The heavy solid wood door was tightly shut, preventing even the slightest sound. The air conditioner in the corner circulated at a constant temperature, and the breeze it emitted carried a chill, mingling with the calm atmosphere of the wooden tables and leather furniture. The entire room was so quiet that only the light touch of pens on paper and deliberately hushed whispers could be heard.
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Ling Chi always hated being late, and even more so, he feared someone smoking and breaking the rules in the meeting room.
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Therefore, today, several of the old hall masters, who were usually slow to notice and always had a cigarette in their hand during meetings, all arrived half an hour early, their cigarettes tightly pressed down in their pockets, not daring to even take them out, for fear of accidentally running into the new chairman's line of fire.
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The leaders of the various departments within the gang took their seats in order of seniority. There were elders with gray beards who had followed the old chairman in his battles, and middle-aged hall masters who had risen through the ranks based on their military achievements and political maneuvering. The solemnity of the previous handover ceremony lingered, but now Ling Jun's gaze, fixed on his chest, held a mixture of scrutiny, probing, and a barely perceptible hint of resentment.
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Ling Jun sat alone in the main seat.
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The jade dragon pendant around his neck was hidden in the collar of his black shirt, only occasionally gleaming with a deep, dark light. His posture was ramrod straight, his hands clasped on the edge of the table. His face remained expressionless, but the aura emanating from him was more chilling and heavy than any cold air, like a weight of black iron pressing on everyone's hearts, immobilizing them.
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A Zheng stood half a step to his side, impeccably dressed in a suit, his expression supportive.
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He knew better than anyone that the chairman had just taken over the gang, his foundation not yet firmly established, and the older generation of leaders were likely resentful.
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In recent years, Ling Jun had served as vice-chairman, responsible for carrying out missions and cleaning up messes, rarely displaying his skills in public.
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In most people's eyes, Mo Ge was probably just a ruthless and decisive top leader, at best a competent deputy, completely unworthy of holding the position in the Xi Yue Gang.
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The meeting had barely begun when the bald man third from the right coughed lightly, breaking the silence.
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This man was Chen Jiu, the leader of the East Hall. He had followed the old leader for over twenty years, his seniority surpassing most others, and he always held himself in high esteem. In his view, the position of leader should have been his for the rest of his life; how could it have fallen into the hands of a young man in his early thirties? The old leader must have lost his mind.
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He tapped the table casually with his fingers, a slight smile playing on his lips:
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"Leader, yesterday you said that today Xi Yue only recognizes rules, not personal relationships. You sounded quite angry, but the brothers in the gang have their livelihoods at stake. Can they survive on rules alone?"
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Ling Lan raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over him indifferently, without replying.
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Seeing his silence, Chen Jiu grew bolder. He leaned forward slightly, his provocation undisguised:
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"Everyone follows Xi Yue, risking their lives for the good life, not to be bound by rigid rules. Your youthful vigor and decisiveness are good, but if the rules are too rigid, the subordinates will resent it, and chaos will ensue. I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it."
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His words implied that he was too young to command, even carrying a hint of threat.
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The entire conference room fell silent.
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Some people lowered their heads, holding teacups, concealing the amusement in their eyes; some exchanged glances, intending to sit back and watch the drama unfold; a few more with more mature minds, knowing Chen Jiu was using this as an opportunity to stir up trouble, secretly breaking out in a cold sweat.
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Ling Zhong's brows furrowed deeply.
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Not with anger, but with simple, utterly annoyed impatience.
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As the vice president, A-Zheng sensed the sudden tension and knew something was wrong. He wanted to control the situation and warn Chen Jiu to be polite, giving Jun-ge a way out. After all, bloodshed so soon after taking office probably wasn't a good thing.
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But before he could even open his mouth, a cold, emotionless gaze had already ended his life.
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It was Chi-ge.
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...
A-Zheng sighed softly in his heart.
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Something bad was about to happen.
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Having followed Brother Qing for so many years, A-Zheng knew the president's temper well. When Brother Qing was this calm, it meant he was truly fed up. No amount of persuasion would work. If he said anything more, he would only get punished himself.
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Ling Mu withdrew his gaze and returned it to Chen Jiu. His voice was low and cold, containing only three words:
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"You are very clear-headed."
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Light as the wind, yet chilling to the bone.
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Chen Jiu's face stiffened. He was shocked by Ling Chi's ruthless treatment and was about to say something to smooth things over when Ling Chi's lips curled into a faint, dangerous smile.
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It wasn't kindness; it was contempt, as if looking at an ant.
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"Dare to openly provoke the president at the Xi Yue meeting," he said slowly, a hint of amusement in his voice, "You've got guts."
