Chapter 175
Chapter 175 - I Won't Leave You a Single Cent!
Unaware that his secret had been revealed, Wang Zongyi reveled in his newfound status as the primary heir of the Wang family, especially after Wang Zongming's arrest. His arrogance, though misplaced, was somewhat understandable given his position.
Yet, he had chosen the wrong people to flaunt his arrogance before, as the trio facing him were unimpressed.
“Are you done talking?” Zhang Xiaolong scoffed. “I never grovel, but you, you'd better stand your ground, or you might not even get the chance to grovel.”
“Manager Niu, get rid of them. We don't want the old man to be disturbed by anything he might see or hear,” Wang Zongyi commanded, too disinterested to engage in a verbal spar with Zhang Xiaolong, and ordered everyone, including his sister-in-law, to be sent away.
“Xiaolong, maybe we should just leave and discuss this after Zongming is released…” Liu Juan suggested, hoping to avoid escalating the situation.
Wang Zongyi, sensing weakness, grew even more smug. “Exactly. If my brother never gets out, sister-in-law, you'll have no reason to come back here.”
“I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed,” Zhang Xiaolong retorted with a smile.
“Are you implying my brother won't be released, or are you just refusing to leave?” Wang Zongyi inquired, eyeing Zhang Xiaolong with interest. “Either way, it's not really for you to decide, is it?”
“Actually, it's both,” Zhang Xiaolong stepped forward confidently. “Don't always assume you're the smart one. Often, when someone thinks they're being clever, that's when they're at their most foolish. I'm going in now, and it's best if you don't follow.”
With that, he strode forward, undeterred, as if no obstacle, not even a mountain, could hinder his progress.
Wang Zongyi, skeptical, stood his ground, but Zhang Xiaolong, without even a blink, shouldered past him, sending Wang Zongyi stumbling backward.
“Follow me,” Zhang Xiaolong instructed without looking back.
Liu Juan and Huang Yan instinctively knew he was addressing them and promptly fell in step behind him.
“Stop them, quick, you fools!” Wang Zongyi barked, his voice tinged with desperation.
A swarm of bodyguards burst from the door, charging at Zhang Xiaolong and his companions with menacing determination.
Liu Juan, unaccustomed to such chaos, was visibly tense. Huang Yan appeared somewhat more composed, but she was far from completely calm.
“Just keep walking and ignore them,” Zhang Xiaolong said dismissively, barely acknowledging the bodyguards as he strode forward.
Oddly enough, as the bodyguards neared Zhang Xiaolong, they found themselves effortlessly deflected, pushed or pulled aside without him breaking a sweat. Not only did they fail to halt his progress, but they were also seamlessly sent flying back.
The bodyguards couldn't even get close to Liu Juan and Huang Yan, and after several futile attempts, they resigned themselves to their failure.
They cast imploring glances at Wang Zongyi, silently conveying that despite their efforts, they were simply outmatched.
Suddenly, the door slammed shut with a resounding thud, and the sound of bolts sliding into place followed. The mansion, clearly aged, featured a door with an ancient flair, its heft far surpassing that of a standard iron door. Once barred, it seemed impenetrable.
Wang Zongyi watched with smug anticipation, as if he had anticipated this turn of events.
Zhang Xiaolong, unfazed, placed his hand on the door and with a subtle vibration of divine force, shattered the bolt. The door swung open immediately.
“How… How is this possible?” Wang Zongyi gasped, staring at the broken bolt and hinges on the ground. He hurried inside, sensing that something was amiss. Zhang Xiaolong's presence here surely wasn't just to create a disturbance. If it were, Wang Zongyi would have nothing to fear. His real concern was that Zhang Xiaolong might possess something that could spell his doom.
He racked his brain but couldn't fathom having any vulnerabilities that could fall into the other party's hands. Apart from yesterday, he had been exceedingly cautious in his meetings with Hee Jia, ensuring no one else was aware.
Yet, inexplicably, upon hearing Zhang Xiaolong's words and catching the look in his eyes, a primal fear took hold of him, as if he stood on the precipice of losing something dear.
“How did you manage that?” Huang Yan exclaimed, still reeling from the shock.
What baffled her was the broken latch: how could such a sturdy bolt snap so effortlessly?
“Now's not the time to unravel mysteries,” Zhang Xiaolong stated with composure, “We should make haste to check on the old man.”
He was no longer concerned about concealing his capabilities, but the impending encounter with Old Master Wang filled Zhang Xiaolong with an unsettling premonition.
Even with Wang Zongming out of the picture, given Wang Zongyi's impatience for results, would he harm the old man? It seemed that only by compromising the old man could he stand to inherit the substantial fortune.
This was undoubtedly Wang Zongyi's ultimate goal. If he could target Wang Zongming, what would stop him from doing the same to an elderly man whose mind was no longer sharp?
“Take the lead; we must see the old man posthaste.” With this thought, Zhang Xiaolong's urgency grew.
Liu Juan was puzzled by the unfolding events, but at Zhang Xiaolong's behest, she quickly dashed ahead to guide them.
Soon, they reached a quaint courtyard where an elderly gentleman was leisurely perusing the newspaper, a freshly brewed pot of fragrant tea at his side. This sight brought a wave of relief.
“What's all this commotion about? Liu Juan, what's happened?” The old man appeared to be in fine spirits. Seeing Liu Juan, he asked with curiosity, “Where have you been these last couple of days?”
“Grandfather, Zongming has been taken. Are you aware of this?” Liu Juan inquired urgently.
This was her first encounter with the old man since Wang Zongming's capture.
“Zongming captured? By whom? What has he done?” Wang Zhenxiong was so startled that he leapt from his rocking chair.
“Grandfather…” Wang Zongyi finally arrived, breathless, “I haven't yet had the chance to inform you. I feared you'd be upset upon hearing the news…”
“What in the world has happened? Why am I completely in the dark?” Wang Zhenxiong pounded the table and bellowed.
It appeared that Old Master Wang also had a quick temper, which he hadn't mellowed with age.
“It was… Brother Zongming, for some reason, he took a gun and tried to kill Su Mei of the Su family, and that's why he was arrested,” Wang Zongyi had his story ready and delivered it convincingly. “I was worried about upsetting you, so I chose not to share this with you.”
“Old Master, I'm a friend of Wang Zongming, and I've come across a video that will make everything clear to you.” Zhang Xiaolong powered up his phone and played the interrogation video of Tian Feng's confession, along with the footage from the villa that day.
“Scoundrel, this despicable scoundrel,” Wang Zhenxiong seethed, shaking with fury, “I would donate every last penny of my wealth before I'd leave you a dime!”