Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 133: Standard Intimidation

Qin Nianran explained, “These are all under Qianfeng’s close surveillance. Some were sent to the companies that previously traded secretly with Tianxing, and two more were directly received by Qianfeng’s own enterprises…”
At that moment, Ouyang Ziyi also said coquettishly, “Classmate Qin, didn’t you receive one too? Show it to our Tianyu as well!”
Qin Nianran glanced at Ouyang Ziyi before calmly handing another letter to Chu Tianyu. “Whether I show it or not makes no difference. Who knows who might be intimidating whom! But there’s no harm in sharing everything—take it!” With that, she handed him another letter.
Chu Tianyu curiously unfolded it and read, “Miss Qin, your company’s recent actions have seriously harmed others. I heard you have a wealthy fiancé—don’t want to end up a widow before getting married, right? You know what to do!”
Chu Tianyu couldn’t help but laugh. The writing was truly terrible!
He laughed because he thought Tianxing Group’s behavior was incredibly childish—going to such extreme measures just because they were cornered!
Thinking this, Chu Tianyu glanced at Qin Nianran, as if to say, “It seems you’ve pushed them to the brink, huh?”
Qin Nianran glanced at him before calmly saying, “I heard from Classmate Ouyang that someone visited you a few days ago, but I only received this letter today!”
Chu Tianyu was surprised and immediately understood what Qin Nianran meant. He asked doubtfully, “Are you saying this wasn’t done by Tianxing Group, but by someone trying to take advantage of the situation?”

Qin Nianran did not directly answer Chu Tianyu’s question. Instead, she said, “Zhou Tianxing is also pitiful. After planning for so many years, he never expected that at the time of reaping the rewards, he would encounter you—Qianfeng! In fact, he had planned this operation very meticulously, with the support of a vast network of connections and the banking system. That’s why he was able to expand his operations so much and cover such a wide range of areas. If he succeeds, he can indeed acquire or merge most companies peacefully, without any bloodshed or cost, just as he did with Fudu Industrial. The key to this method lies in his control over two sources: projects and raw materials. In today’s market, having projects means profit. To secure these projects, ordinary companies usually make concessions in cooperation. He takes advantage of this by delaying payments and funds, while forcing back the progress and deadlines of the projects. As a result, companies are forced to pay quickly for raw materials and rush to complete work. Thus, with each transaction, the companies’ cash flow is drained. Their approach is like pyramid selling—except for a few original sources, almost every company can be treated as another source, creating a large chain effect that leads to such significant economic fluctuations…”

After a pause, Qin Nianran raised her voice again and said, “That’s roughly the situation. But the specific methods vary. One thing that remains unchanged is this pattern! So, what I’m targeting is the key to his pattern—this chain-like structure. By relying on Qianfeng’s substantial funds and market influence, I’ll strike at its critical points…”

“Alright, alright, classmate Qin. Save your expertise for writing papers as examples! Just tell us the result directly!” Ouyang Ziyi said, yawning repeatedly.

“The result is that he’ll be unable to manage his finances, and I’ll keep drawing his funds in. For example, it’s like harvest time, but he realizes he doesn’t have the tools to harvest!” Qin Nianran replied without caring about her comments.

“In short, he’s invested everything and has no chance to turn things around. Then Chu Tianyu can start taking action!” Ouyang Ziyi summarized for her.

“Exactly! As for Tianxing Group, it can be taken over in a few days!” Qin Nianran said confidently.

At this point, Chu Tianyu frowned and said, “Then what about these threatening letters? According to you, Tianxing Group is already in such a state. With such a large-scale operation involved, threatening just a few companies like these won’t solve their urgent problems at all. Why would they go to the extra trouble and invite trouble upon themselves?”
Qin Nianran also yawned, imitating Ouyang Ziyi, and said, “It’s such a sensitive time now, with so many forces at play. Tianxing Group has many enemies, so it’s not impossible that someone might take this opportunity to frame them. But that’s your responsibility. Well, it’s getting late. We’ve said everything that needed to be said. Ziyi, see to the guest!”
As she spoke, Qin Nianran’s face showed a look of satisfaction and relief, because her last sentence effectively trapped Ouyang Ziyi. If Ouyang Ziyi agreed, she would seem like a mere servant following orders; if she refused, Qin Nianran knew for sure she would talk to Chu Tianyu…
“Yes, my lady. I’ll obey!” Ouyang Ziyi replied, ignoring her completely.
Qin Nianran rolled her eyes helplessly, while Chu Tianyu felt a chill run down his spine!
Chu Tianyu returned alone to Ouyang Ziyi’s villa. After taking a good bath, he calmly put together all the recent events, his conversation with his grandfather that evening, and the information provided by Qin Nianran, thinking deeply about them. He also studied the materials from these past few days in detail. All indications suggested that Qin Nianran had indeed pushed Tianxing Group step by step into a desperate situation. Groups like the Chu Corporation, represented by his elder brother, had also started taking initial actions against Tianxing Group, taking up some of their resources.
However, Chu Tianyu didn’t find anything suspicious among these companies. He still had no clue about the night attack on Longhun Headquarters or those childish threatening letters. But one thing was certain: the chances of these two incidents being related to Tianxing Group were very low.
As for who was behind it, it seemed he would have to rely on Qianfeng for a thorough investigation! Thinking of this, Chu Tianyu smiled faintly. He felt that Qianfeng was like his eyes and ears—without it, many things would be difficult to handle. But after all, Qianfeng wasn’t omnipotent; many things couldn’t be resolved just by ordering an investigation.
After a busy night like this, Chu Tianyu instinctively stretched. It was almost five o’clock. Just then, the doorbell rang. Chu Tianyu smiled, thinking it must be the guy who wanted to master some quick skill!

