Online: I Can See Health Bars Chapter 1299 - 578: Arrive

The warm sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the seat beside Song Qianlong. The man who had removed his mask gazed at that spot for a long moment before swallowing nervously and speaking.

"I... I wouldn't dare."

Song Qianlong didn't appear inclined to press the issue.

"Dull, so dull. How will you ever achieve anything significant like this?"

His gaze shifted. As he raised his cup to sip his wine, Song Qianlong looked down at the bridge below, where the crowd surged like a relentless tide.

"See them? They're mediocre, insignificant, laughably ordinary. Their entire lives amount to mere scraps. That sort of existence isn't what individuals like you and I ultimately aspire to."

"..."

The man who had shed his mask fell silent, his head bowed, offering no reply.

Simultaneously, at the bridge's entrance, a commotion erupted without warning.

The crowd became a heaving mass, people shoving and pushing, surging forward with desperate haste as if fleeing something behind them, pouring onward like refugees escaping a disaster.

The pandemonium spread with alarming speed—bodies were trampled, people bolted in fear, some even plunging into the lake...

Cries for help, shouts of "Save me!"—even from the high-rise where they were dining, the sounds were clearly audible.

"It has begun."

Song Qianlong spoke again, his voice cutting through the air. The man who had removed his mask's eyes widened instantly, a dawning realization flashing through his mind. Yet, he grew even more apprehensive, daring not to raise his head or even stir.

Meanwhile, the chaos below was swiftly brought under control thanks to the intervention of the nearby Foolish Underworld.

"It's the Defiled Blood Clone Demon!"

"It's that thing again!"

"How many clones does that monstrosity even possess?!"

"After it! The directive from above is clear: kill on sight! Anyone who spots the Defiled Blood Clone Demon is to strike without mercy!"

As the disturbance receded into the distance, Song Qianlong gradually withdrew his gaze.

The aftermath among the common folk below no longer held any intrigue for him.

He stood, casting a glance at the "young man" who remained with bowed head and continued silence, a smile playing on his lips.

"You are quite fortunate. I've just received news: Madam Shang is dead. Black Rain Commerce is now in need of an external spokesperson. Are you willing to assume this role?"

The man who had taken off his mask's eyes flew open, his entire body trembling with burgeoning excitement.

"I—I am willing! Mr. Song, truly, I am willing!"

"Excellent. Tomorrow, I will dispatch someone to coordinate the transition. From this point forward, you will be the president of Black Rain Commerce."

With a pat on the man's shoulder, Song Qianlong departed.

Only the man, who had replaced his sheep-face mask, remained alone in the room.

It's done...

It's finally done!

I have ascended!

At long last, I have clawed my way up!!

The sheep-faced man quivered uncontrollably with elation, though he rigorously suppressed any outward sound.

Finally...

Through step-by-step perseverance, day-by-day management, operating both the Forest Snake Gang and the Honey Casino on parallel fronts—only now had he finally reached such a height! And at last... he had touched the very entry point for dealings with those true power players!

The position of president at Black Rain Commerce signified a leap in status, granting him genuine access to the elite circles of Thunder City.

Even if this role primarily involved executing clandestine, arduous, and unsavory tasks for the influential figures, it unequivocally meant he had, in a tangible sense, penetrated the realm of the powerful.

It was readily foreseeable that commencing from this day, his entire future trajectory would undergo a profound transformation!

The sheep-faced man clenched his fists, slowly managing to rein in the exhilarating emotions swirling within him.

This was but the initial stage, merely the lowest rung of this exclusive echelon.

Let alone aspiring to greater heights—even to merely maintain this position would demand immense effort and dedication.

It was time to get to work...

The preceding spokesperson for Black Rain Commerce, in order to obscure their identity, had undertaken assignments from a wide spectrum of factions, both large and small.

However, he had no need for such a strategy. Upon his formal assumption of control at Black Rain Commerce, he intended to immediately sever ties with certain minor and mid-tier organizations, concentrating his exclusive focus on servicing the high-end market.

Leveraging Black Rain Commerce as a stepping stone, much like he had covertly orchestrated the affairs of the Forest Snake Gang, he would transmute all these endeavors into fuel, propelling his ascent, step by measured step, higher and farther!

He lifted the lid from Song Qianlong's half-finished teapot, brought it to his lips, and drained its contents in a single draught. The sheep-faced man smacked his lips, chewing the tea leaves along with the liquid, his gaze sharp and predatory, as if he were not consuming tea but rather Song Qianlong's "immense" being.

He looked out the window; with the Foolish Underworld's swift intervention, the disturbance below had already been quelled.

Yet, the sheep-faced man seemed lost in his own profound contemplation.

Song Qianlong… it appeared he had anticipated the unfolding chaos even before it erupted.

Could it be…?

A flicker of suspicion crossed the sheep-faced man's mind, though he hesitated to delve further.

His current weakness was too significant. Certain thoughts were simply too dangerous to entertain, lest his painstakingly built foundation crumble to dust in an instant—much like the sudden demise of Madam Shang.

The sheep-faced man departed.

Given the promising progress in his expansion endeavors…

It was time to address the issues brewing within his own domain.

Otherwise, should news of internal trouble reach Mr. Song or other esteemed guests, his reputation would suffer a severe blow.

"Fa Hongbao, I treated you fairly back then. Yet your greed knows no bounds, like a serpent attempting to swallow an elephant. If I do not discipline you, will anyone be able to walk all over me?"

With Black Rain Commerce firmly in his control and Honey Casino now under his thumb, the sheep-faced man possessed ample resources to teach a certain substitute a harsh lesson—an undertaking as simple as flipping his hand!

Unbeknownst to the sheep-faced man, as he departed the tavern, a young man was simultaneously ascending the Jiangxin Bridge.

…

"What in the world happened here?"

Fang Yu surveyed the scene on the bridge, observing the injured and those lying soaked along its banks, his expression shifting to one of bewilderment.

Since parting ways with the Forest Snake Gang, he had made a conscious effort to frequent bustling areas.

With the lingering Evil Qi clinging to him, he was like a beacon, attracting attention; within mere blocks, several minor figures had begun tailing him.