Chapter 149: Do you know how the word "death" is written? (Part V)

"Am I... am I dreaming?" Zhang Jing murmured, her delicate face flushed with emotional excitement as she felt the lingering warmth of my kiss on her forehead. Nestled gently in my arms, happy tears sparkled in her eyes. This time, she was smiling truly and from the bottom of her heart.

"No, you aren't dreaming. From today onwards, the three of you belong to me, Xiao Qiang," I nodded, looking at Zhang Jing. "Jing, introduce me to the person in charge from Sunshine Group who acquired Tianyu Company."

"Of course." Upon hearing me bring up business, she quickly wiped away her tears and composed herself. "That person in charge is Zhang Tao, a marketing department manager recently promoted at Sunshine Group. He was recommended by Wang Yusheng. Back then, I was busy running errands to the factory to gather the materials you needed, so... so I left Manager Wang in charge of this matter. I never imagined Zhang Tao would pull something like this! It's despicable. We must fire him immediately."

"This goes far beyond just firing someone," my expression turned icy. "Not only did he embezzle the drivers' wages and bully my father, but more importantly, he actually dared to collude with underworld thugs to smash up my home. This has crossed the line of what I can endure. I am going to make him understand what regret truly means."

"Xiao Qiang, are you planning to teach him a lesson? Please, don't. You know he's mixed up with the mafia. What if..." Zhang Jing shook her head repeatedly, fear evident in her eyes as she worried about my safety.

"Don't worry, Miss Zhang. So what if they're the mafia? In my eyes, mafia members are nothing more than misbehaving children. Besides, I've already sent some of our men ahead. If that punk actually dares to make a move, it'll save us the trouble of silencing him later." Before I could finish, the bald man driving up front chimed in after hanging up his phone. "Boss, my guys just called. Tianyu Company has gathered over a dozen underworld thugs to standoff against your father. I've already checked their background—they're from the Axe Gang."

"The Axe Gang again? Does De Guangqing have a death wish?" I felt a mild surprise. That seemed impossible; didn't I cripple his martial arts senior brother last time? Would he really dare to show his face again?

"Hehehe, Boss, you wouldn't know. The Axe Gang has at least a thousand men under them. How could a big boss like De Guangqing manage all of them? This must be the local branch leader of the Axe Gang trying to stir up trouble; De Guangqing probably has no idea." The bald man's words immediately cleared up my doubts. Indeed, an organization that massive could not possibly be managed single-handedly by De Guangqing. Yet, with the Axe Gang cropping up everywhere, I truly felt the urge to wipe this syndicate off the map. Once Xia Guoqing was finished, it would be time to deal with them.

By this point, the three women in the car had already struck up a conversation. As the saying goes, three women make a market, and soon enough, I was entirely left out, having no choice but to stare blankly at the street scenes flashing past the window.

Amidst Su Xin's gentle smile, Chu Qitong's mischievous giggles, and Zhang Jing's expression of incredulous and expectant bliss, the motorcade finally arrived outside the perimeter of Tianyu Company in the northern district. From afar, I could see a massive crowd packed densely inside the courtyard gates. It was already around nine o'clock in the evening, yet the area remained bustling with people. Not only within the company grounds, but even the outer perimeter was crowded with curious onlookers. Human nature being what it was, people naturally gravitated toward crowded places. Consequently, the leading black BMW and the large motorcade behind it had to come to a halt here.

Moments later, everyone from the black luxury cars stepped out, followed closely by the officers from the police vehicles.

"Baldy, have all your men gather at the main entrance," I ordered the bald man before turning to the three women. "Zhang Jing, accompany me inside. Tongtong and Xinxin, you two stay at the entrance. It's dangerous inside."

"No way, Zhang Jing sister is going in, and so are we," Chu Qitong stubbornly retorted. Before she could finish, I grabbed her slender hand, pulled her entire petite figure straight into my arms, and smiled mischievously. "Miss Tongtong, are you refusing to listen to me? Shall I punish you according to family rules, then?"

With that, my hand slowly drifted upward, aiming directly for Chu Qitong's alluring curves.

"Hey... Xiao Qiang, you big villain, stop it! There are so many people here, don't..." Flustered, Chu Qitong hurriedly tried to wriggle out of my embrace, but how could her soft body possibly escape my grasp? In the end, she had no choice but to plead pitifully, "Xiao Qiang, just let me go in, okay? I really want to see you when you're acting all imposing and cool..."

"Are you going to listen to me or not?" Ignoring her sweet coaxing entirely, I made a motion as if to launch a direct assault on her backside. Frightened, she immediately nodded in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'll listen, I'll listen, okay?" She glared at me with a wronged expression, muttering something under her breath.

Smiling, I released her and turned to Su Xin. "I'll leave this unruly woman in your hands, Xinxin. Make sure you both stay within the police-controlled perimeter. I'd rather not have to look after you two later."

"Got it. Don't worry, Xiao Qiang. Go on, give those bad guys a good lesson!" Su Xin made an encouraging gesture with her fist, and I smiled and nodded.

Meanwhile, Zhang Baoqiang trotted over to my side, gazing at the three women with a hint of envy. "Brother Xiao, should we police officers just keep people blocked outside the main gate?"

"Right, Brother Zhang. Have your men clear out all these onlookers outside and block the entrance. If any of those protesting drivers want to leave, let them go, but not a single one of those thugs is allowed to escape!"

"Got it, I understand. Rest assured. However..." Zhang Baoqiang looked at me with an apologetic expression. "Brother Xiao, this is a bustling downtown area after all. Keep the noise down, and just make sure nobody ends up dead."

"I know, I know my limits." I nodded and pulled Zhang Jing toward the main gate.

The bald man's subordinates had already gathered at the entrance. At a glance, there were easily fifty or sixty of them—all burly, well-trained, and muscular men. Their imposing figures caused the surrounding onlookers to instinctively step back. By this time, Zhang Baoqiang had begun leading a squad of police officers to maintain order at the scene, securing the perimeter and dispersing the crowd with great efficiency. Gradually, the onlookers thinned out; police authority still held a strong deterrent effect among ordinary citizens.

"Boss!"

As I approached the entrance, the bald man immediately led all his subordinates in a respectful bow and salute. Speechless, I waved my hand dismissively. "Alright, cut the formal stuff. What 'Boss'? People might mistake us for a mafia syndicate. You're a security company, so act like a security company. Baldy, lead the men inside."

*Phew*, I certainly didn't want anyone thinking I was a triad boss, or else my old man inside would skin me alive.

After easily brushing past the two Tianyu Company guards, the bald man's subordinates pushed the heavy double iron gates wide open with a grinding screech of metal against concrete. Holding Zhang Jing's hand, I took the lead and strode firmly into the compound.

The moment I stepped through the gates, I felt hundreds of pairs of eyes lock onto me and the contingent of guards behind me. Among those gazes, I immediately spotted my father, whose face bore slightly reddish bruises and whose eyes shone with a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"Qiangqiang? Why are you here?" Catching sight of me, my father anxiously broke away from the group of drivers, rushed over to my side, and stopped me from walking any further. Frowning slightly, he glanced at Zhang Jing beside me before turning back to question me. "Did your mother send you? Goodness, she's utterly reckless! How is this a place for a kid like you? Hurry up and go back, find a place to stay with your mother tonight. Once your old man resolves things here, I'll head back."

Seeing the bruises on my father's face, I knew instantly that he had been beaten. *Go back? If I really went back, wouldn't you just keep getting hit?* Although those thoughts raced through my mind, I didn't dare voice them aloud. Instead, looking at him with a solemn expression, I asked, "Dad, who gave you those bruises on your face?"