Chapter 308: Long Been Used to It

People were terrified by the assassination attempt, with no idea who had launched the attack.

For Qian Laoliu and his security team, however, this was far from their first time facing such a situation.

They were long accustomed to this life of protecting the company and the chairman’s safety.

Chen Qingdi, on the other hand, was in an exceedingly good mood. He walked into the basement with a smile. Before him lay two people who had been beaten senseless. They were sprawled limply on the ground, their bodies wracked with pain.

"Who exactly are you? And why did you try to kill me?" Chen Qingdi asked with a smile. His tone conveyed a mix of curiosity and puzzlement, as if he was genuinely interested in the assassin’s origins and motives.

The one who looked like a sharp, capable assassin now appeared somewhat listless. He looked up at Chen Qingdi and spoke defiantly.

"Chen Qingdi, either kill me now, or if you let me go, I will definitely kill you. Since I’ve fallen into your hands, I’m not expecting to get out of this alive anyway."

Hearing this, Chen Qingdi couldn’t help but laugh out loud. He slowly walked over to the man in black, looked down at him, and spoke softly.

"There are many ways to die. Some are quick, some are not. But now that you’re in my hands, I can guarantee you a miserable death. Or, I can guarantee you a life that’s worse than death."

The man in black was clearly terrified by these words. His face turned pale, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

His eyes revealed fear and unease. He began to struggle, trying to stand up, but pain and exhaustion left him immobile.

Seeing the man’s reaction, Chen Qingdi was secretly pleased.

He knew he had the upper hand. "You can choose to tell me your origins and motives," he continued, "and perhaps I’ll consider making your life a living hell."

The man in black hesitated. He seemed to be weighing his situation and his future. Finally, he clenched his jaw, closed his eyes, and said nothing.

Chen Qingdi couldn’t help but feel a sliver of admiration for the man’s stubbornness and courage. He knew this man was prepared to die and would never reveal his identity or purpose, no matter what.

So he turned and left the basement, leaving the man in black to struggle in agony.

A few days later, Chen Qingdi returned to the basement.

He saw that the man in black had become terribly emaciated, his body and spirit broken. Chen Qingdi knew this man could no longer pose any threat to him.

So he walked over, patted the man gently on the shoulder, and said, "You’re a brave man, but you chose the wrong path. Now, you can tell me your origins and motives."

The man in black looked up at Chen Qingdi, his eyes filled with helplessness and sorrow. He sighed and finally spoke.

"I was sent to assassinate you. They told me that their plan would succeed as long as you were dead. I just didn’t expect you to be this skilled. I failed."

Hearing this, Chen Qingdi felt a pang of doubt.

He didn’t know what plan the man was talking about, nor how he could avoid being assassinated again. So he asked, "Who are they? What is their plan?"

The man in black shook his head and said, "I don’t know their identities or their goals. I’m just a pawn they were using."

The man in black before Chen Qingdi was silent and resilient.

He was clearly not the type to be easily intimidated, but his eyes betrayed a deep sense of worry and tension.

Chen Qingdi guessed he was hiding something important, so he decided to use a direct and decisive method to uncover the truth.

"You still haven’t told me your name," Chen Qingdi said, sitting under the dim light and staring at the man in black.

The man was silent for a moment before answering, "Kojima Hideko."

The name rolled around in Chen Qingdi’s ears, as if carrying some heavy meaning. He calmly continued his questioning, "Why did you come here as an assassin?"

Kojima Hideko’s eyes darted away. He was clearly hesitant, unsure if he should tell the truth. However, Chen Qingdi’s sharp gaze made him feel there was no escape.

"I came here to make an enemy of you on the orders of my older brother, Kojima Tetsumaro." Kojima Hideko’s voice trembled slightly, but his gaze was fixed firmly on Chen Qingdi.

Chen Qingdi frowned slightly. He had no desire to get into a conflict with the Kojima Clan.

However, he also knew that if he didn’t understand this man’s true motives, he might not be able to guarantee his own safety.

"I hope you won’t target me. I’ll do anything," Kojima Hideko’s voice was filled with pleading.

Chen Qingdi chuckled, his tone light and casual. "I have nothing for you to do. Just stay put in this dungeon. It’s the perfect place for you."

Kojima Hideko was stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected Chen Qingdi to make such a decision. He wanted to plead further, but Chen Qingdi had already stood up, preparing to leave the dungeon.

"I’ll have Qian Laoliu send you some food and water. You can rest here for the night." Chen Qingdi’s voice was calm, devoid of any emotion.

Kojima Hideko was stunned again. He watched Chen Qingdi’s departing figure, his heart filled with confusion and bewilderment.

This man was clearly different from anyone else. He had his own unique way of doing things.

Kojima Hideko took a deep breath. He knew he had to be careful and avoid getting himself into even deeper trouble.

Back in the office, Chen Qingdi told Chen Yuan and the head of security, Qian Laoliu, about Kojima Hideko.

"Keep this Kojima Hideko detained for now. Don’t kill him, but don’t let him get too comfortable either. Starve him for a few days—no beatings or verbal abuse. In a few days, I’m going to use him as a hostage to get something from Kojima Tetsumaro."

Chen Yuan and Qian Laoliu glanced at each other, not knowing what to say.

"Just do as I say. If anything goes wrong, I’ll take responsibility."

With that, Chen Qingdi left the office.

Meanwhile, Kojima Tetsumaro waited and waited, but there was no news of his younger brother. He grew anxious and summoned his trusted confidant, Xiaoluke Sanrō, ordering him to quickly take some men and find out what happened to Kojima Hideko.

"Xiaoluke Sanrō, take some men and find Kojima Hideko immediately. If something has happened, don’t bother coming back to report. Just go rescue him directly."

Xiaoluke Sanrō was a headman in the Kojima Family and was fiercely loyal to Kojima Tetsumaro. Upon hearing the order, he immediately went to assemble his men.