Wei Qiance looked at the two uninvited guests who had suddenly barged in, a shadow rising deep in his eyes.
Lu Zhan's relationship with Ning Chuan was better than he had surmised.
"Ch... chairman, we c... couldn't stop them!"
A group of black-clad bodyguards arrived, panting.
"You don't need to concern yourselves with this. Leave us and turn off the alarm!"
"Yes, sir!"
The alarm fell silent a few dozen seconds later.
Wei Qiance's face was cold as he demanded, "Director Lu, you barged into the Wei Financial Group's headquarters and kicked down our front door. Surely you owe us an explanation!"
He lacked the strength to stand against a Peak Knight on his own.
He had to invoke the Wei Financial Group.
"Here's your explanation."
Lu Zhan wasted no words and had Ning Chuan play the recording.
"Wei Qiance, what do you think would happen if this recording got out?"
Lu Zhan said with a chuckle.
Across from him, Wei Bohu's expression changed. "You can tell this recording is fake just by listening to it!" he snapped.
"Ning Chuan fabricated it as evidence to clear himself!"
Lu Zhan glanced at him, his gaze icy. "So you're saying that I, a Peak Knight, can't tell the difference between real and fake?"
Wei Bohu immediately began shaking like a leaf. "I... I... didn't mean that!" he said in a trembling voice.
"Then you're trying to frame me?"
Lu Zhan sneered.
Wei Bohu trembled even harder, drenched in sweat and unable to speak.
Wei Qiance quickly stepped sideways in front of his son and said to Lu Zhan, "He's just a child who doesn't know better. He misspoke, and I apologize on his behalf."
Then Wei Qiance turned to Ning Chuan, his gaze dark. "I really did underestimate you. You've got a few tricks up your sleeve!
"I, Wei Qiance, admit to what I said in the recording!
"You can state your demands!"
If Ning Chuan had been alone, Wei Qiance would have had countless ways to turn the recording into false evidence.
But with Lu Zhan stepping in, he could only admit it.
Ning Chuan lowered his eyes to the floor and said calmly, "Uncle Lu is handling this matter in full."
What a sly one!
Wei Qiance cursed inwardly.
Negotiating with Lu Zhan was obviously harder than negotiating with Ning Chuan.
"Director Lu?"
"Drop the theft charges," Lu Zhan said.
"Agreed. Delete the recording."
"Don't celebrate so soon. Shouldn't you compensate him for falsely accusing him?"
Wei Qiance narrowed his eyes. "I'll have the police department return those three vials of Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution to Ning Chuan. Consider that compensation."
Lu Zhan scoffed. "If the recording is worth so little, let's spread it around."
"Wait!"
Wei Qiance's face darkened.
The contents of the recording would seriously damage his reputation.
Although everyone in Qingshan City's upper circles knew he was no good, a reputation was a fig leaf he couldn't do without.
Besides, being outmaneuvered by a high school student was nothing to be proud of.
If word got out, he would most likely become a laughingstock for a while.
Those in the financial group who coveted the chairman's position would certainly seize the chance to attack him and question his ability.
One wrong move, and he might even lose his position!
At that thought, Wei Qiance said coldly, "How much do you want?"
Lu Zhan said calmly, "In the recording, didn't you say you'd pay twenty million for a spot in the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp? In that case, pay twenty million in compensation."
Ning Chuan's heart skipped a beat.
Uncle Lu really dared to name a price!
"Twenty million is impossible. I'm compensating a high school student, not a Knight like you. The board won't approve such a large sum!" Wei Qiance said, his face dark.
"That's your problem. It has nothing to do with me."
With his hands behind his back, Lu Zhan said casually, "If the twenty million hasn't arrived in half an hour, this recording will spread all over Qingshan City."
Wei Qiance gritted his teeth and shouted, "Lu Zhan, this is blackmail! My office has surveillance cameras. Don't push me too far!"
"Oh?"
Lu Zhan's expression didn't change. "That's right, I'm blackmailing you!
"And I won't use the Lu Family's influence!
"I'm blackmailing you all by myself!