“Eh, Third Brother, this… going through all this trouble… it’s really tiring!” Bai Lei complained to Chu Tianyu, out of breath as soon as they met.
Chu Tianyu looked at Bai Lei’s exhausted face, bloodshot eyes, and dark circles under them, and was surprised. “What’s wrong with you? It’s just that you got up early. There’s no need to look like you haven’t slept all night.”
“Damn it. I just didn’t sleep much last night. Last night I went to bed at eight, but when I thought I could start learning that legendary martial art the next day, I was so excited I couldn’t fall asleep at all. By the time I tried to sleep, it was already 2:30 a.m. I was afraid of sleeping in but also didn’t dare to sleep…” Bai Lei said after catching his breath.
Chu Tianyu smiled without responding. Instead, he reached out and took Bai Lei’s hand. This gesture immediately made Bai Lei wary. “What are you doing?”
Before he could finish speaking, he felt warmth spread from his hand throughout his body. Not only did the fatigue and drowsiness vanish instantly, but he also felt energized, as if filled with endless strength.
This change thrilled Bai Lei, who said in a trembling voice, “Third Brother, have you been passing on your martial skills to me for decades? I feel like I could kill a cow now…”
Before he could finish, Chu Tianyu’s voice came through, “Enough, stop bragging. There’s no such thing as passing on skills. I just unblocked your meridians. If you continued practicing in that state of mind, it would definitely harm your vital energy! Come with me; let’s go to the courtyard…”
Although Chu Tianyu had explained, Bai Lei still followed him excitedly, waving his arms and legs from time to time, looking extremely proud, as if he had already become a great martial artist.
When they reached the garden, Chu Tianyu didn’t say much. He simply demonstrated a posture—the simplest of all: the horse stance! After Bai Lei crouched down, Chu Tianyu gave a light shout, “Keep your posture unchanged. Watch closely!” Then he soared into the air, drawing his sword from his waist. With a series of dragon-like roars and a gleaming sword, he began performing the Flying Snow Sword Technique.
When Chu Tianyu finished his last move and landed lightly in front of Bai Lei, he asked, “Did you see it clearly?” Bai Lei was filled with awe and said in a trembling voice, “You… you were dancing with your sword in mid-air just now? Is this what they call rapid attack?”
Chu Tianyu nodded and asked again, “I asked if you saw it clearly.”
“I didn’t see clearly! I just saw you fly, and then there was a flash of white light…”
“Good. I’ll do it again. Watch carefully!”

After two consecutive sessions like this, Bai Lei’s horse stance had already lasted nearly an hour without him even realizing it. Chu Tianyu stopped his final move and said to Bai Lei, “You can go now!”
“What! Tianyu, you’re doing it again! Why can’t I still see it clearly? I haven’t learned anything!” Bai Lei was first surprised and then pleaded.
“The homework for today is done. Look, you’ve been in the horse stance for an hour! Staying still like that is great!” Chu Tianyu smiled.
Only then did Bai Lei realize what had happened. He felt severe back and waist pain, his legs went numb, and he could barely stand up.
At the same time, he heard Chu Tianyu’s voice: “If you want to progress quickly, you need to build a solid foundation for your body first. From now on, run here every morning and stay in the horse stance for an hour, then run back just in time for breakfast without missing class! After a month, you can start practicing the Ultimate Divine Skill!”
At first, Bai Lei felt disheartened—running and staying in a horse stance were just physical exercises. But after hearing Chu Tianyu’s last words, he immediately regained his enthusiasm and agreed with himself, “That’s right. Without a strong physical foundation, I probably won’t be able to handle this Ultimate Divine Skill!”
“Third brother, there are no classes this morning. Should I practice here a bit more…” Bai Lei asked cautiously.
Chu Tianyu shrugged and gestured for him to go, then went inside on his own. Left behind, Bai Lei looked radiant, shouting as he maintained his powerful horse stance…
It wasn’t until after eight o’clock that Chu Tianyu got a sudden call, prompting him to call the enthusiastic Bai Lei back inside. As soon as Bai Lei entered, he started devouring the breakfast on the table without saying a word!
While eating, he heard Chu Tianyu say, “The police station just called. They want us to go there to formally document what happened last time!”
“What’s the deal? Their efficiency is terrible! It’s taken so long for them to remember us! I’m not going! They haven’t even sent a single thank-you letter! No way! I definitely won’t go!”
…
When Chu Tianyu and Bai Lei arrived at the police station, the officers there were very friendly. Given the seriousness of this case, many forces must have been involved. Not to mention important witnesses like him and Bai Lei—even the backgrounds of ordinary passersby needed to be thoroughly investigated. So it made sense why it had taken so long. Clearly, they already knew Chu Tianyu and Bai Lei’s identities, but it didn’t matter—they never intended to keep it secret!

