Chapter Twenty-Five: A Hero Reduced to a Coward in an Instant

After driving away the greasy man, Liu Jian was instantly hailed as a hero of the entire sales department, their pillar of support. Lin Feng, on the other hand, became the target of all sorts of exclusion and sneers. No one expected that just as everyone was lavishing Liu Jian with exaggerated compliments, the doors of the Imperial Hall were suddenly flung open from outside.

With a thunderous bang, the two heavy security doors, weighing nearly fifty kilograms each, were kicked open by Chachai. Behind him, a group of elite bodyguards in black suits filed in, instantly surrounding the entire Imperial Hall.

Sister Yun accompanied Wang Haiyang as he strode in, silent but exuding an overwhelming presence—every inch the formidable young lord of the underworld.

The entire sales department fell silent at once, all eyes fixed on the brazen young man at the entrance.

Clap, clap, clap—Wang Haiyang, his face cold and expressionless, began to applaud.

“Well, well, well, it has been quite a while since anyone dared to bully my people in my own place. Shen Yun, who hurt you just now? Point them out.”

The greasy man, his right hand in a cast and his face twisted with pain, stepped forward from behind Wang Haiyang. He raised his hand and pointed menacingly at Liu Jian and Ke Feng.

“Haiyang, it was those two! That kid in red broke my hand with a chair, and the one in jeans beat me black and blue. Neither of these bastards can be let off! And all these women—keep them here! All I did was grope a little, and they broke my hand. Fine! Tonight, I’ll have my fun with you all, and when I’m done, you’ll stay here as hostesses!”

“Chachai, you hear me? Those two who want to die—cripple all five of their limbs, then throw them out. As for the women, take them all to Shen Yun’s room. When Shen Yun is done, they can start working at the Imperial Phoenix Pavilion.”

“As for the rest, break their right hands and throw them out.”

Wang Haiyang truly lived up to his reputation as the only underworld prince in Binhai City who could stand on equal footing with Long Yaoyang, the young master of the Tianlong Hall. With a single glance at Liu Jian and the others, he issued his orders without hesitation, condemning everyone in an instant.

This was not mere arrogance, but absolute dominion—his word was law.

“Who the hell do you think you are? So what if you’re in the underworld? Our Young Master Liu here even knows Wang Jisheng! If you value your life, get out now!”

Ke Feng, as if injected with adrenaline, showed no fear in the face of overwhelming power. Instead, he invoked Liu Jian’s name, hoping to intimidate the enemy by flaunting their supposed connections.

After all, among everyone present, only Liu Jian’s family had any real influence, with some ties to Wang Jisheng.

“Oh? Young Master Liu? Knows my father? Funny, I don’t recall my father ever mentioning you,” Wang Haiyang said coldly, his eyes narrowing like blades as he fixed his gaze on Liu Jian.

What! The man before them was actually Wang Jisheng’s son—the infamous underworld prince of Binhai, Wang Haiyang!

The sales department, already cowering in fear, was stunned speechless, trembling from head to toe.

If this really was Wang Haiyang, would they truly be forced to stay and become hostesses?

Ke Feng was even worse off; upon learning Wang Haiyang’s true identity, he nearly wet himself in terror.

The sales department had always been female-dominated, and now the room was filled with sobs and wails, a picture of utter misery. All eyes—fearful colleagues and predatory thugs alike—turned to Liu Jian, who suddenly found himself the focal point and the only hope for a turnaround.

“Um... Young Master Wang, my... my father is Liu Yuan from Phoenix District! Not long ago, my dad even had dinner with your father! For his sake, please, let us go this time!” Liu Jian stammered, voice trembling, his attitude as servile as could be. All traces of the hero who had just beaten up a molester were nowhere to be found.

“Hahaha! Ridiculous. A petty official from Phoenix District? Let me tell you—even if your father himself was standing before me, if I told him to kneel, he wouldn’t dare stand. ‘For old times’ sake’? You have no such privilege!”

