Merely a puppet, after all.

Learning Ye Tianlin's identity, Lin Jingtao was greatly surprised.

The recent turmoil within the Ye family had long since become common knowledge.

Lin Jingtao, paying close attention to these developments, had naturally received a great deal of intelligence.

Following a series of intense struggles, the Ye family had become a subsidiary of the Beijing Consortium, and Ye Tianlin had been personally appointed by the consortium to take charge!

Even someone as formidable as the Dowager Matriarch had suffered a crushing defeat under the pressure of the Beijing Consortium!

Throughout this process, Ye Tianlin had even acted with the authority of the Beijing Consortium's supreme master, making multiple aggressive and powerful moves!

However, judging from various sources of intelligence, Lin Jingtao did not believe Ye Tianlin was the true supreme master. Much like the Dowager Matriarch, he assumed Ye Tianlin was nothing more than a puppet pushed to the forefront from behind the scenes!

Although the Beijing Consortium currently attached great importance to Ye Tianlin, in Lin Jingtao's eyes, he was nothing special—purely a tool for the Beijing Consortium!

"I truly didn't expect to run into Ye Tianlin in person today. It certainly gave me a surprise. No wonder you dared to act so brazenly and resort to violence—you must think that with the Beijing Consortium backing you up, you can act without restraint, right?" Lin Jingtao's face immediately darkened.

Feng Sihai was stunned at first, and then a look of surprise crossed his face, though he soon couldn't help but shake his head inwardly. He thought to himself that while Ye Tianlin undoubtedly had the support of the Beijing Consortium, once things escalated to a certain point, the Beijing Consortium might not be willing to protect him at all costs!

One had to know that Lin Jingtao's identity was already extraordinary. Combined with the prestige of Elder Lin, how could the Beijing Consortium possibly turn the world upside down just for the likes of Ye Tianlin?

Lin Kaiyang scrambled unsteadily to his feet, clutching his stinging cheek with a sudden look of realization on his face. "So you're Ye Tianlin!" he snarled. "I was wondering how capable you actually were, but it turns out you're nothing more than a puppet! The moment my father steps in, relying on my grandfather's connections, the Beijing Consortium will have you packing your bags and getting lost in a split second!"

Hearing this, Su Weimin felt his heart leap into his throat, and he stammered, "There's a misunderstanding! This must be a misunderstanding! Things definitely aren't like this!"

Gao Yulan's mind went completely blank. Too panicked to dwell on the sequence of events or ponder the situation too deeply, she felt a terrible disaster was imminent and cried out in terror, "You must have some misunderstanding about our son-in-law! This can definitely be explained clearly!"

Lin Kaiyang cursed, "I've been beaten right here on the spot, what is there to explain? Enough with the misunderstandings! If we don't teach you a lesson today, I'm afraid you won't even know how the word 'regret' is written!"

With his hands clasped behind his back, Lin Jingtao shot Feng Sihai a meaningful look. "What are you standing there dazing for? With me here today, I guarantee he won't dare to fight back. Otherwise, he can forget about ever showing his face in the Beijing Consortium again. Deal with him however you see fit."

Feng Sihai wore a hesitant expression. Having run into them in the hospital corridor earlier, he had already been acting against his will, and now being forced into another violent confrontation was truly a difficult position.

By this point, the situation was nothing more than a disaster of Lin Kaiyang's own making. Anyone could figure that out with their toes, because over the past so long, this exact kind of scenario had played out at least ten times!

Just as Feng Sihai, feeling utterly helpless, was about to brace himself and make a move, Ye Tianlin suddenly raised his hand, and right before everyone's eyes, he swung a fierce slap straight across Lin Jingtao's face.

At that very moment, everyone's eyes widened, and their minds buzzed with a deafening roar.

Lin Kaiyang's pupils dilated as he watched Ye Tianlin's palm swing down mercilessly. Unable to believe his eyes, he stood frozen as if struck by lightning.

Crack!

A crisp, resounding slap echoed sharply through the air, and the entire room fell into a suffocating silence!