Chapter 723: Goddess Bar, three stores!

Lin Yuan, go down to the underworld!

Only saw Hong Wenyan supporting Hong Wuquan, quickly walking over under the escort of several thugs.

She still wore Lin Yuan's suit jacket, but could not conceal the surging killing intent in her eyes.

Hong Wenyan's eyes were sinister, she stared fixedly at the overturned Porsche Cayenne.

The Cayenne's car door was slowly pushed open, Lin Yuan…difficultly crawled out from the deformed cabin.

His arms and forehead…were cut by glass shards, oozing faint blood.

Lin Yuan's suit was covered in dust and stains.

Lin Yuan looked at the thugs surrounding him impenetrably, then glanced at Hong Wenyan, whose face was full of killing intent.

Lin Yuan's face instantly sank, and a raging fury blazed in his eyes.

He never expected that Hong Wenyan would go back on her word like this.

Just after letting him go, they immediately arranged personnel to ambush and kill him, without honoring the promise in the slightest.

"Trash!" Lin Yuan gritted his teeth, saying each word.

"I gave you and your brother a way to live, yet you dare to go back on your word? Aren't you afraid I'll post all those compromising photos of yours online, ruining the reputation of the Hong Family Eldest Miss completely?"

Lin Yuan still…held the leverage he had previously filmed.

He had thought he could restrain Hong Wenyan, but never expected her to be this crazy, without regard for consequences.

Upon hearing the word "photos," Hong Wenyan's body trembled slightly, a hint of apprehension flashing in her eyes.

But immediately, she was overtaken by intense killing intent.

Hong Wenyan gave a cold laugh, her tone icy:

"If you've got the guts, go ahead and post them! Lin Yuan, you will surely die today; once you're dead, let's see how you'll post them. Even if the photos really leak out, I'll make everyone who saw them die with you!"

Lin Yuan's eyes turned fierce; he deeply knew today's matter could not be resolved peacefully.

Rather than wait for death, it's better to first seize Hong Wenyan as a hostage; perhaps there is still a sliver of hope.

He no longer hesitated, exerting force with his feet, his figure like a ghost, rushing swiftly toward Hong Wenyan!

Lin Yuan's speed was astonishing; the surrounding thugs had no time to react.

Hong Wenyan had been prepared; seeing Lin Yuan rush over, she immediately turned… and dove into the back seat of a nearby black Mercedes.

The car door was swiftly shut, and several thugs instantly surrounded the vehicle, wielding machetes, layered in defense, guarding the Mercedes tightly, giving Lin Yuan no chance to approach.

Lin Yuan rushed to the car, raised his hand to pull open the door, but was firmly blocked by the surrounding thugs.

Machetes came down at him one after another, forcing Lin Yuan to keep retreating.

Lin Yuan fought back fiercely, punches and kicks combined, knocking down several thugs rushing to the front.

But the thugs were numerous, continuously swarming in.

Lin Yuan gradually fell into a heavy encirclement, unable to approach that Mercedes, let alone seize Hong Wenyan.

Lin Yuan looked around; the thugs had surrounded him impenetrably.

Front, back, left, right…were all black-clad figures waving machetes, with no gap whatsoever to break through.

Meanwhile, Hong Wenyan hid in the car, looking at him through the window with a cold, mocking gaze.

Hong Wenyan's mouth corner…curled into a contemptuous, vicious smile.

Lin Yuan knew that if the stalemate continued, his stamina would be drained.

There were too many thugs on the scene.

His two fists could not match four hands.

At present, only one path is available.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Yuan suddenly turned and rushed toward the riverside outside the bridge arch……

That is the only breakthrough point.

Seeing this, the thugs all howled and gave chase.

The leading thug shouted an order: "Don't let him run! Chase him, kill him!"

Lin Yuan ran with all his might, the thugs behind him pursuing relentlessly.

The sound of machetes swinging and the howls echoed continuously behind him.

Soon, Lin Yuan reached the riverside.

Before him was the rushing river……

In the night, the river shimmered with cold light, the opposite bank invisible.

Behind him, the thugs had caught up, driving Lin Yuan to the bridge railing, with no way to retreat.

Lin Yuan had no hesitation, leaping like an agile Liebao into the rushing river!

"Plunk!"

With a sound, water splashed everywhere, and Lin Yuan's body…was instantly submerged in the icy river.

Hong Wenyan also rushed to the bridge railing, watching Lin Yuan's figure as he jumped into the river……

She was completely enraged.

Hong Wenyan snatched the handgun from a nearby thug's hand.

Hong Wenyan held the gun with both hands, frantically pulling the trigger at the river surface!

"Bang bang bang—!"

Gunshots rang out in succession, tearing through the night sky!

Bullets carried a fierce gust, densely shooting toward the river surface, kicking up spray after spray!

The river surface was riddled with holes.

But no matter how she fired, the bullets only hit the water surface, failing to injure Lin Yuan who had submerged.

