Chapter 176: Xu Shi's Fermented Tofu, Step Forward! - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

Chapter 176: Xu Shi's Fermented Tofu, Step Forward! Xu Shi's fermented tofu, step forward! If you count them carefully, Xu Shi's fermented tofu is indeed quite plentiful—in addition to Yue Zhizheng, who needed the proper procedure for arraignment, Xie Qing Yan specifically called for He Yuzhao. Meanwhile, the other ringleaders of this uprising were all brought to the "Snake Ring" detention center by him. Now it's time to face the consequences one by one. Xu Shi didn't call anyone else; he simply took Su Lin back to the company, switching "Yujing" to firearm mode and removing a few bullets. The first cell housed Lin Wenhua. Naturally, as a prisoner, he didn't radiate the same authority as before. Once considered resilient and strong despite his age, Lin Wenhua now sat with a pallid face, disheveled clothes and hair, and clouded eyes as he knelt on the floor. "Well, well, well, today isn't New Year's, and I don't have lucky money for you. Stand up." Xu Shi prodded him with a cane, "It's not a good look if someone sees this...and accuses me of mistreating the company's senior veterans." "...What's the point of pretending now, Director Xu? Is it entertaining?" Lin Wenhua didn't move. He merely straightened his back, trying hard to maintain eye contact and regain some sense of dignity. Unfortunately, just a glare from Xu Shi was enough to unsettle Lin Wenhua, causing him to flinch and withdraw. "It is entertaining." Xu Shi crouched before him, speaking earnestly. "This is my wicked pleasure, especially dealing with an old fossil like you. It's hard not to enjoy it." "I have some good news for you. Just an hour ago, your assets were distributed meticulously. Our 'Snake Ring' took the lion’s share. I assume Old Lin has no objections?" Hearing this, Lin Wenhua merely chuckled bitterly, saying nothing more. After all, as a seasoned veteran, he understood the harsh reality of 'the victor becomes the king, the loser the outlaw'—merely arguing can't change anything. Engaging with this brat would only lead to further humiliation, so it was better to remain silent and let Xu Shi amuse himself. But truth be told, his heart wasn't as calm as he wanted it to be—facing death with equanimity is rare, and his fear had been compounding from yesterday until now. It wasn't just because of Xu Shi; Ning Wei was partly to blame. As someone personally captured by Ning Wei, that was Lin Wenhua's first time witnessing his skills—less than twenty seconds to eliminate his most elite guards, and before he knew it, he was lifted out like a chick. It would've been hard not to be terrified. Low profile and incompetence can't always be equated. Yet, the old fossil's silent strategy did have some effect. After talking solo for a good while with no response, Xu Shi's face started to show signs of disappointment. "Don't want to chat? You’re quite dull." He spread his hands, exasperatedly, "Let's move to your last words then. Anything you want to say? Friendly reminder, you can curse at me too." Lin Wenhua remained silent. "Really not going to talk? You'll miss your chance if you don't." "...I lost, that's a fact. I accept my fate." Lin Wenhua paused, ultimately opening his mouth, "My only regret is not kicking you, this brat, out sooner." "Such deep-rooted obsession, eh?" Xu Shi didn't mind how he was referred to, merely smirking faintly. "Of course, I’m not satisfied!" Lin Wenhua's voice rose sharply, "You can't even imagine how terrible the 'Snake Ring' was during your grandfather's time... Saying that your father and I turned it from a small stand back into a second-tier, even one of the six major consortiums, isn't an exaggeration! Not an exaggeration at all!" "My whole life, invested in this place! I had no objection when your father was the director, but why should it still be under your Xu family's control after his death? Why should it be..." Bang. Before he could finish, the serpent head of Xu Shi's cane spat out fire. Right between the eyes, a perfect shot. "You'll have to ask my dad about that once you get down there." Xu Shi wiped his hands, with not the slightest hint of emotion in his eyes. What was there to be emotional about? Win or lose, it was never about who shouted the loudest. The old fossil had been given ample wealth and prestige by the Xu family, but his own greed was to blame. Some things are tethered by a thin red line. Within the line, no matter how much chaos, it's nothing. But once crossed, even by half a step, the nature entirely changes. "Let's go, next one." Kicking