Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Flames of War and the Ashes of Begonia

Chen Kan's apology was like a piece of cotton soaked in cold water, blocking the two of them, even making the evening breeze feel sluggish.

Lin Tang remained pressed against the pillar, her fingertips digging into the wool of her shawl, her knuckles turning bluish-white. She kept her eyes down, not daring to look at Chen Kan, yet she could feel his gaze burning like red-hot iron, making the tips of her ears ache.

"Jintang," Chen Kan's voice deepened, as if he was suppressing something, "You need to be careful with Qiao Yuan."

Lin Tang looked up, her eyes still filled with lingering fear. "Him?"

"I heard that he's been getting very close to the Japanese lately." Chen Kan's brows furrowed, his tone filled with obvious disgust.

Lin Tang's pupils contracted, then she shook her head. "Impossible. Qiao Yuan's parents and sister were all killed by the Japanese in Northeast China. He wouldn't become a traitor."

Chen Kan laughed, but there was a hint of coldness in his laughter. "Hate is hate, but when it comes to profit, who knows? Back then, he would even kill me to take you away. What else wouldn't he do?"

"Never mind," Chen Kan said, his tone softening when he saw her silence. "I'm just reminding you. After all, he's the head of the Green Gang; he's capable of anything."

Lin Tang gently patted the back of her hand, a gesture that was both comforting and confidently in control. "You just need to relax. It's time to clean up the demons and monsters in Jiangcheng. Qiao Yuan, and his Crescent Moon Gang... Hmph!"

That final, cold snort was like a death knell suddenly tolling in the dead of winter, foreshadowing the impending, unavoidable storm.

Lin Tang's heart sank.

She remained silent, offering no further defense of Qiao Yuan.

Only the mournful sound of the night wind blowing through the withered branches and the heavy, suffocating silence between the two remained in the courtyard.

After that day, Chen Kan's actions were as swift as lightning.

He did not immediately take action against Qiao Yuan's Crescent Moon Gang, but instead first precisely targeted those parasites within the Chamber of Commerce who were dependent on Qiao Yuan or secretly colluded with the Japanese.

Under the guise of reforming the Chamber of Commerce, he swiftly implemented new regulations to "eliminate drugs and gambling," strictly prohibiting any gang forces from interfering in the affairs of the Chamber of Commerce, with violators to be immediately expelled and all business dealings severed.

This announcement, personally signed by Chen Kan, president of the Chamber of Commerce, was like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, instantly creating a huge stir in Jiangcheng's business community.

The announcement was strongly worded, directly targeting the encroachment of gang forces on legitimate businesses. Although the announcement did not explicitly name the Crescent Moon Gang, everyone understood the implication.

Small and medium-sized businesses that relied on Qiao Yuan were immediately thrown into a panic, while those merchants who already had conflicts of interest with Qiao Yuan or deeply resented the gang's power sensed the shift in the wind and began to consciously or unconsciously gravitate towards Chen Kan.

Chen Kan is subtly undermining the Crescent Moon Gang's foundation within the Chamber of Commerce under the guise of "rectifying the source."

Meanwhile, the day for Lin Jintang's divorce case to officially go to court has finally arrived.

The courtroom was solemn. Lin Jintang, sitting in the plaintiff's seat, wore a simple cheongsam, her face pale but her posture upright.

Her lawyer presented a clear and logical account of Qiao Yuan's numerous misdeeds after the marriage: neglect, betrayal, condoning his subordinates' harm to his mistress, and ambiguous relationships with women of unknown origin. Each and every one of these points pointed to the marriage being a mere formality, causing irreparable physical and mental trauma to Lin Jintang.

The lawyer's voice was not loud, but every word was like a knife, portraying Qiao Yuan as a ruthless and heartless tyrant who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

...

Qiao Yuan did not attend.

At this moment, in the smoke-filled inner room of the Crescent Moon Gang's headquarters, several gang leaders whose interests were closely tied to it sat around Qiao Yuan, whose face was gloomy.

"Master Qiao! Chen Kan is going too far! He's using the pretext of cracking down on the Chamber of Commerce to clearly target you! 'Eliminate drugs and gambling'? Hmph, did the Chen family not have enough blood on their hands when they made their fortune? Now they're acting like saints!" A burly gang leader slammed his fist on the table, spitting as he spoke. "He's trying to cut off our source of income, and he's slapping you in the face!"

"Exactly! And that woman surnamed Lin, she dared to openly file for divorce from you, isn't it because she has Chen Kan backing her up? This hatred of having your wife stolen is intolerable!" another sharp voice chimed in, "If you ask me, we should join forces and teach the Chen family a lesson! Let them know that in Jiangcheng, Chen Kan can't just think he can cover up everything!"

“That’s right! When Chen Kan’s third uncle was alive, he took good care of us brothers in the underworld, but he was never as unruly and ruthless as him! Boss Qiao, you have to stand up for the brothers and get justice for yourself! We can’t let the Chen family ride roughshod over us!”

