Feng Yueyang chambered a round into the pistol, only to realize he seemed to have overestimated his own abilities.
He didn’t want to admit it, but he had to: he couldn’t pull the slide back…
Feng Yueyang’s handsome face turned beet red, yet he only managed to budge the slide a tiny fraction.
A slender, jade-like hand snatched the pistol away. Feng Yueyang watched as that hand effortlessly pulled the slide back. The crisp sound of a bullet chambering echoed clearly through the silent car.
In that instant, Feng Yueyang’s very soul trembled.
Holy shit!
Chambering with one hand!
That was way too cool.
“Don’t use brute force. You need to use the thenar muscle of your palm while loosely gripping the slide with your other fingers. It’s easier to apply force that way for someone with weak hands like you. Try again.”
The cold voice fell upon his ears, carrying a convincing weight of authority.
Feng Yueyang tried again, his grin widening until it practically reached his ears.
“Great! I finally know how to use a gun.”
He held the pistol, excitedly aiming it here and there, unconsciously pointing the muzzle toward Shen Youan.
Before Feng Yueyang could even react, the pistol had already vanished from his palm, leaving his wrist numb and aching.
In the next heartbeat, the cold muzzle of the gun was pressed against his brow.
The blood in Feng Yueyang’s veins seemed to flow backward, and he froze on the spot.
“Never point a gun at me. Do you understand?”
The cold voice carried an unquestionable warning.
Feng Yueyang stammered, “I… I know I was wrong.”
The pistol was tossed back into his lap. Feng Yueyang didn’t dare act out again and sat there obediently.
Watching this scene through the rearview mirror, Chong Ming couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smile.
This kid was going to have a rough time ahead of him.
The car arrived at the Yuanshan Villa Complex located in the luxury district. This area was home to the high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen of Chuncheng. Security was tight, yet the car passed through without any inspection as the gates opened automatically.
Stopping in front of a villa in the center of the complex, Feng Yueyang said in disbelief, “This… this is my house.”
Feng Chi had died at home. The Feng family villa had been sealed, and following the subsequent crash of the Feng Group’s stock price and the ensuing debt crisis, all assets under Feng Chi’s name had been seized. This villa was naturally no exception.
Police tape was strung across the entrance, and official seals were pasted on the door. The vegetation in the courtyard was sparse and withered, leaving the place looking cold and desolate.
It wasn’t long ago that Feng Yueyang had been pathetically driven out of the villa by court officials. Thinking of the humiliation he felt then, Feng Yueyang clenched his fists in resentment.
Shen Youan walked over, tore off the seal on the door, pushed it open, and stepped inside.
Feng Yueyang was somewhat stunned. “Is… is that allowed?”
Chong Ming glanced at him with a smile. “If the Boss says it’s okay, it’s okay.”
Only then did Feng Yueyang realize the driver was a young man. When he smiled, his eyes curved into crescents, giving him a very dashing appearance.
He felt the man looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn’t quite place him for the moment.
The valuables in the villa had already been stripped bare, leaving only basic furniture.
Shen Youan reached the second-floor study. The door was barred by police tape.
Chong Ming moved to her side, casually tore the tape away, and opened the door.
“Feng Chi died in this room. No outsiders were allowed to enter his study as they pleased. I was in the garden downstairs at the time. At 9:15 PM, I heard the butler’s cry and rushed up. Feng Chi was slumped over the desk, already dead.”
The autopsy results provided by the police stated he died of a heart attack. However, Feng Chi had regular physical check-ups and was in good health; he had never shown any hidden signs of heart disease.
This was exactly why Chong Ming felt there was something wrong with Feng Chi’s death.
Shen Youan’s gaze moved slowly but cautiously across every inch of the study.
Chong Ming shook his head. “The police already conducted a search. There was no evidence to prove Feng Chi was murdered.”
Feng Yueyang stood at the study door, his face full of sorrow.
“Feng Chi was murdered.” The cold voice was calm and certain.
Feng Yueyang jerked his head up.
The mysterious figure in black was crouching beside the desk. Her gloved fingers were pinching the edge of the curtain. Within the folds of the pale blue fabric, a faint water stain remained.
Shen Youan brought it to her nose and sniffed lightly.
“It’s Digitalis Extract. Once the dosage exceeds a certain limit, it causes instantaneous cardiac paralysis. Even medical instruments can’t detect it.”
Feng Yueyang rushed over in disbelief. “Was my father really murdered?”
He was like a drowning man, and Shen Youan was the only life-saving straw he could grasp.
Shen Youan tore off the piece of fabric stained with the toxin and tucked it away carefully. Without looking up, she said, “You’d better think carefully about who among those who had access to your father’s daily life is the most suspicious.”
Feng Yueyang opened his mouth, suddenly realizing he knew nothing at all.
His relationship with his father had been poor; they only argued when they were together. He usually fooled around outside and rarely came home.
Feng Yueyang gave himself a hard slap across the face. “I really am a bastard.”
Shen Youan didn’t bother acknowledging him; late remorse was worth less than dirt.
Chong Ming looked grim. “I think I have a guess as to who it is.”
Shen Youan arched an eyebrow. Aside from that butler, who else could it be?
“Boss, I’ll go find him right now.” Chong Ming turned to leave.
“No rush.”
Shen Youan took out the laptop she carried with her, opened it, and logged into a stock trading platform.
Behind the dizzying array of red and green lines lay the volatile stock market.
Chong Ming saw Shen Youan enter a string of numbers, and the stock trend it represented instantly jumped onto the screen.
It was the stock for the Feng Group, which was in a continuous freefall.
It could be said that the current Feng Group was facing bankruptcy. The stock was little more than waste paper. Countless retail investors were suffering massive losses, their hard-earned money being used to settle debts.
And behind those market manipulators, the shadow of the Xie Group was unmistakable.
All those funds were flowing into Xie Beichun’s pockets.
One could say that Feng Chi had been systematically crushed by Xie Beichun, from his person to his company.
He was ruthless and thorough.
From now on, Xie Beichun would be the sole power in Chuncheng.
Chong Ming watched as Shen Youan’s fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard. The operating interface was a blur to him.
In just a few dozen minutes, the Feng Group’s stock saw a brief spike. This maneuver shocked the countless people keeping an eye on this dying stock.
A major player had entered the market. To move such a large lever required an enormous amount of capital support.
To the desperate retail investors, this was nothing short of a light of hope. Some cut their losses and exited immediately, while others hesitated, wary that it might be a trap designed by capital to squeeze out their last bit of value.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shen Youan absorbed a significant amount of floating shares.
Chong Ming watched from the side, his heart racing. He couldn’t help but give a thumbs up. “Boss, you’re incredible.”
To move so freely in the stock market with such precision and ruthlessness—how many years of immersion did it take to cultivate such skill?
“I still need a little more time.” Shen Youan’s eyes were calm and sharp.
“While continuously injecting large amounts of capital will temporarily drive up the stock price, it isn’t a long-term solution. It must be done discreetly and step-by-step.”
Shen Youan looked up, staring directly at Feng Yueyang. “As Feng Chi’s sole heir, you are the key to breaking this deadlock.”