BOOM!!!

Zhao Chengshan stared dumbstruck at Lin Xiao. In his wildest nightmares, he never imagined this filthy beggar would propose such a condition. His son was already gone. Now, all he had left was his daughter. If he lost her as well… Then what would be the point of living?

But as soon as the image of Ding Qizhao's gruesome death flashed in his mind, terror completely engulfed him. He didn't want to die. Of course, Zhao Chengshan didn't want to die. The Zhao Family was a top-tier family in Jinling City, and the Zhao Corporation's assets had just surpassed two hundred billion. Most importantly, he was still young. He hadn't enjoyed nearly enough of his life of wealth and luxury. He could have more children if his daughter was gone, but if he himself died, he would have nothing at all.

As this thought took root, Zhao Chengshan's eyes turned utterly vicious. He couldn't stop himself from glancing at his daughter.

Zhao Qingqing subconsciously looked back at her father. When their gazes met, a violent shudder ran through her entire body. She had never seen such a ferocious expression in her father's eyes.

Just as Zhao Qingqing was about to speak, Zhao Chengshan suddenly turned to Lin Xiao and asked, "Do you mean it?"

"I mean it!" Lin Xiao replied with a cold laugh.

BOOM!!!

Zhao Qingqing felt as if someone had slammed a baseball bat into her head and then fiercely plunged a knife into her heart. The pain was so intense that she could barely stand. Her face turned deathly pale as she stared at her father in panic.

"Dad," she asked, her voice trembling, "are you… are you really going to kill me?"

That single word, "Dad," made Zhao Chengshan's eyes turn blood-red. He broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. He wanted to live, but Zhao Qingqing was his daughter, after all. To actually kill her… Zhao Chengshan just couldn't bring himself to do it.

Seeing this, Zhao Qingqing let out a sigh of relief. She knew her father couldn't bear to kill her. She was about to speak again, but just then, Zhao Chengshan pounced.

Like a starving tiger lunging for its prey, he knocked her to the ground with unnerving ferocity. Without a single word, he wrapped his hands around Zhao Qingqing's throat and squeezed. The force was so immense that the veins on his neck and temples bulged violently.

Zhao Qingqing's face instantly turned the color of a pig's liver. She struggled desperately, but Zhao Chengshan only tightened his grip. The scene shocked every member of the Zhao Family present.

Suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream tore through the air. A richly dressed middle-aged woman shrieked, "Chengshan, let go of Qingqing! She's your daughter! How can you be so cruel? If you kill her, I don't want to live either!"

With that, the woman charged at Zhao Chengshan, beating at him frantically.

Zhao Chengshan turned a deaf ear, his grip becoming even more frenzied. At that moment, only one thought consumed him: to live. He would do anything to stay alive—even kill his daughter, even slaughter the entire Zhao Family. As long as he could live, that was all that mattered. Yes, Zhao Chengshan had gone mad.

At first, Zhao Qingqing's struggles were frantic, but under Zhao Chengshan's brutal strength, they grew weaker and weaker, increasingly feeble. Her eyes started to roll back in her head. Lin Xiao knew this was a sign she was moments from death.

Honestly, watching this unfold, Lin Xiao felt not the slightest ripple in his heart. He wasn't a heartless man; he simply couldn't find any sympathy for Zhao Qingqing.

To be blunt, her current predicament was entirely her own doing. Besides, trash like her wasn't worth pitying. Just think about how she treated Su Qingning. It was lucky Su Qingning had lost her innocence to him, and that he had the power to get her revenge. But what if it had been someone else? Wouldn't her entire life have been ruined? Even though it happened with him, the incident remained a deep, painful wound in Su Qingning's heart—a wound that would likely never heal.

Just as Zhao Qingqing was about to breathe her last, a sharp voice suddenly roared, "Stop!"

The command exploded like a thunderclap, making Zhao Chengshan tremble all over. His hands, clamped around Zhao Qingqing's throat, involuntarily paused.

A young man in his twenties appeared before them. He fixed Lin Xiao with a sharp gaze and asked, "You're Lin Xiao?"

"And you are?" Lin Xiao countered.

The man let out a disdainful scoff. "Du Shaokun!"

"You're from the Du Family?" Lin Xiao asked.

"That's right!" the man replied coldly.

"So? You plan to stand up for the Zhao Family?"

"Yes and no," Du Shaokun said indifferently.

Lin Xiao questioned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Du Shaokun ignored him, his gaze shifting to Zhao Chengshan. Zhao Chengshan stared back, utterly clueless as to why the Du Family would suddenly appear. The two families rarely interacted.

"Zhao Chengshan, I am here today on behalf of my father," Du Shaokun announced coldly. "He sent me to ask you one question: are you willing to give thirty percent of the Zhao Corporation's shares to our Du Family? If you agree, we can deal with this filthy beggar for you. Let me be clear, our Du Family already has a deep-seated grudge against this man!"

BOOM!!!

Zhao Chengshan was shocked, staring dumbly at Du Shaokun. Although the thought of giving up thirty percent of his company's shares was agonizing, he was tempted when he considered the terrifying power of the Du Family. Yes, he wanted Lin Xiao dead. More than anyone else in the world. This trash not only killed his son but also forced him to kill his own daughter. This was an insult he wanted to avenge even in his dreams.

Without a second thought, Zhao Chengshan roared, "Du Shaokun, I agree! If you kill this filthy beggar, I'll give you thirty percent of the Zhao Corporation's shares! No, I'll give you forty percent!"

A faint smile touched Du Shaokun's stern face. He nodded. "Zhao Chengshan, your money won't be wasted."

Zhao Chengshan nodded eagerly, again and again. The man who had been terrified moments ago now seemed completely transformed. He glared at Lin Xiao with pure hatred, as if he wanted to devour him alive.

"Zhao Chengshan, are you sure you want to choose the Du Family?" Lin Xiao asked with a cold smile.

"Bullshit! Who else would I choose, you filthy beggar? Goddamn it, you bastard, I wish I could devour you alive right now! And let me tell you, Du Shaokun is one of the most outstanding disciples of the Du Family's younger generation. His older brother, Du Shaolong, is a member of the Martial Alliance! You're a dead man!"

"Fine. Just fine. The Zhao Family will be annihilated today!"

"Du Shaokun, kill this filthy beggar for me!" Zhao Chengshan roared, incandescent with rage.

Du Shaokun nodded. He turned, fixing Lin Xiao with a dark and venomous gaze.

"Filthy beggar, what are your last words?"

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