Super Soldier in the City
Chapter 707 - 746 Underground Forces

Chapter 707: Chapter 746 Underground Forces

Li Yifei met the old man’s gaze, then cracked a forced smile and said, "I mean, Grandpa, you really think too highly of me. This is about the appointment of a Vice Governor, do you think I have that kind of ability?"

The old man laughed heartily and replied, "I know this is indeed difficult for you. The position of Vice Governor is decided by people at the very top."

Ye Yunzhu breathed a sigh of relief; what the old man had mentioned was just too significant, and it was almost too much for her heart to bear.

Li Yifei pulled out a cigarette, but quickly put it back in his pocket. There was a pregnant woman beside him, so how could he smoke in front of Ye Yunzhu? So he asked, "Grandpa, what do you have planned then?"

The old man narrowed his eyes and said, "This time, in the struggle for this position, several major families have pulled out all the stops. The overt competition is one thing, but the most troublesome part is that some families are now not only using their overt strength but have also mobilized underworld forces. These underworld forces are currently active, suppressing their rivals. Our Ye family is the weakest in this respect. If we do not strike back, then we won’t stand a chance."

Ye Yunzhu, puzzled, asked, "Grandpa, what do you mean by ’underworld organizations’?"

The old man smiled faintly and explained, "Yunzhu, you are now a Deputy County Head yourself. These are things you should also be aware of."

Li Yifei knew a bit about the affairs of the big families, but not much in detail. At that moment, he was also waiting for Ye Yunzhu’s grandfather to explain.

"Our great families have existed for many years before the Liberation. Of course, some have declined from prosperity, even to the point of falling apart and no longer qualifying as families, while others are new families that have risen. Owing to the differing interests, these great families were inevitably involved in conflicts back then, including political struggles in the open, business gambles, and another type - martial conflicts. Often, when issues couldn’t be resolved openly, other means were employed, including assassinations. Developing an underworld force was essential for every major family both to strike against foes and to protect themselves," he narrated.

Ye Yunzhu and Li Yifei listened with rapt attention to these revelations that they had been completely unaware of before.

Seeing their keen interest, the old man became more enthusiastic and continued: "Back then, each of our big families had its own armed forces, and we invested heavily in this regard, cultivating a number of extremely loyal retainers. However, after the Liberation, our families faced a great impact. At that time, the existence of big families like ours was not allowed, so much so that there was a phase when no one even knew of our families. But, as policies gradually relaxed, our families quickly developed again thanks to our strong foundations in finances and manpower, developing much faster than others. It didn’t take many years for many large families to emerge in the provincial capital, and as time passed, it led to the current situation."

After taking a sip of water to moisten his throat, the old man went on: "After the family came into my hands, I believed that under the current policies, it was enough to focus on developing our influence in government and the business world. After all, the society is stable now, and those violent conflicts are no longer suitable. But over the years, I have come to realize that this approach might be wrong. A few families have not given up on developing their underworld forces, and some have grown exceptionally strong. In the fields of government and business, our Ye family does not fall behind them, but when it comes to underworld forces, we are far behind, and that’s why I have been keeping the Ye family low-key these years."

"So does that mean our Ye family has already developed sufficient underworld forces?" Ye Yunzhu asked.

The old man shook his head and responded, "How could it be so easy to develop underworld forces? First, we need to cultivate a group of family retainers who are wholly loyal to our family, and this requires training from a young age. I started too late and simply didn’t have enough time. Moreover, the other major families already have a tight grip on their underworld forces. If we Ye family try to get involved, it will undoubtedly lead to their collective ostracism and we would be walking into the lion’s den, likely to be devoured without a trace."

"Then, Grandpa, by suddenly taking a high profile now, aren’t you putting yourself in great danger?" Ye Yunzhu’s face showed concern.

The old man wore a bright smile and declared, "If it weren’t for Yifei, indeed, it would be very dangerous for us. But now with Yifei here, I’m not worried about those underworld forces."

Ye Yunzhu immediately turned to look at Li Yifei, her eyes wide in astonishment, and said, "You can’t be serious, betting everything on Yifei?"

The old man chuckled slyly, appearing quite cunning, and averred, "Then you just don’t understand your man. If your man were to get involved with underworld forces, those people wouldn’t stand a chance. Yifei, I’m right, aren’t I?"

