Chapter 1210: The Living Ancestor

World Casino, second-floor office area.

Shen Xing knelt on the floor, head bowed, feeling every second drag like a year.

Yan Baimei sipped whiskey, already savoring the victory of his long-awaited revenge.

Seven or eight armed men filled the room; some smoked, others drank, scattered about with vicious glints in their eyes...

Suddenly, a noise came from the covered window, drawing everyone's attention.

At that very moment, a loud bang erupted, and the window shattered.

Simultaneously, a figure flipped inside.

"Shoot! Shoot!"

Yan Baimei shrieked in panic.

The seven or eight men inside simultaneously tried to chamber rounds and raise their guns.

Almost at the same instant, a rapid volley of gunshots rang out—bang, bang, bang, bang...

Shen Xing stared in horror at the thugs clutching their hands and screaming in agony, at Yan Baimei trembling with fear, and at Wang Yan standing smiling by the window.

"Not bad, you didn't get beaten up."

Wang Yan said with a chuckle.

He immediately moved over, dragged the already limp and powerless Shen Xing further inside, away from the doorway.

The next instant, the door was thrown open, and thugs guarding outside rushed in, shouting wildly and brandishing their guns.

Wang Yan fired calmly; he took no lives, shooting only their wrists.

After taking down seven or eight men this way, the outsiders dared not move.

Leaning against the corner, Wang Yan fired a single shot at a man lying on the floor clutching his wrist, striking him squarely in the brain and ending his life.

Wang Yan stated flatly in Burmese: "Whoever reaches for a gun dies. Whoever shouts again dies."

Instantly, the room fell silent; everyone clenched their teeth tightly, enduring the searing pain of their pierced wrists.

Glancing at Yan Baimei without acknowledging him, Wang Yan nodded toward Shen Xing: "Can you move?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Shen Xing nodded frantically.

He was terrified. Brother Yan, holding a gun with such nonchalance, was vastly different from the Brother Yan he remembered tying rebar at the construction site. Especially since, just moments ago, Wang Yan had killed a man right before his eyes. He was filled with fear.

"We're all on the same side, what are you afraid of?" Wang Yan shook his head amusedly. "Pick up the guns for me."

Then he spoke again in Burmese: "All of you, scram over there. Don't get in the way."

So the group scrambled and crawled, squeezing themselves into a corner.

Shen Xing stared blankly at the scene before him, momentarily at a loss for what to do.

"What are you staring at? Grab a gun. There are still people outside."

"Huh? Oh, right, grab the guns, grab the guns."

So Shen Xing collected all the guns visible from the doorway, holding them with trembling hands as he leaned against Wang Yan's side.

These guns were still Colts. It seemed Yan Baimei had made a bulk purchase; all his subordinates were equipped with this type.

Wang Yan removed the magazines from these guns and stuffed them into his pockets, keeping one ready to reload. Finally, he left one gun unloaded, racked the slide with a sharp click to chamber a round, and placed it in Shen Xing's hand.

"Hold this. Blast anyone who acts up. Especially this white-haired kid; he's the most troublesome."

"Wang Laoban, I have money," Yan Baimei hurriedly said.

"Business can wait. You need to behave, or you'll get blasted to death first."

Wang Yan patted Shen Xing on the shoulder: "Keep a close watch. I'm going out to deal with the rest outside."

As he spoke, he flashed out to the doorway.

Within a few breaths, gunshots rang out once more.

Shen Xing trembled with fear, holding the gun with both hands, pointing it alternately at the pile of thugs squeezed together like a human pyramid and at Yan Baimei.

His nervous, trembling demeanor made whoever he pointed at panic.

Yan Baimei said, "Brother, put the gun down. We definitely won't move. Don't let it misfire."

"No way. Brother Yan said you aren't trustworthy." Shen Xing trembled even harder, his voice shaking with a tremolo.

Yan Baimei immediately raised his hands high and fell silent. He truly feared a misfire.

At this moment, he regretted everything, wishing he could slap himself to death.

They had already taken the money and gone back to the construction site to work honestly; why provoke them again?

He knew clearly that this time would not be like last time, resolved with two million and the life of one subordinate. Last time, Wang Yan had already warned him: he needed money, he needed more money...

A moment later, Wang Yan beat and kicked more than ten people into the room. All of them clutched their wrists, grimacing in pain, and squeezed together over there.

Wang Yan himself returned holding over ten handguns, placing them all on a solid wood low table.

"Do you want the guns?"

"No, no." Shen Xing shook his head repeatedly, then tremblingly pointed the gun barrel at Wang Yan.

