Chapter 729: Swords drawn and bows bent!

Time passed slowly, and in the blink of an eye it was 2 p. m.

Outside the door of Goddess Bar 3 Store, things gradually grew lively.

Core members of the various old-school forces arrived one after another at Goddess Bar 3 Store.

Each boss exuded a powerful aura, bringing the presence of a strong person.

They had all come to support the opening of Goddess Bar, after all they were allied with Goddess Bar, sharing honor and disgrace.

The first to arrive were a group from Nine Honors International.

Leading them was the speaker of Nine Honors International, Zhaojun.

He was over sixty, his hair flecked with white yet he was spirited, dressed in a dark Mao suit, his eyes sharp, his whole bearing exuding the steady aura earned from years in the business world and the martial realm;

Right after him came his daughter, Zhao Yuyan.

Today Zhao Yuyan wore a well-tailored black suit, neat and sharp, with a cool demeanor.

Seeing Zhao Yuyan arrive, Lin Yuan felt a bit embarrassed and hurriedly stepped aside.

Zhao Yuyan, meanwhile, gazed at Lin Yuan with deep, meaningful eyes.

Zhaojun's wife, Meng Ping, stood beside him in a dignified cheongsam, gentle and graceful, her face bearing a soft smile, occasionally nodding to those nearby.

Next, the speaker of Dragon Scale Corporation, Long Jianyi, also arrived.

Long Jianyi came with his daughter, Long Xuan'er.

Long Jianyi was over fifty, stalwart in build, dressed in black casual wear, his eyes stern, his aura commanding even without anger—truly the helmsman of Dragon Scale Corporation;

His daughter Long Xuan'er, in her twenties, wore a cool black short leather jacket paired with work pants, her hair tied up high, her brows and eyes showing a hint of rebelliousness—she was the very picture of a underworld heiress, full of energy.

Afterwards, the speaker of Haihe International, Hai Zhongtian, and the speaker of the Golden Era, Huang Yaorong, also arrived one after another.

Both were over fifty, each dressed appropriately, their auras steady.

The several bosses exchanged greetings with Zhaojun, Long Jianyi and the others; the atmosphere was lively yet solemn.

Every person present was a core figure of the old-school forces, enough to see the weight Goddess Bar carries among them.

According to the prior arrangement, today's opening ceremony was set to officially begin with the ribbon-cutting at 3 p. m.

This was an auspicious day Lin Yuan had specially chosen, symbolizing good fortune and prosperous business for the opening of Goddess Bar 3 Store.

At that moment, Lin Yuan and An Yunxi stood at the bar's entrance, warmly welcoming the guests who had come to offer congratulations.

The two worked in seamless coordination, their faces bearing proper smiles as they greeted each guest in an orderly manner.

Just then, a black Mercedes-Benz G-Class slowly drove into New Union Square and came to a steady stop at the bar's door.

The car door opened, and a stunning figure stepped out—it was Qin Bore.

She wore a pair of black sunglasses that covered most of her face, and a champagne-colored form-fitting long dress that traced her exquisite, alluring curves.

The gold-trimmed hem fell just past her knees, revealing her slender, fair calves.

Her jade feet were paired with slender high heels, giving her a tall, cool yet sexy presence; every move exuded the aura of a Korean superstar—understated yet impossible to hide her radiance.

After Qin Bore got out of the car, she made no show of it, simply walking slowly toward the bar's entrance.

Because she wore sunglasses and kept a low profile,

the core figures of the old-school forces who were chatting did not notice her arrival; they continued their conversations, and no one recognized this low-key stunning woman.

But Lin Yuan recognized Qin Bore at a glance.

Lin Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

So beautiful.

Lin Yuan's face showed a clear look of surprise.

He hurriedly stopped what he was doing and quickened his steps to go meet her.

Lin Yuan came before Qin Bore, his tone mixed with surprise and delight: "Miss Qin? How did you come?"

He hadn't expected Qin Bore to appear suddenly, after all he had never heard she would attend the opening ceremony.

Qin Bore stopped, lightly pursing her red lips as the corners of her mouth turned up in a faint smile.

Her voice was soft… yet carried a touch of naturalness:

"An Yunxi asked me to come; we're friends, so when you open, I naturally want to celebrate."

An Yunxi, standing nearby, heard their exchange and a flicker of embarrassment crossed her face.

An Yunxi quickly stepped forward, lightly nodded, and explained to Lin Yuan:

"It… it was I who invited Miss Qin; I thought we were friends, and on such an important opening day, I should have her come join the fun."

As she spoke, her eyes darted slightly, her tone hinting at a subtle unease.

An Yunxi thought to herself, "My young lady, I didn't call you over—clearly you came of your own accord."

After a few brief pleasantries,

Lin Yuan unconsciously lifted his gaze toward the entrance of New Union Square, his expression hinting at anticipation and waiting.

He had been waiting all along for the Goddess Boss to appear.

After all, Goddess Bar is the Goddess Boss's labor of love; on such an important opening day, she ought to be present.

