Chapter 278 277: Arranging Matters

Master Hu felt like he had just cheated death, his heart still pounding wildly.

Zhong Wentao and Song Chuan, standing to the side, were stunned. 'What in the world is happening?'

They had long known that Master Hu was the new ruler of the underworld. They had even sent a congratulatory gift in their company's name.

The scene before them was simply beyond their imagination.

Master Hu had actually kneeled to Mu Lin. This was simply too bizarre.

Mu Lin said coolly, "Do you know them? This is my Uncle Zhong and Uncle Song."

Master Hu nodded repeatedly. "I do! I do!"

Mu Lin said, "Good. I see your cultivation is impressive. From now on, you will work for me."

"Yes! Yes! Of course!"

Mu Lin added, "I don't usually spend much time in Songyang. If I need anything, I'll have Uncle Zhong and Uncle Song contact you."

"Yes! Yes!"

"You'll do a good job, won't you?"

"I will carry out your orders to the letter!"

Mu Lin nodded slowly. "Just take that Brother Cheng with you when you go. He's just a hired thug, nothing more."

Brother Cheng was drenched in sweat. He thought he was a dead man for sure.

The relief of having cheated death was overwhelming.

He scurried away, not daring to linger for a single moment.

In front of the private room, only Young Master Fan and Ma Wenxiang remained.

Ma Wenxiang was utterly stunned. Only two hours ago, she had run into Mu Lin and thought he was a nobody. But he was actually a major figure, one so powerful she could barely comprehend it.

Young Master Fan was also trembling uncontrollably. Mu Lin's threat was already crystal clear.

Although nothing had been said to him directly, the warning to Master Hu—and Master Hu's reaction—had made it clear that Mu Lin's status was anything but ordinary.

Mu Lin glanced at Ma Tianxiang. "You said you were Hong Rui's senior from school, right?"

Ma Tianxiang trembled violently. "Yes... yes!"

"So, from high school?"

"Yes..."

"Whatever happened in the past, I hope we can turn a new leaf. I don't want those old stories brought up and complicating things. Understand?"

Ma Tianxiang nodded frantically. "I understand! I understand!"

Mu Lin looked toward Young Master Fan. Just as he was about to speak, Zhong Wentao cut in, "Mu Lin, I believe that's the young master of the Zor Group."

Mu Lin cleaned his ear with a pinky. He'd never heard of the group.

"He said his dad was some rich guy in Songyang? One of the top few?"

Song Chuan gave a bitter smile and said hastily, "Mu Lin, the Zor Group is no ordinary enterprise. It's one of the top corporations in all of Nanjiang Province, with interests in numerous sectors. This Young Master Fan is the designated heir to the entire group and is taken very seriously. If you treat him like this, I'm afraid it will be detrimental to you!"

Mu Lin, completely unconcerned, waved his hand dismissively. "Detrimental? In that case, I'd like to see just how detrimental it can be."

Mu Lin glanced at Young Master Fan. The young master craned his neck defiantly, his anger not fading in the least. "Treat me like this? My dad will never let you get away with it!"

Mu Lin smiled faintly. "I don't care."

"Did I look like I was afraid of that so-called Master Hu?"

Young Master Fan flinched. 'He's right,' he thought. 'What in the world is going on?'

He didn't think much more about it. He couldn't.

Song Chuan knew Mu Lin was immensely capable and had many methods at his disposal; perhaps he had other plans.

So, he didn't worry too much about it.

Young Master Fan, however, spotted Song Chuan and ran over excitedly. "President Song! You're President Song, right? Quick, tell him to let me go! My dad will definitely come to save me, and when he gets here, all of you will be in deep trouble!"

Song Chuan shot Young Master Fan a disgusted look. "Fine, do what you want. Just make sure you die far away from me."

Young Master Fan's face turned ugly. Seething with repressed anger, he swore he would have his father teach every single person here a lesson. He wouldn't be able to live with himself otherwise.

Mu Lin beckoned for the others to eat and drink, completely ignoring the two of them.

A little while later, Xu Bing pressed the earpiece in his ear.

"Chairman Mu, his father's here."

A smile touched the corners of Mu Lin's lips as he glanced at Young Master Fan.

But the expressions on Zhong Wentao and Song Chuan's faces turned extremely grim.

'That's the Zor Group they're talking about,' they thought, 'an entity whose influence spans all of Nanjiang Province. If he really makes a scene, what will the consequences be? If this blows up, the fallout will be terrible, won't it?'

