7:00 PM at the Yuelan Grand Hotel.

Chen Yang stood under a decorative tree, his hands clasped behind his back. His gaze fell upon the hotel entrance, which was crowded with luxury cars. Every person coming and going was adorned in finery, exuding an air of exceptional status—all of them either wealthy or noble.

Today, the entire Yuelan Grand Hotel had been booked by the Qi Family for a single purpose: the Qi Family Patriarch's birthday celebration.

Chen Yang hadn't anticipated that Qin Donglai's death would involve not only the Martial Association but also one of Lingjin City's major local families.

So this Qi Family supposedly ranks second among the eight major families of Lingjin City?

In truth, Chen Yang cared little for such things. It wasn't just the eight major families; even if Lingjin City's four great superfamilies were involved in Qin Donglai's death, he would flatten them all the same.

The enmity from a father's murder was irreconcilable! Besides, a life for a life was the law of heaven and earth.

Before long, Yang Hu called. His message was simple: everything was ready.

Chen Yang smoothed his clothes, squared his shoulders, and strode toward the Yuelan Hotel.

The Qi Family had been meticulously planning today's birthday banquet for some time. Nearly every prominent figure in Lingjin City had shown up in person. Even those who couldn't attend due to prior engagements had sent a representative with a gift. Ranking second among the eight major families, their influence was not to be underestimated.

With no one checking invitations at the door, Chen Yang walked smoothly into the eighteenth-floor banquet hall.

The Qi Family Patriarch, Qi Zhentian, was scheduled to make his grand entrance last.

For now, the guests held champagne flutes, chatting in small groups about business or idle pleasures. Set against a backdrop of soothing music, the atmosphere was cheerful and harmonious.

"Sir, we have champagne and red wine. Would you like a glass?" a waiter asked politely as he approached Chen Yang.

Chen Yang took a glass of champagne and smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

In terms of elegance and opulence, Chen Yang was completely out of place. His casual clothes drew more than a few surprised glances. Attending such an event without even a formal suit was simply unheard of.

"Did you see that guy in the corner? So uncouth. How did they let someone like him in?" one guest muttered to another.

"He's probably just here to freeload," came the reply.

Many people had noticed Chen Yang, and a low murmur of discussion spread through the room.

Chen Yang paid no mind to the strange looks. He sat alone in a corner, leisurely sipping his champagne. More accurately, he was waiting for Qi Zhentian to appear. It was a bit dull, but it gave him a chance to observe Lingjin City's so-called high society in their natural habitat. Each was dressed to the nines, the very picture of a gentleman.

Scanning the room, he spotted a few familiar faces.

Lin Ruolan and Yue Kang, having just finished a conversation, turned and saw Chen Yang. They both froze, then subconsciously took three steps back. What happened that morning at the infirmary lingered like a huge shadow in their hearts.

Chen Yang simply raised his glass to them with a wide grin.

Their faces turned ashen, and they quickly turned away.

"How did that guy get in here?" Lin Ruolan pouted. She had spent half the day calming her turbulent thoughts, only for them to be stirred up once more.

"With his financial resources, how could he *not* be here?" Yue Kang felt even more bitter. He pulled Lin Ruolan further away. "Let's just keep our distance from him!"

If we can't afford to provoke him, surely we can avoid him! Honestly!

Apart from them, Chen Yang spotted someone unexpected.

Shouldn't that person be in jail?

As if sensing Chen Yang's curiosity, the man turned his head. For a few seconds, he froze solid. A series of emotions—shock, fear, and utter disbelief—flashed across his face. But soon, the corner of his mouth curled into a smirk, and with a look of amusement, he began walking toward Chen Yang.

"Well, well! If it isn't Chen. I didn't expect to see you here!" The man, clad in a black tailcoat and a crimson bow tie, strode over with a spirited gait. "I imagine you're quite surprised to see me here as well, Chen?"

