Transmigrating Into a Book, the Villain Becomes the White Moonlight!

116: Chapter 116 Club Membership FeesChu Ci’s pupils suddenly contracted, and her face turned deathly pale in an instant, the swelling on her face unable to hide her panic.

The police? At a time like this?

As if to confirm her worst fears, the phone in her hand vibrated and rang urgently at an inopportune moment. A number she hadn’t saved but definitely recognized flashed on the screen.

”Answer it,” Su Bai said as he leaned back on the sofa, legs crossed, calmly uttering a single word.

Chu Ci’s fingers trembled so much she could barely hold the phone. She had to swipe several times before connecting. Pressing the receiver to her ear, her voice was tense: ”Le-leader...”

Su Bai couldn’t hear what the voice on the other end was saying.

But he clearly saw the color drain from Chu Ci’s face in just a few seconds, leaving even her lips colorless as her body shook uncontrollably.

”What? No... Leader! Please let me explain! Things aren’t...” she desperately tried to defend herself, but the other party seemingly gave her no chance to speak.

The call was extremely brief, ending abruptly in less than ten seconds.

Chu Ci held the phone blankly as the busy signal hummed. Her eyes were hollow, as if all her support and confidence had been sucked out of her in an instant.

”I’ll give you a chance,” Su Bai’s voice rang out again, breaking the dead silence.

He raised his hand and pointed at the dying Ji Bochang in the corner. ”You can make a call right now. Criminals, police, the underworld, officials—you can call whoever you want. Anyone at all.”

He paused, turning his gaze toward Chu Ci, and announced clearly, word by word: ”But his life is mine today.”

”Even Jesus couldn’t keep him.”

”I said so.”

After speaking, he looked up, his gaze sweeping over the huddled, pale-faced girls at the door, as well as the groaning thugs and club staff on the floor. He spat out two words:

”Get out.”

”Close the door.”

These words were like a pardon, yet also like a final expulsion.

The crowd, already scared out of their wits, felt as if they had received a great mercy. How could they dare to stay for even a second longer?

Immediately, the crowd surged toward the door like a flood breaking through a dam, scrambling and crawling in panic as they pushed each other to escape this suffocating place of trouble.

Even the thugs who had been knocked down were hurriedly dragged out by their companions or club waiters.

Uncle Fu and several bodyguards moved efficiently, quickly clearing the scene of obstacles and irrelevant personnel.

In just a few moments, the luxury private room that had been crowded, noisy, and filled with a decadent atmosphere became exceptionally empty and quiet.

The pungent smell of alcohol, blood, and perfume mixed together, drifting through the stagnant air.

The flashing lights continued to spin on their own, reflecting off the polished marble floor and expensive leather sofas, casting a somewhat absurd aura over the room.

Now, in the vast private room, only Su Bai, Uncle Fu, a few silent bodyguards, Ji Bochang—who lay paralyzed in a pool of blood in the corner, his life or death unknown—and Chu Ci remained, the latter slumped amidst broken glass and spilled liquor, her face as white as paper.

Uncle Fu silently retreated to the door of the private room.

He took out his phone, his fingers tapping quickly on the screen as he sent a short message: ”President Wang, we might need to reserve two extra tickets for tonight’s boat.”

After sending it, he put the phone back in his pocket and watched the room with a calm gaze.

Su Bai moved slightly, as if he only intended to lift his arm.

But this subtle movement made Chu Ci jump like a startled bird. She flinched violently, instinctively shielding her face with her hands as her entire body recoiled backward, as if trying to bury herself into the sofa behind her.

Her heart was filled with bitter regret.

Walking into this room today to speak up for Ji Bochang was perhaps the worst decision she had made in years.

But rules were rules. Ji Bochang had paid a high membership fee, and according to the club’s unspoken service terms, providing a certain level of protection or mediation was part of her duty.

In the context of that moment, it seemed she hadn’t had a better answer to that dilemma.

She just hadn’t expected that this time she would kick a red-hot steel plate that didn’t follow any rules at all.

However, the expected beating did not come.

Through the gaps in her fingers, she saw Su Bai simply reach out to pick up a clean, empty glass from the coffee table. He then grabbed an unopened bottle of whiskey with condensation on it, twisted off the cap, and poured the amber liquid into the glass.

He raised the glass and took a shallow sip, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

”Not making the call?” Su Bai set down the glass, his gaze falling on her trembling hands shielding her face. ”Don’t say I didn’t give you a chance.”

Chu Ci had learned her lesson now.

She understood the iron rule for talking to the man before her: do not speculate randomly, do not try to be clever with your words, and certainly do not try to bargain or play mind games.

If he asks something, answer it;

If he hasn’t asked, do not say a single extra word.

Otherwise, the next slap—or something worse—might descend upon her head, just like it did to Ji Bochang.

She slowly lowered the hands shielding her face. That swollen, bloody face with ruined makeup was exposed to the light again, her eyes showing only the gray despair of resignation and the last bit of forced obedience. She crouched down and began wiping the floor.

Su Bai nodded, seemingly satisfied with her compliance.

”Fine.”

He responded, leaning forward slightly.

”The membership fee you mentioned earlier—what exactly is it? A hundred thousand a year to nominally help people solve troubles?”

Chu Ci did not dare hesitate. Keeping her head down, she continued her futile attempt to wipe the mixed liquor stains off the floor with a saturated wad of tissues while answering in as clear and steady a voice as possible: ”Yes. We operate on a membership system here. A hundred thousand a year is the basic fee. Becoming a member, besides enjoying the club’s top-tier services and private spaces, nominally... also includes some extra conveniences. For example, mediating disputes that aren’t convenient to handle openly, providing security for certain occasions, or... helping to deal with some small troubles.”

She spoke subtly, but the meaning was clear enough—this club was not just an entertainment venue, but a platform connected to the gray areas that provided protection and cleanup services.

”What about Shen He?” Su Bai changed the subject. ”Do you know him?”

Chu Ci nodded, her hands not stopping. ”I know him. He is... one of our club’s external hands. Sometimes... he handles things that require physical force or running errands.”

”Then how did I hear,” Su Bai’s tone dragged slightly, ”that Ji Bochang gave Shen He three hundred thousand separately this time to deal with my brother’s matter? This money didn’t go through the club? Or is it that even after the membership fee is paid, you still allow clients to pay extra on the side for point-to-point outsourcing?” Su Bai continued asking.