Nie Yan still remembered that scene clearly. He had been hiding on the rooftop, firing a single bullet from his sniper rifle that pierced Cao Xu’s head, splattering blood everywhere, flowing all over the ground.
That shot had been fired in fury, releasing all of Nie Yan’s hatred for Cao Xu.
In this life, when Nie Yan saw Cao Xu again, he no longer felt the same bone-deep hatred as before, since his parents were still alive and well. However, if Cao Xu dared to harm anyone close to him, Nie Yan would never let him off!
Even though he was still insignificant compared to the powerful Century Group at present, he was growing stronger bit by bit. One day, he would shake the very foundation of the Century Group!
Twenty percent of the Century Group’s profits came directly from the virtual industry, and 90 percent of its revenue was related to the virtual industry. Once the Century Group’s dominant position in the virtual industry was threatened, it would trigger a chain reaction. The Century Group would no longer enjoy smooth sailing.
Opposite Cao Xu sat a young man around twenty-three or twenty-four years old. He had a tall, upright figure and handsome features, with a slightly unrestrained smile on his lips that drew frequent glances from the women around him. Undeniably, this guy had the potential to be a pretty boy; his looks alone were enough to attract the favor of over 90% of women.
Several women wearing sexy evening gowns and with seductive figures approached to greet him, and he responded with a smile, appearing charming and courteous.
His gaze swept across the crowd, finally settling on Xie Yao standing in the distance. The beautiful Xie Yao made one’s heart race at first sight.
“Fan Shao, what do you think? Interested?” Cao Xu looked at the young man with a slightly amused smile.
“Not bad. Just a bit too young. After a few more years, she’ll probably become even more enchanting,” Fan Yuan replied. He had to admit that Xie Yao was the center of attention at the party, stunningly beautiful.
“She is the beloved daughter of the Longyue Group and the Zhenrong Group. Win her over, and you’ll have the full support of both the Longyue and Zhenrong Groups. At that point, you can crush your rivals underfoot, secure the inheritance of the Ouyun Group, and live in glory. Then I will have to rely on you, my younger brother,” Cao Xu said with a smile, lifting a cup from the coffee table and taking a sip of tea.
“If that day really comes, will you even be able to tolerate me?” Fan Yuan teased with a smile. Cao Xu, this old fox, wasn’t easy to deal with. Right now, while he was in a weaker position, Cao Xu was helping him for his own purposes. But if the day came when he posed a threat to Cao Xu, they would no longer be friends but enemies, and he would become Cao Xu’s first target for elimination.
Cao Xu laughed heartily, placing the cup back on the table. His expression was inscrutable, though only the two of them truly understood each other’s intentions.
“What do you think about the Longyue Group investing in the Bull Tribe?” Cao Xu shifted the topic.
“Just another Bull Tribe. It can’t stir up much trouble. It’s just a pity that Sa’thern and Greenlan are out of reach. Otherwise, in ten days, I’d make sure the Bull Tribe retreats back to Carol City and dares not come out,” Fan Yuan said confidently, returning his gaze. His confidence came from the formidable strength of Angel Dominion.
“With the investment from the Longyue Group, the Bull Tribe’s potential for development cannot be underestimated,” Cao Xu remarked. His original plan had been to control the five major guilds—Triumphant Empire, Holy Flame, Warblade Bloodthirsty, Mage Alliance, and Sacred Guardian—and sweep across all of Greenlan, bringing it under his control. However, everything had been disrupted by the emergence of the Bull Tribe. Triumphant Empire and Holy Flame were struggling to survive, no longer worth investing in. Warblade Bloodthirsty was in a precarious position. Though Mage Alliance and Sacred Guardian appeared powerful, they still had limitations. They could only grow stronger if they captured all the nearby cities’ fortresses. If the Bull Tribe were allowed to develop peacefully in Carol City, with its large population base, the future of Mage Alliance and Sacred Guardian would be worrisome. The Bull Tribe had thrown his plans in Greenlan into disarray. Fortunately, he still had over twenty virtual assets, allowing Mage Alliance and Sacred Guardian to maintain appearances for now. He had shifted most of his funds to Sa’thern Empire, investing in Angel Dominion and a few other guilds. What annoyed him was that Fan Yuan, the leader of Angel Dominion and one of the heirs to the Ouyun Group, was too clever and wouldn’t be as easy to manipulate as others.
The Bull Tribe’s sudden rise and expansion, supported by the Longyue Group, couldn’t be ignored. With the Bull Tribe’s help, the Longyue Group had gained credit point commercial zones in six primary fortresses and one intermediate fortress. Their virtual industry was flourishing, making Cao Xu feel some threat.
Nie Yan sat in a corner. He couldn’t hear what Cao Xu and Fan Yuan were discussing, but he could tell from their expressions that the topic involved Xie Yao. The playful way Fan Yuan looked at Xie Yao made Nie Yan feel uneasy.
Just then, Fan Yuan and Cao Xu stood up and walked toward Xie Yao and her father.
