Chapter 280: Giant Whale Gang Leader

Zu An was momentarily stunned, wondering what was wrong with this person.

Chu Zhongtian reacted quicker, his figure flashing as he stepped between them. "Brother Wang, there's been a big misunderstanding about this," he said.

"What misunderstanding?" Wang Fu retorted angrily. "If he hadn't arranged to meet Yuanlong at the brothel, Yuanlong wouldn't have faced such a disaster!"

Zu An couldn't help but interject, "Brother Wang isn't dead yet. Isn't it a bit too ominous to be talking like this?"

Wang Fu was so enraged he nearly burst. "What kind of garbage are you spouting, you brat!"

Qin Wanru, standing nearby, suddenly felt a pang of schadenfreude. She was usually the one driven half-mad by this man's antics, but now, finally, there was someone else to share the burden.

Chu Zhongtian quickly restrained Wang Fu, offering a wry smile. "Brother Wang, let's discuss this inside. We don't want to become a public spectacle."

"Hmph," Wang Fu scoffed, brushing Chu Zhongtian's hand away. "You're not afraid of people laughing when you have such a man for a son-in-law, so why should I be afraid of a few laughs?"

Chu Zhongtian was speechless.

Qin Wanru was equally speechless.

Zu An also wore a speechless expression. It was akin to hitting someone in the face; such words were simply too much.

Just as he was about to retort, Chu Chuyan quickly pulled him back, signaling him not to act impulsively.

She then stepped forward and addressed Wang Fu, "Greetings, Uncle."

"Ah, Chuyan." Even though Wang Fu had been blunt with Chu Zhongtian just moments before, his tone softened instinctively upon seeing Chu Chuyan.

Zu An secretly curled his lips in disdain. *Men!* he thought.

"This matter actually can't be blamed on A'Zu," Chu Chuyan stated. "It was my idea to invite Yuanlong to the Immortal Abode."

"Your idea?" Wang Fu looked utterly shocked. It was difficult for him to connect such a dignified and aloof woman like Chu Chuyan with this kind of affair. He suspected she was merely trying to protect her husband.

"Yes, it was mainly a ruse to hide our intentions, to demonstrate the Chu family's goodwill, and to resolve the crisis between our two families..." Chu Chuyan lowered her voice and recounted the entire sequence of events.

Wang Fu's expression shifted erratically. "While your method is indeed clever and theoretically discreet, why did something happen to Yuanlong immediately after they parted ways? Could this be a scheme you orchestrated yourselves?"

Chu Chuyan explained, "Uncle, why would you think that? Twenty thousand taels of silver, while a considerable sum, is not a large amount for either the Chu or Wang families. Would we truly orchestrate such a complex plan for that small amount of money? Uncle, you must know who genuinely intends to divide and dismantle the alliance between our two families."

Wang Fu was startled. "Could it be Sang...?"

"I dare not speculate on that," Chu Chuyan said, shaking her head. "However, your son should be safe for now. He was abducted by Chen Xuan. Since the kidnapper didn't kill him on the spot but expended greater effort to take him away, it suggests they have a specific motive and will naturally not harm the hostage's life."

"Chen Xuan, the notorious, ruthless bandit!" Even though the analysis was perfectly logical, Wang Fu was consumed by worry, and the mere mention of Chen Xuan's name sent a chill through him.

He suddenly spun around and glared at Zu An. "It's all your fault! I heard that Chen Xuan was after you. He must have been tracking you, and that's how our Yuanlong stumbled upon him!"

Zu An was utterly speechless, feeling as if he'd been shot while lying down.

*Never mind,* he thought. *Given your concern for your son, I won't argue with you.*

At this point, Chu Zhongtian also spoke up. "Brother Wang, rest assured, our Chu family will do everything in our power to rescue Yuanlong."

"Fine, I'll give Brother Chu face today. But don't blame me for speaking plainly: if anything happens to Yuanlong, I'm not done with your Chu family!" Wang Fu snorted, then sullenly departed with his subordinates.

As she watched them leave, Qin Wanru

trembled with rage. "This is absolutely outrageous! Now, anyone dares to come to our Chu family and throw their weight around, making me feel like *they* are the ducal family."

Chu Zhongtian offered a wry smile. "My dear, why trouble yourself? You know our family's situation is dire right now, and the Wang family is one of our few remaining allies. We still need their assistance. Furthermore, it was their beloved son who met with misfortune, so a certain amount of emotional distress is understandable."

Qin Wanru snorted. "You're always so considerate of others, but when do others ever show you the same consideration?"

Chu Zhongtian stated in a low voice, "My kindness towards others doesn't come with an expectation of reciprocity. I simply aim to have a clear conscience."

Qin Wanru realized her words had been a bit harsh. She took his hand and said apologetically, "Husband, you truly are a good man."

Zu An, standing nearby, rolled his eyes. An old couple like them, still flaunting their affection? Perhaps he and Chuyan should follow suit.

However, when he looked at Chu Chuyan, her brows were tightly furrowed, clearly deep in thought about how to resolve the situation. "If we fail to rescue Wang Yuanlong this time, the alliance between our Chu and Wang families will be irrevocably broken. Oh, if only I had known, I shouldn't have gone to all this trouble; I should have just sent the silver directly to the Wang family."

Zu An quickly comforted her. "How can you be blamed for this? No one ever knows what tomorrow will bring, or if an accident will arrive first."

"Unfortunately, my physical condition prevents me from investigating Wang Yuanlong's whereabouts," Chu Chuyan said, biting her lip. While Zu An's treatments had allowed her to manage daily life, using her primal energy would very likely aggravate her injuries.

Having been accustomed to strength since childhood, her current weakness made her deeply uncomfortable.

