"Just a little friction..."

In fact, some people are indeed very well-informed, and their reactions are especially quick.

It was probably Fatty Yuan's act of "calling the police" at that time, especially the few harsh words he said to the Special Office in a fit of anger, that eventually reached the ears of some people and triggered something crucial.

The other party's reaction was surprisingly fast.

Almost immediately, just two or three days later, a seemingly ordinary invitation was delivered directly to him.

The key point is that this invitation was not delivered through any private channels, but rather through the official channels of the Special Office.

And so, openly and honestly, "Old Qu," who had just sent him a note not long ago, came to his door again and handed it to him in person.

The old acquaintance's face was filled with helplessness and embarrassment, as if he were being roasted over a fire. In the end, he could only say, "Someone above me made the arrangements, insisting that I make this trip myself," and then he turned and left in a hurry without saying another word.

That's very interesting.

I sensed something subtle in the matter, especially after opening it and confirming the reason for the invitation—it was simply that someone wanted to step in and "mediate."

Looking at this "invitation," which on the surface doesn't mention anyone other than oneself, yet subtly hints at the inclusion of another person, one is struck by its apparent omission.

After much deliberation, and even after staring at the invitation for ages, Boss Yuan sighed and finally dialed Li Yun's number.

He wasn't blind, so of course he could see that the other party's seemingly amiable and polite words and attitude were less about being intimidated by his 180-pound frame and giving him some face, and more about giving face to the person "behind him".

This matter ultimately cannot be separated from the "real person" involved.

So when Li Yun came in, he saw the fat boss holding an invitation card in his hand, looking at it back and forth with an uncertain expression. He took the invitation card without opening it, but just glanced at Fatty Yuan.

"----What, a trap?"

Li Yun's question was concise and to the point.

"No, it shouldn't be that bad—" Upon hearing this, Fatty Yuan was also taken aback, then gave a wry smile, "But the wine isn't good, and the food isn't good either, so perhaps that counts."

He sighed again, and a genuine sense of shame, rarely seen on his chubby face, appeared.

"I'm sorry to say, Boss Li, but I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to accompany me on this trip later."

"Can."

The guest agreed quite readily, seemingly not taking it too seriously. "Old Yuan, you're quite cunning, but you're a decent person. Helping you with this small favor is no problem."

"But you should know that if I go with you, you and your entire family fortune will basically be labeled as belonging to me in other people's eyes."

Just to be on the safe side, he kindly reminded this acquaintance.

After all this, the way the other party addressed him as "Boss Li" was probably no longer just a polite formality.

To everyone's surprise, the fat man waved his hand dismissively, seemingly unconcerned. "Look at what you're saying! When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs rise to heaven. To be able to serve someone like you and earn a living is an opportunity that many people would kill for."

He took it all in stride, his open and honest demeanor showing no sign of resentment at being "subordinate to others."

Seeing this, Li Yun simply smiled and didn't offer any further advice.

The next day, as agreed, at the place on the invitation, which was also within the territory of the Special Office in the city, the two invited guests met in an elegant room. At the tea table inside, they met the so-called "mediators".

This middle-aged man, who was also led there by a staff member, looked to be around forty years old, with his hair neatly combed.

Gou was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and his smile was very warm.

Several other people, both men and women, stood beside him, including a few with dark skin, presumably bodyguards or similar figures. They remained silent throughout, standing like guests and hosts.

However, when they first met, Fatty Yuan looked around and could not see the slightest bit of the expected charlatanism in this middle-aged man.

But as the saying goes, a true expert's skill is immediately apparent.

Without putting on airs at all, the man with the gold-rimmed glasses stood up as soon as the two entered, greeted them with a smile, and extended his hand from afar.

"This must be Boss Yuan. It's a pleasure to meet you. My surname is Liu, Liu Weiming. I apologize for the intrusion in inviting you here today."

After saying that, he naturally glanced at Li Yun, who remained calm to the side, but did not ask any questions. He simply smiled and nodded as if to acknowledge her.

One doesn't hit a smiling face, so Yuan Zhengxin reflexively put on a smile, warmly shaking hands with Mr. Liu and saying, "Mr. Liu, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

From an outsider's perspective, this fat man's current demeanor is a far cry from his fiery temper of a few days ago. He's now a shrewd and amiable businessman who makes money through affability.

After introducing themselves and exchanging pleasantries, the host and guests took their seats.

Instead of having the waiter do it, Liu Weiming personally rolled up his sleeves and meticulously demonstrated the intricate art of tea ceremony. His movements were fluid and graceful, a feast for the eyes. Only then did he personally serve two cups of golden, clear tea to Fatty Yuan and Li Yun respectively.

