Jiangnan Garden. Number eighteen.
Yu Huoshui stood in front of Zhong Tianyi and called out, "Second Brother!"
Zhong Tianyi’s palm struck Yu Huoshui’s face.
A purple-red handprint immediately appeared on Yu Huoshui’s tender white cheek, indicating the full force behind Zhong Tianyi’s slap.
"Second Brother, listen to me explain..."
Zhong Tianyi kept slapping Yu Huoshui’s face, one after another, until, with bloodshot eyes, he finally roared, "Explain? Give me an explanation now."
Yu Huoshui wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, licked it, tasting the strong metallic sweetness.
He looked at Zhong Tianyi and said, "It seems that no matter what I say, Big Brother won’t believe me."
"I’ve brought Lei Xiangyang here; he’s kneeling outside in the hall. Let him explain to Second Brother..."
Zhong Tianyi glared at Yu Huoshui fiercely and strode toward the hall.
Lei Xiangyang was the boss of Xinghui Entertainment, a renowned magnate of the Phoenix Empire’s entertainment industry, with multiple film and television companies, record distribution companies, bars, nightclubs under his belt, and his talent agency had signed many of the country’s top real stars and virtual idols.
This top industry mogul, who could send ripples through the entertainment circle with a mere stomp, was now kneeling on the hard Moonlight Stone floor of the hall, his expression panicked, his complexion pale, and he didn’t dare take a deep breath.
In the presence of true power, everything he owned meant nothing.
They could grant it, and they could take it away at any time.
At that moment, he heard urgent footsteps approaching, getting closer and closer, each step seeming to press on his heart.
Making it sink further, and the pain grow sharper.
Zhong Tianyi, dressed casually in white and with a black headband, stood in front of Lei Xiangyang and asked, "This must be Mr. Lei of Xinghui Entertainment, right?"
"Yes," replied Yu Huoshui in a low voice.
"Greetings, Second Prince!" Lei Xiangyang bowed deeply without daring to meet Zhong Tianyi’s gaze.
Looking down from above, Zhong Tianyi scrutinized the top of Lei Xiangyang’s head and asked mockingly, "Have we met before? If we have, you still dared to deceive and harm me?"
"Prince, I really didn’t know anything was going on. I absolutely didn’t and wouldn’t dare..." Lei Xiangyang hurried to defend himself.
How could he dare to offend the Prince? Did he not value his life?
"Where is Li Zhi? Your driver, Li Zhi... where did he run off to?"
"I don’t know," said Lei Xiangyang. "When Mr. Yu found me, I sent people to look for Li Zhi... but he’s vanished. I’ve scattered all my men to search for him, yet until now, we can’t find him."
"That... I don’t know either," Lei Xiangyang looked up in protest. When he saw the injuries on Yu Huoshui’s face, his expression involuntarily stiffened.
Even Yu Huoshui had been beaten — what on earth had happened?
"Yes, I don’t know," Lei Xiangyang quickly bowed his head again, not looking up as he continued, "I don’t know anything about this. Mr. Yu came to me for people, so I sent someone to find them. But Li Zhi has disappeared... Prince, I really don’t know what happened."
"What did this damned bastard do? Once I find him, I’ll make sure he’s cut into pieces..."
"Oh, you don’t know," Zhong Tianyi turned to look at Yu Huoshui and asked, "If I tell them I don’t know what happened, will they believe me?"
Yu Huoshui had an answer in his heart, but he found it hard to respond.
He knew they wouldn’t believe him, couldn’t possibly believe him.
You say it wasn’t you who did this; you say you have no ambition for that position...
Who would believe that?
"Right? Nobody believes it." Zhong Tianyi obviously knew Yu Huoshui’s inner answer and said, "Others don’t believe me, so why should I believe you?"
"Prince, I swear, everything I say is true. I really don’t know what happened. Whatever Li Zhi did has nothing to do with me..."
"Look, he says what Li Zhi did has nothing to do with him..."
Zhong Tianyi’s eyes searched the room, then, spotting a baseball bat in the corner, he gestured for it. The bat landed in his hand, and with a swing, he smashed it down on Lei Xiangyang’s head.
Blood splattered from the battered head.
Lei Xiangyang, though skilled in martial arts, couldn’t withstand such a close-range blow to the head.
He lay prostrate on the ground, head spinning, his entire face matted with blood.
Then, as if possessed, Zhong Tianyi continued to pound him with the bat.
Thump, thump, thump...
After a dozen or so brutal strikes, reducing Lei Xiangyang to a barely breathing state, no longer moving, he finally hurled the bat away.
"Li Zhi is your driver, your trusted confidant... and now you’re telling me there’s no connection?"
"No connection, truly no connection..."
Lei Xiangyang’s instinct to survive was strong; he knew that if he didn’t speak now, he might never get another chance.
A land vast and deep, where couldn’t you bury a body?
"I really don’t know what he did... I don’t know anything..."
Zhong Tianyi looked at Yu Huoshui and commended, "Maintaining such an attitude is quite good."