"Are you trying to blast me to death?"

"No, no, Brother Yan, I'm just too scared. I'm still in a daze." Shen Xing quickly moved the gun barrel away, pointing it at the floor.

"Give me the gun." Wang Yan beckoned.

"Ah." Shen Xing responded, hurriedly handing the gun over to Wang Yan.

Wang Yan smoothly cleared the chamber, then fiddled with the other guns, organizing the ammunition.

Yan Baimei trembled as he cautiously stood up. Seeing Wang Yan ignore him, he went to the liquor cabinet, fetched a glass, and eagerly poured wine for Wang Yan.

"Wang Laoban, you are a connoisseur of alcohol. I've bought a new batch; please check if this one is genuine?" He wore a fawning expression, his will to survive written all over his face.

Wang Yan smiled, lifted the glass, first swirled it, then smelled the aroma, and finally took a sip to taste.

"This one is genuine. What happened to the one who sold you fake wine last time? How was that dealt with?"

"We're all businesspeople; harmony brings wealth. Some compensation from him would suffice."

"Boss Bai, you don't seem very harmonious," Wang Yan said with a smile.

Yan Bomei waved his hands in panic: "Wang Laoban, I was just momentarily confused, momentarily confused!"

"No need to say more; I understand. As I said last time, if I were you, I would seek revenge too. You kill me, I kill you; let's see whose fist is harder. Isn't this how your side handles things? Sit down."

Once Yan Bomei sat, Wang Yan pulled out a Huazi cigarette, lit one, and offered one to Shen Xing. The latter trembled so much he couldn't even light it; Yan Bomei took the initiative to light it for him and lit one for himself as well, needing to calm down.

"Go to the door and watch for anyone passing by."

Thus, following Wang Yan's order, Shen Xing leaned against the doorway, yet he pricked up his ears to listen to the conversation inside.

"Boss Bai, name your own price."

Wang Yan took a drag of his cigarette, toyed with the large pile of pistols on the table, glanced at the anxious Yan Bomei opposite him, and spoke in a lukewarm tone.

Yan Bomei said, "Wang Laoban, how about five million?"

Seeing Wang Yan lift his head, Yan Bomei hurriedly explained, "Wang Laoban, it's not that I don't value my own life. It's just that this is all the money I can gather in a short time. Moreover, it won't overly affect the operation of the business."

"Wang Laoban, you know I only look prosperous; in reality, it's not easy. I have three halls in this casino, and they aren't all mine. Even with these three halls, I have backers behind me. Only this way can I establish myself and do business. As I told you last time, Uncle Daban Cai is one of them."

"Uncle Cai runs the border-water business, transporting daily supplies to drug dealers in the mountains. He is the biggest border-water boss in Sanbianpo and very powerful. I met him previously in the army; he took great care of me, which is how I got to where I am today."

"Trying to scare me?"

Yan Bomei waved his hands repeatedly: "How would I dare? Wang Laoban, I know you are a straightforward person; I'm not haggling with you. Five million is the absolute maximum."

"How long will it take?"

"Until tonight. Wang Laoban, the amount this time is larger, and since you want cash, it's hard to gather."

"Is a transfer faster?"

"Very fast," Yan Bomei nodded.

Wang Yan smiled and nodded, then immediately cocked the gun; with a click, a round was chambered. Without another word, bang! —a shot struck Yan Bomei's lower leg.

"Ah~"

Yan Bomei screamed in agony.

Only when Wang Yan shoved the muzzle into his mouth did he forcibly suppress the sound, trembling and daring not to cry out.

"I'm not satisfied with your price; this shot covers the difference. Boss Bai, this is the last time. You now know where I am; you can come find me anytime, you can hire people to kill me, but as long as I don't die, you are finished. Before you make a move, you'd better be prepared. I will make sure you die miserably."

With the gun muzzle stuffed in his mouth, Yan Bomei nodded frantically, making muffled sounds.

Only then did Wang Yan withdraw the gun, remove the magazine, eject the bullet, toss the weapon aside in disgust, switch to another gun and hold it properly, then walk over to the computer in the office, sit down, pull a USB drive from his pocket, plug it in, and begin typing furiously.

Yan Bomei explained, "Wang Laoban, rest assured, the surveillance footage will definitely not be kept."

"Last time you said you wouldn't dare seek revenge, yet here we are again in this situation. Boss Bai, you people from Bomo aren't very trustworthy. You only believe in this."

Wang Yan withdrew his hand and gestured with the gun.

Thus, Yan Bomei honestly fell silent, dragging his leg which burned with intense pain from the gunshot, and poured wine for Wang Yan, providing meticulous service...

