Chapter 135: 135: Ye Fei's Strength Showcase
Everyone instinctively turned toward the source of the shot, and what they saw left them speechless. Hu Yibiao, who had strutted into the hall just moments earlier with arrogance and disdain, lay on the floor. A small, clean hole pierced through the middle of his forehead, with blood slowly oozing out.
The once proud leader of the Qinglong Gang was dead. His eyes were still wide open in disbelief, as though even in his final moments, he couldn\'t fathom that Ye Fei, a boy barely eighteen, would dare to kill him—and in front of so many witnesses.
Opposite Hu Yibiao\'s lifeless body stood Ye Fei. In his hand, a pistol still smoked slightly from the recently fired bullet. Despite having just taken a life, his face remained calm and cold, showing no sign of remorse or hesitation.
Everyone present was stunned. Even Liu Yiru, who had seen much in her lifetime, hadn\'t anticipated that Ye Fei would act so decisively. While many found Hu Yibiao detestable, none had expected that Ye Fei would so boldly execute him in the midst of the funeral proceedings.
Ye Fei seemed unfazed by the shock that rippled through the room. After holstering his gun, he spoke in a firm voice, "Zhang Yide!" His tone now lacked the warmth of familial affection, indicating that this was a matter of utmost seriousness.
"Yes!" Zhang Yide responded immediately, his voice filled with loyalty and respect. Despite the fact that Ye Fei had addressed him by name rather than calling him "Grandpa" as he usually did, Zhang Yide wasn\'t offended—on the contrary, he was pleased.
"Gather all the memebers at once," Ye Fei commanded in a deep voice. "We\'re wiping out the Qinglong Gang. No mercy."
The boldness of Ye Fei\'s order sent a ripple through the crowd. It was a declaration that shook the foundations of Wanghai\'s underworld. Yet, among those gathered, the response was one of excitement and unity.
In the criminal world, courage and decisiveness were respected above all. Hu Yibiao had disrespected Ye Lingtian, the Ye family, and now Ye Fei. Had Ye Fei not acted, someone else likely would have. Now, with Ye Fei\'s order ringing in their ears, the room resonated with agreement. The previous undercurrent of doubt about Ye Fei\'s youth evaporated.
The men who had once been skeptical of him were now ready to follow his lead.
Among the guests, however, especially those who had looked down on Ye Fei earlier, fear began to creep in. They worried whether this new, ruthlessly decisive leader might turn his attention to them once the Qinglong Gang had been dealt with.
As for the women in the room, their reactions were quite different. The sight of Ye Fei taking such command and exuding such cold strength captivated them. Not all women are drawn to power, but when it comes from someone they are deeply connected to, the effect is undeniable.
Both Ye Ningshuang and Ye Yunqi, in particular, found themselves unable to suppress a stirring of emotions—an overwhelming desire to be close to Ye Fei, their hearts racing at his display of dominance.
But Ye Fei wasn\'t focused on the reactions around him. After watching Zhang Yide and the others leave to carry out his orders, he turned his attention to the women. When he approached, they quickly snapped out of their daze, though their gazes still held a mix of admiration and something unspoken. Noticing this, Ye Fei scratched his head and asked, "Is something wrong?"
Liu Yiru, recognizing her son\'s boyish gesture, smiled and pulled him close. "Xiaoman, you were a bit scary just now," she said gently.
Ye Fei scratched his head again, a little embarrassed. "I was just angry. It seemed like the only way to make those arrogant guys fall in line. But if you don\'t like it, Mom, I won\'t do that again."
Liu Yiru blinked in surprise, then laughed softly. "No, you\'re right. In fact, you looked... quite manly back there." Her face flushed slightly, as though she had remembered something personal, and she quickly added, "What I mean is, it made me see you in a new light."
Realizing that his sudden display of authority might have been unsettling for them, Ye Fei smiled reassuringly. "I\'ll save that side of me for outsiders, then. Around you all, I\'ll always just be Xiaoman."
Hearing this, the girls visibly relaxed, their expressions brightening. Liu Fengyi, teasingly, pulled him over and said, "You don\'t know, Xiaoman, you looked so intimidating earlier, even your aunt was scared."
As the mayor of Wanghai, Liu Fengyi was used to seeing strong personalities and challenging situations. She hadn\'t truly been afraid, but Ye Fei\'s display had triggered something in her. His dominance had stirred feelings she hadn\'t anticipated, reminding her of thoughts she\'d had the night before. Using the moment as an excuse, she pulled him closer, enjoying the brief contact.
"Aunt, stop teasing me. You know what I\'m really like," Ye Fei said, his voice tinged with embarrassment. While he could maintain a cool composure in front of strangers, he was still the same boy in front of the women closest to him.
Liu Fengyi laughed and gave him a playful squeeze before letting him go. "Alright, alright. I won\'t tease you anymore. Now go on!"
Though his heart fluttered briefly at her touch, Ye Fei quickly pushed the sensation aside, returning his focus to the remaining guests. He gave a respectful bow and addressed them, "I apologize for what just happened. It was an unfortunate incident."
"It\'s okay.."
"Yeah, it\'s ok.."
"No worries! No worries!"
The guests, now terrified of provoking Ye Fei\'s wrath, quickly waved off his apology, saying they understood. With the funeral nearly concluded, most of them seized the opportunity to make a hasty exit, bidding their farewells before leaving.
As the afternoon drew to a close, the women began preparing to head home. Tomorrow would be Ye Lingtian\'s burial, and they had been busy all day. They needed rest. As the only man left in the family and Ye Lingtian\'s nephew, Ye Fei had to stay behind to keep vigil. Ye Ningshuang, as the eldest sister, remained with him.
Xu Shuyun and Ye Jing had wanted to stay, but Ye Ningshuang gently persuaded them to leave.
After spending the day running around and ensuring everything was in order, it was just Ye Fei and Ye Ningshuang left in the mourning hall as night fell.
Ye Ningshuang sat down with Ye Fei in front of the memorial and asked quietly, "Xiaoman, tell me honestly—are you really going after the Qinglong Gang?"
"Absolutely." Ye Fei replied without hesitation. "The Qinglong Gang has committed countless atrocities, and Hu Yibiao dared to cause trouble here, in front of my uncle\'s spirit. If we don\'t destroy them, how can the Ye family continue to stand in Wanghai? "
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You should know why no women are truly frightened even when someone was killed brazenly. Don\'t you??