Ling Yun smiled proudly: "Unless they are strong enough to be at the level of a general or above, it is impossible for them to see through my mind control!" He was indeed confident. Having just grasped the principle of combining different techniques, Ling Yun put his skills to the test, combining the technique of the Eye of Illusion with his mind control. In any case, he didn't need to worry about harming the black creature or Matsumoto Taro. As a result, he succeeded.
In this way, both the black creature and Matsumoto Taro were actually under his mental control. However, this control was a deep-seated conscious control. After the spell was cast, even the controlled body was unaware that it was being controlled. It would react normally and naturally and follow the controller's instructions, and then feel that it was only natural. If Ling Yun did not issue any instructions, then Matsumoto Taro and the black creature would be completely normal.
The creature shrouded in black mist was none other than a witchcraft gu magnified hundreds of times. Ling Yun noticed that after the witchcraft gu inside Yang Cheng's body was destroyed, it released a purely spiritual, invisible communication during its final struggle. Presumably, the person controlling the witchcraft gu had already noticed its abnormality and thus sent another enormous witchcraft gu across time and space. Originally, the witchcraft gu's power was enough to deal with ordinary superhumans, but it had no choice but to accept its bad luck after encountering Ling Yun.
However, given the existence of witchcraft, it is clear that behind the Yang family lies a formidable force of sorcerers. The danger of witchcraft lies in the fact that it cannot be avoided or predicted in advance; it arrives silently and unexpectedly, causing great headaches.
Yuqi had completely come to regard Lingyun as her pillar of support. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Then what should we do next?"
Ling Yun looked at her with some surprise: "What should we do? Didn't we already have a plan? I would pretend to be your boyfriend and make that conglomerate that wanted to control your Yang family back down. Now it seems that things have changed, but we have still made a good start."
At this point, he suddenly seemed to remember something: "Oh right, Yuqi, I just heard your cousin Yang Ling say that the person you're supposed to marry is Matsumoto Taro's senior, named Matsumoto Chizuru, right? I remember you once said that you were going to marry the younger brother of a conglomerate executive."
Yuqi said bitterly, "I'd never seen that conglomerate before, and I didn't know what they did. I only found out after I came back that it was my cousin Yang Ling who set it up. I don't know where he found these trashy Japanese guys. They are indeed quite rich, but I don't know what they do. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known that they were superhumans who had long been plotting against our Yang family. Moreover, I checked the financial situation after I came back, and there was no problem with the cash flow at all. These are all shameless rumors spread by that bastard Yang Ling. I think he's gone crazy wanting to be the head of the family, and he's even willing to help outsiders to swindle his own interests."
"How many relatives like Yang Ling do you have, such as uncles and cousins? What are their responsibilities? And who is truly in charge of the Yang family's operations?" Ling Yun asked after thinking for a moment. He suddenly had a bold idea. Since Yang Cheng was seriously ill and unlikely to recover in a short time, why not take this opportunity to put Yu Qi in the position of family head and, with the force of sweeping away fallen leaves, reshuffle all the power within the family, while expelling the Japanese ninjas and the native witch clan? This way, Yu Qi would have no worries.
Of course, Yuqi is just a female college student. She has never managed a family or even a small company before. If she were to be put in the position of family head rashly, it would only make things worse. Moreover, the rules of the Yang family also stipulate that women cannot truly hold power. Even a favored girl like Yuqi must marry out of the family and cannot be adopted by a man.
Ling Yun had thought of all of this, but he already had a plan in mind. The original plan before coming to Hong Kong was no longer feasible. Plans can never keep up with changes. He just needed to readjust according to the changing situation. However, he couldn't tell Yuqi his plans yet, otherwise this gentle girl would definitely refuse. Only by experiencing trials and tribulations could this beautiful flower raised in a greenhouse truly grow.
Ling Yun suddenly thought of Su Bingyan, that proud girl who was like a plum blossom in the cold winter. She and Yuqi were about the same age, but there was a huge gap between them in terms of independence and personal strength. This was the benefit of experience.