"Authentic Mount Wuyi Da Hong Pao tea is hard to find outside. Boss Yuan, this gentleman, please." He politely gestured.

In this situation, there is naturally no need to worry about the other party poisoning them.

Fatty Yuan picked up the jade-colored teacup, which was barely bigger than his thumb, sniffed it, praised it as "good tea," and then drank it all in one gulp.

The young man beside him, however, didn't react much. He didn't even glance at the teacup in front of him, but instead looked with interest at the person serving the tea, and even at the surrounding environment.

After setting down his teacup, Fatty Yuan didn't rush to speak. He simply stared at Mr. Liu across from him with a smile, his small eyes narrowed.

No need to say more.

Liu Weiming had clearly anticipated the tone of this meeting. Seeing the situation, he naturally didn't bother with beating around the bush. He put the purple clay teapot back on the tea table and looked quite serious.

"Boss Yuan, the main reason I've invited you here today is to address the unpleasant incident that happened during a mission a few days ago involving some of our less-than-sensible brothers. There's probably been some misunderstanding, so it's best to clear things up."

He spoke first, but his tone was slightly off. He observed the expressions of the two people opposite him before continuing.

"As the saying goes, it's better to resolve conflicts than to let them fester. This kind of thing benefits neither of us; on the contrary, it makes us a laughingstock, making others think that we, who are destined for great things, are too short-sighted."

Liu Weiming sighed and began to explain, "We're all in the same boat, and to be honest, all this back and forth is just a waste of energy, letting others benefit. So today, I'll be an uninvited mediator. Let's all be open-minded and see how we can get this over with. What do you say?"

Hearing this, Fatty Yuan revealed a somewhat forced smile. "Very well. I wonder, with Mr. Liu's insightful opinion, how do you plan to handle this matter?"

The other party had clearly prepared a plan beforehand.

"I dare not presume to offer such a high opinion. Regarding the three men under your command who unfortunately perished, we will provide substantial compensation to their families. Among those who had previous conflicts with you, several reside within the province and are willing to wear mourning clothes and kowtow three times and nine times to apologize before your spirit tablets. What do you think of this arrangement?"

It must be said that the conditions Mr. Liu is offering sound quite sincere.

But it happened to fall into Fatty Yuan's ears, and it made him inexplicably angry.

So-called hefty compensation? And wearing mourning clothes?! And a damn apology at the coffin?!?

Do you think I can't afford those hundreds of thousands or millions in compensation?! What the hell is the point of taking a few more stinking coins from a dead person, or having a few living people fake-wail a few times? Can all this empty rhetoric really be worth a few lives?

With a slight twitch of his face, the smile that was already not genuine gradually turned cold.

From the perspective of ordinary people and common sense, this approach seems to have taken both face and substance into account, and it sounds quite plausible.

However, from the perspective of users whose ordinary currencies have gradually lost much of their significance, upon closer examination, the other party had no intention of "bleeding" at all when it came to the lives of several Main God User, let alone any attitude of sacrificing money to avoid disaster.

That's utter nonsense!

Is it simply a matter of looking down on someone, or is it an overconfidence stemming from their large and powerful family, making them feel safe and fearless, believing that they can easily get away with this paltry bureaucratic formality?

Various thoughts raced through his mind, but regardless, Yuan Zhengxin could already sense the condescending "sincerity" in the other party's very opening remarks.

A cold laugh followed.

He didn't rush to speak, nor did he have the usual business mentality of "asking for an exorbitant price and then haggling" or "negotiating further if the price wasn't satisfactory." This fat man, who had always been proactive in handling social interactions, was now silent, only turning his gaze to the figure who had come with him.

Seemingly noticing his gaze, Li also turned his head and glanced at Boss Yuan.

The guest, who had remained silent until now, almost unnoticed, showed no reaction. He simply raised his hand, flicked his finger, and sent the teacup in front of him flying!

This sudden turn of events happened incredibly fast!

Even though the people standing behind Liu Weiming saw this casual action and instinctively wanted to stop him, it was to no avail.

Before this indifferent young guest, a sense of awe and shock instantly arose, causing a momentary delay in action—no more, no less, just a hair's breadth too late.

In the end, he could only helplessly reach out and freeze in mid-air, watching as the cup and water splattered all over Mr. Liu's face, which had been adorned with a reserved smile just moments before, leaving his face covered in grime!

"Don't waste everyone's time. Let the person in charge talk. You're not qualified."

