A new month has dawned; how about sending over a few recommendation votes, everyone? Beating up some thugs and hooligans, dusting off one's hands, and walking away felt immensely satisfying. After dealing with the police and city management, and then resolving the situation with an iron fist—that was also quite exhilarating. But after thoroughly thrashing Young Master Ma, Wang Zhuo’s mood couldn't lighten up; it felt like a heavy stone was pressing on his chest. It was just like when he fought others as a child: if he beat up some good-for-nothing kid, the matter ended there. But if the guy he ran off could easily find a protective adult to seek revenge, he’d naturally be anxious for a while! Did the Ma family protect their own? That wasn't even a question; how could Ma Qiang have developed such an arrogant disposition if they didn't? Furthermore, even if the Ma family weren't overly protective, seeing Ma Qiang beaten to such a pitiful state, they wouldn't let it go easily. Could the prestige of a prominent family be so casually assaulted by mere street peddlers? Wang Zhuo knew in his heart that he had stirred up serious trouble this time, and the severity absolutely surpassed that of the Huihai case involving assaulting a police officer and seizing a weapon.

On the road.

Wang Zhuo handed the driving over to Guan Yingying, Anqi took the wheel of An Qi's Jaguar, while Wang Zhuo settled into the front passenger seat of Ning Yao's Jeep Liberty. Seeing him casually fiddling with the DVD player on the center console, Ning Yao asked in surprise, "You don't seem scared; in fact, you seem quite energized?" "Perhaps a little excited, but definitely not afraid," Wang Zhuo offered her a faint smile. "I'm actually a thick-skinned person." Ning Yao nearly misheard, confusing "thick-skinned" () with something else entirely. She quickly dismissed the stray thought and said with a wry smile, "Today's conflict started entirely because of me. I'm truly sorry to you all." "No, you've got it wrong," Wang Zhuo waved his hand. "You were only one reason, and not even the most important one. Actually, I should be the one implicating you. If I had let you go toast him, none of this would have happened." Ning Yao sighed inwardly, shaking her head. "Then I must apologize to you as well, and thank you for defending me so staunchly." "Ha," Wang Zhuo chuckled dismissively. "It's really nothing serious. He's just some guy surnamed Ma. Just wait and see the show; it's still too early to tell who will emerge victorious!" Ning Yao glanced at him, clearly not optimistic about Wang Zhuo's chances. "Alright, alright, you don't believe me, do you?" Wang Zhuo gave her a look that was half-amused, half-exasperated, and pulled out his phone to start dialing. Ning Yao couldn't fathom where his confidence stemmed from, so she simply drove while listening to him call whoever he was planning to reach. Soon, the call connected, and a sweet, crisp voice emerged that Ning Yao could also clearly hear: "Director Wang, what are your instructions?" "Siyuan, I have an important task for you." Wang Zhuo glanced at Ning Yao and said lazily into the phone, "I just got into a fight with some people at a restaurant; there were five of them. I need you to find their mobile phone numbers." Ning Yao was completely bewildered. The people had already left; how could phone numbers possibly be traced? "Oh, oh? No problem!" Siyuan agreed instantly and cheerfully. "What clues do you have?" "I have two sets of clues," Wang Zhuo mused. "The restaurant we dined at is quite large, but it's located in the suburbs. We were inside for about an hour total. Those five people arrived earlier than us and left about three minutes before we did." "How many people were you? And how many cell phones were involved?" Siyuan inquired. Wang Zhuo gave an approximate number and then added, "The second set of clues is that I know the names of three of them: Ma Qiang, Jiao Yuanbo, and Hai Jun. Pay attention, there might be homophones involved." "That makes it much easier!" Siyuan snapped her fingers decisively. "Give me twenty minutes, and I'll call you back!" The call ended. Ning Yao hadn't understood a thing from start to finish. Tracing phone numbers might require names, but with so many people sharing the same name, this was surely a painstaking task akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Moreover, why would the location and departure time also be considered clues? "Didn't catch all that, did you?" Wang Zhuo turned toward her and grinned slyly. "I'll explain it to you slowly when we get back." With that, he began dialing again, though this time he was making notifications. He called relatives and close friends to check on them and issue some instructions. Ning Yao listened quietly and began to see the boldness, meticulousness, and consideration in Wang Zhuo. First, he called his paternal aunt's family. After a brief chat, he suggested they immediately apply for travel passports to join him on a trip abroad with some senior executives from his company, presenting it as a "convenient," "rare opportunity." His aunt's family excitedly agreed. Then he called several classmates, giving them a slight scare, instructing them to stay put at school and not go out "showing off." He also called a few senior executives, directing them to reduce overtime hours for the leadership team recently. Next, he called some women. Although the tone of the conversations was somewhat veiled, Ning Yao detected some distinct nuances, and she inwardly reflected that this young man was indeed surrounded by many exceptional women...

By the time the round of calls finished, the Wetland Villa was already visible in the distance. Ning Yao suddenly recalled a question. After Wang Zhuo hung up one call, she interjected, "If you can monitor other people's phone numbers, then others can monitor yours too, right? Won't making all these calls create trouble for you?" "What do you think this is?"

