Xiao Zheng sat in the opulent living room of the Xiao family's sprawling villa, his gaze sweeping over the assembled members of the inner circle. The air was thick with tension, a palpable miasma of fury and trepidation that seemed to permeate every crevice of the lavish space.
Ever since the death of Xiao Mingzhe, the family's empire had been spiraling out of control, beset by threats from rival factions and the ever-looming specter of the masked kingpin's wrath. Xiao Mingyuan, the patriarch, stood at the center of the gathering, his eyes burning with a defiant fire that seemed to crackle in the air around him.
"These old fools are coming for us," he growled, his voice laced with a venom that sent a shiver racing down Xiao Zheng's spine. "They believe that our moment of weakness has rendered us vulnerable, ripe for the picking."