Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Hu Yibao at the Funeral Hall
Ye Fei felt the weight of sorrow as well, but he knew there were far too many responsibilities on his shoulders today, and there was no time for him to indulge in grief.
Around nine o\'clock, the women who had gathered at Ye Lingtian\'s house the previous evening also arrived. The morning was dedicated to family members and the members of Lingyun Society paying their respects.
As the only male in the Ye family, Ye Fei was tasked with overseeing all the funeral rituals, including greeting guests and organizing the memorial ceremony. Though he had immense strength and ability, he lacked experience in these formalities, and for a while, he was swamped and sweating from the effort. Thankfully, Zhang Yide and others were there to assist, or he might have been overwhelmed.
By noon, the ceremony was finally prepared. Afterward, Liu Yiru and the other women sat beside Xu Shuyun and Ye Jing, comforting them quietly. Ye Fei, having completed the morning duties, noticed the two girls had calmed down and were ready for the afternoon\'s proceedings. Seeing that they were coping, he felt somewhat relieved.
After lunch, the guests began to arrive. As Lingyun Society was the dominant underground force in Wanghai, with considerable influence in legitimate businesses, those who had ties with the Ye family—whether from the business world or the underworld—felt compelled to attend the funeral of Ye Lingtian, the former head of the family.
While the guests paid their respects, the women were able to rest, only needing to observe the proceedings. However, Ye Fei found himself constantly engaged, exchanging pleasantries and making sure to show the proper respect to the visitors.
The first arrivals were businessmen and gang leaders with favorable relations with the Ye family. They had, of course, heard of Ye Fei, knowing he was now the one running the family, but most were meeting him for the first time.
Though Ye Fei had an impressive appearance and didn\'t seem as incompetent as some rumors had suggested, he was still very young, and many couldn\'t help but look down on him.
Ye Fei noticed the condescending looks but didn\'t take them to heart. As long as no one openly disrespected him, he wouldn\'t bother. He was confident that soon enough, these people would realize that ambition isn\'t constrained by age.
Around 2 o\'clock in the afternoon, the somber atmosphere of the mourning hall was suddenly shattered by a loud, boisterous laugh.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
A tall, muscular man with slicked-back hair, dressed in a garish floral shirt and loose pants, swaggered into the hall with four men dressed in black suits trailing behind him. Without hesitation, they walked up to Ye Lingtian\'s spirit tablet and shouted, "Who\'s in charge here? Someone come out and speak!"
Though this was Ye Fei\'s first time seeing this man in person, he instantly recognized him from photographs—it was Hu Yibiao, leader of the Qinglong Gang, the second-largest underground organization in Wanghai after Lingyun Society.
Unlike Lingyun, the Qinglong Gang had no qualms about engaging in any business, legal or illegal, as long as it was profitable. Even when Ye Yu had taken charge of Lingyun Society and crossed certain lines, he had never been as reckless as the Qinglong Gang. Hu Yibiao himself was notorious for his ruthlessness and was rumored to have killed at least eighty people.
At one point, the power of the Qinglong Gang was only half of Lingyun Society\'s, but over time, their influence had grown. When Ye Lingyun was still alive, he had considered eliminating them, but various complications had prevented him from doing so.
After Ye Lingtian took over, his more cautious nature meant the issue was never revisited, allowing the Qinglong Gang to continue growing until they were almost on par with Lingyun.
Though Ye Fei recognized Hu Yibiao, he didn\'t immediately engage. Instead, Zhang Yide stepped forward and said, "Boss Hu, thank you for coming. But I ask that you keep things respectful and not cause a disturbance."
Hu Yibiao, clearly unconcerned with showing respect, sneered at Zhang Yide. "Since when do you have the right to speak here? Has Lingyun Society changed its name to Zhang?" His tone was sharp and condescending. "I hear this little boy named Ye Fei is running things now. Let him come out and see me!"
Ye Fei wasn\'t angered by Hu Yibiao\'s provocation. In fact, he was pleased. He had been looking for an opportunity to establish his authority, and Hu Yibiao had delivered it right to him.
Ye Fei had already made preparations to assert his dominance today. He had called back Baldy, Purple Hair and the others, who had only been in Linhai for a short time but had quickly built up a strong following due to their wealth and near-unbeatable strength.
They had gathered thousands under their command. With their combined forces, especially those Ye Fei had personally enhanced, taking down the Qinglong Gang wouldn\'t be too difficult. This would also be a good chance to test the loyalty of the new recruits.
Having made up his mind, Ye Fei calmly stepped forward, standing next to Zhang Yide. He held up a hand to prevent Zhang Yide from reacting further and addressed Hu Yibiao. "Boss Hu, since you\'re here, please pay your respects to my uncle\'s spirit. Whatever else you have to say, we can discuss afterward."
Seeing Ye Fei\'s youthful face, Hu Yibiao\'s expression turned to one of mocking disdain. He laughed derisively, "I thought the new leader of Lingyun Society might be a force to be reckoned with, but it turns out he\'s just a kid!"
Hu Yibiao had come with the intention of humiliating Lingyun Society, especially its young leader. Lingyun had overshadowed the Qinglong Gang for years, and now that its leadership had passed to an eighteen year-old, Hu Yibiao saw the perfect opportunity to vent his frustrations.
Moreover, he figured Ye Fei wouldn\'t dare retaliate—after all, Wanghai\'s underground world was teetering on the edge, and no one wanted to start a war.
But this time, Hu Yibiao had underestimated his opponent. Ye Fei, fully confident in his ability to take complete control of Wanghai, wasn\'t concerned about the delicate balance of power. His voice hardened, "So it seems Boss Hu isn\'t here to pay respects to my uncle?"
Hu Yibiao burst into laughter, "Of course not! Even when Ye Lingtian was alive, I, Hu Yibiao, never bowed to him! Why would I bow now that he\'s dead?"
Ye Fei\'s expression remained cold and unreadable. "Then you have no reason to be here," he said, his tone sharp. Before anyone could fully comprehend his words, the sound of a "*Bang" gunshot rang out, crisp and clear.
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