“I have two uncles and one cousin,” Yuqi said, then sighed as if she remembered something. “My eldest uncle is called Yang Wei, my second uncle is called Yang Jun, my father is called Yang Cheng, and there is also the youngest of their brothers, whom you have met, Yang Ling. Most of my grandfather’s generation has passed away, leaving only my third grandfather, but he is very old. So he is only nominally a director of the Yang family. In reality, due to limited energy and knowledge, he no longer manages the family business. It is only out of respect for his elders that we invite my third grandfather to important meetings to hear his opinions.”
Ling Yun nodded. This arrangement was in line with the traditional style of the Yang family and didn't seem wrong. However, if a leader wasn't chosen from among the brothers to take charge of the Yang family, then the brothers would definitely have ulterior motives and fight for interests, which was perfectly normal.
Yuqi glanced at her sleeping father, went over to tuck him in, and then came back to continue, "Uncle Yang Wei is an overseas Chinese. Almost his entire family lives abroad, so he mainly manages the Yang family's overseas businesses. Except for New Year's Eve and major family events, he almost never comes back. Although the Yang family's overseas businesses are quite large, they are still a small proportion compared to the domestic businesses. Therefore, the family doesn't pay much attention to the overseas sector. So, apart from the fixed profit share each year, Uncle Yang Wei has actually separated from the Yang family and only holds a nominal board position. In reality, he is the true owner of the overseas Yang family. In fact, this is the short-sightedness of our family business. In today's world, only multinational corporations can grow big. If we don't pay attention to overseas markets, the Yang family will decline sooner or later."
Ling Yun looked at her in surprise, not expecting that Yuqi, at such a young age, would have such awareness.
“However, Uncle Yang Wei is a good person. Although he has lived overseas for many years, he has never forgotten his family. In addition to handing over his share of the profits to the Yang family every year, he is also very dedicated to the family,” Yuqi said. “In contrast, my second uncle, Yang Jun, is much worse. He is an incompetent and good-for-nothing who indulges in drinking, gambling, and whoring. He doesn’t understand business management at all. If it weren’t for my father’s actual help in managing his businesses, they would probably have gone bankrupt long ago. Moreover, although my second uncle has not changed his bad habits, he is cowardly and opportunistic. He is a fence-sitter. In this incident with Yang Ling, he didn’t dare to say a word when threatened. He only cares about the well-being of his own family.” As she said this, Yuqi couldn’t help but show disgust on her face. She clearly disliked her second uncle, Yang Jun.
"So, your father, Yang Cheng, is actually the head of the Yang family?" Ling Yun asked thoughtfully.
Yuqi nodded: "Yes, my father is not only the nominal head of the family, but also controls the majority of the Yang family's businesses in China. He is the chairman of the board of directors of the Yang Group. As for my cousin Yang Ling, he is just the president of a subsidiary of a group. Although he is young and very capable, my grandfather disliked him when he was alive and thought he was of poor character. Although he is the youngest son, he has received the least."
"It seems your grandfather had good judgment, at least he could see his son's true nature." Ling Yun said leisurely. The matter was actually very simple. There were four sons in a large family. After the patriarch died, the main family property was given to the third son. The eldest son was overseas, the second son was incompetent, the third son was young and strong, and the fourth son, because he was not favored by the patriarch, got nothing. But the problem was that the fourth son was quite capable and was naturally unwilling to accept the current situation. So he thought of using outsiders to seize power. Unexpectedly, he brought trouble upon himself. He did not attract any outside help, but instead invited a pack of hungry wolves in.
“I’ve always considered him the closest person to me besides my father. When I was little, he was always the one who played with me. When my cousins bullied me, he was the one who stood up for me and chased them away. He always praised me as the princess of the Yang family and treated me like the apple of his eye, so he was very much loved by my parents.” Yuqi said somewhat sadly, clearly unable to believe that her most recent cousin was actually a treacherous person. “Because of his abilities, my father entrusted him with the financial control of the Yang family. I worked in finance with Yang Ling for a few months and understand the intricacies of the business. He has the means and time to manipulate things. If he says that the Yang family’s cash flow is in trouble, then my father will definitely believe him.”