Wang Zhuo gave her a cryptic smile, flipped his right hand, and revealed a mobile phone identical to the one in his left hand! "A specially customized dual-mode, dual-standby phone, using both Telecom and Unicom networks." He shook the phone in his left hand, then raised the one in his right: "This one uses the Mobile network; it's been powered off for ages." Ning Yao found it simultaneously amusing and exasperating. Examining the two phones that looked like twin brothers, she couldn't help but remark, "A cunning rabbit has three burrows. Are you doing all this just to facilitate romantic escapades when you're out?" As soon as she asked, she regretted it slightly; the teasing comment carried a hint of ambiguity that seemed inappropriate in the enclosed space of the car. Wang Zhuo smiled silently, and his gaze, which seemed capable of seeing through people’s hearts, made Ning Yao deeply uncomfortable. "Sister Ning, do you have a key to the Wetland Villa?" he suddenly asked. "Uh..." Ning Yao glanced at him flusteredly, her heart rate accelerating—did his snooping that night get exposed? Wang Zhuo offered a profound, knowing smile. "It seems Ma Qiang is not a gentleman who keeps his word. Until he is thoroughly convinced, I suggest you stay here for a while. I'll get you a set of keys later." "Oh, okay!" Ning Yao instantly regained her composure and poise; her 'Movie Queen Mode' kicked in. At this moment, she was perfectly capable of remaining outwardly calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before her! Wang Zhuo reappraised her. Her perfect facial features were typical of an Eastern woman, her neck elegant like a swan's, her shoulders rounded, her generously proportioned peaks just right, her stomach flat, and her legs perfectly columnar and seamless, complemented by a straight spine and full hips... No wonder Ma Qiang showed such intense interest. Such a captivating beauty—even a young boy just experiencing his first stirrings of love would be moved! In terms of age, Ning Yao was only about two years younger than Wang Zhuo's aunt. Wang Zhuo calling her 'Auntie' wouldn't be an overstep. But this only enhanced her appeal; Wang Zhuo had experienced the flavor of mature women. That bone-deep allure was something that inexperienced girls and reserved young wives couldn't compare to; they absolutely deserved every man to stand up and salute them! It seemed... Wang Zhengdao hadn't made a move on her yet... Unconsciously, Wang Zhuo's thoughts drifted.

The car arrived at the villa. Wang Zhuo quickly refocused, rapidly calculating the gains and losses in his mind. There was a famous saying: "Strategically despise the enemy, tactically respect the enemy." He could look down on Ma Qiang while getting lost in thoughts of women, but he would not underestimate Ma Qiang's potential power, and preparations must be made meticulously! It was An Qi and Anqi's first time at the Wetland Villa, and they were fascinated by the surroundings. Wang Zhuo asked Ning Yao to take them to bathe first, and then told Guan Yingying to go upstairs and heat the pool water. Siyuan's call finally came at this moment. "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting!" the girl said cheerfully. "Those five people actually had eleven cell phones among them, which caused me a bit of extra trouble." Wang Zhuo nodded with satisfaction and said, "Email them to me." "They're already sending; the transfer should be complete shortly," Siyuan chirped. "Do you have a computer handy? I've hacked into the hotel where they are staying and can connect you to the hotel surveillance footage anytime." "You can do that?" Wang Zhuo laughed heartily. "I'm at the Wetland Villa. You better come over here first; on-site operation is more convenient and intuitive!" "Should I ask the department head for leave?" Siyuan asked excitedly. Wang Zhuo smiled. "Just set off. I'll have Qi Fei handle the leave request."

...

At the hospital, Ma Yong spent a long time trying to recognize his younger brother.

Ma Qiang's teeth, lips, and tongue had suffered varying degrees of injury. By the time he reached the hospital, his entire face had swollen up like a toad's. Upon learning he was a major figure, the hospital staff consulted and arranged for him to undergo full general anesthesia surgery, striving to minimize the damage. Ma Yong had driven from Zhejiang to Jiangzhou. By the time he arrived at the hospital, dusk had settled. Ma Qiang had just been wheeled out of the operating room. Fortunately, Jiangzhou had a high-caliber Grade A tertiary hospital; otherwise, given Ma Qiang's condition, a second-rate hospital wouldn't even have been able to connect the ventilator for the general anesthesia. Although he never held much affection for his half-brother, the spoiled brat, Ma Yong was deeply enraged upon seeing Ma Qiang's miserable state. This was practically beating someone to death; no matter what Ma Qiang had done wrong, he didn't deserve such treatment, did he?! The X-ray images showed shocking injuries: three teeth were broken, three were knocked out, and the surrounding teeth showed clear signs of loosening. There were several minute cracks in the upper gum line. Ma Yong could hardly believe these injuries were inflicted solely by fists; it looked like the result of a car accident! "Wang Zhuo from Shengshi Dynasty?"

He let out a heavy snort, took several photos of Ma Qiang’s condition and the X-rays with his mobile phone, and then called Kong Kun.