From rejecting the beautiful female CEO to becoming extremely powerful

Lu Yunzhou picked up the agreement: island, mine, overseas company, several anonymous accounts—each item was incredibly valuable.

The heavier the stakes, the more it indicates that it should not be touched.

Bai Wantang pulled out the restraint belt from her waist, pressed Qiao Wan down, and tied her hands behind her back.

The strap tightened, causing Qiao Wan's shoulder to ache. Her forehead slammed against the floor, and she finally couldn't hold on any longer.

"The assets are yours. Huo Lie won't pursue the matter, and the overseas parties won't cause you any trouble."

Lu Yunzhou crumpled the agreement into a ball and threw it back in front of her.

"I asked about the poison in Huo Chengyuan's body. You tried to shut me up with money, which only proves that you're afraid I'll investigate further."

Qiao Wan gritted her teeth and remained silent.

Bai Wantang tightened the restraints by one more strap, causing Qiao Wan's breathing to become erratic as her arms were pulled tightly against her back.

Ye Zhiwei stood guard by the door, her hands resting on her waist.

"She's stalling for time."

Lu Yunzhou looked at the clock; seventeen minutes had passed since Bai Wantang received the call.

If there were foreign aid, they should have arrived long ago.

She's left here, and all she has left is her mouth to fight for her life.

Lu Yunzhou squatted down in front of Qiao Wan and unfolded the crumpled agreement.

"I'll give you three sentences to say clearly, or I'll send you back to Huo Lie."

Qiao Wan stared at the agreement, her gaze shifting away several times.

Once the investigation into Huo Chengyuan's poisoning is completed, Huo Lie will not let her live.

"I can tell you who poisoned me."

"explain."

Lu Yunzhou grabbed her shoulder with one hand.

Qiao Wan hesitated for a few seconds, then squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth.

"I put the medicine in there."

Bai Wantang twisted her wrist, causing the restraints to dig into her flesh, making Qiao Wan's shoulders pull backward in pain.

"There were two things mixed in that bottle of medicine. It would first trigger the old symptoms, and then a few days later, it would worsen the toxicity."

"You want to kill Huo Chengyuan?"

"I want Huo Lie to lose control."

Qiao Wan's face turned pale, and she spoke faster.

"With Huo Chengyuan dead, Huo Lie will hold the Seven Seats accountable. If Tiger Soul Hall makes the first move, the Seven Seats will be thrown into chaos."

Lu Yunzhou stared at her.

"Whom do you really intend to harm?"

Qiao Wan closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, her gaze passed over Lu Yunzhou and landed on the doorway.

"Ninth Master".

The only sound in the room was the low hum of the air conditioner.

Bai Wantang's hand stopped on the restraints.

Lu Yunzhou had already realized that someone was instigating infighting among the seven seats, but once that name was uttered, the matter was no longer just a power struggle between different factions.

"What's your name?"

"Qiao Wan is a fake."

She looked at the agreement on the ground, her throat dry.

"My name is Ji Yun."

Lu Yunzhou had no recollection of the name, but he had heard of the Sheng Anji family massacre.

Ten years ago, a truck loaded with building materials crashed into the Ji family warehouse, and the fire burned all night, killing all of the Ji family members.

The case file states that the driver was driving while fatigued, the vehicle went out of control, and flammable materials were stored in the warehouse in violation of regulations.

The case was closed so quickly that no one followed up on it.

"Was that accident caused by Ninth Master?"

Ji Yun nodded, her eyes reddening.

"The Ji family managed the port's accounts, which recorded smuggled goods, underground funds, and the money that the seven families took from the port every year."

"Ninth Master wanted the account books and also wanted the Ji family to shut up. He bribed the driver to change the surveillance footage, and after the truck crashed into the warehouse, he had all the exits blocked."

Her throat bobbed, and her breathing became shorter and shorter.

"None of the people inside escaped."

Bai Wantang loosened the restraints by half a step and instead pressed them against the back of her neck.

Where were you at the time?

Studying in another city.

Ji Yun pressed herself against the ground, her palms slowly curling up.

"That night I received a call from home saying that my father wanted me to return to Sheng'an immediately. By the time I arrived, the fire had already burned out."

