"Mr. Yang, you weren't joking just now, were you?"

"What?"

Yang Yi frowned slightly.

Seeing Yang Yi's reaction, Xu Shaotian quickly forced a smile. "I mean, this business of taking over the Zhou Group—it doesn't seem very reliable to me."

Despite his words, Xu Shaotian's excited expression clearly showed his anticipation.

Yang Yi scoffed. "So you're saying you don't want to take over?"

"No, no, how could that be? Of course I want to!" Xu Shaotian replied eagerly, making his intentions clear.

Such a good opportunity—if he hadn't met Yang Yi today, Xu Shaotian wouldn't have dared to even dream of it.

And if it really happened, he knew he'd be following this powerful man from then on, reaping countless benefits.

But before he could indulge further in his daydreams, Yang Yi's cold voice interrupted, "Before that, I have something to ask you."

At this point, Xu Shaotian had nothing to say. He quickly plastered on a smile and said, "Mr. Yang, please ask. I promise to answer everything truthfully!"

Yang Yi looked directly at him and asked, "What did Zhou Feng instruct you to do more than two years ago?"

Xu Shaotian froze for a moment, then as if suddenly realizing something, his face instantly changed. He even shuffled backward a bit, looking at Yang Yi with a terrified expression.

He remembered now—more than two years ago, Zhou Feng had instructed him to target a little girl!

Over time, he thought he had forgotten about it. But being reminded of it now, he suddenly recalled everything.

Xu Shaotian forced a smile more painful than crying and said dryly, "Mr. Yang, what do you mean by that? I don’t understand."

As he spoke, he kept his eyes locked on Yang Yi’s face, trying to gauge his expression. He had a very bad feeling—this visit from Yang Yi wasn't going to end well for him.

Yang Yi’s voice remained indifferent as he continued, "You don’t understand? Then do you know how Zhou Wanyou and Zhou Feng died?"

Boom!

This sentence struck Xu Shaotian like a thunderclap. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Yang Yi, completely stunned, unable to move.

Opposite him, Yang Yi looked on indifferently, smoking a cigarette, clearly amused by Xu Shaotian's terror.

"Mr. Yang, you know?"

Unconsciously, Xu Shaotian had started using honorifics. His throat was dry, and cold sweat was beginning to form on his forehead.

Yang Yi chuckled, exhaling a puff of smoke, and said calmly, "Who else could it be but me?"

"Please, stop joking!"

Xu Shaotian jumped up in shock, taking a few steps back, his face twisted in fear.

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He couldn’t believe that Yang Yi was the one who had wiped out fifty or so people and killed the Zhou family father and son—how could that be possible?

But Yang Yi had just admitted it!

Realizing this, Xu Shaotian lost any last shred of hope. His voice became shrill and panicked as he shouted, "Someone, help! Somebody, save me!"

His voice was tinged with desperation, but it was no use. If Yang Yi really was the killer, how ruthless must he be? Xu Shaotian knew he was no match.

But no matter how he screamed, the door remained firmly closed. No one came in.

Xu Shaotian felt his entire body go weak, but he still stumbled to his feet, trying to run. He didn’t want to die!

Yet as soon as he turned, he felt a sharp pain in his leg, and he collapsed to the ground, kneeling.

"Help, help me! Don’t kill me, don’t kill me!" Xu Shaotian screamed, crawling frantically toward the door, too terrified to get up.

But did he forget where he was? The outside was filled with loud music and noise, and the room itself was soundproof. His cries were futile.

Moreover, Shadow One was standing guard at the door, exuding an aura that warned people to stay away. Even if someone passed by, they would avoid the room.

And indeed, outside, no one heard his desperate pleas.

"You’re really noisy." Yang Yi stood up, his gaze cold as he looked at the pitiful Xu Shaotian on the ground. "Killing trash like you with a single stab would be too easy."

With that, he approached Xu Shaotian, and with a single step on his back, pinned him to the ground, rendering him immobile.

"Spare me! I was forced to do it, please, spare me!" Xu Shaotian was utterly terrified. This man had killed the Zhou family father and son, and Xu knew threats would be useless now. He could only beg for mercy.

Yang Yi coldly looked at him and said, "Spare you? Forced? Did the people you harmed beg you for mercy when you tormented them? I’m sure they did."

Hearing this, Xu Shaotian’s pupils contracted, and he began to tremble uncontrollably.

Yang Yi crouched down, looking at the pathetic figure before him, and gritted his teeth. "Do you know who the father of the little girl Zhou Feng had you torment is?"

Xu Shaotian’s eyes widened as he stared at Yang Yi. In that moment, he finally understood why Yang Yi had come after him!

And in that moment, he lost all hope. He fought back the terror in his heart, his gaze turning venomous as he spat, "It’s you! I don’t care who you are—I’m the eldest son of the Xu family. If you so much as touch a hair on my head, my family will slaughter yours!"

"Heh… the ignorant are fearless."

Yang Yi sneered. "But the Zhou father and son said something similar before they died. Well, they’ve gone ahead—why don’t you join them on the road to the afterlife?"

Xu Shaotian’s eyes filled with terror, and he stammered, "Wh-what are you going to do?"

"What am I going to do? I’m going to let you taste what it’s like to be poisoned, of course. You like poisoning people, don’t you? Let’s see how you like it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a syringe filled with red liquid appeared in Yang Yi's hand.

"No! Help, help me!" Xu Shaotian screamed in terror, struggling violently.

But Yang Yi didn’t waste words. He pressed down harder with his foot, forcing Xu Shaotian back to the ground. In the next moment, Xu Shaotian felt a sharp pain in his arm and turned in horror to see Yang Yi injecting the liquid.

"What is this? You bastard, I won’t let you get away with this! What did you inject me with?" Xu Shaotian screamed, now on the brink of collapse.

It didn’t take much to guess that whatever Yang Yi injected wasn’t good, and Xu Shaotian became even more terrified.

"Something that’ll send you to the afterlife. You like poisoning people, right? So I thought I’d let you experience what it feels like. How does it feel—enjoying it?"

Yang Yi smiled faintly.

Xu Shaotian clutched his arm, his face filled with despair as he looked at Yang Yi. Tears and snot ran down his face as he screamed, "Damn you, damn you! I won’t let you get away with this, you bastard!"

Bang!

Yang Yi kicked Xu Shaotian in the head, knocking him out cold.

Yang Yi gave Xu Shaotian one last contemptuous look before lighting another cigarette and taking a deep drag.

"I’m tired of listening to your nonsense."