Li Biao walked out from the entrance, leading a large gang of men. All were in Western suits and ties, their leather shoes polished bright. Even that Spotty he saw in the day was in a suit. He was feigning cla.s.s, but could not disguise his hooligan air.

“CEO Li!” The eight guards in Western suits all bowed and called out respectfully.

Li Biao strode over, seemingly in control.

Ning Tao watched Li Biao, a faint smile hovering on his lips. He had detected a familiar odor. It was a well-known trick.

Li Biao harshly berated them. “You jerks! CEO Ning is my eminent guest. How dare you speak so rudely to him! Slap yourselves until CEO Ning tells you to stop!”

The eight guards all started slapping themselves. They were for real, their crisp smacks resounding. One slapped himself so hard that blood trickled down the corner of his lips.

Li Biao came to Ning Tao's side and spoke loudly, “CEO Ning, so sorry. My men are ignorant and rude to you. I just told them not to stop until you tell them to. Until you feel satisfied.”

He was reminding Ning Tao to tell them to stop.

Smack, smack, smack…

The eight guards were still slapping themselves fiercely.

Ning Tao was quiet for a moment before saying, “Oh dear, I just remembered. I forgot to lock my motorbike. I have to lock it up now.”

And he really turned and left for the car park.

Li Biao was flabbergasted. His men were still slapping themselves, and yet Ning Tao had gone away to lock his electric motorbike!

Smack, smack, smack…

The eight men in Western suits did not dare stop.

“Enough!” Li Biao cried.

The eight men in Western suits had long wanted to stop. They stopped immediately upon hearing the order. All were covering their faces. Some were wiping away blood trickling down their lips.

Spotty drew near to Li Biao's ear. “Brother Biao, I think that fellow must be feigning. He's not giving you face.”

Li Biao snorted. “Not giving me face? Never mind, so long as he gives what I want. Then I will be nice. If not, I'll break his legs!”

At this moment Ning Tao returned, his face apologetic. “I'm so sorry, I am always so absent-minded. Sorry to have made you wait.”

Li Biao did not respond to Ning Tao. He berated his men instead. “F*ck, who told you all to stop? Did CEO Ning tell you to?”

The eight in Western suits all raised their hands to start slapping themselves again.

Ning Tao said anxiously, “Don't, please don't. It's all a misunderstanding. These men were only doing their duties asking a few questions. Don't need to get so serious. Stop slapping yourselves.”

Li Biao said, “You'd all better thank CEO Ning.”

The eight men in Western suits all bowed. “Thank you, CEO Ning!”

“After you, CEO Ning!” Li Biao gestured for Ning Tao to go first.

Ning Tao smiled. “You're the owner, CEO Li. You'd better lead the way.”

Li Biao grabbed Ning Tao's hand and smiled as they walked. “CEO Ning, I consider you my brother. What's mine is also yours. You can be considered an owner here as well. Let's walk together.”

Beyond the entrance was a large hall, and the pa.s.sageway after the hall led to a front yard, where many plants and trees were growing. There was a rock garden with an excavated pond with koi fish, all big and fat. After the front yard came an arching bridge over a river. They finally arrived at the main building of the inn. Although it had only two stories, it was a lofty and imposing edifice. There were other buildings behind it, but from where they were, they were hidden from sight.

Li Biao pulled Ning Tao into the hall, where there was a staircase leading up in its center. Flanking the two sides of the second story were tables and chairs. These were old-fas.h.i.+oned square tables for eight, as well as wooden armchairs in antique style. There was an ancient counter with a row of wine flagons. He wondered if they contained wine. This building really resembled an ancient inn, or a brothel that literati and poets used to frequent.

Three young men were having wine on a square table, all dressed in finery and sporting trendy hairstyles. He could not tell anything from their attires, but he could see they were no commoners from their wrist watches. They were all wearing either Patek Philippes or limited-edition Rolexes. These would cost them at least a million or several millions. No one could own them without being billionaires.

As Ning Tao walked in with Li Biao, the eyes of the three youths converged on him. The expressions in their eyes showed a little surprise and bewilderment. Ning Tao was very commonly dressed, wearing an electronic watch and carrying a small wooden chest on his back. He did not look like a man of stature, but more like a shoe s.h.i.+ner in teahouses. No wonder they felt baffled.

Li Biao said, “CEO Ning, in order to receive you tonight, I have turned away many of my old customers. These three are my friends. Shall I introduce them to you?”

Ning Tao said, “Yes. I like to make friends.”

He wanted to know everyone here. Perhaps an unostentatious character would be that “vine” (clue) that related to the tyrant he was looking for.

The three youths all rose and walked to them. They had obviously heard something about Ning Tao from Li Biao.

Li Biao introduced the three youths to Ning Tao. The first was called Ji Xiaofeng, a young CEO of a real estate company. The next was called Lang Wei, whose family owned a New Energy company. He had a solid family background.

