C4 It Was a Sickness That Needed to be Treated!

Boom!

A wave of shock rippled through the crowd!

Beneath the toupee, a foul stench wafted out!

His scalp was a battlefield of festering sores, some oozing pus, creating a sight that turned stomachs.

This was no longer a head; it was a grotesque cauliflower!

A single glance had spectators retching!

"Back off, everyone, this might be contagious."

The source of the warning was unclear.

The crowd recoiled, their faces etched with revulsion, treating the man as if he were the embodiment of the plague.

Tang Xueqi's face drained of color. "Director Zhang, you..."

"Xueqi, let me explain. It's just a common skin infection, not contagious at all! I'm undergoing treatment, and the doctor assured me it'll clear up soon! That's why I didn't tell you," he pleaded.

The man with the glasses, his secret laid bare, was seething with a murderous rage towards Luo Yun.

Luo Yun, a veteran of many battles, was acutely aware of the murderous intent. Detecting the ill will, he smirked, unprepared to let the man off the hook. "A skin infection? That's a bold claim. It's clearly syphilis, the result of your reckless lifestyle. It's one thing to neglect your own health, but to drag Tang Xueqi down with you? The mere sight of you is repulsive!"

His contemptuous tone was the last straw for the man with the glasses. With a roar, he grabbed a baseball bat from Tang Xueqi's car and swung it at Luo Yun's head. "You're dead meat! I'll kill you!"

In a blur, Luo Yun sidestepped the attack.

Before the crowd could process the scene, the bat was in Luo Yun's hands.

He delivered a kick to the man's chest, and even at minimal force, the man was sent flying, landing face-first in a humiliating sprawl.

Wang Yulan's face was a mask of horror. "Luo Yun! Have you lost your mind? Attacking the sole heir of Zhang's Group? Do you have any idea what that means in Yunhai City?"

"Zhang's Group!"

The name elicited a collective gasp.

In Yunhai, the Zhang's Group was a titan, an empire in its own right.

Founder Zhang Zhenbang had risen from the underworld, his influence reaching beyond Yunhai. He had since rebranded, becoming the city's top taxpayer and a colossus in the business world, a figure with unparalleled clout.

And this despicable man was none other than Zhang Zhenbang's only son, Zhang Tinglei?

Despite their disdain for the man with the glasses, the crowd murmured amongst themselves. What did it matter how tough you were?

Crossing Young Master Zhang of the Zhang's Group could mean a fate worse than death...

Wang Yulan, momentarily overlooking the sores, rushed to the man's aid. "Mr. Zhang... No, Director Zhang! Don't stoop to that lunatic's level. He's not right in the head. Xueqi has been wanting to divorce him for ages. Auntie knows you couldn't possibly have syphilis. I believe in you. Please, don't blame Xueqi. Even if it costs me my life today, I'll make sure they get divorced! Alright?"

Her pleading was so desperate, she might as well have been on the ground, ready to lick the man's shoes—a stark contrast to how she treated Luo Yun.

Luo Yun remained cool and detached. The Zhang's Group? To him, they were insignificant. Even the head of the Cloud Sea Gang would be reduced to serving tea at the mere mention of their name. They were hardly worth his attention.

With a derisive smile, Luo Yun's gaze shifted back to Tang Xueqi's stunning face. "This is your definition of love?" he asked. "You'd forsake your own life for money, stay with him even if he's diseased?"

The Plague was highly infectious; anyone intimately close to a carrier was certain to contract it. Luo Yun's eyes traced her clear, flushed skin, settling on Tang Xueqi's eyes, wide with shock.

Shock, surprise, anger... and a flicker of something barely perceptible—a glint of delight. She was actually harboring a thrill of surprise! Was it because the bespectacled man had the Plague, or because she was still untouched by the disease, with a chance to turn back?

Luo Yun was renowned for his medical expertise, having trained even the famed Southern Territory military doctor known as 'Guise'. He could tell instantly that Tang Xueqi hadn't been infected by the man with glasses. She hadn't had any intimate contact with him. Her panic during the attempted kiss earlier was further confirmation.

This woman had some scruples after all; she hadn't betrayed him. In light of this, he was prepared to offer Tang Xueqi an opportunity for an amicable parting. "If you truly wish to divorce, I won't stand in your way. You can head to the Civil Affairs Bureau for the divorce proceedings right now."

"Exactly! Get the divorce done quickly!" Wang Yulan chimed in, to prevent the Zhang's from retaliating against the Tang family.

"It's too late today; the Civil Affairs Bureau is closing soon," Tang Xueqi murmured.

"Divorce? You think hitting me settles it?" In a rage, Young Master Zhang shoved Wang Yulan aside and bellowed, "I'll have someone break your arms and legs today. If not, I'll renounce my surname!"

Tang Xueqi's face paled. Abruptly, she slapped Luo Yun across the face. "Luo Yun, kneel!"

Luo Yun was dumbfounded.

"Apologize to Director Zhang!"

Tang Xueqi hurried to Young Master Zhang's side, crouching down to support him. "Director Zhang, please, there's no need to stoop to his level. Everyone in Yunhai City knows Luo Yun hasn't been right since his plane crash. Show your generosity and spare him. I'll divorce him first thing tomorrow, and our wedding will proceed as planned..."

"Get out! You think I can't live without marrying you? With my status, what kind of woman can't I have? You're used goods, still playing the innocent, dragging your feet on the divorce!"

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be subjected to such humiliation by that idiot today!" Young Master Zhang's eyes were seething with fury, the pain in his chest and the blow to his pride igniting a desire to personally end that fool.

"Luo Yun, Wang Yulan, and the entire Tang family, you're all marked! Remember this! Within a week, I'll wipe you off the map of Yunhai City!"

"Ah? Director Zhang, please, don't do this! This idiot has no connection to our Tang family!" Wang Yulan exclaimed in alarm, desperately pleading, "Take out your anger on this fool if you must! It doesn't matter if it's breaking his arms or legs, or even if he ends up in a vegetative state! Xueqi and I are innocent, and after all the time you've spent pursuing her, to give up now over this waste, Luo Yun..."

"Mom, stop it," Tang Xueqi interjected with displeasure, watching her mother grovel.

But Wang Yulan, frantic, began to hit her daughter, "This is all your fault! You should have gotten rid of this useless man three years ago! Not only is your engagement with the Zhang Corporation off, but now you've also managed to offend Young Master Zhang! My God... How on earth will our Tang family ever repay our debts?"

Collapsing to the ground, Wang Yulan wailed skyward, the very picture of a harpy.

Tang Xueqi's face grew increasingly grave.

It was clear that apologies would be futile at this point.

"We need to leave," she said firmly.

Helping her mother to her feet, Tang Xueqi whispered urgently, "If we don't get out now, we won't stand a chance once the Zhang family's people arrive."

"Leave? And go where? Without the Zhang family's alliance, we can't pay off our loans! We'll probably be thrown out onto the streets by tomorrow! And my car..." Wang Yulan clung to her Maserati, her attachment palpable.

Tang Xueqi, exasperated, snapped, "You won't leave, is that it? Fine, I will! Luo Yun, get in the car!"