Chapter 19: An Unexpected Encounter, The Mysterious Elder

At that moment, a sudden burst of a mobile phone ringtone shattered the silence of the night, its piercing sound breaking the suffocating tension in the room. Li Chao frowned slightly, his face showing a hint of hesitation. In the end, he reached for the phone lying on the table.

He glanced at the screen, which displayed a completely unfamiliar number. Suspicion welled up within him, but he pressed the answer button regardless.

“Hello? Who is this?” Li Chao’s voice was tinged with obvious coldness and caution.

A somewhat anxious voice came from the other end: “Mr. Li, it’s me! I’m Ye Wuji! I don’t know if you remember, but I’m the person you rescued on the street this morning! Surely you still recall?”

Li Chao was slightly taken aback by the self-introduction, then quickly realized who it was. “Oh, so it’s you.” Surprise colored his tone.

“I’m really sorry, Mr. Li, for disturbing you so late. But I have something very important to tell you, which is why I took the liberty of calling...” Ye Wuji hurriedly explained.

Li Chao had no patience for lengthy explanations, and interrupted directly, “Sorry, I’m a bit busy right now, so I can’t talk for long. How about I contact you later when I have time, alright?” Without waiting for a response, Li Chao prepared to hang up.

His gaze swept over the still raging Xie Long and the injured henchmen groaning in pain on the ground, irritation filling his heart.

Ye Wuji clearly sensed the chaos on Li Chao’s side, concern in his voice: “Is something wrong over there? Do you need me to come over and check on things?”

Li Chao was silent for a moment, and finally spoke, “Yes, there’s a bit of trouble. But it’s nothing major, no need to come.”

He offered no details, but the helplessness and anxiety in his tone were hard to conceal.

Ye Wuji didn’t press further, simply said, “If you need help, just say the word. I’m not a big shot, but I have some connections around here. I won’t claim much, but if you need assistance, I’ll do my utmost!”

Li Chao’s heart stirred. He knew Ye Wuji’s words were spoken out of gratitude and loyalty, but at this moment, he did need some outside support to deal with the predicament before him.

He took a deep breath and said, “Alright, if needed, I’ll reach out.”

Li Chao hadn’t really taken Ye Wuji’s offer seriously. After all, their friendship was ordinary at best; perhaps the promise was just a polite gesture.

But Ye Wuji’s next words sent a jolt through him: “No matter what, we’re friends. If you’re in trouble, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll definitely help with all I’ve got!”

“I have some connections in Shiyuan County, you know.” Ye Wuji’s voice was steady and full of confidence, as if he held some mysterious power capable of solving any problem. “If you run into anything tricky, perhaps I can be of some assistance.”

Hmm? Li Chao’s brows lifted, curiosity and anticipation mingling within him.

Originally, he had helped Ye Wuji out of kindness, expecting nothing in return. But now, it seemed Ye Wuji possessed resources or a background unknown to most.

Li Chao quickly and concisely recounted the situation with Xie Long, not holding out much hope, but Ye Wuji’s response made his eyes light up.

“Hand the phone to Xie Long.” There was an unmistakable authority in Ye Wuji’s tone, as though he was the one who truly controlled the situation.

Li Chao glanced at the still ranting Xie Long, hesitated briefly, then released his foot from Xie Long and carefully handed him the phone.

At this moment, Xie Long was at the peak of his rage, his eyes blazing, his mouth shouting threats: “This isn’t over!” “No matter who you call, it won’t help!”

But the next second, when the words “I am Ye Wuji” came from the phone, Xie Long froze, his expression utterly transformed as if struck by lightning.

Moments ago, he was arrogant and domineering, but now all that bravado vanished completely. He stared at the phone in disbelief, stunned and helpless.

What? Xie Long’s eyes widened, his swagger gone without a trace.

Everyone in the underworld knew the name Ye Wuji!

To carve out a reputation in such a tumultuous place, one could hardly be an ordinary person.

Ye Wuji was even regarded as a legendary figure in their circles!

Now, Xie Long realized he had provoked someone he should never have crossed.

His heart pounded faster, sweat forming in beads on his forehead.

He took the phone with trembling hands, his voice unconsciously humble and respectful, “E-Elder Ye, you wanted to speak with me?”

Ye Wuji’s voice, cold as a blade from the depths of winter, stabbed straight into Xie Long’s heart: “Xie Long, I’ve heard about what you did today. I don’t care about your conflict with Li Chao, but I advise you to stop now and not act recklessly. Otherwise, you’ll bear all the consequences yourself!”

Xie Long turned pale as ashes, his body shaking, nodding repeatedly in assent.

At this moment, he knew he had truly kicked an immovable iron plate.

With Ye Wuji’s forceful intervention, Li Chao escaped danger and overcame this crisis.

In Shiyuan County’s underworld, brute force alone was never enough to stand firm. True strength required not only skill but also intelligence—knowing which people were untouchable.

Among all the big names, Ye Wuji’s name thundered like the brightest star in the night sky.

His wisdom was unfathomable, like the mysterious power of the cosmos, inspiring awe; his decisiveness, akin to thunder in a storm, dared no one to look directly.

When Xie Long, hands trembling, took the phone from Li Chao, he felt enveloped by an invisible fear.

He had no idea what wrath Ye Wuji might unleash, nor what miserable fate awaited him.

After the short call ended, Xie Long’s expression underwent a dramatic transformation.

He carefully wiped the bloodstains from the phone screen with shaking fingers, then turned to Li Chao with an ingratiating smile.

“Big brother! You’re Elder Ye’s savior! You’re like a second father to me!” Xie Long’s tone was full of reverence and gratitude. “This was a disaster between fellow countrymen—I failed to recognize greatness. Please don’t hold it against me!”

Without waiting for a reply, he raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face, the sharp sound echoing in the air.

Once, twice, three times... He kept hitting himself, as if only this could express his remorse and self-reproach.

The astonishing spectacle left everyone present dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Soon after, Xie Long pulled a bank card from his pocket, held it respectfully with both hands, and offered it to Li Chao with a fawning smile. “Big brother, there’s a hundred thousand yuan here. It’s not much, but it’s my heartfelt apology. Please forgive my earlier offense and show mercy.”

From a distance, Xiangxue and Xinping watched in shock, their jaws nearly dropping to the floor, mouths agape as if they could fit an egg inside.

Their eyes widened in disbelief at the unfolding scene.

They never imagined Li Chao could resolve the crisis so effortlessly, or that Xie Long would apologize and offer restitution so humbly.

That night, Li Chao’s name swept through Shiyuan County’s underworld like a whirlwind.

People buzzed with discussion, curiosity and awe filling their hearts about this mysterious figure.

They all knew Li Chao was not only courageous and shrewd, but also had the powerful backing of Ye Wuji.

Those who once scorned, mocked, or bullied Li Chao now scrambled to curry favor and win his goodwill.

Li Chao’s road to triumph was like a legend. Through his intelligence and bravery, he broke free from hardship and earned respect and recognition.

His name became the talk of the town, his deeds retold far and wide.

All of this revealed Li Chao’s extraordinary talent, showing his boundless potential in this complex world.

Perhaps, in days to come, Li Chao would create even more astonishing miracles.