TRWSB – Chapter 152 Giant Shark Clan

“Senior, what made you decide to lose weight?” Qi Shaorong asked as he skillfully performed liposuction on the black-clad man.

“A bastard who isn’t half as good as me stole my wife!” Black Shark’s eyes widened, his gaze filled with resentment and anger. “That scoundrel even said my wife would have left me regardless, claiming she couldn’t stand being with someone as ugly as me anymore! Do I look ugly to you? When I was younger, I was a heartthrob!”

Qi Shaorong chuckled and replied, “I can tell, Senior. With such a great foundation, you must’ve been incredibly handsome when you were younger, the type to charm countless women.”

Black Shark smirked. “You’ve got good eyes, kid. Hmph, that bastard even said I was a failure at life. What a joke! I have friends all over the world—how could I be a failure?”

“Exactly! A talented man like you must be a legend. If someone like you could fail, then who else could be called successful?” Qi Shaorong thought to himself, With that much weight, it’s clear you’ve spent plenty of time eating and drinking with your pals.

Black Shark laughed. “Not bad, young man. You know how to flatter.”

Qi Shaorong continued cutting and chatting to distract Black Shark, who was too powerful to be fully sedated by standard means. Each precise incision was met with Black Shark wincing but still maintaining his ego. “You don’t know, kid. Back in my youth, the moment I showed up, girls would be glued to me. I was truly a star, my charm unmatched. A hundred years ago, that bastard wouldn’t have been worth a finger of mine. My wife would never have left me for him!”

“Of course! A man like you has no shortage of admirers. Senior, once your procedure is done, you’ll definitely be turning heads again,” Qi Shaorong assured him.

“By the way, was it you who removed the birthmark from that old hag’s face?” Black Shark asked.

Qi Shaorong nodded. “That’s right.”

“You did a good job. That old hag has a lot of admirers now. She might even get married soon,” Black Shark commented.

“Senior Hailan is a beauty in her own right. Once you’re done with this, you could even pursue her,” Qi Shaorong joked casually.

Black Shark shivered at the thought, giving a forced smile. “No, no, that won’t be necessary. She’s not my type.”

Because of Black Shark’s massive size, the procedure had to be done in multiple sessions. By the time they were finished, his body had shrunk to less than a third of its original size. Though still robust, he looked far better than before.

Afterward, Black Shark admired himself in the mirror, turning this way and that. “Not bad, not bad! I feel a hundred years younger. Back then, girls couldn’t take their eyes off me!”

Qi Shaorong grinned. “Senior, you’re looking incredibly dashing now. If you return, your ex-wives might regret leaving you.”

“Exactly! I need to go back and settle the score with that bastard!” Black Shark tossed a token to Qi Shaorong. “You’re not bad, kid. Take this token. If you ever need help, you can use it to find me.”

Before Qi Shaorong could respond, Black Shark had already vanished.

Looking at the token in his hand, Qi Shaorong frowned. “That bastard! He just left me with this lousy token instead of paying properly!”

Zhuang Hao tried to console him. “At least he left you something.”

Qi Shaorong stared at the token in frustration. “What’s the point of a useless token?”

Zhuang Hao thought for a moment. “Let’s have Liuyun take a look. Maybe it’s not as useless as it seems.”

Qi Shaorong nodded reluctantly. “Fine.”

Later, Bi Liuyun noticed Qi Shaorong looking dejected. “Young master, are you okay?”

Qi Shaorong shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Qi Heng glanced at Zhuang Hao, puzzled. “Young Master Zhuang, did you not sleep well either? Could it be that you and the young master…”

Zhuang Hao forced a smile, thinking, If only it were like you’re imagining.

“Last night, some guy barged in during the middle of the night for plastic surgery. I thought he was here to pick a fight,” Qi Shaorong grumbled, running his hand through his hair.

Qi Heng blinked. “Someone was so desperate they broke in?”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “Yeah! After all that effort, he just left a lousy token and ran off.”

“What kind of token?” Bi Liuyun asked curiously.

Qi Shaorong handed it over, and Bi Liuyun examined it closely before laughing. “Young master, you’ve hit the jackpot! This is a Giant Shark Clan token. With this, you can ask the clan for one favor.”

Hearing this, Qi Shaorong brightened up. “I thought that fat guy was a scoundrel, but he’s actually pretty decent. Still, why isn’t this token made of gold?”

Biyun Liu sighed and said helplessly, “Young master, this is made of thousand-year-old ebony, much more valuable than gold.”

Qi Shaorong chuckled and said, “Oh, so that’s how it is!”

Qi Heng looked at Qi Shaorong and hesitated. “Young master, there’s something I’m not sure if I should mention.”

