The scene grew increasingly chaotic, the situation almost completely out of control.
Especially the "victims" Ding Yingyao had brought in—their acting was on point, with tears and snot flowing freely.
Many uninformed onlookers, particularly Ding Yingyao's fans, were incited by certain individuals and even turned their anger directly toward the supermarket.
Some went as far as charging at the supermarket, intent on vandalizing it.
In the surveillance room,
Zhao Tianyi kept his eyes fixed on the live feed, while Yang Xin handled the situation outside.
When he saw the crowd going berserk and starting to smash up the supermarket, his expression remained indifferent, utterly unmoved.
As the young mistress would say, this was just stacking buffs.
The bigger the mess, the heavier the price the mastermind would pay—and it would deal a crushing blow to their competitors in the process.
If they had simply taken down Ding Yingyao, the competitors might have just cut ties with him and distanced themselves, leaving the matter at that.
But once things escalated, a simple termination of contract wouldn’t be enough to end it.
Whether it was signing a scandal-ridden celebrity or the supermarket vandalism incident, even if the Wan family hadn’t orchestrated it, they’d struggle to wash their hands clean. The public would only see them as maliciously inciting fans to resort to violence just to compete with Wanlong Supermarket.
Apologies and compensation would be the least of their worries—they might even be forced to withdraw from the Bright Pearl City market entirely. Meanwhile, Wanlong Supermarket’s reputation would skyrocket.
"Make sure all the surveillance footage is securely saved—no mistakes allowed. Also, have the guys keep an eye on those stirring the pot and take note of them," Zhao Tianyi instructed.
Honestly, he found it baffling. Had people really forgotten so quickly?
The last time someone vandalized their supermarket, the outcome was well-known. And now, here they were again?
Were they tired of living peacefully, craving some excitement, or looking to further their "education"?
"Got it, Brother Yang," replied the black-clad man monitoring the feeds.
Zhao Tianyi then turned to another man behind him. "By the way, go tell Brother Yang—let them smash whatever they want. Don’t stop them, but make sure none of our employees get hurt."
The man nodded and immediately went to relay the message.
Meanwhile,
At the Wan family supermarket, the newly appointed store manager and a visiting executive watched the unfolding chaos with growing unease instead of satisfaction.
If this continued, even if Wanlong Supermarket had its own issues, the backlash could still negatively impact their own brand.
But with the situation spiraling, there was no way to intervene now. All they could do was report it to their superiors.
The newly arrived journalists, however, were thrilled.
Today’s news was packed with explosive material!
First, two celebrities publicly feuding, then crowds pelting one of them with eggs, and now outright supermarket vandalism.
Any one of these incidents could make for a trending social news piece—yet here they all were, happening at once.
Over in the van,
Ding Yingyao’s assistant returned, unable to hold back his concern. "Brother Yao, isn’t this going too far? What if things spiral out of control? How do we handle it then?"
Ding Yingyao waved him off dismissively. "Relax. The moment I step out, all the fans’ attention will be on me. I’ll just call for calm, and the situation will settle down."
"Stay out of it for now. The fire isn’t hot enough yet."
The assistant sighed but nodded in resignation.
Then, as if struck by inspiration, Ding Yingyao pulled out a neatly folded sheet of paper from his tailored suit pocket.
"Get someone to draft a few press releases. Title them something like: Top Singer Ding Yingyao Steps Forward to Quell Mob Violence, Advocates Rational Protests—A True Idol’s Responsibility."
"Something along those lines. Write multiple versions. This time, I’m going to ride Xue Qian and Wanlong Supermarket straight to the top!"
The assistant nodded. "I’ll arrange it right away."
Ding Yingyao then picked up his phone to check his messages.
Truthfully, he’d been wondering whether the legendary Wanlong Society would show up. How would this supposed top dog of the university district counter his trump card?
Most likely, they’d just turtle up. With the scene this chaotic, packed with reporters, media, and spectators, what underworld group would dare make an appearance now?
If word got out, they’d be buried in endless trouble—maybe even face a police crackdown.
By then, no one would care who was really behind this mess. All eyes would be on the Wanlong Society.
And Ding Yingyao? He’d walk away unscathed.
Oh, and Liu Yutong must be regretting choosing Xue Qian by now.
Just then, his phone rang. The caller ID showed "Baby."
His previously composed demeanor instantly shifted, his voice taking on a sugary, exaggerated lilt.
"Hiiii~ Sister Liu~ I missed you sooo much~ I was just about to call you~"
"Sweetie, I missed you too. How’s everything going over there?"
"Thanks to Sister Liu’s support, the place is buzzing right now."
"And how will you thank me, hmm?"
"Anything you say, Sister Liu. Your wish is my command."
"That’s my good boy~ My little Yaoyao is so obedient. Come see me tonight—I’ve got a set of toys... ahem, surprises waiting for you."
"Mhm, I’ll be there, Sister Liu."
The moment the call ended, Ding Yingyao’s smile vanished. He glared at the darkened screen, as if he could bite through it.
"Ugly hag, just drop dead already..."
Back in Wanlong Supermarket’s surveillance room,
Zhao Tianyi hadn’t left his post, his gaze locked onto the live footage as he issued commands.
"Camera 2, zoom in on the guy in the blue coat—yeah, the one who just knocked over two shelves. Good. Save a close-up of his face. Don’t miss a single detail."
"..."
A few minutes later,
One of the Wanlong Society members operating the feeds couldn’t hold back. "Instructor Zhao, are we really not stepping in? The damages have already passed 200 grand. If this keeps up..."
Zhao Tianyi didn’t flinch. "Let them smash. The worse it gets, the harder Ding Yingyao falls—and the harder it’ll be for Wan Supermarket to recover. A few hundred grand to take down an industry giant? That’s a steal."
If Wan Supermarket was forced out of Bright Pearl City, it wouldn’t just mean one less competitor for Wanlong Supermarket. With this level of exposure and competitive edge, their market share would skyrocket.
Just then, another sharp crash of shattering glass echoed from the supermarket.
Zhao Tianyi adjusted his glasses and smirked.
"With this announcement, Bright Pearl City's supermarket will instantly claim the top spot in market share!"
