Li Chonglou realized that things had deviated significantly from his initial assumptions.
"Patriarch, if possible, I hope you can tell me the current situation. You understand my meaning; even for Xiao Ke's sake, I cannot..."
"Forget it. You should leave for now. Leave your contact information, and I'll find you if needed. Don't worry, the compensation will be generous."
The old man was already ushering him out, his attitude unexpected as it contrasted with Li Chonglou's initial impressions. There had to be a variable he was unaware of!
Li Chonglou quickly grasped the core of the problem but refrained from voicing it, instead shifting the topic.
"Patriarch, if our cooperation talks fall through, I have another request: I'd like to see Xiao Ke."
At this moment, the man in white was approaching them. Upon hearing Li Chonglou's words, he paused.
"Xiao Ke, you don't need to worry. She's my granddaughter, after all. I won't let anything happen to her. Besides, you seem overly concerned about her."
The old man's eyes flickered, much like Yu Qing's earlier. Li Chonglou understood the implication and said with a wry smile, "Xiao Ke and I are friends, and she's my employee."
The elder waved a hand. "Don't tell me that. Anyone with eyes can see it's not just because of that."
Yue Hai suddenly interjected, "Brother Li, do you and Xiao Ke have some kind of secret?"
An awkward silence suddenly filled the room.
Li Chonglou rolled his eyes and finally turned to the elder. "Patriarch, I know you have good intentions, but you wouldn't want the Yu family to end up like this. Therefore, I still wish to see Yu Ke, if possible."
Li Chonglou paused here, and the elder's expression turned grim. What did his words imply? It was a direct accusation of his powerlessness. As the patriarch, the elder considered his restraint from anger a sign of great magnanimity.
However, Li Chonglou's next statement caused him even greater discomfort.
"I also want to bring Yu Ke back to the company. You know how complicated things are here, and Yu Ke can't offer much help. It would be better for her to return to my company, where she'd at least be safe."
The elder's expression darkened considerably. "Are you saying I can't even protect my own granddaughter?"
Li Chonglou smiled faintly. "Patriarch, sometimes it's important to face reality. I understand your intentions, but if you truly had the capability, Yu Ke wouldn't have been tricked into returning with a fabricated excuse about attending a gathering."
Li Chonglou's expression turned serious at this point. "Of course, if this was your plan, Patriarch, I would expect an explanation. If not, then doesn't this clearly highlight the problem?"
"Presumptuous!"
The man in white was the first to react. He couldn't possibly miss the sarcastic undertones of the remark. As his roar echoed, the other hidden experts no longer concealed their presence.
A total of four masters, including the man in white, positioned themselves in three directions, blocking all escape routes for the pair.
The atmosphere grew tense once more. However, this time, Li Chonglou chose not to back down.
"Patriarch, I genuinely wish to help your Yu family. As for the reasons, I've stated them clearly: it's for Yu Ke. You can disbelieve me, but that's my conviction."
"Therefore, I must see Yu Ke. If she herself doesn't want to leave, I will respect her choice. But if someone intends to force her to stay with the Yu family..."
At this point, Yue Hai understood the implication and immediately released his aura. However, at level three, he was still no match for two level four experts and two level three experts.
The elder sneered, "So your confidence stems from him?"
The elder's tone carried a hint of mockery, as if Li Chonglou's action was overestimating his own strength and showing disrespect.
Yue Hai secretly swallowed, still unaware of any internal energy circulation from Li Chonglou. At this distance, if a fight were to break out, it would be instantaneous. Was there still time?
However, Li Chonglou, the main protagonist, remained unfazed, even displaying a cold smile. "Patriarch, there's no need for bluffing here. Even if I forcibly take her away today, you wouldn't dare to make a move."
"Wouldn't dare?"
As the man in white spoke, he suddenly vanished. Yue Hai's expression changed drastically. Since he still hadn't sensed any intention from Li Chonglou to make a move, he could only brace himself and meet the challenge.
"Stop!"
Yue Hai and the man in white halted almost simultaneously. To everyone's surprise, the one who issued the command was the elder! Of course, Li Chonglou was not among those surprised.
"Patriarch, what is this?"
The man in white was utterly bewildered. The provocation had reached such a level, why wasn't he allowing them to act?
The patriarch's face was ashen. He said sternly, "You, retreat."
The man in white found it difficult to accept but complied and stepped aside. The other three exchanged glances before melting back into the darkness.
The elder then fixed his gaze on Li Chonglou and asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll destroy everything in a desperate act?"
Li Chonglou retracted his cold smile and replied calmly, "I'm not afraid, because I have no ill will towards your Yu family. Aside from misunderstandings, I can't think of any reason for you to resort to a desperate measure."
Crucially, the misunderstandings between them had largely dissipated; all that remained was the elder's prejudice.
At this moment, everyone in the grand hall, except for the two of them, was utterly perplexed.
"Bai Sha, take him to see Xiao Ke."
With that, the elder rose to his feet.
Although the man in white seemed hesitant, he ultimately did not refuse.
A minute later, the two followed Bai Sha out of the luxurious villa.
Li Chonglou looked at the bewildered figure in front of him and spoke first, "You probably don't understand why he didn't dare to let you make a move."
Bai Sha immediately stopped and turned to stare intently at Li Chonglou. "The Patriarch doesn't *not dare*, he simply *doesn't want to*!"
Seeing this, Yue Hai stepped forward to shield Li Chonglou. Although there was a significant gap in their strength, Yue Hai harbored an unyielding spirit.
Li Chonglou didn't argue with him, continuing, "That's because he knows I have support behind me. If you kill me now, or instigate any conflict, you'll not only have to account for the immediate losses but also prepare for retaliation from my side."
"Do you think you have the resources to endure that, given your current numbers?"
Li Chonglou's words hit home. Yue Hai and Bai Sha were both stunned, then realization dawned upon them.
Bai Sha's expression shifted several times, but he ultimately remained silent.