“Go ahead,” Qi Shaorong replied.

“There have been many rumors recently that the Sea King Pearl is in the City Lord’s mansion,” Qi Heng said.

Qi Shaorong took a deep breath and said, “The news shouldn’t have spread so quickly, right?” The matter about the Sea King Pearl had only been told to a few trusted individuals by Biyun Liu.

Zhuang Hao squinted and said, “I suspect that whoever spread this rumor isn’t from the Sea Clan. They probably aren’t certain we have it; they’re just trying to stir up trouble. But it seems they happened to guess correctly.”

Biyun Liu sighed apologetically, “I’m sorry. If I hadn’t acted so impulsively, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

Qi Shaorong looked at him and said, “Liu Yun, don’t stress yourself out too much.”

Biyun Liu forced a smile. “I understand.”

Qi Shaorong lay dozing on a rocking chair, with Zhuang Hao resting nearby.

“Any news from the capital?” Qi Shaorong asked.

Zhuang Hao nodded. “Yes, the Emperor is planning to declare war on Jing Nation.”

Qi Shaorong raised an eyebrow. “When was this decided?”

“About half a month ago. By now, the main force is probably already at the border,” Zhuang Hao replied.

“Who’s leading the army?” Qi Shaorong asked.

“One of the royal princes,” Zhuang Hao said.

“They didn’t pick someone from your family?” Qi Shaorong asked, surprised.

Zhuang Hao smiled faintly. “Our family’s reputation is already high enough; there’s no need to raise it further.”

Qi Shaorong chuckled. “That’s good—less trouble for you.”

“Exactly,” Zhuang Hao said, smiling.

Qi Shaorong stroked his chin thoughtfully. If the Emperor’s focus shifted to the war with Jing Nation, he might not have time to meddle in Qi Shaorong’s affairs. After all, he was just a minor figure.

As Qi Shaorong and Zhuang Hao were chatting, Biyun Liu walked out.

“Young master, I’m heading out for a bit,” Biyun Liu said.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m heading to Moyun Trading Company,” Biyun Liu replied.

“What for? That company’s young master isn’t particularly good-looking,” Qi Shaorong teased.

“I heard they’re preparing for an auction. I want to check how the preparations are going and see if I can sell some things I no longer need,” Biyun Liu said calmly.

Qi Shaorong blinked. “Alright, go ahead, but come back soon.”

Biyun Liu nodded. “Understood.”

Watching him leave, Zhuang Hao hesitated. “Shaorong, do you think Biyun Liu is planning to auction off that item?”

Qi Shaorong shrugged. “Who knows? It’s not like that thing has much use. If he wants to sell it, let him.”

Zhuang Hao: “…”

Not long after Biyun Liu left, a knock came at the door.

Qi Shaorong opened the door to find a disheveled Hailin standing there. Smirking, he said, “Oh, it’s Young Master Hailin! What a rare guest. What brings you here?”

Hailin forced a smile. “I’m here to see Liu Yun. Is he in?”

Qi Shaorong: “…” Liu Yun? That sounds way too familiar! Are those two really this close?

“I heard your boat capsized while you and Liu Yun were out on the lake yesterday. Hailin, with all the money you’ve got, couldn’t you afford a sturdier boat? Using such a cheap one doesn’t match your status,” Qi Shaorong said.

Hailin laughed awkwardly. “You’re right, Qi Shao.”

“So, what’s your business?” Qi Shaorong asked.

“I’m here to see Liu Yun,” Hailin repeated.

Qi Shaorong looked at him with feigned regret. “What bad timing—he just left.”

“Left? Where to?” Hailin asked anxiously.

“He went to Moyun Trading Company. Said he’s preparing to auction some items,” Qi Shaorong said.

Hailin’s eyes widened. “Auction some items?”

“Yeah,” Qi Shaorong said with a nod.

“What’s he auctioning?”

“I’m not sure, probably just some things he doesn’t need,” Qi Shaorong replied.

Without saying another word, Hailin rushed off.

Qi Shaorong shouted after him, “Hey, Young Master Hailin! You’re not planning to poach his deals, are you? That’s not very ethical!”

Ignoring him, Hailin bolted away.

Watching Hailin’s retreating figure, Qi Heng remarked, “Young master, Hailin left in quite a hurry.”

Qi Shaorong nodded indifferently. “Liu Yun’s been gone a while already. Even if Hailin rushes over, he might be too late.”

“Young master, do you think Liu Yun will actually sell that item?” Qi Heng asked.

Qi Shaorong shook his head. “I have no idea. But if Liu Yun really does decide to sell it, it’ll fetch a fortune.”

Qi Heng: “…”