"So what?
"What can you do about it?
"I'll give you half an hour. Do whatever you like: go to the law, use your connections, contact a killer. Anything.
"See if you can stop me, Lu Zhan!"
"You..."
Wei Qiance pointed at Lu Zhan, his face twisted, unable to speak.
Ning Chuan raised his head, his eyes rippling.
Wei Qiance was the chairman of a financial group, a major figure at the top of Qingshan City. A single word from him had nearly landed Ning Chuan in prison.
Yet a man like that seemed somewhat powerless before Lu Zhan now.
A certain amount of strength brought a certain amount of power.
Absolute strength was absolute power!
An ambition to grow stronger rose from the young man's heart like a spark.
For the first time, Ning Chuan wanted to grow stronger for its own sake.
Although Ning Chuan had trained hard before, he had always had other goals.
He wanted to get into a prestigious university.
He wanted to give Zhang Wensi a sound beating.
He wanted revenge, and so on.
Growing stronger had merely been a means for Ning Chuan to achieve his goals.
From now on, it was his goal.
"Twenty million is enough to hire killers to kill several Martial Artists. Is that the compensation you want, Ning Chuan?"
Wei Qiance's threatening words brought Ning Chuan back to his senses.
"No."
Ning Chuan shook his head.
Lu Zhan said nothing, but his expression tightened a little.
A smug smile appeared on Wei Qiance's face.
He was just a high school student.
Did he really dare choose money over his life?
The next moment.
Wei Qiance's smile froze.
Lu Zhan, however, raised the corners of his mouth.
Ning Chuan said seriously, "What I want is twenty million after tax. It's compensation, so surely you can't expect me to pay the tax myself."
The Federation's personal income tax wasn't low.
On twenty million, the tax would be at least seven or eight million.
Ning Chuan didn't want to lose such a huge sum for nothing.
"Heh, you've got quite an appetite. Aren't you afraid you'll bite off more than you can chew?"
Wei Qiance's voice was sinister.
Lu Zhan glanced at him. "You can make trouble for Ning Chuan. Any young person of his generation in the Wei Financial Group can go after him. They can even cripple him, and I won't interfere."
"But if Ning Chuan dies for no clear reason, you can wait to be buried with him."
Lu Zhan said this just as calmly.
There was no fluctuation in his emotions.
Nor did he release any killing intent.
Yet Wei Qiance felt thoroughly chilled. He took a deep breath and said firmly, "I'm not an ordinary citizen.
"I'm in charge of the Wei Financial Group, and I'm a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist!
"If you kill someone like me, you'll be sentenced to death too!"
Lu Zhan couldn't be bothered to argue. Looking at the clouds outside the window, he said, "You have twenty-seven minutes left. You can contact that old thing in your family who's already got one foot in the grave.
"Ask him whether a Knight can kill a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist without leaving a trace and avoid arrest by the Federation."
As soon as he finished speaking.
Wei Qiance's expression changed instantly. "Bank account number," he said at once.
"Don't forget to pay the tax for me!"
Ning Chuan reminded him after giving him the account number.
A few minutes later.
Buzz!
Ning Chuan's phone vibrated. A text from the bank notified him that twenty million had arrived.
"If there's nothing else, you two can leave!"
Wei Qiance said, his face dark.
The enormous compensation hadn't come from the financial group's accounts, but from his personal assets.
Even for him, it was a considerable financial blow.
Ning Chuan thought for a moment, then walked up to Wei Bohu and said mockingly, "You shameless thing. You couldn't bear to pay twenty million for it, but now you still have to give me the money, and for free, without getting the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp spot!"
Wei Bohu's face immediately flushed red.
But Lu Zhan was right beside them, and he didn't dare speak.
"Don't be afraid. Uncle Lu said you could come after me. Haven't you been looking forward to next Monday's monthly exam for a long time?"
Ning Chuan patted Wei Bohu's cheek, then turned and left.
A trace of cold menace flashed through his dark eyes.
Since he couldn't touch Wei Qiance yet.
He might as well collect some interest first!