Chapter 114: Lu Yier’s Squad Training

A chill ran through me, Su Li’s words striking my heart like a sharp blade. She clearly had long seen through the true situation of the Bengjian market.

But...

Very few knew that I had become the leader of the Ancient Jade Gang! Besides Lu Yier, Old Chen Bao, it was only Pan Ximi!

I glanced back at Lu Yier, who looked utterly confused, while Old Chen Bao’s expression was one of suspicion.

“Damn it, could it be that Pan Ximi has sold me out again?”

Yet, even though I thought this, I couldn’t voice it aloud.

“Su Li, do you really think you can threaten me with this?” I sneered coldly, trying to mask the turmoil within.

Unmoved, Su Li continued, “Threaten you? No, I’m merely offering a chance to make a deal. Don’t you want to know the truth about your father’s death?”

I took a deep breath, my gaze flickering between Su Li and the flyer she held.

My father’s death had always been a wound in my heart. If what she said was true—that he was framed—I had to uncover the truth.

“I can give you money, but the Bengjian market... I don’t have the authority to give that to you!”

Su Li sneered, “Who cares about your measly cash? Let me be blunt with you, Wang Hu. I’m now the chief assistant under Sister Hong’s corporate group, managing many of her enterprises.”

“By the way, let me give you a piece of advice: stop coveting Sister Hong. She’s already with a man—a man far stronger than you!”

“From now on, in front of Sister Hong, you’re like a little shrimp compared to a dragon lady. She’s the dragon lady; you’re just the shrimp!”

Her words stirred a strange calm within me. Since that day at the villa, I had no intention of crossing paths with Sister Hong again. Besides, I had my own affairs now—there was no need to get entangled in such nonsense.

Moreover, Sister Hong once sold me for a good price. I owed her nothing, nor did I care for her. So, I maintained a composed expression.

I knew half of Su Li’s words were meant to provoke me, the other half to coerce me.

I wouldn’t let her lead me by the nose so easily.

“Su Li, do you really think that can break me?” I sneered. “I stopped caring about Sister Hong long ago. As for the Bengjian market, if you want it, I honestly can’t give it to you.”

Su Li smiled faintly, a glint of cunning in her eyes. “Wang Hu, you really are smart. Since you say that, let’s talk about the terms of the deal. I’m not in a hurry. The Bengjian market is wanted by Sister Hong’s real estate company—you two can negotiate together. You help me secure the Bengjian market’s territory, and I’ll tell you the real cause of your father’s death.”

“I’m waiting for your good news!”

Without lingering further, Su Li turned and walked away, leaving me, Old Chen Bao, and Lu Yier standing there.

We quickly returned to the market office.

After Su Li left, a tense atmosphere hung in the air.

Old Chen Bao and Lu Yier looked at me, waiting for my response.

“Boss, what do we do now?” Lu Yier couldn’t help but ask, anxiety creeping into his voice.

I was silent for a moment, my mind racing.

Though Su Li’s words had angered me, they also made me realize that my father’s death might conceal a larger conspiracy.

No matter what, I had to find out the truth.

“We can’t trust Su Li’s words easily,” I said calmly, “but we can use the conditions she proposed.”

Old Chen Bao nodded in agreement. “Boss, you mean we pretend to agree with her for now, then strike when the time is right?”

I smiled faintly. “Exactly. We first stabilize Su Li, see how much information she really holds. Then, we find a chance to investigate the cause of my father’s death.”

Lu Yier’s expression darkened. “Is it really that simple? Didn’t Su Li say Sister Hong’s found a stronger backer now?”

“If we try to play them, won’t they cling onto us?”

“Besides, with how Sister Hong and the others operate, they won’t act without certainty... If we sign, it’s done—we won’t be able to back out!”

I nodded, then turned to Old Chen Bao. “Old Bao, you’ve seen a lot. Is there ever a case where land has been sold and contracts signed, but the buyer couldn’t carry out construction?”

Old Chen Bao pondered deeply.

Then I looked at Lu Yier. “And you, Yier, is there any situation where transferring this market would be acceptable to you?”

Lu Yier frowned in thought for a moment before answering, “Boss, to be honest, if the Bengjian market were sold for a proper price, I’d be quite satisfied. As you can see, this market is old and run-down... If it weren’t for the family’s legacy, I’d have bought a plot in the new district already!”

“Legacy?”

The moment I heard those words, I became alert.

“Explain that legacy to me!”

Lu Yier sighed, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. “Yeah, the family legacy. Our ancestors have operated on this Bengjian market land for generations. They left a rule: this is our root; we mustn’t transfer it lightly unless absolutely necessary.”

I furrowed my brow, calculating silently.

“Is it just about roots? So you won’t sell it? Nothing else?”

Since following Pan Ximi to the secret warehouse left by the Ancient Jade Gang, I had begun to suspect that the entire district might hide many old plots.

This was no ordinary family rule.

In fact, ancestral rules often carried practical value.

Especially those that must be strictly observed.

My question made Lu Yier uncertain.

“Boss, what you say makes me a little unsure. Are you suggesting there’s a profound reason behind the family legacy?”

I nodded. “You must understand, in old times, when society was chaotic, wealthy families often built secret chambers on their ancestral lands... places to hide or store valuables in times of crisis.”

“Your Lu family’s ancestors must have been prominent figures, right?”

Lu Yier’s expression shifted subtly. “My ancestors came from Jiangsu and Zhejiang.”

A chill ran through me. Jiangsu and Zhejiang had long been prosperous regions, and for the Lu family to have established themselves there meant they were no ordinary clan.

“Jiangsu and Zhejiang?” I mused. “Then your family legacy is even more worth investigating. That region was historically a hub for merchants and wealth. Your ancestors running the Bengjian market for generations must have hidden secrets.”

Lu Yier’s eyes flickered, clearly pondering my words.

But in the end, he shook his head. “My father died suddenly years ago, leaving nothing behind... just this huge market. Could there really be something valuable I don’t know about?”