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Chapter 87: Over-the-Shoulder Throw and Thunderous Slap

Zhao Ping suddenly jerked his head up; his powerful body charged forward like a water buffalo, and his heavy hand clamped onto Lu Li’s shoulder with a fierce squeeze.

Moving with lightning speed, he snatched the letter opener from the desk and pressed it against Lu Li’s neck.

Xiao Mingyue’s emotions surged violently, and she could not tell whether she felt panic or fury.

“Stop!” Bai Luan roared.

“Let Mingyue go!” Xu Weinian shouted anxiously.

“Zhao Ping, what are you doing!” Li Chengfeng’s face grew grim.

“D-Director Zhao (Vice President, but terms change~), let’s talk this through… w-why the sudden violence?” Ma Liang’s voice trembled as he timidly shifted his plump body behind Xu Weinian.

Madness gleamed in Zhao Ping’s eyes. “Stand still, all of you; nobody moves, or we all go down together!”

Bai Luan was the first to calm down; a faint light flashed in his murky eyes that were as still as an ancient well as he said, “Zhao Ping, harming the young lady does you no good, so you’d better think this through.”

Zhao Ping grunted. “I have no personal grudge against this little bitch; as long as you stay put, I won’t hurt her!”

“It had better stay that way.” Bai Luan narrowed his eyes.

“Zhao Ping, what exactly do you want!” Xu Weinian growled, her beautiful, cold face full of anger.

“It’s very simple!” Zhao Ping said in a deep voice. “Transfer $300 million into my offshore account and get a car ready for my escape. Slash the tires on your own cars; once I’m someplace safe, I’ll release her. Don’t even think of calling the police… push me and I’ll do anything!”

Bai Luan said, “Three hundred million dollars is too much; I need time to raise the funds!”

“Don’t you dare stall; if the money isn’t in within 10 minutes, I’ll slash this little bitch’s face!”

Xu Weinian stared at Zhao Ping in a daze, feeling as though she were in another world.

In her memory Zhao Ping had been an honest, down-to-earth man who worked hard without complaint and was the backbone of the group, so how could he now be…

…a savage brute with murder written all over him!

Instead, Li Chengfeng pulled a bank card from his wallet and slapped it into Bai Luan’s hand. “Butler Bai, if the company funds can’t be moved, transfer it from my account.”

He turned to Zhao Ping and said, “If it’s just money you want, we can discuss it calmly; don’t hurt Chairwoman Xiao, it helps none of us.”

Li Chengfeng’s words caught Xu Weinian completely off guard.

This man, who always looked down on everyone, had publicly opposed Xiao Mingyue becoming chairwoman more than once, claiming she was unworthy and that he himself was the best choice.

Xu Weinian had thought Li Chengfeng would be eager for something to happen to Xiao Mingyue so he could seize the chance, yet he was the first to lend a hand…

Xu Weinian suddenly recalled something Xiao Mingyue’s mother, Xiao Wenjun, had once whispered in her ear.

She had asked who could be relied upon if the group faced another crisis.

Xiao Wenjun had told her to guess.

She first guessed Zhao Ping, and Xiao Wenjun shook her head.

She then guessed CEO He Yong, but Xiao Wenjun still shook her head.

She counter-asked, surely it couldn’t be Ma Liang?

Xiao Wenjun chuckled softly twice and gave Li Chengfeng’s name.

At the time, Xu Weinian dismissed it, thinking Li Chengfeng was just an arrogant troublemaker.

Yet now the Zhao Ping she trusted most had become a traitor, while Li Chengfeng stepped forward… Xiao Wenjun had judged people far better than she.

Unable to understand, Xu Weinian looked at Zhao Ping and cried out in anguish, “Old Zhao, you’ve worked for the group for more than 10 years and earned great merit; everyone respects you… why betray the company?”

Zhao Ping gave a cold laugh. “You ask me why? Heh, you all think I worked hard, but Xiao Wenjun didn’t agree! I only covered a tiny gambling debt by borrowing a mere 50 million from the company, yet she clung to me and forced me to admit it. If her heart attack hadn’t struck her down, I’d have been in prison long ago! She showed no mercy, so don’t blame me for returning the favor! Yes, I sold the company out… so what? I’m just taking back my share!”

As his words fell, Li Chengfeng suddenly smiled. “She showed no mercy? Heh, that’s what you call merciless?”

“What, did I say anything wrong?” Zhao Ping glared.

Li Chengfeng sneered. “I was puzzled a while back when 50 million suddenly vanished from the books; I asked Chairwoman Xiao… that is, Xiao Wenjun… and she insisted she had used it herself and told me to drop the matter… Turns out she was covering for you. Apparently she never intended to expose you; forcing you to admit was only a warning.”

“W-what?” Zhao Ping swayed; remembering that day, he froze.

If Xiao Wenjun had discovered his embezzlement earlier, she could have reported him to the police long ago…

Zhao Ping shook his head violently, malice flashing in his eyes. “What’s the use of saying this now! I only want money… get me $300 million, I’ll flee overseas and never come back! Bai Luan, why aren’t you getting the cash!”

Just as Bai Luan was about to move, “Xiao Mingyue’s” languid voice rang out. “There’s no need to raise the money.”

Everyone was stunned.

Zhao Ping pressed the letter opener to Xiao Mingyue’s neck and threatened, “You little slut, what are you doing? Aren’t you afraid to die?”

Lu Li gave a light laugh and lifted her slender jade hand to seize Zhao Ping’s wrist.

“You’d better… ah!”

Zhao Ping had meant to warn Lu Li not to move, but a sudden surge of immense force left his hand numb; the letter opener slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor.

Lu Li stepped half a pace back, stomped hard on Zhao Ping’s toes, then let out a low shout, grabbed his arm, bent at the waist, and executed a beautifully clean over-the-shoulder throw.

“Bang!” Zhao Ping slammed to the floor, left dizzy and disoriented.

He scrambled up in panic, and when he looked up, Lu Li was already standing in front of him.

“You… “

Before Zhao Ping could finish, Lu Li’s palm described a perfect arc, and a thunderous slap landed on his face; his whole body flew leftward, twitched a few times, and then he passed out.

All four onlookers were stunned, staring at Lu Li as though she were a monster.

Zhao Ping weighed at least 180 jin, yet he had been thrown over the shoulder like that and then knocked out with a single thunderous slap?

So Xiao Mingyue was actually this formidable?

Only Bai Luan, after his shock, frowned deeply and stared hard at Lu Li, his eyes flickering.

“Unexpectedly, you’re rather capable,” the Xiao Mingyue inside the body let out a light exclamation in an emotionless voice.

“So-so,” Lu Li answered casually, and although he had subdued Zhao Ping, he did not feel well.

He felt his palm throbbing with soreness and numbness, and every breath set his lungs on fire so badly he could hardly breathe.

Xiao Mingyue’s constitution is too poor… Lu Li quickly realized the problem; with hereditary asthma, Xiao Mingyue simply couldn’t engage in strenuous activity.

Although her Constitution stat is 5, it’s not much better than the 3 he had back when he was malnourished.

He took several deep breaths and slowly sat back down.

Seeing everyone still staring at him, Lu Li snapped impatiently.

“What are you all looking at? Hurry up and call the police!”

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