C10 Discovering That the House Was Burnt

In that moment, Chu Yang was seized by an intense desire to end him, but he held back, suspecting that this man harbored even greater, more devious secrets. He reined in his impulse, fearing he might accidentally crush him to death.

Chen Le, noting that Chu Yang refrained from causing further harm, mistakenly believed Chu Yang was intimidated and didn't dare to follow through. Seizing the opportunity, he pleaded for his release, "We can negotiate whatever you want, but can you let me go first?"

Chu Yang, feeling the strain of the confrontation, released Chen Le. He was confident that Chen Le couldn't escape his watchful eye. Even if Chen Le summoned numerous allies, escaping Chu Yang's grasp was futile. All Chu Yang needed was to remain vigilant and avoid the carelessness of their last encounter.

"I've let you go, so when do you intend to hand over the chairmanship to me?" Chu Yang demanded, gripping Chen Le's collar with a menacing glare.

Chen Le, caught in Chu Yang's firm hold, didn't resist. He couldn't fathom losing to a mere kid, not with all the grueling effort he'd put into mastering his martial skills, training relentlessly day and night, only to be so easily bested.

In this predicament, he had no choice but to acquiesce to Chu Yang's demand to relinquish the position, at least for now. Ultimately, whether Chu Yang could wrest the chairmanship from him remained to be seen. For the moment, Chen Le's focus was on delaying the handover as long as possible, willing to swallow his pride and endure any flattery necessary to further his own ambitions.

"If I cede the position to you now, you're unfamiliar with the responsibilities it entails. How can you ensure you'll manage the school effectively and fulfill the role?" Chen Le implored, attempting to dissuade Chu Yang from rashly seizing his title. The longer he could prolong the transition, the more it played to his advantage.

Chu Yang listened to Chen Le's attempts at manipulation without a ripple of emotion. He had anticipated Chen Le's reluctance and prepared for the inevitable unpleasantries. True to form, Chen Le began to ingratiate himself, lavishing praise on Chu Yang in hopes of convincing him that he was acting in Chu Yang's best interest. By agreeing to delay his assumption of the chairmanship, Chen Le aimed to buy time. The longer he could draw out the process, the harder it would be for Chu Yang to claim the position later on.

Although Chu Yang had seen through Chen Le's unsavory tactics, he chose not to call him out. He knew that by safeguarding his position, the secrets Chen Le was hiding would inevitably come to light. So, Chu Yang silently observed the charade, knowing that in a few days, the position would be his.

Chen Le, noticing Chu Yang's lack of reaction, couldn't decipher his thoughts. Despite his experience with people, he had never encountered someone who could conceal their emotions and intentions so completely, like an ancient ice sculpture devoid of any expression.

Chen Le had initially thought to abandon his plan and simply allow Chu Yang to assume the role, while not stepping down himself. They would manage together for a time before Chen Le would transfer all authority to Chu Yang. But Chu Yang's subsequent agreement to his absurd proposal caught him off guard.

"Fine, I'll get acquainted with the work for a few days before taking on the role of chairman," Chu Yang said. He hadn't overthought it; he merely wanted to assess Chen Le from an outsider's perspective, gauge his true capabilities—forearmed is forewarned, after all. Chu Yang never engaged in battles he wasn't certain of winning, especially now that he wasn't just living for himself but also for his sister and parents. He had to preempt any potential threats.

Chen Le was oddly thrown into a state of panic upon hearing Chu Yang's acquiescence. The sudden shift from Chu Yang's previously firm stance to compliance seemed too improbable. But with Chu Yang's agreement, Chen Le felt a wave of relief, spared from fabricating excuses.

With the agreement in place, Chu Yang had no desire to linger in the unfamiliar setting. The environment was unsettling, and Chen Le was too cunning; he needed to be watched closely to avoid any further surprises. After scanning the office one last time, Chu Yang left, opting not to return to the classroom but to wait in his car, having already instructed the driver to stay put.

