Chapter 20: The Truth Unveiled, The Li Family's Retaliation

“Sis! Help me!”

Before Ye Shihan could respond, a man’s voice suddenly came through the phone.

“So you’re Ye Shihan. Put Xiao Yu on the phone!”

Xiao Yu, noticing Ye Shihan’s unease, took the phone from her without hesitation when she handed it to him.

“Who are you?” Xiao Yu asked, frowning.

“My name is Li Quan. Li Minghao was my son. I believe you know exactly why I’m calling.” Li Quan’s voice was cold and menacing.

Realizing this was Li Minghao’s father, Xiao Yu immediately understood. He was well aware that Taisui had killed Li Minghao. What he couldn’t figure out was how Li Quan had found out and tracked him down; he didn’t believe Taisui would have left any clues.

“Li Quan? Never heard of you. What do you want from me?” Xiao Yu replied calmly, as if Li Minghao’s death truly had nothing to do with him.

“Xiao Yu, don’t play dumb with me. My son may not have died at your hands, but he died because of your friend. Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?” Li Quan’s voice grew colder. “You have half an hour. Come alone to the abandoned warehouse in the western suburbs. And don’t even think about calling the police, or I won’t be able to guarantee Ye Xuemei’s safety.”

As soon as Li Quan finished, the phone was filled with the sound of Ye Xuemei’s anguished cries. Xiao Yu’s eyes turned icy cold. Although Ye Xuemei had never liked him, she was still his sister-in-law.

Besides, this incident had started with him and Taisui. He didn’t want their actions to implicate others.

Li Quan hung up. Xiao Yu handed the phone back to Ye Shihan, then turned to Taisui, who was driving. “Taisui, take your sister-in-law home first. Make sure she’s safe.”

Although Taisui didn’t know what was going on, he nodded. Inwardly, he thought, Looks like tonight will be another bloody mess.

Before Ye Shihan could speak, Xiao Yu stepped out of the car, leaned in through the window, and said to her, “Go home with Taisui. He’ll protect you. I’m going to find Xuemei.”

“Be careful. I’ll wait for you at home,” Ye Shihan said, concern heavy in her voice, though those were the only words she could manage.

A warmth filled Xiao Yu’s heart. He nodded, patted the car door, and signaled Taisui to leave. Soon, the car disappeared from his sight.

Meanwhile, in an abandoned warehouse in the western suburbs, a group of men dressed in black stood in orderly rows. At the front sat a bald, middle-aged man with thick eyebrows and a full beard, his expression dark and grim.

This was Li Quan, the patriarch of the Li family in Phoenix City, father of Li Minghao, and the leader of the Dragon Gang—one of the three great underground syndicates in Phoenix City.

After Li Minghao disappeared, Li Quan sent many men to search for him, but days passed with no result. Then, by chance, some of his men overheard a few young men talking in a bar. These youths were the thugs Li Minghao had hired before his death.

Hearing them mention Li Minghao, Li Quan’s men “politely” escorted them back. After some harsh interrogation, they finally confessed what had happened that day.

Li Quan then sent people to investigate the scene. Although they didn’t find Li Minghao’s body, they recovered a watch—one Li Quan himself had given his son. That was when he realized Li Minghao was most likely dead.

From the youths, he learned Ye Shihan was somehow involved in his son’s death. He tried to track her down, but since she’d been expelled from her family, she had been living at the Cloudtop Villa, leaving Li Quan with no way to find her.

Left with no choice, Li Quan had Ye Xuemei kidnapped, hoping to use her to lure Ye Shihan out—leading to the current situation.

About twenty minutes later, Xiao Yu appeared at the warehouse entrance. Surveying the silent surroundings, he smirked coldly, pulled out his phone, and dialed a number.

“Hello, boss? What’s up?”

As soon as the call connected, Jiang Qin’s voice sounded.

“In half an hour, I want the Li family erased from Phoenix City,” Xiao Yu said bluntly, a murderous intent radiating from him.

Jiang Qin didn’t know how the Li family had provoked Xiao Yu, but since the boss had given the word, he would see it done.

After a few brief words, Xiao Yu ended the call.

As the leader of the city’s largest criminal syndicate, Xiao Yu had no doubt Jiang Qin would accomplish the task.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yu pushed open the warehouse door and walked straight in, where dozens of Dragon Gang members awaited him.

The moment he entered, the gangsters eyed him with open hostility, many gripping weapons behind their backs. At a single word from Li Quan, they would swarm him.

“Let him through,” Li Quan ordered grimly, having noticed the newcomer.

The crowd parted reluctantly. Unfazed by the wall of men in black, Xiao Yu walked forward calmly, stopping a short distance before Li Quan.

“So, you’re Xiao Yu? The mastermind behind my son’s death?” Li Quan demanded, eyeing the pale, thin young man before him.

“I’m Xiao Yu. And you must be Li Quan?” Xiao Yu replied coolly, showing not the slightest trace of panic.

Li Quan’s expression grew even darker at Xiao Yu’s composed demeanor. Enemy and avenger now face-to-face—the pain of a slain son made Li Quan want nothing more than to have his men tear Xiao Yu apart on the spot.

“You don’t seem afraid at all,” Li Quan observed.

“If I were afraid, I wouldn’t have come. What do you want?” Xiao Yu replied, leisurely pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lighting up.

Li Quan couldn’t take his arrogance any longer. With a furious wave of his hand, he shouted, “Get him! I want him dead—let him join my son in hell!”

The moment Li Quan’s order rang out, a burly man in black sprang forward, drawing a gleaming machete and swinging it down hard at Xiao Yu’s head. Yet Xiao Yu didn’t so much as flinch.

Li Quan’s lips curled into a cold smile; he watched intently, eager to see Xiao Yu’s head roll. Even Ye Xuemei, tied up in the corner, squeezed her eyes shut in terror, unable to bear the sight.

But after a long moment, no screams came. Puzzled, Ye Xuemei slowly opened her eyes—and witnessed a sight she would never forget.

Xiao Yu stood there, still smoking, his right hand raised. Two fingers gripped the blade of the machete, no matter how hard the thug strained, the weapon didn’t move an inch.

Everyone, not just Ye Xuemei, was stunned. Even Li Quan swallowed nervously before bellowing, “What are you all staring at? Get him—together!”

At his command, the gangsters drew their blades and charged at Xiao Yu, the warehouse instantly ablaze with flashing steel.

Watching the mob rush forward, Li Quan smirked, thinking, So what if you’re skilled? You can’t possibly take down dozens of my men by yourself.

But before he could finish the thought, something happened that left him utterly dumbstruck.