They exchanged polite greetings, but Nie Yan could sense a hint of hostility hidden behind the smiles of Cao Xu and Xie Yao’s father. As the saying goes, no one visits the Three Treasures Hall without a purpose. Cao Xu’s visit was probably more than just attending Xie Yao’s birthday banquet.
Fan Yuan raised his wine glass, toasting Xie Yao. “It’s been a while. I remember the last time we met, you were only twelve years old, and the Ouyun Group and Zhenrong Group had just closed a big deal. Six years have passed in the blink of an eye. I never expected that the little girl would grow into such a stunning beauty, captivating everyone.”
Fan Yuan’s manner was polite and gentlemanly, giving the impression of being well-bred.
“You flatter me. I wonder how Auntie Fan is doing these days?” Xie Yao replied politely, skillfully shifting the topic.
Fan Yuan sensed the distance in Xie Yao’s tone, his expression faltered slightly before he smiled again. “She often speaks of you. When you come to Europe, we should get together.”
Liu Rui was also attending Xie Yao’s birthday banquet. Because he had previously embarrassed himself in front of her several times, he felt too ashamed to approach Xie Yao and strike up a conversation. When he saw Fan Yuan, he immediately showed a hint of hostility. Fan Yuan’s background was no worse than his own, and more importantly, Fan Yuan was an heir to the Ouyun Group, a top-tier financial conglomerate in Europe, even wealthier than the Century Group.
Fan Yuan held his wine glass, chatting with the people around him about amusing stories, occasionally exchanging a few words with Xie Yao, appearing poised and at ease.
Xie Yao showed some impatience toward Fan Yuan’s attempts at conversation. She found him insincere and womanizing. In Europe, there were often rumors about him and various socialites. Naturally, she had no fondness for him.
Where was Nie Yan? Could he have forgotten? Xie Yao felt a bit resentful as her gaze swept across the entire hall. Suddenly, she spotted Nie Yan sitting on a sofa in the corner. Her resentful expression vanished instantly, replaced by joy. So he had arrived already.
When Nie Yan saw Xie Yao looking his way, he smiled and waved at her.
A moment ago, he had seen Xie Yao talking with Fan Yuan, which made him feel a bit unhappy. But when he noticed her expression of genuine delight upon seeing him, the cloud over his heart quickly dissipated.
Fan Yuan was very attractive to women, but unfortunately, Xie Yao paid him no mind.
As Fan Yuan was about to speak to Xie Yao again, she suddenly interrupted, “I have something to attend to. I need to leave for a moment.”
Fan Yuan’s expression froze, slightly embarrassed, but he quickly masked it, politely smiling and saying, “No problem.”
Xie Yao walked toward Nie Yan, and the crowd parted for her.
“Everyone, please continue chatting,” Fan Yuan smiled, his eyes following Xie Yao’s retreating figure. He could clearly see that Xie Yao was now sitting on the sofa opposite Nie Yan, chatting happily with him. He could distinctly feel the warmth in Xie Yao’s attitude toward Nie Yan was genuine, completely different from the polite smile she had given him earlier. A layer of frost covered his face.
A few women nearby whispered among themselves.
“Who is that guy?”
“I don’t know. Could he be Xie Yao’s boyfriend?”
“It looks like it. Otherwise, why would they be chatting so happily?”
A tall, heavily made-up and seductive-looking woman shook her head. “Definitely not. Xie Yao has never mentioned a boyfriend to her family. You’re all overthinking. He might just be a classmate.” She was Xie Yao’s aunt, Xie Yi.
Xie Yi looked toward Xie Yao and Nie Yan with a dark expression. That little girl was too bold, acting so openly at her birthday banquet. She envied how spoiled Xie Yao was at home and often took the opportunity to scold her, using her position as aunt. At home, Xie Yao and Xie Yi had a very poor relationship.
The genuine, bright smile on Xie Yao’s face, with a hint of playfulness, even surprised her father. Xie Yao only acted this relaxed and casual in front of her parents.
Xie Jun glanced at Nie Yan in the distance. He needed to find time to talk to this young man and see what kind of person he was. But right now, he had too many guests to attend to and couldn’t spare the time.
“Why are you sitting here? I looked for you everywhere earlier,” Xie Yao said, looking at Nie Yan. Nie Yan was wearing a casual suit today, which looked somewhat formal to her. She was used to seeing him in casual clothes. “Where did you pick this outfit?”
“From Lancel. First time wearing something like this,” Nie Yan smiled.
“Next time, let me go shopping with you,” Xie Yao said. The words were intimate, and her face flushed slightly, but she didn’t take them back.
“Okay,” Nie Yan nodded, taking a small box from his pants pocket and handing it to Xie Yao. “This is for you. Happy birthday.”
“What is it?” Xie Yao opened the box and found a necklace inside, exclaiming in surprise. “It’s beautiful. Thank you, Nie Yan.”
Xie Yao took the necklace out and put it on. For her, the gift itself was secondary; what mattered most was that it was from Nie Yan. Under the lights, the delicate necklace sparkled with dazzling brilliance, complementing Xie Yao’s fair skin. At that moment, Xie Yao looked like a goddess descended from heaven.
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