Ugh, don't mention it! That little bitch did this. I was nice enough to offer her a drink, and she bashed me in the head! Don't you think that kind of disrespect deserves punishment?"

Yu Aotian's gaze casually drifted to the dazed Yaoyao nearby, and his smirk deepened. "Why mess with a little girl like that? How about you keep me company instead?"

"Oh? Boss Yu, you're in the mood tonight? Whatever you want to play, I'm game!"

"Good. I'm glad to hear that!" Yu Aotian sat down on the sofa, tapping his fingers thoughtfully before he said coldly,

"Let's play a game then—how about… the chop-hand game?"

As the words fell, the charming smile vanished from his face, replaced by a bone-chilling glint in his eyes that sent shivers down everyone's spine.

Gasps echoed throughout the room.

In the next second, Long Qi—Yu Aotian's right-hand man—stepped forward. Before Mr. Zong could react…

"Ahhh!"

With one swift motion, Long Qi severed the hand that had slapped Yaoyao.

Mr. Zong's men moved to retaliate but were instantly surrounded by Yu Aotian's people, frozen in place, not daring to make a move.

Silence fell over the entire club. Everyone stared, breath held. The reverence in their eyes quickly turned to terror. This was no ordinary man—this was fear of a king.

"M-Mr. Yu… My father's the leader of the Red Dragon Syndicate, one of the four biggest clans in China… At least give him some face?! You—you just cut off my hand like it's nothing?!"

Mr. Zong had never imagined Yu Aotian would actually follow through. He'd heard the rumors—how cold, how ruthless he was—but he never thought the man would go this far, showing no regard for anyone's power.

"Hey, punk," Long Qi sneered. "Boss Aotian only took one of your hands. He didn't kill you. That's him showing your dad some respect. You should be grateful! Or maybe I should take an ear too, hmm?"

As he spoke, Long Qi grabbed Mr. Zong's hair, knife glinting dangerously near his ear.

"No! No!" Mr. Zong clutched both ears, trembling. "Th-thank you, Boss Yu! Thank you for your mercy!"

Only then did Long Qi lower his knife.

Everyone in the club exhaled in unison.

"That was terrifying… He's even scarier than the rumors say."

"Yeah…"

"And that guy who cut the hand—wasn't that Long Qi? Isn't he Yu Aotian's top enforcer?"

"Yeah. I heard he once took down ten men bare-handed."

"No wonder…"

"Damn it!" After Yu Aotian and his people left, Mr. Zong collapsed to the ground. His thoughts raced.

The Yulong Syndicate and Red Dragon had always stayed out of each other's way. Plus, Yu Aotian had been quiet in the underworld for two years now. So why would he suddenly…

His eyes narrowed.

"Where's that girl? The one who smashed a bottle over my head?!"