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Chen Jiu's heart skipped a beat, a chill running down his spine.
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He finally realized that this young man wasn't as good as the president thought. He quickly composed himself, managing to soften his tone with a few words: "President, I didn't mean that, I just..."
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Before he could finish,
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Ling Chi finally moved.
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No one saw what happened,
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only a crisp, heavy sound echoed in the air—
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"Slap—!"
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A slap landed hard on Chen Jiu's face.
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Chen Jiu was thrown to his side by the blow, blood instantly seeping from the corner of his mouth. Half his face swelled up visibly, his ears ringing, unable to utter a sound.
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The conference room fell into a deathly silence.
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All the hall masters froze in their seats, forgetting even to hold their breath.
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No one had expected Ling Mo to act so decisively, showing no regard for seniority or dignity.
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Ling Jun withdrew his hand, his clean, steady hand with its distinct knuckles, as if he had merely swatted away a bothersome fly. His expression was calm, his tone even:
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"Insubordination, this is the price."
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He then turned to A Zheng:
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"Take him away, handle it as assistance."
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"Yes, Chairman."
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The guards outside immediately entered, one on each side, and lifted the terrified Chen Jiu. Half his face was swollen, seemingly showing slight fear and regret, but he dared not resist in the slightest, being forcibly dragged out of the conference room.
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The moment the door closed, the room temperature dropped several degrees. Ling finally sat back down in the main seat, his gaze quickly sweeping across the entire area.
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It was himself.
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Finally, someone spoke, their voice carrying an unmistakable terror:
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"The Chairman's actions are decisive; we are all convinced."
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Another senior hall master echoed him hastily, his palms already soaked with cold sweat:
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"Chen Jiu showed no respect for his elders, and his subordinates violated the rules; he deserved to be punished. From now on, we will strictly abide by the rules of Xi Yue, and dare not disobey them in the slightest."
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With one person taking the lead, the others followed suit. The previous disdain, probing, and defiance were now completely washed away by fear.
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"We are willing to obey the Chairman's orders and abide by the rules!"
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"From now on, everything in each hall will be under the Chairman's command!"
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"We have no disloyal intentions!"
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The hall masters, some of whom were unaware of the situation and harbored their own dissatisfaction, felt a tremor and a sense of relief.
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They finally understood that the ruthlessness of Ling Chi was never just verbal threats, but a firm and decisive iron fist that could draw blood. His lack of display of skill didn't mean he was weak; his taciturn nature didn't mean he was easy to bully.
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Some secretly rejoiced that they hadn't joined Chen Jiu in causing trouble, otherwise they would be the ones in the same predicament.
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Others finally understood why the old chairman insisted on passing the leadership to him—these young men possessed ruthlessness, strength, and the power to maintain order within the entire Xi Yue Gang.
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Ling Mo listened to the crowd's reactions, his expression unchanged, but his voice grew even deeper:
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"The rules are here."
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"Those who obey, stay."
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"Those who defy, Chen Jiu will suffer the same fate."
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Those who spoke shattered their last shred of hope.
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He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, the rhythm slow, yet each tap resonated deep within everyone's hearts:
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"The old chairman was kind and forgiving, showing leniency to those who had wronged him. But I am different."
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"My rules are ironclad."
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"From today onward, each hall's accounts will be submitted weekly, and all actions will be requested three days in advance. No unauthorized use of internal resources is permitted. Violators will have their seniority and merits revoked, and will be severely punished according to the rules."
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The expressions of several old hall leaders changed slightly, but no one dared to voice their opposition.
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They knew that this meant the power that had been dispersed was now completely concentrated in the chairman's hands.
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Ling Zhong observed all the reactions, but didn't expose them, only adding a casual remark:
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"Those who abide by the rules will be treated unfairly by Xi Yue. Those who refuse to abide by them…"
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He didn't finish his sentence, but the unspoken meaning was more chilling than any threat.
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The subsequent meeting ended in extreme tension. Ling's final rule, a new regulation, had been brewing for a season filled with unsettling tensions. The hall masters were silent, some occasionally wiping cold sweat from their brows.
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Finally, Ling stood up and uttered two words:
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"Meeting adjourned."
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Everyone snapped out of their daze almost simultaneously and rose to their feet.
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He turned and left, Ah Zheng following closely behind.
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The meeting room door closed for a long time, yet everyone remained staring at each other, their eyes filled with the same tremor and fear.
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This slap wasn't just for Chen Jiu.
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It was for all those with ulterior motives, for the entire Xi Yue Gang.
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From this day forward, the old era ended.
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Ling belonged to the coming era of ironclad rules; it had officially begun.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw11BEar86s
and then Add to home screen.