"It's her, it's her! Sheriff Zhang, it was Liu Yutong who ordered her men to assault us and illegally detain us!"
Zhao Junjie laughed triumphantly, coughing intermittently but unable to suppress his excitement.
"Liu Yutong, didn’t expect this, did you? You were actually arrogant enough to call the police on yourself! Hahaha, I thought you were just putting on a show to scare us!"
"Never imagined… the one leading the team would be someone I know—Sheriff Zhang, hahaha…"
Had it been an unfamiliar sheriff, he might not have been so bold.
But fate had it that this Sheriff Zhang was someone he recognized, thanks to his father’s past dealings with him.
The big shots in the private room, who had been nervously stuffing their faces just moments ago, suddenly perked up at these words!
Real cops—and ones Zhao Junjie knew, no less.
Hahaha, you little brat, you’re done for now!
One by one, they clutched their painfully full stomachs and stood up, pointing accusing fingers at Liu Yutong.
"Officers, save us! They… they’re gangsters, lawless thugs! Look at Zhao Junjie’s face—beaten black and blue! And CEO Sun… they nearly drowned him in a plate of food! He was dragged out, and we don’t even know if he’s alive!"
"That’s right, Sheriff Zhang! This woman barged in with her goons, took my seat, and threatened all of us!" Director Wang added, glaring at Liu Yutong, who remained seated at the head of the table, leisurely sipping her tea.
Sheriff Zhang had already recognized the identity of the black-clad men outside.
The Ten Thousand Dragons Society.
Their insignia was unmistakable.
He’d even heard an unbelievable rumor circulating within law enforcement circles.
The crime-solving rate in Li Jin District, where the Ten Thousand Dragons Society was headquartered, was astonishingly high—so much so that the local precinct received commendations almost every month.
And the reason? The Ten Thousand Dragons Society’s presence.
At first, it sounded absurd—how could a district with such an organization have good public order?
Yet, the facts spoke for themselves. Li Jin District’s safety and case resolution rates were the highest in the city, even earning praise from higher-ups as a model for others.
Because of this, Sheriff Zhang had taken a special interest in the Ten Thousand Dragons Society, which was why he immediately recognized Liu Yutong, their leader.
So instead of arresting her as the room expected, he asked politely, "Miss Liu, is what they’re saying true?"
Liu Yutong rose gracefully. "Sheriff Zhang, of course not."
"Why would I call the police on myself?"
The room fell silent.
Zhao Junjie and the others felt a sinking dread.
No way…
This can’t be happening.
Under the uneasy gazes of the room, Liu Yutong and Sheriff Zhang stepped out of the private room together.
Minutes later, the unthinkable happened.
Sheriff Zhang ordered the arrests of Sun Feiyang, Zhao Junjie, and Director Wang—on charges of suspected murder!
Of course, only those in the know understood the truth: these three weren’t actually murder suspects. They were merely implicated in an assassination attempt that had taken place earlier on Night Market Street.
The two hired killers had been spotted with the thugs Sun Feiyang had brought in, and since those killers had prior murder records, anyone connected to them had to be taken in for questioning.
So the suspicion wasn’t entirely baseless.
Even if they’d likely be released later, the scare tactic was more than enough.
Silence.
Deafening silence.
For the first time, the remaining occupants of the room truly understood what it meant to be crushed under an overwhelming force—to witness someone manipulating the law with a single hand.
Damn… Bright Pearl City’s waters run deep and dark!
"Mao Yong."
Liu Yutong’s voice, though soft, struck Mao Yong like a thunderclap, sending a chill down his spine as if he’d been stripped naked and thrown into a blizzard.
"Business is about mutual agreement."
"The price Lin Muyang offered seems quite fair to me. Of course, if you think it’s unsuitable, I’m sure Lin Muyang can make some concessions."
"Don’t feel pressured."
"After all—both Lin Muyang’s company and mine are completely legitimate."
Mao Yong shot to his feet.
"No! It’s more than fair! Absolutely perfect!"
"Lin Muyang’s sincerity is beyond doubt! I was the fool for not seeing it sooner! I’ll sign right now, right now!"
In the end, Lin Muyang successfully acquired the digital rights to Qi Yu Media’s vast library of film and music for roughly 40 million.
This included over 70,000 film and TV titles—many of them decent-quality older productions and second-tier series—making the overall price quite reasonable.
The music rights were slightly more expensive, but he still secured over 30,000 songs.
The sheer volume of Qi Yu Media’s copyright holdings was staggering.
Their extensive collection was partly due to the company’s role as a distributor, giving them easy access to rights through industry connections.
But it was also a testament to the founder’s foresight.
Who else would stockpile so many film rights at this time?
Of course, it helped that copyright prices were still relatively low in this era.
In another life, a certain exiled tycoon’s company had thrived for years simply because they’d hoarded rights early on.
Liu Yutong had only considered this strategy after meeting Xue Qian.
Why pass up such easy money?
With Zhao Junjie and the others hauled away, the visiting big shots from out of town kept their heads down, terrified of drawing the attention of the woman at the head of the table.
The atmosphere did ease slightly after Lin Muyang and Mao Yong closed their 40-million deal.
At least it proved that cooperation could spare them Liu Yutong’s wrath.
Among the remaining guests was a brand representative and two investors from a venture capital firm.
They’d come to discuss a film project, but now they swore silently:
Bright Pearl City? Someone else can deal with this place.
They’d never set foot here again.
But Liu Yutong wasn’t about to let them leave so easily.
The brand rep might be insignificant, but the two investors? They weren’t going anywhere until they left some money behind.
"Everyone, tonight’s dinner has been quite eventful. But I’d say we’ve gotten to know each other rather well."
"Bright Pearl City is a wonderful place, full of opportunities. I can see that all of you here are seasoned veterans in the investment world, backed not only by substantial capital but also by exceptional foresight. You’ve come all this way, surely because you recognize the potential our Bright Pearl City holds. It would be such a shame if you left now—it’d make us hosts seem rather inhospitable."
"Coincidentally, President Lin Muyang and President Mao Yong have just closed a deal, setting a promising precedent."
"After all, you came here for projects. Though Director Wang’s film venture might be falling through, I, Liu Yutong, absolutely refuse to let you leave empty-handed. It’s only proper hospitality to ensure each of you departs thoroughly satisfied."
"Don’t you agree?"
The moment Liu Yutong finished speaking, the investors—despite bracing themselves—felt like crying.
Just as expected!
Exactly as feared!
Damn it, they were being led like lambs to the slaughter!
There wasn’t a single decent person in this Bright Pearl City!
