The four security guards drew their batons and approached the four thugs lying on the ground. Under the terrified gazes of the four, they brought the batons down hard on their legs. The sound of cracking bones immediately echoed from the impacted limbs, and the struck legs bent back at grotesque angles. The four thugs let out screams; two fainted instantly, while the other two writhed on the ground, howling and clutching their broken legs.

The four security guards retracted their batons and moved toward the next four thugs. These four were trembling but tried to maintain a façade of calm, threatening in a fierce but hollow manner, "If you have the guts, break this grandpa's legs! As long as you don't kill me, this grandpa swears he’ll wipe out your whole family later."

The four security guards acted as if they hadn't heard a word. Four more batons swung down. Immediately, there were four more sounds of fracturing bone and four more cries of pain. The legs of these four thugs were also shattered, and they began to weep uncontrollably on the ground, all the previous bravado gone. The four security guards advanced to the next target. The thugs fixed upon by the guards began to shake all over, their faces etched with terror, yet their gang pride prevented them from crying out for help. One, unable to bear the stimulus any longer, shouted desperately, "Second Boss, save me quickly!"

As soon as this thug begged for mercy, the courage of the remaining thugs instantly evaporated, and they began to plead frantically with the bald Second Boss for their lives.

The bald Second Boss had not anticipated Liu Hui's cruelty; shattering the legs of eight of his brothers so swiftly. His face turned ashen. He closed his eyes and said weakly, "Stop! I'll tell you why I kidnapped Miss Hu."

No sooner had the bald Second Boss finished speaking than he heard four more sickening cracks and four more screams. He quickly opened his eyes, only to see that the four security guards had not stopped; they had broken the legs of another four thugs. He became instantly enraged. "I have surrendered! Why are you still hitting them?"

Liu Hui said coldly, "I gave you a chance, and you failed to cherish it. I said their legs would be broken, and so their legs must be broken. Furthermore, your legs are not safe either. Did you think I was joking with you?"

"Devil! You are a devil! Aren't you afraid of retaliation from our Zhonglian Gang?" The bald Second Boss finally understood the ruthless severity of the man before him, realizing he had gravely miscalculated. This man was immune to threats, but it was already too late.

"Heh heh. If I feared retaliation, I wouldn't be hitting you," Liu Hui sneered.

The thugs collapsed on the ground watched the four security guards with faces full of dread, terrified of being targeted next. However, the four guards proceeded unhurriedly, systematically breaking the legs and feet of every single thug. The remaining thugs experienced a complete mental breakdown. Some actually crawled up and knelt, repeatedly kowtowing to Liu Hui and begging for mercy.

The trio involved in the extortion scam were dumbfounded. They had expected to gain immense merit, but instead, they had encountered a terrifying devil. All their brothers had their legs broken. Now, forget merit—they would be lucky if the injured brothers didn't seek revenge later. It looked like their futures had turned bleak, perhaps running away was their only option.

The four security guards showed not a shred of mercy. Amidst the wails and agonizing cries, they broke the legs and feet of the remaining thugs one by one, not even sparing the extortion trio. In an instant, all the thugs were sprawled on the ground, clutching their legs and howling. The entire scene was shrouded in a grim atmosphere of misery.

Finally, Ah Huo personally picked up a baton and walked toward the bald Second Boss.

"No! Don't! I beg you! I can give you a lot of money! I have many young, beautiful women—I’ll give them all to you, just let me go!" The bald Second Boss cried profusely, screaming in terror. The brutal scene he had just witnessed had deeply shaken him. He crawled backward, pleading bitterly. With the Cleaver Squad, whom he had relied on as a shield, gone, the bald Second Boss’s confidence vanished, and his demeanor was even worse than that of the common thugs.

Ah Huo showed no hesitation. He caught up to the bald Second Boss, and the baton landed precisely on the Second Boss’s leg with a loud crack. The Second Boss let out a sharp cry of pain before thankfully passing out.

Liu Hui watched the group of thugs coldly. They had come to attack him. If he didn't deliver a harsh lesson, there was no guarantee that Hong Kong triads wouldn't target him in the future. While he didn't fear them, their constant bothering would become a significant annoyance. That was why he chose the Zhonglian Gang for this demonstration—to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, letting the gang members know that he was not to be trifled with.

Ah Huo walked up to Liu Hui, but before he could speak, the sound of speeding cars echoed from the road behind them. Then, several vans rushed out and stopped quickly. Doors flew open, and a group of bald men armed with cleavers poured out.

"Ah Huo, leave no one standing. Treat them the same way as the ones before," Liu Hui roared in anger. Since they dared to come looking for death, he wouldn't bother being polite.

"Boss, no!" Hu Xian'er suddenly stepped out of the car and called out to Liu Hui, though she reverted to calling him "Boss."

"What no?" Liu Hui asked, confused.

"Boss, don't move! These people are here to help me," Hu Xian'er explained.

"Help you? Are these your people?" Liu Hui asked, surprised.

"The group behind me are mine; the group in front are not," Hu Xian'er clarified.