The crowd chattered amongst themselves, like countless flies buzzing in Qiao Yuan's ears, further fueling his already suppressed anger.

Qiao Yuan leaned back in the large armchair, a long ash accumulated between his fingers from the cigar, the scarlet flame flickering in the dim light, reflecting on his sharply defined profile, the lines as cold and hard as if carved by a knife.

He listened in silence, not even lifting his eyelids, as if those vehement words were merely the wind passing by his ears. Only in his unfathomable black eyes did an extremely sinister glint occasionally flash, like a venomous snake lurking in the abyss.

Only Uncle Chen, with his gray hair, sitting to his left, looked at him with worry. Finally, he couldn't help but lower his voice and advise, "Sir, please calm down. These people... are just using you as a tool to manipulate you. Although Chen Kan's actions are directed at us, they are justified. If we act rashly, we will play right into his hands and become the target of everyone's criticism. You must not be angered by their words and become a spear in their hands aimed at Chen Kan!"

Qiao Yuan slowly raised his eyelids, his gaze like needles chilled by ice, coldly sweeping over Uncle Chen's anxious face, then slowly passing over the faces that were either indignant, greedy, or waiting to see a good show, his lips curling down slightly.

“Uncle Chen,” Qiao Yuan’s voice carried a chilling, sinister tone, “I, Qiao Yuan, am not anyone’s spear.”

He slowly stubbed out his cigar, then took out his pocket watch, the hands of which were pointing to a specific moment.

"It's time to end this," he said softly, as if talking to himself, or as if making a declaration.

He stood up, his tall and imposing figure casting a huge shadow in the dim light, instantly silencing the entire room.

Qiao Yuan straightened his black robe and swept his sharp eyes across the crowd. "I've heard what you all have to say. Since you're all so indignant about Chen Kan, why don't you set an example for me and show Chen Kan who's really in charge in Jiangcheng?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the gang leaders who had been shouting the loudest moments before now avoided his gaze, not daring to meet his eyes. Those three words, "leading the charge," were clearly a hot potato; whoever took them would be walking into Chen Kan's line of fire, becoming a pebble used by Qiao Yuan to test the waters.

Qiao Yuan took in everyone's awkward situation, a faint yet cold sneer curling at the corner of his lips.

He ignored these blustering fence-sitters and turned to walk out the door.

"Sir!" Uncle Chen hurriedly followed a few steps and called out in a low voice, "What's wrong with you...?"

Qiao Yuan glanced at the pocket watch again. The cold metal surface precisely reflected the markings of the hands, each second like a tap on a taut heartstring.

He slammed the watch cover shut.

"The time has come."

He walked straight through the deep corridor of the Crescent Moon Gang's headquarters and left resolutely.

Ah Chen quickly followed.

Uncle Chen watched his resolute and chilling back, sighed deeply, turned around, and faced the gang leaders in the hall who were looking at each other in bewilderment and trembling with fear. He suppressed his worries and tried his best to keep his voice dignified and calm:

"Gentlemen, have you all heard what Master Qiao said?" His sharp gaze swept over the leaders who had been shouting fiercely just moments before but now avoided eye contact. "Which hero is willing to be the vanguard, to go and meet that Chairman Chen on behalf of Master Qiao and our brothers in the underworld?"

Before the words were even finished, the burly man who had just slammed his fist on the table turned slightly pale and instinctively took a half-step back. The other man, with a shrill voice, coughed and stared down at the tips of his gleaming leather shoes, as if trying to see a flower bloom on them.

For a moment, the huge hall was completely silent, with only the faint crackling sound of cheap incense burning in the incense burner, mixed with the heavy breathing of the crowd.

A barely perceptible hint of mockery and deep weariness flashed in Uncle Chen's eyes.

These people usually bully others and embezzle money by relying on the power of Qiao Yuan and the Crescent Moon Gang, but when it comes to getting serious, they all become spineless cowards.

He raised his hand in a gesture of dismissal, his posture seemingly respectful, but his eyes were as cold and hard as iron.

The gang leaders inside the hall stood up, hastily clasped their hands in greeting, and hurriedly left, their footsteps disappearing outside the door in a chaotic manner.

The smoke-filled hall finally emptied out, leaving only Uncle Chen. He wearily rubbed his temples, walked to the hall's main entrance, and gazed at the gray sky outside.

In the distance, the faint sound of a car engine starting and then speeding away could be heard; it was Qiao Yuan's car.

Qiao Yuan sat in the back seat, his fingertips repeatedly stroking the metal case of the pocket watch. The cold touch crept into his heart through his nerves, but he couldn't suppress the surging heat in his chest, like a fire trapped in a jar, making his Adam's apple tighten.

Ah Chen glanced at his master in the rearview mirror, his Adam's apple bobbed, but he ultimately didn't dare to speak.

The scenery outside the car window rushed past, and the familiar street scene gradually transformed into the sycamore-lined avenue where the courthouse was located. The leaves rustled in the wind, like someone sighing softly.