The Chamber of Commerce's Show of Force!!

Han Qianshan smiled.

"You could say that."

At those words, Chen Guangmao and the others' hearts instantly rose into their throats.

But Han Qianshan continued.

"Rest assured, though."

"I'm not here to interfere."

"Since you've already made an agreement, proceed according to it."

"I'm only here to watch the show today."

Watch the show?

Chen Guangmao froze.

Ji Xiuneng also said calmly.

"Rest assured, we won't favor either side."

"As long as you don't violate Jiang City's laws or kill anyone, the City Lord's Office won't interfere."

Hearing this, Chen Guangmao and the others finally relaxed a little.

As long as they weren't here to back Lu Fang up.

Chen Guangmao immediately smiled.

"It's an honor for our Fangfang Chamber of Commerce to have the City Lord watch the battle."

"Please, take the seat of honor."

Han Qianshan nodded.

He entered the chamber of commerce headquarters with Ji Xiuneng.

Ji Xiuneng lowered his voice.

"City Lord, it seems they really don't know."

The corners of Han Qianshan's mouth lifted slightly.

"They'll know what they need to know in due course."

The Fangfang Chamber of Commerce headquarters was particularly lively that day.

Although the arranged battle hadn't been publicly advertised, practically everyone who ought to know within Jiang City's upper circles knew about it.

Something like this was enough to draw attention all on its own.

So many prominent figures in Jiang City chose to attend in person.

Before long.

The viewing hall at the chamber of commerce headquarters was filled with people from various circles.

Butler Jiang and Jiang Xia had come as well.

Both their eyes were filled with worry.

Even Wang Yixing had come.

He sat in a corner with a somewhat complicated expression.

Ever since his father had been swept into a spatial storm and presumed missing, the Wang Family's situation had begun deteriorating rapidly.

The people who had always treated his father with deference were now revealing their true colors one after another.

Their businesses were being encroached upon, their authority was being hollowed out, relatives were fighting over assets, and business partners were taking advantage of their misfortune.

Over the past few days, the pressure had nearly left him unable to breathe.

In a sense, his situation was very similar to Lu Fang's.

But there was a difference.

He didn't have Lu Fang's courage.

He didn't dare step forward and challenge everyone to a battle.

He could only maneuver passively, forced back little by little.

That was why he had come today.

He wanted to see whether someone in a similar situation could actually protect what his parents had left behind.

Wang Yixing clenched his fists and murmured.

"Lu Fang."

"Can you really do it?"

Conversations rose and fell throughout the viewing hall.

"Do you think Lu Fang will come today?"

"He's already signed the agreement. If he doesn't come, he forfeits."

"Even if he comes, what's the use? The Fangfang Chamber of Commerce has four level-200 class holders on its side."

"Young people are too impulsive."

"If he'd taken the legal route, he could at least have dragged things out."

"Insisting on settling it through combat-isn't that handing over the initiative?"

Some shook their heads.

"You can't quite put it that way."

"He's young. He's got some fight in him."

"His parents have only just gone missing, and the chamber's leadership is already forcing his hand. Who could put up with that?"

"I think the fact that he dared to step forward already makes him better than a lot of people."

"Courage is one thing. Results are another."

"In this world, strength has the final say."

"What a shame. Lu Tianxiong and Su Qingyu were so strong, yet their son is going to suffer a crushing loss today."

As Chen Guangmao listened to the surrounding discussions, his smile grew deeper.

Everyone thought Lu Fang would lose.

That would make their takeover of the Fangfang Chamber of Commerce all the more natural once Lu Fang was defeated.

Lin Man checked the time.

"It's almost time."

Chen Guangmao adjusted his cuffs and said calmly.

"Tell everyone to get ready."

"The moment Lu Fang arrives, unleash your auras as agreed."

A level-200 class holder beside him slowly opened his eyes.

"He's just a junior."

"Is such a grand display necessary?"

Chen Guangmao smiled.

"Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit."

The level-200 class holder nodded and closed his eyes again.

Just then.

Clear footsteps sounded outside the viewing hall's doors.

They weren't heavy.

Yet each step seemed to land on everyone's chest.

The noisy hall slowly fell silent.

Chen Guangmao and Lin Man looked up.

Butler Jiang and Jiang Xia both sat a little straighter.

Wang Yixing abruptly clenched his fists.

Han Qianshan and Ji Xiuneng exchanged a glance, a hint of amusement appearing in both their eyes.

Click.

The doors were pushed open.

A young figure appeared in the doorway.

Lu Fang had arrived.

He wore a simple black combat uniform, without any ostentatious equipment, and had brought no attendants.

He stood there alone.

Yet for some reason, the instant he appeared, the atmosphere throughout the hall changed.

It wasn't flamboyance or arrogance, but an utterly quiet confidence.

He was only eighteen.

He was facing the entire leadership of the Fangfang Chamber of Commerce and dozens of high-level class holders.

Yet as he stood there, he showed not the slightest fear or anxiety.

It was as though he hadn't come to a battle he was almost certain to lose.

But had merely come to reclaim what had belonged to him all along.

That composure sent a slight tremor through quite a few people's hearts.

"He really came."

"Alone?"

"He really has guts."

"That bearing... he certainly doesn't look like an ordinary young man."

"No wonder he dared challenge the chamber's leadership."

As Chen Guangmao looked at Lu Fang in the doorway, the corners of his mouth slowly curled upward.

"Young master."

"You're finally here."

Lu Fang didn't answer.

He merely raised his eyes and swept his gaze across the hall.

Finally, his gaze settled on Chen Guangmao and the others again.

"Is everyone here?"

Chen Guangmao's smile deepened.

"Everyone who should be here is here."

"After today, the future of the Fangfang Chamber of Commerce should finally be settled."

The moment he finished speaking.

The chamber's high-level class holders seated on either side opened their eyes almost simultaneously.

Boom!

Powerful auras abruptly erupted one after another.

The pressure of dozens of high-level class holders surged toward Lu Fang like a crushing tide.

The auras of the several level-200 class holders at the very front were especially heavy, like mountains.

The air instantly froze.

The hall's floor trembled faintly.

The spectators closer to them turned pale and instinctively retreated.

"Shameless!"

Someone couldn't help cursing under their breath.

"He hasn't even entered, and they're already pressuring him with their auras?"

"Isn't this blatantly trying to put him in his place?"

"They want to stop Lu Fang from even making it through the door!"

"That's vicious."

"If they force him to his knees right here, there'll be no need to fight the battle afterward."

Quite a few people looked at Lu Fang with growing sympathy.

Jiang Xia clenched her fists tightly, her eyes instantly reddening.

"How can they do this!"

"Brother Fang hasn't even entered, and they're already using such underhanded tricks!"

Butler Jiang said nothing.

He merely tightened his hand on Jiang Xia's shoulder.

His heart had likewise sunk to rock bottom.

"Young master..."

This was reality.

Before the arranged battle had even begun, the chamber's leadership had already made its move.

They didn't just want to win.

They also wanted Lu Fang to lose every shred of dignity in front of everyone.

If Lu Fang couldn't even walk into the hall, his supposed one-man challenge against the entire chamber of commerce would become an utter joke.