This scene deeply shocked Xiong Boren's heart.
Samba was a powerhouse he had gone to great lengths to invite. In the Black Country, he was a top-tier fighter, and even in the world's most renowned boxing circuits, Samba ranked among the best. Yet now, he was kneeling at Yang Chen's feet, pledging his loyalty.
Yang Chen found it somewhat amusing. He glanced at the stunned Xiong Boren before turning his gaze back to Samba. "Do you think I need someone like you by my side?"
Samba replied earnestly, "I can do anything for you, including killing."
"If I wanted to kill someone, do you think I'd need you?" Yang Chen smiled faintly.
Samba's dark face remained expressionless. "But I can protect your loved ones."
Initially, Yang Chen had no intention of keeping Samba, but these words struck a chord with him—they served as a reminder. Whether it was Qin Yi, who had been kidnapped by Xiong Wei before, or Qin Xi, who had been deceived today, none of this would have happened if they had someone protecting them.
After a brief pause, Yang Chen finally said, "Leave me your contact information. I'll reach out when I need you."
Overjoyed, Samba immediately responded, "Thank you for taking me in, boss!"
"I don't like being called 'boss.' Address me as Mr. Yang."
"Yes, Mr. Yang!" Samba quickly complied.
Though he was from the Black Country, his Mandarin was impeccable. Once Yang Chen investigated his background and confirmed there were no issues, he might consider keeping him.
Xiong Boren was utterly numb, feeling as though he were in a dream. The powerhouse he had spent enormous resources to recruit had not only failed to help him against his enemy but had instead pledged loyalty to that very enemy.
"Samba, you promised to help me deal with him! Now you're following him instead? Where's your professional integrity?" Xiong Boren roared in fury.
Samba shook his head helplessly. "I didn't take your money, nor do I owe you any favors. Why should I listen to you?"
"Fine! Very well! Since you've chosen to follow this trash, from today onward, you're also an enemy of the Xiong family. Prepare to face our wrath!" Xiong Boren snarled viciously.
"Do you know what I hate the most?" Yang Chen narrowed his eyes slightly. Without waiting for Xiong Boren's response, he answered his own question: "Threats."
"I'm threatening you! If you've got the guts, kill me! If not, shut up and wait for the Xiong family's retaliation! Hahahaha—" Xiong Boren laughed maniacally.
Yang Chen looked at him as if he were already dead. "Is the Xiong family really that powerful?"
"The Xiong family is a first-tier family in Jiangzhou, second only to the Four Great Clans. The Qin family, which you rely on, is nothing but trash in our eyes—we could wipe them out with a flick of our fingers. How could a discarded waste like you possibly understand the might of the Xiong family?"
Xiong Boren's face brimmed with pride as he spoke of his family, then twisted into a sinister smile. "If you kneel and beg me now, and hand over your woman, I might spare your life."
"You've misunderstood. An insignificant family like yours isn't even worth my attention."
Yang Chen shook his head slightly, then added mockingly, "Tell me, if I were to bring down the Xiong family behind you, would you still be as proud as you are now?"
With that, Yang Chen turned and left without another glance.
Behind him, Xiong Boren's crazed laughter echoed: "You'll feel the Xiong family's wrath! Not killing me will be the biggest regret of your life!"
"Brother Chen, leaving someone like him alive is just asking for trouble. Shouldn't we eliminate the root of the problem?" Ma Chao asked as he walked beside Yang Chen.
Samba immediately interjected, "Why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken? Leave it to me!"
Yang Chen smirked coldly. "If we're going to kill, let the Xiong family do it themselves. That'll be more interesting."
Samba shuddered, realizing that his earlier attempt to kill Yang Chen had been like provoking a demon.
After sending Samba away, Ma Chao personally drove Yang Chen and Qin Xi back to the summit of Yunfeng.
On the way, Yang Chen made a single phone call, uttering only one sentence: "By tonight, the Xiong family will no longer exist in Jiangzhou."
---
**Xiong Family Estate**
Xiong Qingshan, the patriarch of the Xiong family, had just finished bathing and was waiting for his hair to dry before bed. He turned on the TV to catch the evening news, which was covering the collaboration between the Jiangzhou government and the Yan Chen Group's Jiangzhou branch.
Watching the report, Xiong Qingshan sighed. "The Yan Chen Group truly lives up to its reputation. Even a newly established branch in Jiangzhou can quickly gain official recognition. It won't be long before Jiangzhou gains another top-tier enterprise."
"Father, why haven't we tried partnering with the Yan Chen Group?" asked a middle-aged man in pajamas.
The man was Xiong Qingshan's eldest son, Xiong Bocheng. Xiong Qingshan had repeatedly expressed his intention to pass the family leadership to him, even living under the same roof as this most favored heir.
