Chapter 259 258: Grandmaster Expert

Everyone shrank back, with nothing to say.

Yu Mingyang and Chen Xiaoyou were kindred spirits, so he had quoted a "friendship price" that was far below the market rate.

But if he were hired to serve the company as a whole, the price would be entirely different.

For a moment, no one dared to speak.

"Everyone, this matter has been handed over to the Military Suppression Bureau. Apprehending the criminal will take time, so please be patient and don't panic!"

Another elderly shareholder, hearing this, exclaimed, "A Grandmaster? When did we ever offend someone like that?"

The other shareholders were equally stunned, utterly terrified.

That was a Grandmaster. What that really meant, almost no one knew.

Bi Qifeng chuckled. "Oh, so that business was true after all!"

The shareholders turned to look at him. Bi Qifeng's way of speaking—saying just enough to pique their interest—was infuriatingly tantalizing. 'What does he mean by that?'

"Old Bi, what's going on? Just tell us."

Bi Qifeng said slowly, "I heard President Chen offended the Ning Family of Di Yang. When the Ning Family demanded a sales embargo on a certain company, he went against their wishes and supplied them with goods at a low price, which made Elder Ning furious."

"President Chen has always kept a tight grip on the company's operational details, so I had no way of confirming the facts. But now, it seems this wasn't just some baseless rumor. It must have actually happened."

The shareholders were scared out of their wits. The Ning Family and Master Ning were two entities that struck terror into people's hearts.

You could say that to survive in Nanjiang, they were the one group you absolutely could not afford to offend.

'How could Chen Xiaoyou have the nerve to do something like that?'

"Chen Xiaoyou, have you lost your mind? Are you trying to ruin the company? The company might seem big, but that's not where our core value lies!"

The other directors looked the same. Fear trumped all else, twisting their faces into grotesque masks.

"Everyone, I don't think President Chen is fit to serve as chairman anymore. If the company gets dragged into this, none of us will survive it."

"President Chen, we all built this company from the ground up together. You're not going to disappoint us all so bitterly, are you?"

'Chen Xiaoyou knew exactly what was happening. Bi Qifeng was here to seize power, and he wouldn't rest until Chen Xiaoyou was forced out of the chairman's seat.'

'As for the other shareholders, they had likely already struck a deal with Bi Qifeng. They had probably even figured out how to divide the spoils after this little coup.'

An elderly man among the shareholders said coldly, "Chen Xiaoyou, resign as chairman now. If you do it yourself, the company can still offer you a compensation package. But if we have to force you out, you won't get that chance. Understand?"

"Elder Sun, you watched me grow up… We're so close. How could you side with them?" Chen Xiaoyou stared at Elder Sun, utterly stunned.

The other directors shared the same sentiment, their gazes cold as they looked at Chen Xiaoyou. It was clear they no longer saw him as their chairman.

Elder Sun said slowly, "But I won't support a fool, especially not a fool who's dragging me down with him. Step down now. Don't make us go through the official procedures and make this ugly. No one wants that."

Bi Qifeng was beside himself with glee. He lifted his head smugly and said, "Chen Xiaoyou, hurry up."

Even Yu Mingyang was furious. "President Chen has been so good to you all! How can you treat him like this?"

"Grandmaster Yu, this is an internal company matter. You're President Chen's personal guard, so please don't interfere!"

Yu Mingyang was so angry he nearly passed out.

'Bi Qifeng was using his own words against him.'

'What could he do?'

Bi Qifeng grinned, looking at Chen Xiaoyou with utter satisfaction, his eyes filled with the mockery of a victor gazing upon the vanquished.

Chen Xiaoyou was utterly crushed. He never imagined he would suffer such a defeat in his lifetime.

'Forget it. So be it.'

He was ready to give up.

But just then, the sound of light footsteps approached him.

"Uncle Chen!"

Chen Xiaoyou turned his head and was completely stunned. 'This has to be a joke… Is that Mu Lin?'

'Isn't Mu Lin in Anhua?'

"Mu Xiaoyou? I'm not mistaken, am I? It really is you!"

Mu Lin laughed heartily. "Of course it's me! I had some business in Songyang and heard you were in trouble, Uncle Chen. Naturally, I had to come and lend my full support."

Chen Xiaoyou let out a long sigh. 'How ridiculous. The comrades I've known for years are trying to throw me out, yet a young man who's barely more than an acquaintance has come to save me.'

'How ironic.'