Lin Wenhua's body aside, Xu Shi waved his hand and turned to leave, moving to the next cell. Inside was He Yuqiang. Protected and pampered, the young master couldn't endure much hardship here and was noticeably thinner compared to their last meeting. Xu Shi couldn't help but click his tongue; didn't he know already he was frail? Now he's barely recognizable... "Xu, Xu, Xu!" Seeing him, He Yuqiang hesitated before crawling to Xu Shi like a drowning man grasping for a lifeline, looking up with a pleading gaze. "You're joking, right? You wouldn't really capture me, right?" "Qiangzi, let me ask you a question." Xu Shi helped him up with a grin, pointing at himself. "What is this?" "This..." He Yuqiang was momentarily stunned, unsure of his intent. "These are my eyes, and they aren't blind." Xu Shi stated earnestly, "Do I really need to spell out what you did behind my back? Touch your, perhaps absent, conscience and think: who betrayed the brotherly bond first?" Honestly, once was enough to make him angry, but this bastard managed to repeat it with Shen He? And then daring to call him a brother to his face—had he awakened some superpower to thicken his own skin? "…" He Yuqiang had nothing more to say; that one statement said it all. In truth, he had never been completely sure if Xu Shi knew about his past scheming with Shen He. After all, Xu Shi's demeanor had always been one of aloof camaraderie, consistently helping out as if nothing was amiss... But given the current situation, denying it would just be foolishness. "I won't hide it from you. The 'Haihe' incident was me sowing discord, and after selling you 'Shuangsheng,' I was the one who sent people to destroy your warehouse." Xu Shi laid him down on the bed, "But compared to what you've done to me, isn't it reasonable? Wouldn't you say?" "…Yes, yes, yes, I deserve it!" He Yuqiang felt gutted by these words, but was now really the time for temper? It was time to acknowledge mistakes with a smile, figuring out how to convince Xu Shi to spare him. "Such a big operation like 'Shachi,' you’d need someone familiar to manage it, wouldn't you? Consider it me redeeming myself? Xu, I'm begging you..." "...Plenty of familiar faces with 'Shachi.' Why would I specifically choose you?" Xu Shi shook his head, "Not to mention, your dad is still alive... Based on seniority alone, it wouldn’t be your turn, would it?" "Or are you suggesting a competition with him?" He pondered momentarily, "Why don’t you personally go? The old man is in the next room. If you can shoot him, maybe I'll consider it." As he spoke, he signaled Su Lin, who knowingly handed over a pistol. "I..." He Yuqiang wielded the gun uncertainly, hesitating before gritting his teeth and heading towards the door. After all, the old man didn't have much time left anyway, might as well... Unfortunately, after a few steps, he was kicked back by Su Lin, tumbling over in a heap. "WDNMD, you actually went?!" Xu Shi couldn't believe it. "Don't tell me you'd actually harm your own father? Is there no humanity left in you?" "To tell you the truth, Uncle He passed away last night. Couldn't be saved... It's lucky he died a step earlier, otherwise wouldn't you have angered him to death?" He'd only just learned this at the meeting earlier, a fact that left him with a mixed sense of lament—He Jiayuan had never had any conflict with him, and the sole problem had been his lack of strict parenting. To see such an end was truly sigh-inducing. "...Xu Shi! You bastard!" He Yuqiang was dumbfounded at first but then realized Xu Shi had been toying with him, which stirred up a latent courage within. He roared, stood up, and started frantically pulling the trigger on Xu Shi. And then, a moment of awkwardness landed. The gun had no bullets. "It’s rare to be as stupid as you, Qiangzi." Xu Shi couldn't help but chuckle, "We're so close; did you really think I'd give you a gun with actual bullets?" "But you actually tried to kill me, that really breaks my heart... How am I supposed to forgive you now?" Off to the side, Su Lin rolled her eyes. This kind of sadistic pleasure from her young master—even against enemies—felt a bit excessive from her perspective... “No, no, please, don't!” He Yuqiang was already somewhat dazed. The seed of malice that had long taken root within him now amplified his deepest fears to an extreme. He began to stammer and plead incoherently, "Xu, Xu, I was just confused for a moment. We were friends once, weren't we? Can you give me another chance? We were just partying together half a month ago..." "That reason isn’t enough; give me another... hmm?" Xu Shi was reflecting