Shen Xing had heard everything from start to finish and witnessed Wang Yan's ruthlessness in firing without a second word; he was already numb. His worldview of over twenty years shattered completely in that instant.

He had glimpsed a new world, a world so bloody and cruel...

Wang Yan, however, had no time to attend to Shen Xing's psychological state; he was opening bank accounts. Thinking that unexpected windfalls might occur occasionally in the future and that transactions couldn't always be in cash, having bank accounts was quite necessary.

He wasn't just opening one account, but over a thousand accounts located around the world.

In this regard, he was professional to a certain extent. He even had specialized programs to handle transfers, constantly hopping routes to prevent tracking, before finally converging everything into a single account.

After operating like this for about half an hour, Wang Yan stood up and vacated the computer: "Transfer to this account; I want US dollars."

"No problem, Wang Laoban; I'll transfer eight hundred thousand to you," Yan Bomei said with an ingratiating expression, smiling in a disgusting manner.

But indeed, him giving a few extra ten-thousands translated to several hundred thousand in red notes.

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow: "So, you still have quite a lot, hmm?"

"No, absolutely not; I just wanted to show my sincerity. Wang Laoban, this truly is all the money I have. Even if there is some left, it's all earmarked for specific purposes and absolutely cannot be touched. Once touched, even if Wang Laoban doesn't take my life, others will kill me."

"Make the transfer."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Yan Bomei sat there, hands trembling as he operated the computer to execute the transfer. After a series of verifications were completed, the operation was done.

Wang Yan sat back at the computer to wrap things up, dispersing and then reconverging the funds. Afterwards, he routinely checked the surveillance system, erased all footage, traced everything to confirm no other backups existed, and only then cut the power to the room.

Next, he stripped a jacket off someone and collected all the magazines.

Then he patted Yan Bomei on the shoulder: "Boss Bai, pleasant cooperation."

"Pleasant cooperation."

Although Yan Bomei desperately wanted to die, he still forcibly curled the corners of his mouth, forcing a flattering smile.

"I'll say it one last time: this is the final time; behave yourself."

Having said that, without paying Yan Bomei any further attention, Wang Yan turned and left.

"What are you standing there for? Let's go."

Hearing the call, Shen Xing came to his senses, hurriedly responded, and looking at Yan Bomei who was still forcing a smile inside the room, he nodded politely, receiving an eager response from Yan Bomei.

Yet, in Shen Xing's eyes, that smile was exceptionally terrifying.

Because this was the smile of someone who had just been robbed of eight hundred thousand US dollars, taken a bullet in the leg, lost a subordinate, and had twenty-odd men crippled by having their dominant hands destroyed. Shen Xing didn't find Yan Bomei frightening; rather, it was Wang Yan, who caused all this yet still wore a faint smile, acting as if nothing mattered, who was the true Huozu Sect.

Shen Xing followed Wang Yan step by step, exiting the casino through the main entrance and taking the front passenger seat.

Wang Yan started the car and headed back to the construction site of Xinhao Hotel.

Glancing at the distraught Shen Xing, he laughed: "Scared? Not bad; you didn't wet your pants."

Shen Xing exhaled a long breath, trembling as he accepted the cigarette Wang Yan handed him. After lighting it and rolling down the window to feel the wind generated by the moving car, a sense of relief from surviving a disaster finally surged into his heart.

He asked in a trembling voice, "Brother Yan, what exactly do you do?"

"Just a small hooligan; too high for the low jobs, too low for the high ones, and my family can't earn money either. What, did you really think I committed crimes back home? The public security system is now networked nationwide; if I had really committed crimes, do you think I could hold a passport and travel abroad normally? I told you, I'm a good person."

"Yes, yes, yes, Brother Yan, you're a good person."

"Too perfunctory." Wang Yan shook his head and sighed lightly, "Your misunderstanding of me runs too deep. Do you know what 'If others do not offend me, I will not offend them; if others offend me, I will kill their entire family' means? Do you know what 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth' means?"

"I know."

"About this matter, you should be clear by now. You judge the rights and wrongs. He runs a casino, I went there to gamble, that's fine, right?"

"That's fine."

"They cheated and used tricks, do you think that's right?"

"It's not right."

"Under such circumstances, I won the money, that's fine, right?"

"That's fine."

"Then since the money is what I won, I should take it away, correct?"

"Correct, correct, correct."

"Then look, here comes the problem: they wouldn't let me take the money I won. Two of them held guns, dragged me upstairs, and threatened me. That white-haired bastard even pretended to be tough with me, pointed a gun at my head, and wanted to kill me. I had no choice but to fight back to save my life. I fought back, he submitted, gave me the money, and sent me away. But then they tried to settle old scores and sought revenge.

