First Destroy Their Economy, Then Let Them Be Crushed in Despair

Ye Wudao's fists creaked as he listened to Li Huai, his aura erupting in a sudden surge.

"Boom..."

The powerful psychic force sent the wine glasses and bottles in the tavern tumbling in every direction.

The glasses closest to him shattered instantly, unable to withstand the pressure of his spirit.

In a heartbeat, the entire tavern was reduced to a scene of utter wreckage.

Li Huai stared at Ye Wudao, his eyes widening in shock.

"A... a Grandmaster Realm?"

His hands trembled, and his voice shook along with them.

He had never imagined that the young man before him was actually a Grandmaster Realm expert.

He had investigated Ye Wudao and knew he was Ye Zhenshan's illegitimate son, only just turned eighteen when he was framed by Ye Zhenshan and sent to prison.

Including the three months in the detention center and the eight-plus months in prison, even by the most generous count, Ye Wudao was still more than ten days shy of his nineteenth birthday.

An eighteen-year-old Grandmaster Realm expert—what kind of monster was this?

Qin Tianlong had instructed him that after Ye Wudao was released, he was to follow all of Ye Wudao's arrangements.

He had assumed Ye Wudao was merely a successor Qin Tianlong had scouted in prison.

Now, it seemed Qin Tianlong viewed Ye Wudao as the savior of the Azure Dragon Gang.

With a Grandmaster Realm expert, wouldn't dealing with a few minor families in Sea City be as easy as reaching out to take something?

At that moment, only one thought filled his mind: the Azure Dragon Gang was going to rise again, and the gang's vengeance would finally be served!

Recalling his wife and child who had died in that great battle ten years ago, his eyes began to redden.

Zhang Family! Someone has come to collect your debt!

Ye Wudao looked at Li Huai, his tone icy. "Gather everyone you can."

"Tonight, we move against the Ye Family and the Li Family."

"The strongest person in the Ye Family is Ye Haipeng, a peak Houtian Realm cultivator. I have only one task for you: tonight, do not let a single person from the Ye Family escape—not even a dog!"

"Once I've dealt with the Ye Family, you will follow me to handle the Li Family!"

Li Huai nodded. "Rest assured, we have Houtian Realm experts of our own; holding back the rest of the Ye Family won't be a problem."

"Although the Azure Dragon Gang has fallen, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Dealing with a single Ye Family is well within our capabilities."

"However, should we contact the Demon Slayer Garrison?"

"The Public Security Bureau doesn't interfere in martial arts affairs, but the Demon Slayer Garrison does."

"If they decide to intervene, we will be in a very passive position."

"Sea City just replaced its Demon Slayer Garrison commander last month; he is a master at the early stage of the Grandmaster Realm."

Ye Wudao shook his head, pulled a Gold Demon Slayer badge from his pocket, and placed it on the front desk. "No need! Take this badge to the Demon Slayer Garrison."

"Just tell them that I am handling some business at the Ye Family and the Li Family tonight!"

Li Huai looked at the gold badge on the table, his eyes widening once more.

"A... a Gold Demon Slayer badge?"

He picked up the badge cautiously, verifying its authenticity.

When he saw the [009] engraved on the back, he knew it was real.

No one dared to joke around with a Demon Slayer badge, especially a Gold one.

Previously, there were only eight people in the entire Blue Star Federation who possessed a Gold Demon Slayer badge.

The first six were Demon Slayer Garrison commanders, and the other two were peak Grandmaster Realm experts who had been promoted later.

Today, he realized there was one more person who held such a badge.

He knew that Qin Tianlong had spent ten years in prison specifically aiming for this Gold Demon Slayer badge.

Ten years had passed, and Qin Tianlong still hadn't obtained one.

Yet now, an eighteen-year-old youth appeared holding it—how could he not be shocked?

He carefully tucked the Gold Demon Slayer badge away and nodded heavily. "Understood!"

He knew that if Ye Wudao lost this, he could simply go get another.

But if he lost it on his watch, it would be no laughing matter; the Demon Slayer Garrison would investigate his ancestors back eighteen generations.

In a sense, this Gold Demon Slayer badge represented the Gold Demon Slayer himself.

With this badge, one could accomplish many things.