He casually tossed out that sentence.

Li, showing no courtesy whatsoever, got up to leave. But among the few people behind him who only just realized what was happening, one roared and leaped over the table, shouting, "Stop!"

In the blink of an eye, a significant and rapid change occurred in their forms.

A bald man, his muscles taut, stared at the guy whose suit was practically bursting at the seams. He clearly wasn't going to let the guy in front of him get away with splashing tea on his family member's face in public.

"Don't want!"

Before anyone could stop him, they saw him pounce like a cheetah, suddenly extending his claws to grab the shoulder of the person in front of him!

A powerful and heavy blow! The engorged and throbbing fingers swept through the air, already producing a distinct whistling sound!

This bald man was clearly a ruthless character who had faced life and death many times in the Mission World and had blood on his hands. When he made a move, he didn't stop at just sparring and testing; he used his real skills!

Even from an observer's perspective, one can instantly feel that suffocating pressure rushing towards them!

But the human figure in front of him was even faster, like a petrel in the blink of an eye. Almost instantly, it turned into an extremely long afterimage, suddenly flipping over in mid-air and spinning as if defying the principles of physics!

Just as the wheel of life turned and returned to its stable position with its head and feet on the ground, this foot, precisely and accurately, landed on the broad shoulder of the man who had attacked!

"Snap!"

The seemingly light kick caused the bald man to suddenly tilt and sink halfway, accompanied by the teeth-grinding sound of bones cracking!

"Ugh."

With a muffled groan, he collapsed heavily to the ground, his body rolling uncontrollably several times before finally coming to a stop after knocking over several heavy mahogany chairs.

He then collapsed to the ground, convulsing violently, and suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood!

Such injuries, which are clearly not limited to the shoulder but extend to the neck and internal organs between the ribs, are not something that can be overcome by willpower alone!

In the blink of an eye, such a sudden commotion occurred in just one or two breaths!

To be honest, many people around were stunned!

Staring at the figure that had quietly landed on the ground, some of them almost reflexively reached into their clothes, but then immediately realized what was happening and stopped themselves in time!

However, there was a dark-skinned African woman who, without saying a word, glanced at the unmoved man in front of her with a glint in her eyes, which seemed to be shrouded in dust.

As if sensing something, she turned around slowly but quickly, but the other person only glanced at her briefly, their expression completely unmoved.

Only in those eyes did a slight light also appear!

An invisible wave suddenly surged forth, and with every hair on their body trembling, almost everyone clearly felt the "wind" flowing past them—no, two winds!

In the blink of an eye, that substantial effect had already taken hold of everything within sight.

Without warning, the small purple clay teapot that had been standing steadily amidst the charcoal fire on the table suddenly shattered and broke apart!

Large swirls of tea water surged into boiling steam, along with flying fragments, large pieces of tea leaves in the spoon, dust, and even the shattered porcelain of the cups, all seemingly manipulated by an invisible force, falling from the air towards the dark-skinned woman!

The sheer disparity in strength between these Divinity is so obvious that it's immediately apparent!

"Third Tier Psychokinesis, still not proficient at concentrating power into a single point----"

Amidst the screams and curses of those scalded by boiling water, cut by shards, and scrambling to get away.

Only the few stunned service staff and Fatty Yuan remained unharmed, and they could even vaguely hear a casual voice coming from within the rising white mist.

That flat tone made it seem as if he were commenting on a dish of appetizers that had just been served, rather than as if his every move had almost rendered two living people incapacitated.

At this point, with such a commotion, even the blind and deaf outside should have noticed!

Without needing to say much, once the situation was clear and safety was confirmed, the staff member who quickly and carefully pushed open the door to enter, seeing that most of the guests had already lain down and the floor and tea tables were in a mess, immediately understood what had happened.

After carefully confirming that the two important guests standing did not require any medical or cleaning services.

Without delay, faced with the unconscious individuals on the ground whose injuries ranged from minor to severe, as if they had been grazed by blades, whose skin was scalded by steam, and whose bodies were even strangely "curled up" on one side, these people had no choice but to quickly begin emergency treatment and call for ambulances.

There was no intention to interfere with their normal work.

He casually brushed the dust off his clothes.

After stepping outside, amidst the somewhat chaotic flow of people coming and going, Li Yun calmly turned around and nodded to another figure peeking out from not far down the corridor.

The dark circles under the other person's eyes seemed even deeper than before.

That was Qian Yisheng.

This familiar face, busy with official duties, could only nod and smile wryly in acknowledgment towards Li.