The last was a young man clad in a white Western suit. Li Biao addressed him very politely. “This is Song Chengpeng, young master of the Song family.”

The moment the name Song Chengpeng crept into Ning Tao's ears, the latter's heart quivered. His eyes fell on this man dressed in a white suit. Before he came, he had heard of this name from Tang Zixian. He did not expect to be so quickly acquainted with him, and in such a remote place.

Song Chengpeng was wearing a smile. He extended his hand to Ning Tao. “Very pleased to meet you, CEO Ning.”

Ning Tao shook hands with Song Chengpeng, his face also wearing a smile. “You're too polite. It's my honor to know you, Mr. Song.”

As he spoke, he quietly summoned the states of looking and smelling in his eyes and nose.

There was internal strength in this Song Chengpeng, and it was not weak at all. Lang Wei and Ji Xiaofeng were ordinary men who had weak kidneys. After all, they were young and rich. Many women had thrown themselves at them. They would have bedded enough to start a war. So of course, they would suffer from weak kidneys.

Ning Tao detected nothing from his glance. He also had a new understanding of Li Biao. When he met him at the construction site, he had thought him a simple-minded, brawny village bully. But after meeting so many childes from high society, he felt that he had underestimated Li Biao as a village ruffian.

Song Chengpeng was still staring at Ning Tao, a strange expression in his eyes.

Ning Tao wondered to himself. “Has he guessed my true ident.i.ty?”

If Song Chengpeng knew his true ident.i.ty, he would have guessed that the construction site beside Peach Blossom Village was a project of the Academy of Sciences. After all, the Genesis Biotech Company was one of its contractors. He would know simply by asking around. But this had also baffled Ning Tao. Song Chengpeng could have exposed him, but why didn't he?

At this moment, Li Biao clapped.

Clap, clap!

Two crisp claps, and the floor of the second story started to quake. Soon, pretty women were descending the wooden staircase. There were so many that although some had moved in, the rest were still queuing behind. There must have been over a hundred!

None of these girls was over 25, and all were young. The youngest might not yet be an adult. But what distinguished them was not their age but their costumes. They were all clad in an ancient, translucent gauze. Although they were not conservatively dressed, their long legs and arms exposed, theirs was an oblique, hazy s.e.xiness. They still retained a cla.s.sical deportment.

The hundred or so girls were all standing in the hall, with long legs and bosomy busts. It was a spectacular sight.

So Dragon Gate Inn was really an ancient brothel!

This must be the reason why Beidu childes like Song Chengpeng liked to frequent this remote place.

Li Biao smiled. “CEO Li, pick a girl. Whoever you fancy will be yours tonight. If you like 10, I will send all 10 to your bed.”

Ning Tao frowned a little. Before coming here, he had imagined all sorts of scenarios, all except this one. Although the girls here were young, pretty and very alluring, he was not interested at all. He couldn't lose his virginity to a girl here. This must be some kind of joke!

Li Biao stared at Ning Tao. “CEO Ning, you aren't a virgin, are you?”

Ning Tao said, “Of course not.”

LI Biao said, “Then why are you so dazed? Pick one. I don't believe you won't fancy even one.”

Ji Xiaofeng glanced at Ning Tao, his tone quite disdainful. “Um, CEO Ning, Brother Biao has turned away many customers because of you. All these cost him money. You would be going too far if you wouldn't accept his offer.”

Ning Tao said blandly, “Mr. Ji, this is my first visit. I don't know what the rules are here. Tell me, what should I do to give him a face?”

Ji Xiaofeng sneered. “Still pretending?”

“CEO Ning, you have to pick a girl. It won't do otherwise.” Li Biao was already sounding quite infuriated. He had prepared such a grand scene and yet Ning Tao would not pick a girl. His plan could not proceed otherwise. Besides, he was losing face in front of these wealthy playboys.

Ning Tao's eyes swept past these women in ancient attires. His sight finally stopped at a very young girl. She seemed no more than sixteen, and her body had not completely matured yet. While he stared at her, she was rather tensed. She bowed her head bashfully and dared not look into his eyes.

Ning Tao pointed at the girl. “I pick her.”

Li Biao cast her a glance and started chuckling. “Well, well, CEO Ning is indeed a master. I just received this girl and she is still underaged. She hasn't serviced anyone before. One glance, and you can tell she's a virgin. You're quite something.”

Ning Tao merely smiled and said no more. He had picked this girl not because she was underaged, or because she was an untouched virgin. He had seen the tearstains on her eyes, as well as the terror in them.

Li Biao beckoned her. “Come here.”

That girl walked towards them, biting her lips. Tears were sparkling in her eyes.

At this moment, Song Chengpeng drew near to Lang Wei's ear and whispered something.

Lang Wei nodded.