Demonic King of the Metropolis - Chapter 118 - Concocting the Antidote

“Boss, should we head back now?” Zhang Jie said, choosing not to argue with Xiao Ran. After all, she was always with Chen Shuran, and in their eyes, Chen Shuran was Tang Jie’s girlfriend. Considering she was a friend of their boss’s girlfriend, they decided not to engage further.

Tang Jie had initially planned to send them away, but then he suddenly thought of Li Feifei. He was going to meet Viper that evening and would be busy for the next few days. However, since he had killed several members of the Chen family, if Li Feifei was no longer under their control, they might come looking for trouble. With him being away, he figured it might be better to have his followers keep an eye on her in the meantime.

With this in mind, Tang Jie pulled Zhang Jie aside and explained the situation involving Li Feifei. After hearing the story, Zhang Jie’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Boss, how many women do you actually have?” Zhang Jie asked, sneaking a glance at Chen Shuran. Before Tang Jie could respond, he added, “And what if your girlfriend finds out?”

Tang Jie frowned at Zhang Jie. “My girlfriend?”

“Stop talking nonsense. You’re not to say a word about this to anyone. Just keep an eye on her in secret. If anyone causes her trouble, let me know immediately,” Tang Jie instructed as he knocked lightly on Zhang Jie’s head.

“Understood, Boss,” Zhang Jie said, straightening up and offering a solemn promise.

“Alright then, head back. Remember my words-don’t let anything slip!” Tang Jie reiterated. Zhang Jie nodded firmly before leading the other followers back to their respective classes.

“Hey, Tang Jie, what’s so secretive? Are you plotting something shady again?” Xiao Ran teased as she watched Zhang Jie and the others leave.

“Relax. There’s no way I’d let them steal your boyfriend. But seriously, have you been dumped recently? Your tongue’s really sharp these days. Oh, right-how could I forget? Shouldn’t you start calling me Master now?” Tang Jie shot back with a mischievous grin.

Face flushing, Xiao Ran turned to Chen Shuran and complained, “Shuran-Jie, he’s bullying me again! You have to keep him in check these next few days!”

Chen Shuran just smiled, saying nothing. The group playfully teased one another as they returned to the classroom.

That afternoon, after school, Tang Jie hadn’t even called Viper when he noticed him already waiting at the school gate.

Seeing that it was one of Tang Jie’s friends, Chen Shuran decided not to intervene and planned to head home on her own. Tang Jie asked Viper to head to their agreed meeting spot first, and then personally escorted Chen Shuran back to the villa. He reminded her to be cautious and to stay home until he returned.

After leaving the villa, Tang Jie went to the designated meeting place, where Viper was already waiting for him.

“What happened?” Tang Jie asked as he noticed the expression of helplessness on Viper’s face. It had been some time since they last met, and it was clear Viper was dealing with some trouble.

“Do you still remember the guy you killed last time? My… well, that guy,” Viper said with a wry smile as he glanced at Tang Jie.

Tang Jie thought for a moment before recalling the incident. He looked at Viper and teased, “What’s the matter? Are you thinking about avenging him?” He knew Viper wouldn’t have that kind of thought but couldn’t help poking fun at him.

“How could I? After all, we’re practically half fellow disciples. That matter’s in the past. The thing is, though, my organization is having some issues right now,” Viper said with a sigh.

“Is it because I killed him?” Tang Jie asked, faintly remembering that the man’s skills matched Viper’s. If he recalled correctly, that person had been the deputy leader of Viper’s organization.

“Yeah. His status in the organization was second only to mine. As you know, after you killed him, I didn’t seek revenge. Because of that, the group of guys he used to lead has grown dissatisfied. Now, someone is trying to seize the position of boss by spreading rumors that I’m planning to hand over the organization to an outsider. Sigh…” Viper explained, frustration written all over his face.

Tang Jie studied Viper’s expression, his mind turning. He doubted the situation was as simple as Viper described. Someone had to be stirring up trouble and sabotaging things from the shadows.

“So what are you expecting me to do?” Tang Jie asked, his gaze steady. If Viper was opening up about this to him, it meant he both trusted Tang Jie and couldn’t tackle the issue alone.

“I can’t think of a solution myself,” Viper admitted. “The guys in our group followed him for a long time. Even though I’m the boss, I won’t be able to hold everything together if they don’t respect me. It’ll become a challenge to manage them in the future.”

Hearing this, Tang Jie thought over Viper’s concerns and realized he had a point. In an assassin organization, if the boss was seen consorting with someone who had killed one of their own, there was bound to be dissent. Then again, assassins were ultimately mercenaries-professionals who followed orders and worked for money. It was the boss’s prerogative to make decisions, and the rest had little right to interfere. The real issue lay in the rumors; someone was undoubtedly sowing discord behind the scenes.

“I want you to step forward and explain to them that the fight between you and him was fair-an agreed deathmatch where life and death were left to fate. That should at least put their unrest to rest for now,” Viper said, finally revealing his plan. He understood there were hidden forces instigating the turmoil, and while he was determined to root them out, he also valued his friendship with Tang Jie and didn’t want to lose it over the situation.

“Alright. First, you go find out who’s been pulling strings behind the scenes. I still have something I need to take care of, but once I’m done, I’ll come to help you,” Tang Jie responded after giving it some thought.

Viper nodded, a hint of relief crossing his face. They agreed on a time to meet again, and with that, Viper left.

Tang Jie returned to the villa, and as soon as he walked through the door, Chen Shuran rushed toward him.

“Why are you back so late?” Chen Shuran asked, her tone laced with playful complaint. Lately, her demeanor toward him had changed-her words carried the hint of a young wife grumbling about her husband coming home late.

