Chapter Thirty-Seven: Defeating the Enemy in a Single Move!

Tiger raised his brows, glanced at Ye Wushang, and teased, “What, you think you can play hero and save the damsel?”

“She’s in my hands now—what can you possibly do?” he continued, pressing his dagger against Lan Ruoxue’s lower back. She had never experienced such a terrifying scene; fear gripped her so tightly she hardly dared to breathe.

“It’s not about what I can do. What matters is that you let her go, right now.” Ye Wushang took a step forward, fists clenched, his bones crackling audibly.

“And if I don’t? You gonna bite me?” Tiger sneered, utterly unimpressed.

“If you don’t, you’ll die here!” Ye Wushang advanced, menace burning in his eyes, sending chills through the crowd.

Though he and Lan Ruoxue were divorced, he couldn’t bear to see her die before him. They had been husband and wife; she’d fought desperately against Scar and his gang for his sake. Besides, Xun Wuyang was already dead—he couldn’t afford to let Tiger slip away this time.

If he didn’t uncover the Pei family’s schemes, An Lan could be in mortal danger at any moment. His sister would soon awaken, and he’d finally learn the truth about his origins. He wanted only to settle these worldly entanglements and devote himself to his family.

“This kid’s got guts—stepping up at a time like this.”

“Never saw this side of him before.” The surrounding guests drew sharp breaths, their opinion of Ye Wushang changing dramatically. Glancing at Sun Chuanzhi standing nearby, the difference between them was now glaringly obvious.

Tiger was a formidable fighter, and Sun—the so-called head of security—was useless. But even if you lose, you can’t lose your spirit. That alone made Ye Wushang worthy of respect. Still, charging forward when the odds are hopeless was reckless.

“Talking about someone dying here—what a windbag, not afraid of twisting his tongue!” Sun Chuanzhi muttered bitterly. “This loser—besides talking tough, what else can he do?”

Tiger was a brute, trouble incarnate; standing up to him now was asking for death. And to make matters worse, Lan Ruoxue was the woman Sun had his eye on. Now, in her moment of danger, Ye Wushang was hogging the spotlight instead of him. Wasn’t this just a slap in his face? Every time he crossed paths with Ye Wushang, nothing good ever happened. A curse, pure bad luck.

“Wushang…” Lan Ruoxue finally came to her senses, staring at him in astonishment. She hadn’t expected him to stand up for her at such a moment. Thinking of the harsh words she’d just hurled at him, shame washed over her. She was moved, but what could she do? Tiger was too formidable; he’d already dealt with Scar’s gang, what hope did Ye Wushang have? Since the divorce, she’d seen him display some medical skills, but that wouldn’t help in a fight. If things turned violent, he’d fare no better.

She wanted to dissuade him, but Tiger burst out laughing, “You think you can kill me?”

“Even that coward won’t stand up to me—what makes you think you can shout at me?” Tiger’s tone was derisive. “My target today is An Lan. This woman is just a hostage—I’d planned to grab her and let her go. But now, maybe I’ll keep her around for a while. Such fair skin…”

He leaned in, sniffing deeply at Lan Ruoxue’s neck, looking intoxicated. The sight enraged Zhao Xiu’e, who kept urging Sun Chuanzhi to act, but Sun pretended not to hear, cowed by Tiger’s brutality.

Suddenly, Ye Wushang sprang into action. He snatched up a steel pipe from the floor and swung it hard at Tiger’s hand—swift, precise, and ruthless! The blow landed perfectly, pain forcing Tiger to release Lan Ruoxue with a scream.

In that instant, Ye Wushang darted forward like a specter, shoving Lan Ruoxue aside and ducking low to grab Tiger’s legs, throwing him to the ground.

Punches rained down in a furious barrage—like a machine gone berserk, Ye Wushang pummeled Tiger relentlessly.

“Ah!”

“Ugh!”

Tiger, caught off guard, had no chance to fight back against Ye Wushang’s overwhelming force. At first, he screamed in agony; soon, blood poured from his nose and mouth. After a few minutes, Ye Wushang stopped, leaving Tiger sprawled on the floor, trembling and unable to move.

The crowd gasped in shock. Who would have guessed Ye Wushang was so fierce, toppling Tiger in a single round? Watching his savage beating, Ye Wushang seemed a killing machine—terrifying.

“Damn, how is this loser so strong?” Sun Chuanzhi growled, his face dark as thunder. Zhao Xiu’e stuck out her tongue, nearly fainting in fright. “Never knew he could fight like this—what’s going on?”

Lan Ruoxue collapsed into a chair, staring at Ye Wushang in disbelief. Was this beast-like man really her ex-husband? During their three years of marriage, he’d done nothing but cook, clean, and sleep. He’d always seemed frail, as if a breeze could knock him over. Even after witnessing his medical skills at the club, saving so many lives, she still hadn’t recovered from the shock.

Now—he was a martial artist as well? And so skilled? Had he learned this after the divorce, or possessed it all along?

“It seems I misjudged him.”

Lan Ruoxue felt a pang of shame. The truth was obvious now: it was Ye Wushang, not Sun Chuanzhi, who had defeated Xun Wuyang and saved An’s people. He’d stayed silent, letting Sun claim the credit. Her view of Ye Wushang shifted.

As for Sun Chuanzhi… He’d acted wrongly, but perhaps he’d had no choice under the circumstances. Besides, her family’s business depended on the Sun family; if she could avoid it, she didn’t want to sever ties.

“Get up!” Ye Wushang grabbed Tiger, pressing the dagger to his chest.

“Don’t, don’t kill me!” Compared to Xun Wuyang’s defiance, Tiger was a coward. Seeing Ye Wushang ready to act, he ignored his pain and pleaded, “I’m just doing a job for money—I don’t want to die…”

“Tell me—Pei family sent you to abduct An Lan and threaten the An family. What are you supposed to threaten them with?”

Tiger was stunned. “How do you know about the Pei family? You—”

“Answer me!” Ye Wushang tightened his grip on Tiger’s neck, making him turn pale as he coughed violently.

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk,” Tiger gasped. “The An and Pei families are competing for a big project, but An family currently has the advantage. So, the plan is to abduct An Lan, force the An family to drop the project—or else kill her…”

Ye Wushang’s expression grew grim. He didn’t know what the project was, but An Lan’s urgency to sell agency rights suggested a connection. Whatever it was, it must be shady; otherwise, Old An wouldn’t be so evasive. Knowing An Lan, she was probably unaware.

Major family dealings were always dirty and bloody; Ye Wushang suddenly worried for An Lan’s safety.

“Scar, take him away and keep interrogating!” Ye Wushang ordered. Scar immediately led his men to drag Tiger off.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet.” At that moment, the OK secretary emerged from the second-floor safe room and addressed the crowd below. “Due to recent events, President An has decided to cancel today’s auction. The date and location will be announced later!”

“However, it’s likely that three favorites will be chosen from among you thirty, and their selection will be announced at an authorization meeting.”

“Now, please exit in an orderly fashion!”

The crowd was disappointed. They’d prepared for this agency rights auction twice, hoping for a conclusion today, but now another assassination attempt had derailed it. First poisoning, then attempted murder—the An family’s troubles seemed endless.

Despite their frustration, their priority was survival. The recent events still haunted them; without further hesitation, they nodded and filed out.

But Lan Ruoxue hesitated, lingering before she said, “Mom, you and Chuanzhi wait for me outside. I need to talk to Wushang.”

…