Chapter 24: If You Post

Smack! In the next instant, Chu Tian became a blur, appearing in front of Song Tao and slapping him hard across the face.

Caught completely off guard, Song Tao was knocked to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"You... you dare hit me?"

Clutching his cheek, Song Tao stared in disbelief. He never imagined that Chu Tian would strike him, and in front of so many people no less!

But Chu Tian had no intention of stopping there. He seized Song Tao by the hair and rammed his head against the back of a chair.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of heavy thuds echoed as Song Tao’s head was smashed repeatedly, his face soon covered in blood, his screams piercing the air like a slaughtered pig.

“How dare you resort to violence?”

“Let go of Young Master Song, or we’ll call the police!”

Song Tao’s entourage shouted in outrage, but none dared approach.

The journalists paid no heed to the personal feud between Chu Tian and Song Tao. They were only interested in raising their cameras and capturing every dramatic second.

What had started as an orderly press conference had instantly descended into farce.

“Get this on film, make sure you record this criminal act. I’ll see him rot in prison!” Song Tao, his face drenched in blood but still conscious, roared hysterically.

“If you’re so fond of sharing little videos, then allow me to share one of my own,” Chu Tian said coldly, flinging Song Tao to the ground by his hair.

At these words, Liu Qingxue immediately understood Chu Tian’s intent, recalling the USB drive he had given her earlier.

“Play the contents of the USB,” she instructed, handing it to Ye Binglan.

Ye Binglan personally operated the computer, projecting the video onto the large screen.

“Young Master Song, I’ve successfully infiltrated Qingxue Group and become Liu Qingxue’s driver. What should I do next?”

“Stick to our original plan. Find an opportunity to force Liu Qingxue to take nude photos. Send them to me, and I’ll use them to blackmail her into obedience.”

“And the money you promised me...?”

“Don’t worry. As long as you get those photos, I’ll pay you five million.”

“Thank you, Young Master Song.”

The voices in the video belonged to Song Tao and Cheng Xiangdong. While not everyone recognized Cheng Xiangdong, all knew Song Tao.

As the video finished, the audience erupted.

“That looked exactly like Young Master Song in the video.”

“Who would’ve thought he’d play the victim while plotting such a despicable scheme?”

“Sending someone to force Liu Qingxue to take nude photos—his motives are all too clear.”

The tide of condemnation that had been aimed at Liu Qingxue now shifted dramatically.

In an instant, Song Tao’s face darkened. He never dreamed that Cheng Xiangdong would secretly record their conversation, much less that the recording would end up in Chu Tian’s hands.

In truth, Cheng Xiangdong had made the recording as leverage, fearing Song Tao might renege on their deal. But fate intervened, and the video was intercepted by the Dark Temple, becoming crucial evidence for Chu Tian’s counterattack.

“Song Tao, is there anything you wish to say for yourself?” Liu Qingxue asked icily, confronting him before everyone.

She had never watched the video before and only now realized Chu Tian possessed such decisive evidence. Had she known, she would never have been forced to such humiliation by Song Tao earlier. Shooting Chu Tian a glare, she silently blamed him—why hadn’t he revealed it sooner?

Yet Song Tao refused to surrender so easily.

“Hmph! Even if I did send someone to take those photos, that’s no reason for you to commit murder,” he retorted coldly. “All matters should be settled by law, not vigilante justice. If I’m guilty, then what about Chu Tian, who murdered Cheng Xiangdong? Is his crime any less than mine?”

The crowd buzzed again, reminded of the incident’s core: no matter the cause, Chu Tian had killed a man.

Even if Chu Tian had redeemed Liu Qingxue’s reputation, he could not escape the charge of murder.

“Young Master Song is right. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that Chu Tian is a killer,” chimed in a reporter, clearly bribed by Song Tao and eager to defend him.

At that moment, a stunning woman in police uniform strode into the hall.

“Who says Chu Tian is a murderer?” Lu Xuelan demanded, her voice ringing in the air.

Her uniform spoke for itself, lending her words an unassailable authority.

“And who are you to say Chu Tian isn’t a murderer?” Song Tao shot back.

“Yesterday morning, a kidnapping occurred near Qingxue Group. The criminal, Cheng Xiangdong, attempted to abduct CEO Liu Qingxue. Fortunately, Chu Tian intervened in time,” Lu Xuelan explained solemnly. “His actions were heroic, not criminal.”

“Heroic?” Song Tao spat in disbelief. “How could that be called heroic?”

Lu Xuelan pressed, “You doubt the police investigation?”

Song Tao faltered, dumbfounded. He’d only instructed Cheng Xiangdong to take photos, never to kidnap anyone. What was going on? Could it be that Cheng Xiangdong, driven by his own desires, decided to abduct Liu Qingxue on his own?

Damn Cheng Xiangdong—how dare you lay hands on a woman I haven’t even touched yet?

Furious, Song Tao had no time to question Lu Xuelan’s veracity.

“If Cheng Xiangdong merely attempted to take those photos, that might not be a capital crime. But if he tried to kidnap Liu Qingxue as well...”

“In that case, even if Chu Tian killed him, it would be an act of heroism.”

“Today’s events have truly taken a turn. We almost condemned the wrong person.”

Whispers spread through the crowd, and public opinion shifted swiftly in favor of Qingxue Group.

At that moment, Lu Xuelan looked up at Liu Qingxue on the podium. Their eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between them.

Lu Xuelan’s move was masterful, recasting the entire incident as a kidnapping case. It was no slander—Cheng Xiangdong had indeed attempted to abduct Liu Qingxue, stopped only by Chu Tian's intervention.

Whatever Cheng Xiangdong’s original intent, the matter had now been officially defined.

“Song Tao, I now suspect you of being the mastermind behind this kidnapping. You are to come with me to the station for questioning,” Lu Xuelan declared, holding out an arrest warrant.

“You dare arrest me?” Song Tao bellowed, his face twisted with pain as his wound throbbed, yet he remained defiant.