Plunder-Chapter 270: The Competition Begins

"It exploded, there was a huge explosion!"

Someone ran towards this direction in a panic.

"Where did it explode?"

"Over there, a luxury car just exploded. Oh my god, there were people in the car, it’s so terrifying!"

In an instant, Zhou Jin’an’s brows furrowed into a frown.

He grabbed the bag in his hand and rushed outside.

Not far away, the Maybach was blown beyond recognition.

"Fang Ping!"

Zhou Jin’an charged forward recklessly, but someone stopped him.

"Preserve the scene!"

The police cordoned off the area, and Zhou Jin’an was pushed outside the police tape.

Passersby covered their mouths, struggling to suppress nausea.

There were visible limbs and body parts on the ground.

The scene was too gruesome to bear.

Qiao En had been waiting for almost an hour, and Zhou Jin’an still hadn’t returned.

"Young Madam, should I give the young master a call?"

Sister Rong peeked out from the kitchen.

Qiao En nodded, "Yes."

However, the call went through, but no one answered.

Qiao En leaned on the sofa, scrolling through her phone when suddenly, a news report about a bridge explosion caught her attention.

The car was blown to bits, unrecognizable from its original state.

The news said that there were people in the car who died on the spot.

The footage looked disturbing, and Qiao En was about to scroll past it.

But at that moment, she caught sight of the license plate on the ground.

Although only two numbers were visible, Qiao En recognized them; it was Zhou Jin’an’s car.

She immediately called Zhou Jin’an, the phone ringing incessantly, but still, no one answered.

Her heart soared to her throat.

Without a second thought, Qiao En quickly searched for related information and soon found the location of the accident.

"Young Madam, where are you going?"

When Sister Rong chased her out, Qiao En had already left the house.

Qiao En didn’t respond, simply walking quickly outside.

"Quick, follow the Young Madam."

Sister Rong immediately instructed the bodyguards.

Four bodyguards closely followed Qiao En.

"Young Madam, get in the car."

Qiao En got into the car.

Her mind was a complete blank.

The car drove towards the site of the incident, and Qiao En’s body shook uncontrollably.

Was it Zhou Jin’an?

Could it really be Zhou Jin’an?

She took out her phone and continued to call Zhou Jin’an, her fingers lingering on the familiar digits for quite some time before the call went through.

Dudu dudu...

The phone still went unanswered.

Qiao En couldn’t help it; tears began to flow.

"Young Madam, don’t worry, the young master will be alright."

The bodyguard tried to reassure her.

But Qiao En wasn’t listening.

She wouldn’t believe it until she saw Zhou Jin’an safe and sound with her own eyes.

The car soon arrived at the accident site, which had already been processed, and the police were retracting the tape.

Qiao En got out of the car and grabbed the arm of the nearest police officer.

"Where is the person in the car? Where did the person in the car go?"

Her eyes were red, her voice trembling, yet she was strong and stubborn in her need to know an answer.

"The person is dead!"

Upon hearing this, Qiao En felt as if she had been struck by thunder, her vision went dark, and she could hold herself up no longer.

"Young Madam!"

By the time the bodyguard rushed over, Qiao En had already fainted to the ground.

They immediately helped her up and put her in the car.

No one knew what to do next, so they called Sister Rong.

Upon hearing that the person in the car had died, Sister Rong also burst into tears.

"Take her to the hospital, take her to the hospital first. The young master is gone, we can’t have anything happen to the Young Madam or the little young master."

After hanging up the phone, Sister Rong cried her heart out again.

After enough crying, she remembered what Zhou Jin’an had told her before; if he was ever in an accident, she must contact Zhou Chucheng immediately.

"Young Master Zhou, our young master has had an accident."

Sister Rong immediately called Zhou Chucheng.

He was out on location with his team when he heard that Zhou Jin’an had died, and he was shocked.

"Sister Rong, what are you saying? My big brother is gone? How could a perfectly healthy man just disappear like that? Are you sure you got that right?"

"Young Master Zhou, you should come back quickly. The Young Madam is overcome with grief; she has been taken to the hospital. The young master told me before the accident that if anything happened, I should contact you."

Sister Rong was crying so hard she could hardly speak.

"Alright, I’m coming back right away."

Zhou Chucheng didn’t have time to think further and immediately had someone drive him towards Rong City.

He had a wide network in Rong City and quickly got in touch with friends in the media, learning that the vehicle involved indeed belonged to Zhou Jin’an, and there had been someone inside, blown to bits.

"I don’t believe that my big brother had an accident."

Zhou Chucheng’s eyes reddened as well.

He called Zhou Jin’an’s cell phone many times, but there was no answer from start to finish.

News had already been released online, claiming that Zhou Jin’an, the CEO of Nanchen, had died in an accident.

Zhou Chucheng made a call straight to Director Huang.

"Director Huang, has my big brother been in an accident?"

He asked with a choked voice.

Director Huang sighed deeply, "Young Master Zhou, please accept my condolences."

On hearing this, Zhou Chucheng could no longer hold back.

