Chapter 170: A Stolen Black Card?

The scene inside the office was far more intimidating than Yang Xun had imagined.

At least a dozen burly men were scattered around the room.

Every one of them was a brawny man rippling with muscle, exuding a palpable murderous aura.

Some sat on the sofa, slowly sipping from glasses of water. Others leaned against the window, cigarettes dangling from their lips as they puffed out clouds of smoke. One was even lifting dumbbells in a corner, the muscles in his arms bulging with each movement, veins popping.

Smoke filled the air, making the entire office feel like a wolf’s den.

Meanwhile, Xu Feifan was curled up in the most inconspicuous corner, balled up into a tight knot.

His face was a mess of black and blue. His left eye was swollen to a slit, and dried blood caked the corner of his mouth. The bruise on the bridge of his nose was particularly jarring. He had clearly been beaten severely.

A man in a dark gray suit sat in the boss’s chair behind the desk, a stark contrast to the muscle-bound thugs around him.

The man looked to be in his mid-thirties. His hair was impeccably combed, his face lean, and his aura sinister. He had his legs crossed on the desk, his eyes closed as if resting, while his fingers tapped a rhythm on the armrest.

This was, in all likelihood, the manager in charge of this underground casino.

"Save me... Quick, save me!!"

When Xu Feifan saw Yang Xun and Meng Qiaofei appear at the door, it was like a drowning man spotting a piece of driftwood. He summoned his last ounce of strength and screamed himself hoarse.

WHOOSH!

The next moment, every eye in the room snapped to lock onto Yang Xun and Meng Qiaofei.

A dozen pairs of eyes, like a dozen daggers, stabbed toward them. Every gaze was filled with scrutiny and killing intent.

Meng Qiaofei was so terrified by the scene that she trembled all over, her hands clutching tightly to the corner of Yang Xun’s shirt, her face drained of all color.

In her nearly thirty years of life, she had never witnessed a scene like this.

But Yang Xun’s expression didn’t change. He scanned the people in the room, his face calm, and stepped into the office.

"Manager Qian, we went to Suiyue Bath Center. We didn’t just bring back the owner—we brought someone else who says he can explain the origin of the black card to you!"

The man Yang Xun had previously beaten into submission hurried to the boss’s chair and reported with a bow.

Hearing this, Qian Peichuan slowly opened his eyes. His gaze fell upon Yang Xun, who stood not far away. He sized him up for a few seconds, then pulled his feet off the desk and leaned forward slightly. "Explain," he said in a flat tone. "Where did you get this black card?"

As he spoke, he picked up the solid black card from the desk and twirled it between his fingers a couple of times.

Yang Xun’s gaze fell on the black card as he spoke. "It was a gift from an elder named Zhou Kunlun."

Zhou Kunlun!

Those two words were like a stone tossed into a calm lake.

Qian Peichuan’s lazy posture vanished in an instant. His back straightened, pulling away from the chair as he sat up fully. His sinister eyes lit up, and his attitude grew markedly more serious.

"Why would Elder Zhou give this card to you?"

Qian Peichuan stared at Yang Xun, his voice deepening as he pressed, "When did he give it to you?"

Yang Xun thought for a moment before answering, "He gave it to me yesterday. As for why, it’s because I cured his illness."

The moment the words left his mouth, the entire office fell silent.

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was stunned, staring at Yang Xun as if he were a madman.

"HAHAHAHAHA!!"

Someone was the first to burst out laughing, and then, as if a fuse had been lit, the entire office erupted in a roar of laughter.

"Cured Elder Zhou’s illness? Hahahaha, that’s the biggest joke I’ve heard all day!"

"Him? I might as well say I cured cancer!"

"Kid, if you’re going to lie, at least make it believable!"

The group of thugs doubled over with laughter, looking at Yang Xun as if he were a buffoon.

Before the laughter died down, a bald, muscular man suddenly bent down behind the sofa and pulled out a single-barreled shotgun.

He strode over to Yang Xun and, without a word, pressed the cold muzzle of the gun against his forehead.

The cold metal seeped through his skin, and the air filled with the mixed smell of gun oil and gunpowder.

The bald man’s eyes were utterly cold, like a hungry wolf that had cornered its prey. The killing intent radiating from him was so thick it was hard to breathe.

The action brought the laughter in the office to an abrupt halt.

Meng Qiaofei froze in terror, her legs nearly giving out. Her lips trembled, but she couldn’t utter a single word.

As for Xu Feifan, he shrank even further into the corner, trembling like a leaf.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Yang Xun frowned slightly, but his face showed no fear. He looked up at Qian Peichuan, who was sitting behind the desk, and asked.

"Because you’re lying."

