C27 Unreasonable

The three saleswomen sprinted toward Shen Yong, their screams piercing the air.

"Prince Charming! I'm out of a job! Can you help me find one?"

"Prince Charming! I'm not picky! Any job with a paycheck will do!"

"Prince Charming! Don't run! We're just innocent girls with no ill intentions!"

...

Shen Yong glanced back at the frenzied trio, realizing they were set on hounding him.

Time for the thirty-six stratagems!

And the best strategy? Run!

Clutching his phone, Shen Yong bolted, his legs a blur beneath him.

His three pursuers were relentless, hot on his heels.

Shen Yong had figured they'd tire out after a short chase and give up.

But to his astonishment, they kept pace in their high heels, doggedly chasing him down eight blocks without slowing down!

These women were clearly seasoned athletes of the bedroom, their stamina nothing short of remarkable!

However, Shen Yong had no desire to continue this exhausting pursuit. He picked up speed, his feet barely touching the ground, and in a flash, he vanished from sight.

Despite their tenacity, the women stood no chance of catching Shen Yong.

Unable to spot him, they finally ceased their chase, slumping onto a roadside bench, their faces etched with bewilderment.

Stigmatized and skill-less, jobless and penniless, they were at a loss for what to do next.

They removed the red ropes from their waists and tossed them into a trash bin, determined not to return to the bath center where they had endured dehumanizing treatment.

From that day forward, they resolved to start anew, to live honorably.

To turn over a new leaf and be good women!

This very resolve led to their future encounter with Shen Yong, who took them under his wing. He trained them systematically, and they became his indispensable Female Dark Guards, a force to be reckoned with behind the scenes.

In his haste, Shen Yong had neglected to watch where he was going. Coming to a halt, he found himself at the entrance of a factory.

A sign hung prominently at the factory entrance, emblazoned with large, gilded letters.

"Cloud River County Sweet Honey Canned Food Factory!?"

Shen Yong's eyes widened as he read the factory's name.

"Could this be the very Canned Food Factory where my father was injured? What are the odds! It's a small world when foes tread the same ground."

Shen Yong mused, "I had no intention of picking a bone with this place, but fate has led me here. It would be discourteous not to 'visit' that overbearing factory director."

First things first, he needed to find out where the director's office was located.

Approaching the guardhouse, Shen Yong spotted a middle-aged man inside, his beard unkempt, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

"Excuse me, security guard! Could you direct me to the factory director's office?" Shen Yong called out.

The guard gave Shen Yong a lazy once-over and retorted, "And who might you be? Why should I tell you?"

"Ah! I'm a distant relative of the director's. It's been ages since we've been in touch, and I thought I'd drop by for a visit today."

As he spoke, Shen Yong fished out a hundred-yuan note from his limited cash supply and tossed it to the guard, "Just a small token of appreciation. Could you lend a hand?"

The guard, seeing Shen Yong's savvy approach, pocketed the money with a grin, revealing a row of yellowed teeth. "Alright, alright! So you're the director's kin! His office is on the third floor of Building Five, all the way at the eastern end. He's still here today."

"Great, thanks a lot!"

Shen Yong made his way into the factory, quickly locating Building Five by following the numerical sequence.

Unlike the other structures, Building Five was tranquil, absent the din of heavy machinery. Instead, the soft murmur of office staff could be heard, indicating it was an administrative block.

Ascending to the third floor, the silence deepened, devoid even of the whisper of conversation.

He followed the corridor eastward, and just as he neared the director's office at the far end, he was met by a barred iron gate.

A small sign dangled from the iron gate, reading: "Factory Director Out, Do Not Knock!"

Shen Yong took another look and noticed a fist-sized padlock fastened to the latch inside.

The director was out, yet the padlock was secured from the inside?

This was clearly illogical!

Just then, Shen Yong heard the sound of a woman's laughter emanating from the director's office.

The laughter was peculiar, sounding more like the flirtatious banter between a man and a woman.

This was unacceptable!

If he didn't give this "clever" director a proper lesson today, Shen Yong would feel he had let down his injured father, Uncle Kun, and the villagers who had been wrongfully dismissed.

With this in mind, Shen Yong bent the iron bars of the gate with his hands, reached inside, and slipped his thumb and middle finger into the padlock, gently prying it apart.

"Click!"

A soft noise, and without a key, the padlock was pried open by Shen Yong's sheer strength.

He removed the lock, swung open the gate, and approached the director's office door, from which the sounds of playful banter continued.

"Despicable director!"

Shen Yong seethed inwardly, itching to kick down the door and pulverize the man's skull.

But, Shen Yong allowed himself a sardonic smile and curbed his immediate urge.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

He pounded on the door with his fist, producing a series of deep thuds.

The woman's laughter behind the security door abruptly ceased.

"Who's there?"

A man's voice inquired from within.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Shen Yong didn't reply, simply continuing his knocking.

Inside the office, the young Factory Director Deng Chong and his female secretary were in the midst of foreplay, now interrupted by the persistent knocking.

Deng Chong fumbled with his clothing, grumbling to himself.

"Who's this fool? Daring to ruin my moment! I'll have to fire him!"

"Wait a minute! I locked the iron gate outside, didn't I? How did someone get in?"

"Could it be my bodyguard, Ma San? No way! I put up the 'Do Not Disturb' sign. Ma San would definitely know that!"

Once they had hastily straightened their clothes, Deng Chong went to open the door, eager to confront the fool bold enough to disrupt his intimate encounter.

As the door swung open, Deng Chong was taken aback to see a stranger clad in a green coat standing outside, flashing a toothy grin at him.

Deng Chong's anger erupted as he bellowed, "What the hell are you smirking at? Who's this idiot? Scram!"

The word 'idiot' wiped the smile clean off Shen Yong's face. In a swift motion, he grabbed Deng Chong's nose and squeezed with such force that it nearly came off.

"Ah—! It hurts! Stop, it hurts!" Deng Chong wailed, hands clutched over his nose, his face contorted in agony.

"Apologize! Or I'll feed your nose to the dogs!" Shen Yong demanded, his voice icy.

"Big brother, I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry! It was my mistake!"

Deng Chong hastily made amends, feigning recognition of his error, though inwardly he seethed with resentment, already plotting Shen Yong's demise.

With a firm grip still on Deng Chong's nose, Shen Yong shoved him backward. Deng Chong stumbled and fell, landing hard on the ground as blood streamed from his nostrils.

Sensing malice from the stranger, Deng Chong turned to his petrified female secretary and roared, "Get out now! Anything you have can wait until tomorrow! And not a word to anyone about what's happened here!"