"I am surprised. I thought you'd still be rotting in a jail cell, Xiang," Chen Yang replied with a faint smile.

The newcomer was, of course, Xiang Yang. After being caught stealing at the Qin Family's residence that day, he had been taken away by the constables. Logically, there was no way he could have been released so quickly, which spoke volumes about the Xiang Family's considerable influence in Lingjin City.

"It was nothing more than a spot of tea at the Patrol and Arrest Office," Xiang Yang said, tilting his head back proudly and looking down his nose at Chen Yang. "After all, the Xiang Family has a distinguished lineage, something a person like you could never imagine."

"Indeed." Chen Yang raised his glass and took a sip, his expression unreadable.

Xiang Yang raised an eyebrow. "What I'm wondering is, what gives you the right to be here? The insignificant Qin Family surely wouldn't have received an invitation from the Qi Family."

"If a common thief like you has the right to be here, why can't I?"

Xiang Yang was speechless.

"Besides, is the Qi Family really that impressive? And you're proud to have received their invitation?"

"Hmph!" Xiang Yang scoffed. "The Qi Family ranks second among the eight major families of Lingjin City. You tell me, is that impressive or not? Of course I feel honored to connect with so many elites at an event like this." With that, Xiang Yang adopted a faint smirk. "Or did you just sneak in to freeload? After all, an event like this is a world you could never hope to enter or fit into in your entire life."

Chen Yang just smiled, saying nothing more.

"So you admit it?" Xiang Yang sneered. "Tell me, if word of this got out, don't you think Qin Qiu would be terribly embarrassed?"

"Why must you be so despicable?" Chen Yang finally retorted.

Xiang Yang, unoffended, turned and shouted to a hotel manager nearby, "Manager Hu! There's a freeloader over here! I'll have to trouble you to throw him out!"

His voice was loud, drawing stunned glances from everyone. Someone had the gall to freeload at an event like this? How audacious.

The hotel manager, Manager Hu, hurried over. He first greeted Xiang Yang politely before turning to Chen Yang with a deadpan expression. "Sir, please present your invitation."

In fact, he had noticed Chen Yang from the start. Not wearing a suit to an event like this was far too conspicuous; the man stuck out like a sore thumb, making him impossible to miss. At first, he'd assumed Chen Yang was some eccentric young master and hadn't dared to question him. Now, it seemed he had been mistaken.

"I don't have an invitation," Chen Yang stated bluntly.

Manager Hu's expression instantly turned grim. "Get out. Now!"

Xiang Yang burst out laughing. "I knew you were here to freeload."

"No," Chen Yang said. "I'm here to deliver a gift."

A gift? Xiang Yang, Manager Hu, and some of the people nearby frowned in unison. He didn't even have an invitation, so what kind of gift could he possibly be delivering?

"Ha ha!" Xiang Yang roared with laughter. "I say, Chen Yang, are you trying to force a connection with the Qi Family? Let's not even discuss whether your gift would be up to their standards. Someone like you, from the insignificant Qin Family, is beneath their notice."

"Don't worry," Chen Yang said, his voice brimming with confidence. "He'll definitely have a use for it."

「Meanwhile.」

Dressed in a splendid red robe, Qi Zhentian slowly emerged from backstage.

Seeing this, Chen Yang raised his hand and, under the bewildered gazes of everyone, snapped his fingers.

SNAP!

The sound was incredibly crisp, possessing a terrifying, penetrating force that instantly rippled through the banquet hall.

Like a signal, the sound had no sooner faded than the glass wall on one side of the hall shattered with a deafening crash.

BANG!

A rectangular object, wrapped in a storm of glass shards, hurtled into the room. The moment it landed, the marble floor cracked and splintered. The object skidded across the ground, finally coming to a stop in the very center of the hall.

The sudden chaos sent a shockwave of panic through the crowd, who instinctively scrambled out of the way.

When they finally got a clear look at the rectangular object, the guests, who had just begun to recover from their shock, were struck dumb.

A coffin?

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