"I never imagined Yang Ling had been hiding his true intentions so well, and that he only started making his move after so many years. He must have been preparing all this time." Ling Yun sighed softly. This Yang Ling was indeed a talented man, but unfortunately, he hadn't used his cunning for the right purpose. Otherwise, with brothers working together, their strength would be unbreakable, and the Yang family should have been thriving. They wouldn't have attracted the covetous eyes of the Japanese today.
“But now, everything has changed.” Yuqi said softly, her big eyes, veiled with tears, looking at Ling Yun: “Yun, if you have the ability, I hope you will let Yang Ling go. No matter what, he was once my kind and lovable uncle, and I don’t want to see him suffer a terrible end.”
"Alright." Ling Yun sighed as well, but this agreement was only one-sided. Even if Ling Yun didn't harm Yang Ling, Yang Ling knew too many secrets, and if the Japanese ninjas failed, they probably wouldn't let him off easily.
"This afternoon, Yang Ling will convene a meeting to elect a new chairman of the board of directors of the Yang Group. After all, my father has been bedridden for quite some time, so there is an urgent need for someone to manage the situation. Yang Ling has been in charge for some time now, and the results have been quite good. His abilities seem to have been recognized. I'm afraid that after this meeting, Yang Ling will truly take over the chairmanship of the Yang Group." Yuqi said softly, her brows filled with sadness.
"Oh?" Ling Yun raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile suddenly appearing on his face. "A reshuffle meeting? I wonder if it will be open to the public. That would be a good thing."
"Of course it needs to be made public, and a press conference needs to be held. Yang's Group is a listed company, so it must meet regulatory requirements." Yuqi's eyes widened, and she said with some surprise, "Yun, why do you think this is a good thing?"
Ling Yun didn't answer, but gently took her soft and slender arm, smiled and said, "Let's go, Yuqi, don't forget to hold my arm. I'm your boyfriend, so I'll attend your family's change of engagement meeting as your fiancé."
Chapter 227 Berserker
The nameless bar was nothing like the deserted and desolate place Xiaorou had been in before she entered the dream. Before pushing open the door, Xiaorou looked up at the sliver of sky visible at the top of the stairs. A ray of golden sunlight shone down, illuminating the bottom with clarity, a far cry from the gloomy and dark atmosphere she had experienced before stepping into the dream.
Xiao Rou suddenly realized that she must have unknowingly entered the dream when she stepped down the stairs. When she pushed open the bar door, the dream had already begun. She just didn't know who had such a terrifying ability to unknowingly drag a superhuman into a nightmare. Xiao Rou had no doubt that if she had been killed in the dream, then what was lying on the stairs now would be her cold corpse.
She recalled the silver-gray dotted line connecting her to her body. At the other end of the line was an aura that felt strangely familiar and comforting to her—the protective power transmitted by Ling Yun. Without this dotted line, she would surely have died.
Gazing at the golden sunlight, Xiao Rou suddenly felt a warm and cozy feeling well up inside her. An unprecedented sense of comfort spread from the bottom of her heart throughout her body, making her radiant and bathed in a golden glow, like a beautiful angel descending to earth.
With her slender, fair index finger gently tapping open the half-closed, dilapidated wooden door of the bar, Xiao Rou's graceful figure silently walked in, and then closed the door behind her.
Noisy, dirty, dark, and damp – these are the first impressions one gets of this underground bar. The nearly 300-square-meter rectangular hall contains a dozen or so dilapidated solid wood tables. The wood that makes up the tables is in such bad shape that the legs are either covered in deep scratches from various sharp objects, or broken and crudely patched with pieces of wood, resembling toys left by a mischievous child.
Most of the paint on the tabletop had peeled off. Years of neglect had left a thick layer of hard, black grime covering the wood. This grime was so dense that it had crystallized, giving it a smooth, glossy black appearance, making it look like a brand new tabletop. The dark floor was in no better shape, littered with dust, debris, and broken bottles. Occasionally, foot-long rats would dart among the messy, battered table legs, searching for food among the debris and bottles.
Squeak, squeak, squeak... A sharp, piercing scream suddenly came from the mouth of a fat rat that was wandering under the table looking for food. A leather boot, at least a meter long, gently stepped on its fat belly. With just a slight touch, the rat's belly ruptured and its intestines spilled out. Its internal organs mixed with disgusting black blood flowed onto the filthy ground, making it look nauseating.