A middle-aged man walked in. Young Master Fan immediately cried out in excitement, "Dad! Hurry up and teach him a lesson!"

But the middle-aged man instantly lifted his foot and kicked his son.

"Get lost! You are no son of mine!" the middle-aged man roared, pointing at Young Master Fan.

Young Master Fan was completely dumbfounded. 'What's happening?' He had no idea what was going on.

"Dad! I'm the one getting bullied! Why are you hitting me?!"

"You dare talk back?! You're exactly who I should be hitting!"

"You do nothing but cause trouble for me day in and day out!"

"Do you have any idea how hard I work to earn money?!"

After a round of scolding and beating, Chairman Fan straightened his clothes, turned, and bowed deeply to Mu Lin. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Mu! My son is ignorant. Please, don't take it to heart. This is a small token of my sincerity. Please accept it!"

Chairman Fan held out a bank card and tried to press it into Mu Lin's hand.

Mu Lin gestured at the bank card. "Just how 'small' is this token of yours?"

Chairman Fan trembled. "One hundred million!"

"Hahaha, you can stop the act," Mu Lin said, casually calling his bluff. He pointed at Young Master Fan, who was lying on the ground looking like he was at death's door.

"The beating you just gave him looked vicious, but in reality, you didn't harm a single hair on his head. Father and son, colluding to trick me. How impressive."

"Besides, do you really think your son's life is only worth one hundred million?"

"If that's the case, how about I give you one hundred million and kill him for you?"

Chairman Fan cried out in alarm, "He's my only son! Please, Mr. Mu, I beg you to be merciful!"

"Fine. I'll give you a chance to make another offer. How much do you really think your son's life is worth?"

Chairman Fan had no idea how to respond. His expression shifted, pale one moment and flushed the next.

'The most expensive price in the world is an open-ended one.' By saying this, Mu Lin was basically forcing him into a dead end!

'Don't tell me I have to hand over the entire Zor Group just to appease his anger?'

After a few seconds, Mu Lin spoke. "A corporation as large as the Zor Group, and you're hesitating over something like this?"

"Why don't I just make the decision for you. Does the Zor Group have any businesses in the apparel industry?"

When Song Chuan heard the words "apparel industry," his heart leaped. 'If Mu Lin takes over the Zor Group's apparel businesses, he definitely won't run them himself,' he thought. 'So, what would happen then?'

'He'd obviously hand them over to me...'

His heart began to pound in his chest.

"We do!"

"I want you to hand over every single business related to the apparel industry."

Chairman Fan's expression changed drastically. Mu Lin's demand was outrageous.

"Mr. Mu, those companies are vital to the group. Losing them would cripple the Zor Group... Please, take back your order and name a different price!"

Mu Lin just smiled. "Manager Xu, see our guest out. Don't forget to stop by accounting and get one hundred million in cash for him. I'll reimburse the hotel later."

Mu Lin was dead set on taking Young Master Fan's life!

Everyone watching felt their hearts pound in their chests.

"Mu Lin, you've refused to cooperate, so now you'll face the consequences!"

Mu Lin gave a cold smirk. His arm suddenly shot backward, then viciously yanked upward.

He was holding a Grandmaster, whose throat had been crushed. The man was already dead, hanging limply in his grasp.

"Trying to use stealth in front of an Innate realm cultivator? You were courting death," Mu Lin said coolly.

Chairman Fan's face drained of color. He blurted out, "I get it! I get it! I'll hand over all the apparel companies!"

But Mu Lin simply said, "Too late."

"Now you need to think about how much *your* life is worth."

Chairman Fan's face was ashen. "I don't know! Please, Mr. Mu, just name your price!"

Mu Lin said, "Hand over all of your apparel sales companies and all the associated brands to my Uncle Song. Do that, and we can consider this matter settled."

"Otherwise, you and your son can prepare to die together!"

Chairman Fan gritted his teeth, his heart bleeding with every word.

He couldn't understand why he'd had to push his luck and make things so ugly.

This could have all been over with so much less pain.

But now, it was too late for that.

This was tens of billions in assets, built up through his own blood, sweat, and tears. The loss was unimaginable.

"Can't we negotiate? This is too much..."

"No," Mu Lin said coldly. "You've already angered me. You think you're in a position to bargain?"

Chairman Fan let out a long sigh. He knew now that there was no other way out.

"I understand. Have President Song come to my company tomorrow to sign the papers."

Song Chuan's expression shifted through a flurry of emotions, like a shattered color palette.