Chapter 306: Spring Breeze at Eighteen Degrees

"What do you mean by that, Master Chen?" Zheng Dan's face darkened. Such a demand was utterly outrageous, and she couldn't help but wonder why he would propose it.

Chen Xuan burst out laughing. "It means exactly what it says," he replied. "Just by looking at your figure, Madam Gang Leader, you're already an alluring woman. So I've always been curious about the peerless beauty hidden beneath your veil."

"Master Chen, I treated you as a guest, but you've shown extreme ingratitude," Zheng Dan declared, now thoroughly enraged. "From today onward, all previous agreements between the Giant Whale Gang and Black Wind Fortress are null and void! Guards, escort him out!"

She even considered using her home advantage to kill him on the spot, but after long hesitation, she decided against it. After all, Chen Xuan's cultivation was too high; he had lived freely and easily for years despite being besieged by various masters, and she didn't know what other trump cards he might possess.

Since she wasn't confident she could keep him here, she would just have to expel him from the island.

She was even getting a headache worrying about what if this guy became utterly enraged and came to cause trouble on the island every few days.

However, the strange silence around her immediately brought her back to reality. She instinctively sat up straight, looking at Liu Chan, who was seated below her. "Steward, didn't you hear what I said?"

Liu Chan chuckled. "Of course I heard," he said. "It's just that we're also curious what the Gang Leader looks like beneath her veil."

Zheng Dan's pupils contracted. She finally understood why she had felt an odd sense of unease ever since arriving on the island. These men had apparently been harboring ill intentions.

Ya Xiao, who had returned with Zheng Dan, suddenly slapped the table. "Liu, what do you mean by this?" he roared. "How dare you be disrespectful to the Gang Leader?"

"Don't get so worked up, Ya Xiao," Liu Chan sneered. "Everyone knows you admire the Gang Leader. But after being her lackey for so many years, have you ever seen her face?"

"This..." Ya Xiao's breath hitched. He had indeed not seen it. To be honest, this fact always made him feel a pang of sadness.

"Blindly fawning will ultimately get you nowhere," Liu Chan laughed heartily. "You might as well join us in pulling off a big score. You'll naturally get your share then."

"Shut up!" Ya Xiao trembled all over. He simply couldn't stand the other man insulting the goddess in his heart.

At this moment, Zheng Dan spoke. "Liu Chan, I believe I have treated you all well. Why would you betray me?"

"Not bad?" Liu Chan scoffed. "Objectively speaking, you have indeed treated us well. But you're a woman after all, and you're only on the island for a few days a month. Even when you are here, you always wear a veil. It's already absurd enough to have a woman as Gang Leader, but then you made yourself so mysterious. Which of the brothers below isn't suspicious and paranoid? Many are worried you might sell us out without us ever knowing."

"Just because of that?" Zheng Dan frowned. She knew that being absent from the headquarters for long periods could easily lead to a loss of control over her subordinates. However, as the eldest daughter of the Zheng family, she couldn't stay on the island long-term.

So, this problem had no solution.

She had tried to mitigate this influence in many ways, using a combination of kindness and strictness. She believed the results were quite good. Little did she know, reality had just delivered a harsh slap to her face.

"Of course, it's not just that," Liu Chan continued. "Over the years, our illicit salt business has been getting better and better. But for some reason, Gang Leader, you've been deliberately controlling our shipment volume. To refuse to make money when it's available only shows that you women are simply too timid. It's fine if you're too timid, but blocking the path to wealth for so many brothers is unacceptable. Since that's the case, we'll just replace you with someone more capable as the leader."

"What do you know?" Zheng Dan retorted furiously, but unfortunately, she couldn't finish her sentence. "That's because... because..."

Some reasons simply couldn't be stated.

Her purpose in establishing the Giant Whale Gang was primarily to generate income for the Zheng family. However, as the Zheng family was officially licensed salt merchants, they couldn't act recklessly.

Moreover, the Sang family controlled the River Defense Camp. If the illicit salt smuggling became too excessive, would they intervene or not?

Only in the last two years, when the Sang family began to deal with the Chu family, did they start relaxing the shipment volume.

But Sang Hong was, after all, a prefect of the imperial court, and he couldn't make things too obvious. So the shipment volume was never maximized.

All these reasons led to the current situation. But could they be spoken aloud?

The various stewards of the Giant Whale Gang secretly sneered, assuming she was speechless.

At this moment, Chen Xuan spoke. "Gang Leader Zheng, you don't need to be angry. Honestly, it's quite tiring for a woman to show her face in public. From now on, you can be my 'Lady of the Fortress'. You'll have everything you desire, and these people will still be your subordinates. Not just them, even those from Black Wind Fortress will respectfully call you 'Big Sister-in-law'. It'll be many times more prestigious than your current position."

"You want me to be your 'Lady of the Fortress'?" Zheng Dan spat, her tone filled with disdain. "A toad trying to eat swan meat!"

She came from a wealthy and influential family, and her fiancé's family was that of a prefect of a large commandery. With such an illustrious background, how could she ever fancy a bandit from the underworld?

No matter how great Chen Xuan's reputation, he was nothing more than a bandit leader.

Sooner or later, he would be suppressed and killed by the authorities.

"Toad..." Chen Xuan's expression turned cold, and his tone changed. "You, Zheng! Who do you think you are? My offer for you to be my 'Lady of the Fortress' is already an immense blessing for you. Otherwise, once the drug takes effect, after I'm done with you, I'll throw you to these subordinates of yours to have their turn. I imagine they'd be very interested in 'serving' their former boss."

The group led by Liu Chan, each and every one of them, looked at her with burning desire.

On normal days, this beautiful Gang Leader was high above them, shrouded in various mysteries. Which man on this island hadn't fantasized about pressing her down and ravaging her in the dead of night?

Before, they could only dream. But today, they truly had the chance to get intimate with her.

"Drug? What drug!" Zheng Dan's heart sank.

Chen Xuan couldn't help but smile. "I'm always cautious in my actions," he said. "Although I don't believe your cultivation is higher than mine, you are, after all, the Gang Leader. Worried you might have some special abilities, I specifically had them put some medicine in your tea just now."

Even when Zheng Dan learned of her subordinates' betrayal, she hadn't panicked much. But now, her face truly changed completely. She abruptly looked at the teacup from earlier.

How could she have expected to be drugged by her own people on her own territory?

She hurriedly tried to circulate her internal energy to expel the poison. Chen Xuan, who was standing nearby, shook his head. "It's useless," he said. "This drug of mine is called 'Eighteen Degrees of Spring Breeze'. Its effect is quite peculiar. While others experience spring breeze 'once', after being struck by this drug, one must pass through it eighteen times before the poison can be completely resolved. Otherwise, you'll be consumed by desire, and your body will explode and you'll die."

After saying this, he paused and added, "To be honest, I'm not even sure if I have the stamina for eighteen times in one night. But luckily, you still have these subordinates to help out, hahaha!"

"Shameless!" Zheng Dan was both mortified and enraged. She found she couldn't expel the poison at all, and her body was getting hotter and hotter. She simply decided to attack Chen Xuan directly, intending to fight him to the death before the drug fully took effect.

It's not that I look down on you, but everyone present here is trash!

If I were to truly let you help Zheng Dan resolve this poison, I doubt any of you would have the ability!

Honestly, would you?