No sooner had Chu Yang departed than one of Chen Le's subordinates burst into the office, breathlessly leaning in to whisper urgent news into Chen Le's ear.

"We've got trouble. Someone seems to have stumbled upon the abandoned factory behind the school."

Chen Le's legs turned to jelly upon hearing this, especially after Chu Yang's earlier threat. "What happened? Do we know who's behind this?"

His underling, looking guilty, replied, "By the time we got there, the place had been gutted by fire. Nearly unrecognizable."

"What? You mean to tell me you couldn't figure out who caused such a commotion?" Chen Le exploded with anger. The place had remained undiscovered for so long, and now everything was going wrong, all seemingly triggered by Chu Yang's arrival. Chen Le's resentment towards Chu Yang was so intense he could practically taste it.

The underling, shivering, continued, "What's odd is there was no firewood to be found. How could the fire have been started?" He seemed to recall something horrifying, his body shaking uncontrollably.

"So you're saying there were no signs of arson, that the fire started as if by magic?" Chen Le grasped the implication, but it was a stretch too far to believe.

"Exactly! No sign of a deliberate fire anywhere!"

"How can that be? Don't think you can talk your way out of this and I'll just let it slide. You have one day to find out who had the audacity to set fire on my turf."

"Understood!" With no other option and facing Chen Le's livid expression, he had to agree. His life might not make it to tomorrow otherwise.

"Hold on, nothing else happened there, right? It was just the house that burned?" Chen Le asked, unable to shake his concern. That back mountain housed many valuable things, like the venomous insects he raised.

At that moment, the underlings couldn't bring themselves to respond to Chen Le. Besides the house being reduced to ashes, there were venomous insects that had been burned alive, and not just a few – a significant number had perished. These were the fruits of Chen Le's years of labor, his prized possessions.

Seeing his underlings' silence, Chen Le's sense of foreboding grew. He feared his suspicions were already reality. "Out with it, unless you've lost the will to live?" Chen Le barked at them harshly.

The subordinate was visibly startled, stuttering as he relayed what he had witnessed. "More than half of those insects... they're dead, all burnt." He couldn't bring himself to meet Chen Le's gaze, keenly aware of the oppressive aura descending rapidly around them, a clear sign of Chen Le's intense anger.

Chen Le's hand came down hard on the table, his frame shaking with the force. He was in disbelief that the creatures he'd nurtured for so long had been reduced to ashes. It made no sense; venomous insects were supposed to fear fire. They should've fled the blaze, not perished in it. Something must have lured them, drawing them into the flames one by one.

Who could harbor such deep resentment against him? He racked his brain but couldn't recall offending anyone recently. "Quick, take me there now. It's not possible that more than half are dead," he commanded, and with two subordinates in tow, he hastened towards the hill behind.

From the sanctuary of his car, Chu Yang observed it all. They had clearly discovered the destruction of the house, but they hadn't connected the dots to him. Otherwise, they would have seized him immediately. If they were oblivious now, they'd remain in the dark; no evidence would survive the inferno. At most, they'd only witness the extent of their loss.

A lot must have perished, judging by the anguish etched on Chen Le's face. Yet Chu Yang was convinced that this wasn't the only place Chen Le bred his venomous insects. There had to be more clandestine sites yet to be uncovered, and Chu Yang was determined to root them out, leaving nothing behind.

Chen Le's urgency brought an unexpected lift to Chu Yang's spirits. It was a stark reminder of how challenging it was to raise venomous insects. Despite their lethal nature, they were delicate, susceptible to the slightest harm. Cultivating a mature insect was a lengthy, intricate process requiring abundant resources. The clutter of clothes and the overwhelming stench suggested long-term, unnoticed activities. The location was so secluded; without guidance, Chu Yang would never have guessed Chen Le bold enough to establish a base near the school, even if it was hidden in the hills. Yet, there was always the risk of a curious student stumbling upon it. Chen Le had taken a significant gamble, and Chu Yang knew he'd need to tread carefully in his future dealings with him.