Hong Wenyan stared fixedly at the river surface, her eyes full of madness and unwillingness.

Hong Wenyan's finger kept pulling the trigger until all the bullets were expended……

Hong Wenyan then fiercely threw the pistol onto the ground, to vent the anger in her heart.

The ripples on the river surface gradually subsided, and Lin Yuan's figure could no longer be seen.

Obviously, he had already plunged into the river, following the rapid current, and completely vanished into the night.

Hong Wenyan looked at the now-calm river surface, her delicate body trembling with rage.

Her chest heaved violently, the killing intent in her eyes…… almost enough to freeze the river water.

Hong Wenyan suddenly turned her head, and in a stern voice ordered the lackeys rushing up behind her.

"All of you jump down! Everyone jump down to find him! Even if we have to overturn the entire river, we must find Lin Yuan, find him, and kill him outright—no survivors allowed!"

The lackeys dared not hesitate in the slightest, and they all responded in agreement!

The lackeys…… one after another…… leapt one after another into the icy river water!

The lackeys…… strove to swim toward the direction where Lin Yuan had disappeared!

In the river water, countless figures moved back and forth in the darkness……

A massive underwater search operation thus began.

Hong Wenyan stood beside the bridge railing, her beautiful eyes fixed tightly on the river surface.

Her gaze was terrifyingly cold.

But the icy river water was rapid and deep, and the night further blocked all sight……

The lackeys…… in the water…… searched back and forth for over two hours.

From beneath the bridge arch downstream, they felt their way several li outward……

Yet they still failed to find even a scrap of Lin Yuan's clothing or any trace of him.

The farther downstream the river flowed, the swifter it became, with underwater reefs proliferating.

Continuing the search…… would only waste manpower for nothing.

The lackeys leading the team could only resign themselves to turning back……

The lackeys bowed and reported to the grim-faced Hong Wenyan on the shore, reporting nothing found.

Hong Wenyan stood by the river, listening to her subordinates' report, trembling with rage all over.

Her nails dug deep into her palms.

Hong Wenyan stared at the black river surface, hatred surging in the depths of her eyes.

But Hong Wenyan also understood that tonight…… continuing to drag on would be meaningless.

Lin Yuan… that bastard…… probably long ago used the current…… to escape without a trace.

Overwhelmed with unwillingness, Hong Wenyan could only grit her teeth and issue a stern order to withdraw the troops……

……

Meanwhile, Lin Yuan had long since taken advantage of the river's cover, holding his breath and swimming underwater along the undercurrent……

Lin Yuan, swimming all the way, reached a remote riverbank two kilometers away.

Lin Yuan, soaked through, clambered out of the water in a sorry state.

The icy river water had soaked his entire body.

The wounds on Lin Yuan's forehead and arms…… had turned white from being soaked in the river water, but the killing intent in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest; on the contrary, it grew even more intense.

Lin Yuan clenched his fists, his gaze icy.

He had originally kept his promise…… releasing the sister and brother, and accepting the compensation money to settle the matter.

But Hong Wenyan, that wretched woman, actually went back on her word, betraying trust and righteousness by setting an ambush, determined to put him to death.

This debt, for now, shall be recorded tonight.

This grudge, Lin Yuan will sooner or later…… repay with interest, item by item.

Lin Yuan pushed himself up using the riverside stone wall, shook off the water on his body, and turned to vanish into the night……

……

Meanwhile, Hong Wenyan, bearing a sorry state and humiliation, returned to the Hong Family villa.

In the late-night villa, Father Hong Bai Tian had been waiting.

Hong Wenyan pushed open the villa's main door and entered.

The villa, usually resplendent with gold and jade and imposing in dignity, now, in Hong Wenyan's eyes…… held only oppression.

Hong Wenyan, soaked through and her clothes in disarray, draped herself in that already wrinkled men's suit jacket.

Her pretty face was pallid, red blood vessels filling the undersides of her eyes, completely lacking the previous aloof arrogance of the Hong Family Eldest Miss.

Hong Bai Tian, who had long been waiting at home, anxious as fire, upon seeing his daughter in this state, immediately hurried forward……

Hong Bai Tian's face was full of concern and worry as he reached out to support the swaying Hong Wenyan.

Father Hong Bai Tian, his voice trembling somewhat:

"Wenyan! You've finally come back! What exactly happened? Are you injured? Did that bastard Lin Yuan do anything to you? Tell your father the truth!"

Looking at her father's worried face……

Hong Wenyan had accumulated all night's grievance, fear, humiliation, and collapse, which now erupted completely.

Hong Wenyan could no longer hold herself together; she lunged into her father's embrace and burst into loud sobs……

Her shoulders trembled, her sobs stifled yet broken, pouring all her emotions into her father's embrace.

Following behind, Hong Wuquan, seeing his sister's tearful state, immediately stepped forward.

Hong Wuquan opened his mouth…… about to tell their father how Lin Yuan had bullied his sister……

But before he could speak, Hong Wenyan lifted her head and gave him a fierce glare.