But as time ticked by, the entrance still showed no sign of the Goddess Boss, and Lin Yuan's face gradually revealed a hint of bewilderment.

He turned his head to look at An Yunxi beside him, his tone tinged with doubt:

"An Sis, why hasn't the Goddess Boss come yet? The opening ceremony is about to start—why is there no movement from her?"

In Lin Yuan's view, the Goddess Boss always values everything about the bar; for such an important opening ceremony, she shouldn't be absent.

Hearing this, An Yunxi let out a soft sigh, her face showing a hint of helplessness.

She quickly tried to soothe:

"She must have been held up by some sudden matter; the Goddess Boss is always meticulous, and if there were no special circumstance she would never miss the opening. We don't need to wait for her—the ribbon‑cutting time is almost up, the guests are all here, we can't keep them waiting, let's get ready for the opening ceremony."

In fact, An Yunxi thought to herself, "The Goddess? She's already here."

But, An Yunxi didn't dare tell Lin Yuan this.

Lin Yuan followed An Yunxi's gaze and looked over……

Only to see the bar's entrance already packed with guests coming to congratulate; besides the core members of the major old factions, there were also many partners and old customers, the place was buzzing with noise, extraordinarily lively.

Everyone's face bore an expectant expression, waiting to witness the opening ceremony of Goddess Bar 3 Store.

Just then, the clock on the square slowly chimed.

The clear bell rang repeatedly, echoing, exactly pointing to 3 p. m.

The scheduled opening ribbon-cutting time finally arrived.

Lin Yuan took a deep breath, suppressing the doubt in his heart about the Goddess Boss's absence.

He nodded: 'Alright, no more waiting, let's begin; we cannot disappoint everyone's expectations.'

An Yunxi immediately understood, hurriedly arranging staff to prepare the ribbons and scissors for the ribbon-cutting.

Zhaojun, Long Jianyi, Hai Zhongtian, Huang Yaorong and other core figures of the old factions also stepped forward, standing beside Lin Yuan.

Everyone, get ready to jointly cut the ribbon for Goddess Bar 3 Store.

The atmosphere at the scene also reached its peak, with guests pulling out their phones, ready to record this important moment.

Lin Yuan picked up a pair of golden scissors……

Beside him, An Yunxi, Zhao Yuyan, Long Xuan'er and others each gripped a pair of scissors.

Everyone's gaze…… turned in unison toward the camera, their faces bearing proper smiles.

All that was needed was for Lin Yuan to give the word, then they would cut the ribbon and announce the official opening of Goddess Bar 3 Store.

But just as Lin Yuan was about to speak, at the moment everyone prepared to cut the ribbon……

Suddenly, a chaotic sound of footsteps…… came from the surroundings of New Union Square.

Accompanied by fierce roars, it instantly shattered the scene's liveliness and harmony.

Everyone instinctively turned their heads, their faces instantly changing……

Only to see a dark mass of people, like a tide, surging in from all sides of the square!

Countless thugs in the sea of people, each dressed in black, stalwart, wielding sabers and clubs, eyes fierce!

A countless sea of people came surging forward!

The thugs' bodies exuded a strong killing intent……

They were precisely the thugs of the New Faction!

Within just a few minutes…… these thugs…… had already tightly encircled the entire New Union Square and Goddess Bar!

The sea of people…… dense and endless, with no visible edge.

Black silhouettes joined together like a giant black net, firmly trapping all the guests and Lin Yuan et al., leaving no room to break through.

The guests on the scene instantly changed complexion.

The originally lively opening ceremony instantly became panic-stricken, fraught with danger.

Amidst the chaos at the scene, a group of imposing figures slowly walked out from the crowd……

Each dressed in fine attire and bearing noble bearing, starkly different from the club-wielding thugs around them, they were precisely the core figures of the New Faction Group, all present.

Leading them…… was Le Xiao chen, the person in charge of Le Tian Financial.

Le Xiao chen wore a custom-made suit, his aura steady, with his daughter Le Wei'er beside him.

This extreme-path young lady, at this moment had icy cold eyes, fixedly staring at Lin Yuan.

Following closely…… was the chairman of K Group, Hong Bai Tian.

Hong Bai Tian's face was gloomy, his brows bearing an unmelting chill, his body exuding a coldness that warned strangers to stay away.

His daughter Hong Wenyan stood to one side, her eyes equally deep and icy cold, fixed on Lin Yuan.

As if she wanted to devour Lin Yuan alive.

Hong Wuquan stood tall, his eyes arrogant; as the Young Master of K Group, his gaze unconsciously drifted toward Zhao Yuyan standing beside Lin Yuan.

Besides that; Bai Jinha Group Chairman Bai Guiyuan also arrived.

Julu Group Chairman Lu Yuanshan, Lan Huan Group Chairman Lan Shengqiang, Chi Dao Group Chairman You Kaixuan, also all arrived.