"Your people... who are you?" Liu Hui paused, unsure how Hu Xian'er was connected to the triads.

"Xian'er, are you alright?" A middle-aged man got out of one of the cars and asked loudly upon seeing Hu Xian'er.

Liu Hui had sharp eyes and immediately recognized the middle-aged man getting out; he had met him once before. It was the man who had picked up Hu Xian'er after Liu Hui rescued her from Cloud Mist Valley. At that time, the man had given Liu Hui a business card, which was later blown away by the wind.

"Dad," Hu Xian'er called out when she saw the middle-aged man but didn't approach him.

"And this is..." The middle-aged man's eyes flickered with sharp light as he surveyed the ground littered with injured and crippled members of the Zhonglian Gang. He was very familiar with the Cleaver Squad lying there. Yet, this notorious Cleaver Squad had all had their legs broken by the five people before him. How powerful must these five individuals be?

"Heh heh, these people attacked us, and we were forced to defend ourselves. We didn't expect their constitutions to be so weak; they must have broken their own legs by falling," Liu Hui chuckled evasively.

"Mr. Liu, we meet again," the middle-aged man said, though he showed no outward sign of his internal shock.

"Mr. Hu, we meet again, though I never expected the circumstances," Liu Hui replied.

Hu Xian'er watched Liu Hui's expression anxiously. Seeing no change in his face, she felt extremely uneasy, unsure how Liu Hui would view her.

"These Zhonglian Gang members came for Xian'er. Fortunately, we had Mr. Liu's protection, or I would regret it for the rest of my life. I must thank Mr. Liu here," Mr. Hu expressed his gratitude subtly.

"Mr. Hu is too kind. Firstly, Xian'er is my friend, and she often takes good care of me. Secondly, as an employee of our Starry Sky Group, I could never allow her to come to harm," Liu Hui said humbly.

"Mr. Liu, it’s not good to leave these people lying around here. Perhaps my men could move them away to avoid further trouble," Mr. Hu suggested.

"That would be excellent. I was just wondering how to resolve this matter. With Mr. Hu's help, I don't need to worry anymore," Liu Hui said with a smile.

Mr. Hu waved his hand. The bald men carrying cleavers sheathed their weapons and began loading the leg-broken gang members onto the vans parked nearby. The bald men were efficient, seeming quite practiced at moving injured people. In just a few minutes, all the broken-legged underlings were loaded onto the vans. They quickly cleaned up the scene and drove away.

Only then did Hu Xian'er walk over to Mr. Hu. "Dad, why did you come?"

Mr. Hu affectionately stroked Hu Xian'er’s head and chuckled, "We have an informant inside the Zhonglian Gang. They received word about you, and as soon as they mobilized, I knew. Unfortunately, we arrived late, but thank goodness for Mr. Liu's intervention."

"Mr. Hu, are you saying our movements were exposed today, leading the Zhonglian Gang to target us?" Liu Hui inquired.

"Yes. They spotted you at the entrance of Disneyland. Luckily, nothing irreversible happened," Mr. Hu wiped a bead of cold sweat from his brow, feeling a lingering fear.

"Dad, I’m sorry for worrying you," Hu Xian'er said apologetically, feeling embarrassed.

"Oh, you child. I'm your father; worrying about you is my duty. You should just enjoy your outing and not turn off your phone! I personally came because I couldn't reach you," Mr. Hu scolded gently.

"Dad, I’m sorry." Hu Xian'er had her own reasons; she didn't want to be disturbed while spending time with Liu Hui today, which is why she turned off her phone, not realizing that doing so could have led to major trouble.

"You are my daughter; why be so formal?" Mr. Hu laughed.

"Boss, I’m sorry. I deceived you by hiding my background from you," Hu Xian'er said to Liu Hui. Seeing that Liu Hui remained expressionless, showing no reaction, she felt deeply hurt, tears welling up in her eyes as if she was about to cry.

"Xian'er, I am not blaming you. I just know that as my secretary, you are extremely competent, and these past few days, I feel I've become somewhat dependent on your help," Liu Hui said with a slight smile.

"Boss, you really don't blame me? You're not afraid that I’m the daughter of a gang leader?" Hu Xian'er was overjoyed, and the tears in her eyes instantly receded.

"Heh heh, of course, I won't blame you. You are the daughter of a gang leader, but are you going to eat me?" Liu Hui actually patted Hu Xian'er lightly on the head.

"Boss..."

"All right, Xian'er, let's leave here first. It's not safe," Liu Hui stated.

Old Master Hu also nodded. "It's best we leave this place immediately."

Hu Xian'er remained in Liu Hui's car as they drove forward, with Mr. Hu’s car following closely behind.

Given today's kidnapping incident involving the Zhonglian Gang, it was no longer appropriate to go to Wong Tai Sin Temple to burn incense and pray. Liu Hui apologized to Hu Xian'er. "Xian'er, I’m afraid we can’t make it to the Wong Tai Sin Temple today."

Hu Xian'er smiled. "It’s fine if we can't go. I was already happy enough at Disneyland today; I am quite satisfied."

