Chapter 254 208: Forcing the Palace! The Greatly Filial Daughter

「One hour later.」

First District, Hai Family headquarters.

This skyscraper, completed just half a month ago, stood over twenty stories tall. It could be considered one of the top twenty tallest buildings in Daqian today!

Majestic and solemn, it was located on the banks of the Huangpu River. Though it had only been standing for half a month, it was already on its way to becoming a landmark of the First District.

The current head of the Hai Family, President of the Hai Group, and its largest shareholder, Hai Feiyun, was presiding over a meeting on the twenty-first floor.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop, his voice calm. "From the looks of it, the integration of the redevelopment zones into the official system has gone smoother than we anticipated."

"Analyzing it from this perspective, the government's subsequent development of the redevelopment zones is practically a certainty."

Though it sounded like speculation, Hai Feiyun's words were spoken with absolute certainty, as if he had already received the answer from someone. "Integrating the redevelopment zones to make them a true part of the urban district! That is the major trend of the future."

"We must, as much as possible, seize ownership of the land in the redevelopment zones before the government officially announces that decision!" Hai Feiyun clenched his fist, his ambitious gaze sweeping over everyone present. "I think it will be very easy. The people in the redevelopment zones are starving. Just give them a meal... and they'll hand over everything they own!"

Hai Feiyun had no intention of paying for the land... He even felt he was being too merciful by offering to fill the bellies of those unruly peasants from the redevelopment zones before they died.

"President Hai," someone suddenly raised a hand, a worried look on his face. "If this were the old redevelopment zone... our methods would work! But the current redevelopment zone has been united by the Union... and the 'Black Gloves' we used to be in contact with have been completely wiped out by them! This..."

"The Union is just another form of a street gang!" Hai Feiyun scoffed. "Corrupt them with money, buy them out. Make them our dogs! If that doesn't work, stir up internal conflict... make them splinter! Break them down one by one! Pit the Union against itself... And if they refuse to be dogs, we'll slaughter them and feast on their flesh!"

"President Hai is brilliant." The executive who had raised his hand earlier quickly took notes, his face filled with admiration and awe. Of course, it wasn't that he couldn't have thought of this himself... but that didn't stop him from deliberately asking such a foolish question, then feigning a look of sudden enlightenment after receiving the answer, all to flatter Hai Feiyun.

"President Hai!" Another man raised his hand, his face showing apprehension and worry. "The Union... I've looked into it... It can't be summed up as a simple gang! The fact that it received official recognition and was legitimized proves that."

"I personally suggest we follow the standard procedure for urban demolition and offer a fair price. It might cost us more... but there's no risk! And the final profits will surely..."

"Enough," the first man who had spoken barked. He shot a subtle glance at Hai Feiyun's furrowed brow. Even though Hai Feiyun hadn't said a word, he knew President Hai was filled with displeasure.

He didn't bother debating the man's point, instead attacking his background directly. "Li Hong! You think we don't know? Weren't you born in the redevelopment zone? Is that why you're speaking up for them? Do you have any idea how much your proposal would add to our costs!"

The man clutched his chest as if in pain. "Throwing all that good money at those paupers? What a sin! Do you even care about the company, about the Group? Are you trying to sabotage the company to line your own pockets! To enrich your old hometown!"

"...I, you, this!" Li Hong was dumbfounded, his scalp tingling.

'I'm innocent!' How could he not have the company's best interests at heart? But the problem was, their plan just wasn't the solution... Precisely because he came from the redevelopment zone, his understanding of it was greater than anyone else's in the room.

He understood all too well how incredible that Mr. Zhu was, and the redevelopment zone he had built. It wasn't some common gang like they imagined...

'Even the government has acknowledged them! Why are you all still indulging in such fantasies? How could those shady, low-life gangs of the past ever earn the government's approval?'

"Old Xing is right." Hai Feiyun nodded in agreement, settling the matter. He glanced emotionlessly at Li Hong. "Vice Manager Li, go home and think it over! I know you've made contributions to the Group in the past... Just think it over."

Li Hong's face turned pale, then purple. Before he could say anything more, the doors were flung open.

"Father!" Hai Mingyue's soft voice drifted in.

Hai Feiyun frowned for a moment before a smile spread across his face, the very picture of a doting father. "It's Xiaomingyue! What brings you here? Hmm?"

Hai Feiyun's expression slowly froze. His emotions vanished as he stared blankly at the tall men in work clothes who filed in behind Hai Mingyue.

They had red and yellow bands tied around their shoulders, and their cheeks were still smudged with dust.

Some of these men held hammers, others sickles... One look told you they had just come from the factory floor!

