Chapter 169: Invitation from the Black Snake Organization

"Young Master Long, the task you entrusted to me has been successfully completed. Should the rest of the money be wired to my account now?"

Upon hearing these words, Long Aotian froze instantly. A wave of overwhelming elation surged into his heart, though he managed to suppress it almost immediately.

"Are you certain he is dead?" Long Aotian asked, forcing himself to maintain a calm composure.

"Absolutely certain! I witnessed him drawing his last breath with my very eyes. His corpse hasn't even been disposed of yet; would you like me to send you a photograph?"

"Splendid! You've done a magnificent job! A truly brilliant piece of work!"

Struggling to contain the intense excitement churning within him, Long Aotian said, "Rest assured, the remaining one hundred million will be transferred to you immediately!"

"Pleasure doing business with you!"

Hailing the end of the call, Long Aotian could no longer restrain his surging ecstasy and burst into wild laughter.

"Long Xiaotian, your day has finally come! Longteng Group belongs to me now! Hahahahaha!"

Long Aotian's unbridled laughter echoed through the empty room as he envisioned the scene of Longteng Group falling squarely into his grasp.

He picked up a goblet and drained the crimson red wine in one gulp.

...

Thousands of miles away in Europe, Qin Feng, Long Xiaotian, and Yang Tianchen were seated in a hotel room, watching a video playing on a mobile phone—a recording of Long Aotian's uninhibited gloating.

"This moron actually thinks you're six feet under."

Yang Tianchen chuckled derisively, tossing a peanut into his mouth.

A cold smirk tugged at the corner of Long Xiaotian's mouth, a flash of icy sharpness glinting in his eyes.

"Long Aotian, of all the things you could have done, plotting against Longteng Group was your gravest mistake."

"Still, Brother Qin, your scheme was ruthlessly brilliant. Even I almost believed it was real."

Long Xiaotian turned his gaze toward Qin Feng, his eyes filled with profound admiration.

Qin Feng smiled faintly, tapping the ash from his cigarette.

"To deal with a man like that, one must use his own methods against him."

"What are our next steps?" Yang Tianchen inquired.

"Prepare yourselves; we shall return home tomorrow."

Just at that moment, Qin Feng's phone suddenly rang, displaying an unfamiliar number.

Frowning slightly, Qin Feng answered the call.

"Hello, who is this?"

"Is this Qin Feng?"

A deep, hoarse voice came from the other end of the line, carrying a heavy foreign accent.

"Who are you?" Alarm bells rang in Qin Feng's mind as a heavy sense of foreboding welled up inside him.

The person on the other end chuckled softly.

"No need to rush, Mr. Qin. You will find out very soon."

"Miss Avril is currently my guest here. If you wish for her safety, come to the Peter Factory. Remember, you must come alone, otherwise—"

Before the speaker could finish, a woman's terrified scream suddenly pierced through the phone: "Qin Feng! Don't come!"

It was Avril!

Qin Feng's pupils instantly constricted, and a surge of incandescent fury rushed straight to his head.

To be honest, he wanted nothing more than to walk away from it all, but human nature is a fickle thing.

After having experienced certain bonds, even when one wishes to remain detached, one ultimately chooses to extend a helping hand.

Since Qin Feng had been using the speakerphone, both Yang Tianchen and Long Xiaotian had heard every word.

"Damn it! Those bastards!" Yang Tianchen slammed his fist down onto the table, blazing with wrath.

Long Xiaotian analyzed the situation coolly. "It appears they are targeting you, Brother Qin. You've disrupted too many of their operations previously; they were bound to retaliate."

Qin Feng took a deep breath, forcing himself to regain his composure.

"I know. Avril cannot come to any harm; I have to go."

"But—" Yang Tianchen tried to interject, but Long Xiaotian cut him off.

"Tianchen, Brother Qin knows what he is doing. We should simply wait and observe how things unfold."

Long Xiaotian patted Yang Tianchen's shoulder, knowing well that staying behind would not afford any meaningful assistance.

He turned his gaze back to Qin Feng.

"Brother Qin, exercise utmost caution. I shall await your return in China."

"Understood." Qin Feng nodded.

...

The Peter Factory was situated on the outskirts of a remote, desolate town.

Driving up to the factory gates alone, Qin Feng was met with an oppressive, chilling aura.

He pushed open the car door, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then flicked the butt onto the ground, grinding it out beneath his heel.

"I hope you aren't playing any cheap tricks," Qin Feng muttered to himself before striding through the factory gates.

The interior of the factory was vast and gloomy, strewn with abandoned machinery and scattered spare parts, while the air was thick with a pungent odor of machine oil.

Avril was bound tightly to a massive metal pillar, her hands and feet secured with heavy iron chains, her mouth gagged with thick adhesive tape so that only muffled whimpers escaped her.

Her clothes were torn and tattered, exposing vast expanses of fair skin.

"Qin Feng! You've finally arrived!"

A frigid voice echoed from the shadows.

A tall, heavily built man emerged from the gloom.

He was clad in black leather attire and wore a sinister demonic mask that concealed his true features.

"Who are you?" Qin Feng narrowed his eyes, asking with icy detachment.

"Heh, you needn't know who I am. You only need to know that I represent the Black Snake Organization."

The man sneered, "Qin Feng, we have been watching you for a long time. Your martial prowess is formidable, and I deeply appreciate your talents. As long as you are willing to join our Black Snake Organization, I guarantee that you will enjoy boundless wealth and glory—money, beautiful women, everything your heart desires can be yours."

"Join you?"

A corner of Qin Feng's mouth curled into an expression of utter disdain.

"By what right do you rats hiding in the shadows think you can make such offers?"

"Hmph! A toast refused only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"

The man's expression darkened, a flash of ferocity crossing his eyes. "Qin Feng, I acknowledge your strength, but you must understand that this is our territory! You've ruined so many of our plans; did you really think we would simply let you walk away?"

"Avril is merely a small token of our hospitality. If you refuse our offer, then we shall have no choice but to..."

The man deliberately prolonged his tone, his eyes brimming with palpable menace.

"If you dare lay a single finger on her hair, I swear that every last one of you will die!"

Murderous intent flared violently in Qin Feng's eyes as an imposing, razor-sharp aura erupted from his body, freezing the surrounding air as if solidifying it into ice.

"Ha! Qin Feng, you surely don't believe that single-handedly you can fight our entire Black Snake Organization, do you?"

The man laughed aloud, his gaze filled with utter contempt.

"I advise you to obediently submit to our conditions, otherwise not a single one of you will leave this place alive today!"

"Oh? In that case, let us put it to the test."

Qin Feng cast an indifferent glance at the man and walked straight toward the pillar where Avril was bound.

"Court death!"

Seeing Qin Feng completely disregard him, the man flew into a rage, striking out with a vicious palm aimed at Qin Feng's neck.

His movements were lightning-fast, swift and ferocious like a tiger descending a mountain, closing the distance to Qin Feng in the blink of an eye.

Yet Qin Feng seemed to have anticipated his move entirely; he sidestepped to evade the attack and countered with a swift kick that was even faster in execution.

Bang!

Qin Feng's foot landed squarely on the man's chest. The formidable force erupted instantly, sending the man flying backward with a miserable scream before he crashed heavily onto the floor.