He cried out and cursed loudly, "Condolences my ass! That’s my big brother; how could he die? You must have made a mistake. You better investigate this immediately; he can’t die, do you hear me?"

There was only silence on the end of Director Huang’s line.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Chucheng hugged his head and sobbed loudly.

The car arrived in Rong City.

Zhou Chucheng’s heart was filled with extreme sorrow.

He went to Chu Garden, where the entire courtyard was eerily quiet.

Qiao En wasn’t there, Sister Rong wasn’t there, only the lamp by the small courtyard’s gate was lit.

Everything seemed particularly desolate.

Having nowhere else to go, he returned to the Zhou family’s old house.

However, as he entered, the house was bustling.

Zhou Ziyan was embracing a blonde woman on the sofa, Yao Chuman was holding a microphone and singing karaoke in the living room, the table was laid with various high-end drinks, and the lavish dinner had just been finished.

"Little ancestor, why are you back? Come on, sing one with her."

Yao Chuman turned around, saw Zhou Chucheng appear, and immediately grabbed his arm to sing a duet with her.

Zhou Ziyan was flirting with the blonde woman, and when he saw Zhou Chucheng appear, he let out a cold snort from his nostrils.

"Yo, with such a long face, did you come to the wrong place?"

Zhou Chucheng, overcome with rage, grabbed a wine bottle from the table and hurled it at the screen.

A crisp sound was heard as the screen shattered, and the music stopped abruptly.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Zhou Ziyan yelled.

Zhou Chucheng grabbed another wine bottle and smashed it furiously to the ground.

The wine spilled over, and glass shards scattered everywhere.

"Zhou Jin’an is dead, if you’re sad then go to his memorial, but why the hell are you throwing a fit here?"

Zhou Ziyan stood up and, pointing a finger at Zhou Chucheng’s nose, cursed loudly.

Zhou Chucheng didn’t know where he found the strength, but he swung his fist and smashed it into his face.

The brothers quickly became entangled in a fight.

The blonde and Yao Chuman stepped forward to break up the fight, but they couldn’t hold them back at all.

Zhou Chucheng was like a madman, raining punches down on Zhou Ziyan one after another.

"Chucheng, he’s your own brother, how can you bring yourself to hit him?"

Yao Chuman said, feeling distressed.

Zhou Chucheng raised his face, looking fierce and retorted, "Zhou Jin’an was also my own brother, and now that he’s in trouble, you people are actually gloating!"

Yao Chuman was unconvinced, "He brought it on himself. Who told him to offend so many people? He got what he deserved."

"He got what he deserved? If it wasn’t for our Zhou family, would he need to offend those people? You all think he doesn’t deserve to be the CEO of Nanchen, then ask yourselves, do any of you have the qualifications?"

Zhou Chucheng roared, and Yao Chuman and Zhou Ziyan both fell silent.

"Even if you don’t like him, he’s one of our own, a Zhou family member. If outsiders bully him, they’re going against our Zhou family. Going against our Zhou family means we need to unite and fight back. If you all can’t even muster that much backbone, then don’t blame me for being ruthless toward you."

"What do you want to do?"

Zhou Ziyan asked, glancing sideways.

"Dad left another will, and it’s in my hands. Regarding the division of assets, he gave clear instructions. If you keep targeting Big Brother, no one will be able to take what’s in their name."

Zhou Chucheng’s revelation of another will, with clear instructions on asset distribution, immediately caused green lights to flash in the eyes of Yao Chuman and Zhou Ziyan.

"Chucheng, are you serious? Did Dad really leave another will? What does the will say?"

Yao Chuman asked anxiously.

Zhou Chucheng, with a cold face, had already turned around and walked towards the door.

"I’ve said what I needed to say. You all need to think it through on your own."

"Chucheng, where are you going this late?"

Yao Chuman followed out after him.

But Zhou Chucheng had already gotten into the car, which took off in a puff of smoke.

"Mom, do you really believe Dad left another will?"

Zhou Ziyan was somewhat skeptical.

Yao Chuman furrowed her brows and pondered carefully before speaking, "It’s like your father’s style. Remember the previous will? We all thought it was strange. Indeed, your father is a cautious man and wouldn’t do anything so unreliable. This time, I believe your brother."

"So, what do we do now?"

Zhou Ziyan asked again.

Yao Chuman’s eyes rolled shrewdly, "What do we do? You always have to ask me? Do you have a pig’s brain? Didn’t your brother just say? We have to unite now and face the outsiders. Zhou Jin’an, that ill-fated ghost is gone, but doesn’t he still have a wife and child? Even if it’s just for show, we need to act the part at this time."

"Alright, then I’ll listen to Mom,"

Said Zhou Ziyan, agreeing.

Yao Chuman rolled her eyes, "How did I give birth to such a hopeless thing like you?"

"Mom, don’t say that. No matter how hopeless I am, I’m still your own flesh and blood,"

Zhou Ziyan said with a sheepish smile on his face.