You Kaixuan wore a Tang suit, his expression steady, with his son and daughter following behind him:

Young Master You Zilong, unrestrained and arrogant, his eyes gleaming;

Miss You Nianchu, in a simple white dress, pure and gentle in demeanor, her brows and eyes soft. But at this moment, You Nianchu's gaze toward Lin Yuan was somewhat complex……

All the core elders of the New Faction Group…… were present.

The New Faction Groups exuded a strong aura, forming a stark contrast with the besieged Lin Yuan et al. and the panicked guests.

But the most eye-catching was not these faction leaders who command a side.

But rather…… a middle-aged man standing among them……

This middle-aged man…… about forty years old, dressed in an unadorned Tang suit, his countenance placid, yet his eyes unfathomable.

The middle-aged man's surroundings…… exuded an intangible dignity, inspiring awe.

What is shocking is that, just moments ago, each of those imposing New Faction Group leaders now slightly bowed, their expressions respectful, throughout taking this Tang-suited middle-aged man as their leader.

Not a single leader of the New Faction Group dared to speak out of turn.

Clearly, this Tang-suited man is the true behind-the-scenes core of the New Faction.

Lin Yuan gazed at the scene before him, his hand gripping the scissors tightening slightly, the solemnity in his eyes growing ever stronger.

He suppressed the anger in his heart, stepped forward, his eyes locked firmly on that group of New Faction core figures.

Lin Yuan's voice was low and powerful, resonating as he questioned:

"What exactly do you want? Today is the opening day of my Goddess Bar 3 Store; you brought so many thugs to surround this place, deliberately disrupting the opening ceremony—what is your purpose?"

Upon hearing Lin Yuan's question, the New Faction Group's leaders all sneered, their eyes full of mockery and contempt.

Ju Lu Group Chairman, Lu Yuanshan...... took a step forward.

Lu Yuanshan crossed his arms, his tone icy, with a hint of provocation:

「What are you doing? Lin Yuan, stop pretending to be clueless here! Someone reported and found that your bar is hiding rebels from our New Faction Society. We came today to thoroughly search the place, find that rebel, and give our New Faction Society an explanation! 」

As his words fell, the New Faction thugs around raised their machetes and clubs, howling in agreement.

A menacing aura filled the air, and the atmosphere on site grew increasingly tense.

The guests' screams grew ever more piercing; many were so frightened they trembled all over, wanting to flee, but were tightly blocked by the dense throng of thugs, making any breakout impossible.

Lin Yuan's face instantly darkened.

He knew this was merely an excuse from the New Faction.

They had deliberately come to cause trouble, intending to disrupt the bar's opening and take revenge for past grudges.

Lin Yuan gripped the golden scissors in his hand, and his aura instantly turned icy.

Lin Yuan stepped forward, his voice icy, without the slightest retreat:

「Impossible! Today is the opening day of Goddess Bar 3 Store; don't even think of using this ridiculous excuse to cause trouble! Everyone in my bar are guests and staff come to congratulate; there are no so-called rebels at all. If you want to search, you'll have to step over my corpse! 」

Lin Yuan's attitude was firm; he would absolutely not let the New Faction destroy this hard-won opening ceremony.

Nor would he allow them to trample upon the dignity of Goddess Bar at will.

Hearing Lin Yuan's refusal, the bigwigs of the New Faction Group laughed ever more scornfully.

Lu Yuanshan stepped forward again, his tone growing more ferocious, bearing a naked threat:

「Step over my corpse? Lin Yuan, you're overestimating yourself! We received a tip-off that the rebels of our New Faction Society are hidden in your bar. If you dare not let us search, are you guilty and afraid? 」

Lu Yuanshan paused, his eyes growing ever more sinister.

His voice suddenly rose, laced with ruthlessness,

「If you dare not let us search, that proves you're an accomplice of the rebels! Then we will not only search the bar, but also take you down together, making you and that rebel pay for your deeds! 」

That sentence…… exploded like a thunderclap on the spot, and the already tense atmosphere instantly surged to its peak.

The atmosphere on site was tense as a drawn bow, ready to explode at a touch.

The New Faction thugs raised their weapons, their howls growing louder, killing intent permeating the air;

Many of the guests on site…… were not martial artists.

They were merely business owners, so many guests were so frightened they didn't even dare to breathe, fearing they'd be caught up in this dispute;

The core figures of the Old Faction also grew solemn in expression.

A flash of anger crossed Lin Yuan's eyes as he was about to retort%……

But then he saw the New Faction crowd surge again; the thousands of thugs who had originally surrounded the scene adjusted their positions, forming a tighter encirclement that trapped everyone without a gap.

Meanwhile, ahead of the crowd, the middle-aged man in Tang attire slowly stepped forward……

Behind him, the bigwigs of the New Faction Group stepped aside respectfully, their expressions growing ever more reverent, not even daring to breathe.

Everyone's gaze instantly focused on that Tang-clad man, and no one dared to speak.

Only the heavy breathing of the thugs remained on site……

Lin Yuan also stared intently at him, the doubt in his heart growing ever stronger……

Just who is this man, that he can make all the bigwigs of the New Faction Group bow their heads and obey?