Chapter Twenty-Four: Within and Beyond the Game, Storms Approach

I thought the warning that day would shield us from the Lin family’s troubles.

But I had underestimated Zhao Tianlong’s shamelessness, and overestimated the “civility” of modern business competition.

A few days later, trouble found us again—this time in a different guise.

First, the health department, the fire department, and the business bureau began paying visits with unprecedented frequency, taking turns “inspecting” my shop. Armed with all sorts of regulations and minutiae, they nitpicked over everything. One day, they claimed my medicinal herbs weren’t stored properly; the next, they said the fire exit was blocked by debris.

I understood immediately—it was Zhao Tianlong pulling strings behind the scenes. He’d discovered my connection to the Lin family; unable to lay a hand on Lin Qinghan, he decided to target me, the “benefactor of the Lin family,” as a way to disgust them.

These harassments were annoying, but “Anhe Hall” had always been simple and straightforward; they found nothing substantial. I dealt with each challenge as it came, adapting to every move.

But what truly enraged me was when they set their sights on Yi Yi.

That afternoon, when I went to pick her up from school, her homeroom teacher, Miss Zhang, approached me with a grave expression.

“Mr. Jiang, lately the city’s education bureau has received several anonymous letters, claiming... claiming Yi Yi’s enrollment is questionable. They accuse you, as a single father, of having a complicated family environment that’s unfit for a child’s development, and are demanding the school reevaluate her eligibility.” Miss Zhang spoke indignantly. “It’s utterly baseless! Yi Yi excels in both character and academics—she’s beloved by every teacher. I’ve suppressed the letters for now, but you should be prepared; the people behind this seem powerful.”

In that instant, a bone-chilling murderous intent flashed within me.

A dragon’s reverse scale must never be touched—Yi Yi is the only one in this world who bears mine.

Zhao Tianlong, of all the things you could have done, you should never have dared to lay your filthy hands on my daughter.

Returning to the clinic, for the first time I didn’t sit with Yi Yi as she did her homework. Instead, I stood alone in the backyard for a long time, the darkness thick as ink, my gaze colder still.

I never intended to enter this game, but the storm outside the chessboard now threatened my home. If that’s how it must be, I’ll step onto the board myself and overturn not just the pieces, but the player as well.

The next day, Lin Qinghan came to see me again. She looked haggard, her eyes filled with deep remorse.

“Mr. Jiang, I’m sorry. I’ve dragged you and Yi Yi into this. I know now what Zhao Tianlong is capable of…”

“Where is Zhao Tianlong right now?” I interrupted her.

She froze, not expecting my question.

“He… he’ll be at the ‘Tianlong Group’ penthouse club tonight, hosting key members of the energy project review board,” she replied instinctively.

“Good.” I nodded.

“Mr. Jiang, what are you going to do?” Lin Qinghan’s heart leapt with anxiety. From my calm tone, she sensed the coming storm. “Please, don’t be impulsive! Zhao Tianlong is heavily guarded, and he—”

“I’m not being impulsive,” I said, looking at her, each word deliberate. “I’m going to reason with him.”

With that, I turned and went inside, leaving Lin Qinghan standing alone in the courtyard, her heart in turmoil.

That night, at the summit of Harbor City, in the Tianlong Tower.

The private club atop the building was ablaze with light, laughter, and the clinking of glasses. Zhao Tianlong—a slightly overweight, sharp-eyed middle-aged man—held a wine glass aloft, chatting and joking with several review board officials. Everything seemed firmly within his grasp.

Eight burly bodyguards stood at the entrance, their temples bulging—seasoned fighters all, impossible for ordinary people to approach.

Yet at the height of the revelry, the heavy sandalwood doors of the club were gently pushed open.

A plainly dressed figure, leading a little girl with braided pigtails, stepped quietly into the moonlight, standing just outside.

It was Jiang Xiuyuan and Jiang Yiyi.

The entire club fell silent at once, all eyes fixed on the uninvited pair. The music stopped. Laughter ceased.

“Who are you? How did you get up here?” the lead bodyguard barked.

I ignored him, holding Yi Yi’s hand as we walked forward, unhurried and composed. The eight bodyguards seemed to be pushed aside by an invisible wall; not one could come near us. They felt an oppressive weight descend, as heavy as a mountain, making it hard to breathe.

My gaze went straight past everyone, landing on Zhao Tianlong at the head of the table.

Zhao Tianlong’s pupils contracted sharply—he recognized me at once. The mysterious man beside the Lin family girl, the one who’d crippled his men.

“It’s you?” He forced himself to remain calm, waving the bodyguards away. “What’s the meaning of crashing my private banquet in the middle of the night?”

I approached his table, stopping three feet away.

I ignored the officials and the feast, fixing my eyes on him and speaking calmly: “I’m here to ask you one thing. Were you behind the letters to my daughter’s school?”

My voice was soft, yet clear enough for everyone present to hear.

Zhao Tianlong’s expression changed, but then he sneered, “And if I was? Business is war—I only used a small tactic. No matter how skilled you are, would you really dare lay a hand on me in public? This is a society ruled by law.”

He was unafraid, convinced I wouldn’t dare defy convention.

“Lay a hand on you?” I shook my head and smiled—a smile distant and ancient, as if I looked down on the world. “Zhao Tianlong, you overestimate yourself. Killing you would only dirty my hands.”

I raised a finger, not touching anything, simply pointing at the full glass of red wine before him.

“Watch closely.”

Under the horrified eyes of all present, the wine began to swirl violently, forming a tiny vortex—without any visible force. In moments, the crimson liquid cleared, turning transparent until it became a glass of pure water.

Then, the expensive crystal glass sprouted a web of cracks on its surface and, with a soft “crack,” disintegrated into a pile of sparkling powder on the table.

The club was deathly silent; not a sound could be heard.

The so-called officials and businessmen turned pale, cold sweat pouring down their faces. What kind of trick was this? Magic? No—this was the work of an immortal.

Zhao Tianlong felt as if he’d been plunged into icy water. His once-proud wealth and power seemed laughably fragile before this display. At last, he understood the kind of being he had provoked.

I withdrew my finger, and gently asked Yi Yi, “Yi Yi, tell Uncle, do you like going to school?”

She glanced timidly at Zhao Tianlong, then spoke up, “Yes, I do! I like Miss Zhang and my classmates!”

I looked up, my gaze locking onto Zhao Tianlong’s bloodless face, my voice calm but brooking no refusal:

“You heard her. From tomorrow on, I don’t want to hear another word about my daughter. The feud between the Lin family and you is not my concern. But remember this—there are lines you cannot cross.”

“I’ll give you three days to leave Harbor City. If not, your fate will be worse than that of the glass.”

With that, I spared him not another look, took Yi Yi by the hand, and walked away with unhurried grace.