The old industrial zone of Donggang was engulfed in raging flames.
Though the area had been abandoned, it was overgrown with weeds and littered with flammable debris. Combined with the dry winter weather, the fire, once ignited, proved nearly impossible to extinguish.
Liu Yutong stood beside the convoy, silently watching the inferno that lit up half the sky over Bright Pearl City. A chill ran down her spine.
Even though she had already suspected Zhao Weixiang’s nature, she was still shocked by his near-insane actions!
Once this incident unfolded—regardless of whether there were casualties—the underground bosses involved in the fighting tournament would inevitably face retribution.
By then, forget about Zhao Tianxing and the others coveting the downtown project; they’d be lucky just to save themselves.
After all, the fallout was too severe to be swept under the rug.
Zhao Weixiang’s move was ruthless, decisive, and utterly vicious!
And the effect was immediate!
As long as no evidence tied him to the arson or proved he ordered the gas leak,
no one would likely suspect him.
The fighting tournament had originally been intended as a relatively peaceful way to settle disputes over interests.
Most participants were influential underground bosses with armies of followers.
Zhao Weixiang clearly didn’t fit that profile.
Now that someone had tried to eliminate these bosses, their first instinct would be to suspect rivals or other underworld figures.
Who was trying to monopolize the profits? Who held a deep-seated grudge? And so on.
In short, those who had narrowly escaped death would hardly connect this to Zhao Weixiang.
They simply couldn’t fathom his motive.
Unless there was irrefutable proof!
Had Liu Yutong not known Zhao Weixiang from her past life, even she might not have suspected the usually low-key nightclub owner.
Yun Cheng stood beside Liu Yutong, his expression grave. "Miss, the fire’s too intense. Even with all the fire trucks deployed, it doesn’t look like they’ll contain it anytime soon."
Liu Yutong nodded. "Yes... This fire isn’t just burning down a shipyard..."
She then turned to Gao Min. "Let’s go, sis. We’ve done all we can. Staying here won’t help."
Gao Min seemed worried about the people inside, especially their companions. After hesitating, she said, "You go ahead. I want to check on the situation."
Liu Yutong understood her sister’s guilt—Gao Min had known something was wrong earlier but hadn’t evacuated everyone immediately.
Of course, Liu Yutong herself had acted out of self-interest, ensuring her own safety before informing Gao Min.
Otherwise, given Gao Min’s nature, she might have been the last to leave the shipyard.
This time, Liu Yutong didn’t try to persuade her. Instead, she told Chu Yang, "Go with my sister and keep an eye on things."
Chu Yang nodded. He understood the young miss’s intention—not just to protect, but if necessary, to knock Gao Min out and drag her away rather than let her take risks.
Liu Yutong and her group didn’t linger. Staying would only invite trouble as more reporters and police arrived, inevitably leading to questioning.
While they weren’t afraid of interrogation, they preferred to avoid the hassle.
..............
Meanwhile, back at the nightclub, Zhao Weixiang and Lin Muyang had just returned when a panicked employee burst in.
"Boss, something terrible happened! There’s a massive fire in the old industrial zone—the abandoned shipyard! The sky’s glowing red!"
Zhao Weixiang shot to his feet, feigning shock. "What? Say that again!"
The employee pointed outside. "Boss, it’s true! Just look out the window toward the southeast—you’ll see it! Fire trucks are swarming the area!"
Lin Muyang sprang up and rushed to the window. Sure enough, the southeastern sky was ablaze.
They’d been so engrossed in conversation earlier that they’d mistaken the glow for distant neon lights.
"Oh no, oh no!"
Lin Muyang suddenly remembered Liu Yutong was there. He frantically pulled out his phone and dialed her number, muttering, "Pick up... please pick up..."
Zhao Weixiang also walked to the window, gazing at the crimson horizon. Though his face showed concern, his heart was utterly calm.
He knew exactly what was happening—this was the outcome he’d orchestrated!
In fact, he wanted to thank Liu Yutong. Had she not been there, dragging Lin Muyang fully into the scheme would’ve taken more effort. A fire alone wouldn’t have sufficed.
But now, everything had fallen perfectly into place.
Hahahaha...
"The number you have dialed is currently powered off. Please try again later..." The cold, robotic female voice echoed from Lin Muyang's phone.
"No answer!"
"I can't wait! I'm going there right now!"
The thought of Liu Yutong possibly trapped in the flames made Lin Muyang's heart race with panic. He turned on his heel, ready to rush out.
But just as he reached the door, Zhao Weixiang's voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Hold it!"
"Lin, what good will going there do now? You’ll just make things worse. Do you even know what’s happening over there? Explosions, fires, police, reporters—what identity will you use to show up? Even if you go, how can you help? And if someone recognizes you were just there earlier, how will you explain why you were at the scene?"
Zhao Weixiang didn’t need to say more. He was sure Lin Muyang understood the implications.
If Lin were caught on camera during this high-profile incident, linked to illegal underground fights, what then?
It wouldn’t be catastrophic, but it would be messy—especially since a certain higher-up would be furious.
Lin Muyang froze, his expression shifting between frustration and unease.
Zhao Weixiang stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Lin, I know you’re worried about Miss Liu. But now’s the time to stay calm. Rash actions will only backfire."
"Here’s what we’ll do: keep trying to reach her. Meanwhile, I’ll use my connections to get updates from the scene. The second I hear anything, you’ll know."
As he spoke, Zhao Weixiang subtly gestured to a lingering employee, signaling them to leave.
The office emptied, leaving just the two of them.
Zhao Weixiang moved to the liquor cabinet, poured two glasses, and handed one to Lin Muyang.
"Trust me. Miss Liu isn’t some ordinary woman. She’ll be fine."
Lin Muyang’s eyes were red-rimmed, but he nodded, downing the drink in one go.
He dialed again—repeatedly—until, finally, the call connected.
Hearing that Liu Yutong was safe, he exhaled in relief, his face even breaking into a smile before hanging up.
She’d actually invited him to dinner.
Zhao Weixiang observed it all. As Lin Muyang ended the call, he smirked. "See? Told you she’s not ordinary."
He’d already received detailed intel: Liu Yutong had evacuated the dock with her team before the fire even started.
Her sharp instincts surprised him, but it didn’t matter.
Whether she’d made it out or not, his plans remained unchanged.
Lin Muyang, now relaxed, chuckled. "You were right, Zhao. I overreacted. Now that it’s settled, let’s get back to discussing my—"
A sudden knock at the door cut him off.
Zhao Weixiang stood. "Apologies, Lin. Give me a moment."
Lin Muyang waved it off, still in good spirits. "No problem. Handle your business."
Zhao Weixiang stepped out, leaving the door slightly ajar—just enough for snippets of conversation to drift inside.
"...gas leak...are you sure...Wang Shi..."
Though Zhao Weixiang tried to muffle his words, the fragmented phrases reached Lin Muyang’s ears, sparking an instinctive suspicion.