Liu Hui smiled. "I meant today. If we have time another day, we can go together and make up for this lost half-day."

"Boss, you mean it?" Hu Xian'er was delighted.

"Of course, I mean it. When have you ever seen me lie?"

"That's true. Just like just now, saying you'd break legs..." Hu Xian'er suddenly realized she had said something she shouldn't have, and her voice trailed off.

"Xian'er, you don't need to mind. Say whatever you want in front of me. By the way, do you think what I did to those men today was right? Was it too cruel? Sometimes I think I am extremely brutal. My ideal is to establish a perfect world and ultimately eliminate cruel acts like harming the human body. My ideal world is completely contrary to what I am doing now. Am I psychologically flawed in some way?" Liu Hui paid no attention to Hu Xian'er's slip but instead posed a question that had long weighed on his mind.

"Boss, to achieve greatness, one must employ thunderous means. There has never been a historical case of success achieved solely through morality. I also fully agree with what you just did; you must use swift, decisive action to thoroughly intimidate those petty villains so they dare not move against you lightly. If you show even a sliver of weakness, those ruthless people and organizations will swarm you and devour you whole. Moreover, I don't think your ideal and your current actions are contradictory at all. To achieve one's ideal, one sometimes needs to do things that run counter to it, but as long as the ultimate goal is achieved, nothing is wrong," Hu Xian'er responded.

Liu Hui was inwardly amazed. Hu Xian'er’s words gave him sudden enlightenment, yet they also sparked his curiosity. How could a delicate girl like Hu Xian'er speak such things? She actually endorsed the use of violent methods. And she didn't seem repulsed by his act of breaking the thugs' legs. Was it merely because she was the daughter of a gang leader? It seemed one needed to communicate more; otherwise, he wouldn't have realized there was someone like Hu Xian'er beside him.

"Now that you mention it, it reminds me of a movie," Liu Hui mused.

"Which movie?" Hu Xian'er asked curiously.

"That movie from a few years ago, Brotherhood of Blades. The leader played by Jet Li was a man with beautiful ideals, but to realize those ideals, he had to first become a villain and kill his sworn brothers. In the end, his fate was tragic," Liu Hui explained.

"Boss, that leader lacked sufficient power, forcing him to rely on others and obey their commands. If his strength had been sufficient, those veteran court officials could never have schemed against him. Your current power is incomparable to that leader; you are vastly stronger than him. You have no need to submit to anyone or take orders. Even if you couldn't stay in Hong Kong, you could go to any country or region, and they would welcome you with open arms—you’d still thrive. Wherever you are, the Starry Sky Group is there. I believe you will achieve your ideal," Hu Xian'er smiled.

As they chatted casually, Mr. Hu’s car suddenly pulled up behind them and signaled Ah Huo to follow.

Ah Huo looked back, and Liu Hui said, "Follow them."

Ah Huo's car followed Mr. Hu’s vehicle onto a remote mountain path. The cars drove for about half an hour along the winding road until they reached a secluded mountain platform. This platform was extremely quiet, surrounded by large trees, and furnished with stone stools and a stone table. Nearby, there was even a small sundry shop, where a middle-aged woman sat outside, seemingly asleep.

Mr. Hu stopped his car and got out. Liu Hui and Hu Xian'er also alighted. Ah Huo and the others immediately spread out, vigilantly monitoring the surroundings.

"Mr. Liu, what do you think of this place?" Mr. Hu inquired.

"Mmm, the environment here is excellent—very quiet, and the air is fresh. It gives one a feeling of humility and vastness, as if heaven and earth reside within me," Liu Hui nodded.

"Heh heh, I think so too. It’s quiet here, far from the hustle of the city. Only in this place can I feel my true self and know what I am truly striving for. So, no matter how busy I am throughout the year, I make it a point to come here to relax two or three times," Mr. Hu chuckled.

"May I ask what troubles you, Mr. Hu, that requires you to seek solace here?" Liu Hui asked casually.

"Heh heh, Mr. Liu, please wait a moment," Mr. Hu said, then walked over to the middle-aged woman sitting in front of the sundry shop. "Sister Ling, we have guests—three of them."

The middle-aged woman, addressed as Sister Ling, was startled awake. Opening her eyes, she saw Mr. Hu standing before her and smiled, "Mr. Hu, you’re here again!"

"Yes, I'm here again. I’ve brought distinguished guests today; please take good care of them," Mr. Hu said, pointing toward Liu Hui.

"Xian'er is here too! You all sit down first; I'll be right there," Sister Ling seemed to recognize Hu Xian'er and greeted her before heading into the shop.

Hu Xian'er brushed the dust off a stone stool and motioned for Liu Hui to sit.

Liu Hui laughed. "Xian'er, you seem quite familiar with this place?"

"Naturally. I often come here with Dad. After coming so many times, of course, I'm familiar with it," Hu Xian'er replied with a smile.

Mr. Hu also sat next to Liu Hui. He extended his hand and said, "Let us reintroduce ourselves. My name is Hu Qingyang, the current head of the Hongxing Triad in Hong Kong."