"I stood outside the police line and watched them carry the bodies out. My parents, brother, sister-in-law, and my one-year-old nephew were all inside."

The air from the air conditioner swept across the floor, blowing open a corner of the crumpled agreement to reveal a string of anonymous accounts.

"I investigated for two years before I finally found out about Ninth Master, but I couldn't even get close to the people around him."

Ji Yun raised her face, sweat mingling with the bloodstains on her forehead as it streamed down.

"I had no choice but to change my name and identity, and climb step by step to get to Huo Lie's side."

"You got close to Huo Lie just for this day?"

"He controls the port. If he goes crazy, the seven seats will definitely tear each other apart. If Ninth Master wants to keep his position, he has to get rid of Huo Lie first."

Ten years of accumulated hatred were buried deep in her eyes.

"I've waited ten years for this opportunity."

Lu Yunzhou stood up and picked up the medicine bottle from the table.

"What's going on between Huo Lie and Pei Zhongting?"

Ji Yun did not answer.

Bai Wantang pulled her up from the ground and pressed her back into the chair.

"explain."

"They turned against each other a long time ago."

Ji Yun stared at the medicine bottle, her shoulders tense.

"Huo Lie wanted the port revenue, and Pei Zhongting wanted Ninth Master's succession seat. The two sides had clashed several times in private, but Ninth Master suppressed them all."

"So you used Huo Chengyuan's life to force Huo Lie to take action, and then dragged Pei Zhongting into it."

Ji Yun pursed her lips, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"Only when the seven seats are in disarray will Ninth Master reveal his weakness."

Lu Yunzhou put the medicine bottle back on the table and walked over to her.

"Where are the ledgers?"

Ji Yun kept her mouth shut, refusing to say another word.

Bai Wantang grabbed the restraints, but Ji Yun raised her chin.

"I can't give you the account books."

"Hand over the account books, and I'll help you kill Ninth Master. You might still have a chance to live."

"You can't kill him."

Ji Yun stared at Lu Yunzhou.

"Once the account books appear, everything left in the Ji family will be wiped out, and I won't be the only one to die then."

Lu Yunzhou pinched her chin, forcing her to look up.

"You have two days: trade the ledgers for your life, or die with the secret."

Ji Yun did not answer.

There was only an iron chair and a few old wooden boxes in the underground storage room. Bai Wantang tied her to the chair and bound her hands and feet tightly.

Just as the goalkeeper closed the door, Ji Yun suddenly spoke.

"You really dare to touch Ninth Master?"

Lu Yunzhou held the door open.

"I'll settle the debt he owes the Ji family for you."

The door lock is engaged.

Ji Yun looked down at the restraints on her wrists, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Only one old light was on in the storage room.

Ji Yun was tied to an iron chair, her wrists bearing red marks from the pressure.

She looked up at Lu Yunzhou, her face still bearing the dust that had been rubbed off when Bai Wantang had pinned her down.

"Give me a way to survive, and I'll go back to the Huo family in your place."

Her voice was soft, and she spoke very quickly.

Lu Yunzhou stopped by the door, not answering immediately.

Ye Zhiwei leaned against the wall, her hands pressed against her waist, her gaze falling on Ji Yun.

Bai Wantang stood beside the iron chair, holding the restraint straps in her hand. As long as Lu Yunzhou nodded, she could immediately tighten Ji Yun's bindings even further.

"You still want to go back?"

Lu Yunzhou took two steps closer.

Ji Yun raised her chin: "I was the one who poisoned Huo Chengyuan, and I know the Huo family pharmacy inside and out best. Now, only I can get close to Huo Lie."

"When you get back, Huo Lie will kill you first."

That's why I came to find you.

Ji Yun's throat moved slightly, her wrists aching from the restraints, but she still didn't avoid Lu Yunzhou's gaze.

Lu Yunzhou reached out and picked up the medicine bottle on the table, pouring the powder inside into his palm.

The powder fell onto the paper, turning yellowish in color and having a slightly bitter taste.

"You want me to give you the antidote?"

"I want to live and find out the truth about the Ji family."

Ji Yun gritted her teeth and said, "Ninth Master ruined my whole family, I can't die at the hands of the Huo family."