Chapter 76

Nanzhou is a vibrant metropolis.

Whenever night falls, power and wealth intertwine, and countless male hormones surge like untamed wild horses, running rampant in the neon-lit, wine-red KTV private rooms.

Huayin Ge, this is the name of one of the private rooms in Emperor No. 1.

The atmosphere in the private room is decadent.

Some pretend they can't hold their liquor and try to slip away, while others embrace left and right, indulging in pleasure, as if trying to prove that no saintly bitch exists that money can't settle.

Tang Jing — a dancer from the provincial cultural troupe, and a close friend of Chu Lingxi.

She had just vomited in the toilet and now lay slumped on the sofa, feigning drunkenness, her mind full of how to escape this den of iniquity tonight.

To break into the entertainment industry, tonight she mustered her courage and went alone to the venue.

Only after arriving did she realize the wealthy world was so crazy; to some, a lowly nobody like her was nothing more than a plaything, a tool.

The person embracing left and right beside her was Little Shang Boss — Shang Weiliang.

Two years ago, Shang Weiliang was a second-generation official; now he's a second-generation rich kid. As the heir of Shang Family Media, his greatest talent is playing with women.

He glanced at the feigning-asleep Tang Jing.

Slightly annoyed, he snapped his fingers, summoning the suited man standing by the door, then pointed at the pretending-to-sleep Tang Jing.

The suited man understood, picked up a large glass of beer, and splashed it over Tang Jing's head.

With a slap.

Tang Jing jolted from the splash and sat up instantly, but she dared not lift her head, tidying her drenched, disheveled hair like a helpless wretch.

The suited man coldly ordered: "Don't make Little Shang Boss unhappy, lift your head!"

Tang Jing tremblingly lifted her head.

Still she dared not meet Shang Weiliang's eyes.

Nor did she dare to speak.

Shang Weiliang pushed aside the sexy women on either side, picked up the photo of a beauty on the wine table, glanced at it as if admiring a worldly paradise, and his face broke into a restless, enamored smile.

He handed the photo to Tang Jing: "I'm not that interested in you, but I am in her; figure out how to get her out for me."

Tang Jing took the photo, saw it was her friend Chu Lingxi, and was so shocked she couldn't speak.

Shang Weiliang indifferently asked: "What does this mean? Do you need me to teach you how to invite her?"

"Little... Little Shang Boss, please spare me..." Tang Jing stammered.

Upon hearing that, Shang Weiliang's face darkened instantly; he picked up the bottle on the table and asked: "What did you just say? I didn't catch that; say it again."

"Little Shang Boss, I was wrong, please show mercy."

Terrified and at a loss, Tang Jing plopped onto her knees with a thud, begging for forgiveness.

Shang Weiliang smirked: "You came here just to become a big star? Now I give you this chance — as long as you get her out, Hundred Shang Media will sign you."

"Little Shang Boss, it's not that I don't want to help you, I truly can't." Tang Jing lowered her head, explaining: "Chu Lingxi is a second-generation official, and she never comes to places like this."

"What's wrong with being a second-gen official? I used to be one too." Shang Weiliang sneered: "In Nanzhou City, is there any woman I want to sleep with that I can't?"

"Other women are fine, but Chu Lingxi really isn't..."

"Damn!"

Before Tang Jing could react, Shang Weiliang kicked her.

A soul‑shaking scream!

A woman in utter disarray!

In this dimly lit private room, she resembled an ant being wantonly trampled by a spoiled rich brat.

The beer bottle in Shang Weiliang's hand had not yet struck Tang Jing's head — not because he didn't want to, nor because he dared not, but because Tang Jing still had use value.

He pointed the beer bottle at the Tang Jing curled up on the floor, arms clasped: "Think it over, then answer me — can you really get her out?"

"I... I'll try..."

This was undoubtedly the most terrifying moment of Tang Jing's life.

Her voice trembled, her body shook, and after fumbling with her phone for a while she still couldn't get Chu Lingxi's number right.

At the same time.

At the entrance of Emperor No. 1 KTV stood three smoke addicts.

In the middle was Lin Dongfan.

On the left was Yang Qing, captain of the Changming Branch Bureau Criminal Police Brigade; on the right was Zhang Yong, newly assigned to the brigade.

Tonight's dinner was hosted by Zhang Yong, with Lin Dongfan footing the bill; Zhang Yong felt guilty and insisted on coming to the KTV to make up for it.

Lin Dongfan gazed up at the neon sign of Emperor No. 1: "Why not go to a wholesale KTV? This place looks pretty pricey."

"Do you even know what 'wholesale' means? Wholesale means high volume, low cost — like a wholesale market, pushing cheapness." Yang Qing rolled his eyes in disdain: "That's a place for singing."

Lin Dongfan, a bit confused: "We came to a KTV, isn't it to sing?"

"He's got a screw loose, just ignore him."

Yang Qing couldn't be bothered to deal with Lin Dongfan any longer, pushing Zhang Yong to walk inside: "Don't stare, let's go—you're divorced, what are you scared of? When you get home, nobody's going to check your bill."

"'Is Brother Fan afraid of his wife?' Zhang Yong asked, laughing as they walked."

Yang Qing said: "Show-offs have good luck, marrying a sweet, innocent beauty like an angel who listens to him in everything. He's just afraid you can't cover the bill—this place is indeed a bit pricey, but……"

"'But what?' Zhang Yong asked."

Yang Qing patted Zhang Yong's shoulder: "You're already a member of the sub-bureau's criminal police team; if you really can't make ends meet, just pull out your credentials and crack down on prostitution."

"'Captain Yang, don't kid me—I still want to stick around for a couple more years.'"

Zhang Yong assumed Yang Qing was joking, thinking: "How could the boss of such a high-end business KTV have no backing? He'd better watch out not to kick an iron plate."

Turning around, seeing Lin Dongfan dawdling, Zhang Yong laughed and shouted: "Brother Fan, you wouldn't actually want to sing, would you?"

"'I'll give you a song 'Serving the Country with Loyalty' in a moment.'"

Lin Dongfan held a cigarette in his mouth, head down, walking and replying to Ye Jiaying's message: "I'm already married."

Just six words, and he made no further reply.

Ahead, a warm "Welcome" came over them, the three walked straight in, and led by the waiter, entered a room with dim, alluring lighting.

Soon, the head waiter brought over a group of girls, who stood in a line.

Yang Qing was dazzled by the choices, looking left and right, wanting to keep them all, he eagerly nudged the nearby Zhang Yong: "Boss, which one do you want?"

"Let Elder Brother Fan pick first."

Zhang Yong turned and patted Lin Dongfan on the shoulder: "Brother Fan, which style do you like?"

"I want to sing 'Utmost Loyalty and Service to the Country'."

Lin Dongfan didn't even glance at it, keeping his head down and looking at his phone.

Another message from Ye Jiaying.

This time Ye Jiaying wasn't talking about old stories; she wrote in the message: "Just got the news, Assistant General Manager Shang is in the Splendid Sound Pavilion private room at Emperor No. 1."

"Thanks."

Lin Dongfan finished replying to the message.

He got up and asked the head waiter: "Where is the Splendid Sound Pavilion?"

"What the hell are you up to?" Yang Qing gave a look of disdain, thinking it was beauty pageant time, you're pretending to be a saint, though you've fooled around before.

Lin Dongfan replied: "I have something to do, you go ahead and play, I'll come over later."