Chapter 116: Tactics Translator: Tim Editor: Chrissy

“Yes, it’s confirmed that all our businesses have been targeted, regardless of location. In Africa, multiple personnel, all management-level, have disappeared,” said a man in his fifties near Ye Beirong.

He was Ye Long, Ye Beirong’s older brother’s son, holding a position similar to Song Hai’s in the Song Family.

“Do you know why? We’ve had no conflict. Isn’t he afraid we’ll wipe out his Nan Qing operations in mainland China? He dares to challenge the Ye Family?” Ye Beirong, despite his impending retirement from high command, spoke with unwavering authority.

He possessed the power to back it up. No matter how powerful Qian Longtou was, he couldn’t operate openly. If he angered the Ye Family, they couldn’t completely eliminate Qian Longtou, but exterminating his mainland forces would be easy. Even if Qian Longtou had his own army, would he dare bring it to the border? A few cannon shots would end it all. What possessed Qian Longtou to dare touch the Ye Family?

Ye Long immediately said, “My investigation suggests it’s because of Ye Mo. He killed Qian Longtou’s only son, infuriating him. Qian Longtou is likely taking his anger out on us.”

“Ye Mo was expelled from the Ye Family; everyone knows that. Since Qian Longtou dares to act, we needn’t fear him,” said Ye Huang, Ye Wenqi’s elder son, a somber middle-aged man. Though his voice was quiet, the meeting room heard him clearly.

Ye Wenqi, a man in his fifties with little hair but thick eyebrows and long, sleek eyes, immediately rebuked, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Ye Beirong frowned, then asked, “I recall someone mentioning investigating Ye Mo. What was that about?”

“Father, it was me. I heard Ye Mo had been involved in many things, including the Shi Ying incident in Ning Hai, so I investigated. The recording I obtained suggests Shi Ying resembles Ye Mo, but other matters prevented me from mentioning it,” Ye Wenjin said.

Ye Beirong’s frown deepened. After a long moment, he asked, “Where did you learn Shi Ying was Ye Mo?”

“The Song Family…” Ye Wenjin, realizing his mistake, trailed off. He’d received the information from the Song Family, their longtime rivals. How could they offer such a helpful tip?

Ye Beirong sighed. His son was too naive; he hadn’t seen through the Song Family’s ploy. Ye Wenqi or his older brother’s son would have been more discerning. However, even without the Ye Family’s investigation, the Song Family would ensure Qian Longtou believed Ye Mo had been reinstated.

They’d fallen for the Song Family’s trick. The Song Family had let Song Shaowen’s killer go free, setting up a larger plan to bring down the Ye Family.

Now that Qian Longtou targeted the Ye Family, the Ye Family would retaliate, regardless of the cause. If the two sides clashed, the Song Family would undoubtedly support Qian Longtou.

Eradicating Nan Qing in China would become exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for the Ye Family.

Ye Beirong envisioned the Ye Family’s decline if this continued. Yet, they had to act; Qian Longtou’s next target would be their mainland businesses. Furthermore, inaction would drive away business partners, worsening their situation.

It was a masterful move by the Song Family. Even if the Ye Family realized it, the Song Family wouldn’t worry about them not falling for it. He wondered how much the Song Family paid Qian Longtou for his cooperation.

Even if Ye Beirong sought a truce with the Song Family, they’d likely refuse. With events as they were, the Song Family stood to gain far more from the Ye Family’s downfall than a truce.

…

Ye Mo bought cheap clothes and a plane ticket, having insufficient funds for a bag. He resumed his Wen Dong identity.

He no longer needed the name Mo Ye. He believed Qian Longtou wouldn’t hunt him before he sought him out.

Though cleanly dressed, Ye Mo had the cheapest clothes on the plane, but he didn’t mind.

Preparing to find a seat, Ye Mo sensed spiritual energy in a jade bracelet worn by an older man behind him. He used his spiritual sense to scan.

He was seated in front of the man, who was accompanied by two women: a fashionably dressed woman with a large mouth covering and a middle-aged woman. Wanting to question the old man about his bracelet, Ye Mo tried to switch seats with the middle-aged woman.

“Excuse me, may I swap seats?” Ye Mo asked.

“No seat swapping allowed,” a flight attendant stated before the woman could reply.

The woman apologized to Ye Mo; she understood his intent but couldn’t help. She assumed he wanted to approach the fashionable young woman.

The old man smiled knowingly, sharing the middle-aged woman’s assumption.

Ye Mo, unaware of their thoughts, was disappointed, deciding to speak to the old man upon landing.

The fashionable young woman observed Ye Mo with disdain, noticed by the middle-aged woman, who sighed. Ye Mo was brave but shabbily dressed. She wondered how he’d afforded the ticket.

Unable to swap seats, Ye Mo waited until landing. He closed his eyes to meditate. Two hours later, the plane reached Luo Cang airport. Ye Mo disembarked but waited outside. The fashionable woman felt even more disgusted seeing him wait.

She wore a mask, but it proved ineffective. She deliberately walked a different route to avoid him.

The women knew the old man. Seeing Ye Mo wait, they smiled inwardly at his persistence, though the fashionable woman was disgusted. Yet, he persisted despite his humiliation.

To fulfill Ye Mo’s wishes, the women took a different route, leaving him to wait for the fashionable woman alone.

Seeing the old man depart a different way, Ye Mo followed.

The fashionable woman stopped, glared at Ye Mo, and said coldly, “Are you going to ask me out to dinner?”

Ye Mo was confused, frowning. “I don’t know you. Why would I ask you out? I have no money. Ask someone else.”

Ignoring her, Ye Mo approached the old man and politely asked, “Excuse me, sir, I’m Ye Mo. May I ask you a question?”

The old man, amused by being called “sir,” looked curiously at Ye Mo and replied, “Hello, young man. Ask away. I’ll answer if I can.”

Ye Mo pointed at the bracelet and asked, “Where did you get this? It seems special. May I examine it?”

The old man, without hesitation, removed and handed Ye Mo the bracelet. The middle-aged woman was wary. A stranger asking to examine the old man’s bracelet seemed odd, especially given the young man's appearance. However, since the old man had already handed it over, she remained silent.

Ye Mo carefully examined the bracelet, sensing faint spiritual energy. Returning it, he said, “Your bracelet is unique, superior to ordinary jade. It’s likely a magical artifact promoting health.”

“Oh, you know about magical artifacts?” The old man was intrigued. He frequented antique markets and knew about such items. A magical artifact possessed power bestowed by a powerful person, with varied functions. His bracelet was a high-level artifact, a gift from a friend.

The young man identifying it as such intrigued him; young people rarely believed in such things.