Xing'er, let me tell you, if I weren't so poor and a man of principle, today Gao Di would have shot that white-haired bastard dead with a single bullet; why suffer this humiliation..."

Shen Xing reacted for a moment, then shook his head repeatedly: "Brother Yan, it's not humiliation, truly not. Haven't you heard of that Guess Uncle? How powerful is he? And he's just one of them. If you had shot him, it would be truly hard to survive here. Even now, we don't know how they'll retaliate. What if they send an army over? What would we do then?"

"Trying to drive me away? Afraid I'll cause trouble for your uncle?"

"How could that be, Brother Yan? Things have reached this point; whether you stay or go makes little difference. If they really want revenge, they certainly won't spare me either. It's better if you stay here; at least you can kill a few of them."

"Good, you still have a brain."

Wang Yan smiled, "Actually, I could have just left, but I didn't. What does that indicate?"

Shen Xing had a sudden realization: "It indicates that Brother Yan is a good person."

"Ah, you kid know the ropes."

Wang Yan nodded in satisfaction, then pulled the car over to the roadside, got out carrying a bundle of magazines and several guns wrapped in clothes.

"What are you doing, Brother Yan?" Shen Xing asked.

Wang Yan didn't reply, just waved his hand, signaling him to stay in the car.

In no time, the clothes in Wang Yan's hand were gone, the guns inside were gone too, replaced by a black plastic bag. Shen Xing knew Wang Yan had hidden everything over there.

Getting back into the car, Wang Yan opened the black plastic bag, took out ten stacks of red banknotes, and threw them into Shen Xing's lap.

"You were frightened today; I also robbed over five million. Since we're all witnesses, here's a share to calm your nerves."

"No, Brother Yan, this is too much, I can't take it. How about this, I'll just take one stack."

"Just take it when I give it to you; later we also have to give some to Li Min and the others. This stuff works well for calming nerves. Your courage is big, but not that big. With money in hand, you'll feel secure. Additionally..."

Shen Xing said: "Rest assured, Brother Yan, I will definitely keep it secret; I won't even tell my uncle."

"You wouldn't dare tell him anyway." Wang Yan smiled and waved his hand, "Just be careful. I've asked around; the police here need clear evidence to arrest someone. Even with evidence, as long as you're willing to spend money, everything can be settled. It's not a big problem. But that doesn't mean you can talk about it everywhere. These things can be done, but you can't shout them around. Once word spreads and causes a bad impact, it becomes difficult to handle."

"I understand, Brother Yan, I will definitely keep my mouth shut tight."

"As long as you know the score."

So the two returned to the construction site, but as soon as they got back, Han Han Shizhong summoned them to his office.

Inside the office, Guo Li Min sat there dazed, his legs trembling unconsciously.

Hearing the noise, he suddenly looked up: "Brother Yan, Brother Xing, you're back? Great! Great!"

Wang Yan held his shoulders, looked into his eyes, then slapped him across the face, sending Guo Li Min crashing onto the chair.

"Brother Yan?" Guo Li Min clutched his face in pain, staring dazedly at Wang Yan, not understanding why Wang Yan had hit him.

"Are you awake now?"

Guo Li Min nodded dazedly.

Wang Yan casually threw the black plastic bag he was holding into Guo Li Min's lap: "This is for you, to calm your nerves."

Guo Li Min opened the bag, saw the stacks of red banknotes inside, and quickly covered the bag again.

"Brother Yan, I can't take this."

"Xing'er got some too; just take it. Deposit it in the bank and send it home; it should be enough for your mother's medical treatment, right?"

"Enough, enough." Guo Li Min nodded repeatedly, then slid to the floor, kneeling on both knees, "Brother Yan, I..."

Wang Yan lifted him up with one hand: "Today's matter stems from me; this is given to you, not lent to you, so accept it with peace of mind."

Guo Li Min had already started shedding tears: "Brother Yan, I really..."

"Go on, go on, it's fine. Xing'er, you go, take him to deposit the money."

"How much money is it?"

Han Han Shizhong, who had been watching coldly, rushed over to snatch the bag from Guo Li Min's hands, but couldn't budge it; Guo Li Min gripped it tightly. Let alone Han Han Shizhong, even if Laozi himself came, he wouldn't be able to take the money from his hands.

"Show him." Wang Yan smiled cheerfully, lit a cigarette for himself, sat down in the chair, propped his feet up on the desk, rocked back and forth, and leisurely began smoking...