"Don't worry," Zu An said. "Leave the investigation to me. I'll make sure to bring Wang Yuanlong back."

"How do you plan to investigate?" Chu Chuyan asked, still a little uneasy.

Zu An replied, "I'll start by investigating the Plum Blossom Gang's various properties throughout the city. I believe Chen Xuan is likely hiding in one of them."

"Alright, be careful," Chu Chuyan cautioned. "Take plenty of guards with you."

Zu An let out a hearty laugh. "With such a beautiful wife waiting for me at home, I certainly can't afford to let anything happen to me."

Chu Chuyan blushed and playfully spat, "Pfft, you're incorrigible."

After leaving the Chu estate, Zu An headed straight for the academy to find Jiang Luofu. Since she had intended for him to act as her proxy in taking over the Plum Blossom Gang's assets, she surely would have already investigated the details of their various properties. With her guidance, his search would undoubtedly be much more efficient.

While Zu An was searching for Chen Xuan's whereabouts, Chen Xuan himself appeared on a lake island in the city's outskirts.

He was surrounded by a large group of burly, knife-wielding men.

Chen Xuan stood calmly in the center. "I've come to see your gang leader. Is this how the Giant Whale Gang treats its guests?"

"Insolent! Our gang leader isn't someone you can just demand to see!"

"How did you even discover this was the Giant Whale Gang's base?"

"With so many patrols on the island, how did you manage to get here undetected?"

Hearing the barrage of questions, Chen Xuan chuckled. "If the authorities can't find your Giant Whale Gang, do you think *I*, Chen Xuan, wouldn't be able to?"

"Chen Xuan?"

"The Black Wind Bandit!"

In the vicinity of Bright Moon City, Chen Xuan's name was legendary, enough to stop children from crying at night.

The men, initially fierce, took several nervous steps back upon learning his identity.

"Our Giant Whale Gang and your Black Wind Stronghold have always kept to our own affairs," one of them said. "What brings you here?"

A slightly bolder subordinate leader asked, steeling himself.

Chen Xuan spread his hands open before them. "Rest assured, I, Chen, am not here to kill today. I've come to discuss a business proposition with your gang leader."

"Since Chief Chen operates in these circles, he should know our gang leader never receives visitors," the subordinate leader replied.

Chen Xuan smiled faintly. "I've always heard that the Giant Whale Gang's leader is exceedingly mysterious, like a dragon whose head is seen but not its tail. No one has ever truly seen your leader. Some say the Giant Whale Gang leader is a breathtaking beauty, others claim it's a hunched old man, and still others describe a burly, wild man with the back of a tiger and the waist of a bear. Today, I'm quite keen to see what your leader actually looks like."

"Are you implying you intend to force your way in?" The expressions of the Giant Whale Gang members darkened, and they tightened their grips on their knives.

"Do you truly believe you can stop me from going where I wish?" Chen Xuan scoffed, an arrogant aura radiating from him.

The Giant Whale Gang members were no match for him. One by one, they instantly found it difficult to breathe, instinctively recoiling.

Only a handful with decent strength managed to stubbornly hold their positions.

"Let him in." At that moment, a soft, ethereal voice suddenly echoed from a distance.

The voice was clearly deliberately disguised, making it impossible to discern if it belonged to a man or a woman.

Despite the unusual command, the Giant Whale Gang members offered no objection. They respectfully dispersed to either side, opening a path.

Chen Xuan chuckled softly and walked straight through.

He walked until he reached a house, where two large doors opened automatically before him.

Chen Xuan, emboldened by his exceptional skill, did not hesitate and walked directly inside.

"Speaking of mystery, Chief Chen of Black Wind Stronghold is no less enigmatic than I am, yet you've recently been making various public appearances. Why is that?" a figure spoke from behind a screen.

"One must naturally show sincerity when coming to meet the gang leader," Chen Xuan replied with a faint smile. "I simply didn't expect the renowned leader of the Giant Whale Gang to be a woman."

"Oh? And how are you so certain I'm a woman?" the figure behind the screen inquired with surprise.

"I possess a unique ability: I'm incredibly sensitive to a woman's presence. I don't need to see; merely by sensing the air around me, I can tell that the leader is a woman – and a very beautiful one at that." A fervent look entered Chen Xuan's eyes. He had come intending to make a deal, but this was an unexpected bonus.

A soft chuckle emanated from behind the screen. The voice was no longer deliberately disguised; it was indeed a woman's, as tender as a nightingale's song and as smooth as a porcelain cup brimming with tea.

"I didn't realize Chief Chen possessed such an extraordinary ability," the woman chuckled lightly. "In that case, my identity being discovered isn't truly a disadvantage. Speaking of which, Chief's luck is quite remarkable. I usually don't reside on this island; had it not been for some particular events today, you likely wouldn't have been able to meet me."

Chen Xuan let out a hearty laugh. "I've always been a fortunate man."

"To remain free and unfettered despite the combined efforts of Duke Mingyue and the City Lord to suppress you, your luck is indeed undeniable," the woman remarked with a sigh.

"And the same could be said for you, Miss," Chen Xuan replied. "One might even say we share a similar fate." He was growing increasingly curious about her appearance; such a pleasant voice truly piqued his interest.

In normal circumstances, he wouldn't hesitate to rush forward, lift the screen, and see for himself.

However, the Giant Whale Gang had been thriving in recent years, making him uncertain of their leader's true strength and hesitant to act too presumptuously.

So he pulled over a stool and sat down, intending to assess the situation before proceeding.

The woman evidently had little interest in small talk. She cut straight to the chase: "Chief, since you insisted on seeing me, what is your purpose?"

Chen Xuan said in a low voice, "I've come to discuss a business deal with the gang leader."