Chapter 504: Who’s Threatening? Translator: Tim Editor: GlobeGlotter

“Lu Se increased its military presence at the Flowing Snake border and sent two business management personnel to demand full control of Luo Yue,” Xu Yuehua said worriedly. “They gave all management personnel 24 hours to leave Flowing Snake, but all technical personnel must stay. Right now, Fang Nan and CEO Yu are buying time with them.”

Ye Mo almost didn’t believe her. “They’re this unreasonable? You’re saying they’ll take back Flowing Snake, our company, and our technical staff?”

Xu Yuehua nodded.

Ye Mo sneered. If Lu Se had only demanded Flowing Snake, that would be reasonable—it was their land. But their greed included his men and his company, which was too domineering. They clearly knew his company wasn’t registered in China and thought Luo Yue wouldn’t challenge their entire country.

“Leave this to me. Sister Yuehua, you and Qingxue continue discussing the city’s construction. Second Brother and I will go,” Ye Mo said, standing up. He wasn’t angry; he was happy. He didn’t think Lu Se would dare be so domineering; they were clearly bargaining.

Seeing Ye Mo leave, Xu Yuehua didn’t understand, but Ning Qingxue did. She knew Ye Mo’s methods, but couldn’t reveal them, so she said to Xu Yuehua, “Sister Yuehua, he told us to discuss building a city; we should listen to him.”

…

Before Ye Mo reached the ground floor, a gunshot shattered the silence.

Two groups faced off in the lobby. Few Lu Se personnel were present: ten armed soldiers and two apparent negotiators. Yu Miaodan, Fang Nan, Zang Jiayan, and Yang Jiu, with over ten guards, were also there.

A patrol squad member lay dead. Xiao Huo glared at the Lu Se soldiers.

Their contemptuous expressions showed they disregarded the unarmed Luo Yue people, even after killing one.

“Don’t fire!” a gunless Lu Se representative quickly commanded, but his expression showed he didn’t care about the shooting.

Perhaps, in their eyes, the military was superior. No matter how well Luo Yue was doing, they were just citizens and merchants, to be treated as they wished.

“CEO Ye!” “Brother Ye…”

Everyone greeted Ye Mo, but their anger was visible. They were unarmed. Ye Mo understood this was a show of force to improve their bargaining position.

“Are you the president of Luo Yue? My name is Maisa. Our troops misfired, for which I apologize. We’ll compensate the victim and express our sincere apologies,” the man said genuinely, as if his men had truly misfired.

Ye Mo sneered. He knew this was a show of force to test Luo Yue’s limits. If Luo Yue was timid, they’d seize the place; if Luo Yue was tough, they’d negotiate cooperation.

They weren’t afraid of Luo Yue, but they feared Luo Yue making international trouble.

Ye Mo remained calm and silent.

Yu Miaodan said angrily, “These guys are unreasonable! They killed one of ours and call it an accident! They want us to leave Flowing Snake and give up Luo Yue!”

“CEO Yu, Flowing Snake belongs to us. We need barracks here, so you must move. We’ve apologized for our troops’ misfire and will compensate,” Maisa said.

“Bullshit! How about I kill one of yours and compensate you?” Yu Miaodan fumed. She hadn’t been this angry since leaving the gangs.

Maisa, seeing Ye Mo’s silence, looked down on him. This Ye was a coward; things would be easy. Hearing Yu Miaodan, his face fell. “CEO Yu, it doesn’t work that way. This is our land; it doesn’t matter if our military killed someone. Our compensation is purely humanitarian. We did nothing wrong.”

“Are you threatening us?” Yu Miaodan asked coldly. Ye Mo didn’t speak, but she wouldn’t back down.

“If you must see it that way,” Maisa said.

Yu Miaodan sneered, “Flowing Snake belongs to Lu Se? I heard this place was ownerless. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Guang He tribe lived here. The poor land and lack of water forced them to leave. One hundred years ago, a Lu Se fugitive escaped here, gathered men, and robbed at the border, forming Flowing Snake Fort. You claim this land because that fugitive was yours, right?”

“You’re making things up!” Maisa, ignorant of this, was speechless. His soldiers raised their guns.

Ye Mo’s eyes lit up; he didn’t know this story either.

Ye Mo immediately ordered, “Sister Yu, stay; everyone else leave.”

They left, unsure of Ye Mo’s plan.

Ye Mo sneered at Maisa. “You’ve got some balls killing people on my property.”

Maisa was about to retort when Ye Mo threw what seemed like dozens of darts.

“I’ve used these needles for a while. Enjoy. Using the military to threaten me? A small place like Lu Se has no right!” Ye Mo’s tone was cold. If not for sullying his territory, he would’ve used wind blades.

The soldiers slumped to the ground, each with a red dot on their forehead.

This man was crazy! He dared openly kill their troops—challenging their entire country.

“You!” Maisa sputtered, speechless.

Ye Mo sat down, another golden needle flew, killing Maisa’s assistant.

“I’m leaving you alive to tell your leader I’ll be visiting tonight. If your army doesn’t retreat from the border within 24 hours, collect his body. Now, get lost!” Ye Mo was contemptuous.

Ye Mo felt this world was kill-or-be-killed. If the soldiers hadn’t killed, he’d have only maimed them.

“Second Brother, when Maisa leaves, tell him to take the bodies. Break his arms and legs,” Ye Mo told Xu Ping.