Soon, the police officers led Chu Tianyu and Bai Lei into an office, where a man in his forties in casual clothes was already sitting there. Seeing them arrive, he greeted them warmly and politely, “You’re here. Please, have a seat. I heard you two were the direct witnesses at the time, right?”
“Who are you?” Bai Lei asked bluntly.
“Ah. My surname is Li. I’m the head of the investigation team assigned to this case!”
“Oh, so you’re in charge of this case now?” Bai Lei continued.
“That’s correct!”
“Then fine, just get to the point. We have classes to attend. We’re quite busy!”
Leader Li grew increasingly uncomfortable. Who was actually asking whom? It felt like everything had reversed; it seemed like Bai Lei was in control. With a seasoned air, he crossed his legs, tapped his fingers on the table, and acted very calm.
“Mm, mm~~” Leader Li quickly adjusted his mindset and tone by coughing, then became serious and said, “This case is unusual, as it involves foreigners as well. After thorough investigation, it seems the victim, Zhan Zifeng, went there to meet up with you two…”
Before he could finish, Bai Lei shouted, “Leader Li, what do you mean by that? It sounds like you’re implying he was lured there by us, as if we set a trap for him!”
Leader Li didn’t back down and continued in an official tone, “It was you who said that. I didn’t say that. But according to our investigation, Zhan Zifeng had been to your dormitory before, and there was some unpleasant incident. We have witnesses for that. And given your status and background, why would you go to that alley to buy something from a small shop for no reason? And just after Zhan Zifeng showed up, an attack occurred, resulting in multiple deaths…”
Hearing Leader Li’s words, Bai Lei, who had initially thought about writing a letter of praise, was about to jump up, but Chu Tianyu stopped him.
Chu Tianyu calmly glanced at Leader Li and asked, “May I make a phone call?”
A hint of delight flashed in Leader Li’s eyes as he replied readily, “Sure, no problem!”
“Hello, Zi Yi. Uh, it’s nothing serious. I just want to call to say I miss you. By the way, Bai Lei and I are at the police station right now. Yeah, it’s about what happened last time. You don’t need to come over. We can make calls here anyway. If there are any legal issues, I can just ask you directly…” Upon hearing Chu Tianyu’s call, Leader Li immediately showed a barely noticeable look of disappointment. Clearly, the person Chu Tianyu was calling wasn’t who he had imagined!

Watching Team Leader Li’s behavior across from him, Chu Tianyu chatted on the phone while keeping an eye on him, thus gaining a general understanding of what had happened that day. After hanging up, Chu Tianyu calmly said, “Team Leader Li, what you said is all correct and true. But when did the law specify which identities and backgrounds allow or disallow one from eating at a convenience store? I assume you’re a professional, so such misleading questions—if it’s due to carelessness—only show a lack of competence. But if it’s intentional, then we have to doubt whether you have ulterior motives!” Chu Tianyu’s words clearly angered Team Leader Li, who slammed the table and said sternly, “Enough! Chu Tianyu, don’t think just because you have powerful connections you can act recklessly. We’re handling this officially—our task force reports directly to the central authorities. Not everyone gets special privileges or the right to interfere. I hope you two understand this. Cooperate with us and clarify the situation, or we have the right to detain you both as suspects for a while!” “Is this considered intimidation?” Chu Tianyu asked indifferently. “Standard intimidation!” Bai Lei added. Team Leader Li knew his words wouldn’t work, but since that wasn’t his goal anyway, he didn’t press further. Instead, he spoke in a calm tone, his face cold, “Everyone is equal before the law. I think you two should confess honestly and clarify things—both to clear yourselves of suspicion and to help us solve the case! Given your backgrounds, you should cooperate fully with our investigation. Don’t do anything to tarnish the reputations of your elders…” Chu Tianyu knew he was trying to push them to rely on their connections in anger. Team Leader Li really saw them as impulsive, foolish young masters who would claim to have powerful backers at the slightest issue. Apparently, he thought that by pressuring them like this, they’d become furious and immediately use their connections to resolve things, so he could show off and gloat at their embarrassed expressions. Unfortunately, he was wrong!

But obviously he also has his backing. By doing this, at most he can apologize to Chu Tianyu and the others or just laugh it off. However, the nature of the case changes, becoming ambiguous. To outsiders, it seems as though someone used their connections to protect the suspect, hindering further investigation and a resolution to the case, leaving room for endless speculation and imagination—which is more satisfying and fulfills people’s curiosity than arriving at a concrete solution through direct investigation.