Bi Qifeng looked Mu Lin up and down. 'This guy's not much to look at,' he thought. 'And from head to toe, there's nothing about him that suggests he's anyone important.'

'For someone like him to walk into such a formal gathering… Isn't it just a bit ridiculous?'

"Where did you crawl out from? This is an internal company meeting. An outsider like you has no business here. Get out!"

Mu Lin looked Bi Qifeng up and down, a scornful smirk playing on his lips.

"Uncle Chen, who's this guy? He reeks of sleaze."

'Sleaze?' Bi Qifeng gritted his teeth in fury. How dare this wet-behind-the-ears brat say that about him.

"You should probably get yourself checked out. You went to a nightclub last night, didn't you? The woman you were with… she wasn't exactly clean…"

The corner of Bi Qifeng's mouth twitched, and a flash of panic shot through him.

'His wife was out of town on a trip last night, so he had gone out to have some fun. But how could Mu Lin possibly know that?'

Bi Qifeng said coldly, "Stop spouting nonsense! I was at home watching the game last night. I'm not so bored that I need to go to nightclubs for fun."

Mu Lin just smiled. "Watching the game, was it? Alright, I get it. Since you know what's what, I won't waste any more time on you. We have more important things to deal with."

Bi Qifeng was absolutely livid. That kid Mu Lin was unbelievably audacious, just throwing accusations around like that.

But Chen Xiaoyou chimed in, "Old Bi, Mu Lin is a good doctor, a very skilled one. He's the one who healed your nephew, you know. You should really go get checked. It's nothing for a man to be ashamed of, doing… that sort of thing."

Bi Qifeng's face contorted with rage. "Chen Xiaoyou, don't change the subject! We're here today to remove you from your position! If you won't step down willingly, we'll force you out!"

Mu Lin, however, said, "Uncle Chen, I've heard the whole story. I think I might be able to help."

Bi Qifeng burst out laughing as if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world.

"HAHAHA! Who told you the story, some gossip on the street? Let me tell you, the person Chen Xiaoyou offended is someone you can't afford to provoke. And the arsonist is a Grandmaster! What are you going to do to help?"

Another shareholder added sinisterly, "He probably doesn't even know what a Grandmaster is. He's just talking nonsense. Let's ignore him and get on with the vote. Once we've ousted Chen Xiaoyou, we can go and make peace with the Ning Family."

Even Chen Xiaoyou said, "Mu Xiaoyou, this situation is too big. You shouldn't get involved… It's too much."

"Now, now, President Chen, don't say that," a voice mocked. "He sounded so confident, didn't he? Why not let him try? What if he actually manages to solve this?"

A lively, mocking atmosphere filled the room as everyone waited to see Mu Lin make a fool of himself.

Chen Xiaoyou clenched his fists, seething. Bi Qifeng was taking things too far, but there was nothing he could do. He could only watch as they forced him out.

Just as he was about to lose his temper, more people appeared at the doorway.

'What were these strangers doing here?' Chen Xiaoyou's expression was one of distress, but Yu Mingyang's was one of utter shock.

He hurried forward and bowed to the man in the lead, Wu Henghai.

"Greetings, Captain Wu!"

Wu Henghai glanced at Yu Mingyang. Of course, he remembered a Grandmaster, and he helped him to his feet.

"Hello, Grandmaster Yu. There's no need for such formalities."

"Captain Wu, what brings you here?" Yu Mingyang asked urgently.

"Oh, I'm here to investigate the arson case at Xingchen Building Materials."

Yu Mingyang was taken aback. The arson case wasn't a minor incident, but it wasn't a national crisis either. 'Isn't it overkill for someone of Wu Henghai's rank to investigate this personally?'

'His rank is far too high for this!'

Yu Mingyang quickly pulled Chen Xiaoyou over. "President Chen, this is Wu Henghai, the captain of the Nanjiang Province Eighth Division of the Military Suppression Bureau!"

'What would such a high-ranking Martial Artist be doing at the company?' Chen Xiaoyou wondered, his mind racing with suspicion and uncertainty.

"Captain Wu, your presence graces our humble company! You honor us!"

Wu Henghai waved his hand dismissively and shook Chen Xiaoyou's hand. "You're too kind. It's nothing at all."

'He knew Mu Lin held Chen Xiaoyou in high regard, so he was deliberately trying to get on Chen Xiaoyou's good side.'

'He figured that if Mu Lin saw him treating Chen Xiaoyou well, it would help bridge the gap between them.'