Chapter 338: Carrot and Stick

Yamaguchi Aiko slapped him across the face and furiously told him,

"If you refuse to follow orders, then get the hell out of the Yamaguchi Group! Mr. Chen Qingdi is my man. Though I may be the Chairman of the Yamaguchi Group, a so-called ’strong woman,’ in reality, I am just one of Mr. Chen Qingdi’s many women. If even I am this obedient to him, what gives you the right to disobey?"

Blood trickled from the corner of Jingshang Xiong’s mouth. He glared at Yamaguchi Aiko, his heart filled with a resentment he couldn’t unleash.

It wasn’t that he didn’t dare to retaliate. He knew Yamaguchi Aiko’s status and position—if he laid a hand on her, the consequences would be dire.

But the thought of taking orders from someone from the Dragon Country was something he couldn’t stomach.

After a moment of silence, Jingshang Xiong lifted his head, looked at Yamaguchi Aiko, and said,

"Chairman, while I am your subordinate, I cannot do anything to betray Japan. If you insist that I follow Mr. Chen Qingdi’s orders, then my only choice is to resign."

Yamaguchi Aiko was instantly furious. She never expected her own subordinate to dare speak to her this way, especially not now. Her eyes widened as she stared at Jingshang Xiong, as if trying to see right through him.

"You dare to resign?" Yamaguchi Aiko asked icily. Her voice was so cold it felt like a winter wind cutting through the listener.

"Yes, I dare," Jingshang Xiong answered resolutely. He knew this decision would cost him a great deal, but he stood firm.

Yamaguchi Aiko didn’t speak. She just stared at Jingshang Xiong coldly.

Her gaze sent a chill down Jingshang Xiong’s spine. He wondered if he was about to be fired for what he had said.

But he also knew he couldn’t back down. He could not do anything to betray Japan.

The two were locked in a stalemate, neither willing to yield an inch. It was at this moment that Chen Qingdi suddenly appeared before them.

He had overheard their conversation and knew Jingshang Xiong was in a precarious position. However, he didn’t show the slightest hint of panic or concern, because he knew the matter would be resolved.

"Alright, that’s enough arguing," Chen Qingdi said calmly. "I’ll handle this."

Hearing this, both Yamaguchi Aiko and Jingshang Xiong turned to look at him.

Neither of them expected Chen Qingdi to appear, much less intervene to resolve the issue.

Yamaguchi Aiko’s gaze was filled with tenderness and reverence as she looked at Chen Qingdi, while Jingshang Xiong was stunned into silence, unsure of what to say.

"Jingshang Xiong, listen closely. You have two choices. One, you can leave. Two, you can stay and follow my orders."

Chen Qingdi continued calmly, "If you choose to leave, you will permanently lose the chance to work for the Yamaguchi Group. If you choose to stay, you must follow my orders while serving the Yamaguchi Group."

Jingshang Xiong was stunned. He hadn’t expected Chen Qingdi to present him with such a direct choice. His eyes were filled with confusion and hesitation as he stared back.

Jingshang Xiong arrived at Chen Qingdi’s hotel with fifty security team members in tow, a wide smile plastered on his face.

Although he was inwardly resentful of Yamaguchi Aiko’s arrangement, he did his best to suppress his emotions and prepare to accept Chen Qingdi’s command.

Seeing this, Chen Qingdi just chuckled and asked,

"Captain Jingshang, I need your security team for a task on Medical God Island. You must have received the order from Chairman Yamaguchi. It seems you’re not too happy about it."

Jingshang Xiong took a deep breath and answered directly,

"You’re right, I’m not. I am a Samurai from Japan and a high-ranking executive at the Yamaguchi Group. To now have to take orders from a man from the Dragon Country... it’s utterly humiliating."

Chen Qingdi wasn’t angered by this. In fact, his smile only widened. "If you’re not convinced, how about we have a proper fight?"

Jingshang Xiong was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Chen Qingdi to make such a suggestion.

After a moment of rapid thought, he replied, "If you’re that confident, then fine, let’s fight! But this won’t be a common brawl. We fight according to the rules of the Martial Dao."

Chen Qingdi nodded. "That’s more like it."

And so, both men began simple warm-up exercises. Jingshang Xiong gathered his subordinates and explained the situation with Chen Qingdi and his challenge.

Although the security team members were reluctant, they accepted Captain Jingshang’s orders.

Once warmed up, the two men took their stances in the hotel lobby. Jingshang Xiong attacked first. His movements were swift and precise, clearly the result of rigorous training.

Chen Qingdi effortlessly dodged his attacks and launched a counter. Their fists and feet clashed, the sharp cracks of impact echoing through the air.

The fight drew the attention of a crowd. Murmurs spread as people began to spectate, some remarking on how strong Jingshang Xiong was, while others noted that Chen Qingdi was also incredibly skilled.

Jingshang Xiong fought with everything he had, as if he had already realized Chen Qingdi’s strength was formidable.

He knew that the slightest mistake could cost him the match, so he focused on defense and evasion while attacking, trying to leverage his advantages as much as possible.

Chen Qingdi, in contrast, seemed completely at ease.

His movements seemed casual, yet they always managed to perfectly dodge Jingshang Xiong’s attacks while delivering powerful counters. Every one of his strikes seemed to find Jingshang Xiong’s weak points, causing him immense pain.

As the fight wore on, Jingshang Xiong began to show signs of fatigue.

His attack speed slowed noticeably and his defense grew sloppy. Chen Qingdi, however, seemed to grow stronger, his attacks becoming increasingly sharp until Jingshang Xiong was completely overwhelmed, unable to fight back.

Finally, Chen Qingdi sent Jingshang Xiong to the ground with a painful kick to the abdomen. Seeing this, his security team members rushed forward to help him up.

Chen Qingdi smiled. "Captain Jingshang, you’ve lost."

Clutching his stomach, Jingshang Xiong managed a difficult nod. "I lost."

Chen Qingdi continued, "I know you’re still resentful, but facts are facts. Now, you will follow my orders. I’ll give you a chance to prove yourself."

Jingshang Xiong’s men all turned to look at him, waiting to see how he would respond. After a moment of silence, Jingshang Xiong said, "Understood."

Jingshang Xiong knelt before Chen Qingdi, bowing his head as he spoke.

"So you are a true master. It would be a great honor to serve under your command. Please, give us our orders."

Chen Qingdi smiled faintly and said,

"All of you are here today to assist me in an assault on Medical God Island. The objective is to rescue all the hostages on the island and to capture Wu Tian alive. I have only one rule: he must be captured alive. He is not to be killed."