Just as I was facing overwhelming odds with my single-handed charge into the encirclement, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the door.
Soon, a distinguished middle-aged man, flanked by numerous bodyguards, barged in directly from outside the heavily guarded entrance.
Upon entering, the imposing middle-aged man, with considerable presence, immediately cupped his hands with a smile towards Ying Baolin and said, "Long time no see, Boss Ying. How have you been lately?"
"Oh! Isn't this Boss Hua Liang? What wind blows you here?" Ying Baolin responded with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
It was likely that he knew very well that Hua Liang, standing before him, was certainly not here with good intentions.
Hearing this, Hua Liang first chuckled dismissively, then looked at Ying Baolin and said meaningfully, "It's precisely the wind from Boss Ying!"
The moment his words fell, Ying Baolin's expression turned cold as he asked, "What do you mean?"
Without answering Ying Baolin's question immediately, Hua Liang strode forward, unreservedly, and stood beside me. He then looked at Ying Baolin and said with a smile, "This young man named Chen Xiang is an old friend of mine!"
"I wonder if Boss Ying, for my sake, could let him go for now?"
Hua Liang's words not only caused Ying Baolin's eyebrows to twitch uncontrollably but also delivered a tremendous shock to my own psyche as the person involved.
Who was Hua Liang? Was his arrival related to me? When did I become his old friend?
Just as these lingering questions surged through my mind, suddenly...
Among the crowd following Hua Liang, a face, though unfamiliar, yet somewhat recognizable, caught my eye.
After a moment of recollection, I vividly recalled the scene when I met with Fan Yixin, where a person dressed as a waiter had suddenly rushed in to deliver a message.
It was him!
It seemed that Hua Liang was most likely the cavalry called upon by Fan Yixin.
Furthermore, she had likely accurately guessed my intention to go alone, fearing I might not return, and thus brought reinforcements.
Both being old acquaintances of Uncle Tuo, and both facing the de facto emperor of the entire Wenzhou underground casino, when I found myself in peril...
Yun Jin and Fan Yixin had given two entirely different responses.
The former discarded me like a worn-out shoe, while the latter made every effort to rescue me.
On this point alone, the difference was stark!
...
While I was contemplating this internally, Ying Baolin on the other side had already entered into a complete standoff with Hua Liang...
After exhaling a large puff of cigar smoke, Ying Baolin replied heavily, "I'm sorry, Boss Hua! I'm afraid I have to apologize!"
"This kid Chen Xiang, unaware of the immensity of heaven and earth, dared to ruin my important affairs!"
"If anyone can just ask for his release, and I let him go, wouldn't the other peers in the Wenzhou region laugh at me, Ying, as being all brawn and no brain, a pushover?"
Hearing this, the smile on Hua Liang's face faded somewhat, and he asked in a deep voice, "So, Boss Ying is not going to give me face?"
"Heh heh~" Ying Baolin replied with a noncommittal smile, his face cold, "Face is always earned, not sought from others!"
Seeing Hua Liang open his mouth to retort, Ying Baolin quickly interrupted him, "Boss Hua, if you had come for another matter, I would have gladly obliged with a favor, but..."
"This matter concerns my reputation, Ying. We are all adults who run around in the business world."
"For adults, I don't need to elaborate on how important face is, do I?"
"To be honest, the thing I hate most in my life is when others ruin my good deeds!"
"So, Boss Hua, I'll have to ask you to leave!"
Upon hearing this, Hua Liang's entire face turned unpleasant.
As for me, the person involved, I felt a great deal of fear and confusion.
Logically speaking, Hua Liang's entourage was no smaller than Ying Baolin's.
If even this couldn't make Ying Baolin back down, then tonight...
I was surely doomed!
As if surprised that Ying Baolin still didn't seize the opportunity to de-escalate, showing no regard for their past relationship despite his own thorough preparations, Hua Liang's expression turned extremely grim.
"Boss Ying, allow me to ask a question,"
After a pause, Hua Liang suddenly asked, "If, I say if, I insist on taking Chen Xiang and the others away?"
Hearing this, Ying Baolin coldly replied, "The rules of the martial world dictate that a strong dragon does not suppress a local snake?"
"If Boss Hua insists on acting unilaterally, then I can only set aside our past relationship and proceed with official business!"
"Heh heh~ Well said, 'official business'!"
Just as the atmosphere in the room plummeted to freezing point, a cold laugh suddenly came from outside the door.
Hearing that voice, I knew Fan Yixin had arrived.
Instantly, a warm current surged through my heart.
Although I understood clearly that Fan Yixin was saving me purely because I was Uncle Tuo's disciple, as the saying goes, a kindness received is remembered for a thousand years. For this reason alone... I would remember this favor for the rest of my life.
Upon hearing Fan Yixin's voice, Ying Baolin's already somewhat ashen face became even more pronounced.
This was because Fan Yixin had not come alone but had brought along several middle-aged men dressed as bosses.
The individuals who accompanied her not only exuded confidence but also had rather displeased expressions.
As she strode into the room in her high heels, Fan Yixin cast an extremely subtle glance at me.
The meaning conveyed by her gaze seemed to be an instruction for me to remain calm.
Receiving Fan Yixin's signal, I immediately turned to look at Cheng Minglang and Han Jinlun, who were bound to the corner of the wall, and shook my head slightly at them.
Under the long-standing development of tacit understanding, Cheng Minglang and Han Jinlun instantly quieted down.
I knew very well that the conversation about to unfold was likely the most important dialogue of my current life stage, bar none!
This was because the content of the conversation directly concerned my survival!
Therefore, what I needed to do at this stage was to remain as calm as possible and prepare myself mentally.
If the outcome was not what I desired, I would turn hostile when necessary, and take action when needed...
If I could not escape, then I would fight with blood, embracing death to live!
Fan Yixin's sudden arrival caused Ying Baolin, who had been comfortably seated on the sofa moments before, to immediately stand up, a flicker of vigilance appearing in his eyes.
Judging by the situation, Ying Baolin likely hadn't expected Fan Yixin to protect me so fiercely.
At this moment, Fan Yixin, standing in front of Ying Baolin, actually extended her hand to shake his.
Just as Ying Baolin instinctively reached out his hand, Fan Yixin, with a faint smile on her face, suddenly spoke.
"Boss Ying, regarding the matter of you instructing the大会's staff from the preliminaries onwards to secretly arrange special treatment and back doors for your chosen people... could you please explain it clearly in front of everyone?"