In Hong Wenyan's eyes… there was a cold warning.

Hong Wuquan froze on the spot, the words at his lips forced back down.

Hong Wuquan could only lower his head, clench his fists, and stand silently in place.

Hong Bai Tian held his sobbing daughter, heartbroken, and kept whispering comfort…

Only after Hong Wenyan's emotions slightly calmed did her father, Hong Bai Tian, again softly ask what happened.

Hong Wenyan's voice choked, she deliberately concealed all the humiliation of being bullied and having evidence caught on camera.

She only said vaguely:

"Dad, I'm fine… it's that lunatic Lin Yuan who kidnapped me and my brother, extorted a large sum of money from me, and we barely managed to find a chance to escape back."

Hearing that her daughter had only been extorted for money and suffered no substantial harm.

Hong Bai Tian's heart, which had been hanging all night, finally relaxed completely.

Hong Bai Tian let out a long sigh of relief.

But soon, his face darkened.

A fierce aura of hostility and killing intent rose from Hong Bai Tian's whole body.

Hong Bai Tian patted Hong Wenyan's back, his tone icy and piercing, swearing word by word:

"What a Lin Yuan, daring to move my Hong Bai Tian's children, daring to extort my Hong family's money—I will never let him off."

"I will use all the Hong family's power, dig three feet into the earth if needed to find this Lin Yuan, eradicate him completely, and eliminate future trouble."

Hong Bai Tian's eyes were gloomy and vicious.

From this point on, the grudge between the Hong family and Lin Yuan had no chance of reconciliation whatsoever.

After comforting her father, Hong Wenyan wiped her tears and went upstairs with Hong Wuquan to her room.

She closed the door, shutting out her father's gaze from below.

Hong Wuquan immediately couldn't help stepping forward, lowering his voice, and asked with a face full of unwillingness:

"Sis, are we just going to let Lin Yuan off like that? Dad's about to make a move—if we tell him everything, let him kill Lin Yuan directly, wouldn't that be better?"

Hong Wenyan turned her back to her brother; the fragility and grievance on her face vanished instantly, leaving only icy hatred and killing intent.

She slowly clenched her fists, her voice low and fierce,

"The grudge between me and him, I will settle it with him one by one."

"This matter must not be told to Father—not a single word may be mentioned."

She turned her head to look at Hong Wuquan; the warning in her eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

"I will personally find Lin Yuan and personally kill him. I will make him pay with his blood for all the humiliation and harm he brought me tonight, leaving him without a burial place."

Over the next few days, Lin Yuan temporarily set aside his grudge with the Hong family…

He poured all his energy… into the preparations for opening Goddess Bar 3 Store.

An Yunxi stayed by his side, helping with various trivial matters; they divided tasks and cooperated, busy yet orderly.

The site selection for Goddess Bar 3 Store… was set inside New Union Square.

This square is vast, with towering office buildings all around; inside are various companies and high-end clubs, bustling extraordinarily.

And all the office buildings in this square are precisely the headquarters base of the New Faction Group.

Here, signs of the New Faction Group are everywhere, and the aura of the New Faction permeates the air.

Lin Yuan, each time he brought An Yunxi to New Union Square… to check the preparations, would often see many New Faction Group enforcers along the street.

The New Faction Group's enforcers stood in twos and threes in the corners, arms crossed, their cold eyes fixed on Lin Yuan and An Yunxi, their gazes full of provocation and hostility.

They seemed to be giving a silent warning, yet never stepped forward to stop them.

They merely watched from afar, clearly intending to cause trouble for Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan paid no heed, ignoring those cold gazes.

Lin Yuan orderly… arranged the bar's renovation work.

Soon, the renovation crew officially entered the site, workers each doing their own job…

Knocking, pounding, plastering and decorating, the bar's rough shape gradually emerged…

Lin Yuan every day… would come to inspect the renovation progress, ensuring every detail met the requirements.

To avoid delaying daytime affairs and to better supervise the renovation quality.

Lin Yuan often took advantage of the night after work, alone or with An Yunxi, sneaking to the bar to check the situation, not leaving until late at night.

He only wanted the bar to finish renovation as soon as possible and open smoothly.

…

Time flew by, a week passed in the blink of an eye.

That evening, after Lin Yuan finished his company affairs, he and An Yunxi went again to Goddess Bar 3 Store.

After a week of intense renovation, the shop was completely finished.

The exquisite decoration style, combined with the bar's lighting, already showed the bustling scene after opening.

Lin Yuan and An Yunxi, plus four members of Goddess Bar, had just reached the bar's entrance…

Lin Yuan's face suddenly changed slightly.

Lin Yuan's nostrils twitched; he keenly sensed… in the air… a strong smell of gunpowder!

That smell was pungent and clear, definitely not the scent of renovation materials.

Lin Yuan's heart tightened; he realized something was wrong…

He hesitated not at all, lunging out his hand and grabbing An Yunxi beside him, slamming her to the ground!