Qian Peichuan leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers together. A playful, sinister smile tugged at his lips as he said in a chilling tone,

He narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Yang Xun, and spoke word by word, "Many people know that Elder Zhou isn’t even in Zhonghai City. He left to recuperate a long time ago. So you claiming he gave you the black card yesterday... isn’t that a lie?"

’Elder Zhou isn’t in Zhonghai City?’

Yang Xun was momentarily stunned, and his brow furrowed.

’Of course, I know Zhou Kunlun is in Zhonghai City. I personally treated him at Xinglin Hall just yesterday.’

’But Qian Peichuan clearly doesn’t know about this.’

’It seems Zhou Kunlun’s presence in Zhonghai City is a secret.’

Yang Xun was silent for less than two seconds before he spoke. "I can guarantee that Elder Zhou is in Zhonghai City, and he gave me this card himself. If you don’t believe me, you can call and ask."

Just as Yang Xun was speaking, the office door was pushed open from the outside.

A young woman in a dark blue silk qipao and stiletto heels walked in, her figure graceful with a willow-like waist. Holding a file folder, she swayed her hips as she approached Qian Peichuan, bent over, and handed him the documents.

Qian Peichuan took the folder, opened it, and quickly scanned a few lines on the paper.

A moment later, he closed the folder and looked up at Yang Xun, his smile turning even more contemptuous.

"No need to call. You are lying."

Qian Peichuan tossed the folder onto the desk and sneered, "Yang Xun, the live-in son-in-law of the Xu Family, makes a living as a delivery driver. How could someone like you possibly get a black card from the Zhou Family?"

’They found out who I am that quickly.’

Yang Xun narrowed his eyes, his heart sinking slightly.

’This casino is backed by the Zhou Family. Their intelligence network is no joke.’

Qian Peichuan didn’t give Yang Xun a chance to speak, continuing, "Moreover, Elder Zhou’s illness is extremely serious, to the point of being terminal. Countless doctors have tried and failed. Even the ’miracle doctors’ from Yanjing said he’s beyond saving. And yet you have the gall to claim you cured him?"

"Heh... What are you, a god descended to earth?"

As soon as he said this, the atmosphere in the office changed abruptly.

The thugs, who had been watching the show, all dropped their smiles, their expressions turning vicious.

Some clenched their fists, while others drew daggers from their waists.

The killing intent filling the room became almost tangible, pressing down on them.

Meng Qiaofei’s face was deathly pale. She hid behind Yang Xun, her body trembling uncontrollably.

In the corner, Xu Feifan was scared out of his wits. He suddenly shrieked, "Yang Xun! You bastard!! Just admit where you stole the black card from! Don’t drag us down with you! Or I’ll fucking kill you!!"

Yang Xun turned to glance at Xu Feifan, his gaze icy.

’What an idiot.’

’He stole my black card to gamble, got beaten up, and still hasn’t learned his lesson. Still yapping like a dog.’

"Saying any more is useless."

Yang Xun looked away from Xu Feifan and back to Qian Peichuan, his tone as calm as still water. "You should just make the call."

Qian Peichuan stared at Yang Xun for five seconds.

He’d seen all sorts of people. In all his years running a casino, he’d met swindlers, card sharps, and desperate criminals.

But he had never met anyone quite like Yang Xun.

With a shotgun to his head and surrounded by armed men, any normal person would have collapsed long ago.

But this kid just stood there, his expression as casual as if he were chatting over tea. Even his breathing was steady.

’Either this person is a lunatic.’

’Or he’s telling the truth.’

’But either way, making a call to verify would only take a minute.’

"Fine."

Qian Peichuan slowly leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes. "Since you insist, I’ll make a call and ask."

At this, his tone suddenly turned frigid, and he enunciated each word. "But remember this: if you’re lying, all three of you... will die here today."

With that, Qian Peichuan picked up his phone from the desk, found a number, and pressed the call button.

He put the call on speakerphone.

After two rings, the call connected.

A young man’s voice came from the other end. "Hello? What is it?"

"Young Master Zhou."

Qian Peichuan’s tone instantly became much more respectful. "I’ve run into a situation here and need to confirm something with you."

"Speak."

A single word came from the other end of the line.

"It’s like this..."

Qian Peichuan then briefly explained the situation from beginning to end.

"Bullshit!!"

There was a two-second silence on the other end, followed by a furious voice.

"I just called yesterday to ask about my father’s condition, and he’s doing terribly. How could he possibly be cured?! Besides, the black card isn’t something he’d just give away. If he did, I would be notified immediately! And I know nothing about this!"

"This guy is one hundred percent a fraud! The card must be stolen!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the temperature in the office seemed to plummet to freezing.

Qian Peichuan slowly raised his head to look at Yang Xun, the killing intent in his sinister eyes now completely unconcealed.

Meanwhile, the surrounding thugs took a step forward in near-unison, enclosing Yang Xun and Meng Qiaofei in a tight circle, impenetrable as an iron barrel...