A hand, at least twice the size of a normal person's, gently reached to the ground, grabbed a dying rat, and, ignoring its gray fur covered in black mud and its disgusting wounds exposing its internal organs, shoved the rat's slightly open head into a mouth that revealed broken, yellow teeth. Then it began to chew it. The rat's blood and internal organs flowed continuously from the corners of its mouth. Soon, only a long tail remained protruding from the mouth that was chewing the rat raw.
He was a burly man who was about 1.9 meters tall even when sitting. Although Hong Kong's winter was still above freezing, it was still chilly. Many pedestrians had already put on leather jackets, but the burly man was shirtless, revealing his bulging, iron-black muscles that looked as if they had been painted on. He resembled a fearsome lump of iron, making it hard to believe whether he was human or a humanoid creature in disguise.
A hideous head sat atop a neck as thick as a bucket, with long, flowing hair that seemed never to have been washed since birth. Two deep, intersecting scars divided the man's face into four differently colored pieces, as if they had been cut from the faces of four corpses and then pieced together. One eye was completely blind, revealing only a dark, hollow socket, while the other eye stared fiercely, revealing a clear, pale blue iris.
This burly man occupied the seats of two people, carrying a heavy wine barrel as heavy as a stone block. If this wooden wine barrel were filled with wine, it would weigh at least 100 kilograms. However, the burly man, who only had four fingers, easily lifted the wine barrel in his hand. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the last bite of rat meat. Then, he lifted the wine barrel high, opened the lid, and poured the 65-proof liquor like a waterfall into his wide-open mouth.
The strong, mellow aroma of alcohol instantly filled the entire bar, and the alcohol content in the air rapidly increased, creating a slightly tipsy, intoxicating atmosphere.
No one paid attention to this extraordinary, strangely large man. The reason was simple: the other drinkers were all burly men of the same caliber. Apart from not having crisscrossing scars on their faces, nearly a dozen of them were all incredibly ugly, as if they had gathered together the ugliest and strongest primitive people in the world.
The only exception was the bartender standing behind the bar counter. The blonde, blue-eyed bartender, who looked to be only in her early twenties, had a cold and aloof expression. She was as tall as a burly man and was heaving her full breasts as she poured bottle after bottle of strong vodka into her full lips.
When Gu Xiaorou slowly walked into the bar, the once bustling and noisy underground bar, which resembled a vegetable market, instantly became quiet. All the drinkers or those playing drinking games immediately stared at the beautiful girl in front of them with beast-like eyes.
Xiao Rou's unparalleled beauty, radiant face, and snow-white skin made almost every burly man's eyes turn green with envy. Some of the men even stood there dumbfounded, holding the wine barrel upside down, completely unaware that the strong liquor had already soaked their clothes.
It was as if the most holy and beautiful angel had descended into hell. The stark contrast immediately drew everyone's attention to Xiaorou. Even the usually stern bartender slammed down her vodka bottle, exhaling the smell of alcohol and giving this uninvited guest an unfriendly look.
Xiao Rou remained calm, completely unaware of the piercing gazes of the burly men fixed on her face, their eyes burning with extreme ferocity. Her mental energy field could sense that these ugly, muscular men were no ordinary people; beneath their ox-like physiques lay a deep, yet-to-be-unleashed, immense power. Compared to their inner strength, their outward appearance was merely a wisp of smoke before a volcanic eruption.
Of course, she knew who these seemingly primitive men from Northern Europe were. From childhood, she had heard her mother mention countless times who these powerful people could survive on strong liquor and raw animal consumption. Although, like the witch tribe, these men, who were out of step with modern life and only knew how to eat raw meat and drink blood, had never been recognized as a group of people with superpowers, and most of them were slow-witted and had extremely low intelligence, they had always been ridiculed as savages closest to animals, it was undeniable that their transformation power, which far exceeded human imagination, and their strong defensive capabilities gave them incomparably powerful close combat ability, and close combat was one of the weaknesses of people with superpowers.
These burly men are berserkers, one of the two super creatures alongside the werewolves of Europe!