Li Yifei gave the old man a roll of his eyes and remarked, "Grandpa, you’re really putting me on a pedestal here. I’m just an average citizen. I don’t want to get involved in developing any underworld forces; it’s awfully mundane."

Ye Yunzhu chimed in hastily, "Exactly, Grandpa. You can’t have Yifei get mixed up in the underworld. The state is cracking down hard on that now. No matter who gets involved, it always leads to a dead end."

The old man shook his head and clarified, "What I’m talking about isn’t about getting involved in the criminal underworld. This kind of force only controls some areas that the government can’t conveniently intervene in. It doesn’t oppress the common people but targets other families. Such forces exist not only among us provincial families but also among the bigger families higher up, and their influence is much larger. Yifei, you’re aware of this, right?"

Li Yifei nodded in acknowledgment and admitted, "I do know, but I haven’t had any contact with these forces in the past."

"With someone of your calibre retiring, didn’t any big families try to recruit you?" asked the old master, looking puzzled at Li Yifei.

"Nope, none at all."

After a moment of thought, the elder added, "Oh, I see now. Su Mengxin must have made her move early, which would make it inconvenient for other big families to try to recruit you. Su Mengxin and the Su Family hold a transcendent status across Huaxia."

Li Yifei rubbed his nose and said, "Is that so? I truly didn’t know. I’ve always thought of Su Mengxin as a friend."

"What a joke. A figure like Su Mengxin doesn’t make friends casually. Even if a person like her wants to use you, she’d make you feel that she’s a good friend. That’s the brilliance of her approach. In all of Huaxia, nobody can match Su Mengxin’s tactics—or else she wouldn’t be held in such high regard."

Li Yifei chuckled dryly without further explanation. He didn’t believe what the old man had said. Perhaps Su Mengxin treated others as the old man described, but to him, she was definitely sincere. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have done what she did with Li Yifei. If every one of Su Mengxin’s friends were just being used, wouldn’t that mean she would have to do the same thing with each one? That was simply impossible.

"Grandpa, what exactly do you want Yifei to do?" Ye Yunzhu was getting a bit anxious.

The old master looked at Li Yifei with a serious expression and said, "Yifei, I want you to take action, showing the rest that the Ye family has enough martial strength to counter their underworld forces. Do you have any difficulty with that?"

Li Yifei furrowed his brows slightly and asked, "What specifically should I do?"

"Tomorrow is my birthday, and I intend to start a contest for entertainment. As a matter of face, each big family will send out their own martial experts. When you defeat them, they will realize that the Ye family possesses a supremely skilled warrior. If anyone dares to deploy such underworld forces against us again, you, as a martial expert, will be able to exact a greater toll on them. What do you think?"

Li Yifei thought it over and said, "That’s not good. I want to live a quiet life. If I show my face, then those big families will think of targeting me first if they have designs against the Ye family. That would disrupt my peaceful life enormously."

The elder frowned and asked, "Then what do you suggest? You’re not planning on doing nothing, are you?"

Li Yifei laughed and said, "How could I ignore this? You are Yunzhu’s family, and as your son-in-law, it wouldn’t be right not to get involved. However, there could be a workaround. I don’t need to appear as myself. This way, nobody would know my true identity; they would simply know that the Ye family has a powerful martial artist. Plus, this would add an element of mystery. If they can’t find me, they’ll be even more hesitant."

The old master clapped his hands in approval, "That’s a great idea. But are you sure you won’t be recognized?"

Li Yifei replied with a faint smile, "If there are no especially strong martial artists, it shouldn’t be a problem. But if they have someone just as strong, then I can’t guarantee."

The old master asserted confidently, "There will definitely be plenty of skilled fighters, but I can assure you, none will be at your level."

Ye Yunzhu looked at Li Yifei with surprise and exclaimed, "Are you really that amazing?"

Li Yifei smiled slightly and said, "Underestimating your man, huh?"

Suddenly, Ye Yunzhu reached out and tugged at Li Yifei’s ear, saying, "What are you so proud of? No matter how skilled you are, you’re still my Ye Yunzhu’s man. Got a problem with that?"

Li Yifei hastily leaned forward, grinning, and said, "Absolutely not, my dear wife. I submit!"

The elder burst into hearty laughter. Although Ye Yunzhu might not become Li Yifei’s official wife, seeing their interactions convinced him that Yunzhu could definitely keep Li Yifei in line, and that was more than enough.

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