Zhou Chucheng contacted Sister Rong and found out that Qiao En was staying in the hospital, so he drove straight to the hospital.

Halfway there, a strange call came in on his mobile phone.

Zhou Chucheng didn’t think much of it and chose to hang up.

But the call was persistent; he hung up, and the other party called again.

Agitated, he pressed the answer button.

"Chucheng, it’s me."

On the other end of the phone, a familiar voice suddenly sounded.

Zhou Chucheng slammed on the brakes, "Big brother, where are you? How are you?"

Zhou Chucheng could hardly believe his ears.

"They all say you were blown to pieces, what the hell happened?"

Upon receiving Zhou Jin’an’s call, a multitude of questions surged in his mind.

"It’s too much to explain in one or two sentences. Come to the lakeside where we met last time, I have something to explain to you."

After speaking, Zhou Jin’an hung up swiftly.

Zhou Chucheng immediately changed course, heading straight for the lakeside where he had met Zhou Jin’an before.

This time, he was more cautious than before. Arriving at the lakeside, he didn’t immediately stop but made two circles in the opposite direction to ensure no one was tailing him before finding a safe place to park.

He followed Zhou Jin’an’s instructions and entered the small grove by the lake alone.

"Big brother, I’m here."

Zhou Chucheng called out in a lowered voice.

Deep in the woods, Zhou Jin’an poked out his head.

He signaled with the flashlight on his mobile phone, and Zhou Chucheng immediately walked over to his side.

"Big brother, are you alright?"

He reached out to touch Zhou Jin’an’s arm but was stopped by Zhou Jin’an.

"I wasn’t in the car at the time, I’m fine."

"Big brother, is it An Jinhua who wants to harm you?"

Zhou Chucheng asked.

Zhou Jin’an shook his head, "It’s not clear at the moment, but he is the prime suspect. Now, it’s not convenient for me to show my face, but there are two things I need you to do."

"Big brother, just tell me. No matter what it is, even if it involves scaling a mountain of swords or plunging into a sea of flames, I will do it for you."

Zhou Chucheng declared solemnly.

"First, take good care of Qiao En for me, and for the time being, don’t tell her about me; second, notify Director Huang to release the news of Xu Mei’s awakening."

Hearing Zhou Jin’an’s arrangements, Zhou Chucheng looked puzzled.

"Big brother, after learning about your accident, sister-in-law has already fainted and been hospitalized. Do we have to keep it a secret from her too? And Xu Mei is a crucial figure in the entire incident, if her identity is disclosed, what if the other party continues to kill to silence her?"

"That’s exactly what we want them to do—to try to silence her, so we can catch the culprit."

Zhou Chucheng quickly grasped the intention behind Zhou Jin’an’s plan, "Big brother is using Xu Mei as bait to trap the enemy. Okay, I’ll contact Director Huang right away."

Zhou Jin’an paused and said, "Me being ’dead’ temporarily is actually a protection for Qiao En and the kids. They can’t afford any more incidents."

Zhou Chucheng nodded gravely, "Big brother, rest assured, I’ll arrange everything well. You can leave sister-in-law to me, I’ll take good care of her."

Zhou Chucheng was about to leave when Zhou Jin’an called out to him again.

He pulled out a card from his pocket and handed it to Zhou Chucheng.

"Big brother, I don’t need it, I have money."

"It’s not for you, it’s for Fang Ping’s family," Zhou Jin’an instructed.

This time, Zhou Chucheng didn’t refuse. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Big brother, take care of yourself. If you need anything, contact me at any time."

He walked away, took a few steps, then turned back and suddenly gave Zhou Jin’an a big hug.

"Big brother, take care!"

This hug meant a great deal to Zhou Jin’an.

His nose tingled, and with an outstretched hand, he pushed Zhou Chucheng away.

"Crying and wailing like a woman, just go."

He patted Zhou Chucheng’s shoulder with his hand.

"Big brother, then I’ll be off."

This time, Zhou Chucheng truly left.

The car arrived at the hospital.

Zhou Chucheng bought some food and fruit on the ground floor and immediately went to Qiao En’s ward.

She was very weak, her eyes vacant and lifeless as they stared at the ceiling.

Sister Rong held back her grief, "Young Master Zhou, please go and comfort the Young Madam. She has been refusing to eat or drink for half a day now."

Zhou Chucheng approached, with a thousand words stuck in his throat, wanting to tell Qiao En the truth, but he couldn’t.

"Sister-in-law, please be strong! Big brother is gone, but you still have us and the kids, you must take care of yourself."

Qiao En seemed to automatically block out his words, leaning against the headboard, looking utterly soulless.

"Sister-in-law, don’t be like this, big brother’s spirit in heaven wouldn’t want to see you like this either," Zhou Chucheng said, trying to persuade her again.

"Madam, please eat something. You can’t keep going without food or drink, how will your body cope?" Sister Rong also urged.

Qiao En suddenly turned her head to look at Zhou Chucheng, her gaunt face devoid of any trace of blood.

"He’s not dead," she stated with conviction.