"...Are you here to introduce me to your new friends?" Hai Feiyun paused briefly before rising with a smile, but fury was already churning inside him.

'Damn it, are all the company guards dead? How could they let... this idiot bring so many lowlifes barging right into the conference room?!'

Li Hong's pupils contracted. He stared in disbelief at the silent men. 'Wait... that symbol. The Union's guard unit? Or as they call it now... the Security Corps!'

"Not exactly," Hai Mingyue said, her face forming two cute dimples as she feigned grievance. "It's just that I suddenly realized something. Father, you always bring me along on your inspections, and you always talk as if you're grooming me to be your successor! But... it seems you've never publicly promised that I'll take over. I'm a little concerned."

Hai Mingyue fidgeted with the hem of her dress, her words laced with intense unease. "So, Father, since you love me so much, can you please soothe your dear daughter's panicked heart?"

"My request isn't unreasonable," Hai Mingyue said, making a gesture as if holding a tiny cosmos between her fingertips. "Just name the successor and make me the acting president. That's all!"

"...Are you trying to stage a rebellion?" The loving fatherly expression on Hai Feiyun's face finally cracked, his gaze turning ice-cold as he stared at Hai Mingyue.

He took a deep breath, desperately suppressing his rage, and tried to put on the facade of a caring father once more. In a heartfelt tone, he said, "Be good... Or have you been led astray by some bad people? We're family. I would never lie to you!"

To this...

Hai Mingyue simply gave a light wave of her hand, her voice full of mock sympathy. "Oh, Father, Father. You really won't give up until you're at death's door, will you? Even now, you're not willing to humor me in front of these people with a simple, 'The company will be yours sooner or later.'"

The pretty woman attending her saw Hai Mingyue's gesture and immediately stepped forward. She opened the two large suitcases she was carrying and violently tipped them over...

Severed heads rolled out, coming to a stop right in front of Hai Feiyun... Their eyes, wide open in death, stared intently at him!

Coincidentally, the eyes of the head at the very front were ones Hai Feiyun had just seen this morning...

It was his eldest son! His most beloved heir.

All of it! It was as if... it was all done on purpose.

"..." Hai Feiyun's body trembled with overwhelming rage. A hint of red crept into his eyes, and he could no longer maintain his superficial composure.

He yanked out his phone, dialed a number, and roared, almost gnashing his teeth, "Someone! Get me someone! Get everyone from security to the conference room right now! Arm them with live rounds and get this woman for me..."

"Father! I suggest you calm down," Hai Mingyue said pitifully. "Right now, the situation is still under control... When I came in, I told everyone that you had summoned these men behind me... that they were from the redevelopment zone! And that you were going to meet with them to discuss the specific issues there."

"So no one outside suspected anything was wrong... For now! The only ones who could leak this are the 'uncles' here in this room... You should be able to keep this under wraps, right?"

Hai Mingyue tilted her head. "But if you really call people in... and a fight breaks out! Then you won't be able to keep it quiet."

Hai Feiyun froze.

"Father." Hai Mingyue, charming and sweet, walked gracefully like a young fawn to stand before Hai Feiyun. "Think carefully... Right now, I'm the only one left! The only one of your flesh and blood."

"If things really get out of hand... I'll have to be disowned!" Hai Mingyue put on a mournful face. "What would we do then? Would you have to find someone from a side branch and adopt a child... But you're so traditional! Would you really be willing to hand over this massive family fortune to a 'lowlife' from a branch family?"

Hai Feiyun remained expressionless. He met Hai Mingyue's innocent eyes for a long moment, then took a sudden, deep breath and sat back down.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then actually crossed his legs, as if all his previous anger had completely vanished.

His voice was a little hoarse. "Good! Excellent! Little one... you always acted so well-behaved before! I really thought..."

"I never expected you to have hidden yourself so deeply! Even deeper than your big brother."

Hai Feiyun wanted to laugh, but he couldn't.

'Checkmated!'

'No...' A sharp glint flashed through Hai Feiyun's eyes. 'There's still one way to turn this around...'

"By the way, Father, you know Kung Fu, don't you?" Hai Mingyue's casual question made Hai Feiyun's body tense up again. 'Can you read minds?'

"Just before this, I went with Sister Lu to the Third District's Police Chief Bureau! I had a chat with Mr. Chu Bamboo—the Honored Guest Elder and Honorary Vice-Captain of the Third District Special Operations Brigade, and Honorary Vice-Captain of the Zone Two Special Operations Brigade!"

"He asked me a question," Hai Mingyue said, blinking curiously. "Is the Hai Family involved with the Shoe Sect?"