Villain: After Intercepting the Female Lead, the Protagonist Collapses

Chapter 54: The Cunning Jiang Che

“In the entire Jiangzhou region, they have a notable background?” Ye Chen was genuinely baffled, never having heard such information before.

“You’d better stay away from him; he’s beyond your reach,” Gu Yunqi advised. “I also have some unresolved issues with him, but I can’t act against him. Otherwise, it would spell disaster for the Gu family. I can’t help you with this matter…”

Gu Yunqi shook her head, bluntly refusing Ye Chen’s request. Ye Chen sighed deeply, understanding her position. With an entire family behind her, openly confronting Jiang Che would invite inevitable retribution from the Jiang family.

From another perspective, Ye Chen realized he would have made the same decision since Gu Yunqi was not alone like him.

“I have another request, senior sister,” Ye Chen said.

“Tell me. As long as it’s not against Jiang Che, I’m open to it.”

“I want you to help me investigate the truth behind the extermination of my Ye family,” Ye Chen requested, his face filled with anger and barely suppressed rage.

This matter was a thorn in his heart. Despite his efforts, he had gained no leads. Gu Yunqi, being the queen of Linjiang City’s underground world, might uncover some clues.

“I can help you with that,” Gu Yunqi agreed without hesitation, aware of the vengeance burdening Ye Chen.

“Thank you, senior sister. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now,” Ye Chen said, trying to compose himself.

He needed to prepare for the upcoming celebration of Elder Lin’s 70th birthday, where he intended to make a grand entrance.

Gu Yunqi watched Ye Chen leave the private room and then lay back on the sofa to continue drinking, humming a nursery rhyme to herself.

…

At the Crouching Dragon Villa, Jiang Che lay beside the swimming pool under the sun, feeling somewhat bored. He had instructed his men to closely monitor Ye Chen, awaiting updates from his bodyguards.

“Young master, there’s news…” Ah Long approached Jiang Che respectfully.

“Go on…”

“Ye Chen has somehow fully recovered from his injuries. He met with Lin Xiyan and Gu Yunqi today.”

“So soon?” Jiang Che was surprised, having thought Ye Chen would need at least ten days to recover. It had only been three days, and Ye Chen was already up and about.

“Were we discovered?”

“No, our men are ex-military with strong counter-surveillance skills. Ye Chen didn’t notice them.”

“Good. Continue the surveillance. Tell the six brothers monitoring Ye Chen that their salaries are raised to thirty thousand a month!”

“Thank you, young master!” Ah Long expressed his gratitude, genuinely happy for his colleagues. Indeed, working for Jiang Che had its rewards.

“Alright, you can go,” Jiang Che dismissed Ah Long, who respectfully left. Jiang Che continued to lie in the sun, contemplating his next move.

“So, Ye Chen is up to something big lately.” After Ah Long left, Jiang Che squinted, recalling the plot in his mind.

According to the storyline, the upcoming birthday celebration of Lin Xiyin’s grandfather was the turning point for Ye Chen’s rise.

It was during this event that Ye Chen gained significant attention, making connections with various influential figures, rapidly ascending to the pinnacle of Linjiang City’s hierarchy.

“And it’s at this time that Ye Chen gifts the Beautifying Pill to Lin Xiyin, using the opportunity to curry favor,” Jiang Che mused. “If I’m not wrong, the formula for the Beautifying Pill includes a herb called ‘Winter Ling Grass.’ “

“This rare herb, a crucial component in many high-end skincare products, grows only in the bitterly cold northern regions. And, coincidentally, the Jiang family cultivates it, reaping substantial profits annually.”

“If the Lin family plans to mass-produce the Beautifying Pill, they will inevitably seek a partnership with us. This is an excellent opportunity for me to intervene…”

With a cunning smile, Jiang Che pondered his next move. He wanted to oblige Ye Chen’s intention to win favor, but with a twist.

“System, do you have something that can sabotage the efficacy of a herb without being detected?”

“Searching as per the host’s request…” The system responded, and a faint blue screen appeared in front of Jiang Che, visible only to him.

Sky Poison Liquid: Destroys the efficacy of plants and herbs without altering their appearance. Price: 1000 villain points per bottle.

Noticing the Sky Poison Liquid’s description, Jiang Che’s eyes lit up. It seemed tailor-made for his needs and was surprisingly affordable. “System, I’d like to make a purchase…”

After spending a thousand villain points, Jiang Che held a bottle containing about 500ml of green liquid.

“Only this much?” Jiang Che was initially disappointed, considering the small quantity. With Lin Xiyin planning to produce the Beautifying Pill on a large scale, this amount seemed insufficient.

“A gentle reminder, host. You can dilute the Sky Poison Liquid with water and spray it on the herbs for the same effect.”

“Now that makes things easier.” With the system’s clarification, Jiang Che wasted no time and called his mother, Su Shanshan.

“Hey, what’s up, son?” Susan’s sweet voice answered promptly.

“Mom, do we still have Winter Ling Grass in Linjiang City?”

“Yes, we cultivate it in the cold storage at our east city factory. Why do you ask?”

“No reason. The Lin family might buy some Winter Ling Grass from us soon. Just sell them what we have in cold storage.”

“Alright, got it,” Su Shanshan agreed without question, not probing into Jiang Che’s motives. Her beloved son’s wishes were her command. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up. Remember to visit home when you have time.”

After ending the call, Su Shanshan returned to her busy day. Jiang Che, with his plan set in motion, lay back by the pool, basking in the sun and the satisfaction of his impending scheme.

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