Chapter 138: Who, in the End, Can Kill Whom?

"How much money has the Yu family spent to revive the Qin Group? Now, what does it cost you to hire a few hackers to help out? Can't you compare the two?" Qin Guofu said coldly.

Qin Chao’s eyes rolled as he realized his father’s meaning. He nodded and smiled, "Dad, I understand. I know what to do."

"If you're going to do something, don't do it at all. If you do it, you must do it properly," Qin Guofu continued, his tone icy.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Qin Chao’s mouth. "Dad, I’ve got it."

"Go do it," Qin Guofu said softly, then slowly closed his eyes.

Qin Chao gave his father a respectful look before turning to leave. That very evening, he spent a significant sum to contact two hackers online, tasking them with digging up dirt on Chen Yang and Qin Muxue.

As it turned out, even after six hours of searching, the hackers only managed to find some tabloid rumors about Qin Muxue. These included stories about her past entanglement with Shen Donghua, and gossip about how she had been head-over-heels for a wealthy heir in her youth only to be dumped.

As for Chen Yang, the hackers found nothing. Before he had become successful, he had simply been a diligent food delivery driver. What kind of dirt could there possibly be on him? Unlike Qin Chao, who had a long history of embezzlement, stealing and selling off scrap metal from the family business, and even tax evasion—a man whose scandals were plentiful—Chen Yang was essentially a blank slate.

Qin Chao was disappointed, but he figured something was better than nothing. He ordered the hackers to polish the tabloid stories about Qin Muxue, craft some sensational headlines, and post them online. The hackers readily agreed.

The next morning, when Qin Muxue checked the local forums and social media feeds as she usually did, she saw people sharing articles filled with these rumors. After reading the contents, she was incensed. The articles were clearly designed to slander and humiliate her. She immediately called out, "Chen Yang! Chen Yang!"

Chen Yang opened his eyes and looked at her with a smile. "What’s wrong, honey?"

Qin Muxue hurried off the bed and handed him her phone. "Look at this."

Chen Yang read the articles carefully. Once finished, he chuckled and looked at her. "Honey, I had no idea you had so many stories in your past."

Qin Muxue furrowed her brows, her face full of anxiety. "I’m talking about something serious here. Who has the mood to joke around with you?"

Chen Yang handed the phone back to her. "So, what do you want to do?"

"I want to report this to the police," she said indignantly. "Everything written in these articles is pure slander."

Chen Yang grinned. "Honey, you still haven't seen the core of the issue. Who do you think would be behind such articles online?"

Qin Muxue thought for a moment. Her eyes widened, and she looked at Chen Yang in sudden realization.

"You mean... Uncle and Qin Chao?" she asked, her brow furrowed tightly. Deep down, she really didn't want to believe they were capable of this.

"Exactly. It has to be them. Who else could it be? That’s why you have to grasp the essence of the problem," Chen Yang said.

Qin Muxue sighed helplessly. "They're back again."

"Yes. So, don't worry about it; I'll handle it. These are just baseless tabloid rumors anyway. If people want to believe them, let them. What does it have to do with you?" Chen Yang said with a cold smile.

Qin Muxue couldn't help but be amused. "You’re surprisingly broad-minded about these things."

"You have to be. There’s no need to stress over something like this," he reassured her.

Qin Muxue thought it over and, having cleared her head, nodded. "Fine, I’ll just go to work and ignore it."

"That's the spirit," Chen Yang laughed.

Qin Muxue nodded, her expression complex. Suddenly, she remembered something and looked at him again. "By the way, you said you'd handle it. How do you plan to do that?"

"I have my own ways. I’ll take care of it in one fell swoop. You don't need to worry," Chen Yang said calmly.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see eventually. Don't worry about it for now."

Qin Muxue looked at him helplessly. She could tell he had no intention of revealing more, and pressing him would only be a waste of time. She went to the washroom to freshen up, preparing for work.

By nine o'clock that morning, Chen Yang had already been in his office for half an hour. However, keeping something on his mind, he picked up his phone and called Wu Guangde. This time, he wasn't asking for anything small; he ordered Wu Guangde to find Qin Guofu and beat him until he was hospitalized. This was the "one fell swoop" plan. He was tired of the cat-and-mouse game with the father-son duo; he wanted to put Qin Guofu in the hospital directly. Without their central pillar, he wanted to see how the Qin and Yu families would react. He gave Wu Guangde strict orders: get it done by tonight, keep it clean, and leave no trail. Wu Guangde agreed completely.

At nine that night, Wu Guangde and his men succeeded. On his way home, Qin Guofu was ambushed, suffered a concussion, and was hospitalized. When Qin Chao and other senior members of the Qin family learned of this, they rushed to the hospital. Everyone was anxious, but Qin Chao was frantic.

He strode into the ward and saw Qin Guofu with a thick white bandage wrapped around his head. "Dad, does your head still hurt?" he asked, his brows knitted.

"A little," Qin Guofu said, his own brow furrowed. "Don't speak so loudly. I have tinnitus."

"Okay, okay," Qin Chao lowered his voice. "Is that better?"

Qin Guofu nodded and closed his eyes, finding it more comfortable than keeping them open.

"Dad, it must have been that bastard Chen who ordered this, right?" Qin Chao said, his hands clenched into fists.

"Who else could it be?" Qin Guofu replied without hesitation.

"I’m going to find someone to deal with him right now!" Qin Chao said agitatedly.

Qin Guofu shook his head. "Don't be rash. Report it to the police first. Mr. Yu wanted him to make a mistake, and now he has. As long as I hold onto this, he won't have it easy."

"Dad, I still want to have someone beat him up. I can't stand seeing you like this," Qin Chao said with a look of grief.

"The big picture comes first," Qin Guofu said calmly.

Qin Chao nodded. "Fine, I’ll listen to you." Though he agreed obediently, he was seething with rage. After all, this was his father. Seeing him beaten like this, how could he swallow his anger?

"Xiao Chao, don't worry too much. The doctor said I just need half a month of rest. As for the company, Deputy General Manager Deng will take over in the interim," Qin Guofu added.

Qin Chao nodded quickly. "I understand, Dad. Just get some rest until you're fully recovered."

"Hmm."

Qin Guofu nodded seriously. In truth, being hospitalized at such a critical moment for the newly established company left him feeling both helpless and furious.

At ten that night, just as Chen Yang and Qin Muxue were lying down to rest, a loud, heavy pounding erupted at their door. Qin Muxue sat up immediately. "Who is it?"

"I don't know. Let’s go see," Chen Yang said with a smile.

Qin Muxue nodded and threw on a red jacket. Chen Yang slipped on his green plastic slippers and walked quickly out of the bedroom toward the door. As he pulled it open, Qin Chao stormed in with seven or eight young men. Without a word, he pointed a finger directly at Chen Yang’s nose. "Chen Yang, if you have a problem, come at me! Why did you have to target my father? If you don't give me an explanation today, I'll kill you!"