After returning home, Young Master Xiao felt the anger in his heart erupt like a volcano, completely beyond his control. As soon as he stepped inside, he vented all his suppressed frustration from the past years and the humiliation he had suffered today. Like a runaway beast, he rampaged through the living room, smashing everything in sight. An exquisite antique vase shattered into a million pieces across the floor under the sweep of his angry arm; an expensive imported sofa took a vicious kick from him, leaving its broken frame and exposed foam scattered everywhere; even the priceless imported carpet was ripped to shreds.
At that moment, Young Master Xiao's face was flushed crimson, almost dripping with blood, and his bloodshot eyes completely ruined any trace of his usual young master demeanor. He pointed at the empty air and cursed, "Damn that Ling Xiao! Not only did he make a fool of me today, but he also scammed me out of fifty million. This is an absolute humiliation, and I'll make him pay a thousandfold!"
Just then, Second Master Xiao heard the commotion and walked out of his room. Taking in the scene of utter devastation before him, he frowned deeply, a trace of imperceptible suspicion flashing in his eyes. He walked over to Young Master Xiao and asked in a deep voice, "What are you going crazy for, boy? Making such a huge racket and smashing up the house—what kind of behavior is that?"
Young Master Xiao slowly turned around to face Second Master Xiao, anger still flickering in his eyes. Through gritted teeth, he recounted everything that had happened with Ling Xiao today from start to finish. At the most emotional parts, his hands gestured wildly, as if he could vent the rage burning in his chest through sheer physical movement.
Second Master Xiao listened quietly, his expression growing increasingly grave. When Young Master Xiao finished, he let out a cold snort and said, "Hmph, so it's that punk who cured Elder Su on the road. It seems this kid's got some nerve, daring to try extortion on someone from the Xiao family. We can't just let him off the hook; we need to find a way to teach him a proper lesson."
Young Master Xiao urged anxiously, "Second Master, what do you suggest we do? I just can't swallow this anger!"
Second Master Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "It looks like we'll have to invite the underground emperor of Jiangnan Province to deal with this punk."
Hearing this, Young Master Xiao was startled and shivered as an urban legend long whispered about in Jiangnan City involuntarily surfaced in his mind—the underground emperor, Baili Ting, Master Bai. It was said that Master Bai possessed unfathomable strength, held sway over both the underworld and the legitimate world, and was suspected to be a legendary Martial Artist. In today's technologically advanced era, Martialists were like mysterious entities hiding in the dark, mastering ancient Cultivation Methods and martial techniques with power beyond ordinary imagination. Furthermore, the men under Master Bai were notoriously ferocious; rumor had it that every single one of them was a battle-hardened killer, and any random underling of his would put Brother Bao to shame.
With a hint of fear in his voice, Young Master Xiao asked, "The underground emperor? You don't mean... *that* person?"
Second Master Xiao nodded and said grimly, "That's right, him. Given our Xiao family's current strength, ordinary thugs would take a massive effort to sort this out. Master Bai commands immense influence and prestige in Jiangnan City. If he makes a move, then no matter how capable Ling Xiao is, he'll have no choice but to bow down."
A flash of delight appeared on Young Master Xiao's face. Knowing how formidable Master Bai was, he realized that Ling Xiao had finally kicked a steel plate. The frantic, beast-like demeanor he wore just moments ago instantly vanished, replaced once again by the air of a true Xiao family heir.
Meanwhile, back at his home, Lin Yu felt the hatred and jealousy in his heart surge endlessly like a mighty river. Sitting in his living room, he paced back and forth, frantically plotting how to exact revenge on Ling Xiao.
The more Lin Yu thought about it, the more he realized that completely crushing Ling Xiao would require much more powerful measures. He knew all too well that Ling Xiao's strength was extraordinary; relying on conventional means would never inflict any substantial damage.
Suddenly, a crazy idea flashed through his mind—buying a handgun to deal with Ling Xiao. Lin Yu felt that all the usual thugs and tactics were nothing more than a minor itch to Ling Xiao, and only firepower could pose a genuine threat. As a lethal weapon, once he struck, he believed Ling Xiao would have no choice but to surrender at gunpoint.
To bring this plan to fruition, Lin Yu began inquiring everywhere about a source for firearms. He knew that buying a handgun in Jiangnan City was illegal, but driven by his obsession, he no longer cared. He first tracked down some well-connected middlemen in the black market, using them to continually search for leads on a gun.
Along the way, Lin Yu encountered numerous setbacks and difficulties. Black market transactions were inherently risky and uncertain, and the supply channels for firearms were tangled and complex; the slightest misstep could easily draw the police's attention. Moreover, the exorbitant cost of purchasing a firearm gave Lin Yu a headache, but he gritted his teeth and resolved to scrape the money together by any means necessary.
To raise the funds for the handgun, Lin Yu began recklessly squandering his own assets while also borrowing money from friends and family. He fabricated all sorts of lies to trick them into supporting his so-called "project," and these unsuspecting people, taken in by his false sincerity, generously opened their wallets to help.
After a period of hard work, Lin Yu finally found a potential source for a handgun through black market channels. He handed the money he had prepared over to the middleman, waiting with bated breath to get his hands on the weapon so he could take down Ling Xiao in one fell swoop and stop him from lording it over Jiangnan City ever again.
Both the Xiao family and Lin Yu sank deeper and deeper into their respective schemes, and an even greater storm was about to break.