After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Yuchi was thrown into a prison cell like a dead dog. The ones responsible for moving his body were two die-hard loyalists of the Zhou Family. After locking the prison door, they both had looks of disdain in their eyes. Seeing Yuchi lying on the straw like a young master without any grace, they couldn’t help but mock him. "Is this the president of the chamber of commerce? When I first heard of him, I thought he must be someone extraordinary." "And now, he’s been directly locked up in our underground cell." "I can’t even fathom what goes on in this kind of person’s mind. Does he really think we’d be afraid of some chamber of commerce?" "It’s likely because he was flattered by many when he was in Xufu Town, that he genuinely believed himself to be remarkable." "In reality, he’s nothing but a joke, just a mere mortal without even bringing along his bodyguards." "Yeah, if he had brought Xun Xian with him, we’d really have no way to deal with him." "Hahaha, it seems heaven is helping our Zhou Family. I estimate he won’t live past the end of this month." The two men laughed and chatted as they left the underground prison. Accompanied by the sound of heavy iron chains locking, Yuchi calmly opened his eyes while lying on the ground. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the prison door, noting that the grille was made of iron. Each iron bar was as thick as an arm, and the grid was very dense. Did Yuchi think he could escape from such a dire situation? The Zhou Family would never believe such a thing could happen. They already had a Cultivator check, and Yuchi was indeed just a mortal, without a trace of Spiritual Qi in his body. It’s understandable. Firstly, he had no cultivation talent, and secondly, he simply had the typical frail body of a noble son. Apart from his slightly better ability to boast, there was nothing commendable about Yuchi. Not to mention, it was absolutely impossible for him to leave this prison. Yuchi lay on the ground, not moving, just quietly pondering what had really happened with the current situation. Things had changed too abruptly. "The original plan had none of this, and even though I didn’t expect the Zhou Family to treat me kindly, I was caught off guard." "How dare they commit violence directly within Jiangzhou City? And even more so, they knocked me out and threw me down deep underground?" "This is simply something that happened all of a sudden." That woman, if only I had turned on her earlier... Yuchi admitted he had underestimated them. In retrospect, this was something impossible to foresee; they were in the shadows, and he was in the light. A few days ago, dining with people from the Celestial Capital Department even made him let his guard down. "In hindsight, what is my current status?" "A guest of the Defense Department in Jiangzhou City, and I have a good relationship with Xun Yu." "I also know many people from other institutions, and even though our conversations were casual, I have some reputation." "Many girls from the Drunken Joy Tavern even want to tumble into bed with me." "Yet they had the guts to directly tie me up ?" "It seems they’re planning to take drastic measures." Judging the situation was quite simple, and Yuchi frowned as he deduced what might happen next. "First, they want me alive. My being alive serves the purpose of them wanting the president of the chamber of commerce." "Second, they very likely want me to sign over the chamber of commerce. They want to directly swallow it." "Third, even if I fully agreed to their demands, they wouldn’t let me leave alive in the end." If he were on Zhou Caiyan’s side now, even if Yuchi had agreed to everything, he still wouldn’t stand a chance of getting out alive. It’s about killing to silence the voice. "Sure enough, women affect my sword-drawing speed." "Especially women who come with apparent motives—no doubt, this woman isn’t simple." "I never expected such things could happen behind a friendly smile." "It surely isn’t her first time doing this." If Yuchi had perished, would anyone stand up to speak for him later? "Ha, no they wouldn’t. Forget Jiangzhou City, it’s filled with a bunch of scoundrel friends untrustworthy." "Even in Xufu Town, if news of my death as Yuchi reached them, how would other families mourn me?" "They wouldn’t. They would quickly look to devour the chamber of commerce’s assets, sparking a new battle." They might even celebrate Yuchi’s death, feeling like freed serfs singing joyous songs. When they are once again cut like chives by the Cloud Mountain Sect, they delight in it. Yuchi saw it all very clearly. The reason he’s in such a glorious position now isn’t because he’s Yuchi or that he’s great, but because of what he’s done. Because Yuchi is the president of the chamber of commerce. Should there come a day when he leaves this post, and if he falls in status, nobody would come forward to help him. If they refrain from spitting on him, that’s already gracious. Betrayal after achieving one’s goal is just like that. Having considered the worst-case scenario, looking at the current moment, things did not look optimistic. "Are they really playing dirty?" "Are they no longer interested in proper competition?" Yuchi’s expression was not good. During recent times in operating the chamber of commerce, it showcased his adherence to relative fairness. Business was business to him; he wasn’t some villainous devil forcing others into deals with a gun to their heads. He disdained such methods. This is the droplet of dignity that, as a Transmigrator, he still held, using past-life experience to deliver a dimension-reducing blow. "In other words, I wanted to reason with them." "I also believed this group of people would reason with me." "I was foolish." \n(o)v.e\l.com Zhou Xingcai’s sudden betrayal made him quite displeased. After all, as a Core Formation Stage Cultivator, he had nothing to fear, confident he could escape even if heavenly kings came. But what if he weren’t? Then, it would’ve truly been the end; a joke turned into reality in an instant. "It’s said beauties bring calamity, but Zhou Xingcai isn’t even a beauty, yet how is she so destructive?" "I had genuinely anticipated this situation happening before." "Which means enemies absolutely wouldn’t come slowly; if they come, they’d make a sudden real move." "But truly having encountered it, damn, it’s still very frustrating." Yuchi started understanding some things. The business logic between Cultivators and mortals in this world seemed different from before. Unless Yuchi truly intended to limit himself to just Xufu Town, nobody would care. The small Xufu Town didn’t even have a Treasure House, and nobody would care what happens in Xufu Town. But if he truly wished to advance the chamber of commerce, the best way for these sects to deal with him was to send someone to finish him. No matter what happens to Yuchi, death is the end, hoping for anyone to avenge him? Who would avenge him? The Four Major Institutions to avenge? Impossible. The chamber of commerce to avenge? Also impossible. The Wei Family to avenge? Are they even capable? There’s only bargaining leverage when alive, death would be truly the end, after all, just ashes in a small wooden box. "A wake-up call, Zhou Xingcai, your cup of tea awakened me instantly." "Fair competition doesn’t exist." "It never does." Gradually, cold indifference appeared in Yuchi’s eyes.