Ye Wudao looked at Li Huai, his eyes narrowing slightly as he said in a deep voice, "How much money do you have on hand right now?"

Li Huai was stunned by the question and asked in return, "Are you planning to launch a financial war against the Ye and Li families?"

Having learned that Ye Wudao was a Grandmaster Realm expert, he had begun using honorifics when addressing him.

Ye Wudao nodded. "Let them first experience the despair of having their economy destroyed, then tonight, we will crush them completely."

Li Huai nodded and replied, "You can rest assured on that point. Although the Azure Dragon Gang lost back then, we only lost our territory; our assets did not suffer much damage."

"Long before the Zhang Family made a move against us, I had already transferred all of the Azure Dragon Gang's assets."

"Over these years, I have used the Azure Dragon Gang's assets to make several investments, expanding our holdings tenfold."

"If it comes to a financial war, all the families in Haicheng City combined wouldn't be enough to take me on."

Ye Wudao raised an eyebrow. Ten years, and he had increased the Azure Dragon Gang's assets tenfold?

The Azure Dragon Gang was once the largest faction in Haicheng City, overshadowing all other sects and families.

The assets of the Azure Dragon Gang back then were already estimated to be an astronomical figure, and they had increased tenfold since.

This Li Huai's ability to make money was truly extraordinary!

It seemed that Li Huai's position as the strategist of the Azure Dragon Gang relied not on combat power, but on his brain.

He narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Good! In today's financial market, I want to see the Ye Family and the Li Family wailing in misery."

Li Huai nodded. "A piece of cake!"

Ye Wudao gave a slight nod and walked toward the entrance of the tavern. As he walked, he said, "I have a small matter to attend to. You go about your business; we'll meet here at seven tonight!"

"Oh, right! Send the information of the officer who handled my mother's case back then to my phone."

With that, he walked straight out of the Dragon Chant Tavern.

After stepping out of Flower Street, he hailed a taxi and said in a calm tone, "Driver, take me to the Sunshine Orphanage in Haicheng City!"

The taxi driver paused for a moment and asked, "Which Sunshine Orphanage are you going to?"

Ye Wudao had just pulled out his phone to check the identity of the officer who handled his mother's car accident case. Hearing this, he was also taken aback and asked in return, "Are there several Sunshine Orphanages in Haicheng City?"

The taxi driver shrugged. "There used to be only one, but a new one opened ten months ago."

"However, the two aren't far apart; they're only a few streets away."

"See if you want to go to the old one or the newly opened one."

Ye Wudao frowned. Ten months ago?

Wasn't that right around the time he was thrown into the detention center?

A thought flashed through his mind, but he shook his head, muttering to himself: I hope not!

He then told the taxi driver, "Take me to the original one!"

The taxi driver nodded and said softly, "You must be a child from the old orphanage, right?"

"I heard that there are no children left at the old orphanage now; they've all moved to the new one."

"Still, it's good to go and see the old place. I heard it's about to be demolished!"

"See it while you still can!"

Having said that, he stepped on the gas, and the taxi headed in the direction of the Sunshine Orphanage.

Ye Wudao pursed his lips and did not ask further.

Some things required him to investigate personally before he could draw a conclusion.

Rumors were always unreliable!

He pulled out his phone and began to review the document Li Huai had sent him.

The document contained the information of the officer who had closed his mother's case back then.

"Liu Jin, Deputy Chief of the Haicheng City Public Security Bureau!"

"It seems the Ye Family and the Li Family gave you quite a few benefits for handling my mother's case back then, didn't they?"

He looked at the information in the document and whispered to himself.

According to the records, this man named Liu Jin was only a deputy team leader in a local branch thirteen years ago.

Ever since he handled his mother's case, Liu Jin had been promoted once every three years on average, rising all the way to the position of Deputy Chief of the main bureau.

In this world where martial arts were supreme, for Liu Jin, a Houtian Realm martial artist, to reach the position of Deputy Chief was enough to explain a great deal.

If he didn't have someone backing him, he wouldn't even have been able to get into the main bureau!

He pursed his lips and memorized the name Liu Jin. Once he finished dealing with the orphanage matter, he planned to find this Liu Jin and get to the bottom of what exactly happened back then.