“Chachai, do it. Cripple the men; take the women!”

“Yes!” Chachai answered without hesitation, moving in a blur. In the blink of an eye, he was standing before Ke Feng.

“Don’t underestimate me!” Ke Feng, who had trained in boxing for years, sensed the incoming violent kick and mustered what little courage he had left, meeting Chachai head-on with a kick of his own.

Their powerful legs clashed midair. A bloodthirsty grin appeared on Chachai’s lips as he unleashed his full strength.

In that instant, Ke Feng felt as if his right leg had been shattered by an iron club; searing pain robbed it of all feeling.

Crack!

The clear sound of bone breaking echoed through the hall. Ke Feng collapsed to the ground, clutching his right calf, rolling and screaming in agony.

“My leg! My leg!”

His calf was bent into a grotesque C-shape—utterly destroyed.

“Chachai! You’re Chachai, the Eight-Armed Arhat from Thailand!” Only now did Ke Feng recall that this dark-skinned foreigner was the very same Chachai who, in the national boxing championships, had knocked out the Chinese champion in sixteen seconds!

The most formidable Muay Thai fighter in nearly a century, honored as the “Eight-Armed Arhat” by the King of Thailand himself—Chachai!

Only a true underworld kingpin like Wang Haiyang could have such a top-tier fighter at his side.

With Ke Feng crippled by a single kick, all hope died in the room. The girls’ makeup was ruined by tears; the boys stood frozen, their will to resist utterly broken.

“Pathetic,” Chachai spat on Ke Feng’s face, cursing in broken Chinese. Ke Feng hung his head, not daring to utter a word, let alone resist.

“Very well. Begin. Take the women away, break the men’s right hands.”

Wang Haiyang sat down to enjoy his wine, casting a cold smile at the huddled, trembling crowd.

Seeing this, Liu Jian dropped to his knees with a thud, crawling before Wang Haiyang like a dog, tears streaming down his face as he kowtowed and pleaded,

“Young Master Wang, I beg you, have mercy! Please spare me! I’ll do whatever you ask—even if it means being your dog!”

“Please, I beg you!”

“A dog? Not bad. Creative. Come on, let’s hear you bark.”

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

Liu Jian, without hesitation, assumed a dog’s crouch and lifted his chin, barking before Wang Haiyang.

“Well, that’s pretty convincing. Now show me how a dog eats its own filth.”

At these words, Liu Jian froze for a moment, then actually crawled into the restroom!

“Hahaha! Incredible! I’ve never seen anyone so shameless, so utterly devoid of dignity, just to survive. Fine, I’ll spare you this once—only your right hand will be broken. Hahaha!”

The thugs burst into raucous laughter.

“Thank you, Young Master Wang! Thank you!” Liu Jian rushed out of the restroom, wagging and begging before Wang Haiyang like a real lapdog.

The sales department was dumbstruck by Liu Jian’s shamelessness, their worldview completely shattered.

Ten minutes before, he had been a swaggering hero.

Ten minutes later, he was groveling like a mangy dog, begging for his life.

Liu Susu, seeing that Liu Jian had secured his own escape, face streaked with tears, cried out in panic, “Liu Jian, save me! Take me with you! I don’t want to be a hostess! Please!”

But Liu Jian spun around, his face twisted and fierce, shouting,

“What does your fate have to do with me? Young Master Wang sparing your life is already mercy enough! You should be grateful!”

“Liu Jian... you...” Liu Susu stared at his twisted visage, chilled to the bone. Was this the prince she had pined for day and night?

In that moment, she completely broke down, burying her head and weeping in her friend Li Yating’s arms.

Now, the sales department was utterly despondent. One by one, they slumped to the floor, faces ashen, all hope lost.

Just as despair reached its peak, Lin Feng stepped forward with effortless grace and calm, his voice light as a breeze:

“All right, this farce is over. It’s time to end it.”