Tang Jie chuckled, feeling a surge of pride swell in his chest. With arms wide open, he looked at her and said with a grin, “Well, aren’t you going to give me a hug?”

Chen Shuran, seeing his shameless expression, swung her delicate fist and playfully hit him. “Shameless! Who wants to hug you?” she said, then sat on the couch with a bashful smile that made her glow with a subtle charm.

“Weren’t you just waiting for me to come back? If you don’t want to hug me, what is it then? Want me to sleep next to you instead?” Tang Jie teased mischievously. Lately, he had discovered that joking around with Chen Shuran had become one of his favorite pastimes. It brought a sense of ease and joy to his life that he hadn’t expected.

Though, a fleeting thought passed through his mind-what would Wang Qianya think if she saw him and Chen Shuran like this? She’d definitely get jealous. The idea brought a strange sense of satisfaction to Tang Jie. Then, another image surfaced in his mind-Li Feifei that day in the hotel. Her figure was stunning, he had to admit. If he hadn’t been intent on figuring out her motives, he might have found himself truly tempted by her beauty.

“You’re getting more shameless by the day. Who wants you to sleep next to me? I’m not even scared tonight!” Chen Shuran said, trying to keep up her stubborn facade. Tang Jie smirked knowingly, recalling those moments when she’d been drunk and clinging to him, crying.

“By the way, what have you been so busy with lately? You always seem to have something going on,” Chen Shuran asked, her tone now containing a trace of annoyance. She had noticed Tang Jie was often preoccupied recently. What bothered her most was that her “exclusive personal bodyguard” always seemed occupied with things that took him away from her. It was beginning to weigh on her heart.

“Of course I’ve been busy. But it’s my own business-why should I tell you?” Tang Jie intentionally responded this way as he walked to the fridge, pulling out a carton of milk.

“Fine, don’t tell me,” Chen Shuran huffed, crossing her arms. “But from now on, you’re not allowed to take random days off, and you’re not allowed to leave me without telling me. If you go anywhere, you have to take me with you.” Her tone carried a sense of authority, as if she were laying down a decree.

“I’m your personal bodyguard. I have my own rights and freedoms, you know. It’s not like I’m your man,” Tang Jie said, taking a sip of milk and smirking at her, waiting for her next response.

“Who said you’re just a personal bodyguard? You’re also…”

“Also what?” Tang Jie asked, leaning forward with amusement. Chen Shuran, having taken his words seriously, nearly blurted out what she was thinking. Seeing the mischievous grin on Tang Jie’s face, she suddenly realized she’d been tricked.

“You’re just my personal bodyguard! And you’d better not skip work randomly anymore. Otherwise, I’ll dock your pay!” she said, her cheeks flushing red in frustration. Unable to outwit Tang Jie in their banter, she stomped away, her face bright with embarrassment, before disappearing into her bedroom.

Tang Jie suddenly remembered the prize money he had won at the ancient martial arts tournament. How could he have forgotten? Technically, he was no longer strapped for cash-he could even call himself “someone with savings” now.

As he thought of this, another image surfaced in his mind: Wang Qianya’s tearful eyes the day they parted. A pang of guilt hit him. How could he have gone so many days without even calling her? After some thought, Tang Jie decided to set aside some time tomorrow to pick out a gift for her and mail it. He figured that might make up for his recent neglect.

Right-there was also the matter of helping Li Feifei’s father with his illness. He hadn’t updated Uncle Zhao about that yet.

With this thought, Tang Jie quickly took out his phone and called Uncle Zhao. The slip of paper with the list of medicinal herbs he had meant to give Li Feifei was still with him. Over the phone, Tang Jie explained the situation. Upon hearing his request, Uncle Zhao agreed readily. Tang Jie read the list of herbs written on the paper, and Uncle Zhao took note of everything. He assured Tang Jie he would call as soon as the materials were ready.

With that task taken care of, Tang Jie felt relieved. Now it was just a matter of waiting for Uncle Zhao’s call. Once Li Feifei’s father was cured, Tang Jie planned to head straight to the Chen family’s headquarters-this time, he was determined to find Chen Feng.

The evening was still young, and upstairs, Chen Shuran was hiding in her room, still upset after their earlier teasing exchange. Tang Jie knew she wasn’t truly mad but rather embarrassed. Smiling, he returned to his own room, stretched out on his bed, and let his mind wander over everything that had happened recently. Somewhere in that tangle of thoughts, he found himself missing the old man-his master. It had been so long since they’d last spoken. What was that stubborn old man up to these days?

Uncle Zhao worked quickly. By the next afternoon, he called to let Tang Jie know that all the medicinal herbs on the list had been prepared. Uncle Zhao even asked with some concern if Tang Jie had been injured. Tang Jie casually made up an excuse, opting not to mention anything about Li Feifei. They agreed to meet later that day so Uncle Zhao could deliver the herbs.

That evening, as school let out, Tang Jie walked out of the school gate with Chen Shuran. Uncle Zhao was already waiting at the villa’s gate with Tang Jie’s requested medicinal herbs. After handing over the package, Uncle Zhao offered to give them a ride back to the villa. However, Uncle Zhao had some errands to run for Chen Jiankai, so he didn’t stay after dropping them off.

With the herbs now in his possession, Tang Jie returned to the villa with Chen Shuran. As soon as she saw him carrying a large bundle of medicinal herbs, her curiosity got the better of her.

“What are those for?” she asked, tilting her head inquisitively.

“They’re for treating a friend’s injury,” Tang Jie replied casually.

Chen Shuran instantly assumed he was referring to Viper, the mysterious person who had sought Tang Jie’s help before. She rolled her eyes and didn’t ask further questions, retreating to her own room without a second thought.