Xiong Qingshan smiled wryly. "Haven't we tried? I personally went to their doorstep and was turned away. Aside from the Four Great Clans, they don't take any local families seriously."
"No matter how powerful the Yan Chen Group is, it's just a dragon crossing a river. This is Jiangzhou—if they keep disregarding local families, they'll capsize sooner or later," Xiong Bocheng said, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.
"Keep such talk to yourself when you're with me. Never say it outside," Xiong Qingshan cautioned, frowning slightly. "Rumor has it that the chairman of the Yan Chen Group is from Jiangzhou and is quite young. If there's a chance, you should try to make contact."
While he was highly satisfied with his eldest son's abilities, Xiong Qingshan was often troubled by his arrogance. Fortunately, Xiong Bocheng's competence compensated for his overconfidence.
"Don't worry, Father. Though I may act boldly at times, I know my limits," Xiong Bocheng quickly assured him.
"By the way, how was Xiaowei's matter resolved?" Xiong Qingshan suddenly asked.
Xiong Bocheng smiled. "Second Brother asked me yesterday to find him a champion boxer from the Black Country. He said he'd settle the score for Xiaowei tonight. It should be over by now."
Xiong Qingshan nodded, then said gravely, "Boren's methods are extreme. He can handle minor threats, but if he encounters a formidable enemy, he'll easily put himself in danger. As his elder brother, you must keep an eye on him and ensure he doesn't provoke the wrong people."
"Father, rest assured. There are only two of us brothers in the Xiong family. I'd never let him walk into danger," Xiong Bocheng replied confidently.
Just then, Xiong Qingshan's phone rang.
"W-What did you say?"
The moment he answered, Xiong Qingshan's face turned deathly pale, his eyes filled with shock and fury.
"Father, what's wrong?" Xiong Bocheng asked urgently.
Xiong Qingshan was usually unflappable, so his current state could only mean something catastrophic had happened.
Before Xiong Qingshan could respond, Xiong Bocheng's phone also rang.
"What? Bocheng Entertainment has been shut down?"
"Didn't I order you to hide all the illegal items? How could they still find them?"
"What? The authorities took photos of the goods?"
Xiong Bocheng exploded in rage, smashing his phone to pieces.
Xiong Qingshan, meanwhile, sat paralyzed on the sofa, his eyes vacant.
Even the usually arrogant Xiong Bocheng now looked utterly despairing.
"Bocheng, help me up!"
After a long silence, Xiong Qingshan finally regained some composure, though his body remained weak.
Xiong Bocheng hurriedly assisted him up. "Father, this couldn't have been a coincidence. Someone is targeting our family. Otherwise, how could all our entertainment venues be shut down at once?"
Once calmer, Xiong Bocheng quickly pieced things together.
Xiong Qingshan's eyes darkened with severity. "Gather everyone for a meeting immediately. Even if the Xiong family is doomed, I want to know why!"
The Xiong family's primary business was their entertainment venues. With all of them sealed, the family faced an unprecedented crisis.
Despite the late hour, all Xiong family members were soon summoned to the estate.
"Has anyone here offended a major figure recently?" Xiong Qingshan scanned the room from his seat at the head of the table.
"No!"
"Not me!"
"Patriarch, what's going on?"
The Xiong family members looked bewildered. Being called for a meeting in the dead of night only to be asked such a question was highly unusual.
In such dire circumstances, no one would dare lie. Yet the lack of answers only deepened Xiong Qingshan's confusion.
All signs pointed to the Xiong family having provoked someone powerful, leading to their current plight. But no one knew who that might be.
"Where's Boren?" Xiong Qingshan suddenly frowned.
Xiong Bocheng replied, "Xiaowei is in critical condition at the hospital, and Boren is seriously injured. He asked me to tell you that he wants the family to avenge him."
"What?" The Xiong family erupted in shock.
Xiong Bocheng's eyes gleamed as he mused aloud, "Xiaowei is fighting for his life, Boren is injured, and all our entertainment venues have been shut down. Could there be a connection?"
Though he posed it as a casual thought, his words sent a chill down everyone's spine.
Xiong Qingshan's face twisted with rage. "If he's not dead yet, drag him here to see me now!"
---
**Summit of Yunfeng**
Yang Chen returned home and gently placed Qin Xi on the spacious bed, tucking her in. He then called Qin Yi to reassure her that Qin Xi was safe.
Qin Xi had merely been drugged with sleeping pills. A good night's rest would suffice.
As he stepped out of the room, his phone rang.
"Chairman, all of the Xiong family's entertainment venues have been shut down. The evidence is ironclad—no amount of connections can reverse it."
A familiar voice spoke from the other end of the line.