on his friend's lack of backbone when something felt off. "Who exactly was partying with you half a month ago?" The truth was he hadn't attended any gatherings in a long time. Wasn't home with his sister enough enjoyment? But He Yuqiang’s words revealed something very telling. "You had an Impart party and didn't invite me?!" Xu Shi expressed unprecedented anger. Before He Yuqiang could react, the serpent head of his cane was already pressed against He Yuqiang's forehead. "Now I really have no choice but to kill you." Bang— "I recall someone once said they would rather play alone than bring him along," Su Lin couldn't help but comment. "And now you say they didn’t invite you... Does this mean, young master, you’re the legendary double standard?" "Whether I go or not is my business; whether he invites me or not is his problem." Xu Shi chuckled; killing He Yuqiang wasn't really about this reason, and his supposed anger was all an act—how could it actually be so dramatic? It was all for theatrics. "But his mention really makes me want to throw one... Care to arrange it for me?" "We already have quite the crowd at home," Su Lin said reluctantly. "Are you serious, young master?" "Nothing beats the sweetness of a 'wildflower.'" Xu Shi teased her a bit more before dropping it. "Anyway, party or not, we have to finish what’s at hand first... Appetizers are done, time for the main course." The Shen siblings truly were the main course, and Director Xu planned to take this interaction more seriously. As the cell door opened, they saw both were restrained by specialized shackles—designed to inhibit their abilities, highly effective. However, it seemed somewhat redundant; Shen Qin, the muscle of the pair, was still in a daze, sitting there motionless, clearly under the lingering effect of sedatives. "Goodness, how much did you inject her with?" Even Xu Shi was a bit taken aback, frowning as he looked to Su Lin. "About... this much?" Director Su gestured. "Even an elephant might not need so much, would it?" Xu Shi found it difficult to determine whether this was intentional or not. "If she ends up a vegetable, you’re responsible for caring for her the rest of her life." "I realize my mistake..." Su Lin mumbled. "...Is there any water? At the very least, give some to my sister," Shen He said, his reaction unexpectedly calm upon seeing Xu Shi. "Is this how a grand conglomerate treats guests?" "You don’t actually think of yourself as a guest, do you, Mr. Shen?" Xu Shi clicked his tongue and wagged his finger, "Weren’t we already acquainted from before? Why do you seem even more childish this time?" "Say what you will." Shen He paused, sidestepping the question. "Can you get a doctor for Shen Qin? Had you not used her against me, I wouldn’t have failed so easily." "Of course, I'll take good care of her," Xu Shi squinted with a smile. "But from what I gather, Mr. Shen, you seem quite unsatisfied?" What did he mean by "had I not been threatened"? Xu Shi from his core disagreed; it sounded as if he was blaming Shen Qin for his failures… The truth was, even without Shen Qin, Shen He wouldn’t have been able to change anything—the prophecies of Xia Ke'an, the dual dominance in virtual and real worlds, including arranging for Lin Yue to capture him, which of these weren't superior plans? More accurately, under such overwhelming disparity, unless he was as incompetent as some original character archetypes, there was no way Shen He could succeed—honestly, Xu Shi's focus wasn't merely on this so-called opponent anymore but rather, as an earlier conversation had suggested, using this opportunity to integrate various chaotic elements and reap immense profits. That was the truly valuable endeavor. This is a truth apparent even to any observant outsider, even Shen He himself understood this at heart... It was merely the aching sting of pride compelling him to cling to such excuses. Thinking this way only amused Xu Shi. You might fool others, but don’t end up fooling yourself. Besides, Xu Shi was here today to taunt Shen He; if he started blubbering like He Yuqiang, weeping and pleading, it would take away much of the fun, wouldn’t it? And just then. Rushed footsteps echoed down the corridor outside the cell. Accompanied by the call of Xia Wuyou, "Xu Shi? Xu Shi, are you here?" Oh? Xu Shi was taken aback, but his expression quickly turned amused. Glancing back at Shen He, although he seemed unchanged at first glance, there was undoubtedly a more pronounced shade of malice in his brows. It seemed some matters wouldn't fade with time but instead continue to sour and intensify. (End of Chapter)