Imperial Capital, a heavily guarded villa somewhere.
This was the temporary stronghold Fu Changqing had given Yan Che to recruit followers and accumulate strength.
But to Yan Che, this place was more like a magnificent cage, a Sword of Damocles hanging over his head, capable of elevating him to the heavens or crushing him to dust in an instant.
Inside the study, the light was dim.
Yan Che sat alone, quietly behind the desk.
In his mind, he was replaying everything he now possessed, over and over again.
The power Fu Changqing had bestowed upon him, enough to stir up huge waves in the Imperial Capital.
The various factions who were usually high and mighty, but now had no choice but to bow to his command.
And… the Sword of Damocles, named "Fu Family," hanging over his head.
"A pawn?"
A cold, self-mocking curve appeared at the corner of Yan Che's mouth.
He gently caressed the cold whiskey glass in his hand, feeling the chill emanating from it, just like his current state of mind.
"Fu Changqing, you old fox, you really… think highly of me."
"Treating me as a knife, a knife used to probe Lu Cheng's depth and, by the way, help you eliminate dissidents… a knife?"
"When you're done with it, you'll throw it away, or even… turn around and push all the blame onto this 'disobedient' knife of mine?"
"Heh heh…"
He drained the amber liquid in the glass in one gulp.
A spicy and powerful sensation instantly spread through his limbs!
It ignited a burning… ambition, like a raging fire, in his cold eyes!
"Be a dog?"
"Even if I, Yan Che, die, I will never again be a dog wagging its tail, begging for scraps, and being manipulated by others, like in the past!"
"And I will certainly not… live forever in another man's shadow!"
He slammed the wine glass in his hand heavily onto the table, making a dull thud.
"Fu Changqing, you think that just because you gave me a knife, I will obediently go kill for you?"
"You're wrong!"
"What I want to do is not to become your knife!"
"But to use this 'momentum' you've given me to control all the power I can use!"
"I want to… become a… new king… who can sit as equals with you so-called chess players, or even… trample you all underfoot!"
…Yan Che knew that to achieve this almost insane ambition, the first step was to absolutely not follow the old fox Fu Changqing's script.
Directly attacking Lu Corporation? Confronting Lu Cheng head-on?
That wasn't an attack; that was suicide!
Lu Cheng, this man as unfathomable as a mist, was the biggest variable in his plan, and also a perfect target he had to temporarily set up there.
In fact, he needed Lu Cheng as a target, always standing there.
As long as this target didn't fall, as long as the chess game in the Imperial Capital hadn't reached its end, he could legitimately continue to firmly grasp the power that originally belonged to the Fu Family in his palm.
He calmly and quickly analyzed the distribution of power and the intricate web of interests of all the prominent families in the entire Imperial Capital in his mind.
Finally, his thoughts precisely locked onto three families: the Wang Family, the Sun Family, and the Zhao Family.
These three families had all once been influential forces in the business world of the Imperial Capital, and had their own glorious eras.
However, in the past few years, due to Lu Corporation's unreasonable and aggressive expansion, they had been severely suppressed, almost to the brink of bankruptcy, only able to maintain a superficial facade of prosperity.
"That's right, it's them."
A precise, hunter-like cold gleam flashed in Yan Che's eyes.
"What I want is not a disorganized mob who only knows how to follow my orders."
"But a group of… allies… who share a common hatred for Lu Cheng, and still possess sufficient influence and greed in this land of the Imperial Capital!"
What he wanted to do was to gather these scattered "avengers," transform their monstrous hatred into a sharp blade capable of shaking the colossal Lu Corporation!
And he, naturally, became the wielder of this blade… After making up his mind, Yan Che no longer hesitated.
He did not humbly "request" or "visit" these three old men who were already past their prime.
Instead, in the guise of a "spokesperson" for the Fu Family, he extended an invitation to them for a major discussion, using a nearly "notifying" and forceful tone.
He wanted them to understand from the very beginning who was the true leader of this game!
…Lu Family Palace, by the pool.
Lu Cheng, dressed in a bathrobe, was enjoying grapes that Mu Wanrou had peeled for him personally.
Ye Shuying stood by, reporting expressionlessly: "Young Master Lu, the patriarchs of the Wang, Sun, and Zhao families have all received banquet invitations from Yan Che in the name of the Fu Family. They… are all preparing to attend."
Lu Cheng lazily smiled at Mu Wanrou beside him and said, "See, the fish are biting."
Mu Wanrou fed a glistening grape to his mouth, her beautiful eyes showing a hint of worry and admiration: "Then… do we need to do anything?"
Lu Cheng smiled, pulling her into his arms, "Of course, we… have more important things to do."
…The Wang Family, the Sun Family, the Zhao Family.
When the three patriarchs received this forcefully worded invitation from the "Fu Family" at the same time, their reactions were surprisingly consistent.
First, shock!
Then, deep unease and… the humiliation of not daring to refuse!
"The Fu Family? Why would they suddenly seek us out?"
"Discussing important matters? What important matters?"
"Could it be… that they want to take advantage of our weakened state to also get a piece of the pie and completely annex us?"
"Or… is there some conspiracy behind this that we don't know about?"
Although their hearts were filled with doubts and fear, faced with the Fu Family, a behemoth they simply couldn't contend with, they had no right or room to refuse.
They could only prepare for this mysterious banquet, which they saw as no different from a "Hongmen Banquet," with uneasy hearts… Three days later, night.
Inside the top-floor private room of a seven-star hotel in the Imperial Capital.
Yan Che sat alone at the head of the dining table, symbolizing absolute sovereignty.
His eyes, which always carried a hint of coldness and melancholy, were now as calm and icy as an abyss.
Outside the club.
Three convoys of luxury cars, representing the three major families, arrived one after another, each with their own uneasy feelings.
When the three patriarchs, surrounded by their confidantes, entered the private room that had already been prepared for them, Yan Che slowly rose.
His cold eyes calmly swept over the three prominent figures before him, who had all once been influential in the Imperial Capital's business world.
A polite, yet somewhat distant smile appeared on his face.
"Uncles."
"Since you're here, please take your seats."
He paused, his voice calm, yet carrying a hint of undeniable threat.
"Tonight, we will discuss a… business that will determine the survival of your families."