"Yuan Xiong, there must be so misunderstanding here. Let's talk this through," the Seventh Elder, Yuan Qi, said, his voice being the most tactful of the group. "I know you've been under a lot of pressure lately, but we can find another way."
"I am not joking. He is the next Head," Yuan Xiong declared, pointing firmly at Feng Che. "He is the son of my sister, Yuan Jia."
"A brat? Becoming the head of the Gardenia family? I refuse!" the Second Elder, Yuan Tian, snapped. As the family's strongest combatant, he didn't even bother to look Feng Che in the eye before dismissing him.
"Exactly! Yuan Xiong, are you playing gas with us?" Third Elder Yuan Jin added, his face reddening with anger.
"Patriarch," Seventh Elder Qi intervened again. "According to clan law, the position of Head must be decided by a vote. You need a two-thirds majority of the Council to confirm a successor."
"Under clan law," Feng Che spoke up, his voice cool and authoritative, "there is one condition where the Council's consent is unnecessary: obtaining the direct recognition of the Mythical Shaymin."
"A joke!" Third Elder Jin scoffed. "Everyone in this room knows Shaymin is in a deep slumber."
"Is that so?" Feng Che turned his gaze toward Jin, his eyes narrowing. "And since you knew Shaymin was asleep, why did you feel the need to relay that specific piece of intelligence to the Temple? Were you worried the Gardenias weren't chaotic enough, or did the Temple simply offer you a price you couldn't refuse?"
The room went deathly silent.
"I—I didn't! That's a lie! Don't talk nonsense!" Jin stamred, his face turning from red to a sickly pale.
"Your private accounts recently received a massive, untraceable deposit," Feng Che said, pulling up a digital file on the main screen. "I traced the source to a front called the 'Galactic Trading Company,' which has deep ties to the Temple's finances. Furthermore, during your tenure managing our berry trade, you've been embezzling high-grade stock, swapping it for rot, and selling the premium goods to our rivals, the Bertha (Bertha/Kikuno) Family."
"The inferior berries you pushed into our production line are the reason our Energy Root quality crashed. I have the receipts, Elder."
"Hmph! I've spilled blood and sweat for this family!" Jin shouted, his desperation turning into bravado. "So I took a little off the top? You're going to nitpick that? Yuan Xiong, who do you think put you in that seat to begin with?"
"It's because of parasites like you that the Gardenias never grew," Feng Che said, turning his cold gaze back to his uncle. "Yuan Xiong, your failure wasn't a lack of effort; it was cowardice. Your refusal to punish allowed these maggots to grow fat on the family's lifeblood."
"I've had enough of you!" Jin roared at Yuan Xiong. "According to the rules, outsiders aren't even allowed in this council room! Get him out!"
"He isn't an outsider," Yuan Xiong said, slamming the DNA report onto the table. "He is Yuan Jia's son. He is the rightful heir."
"Absurd! Yuan Jia has been missing for decades," Jin sneered. "Any boy can walk in and claim a na. Genetic reports can be faked. I don't believe a word of it!"
"Then believe this," Feng Che said.
He placed his hand on the heavy wooden council table. A vibrant green light pulsed from his palm. Within seconds, fresh green shoots erupted from the dead wood of the table, growing into lush branches that blood into exquisite, fragrant flowers. The scent filled the room, a signature of the Power of the Green Leaf.
"The Green Leaf Power... only the direct line can manifest it," Second Elder Tian muttered, his eyes wide. "He truly is of our blood."
"So what if he's her son?" Jin grumbled, his mind racing. "I still vote no. And since Yuan Xiong is so eager to quit, perhaps we should select a real leader from the Council."
The other elders remained silent, their eyes gleaming with greed. They seed to side with Jin's opportunistic suggestion.
"Since you've all agreed," Jin sneered at Yuan Xiong, "hand over Shaymin. Even if she's asleep, the Guardian belongs to the Head of the family—and that's no longer you."
Jin leaned back, lighting a cigar as Seventh Elder Qi hurried to provide a fla. I should have ousted Xiong years ago, Jin thought. If he'd stayed a puppet, I would have let him keep the title. But his heart has grown wild, daring to challenge us.
"Tsk, tsk. Your greed is truly unsightly," Feng Che remarked. "Uncle, I misjudged you. It wasn't your poor leadership; it was just that there are too many parasites to count."
"According to tradition, the one who holds Shaymin holds the clan. Shaymin, co out. Tell these elders who their leader is."
The air rippled. A green, swirling portal opened in the center of the room. Sky Form Shaymin flew through, her wings beating with a powerful, rhythmic hum as she hovered over Feng Che's head.
"I, Shaymin, the Guardian of the Gardenia Clan, hereby declare: Feng Che is the rightful Head of this family!"
The Council was paralyzed.
"Impossible! How is Shaymin in Sky Form?" Jin's cigar fell from his mouth. "The Gracidea flowers were all destroyed! How is she awake?!"
I have to get this to the Temple, Jin thought frantically. A battle-ready Shaymin changes everything. The Temple needs to know before they walk into a trap.
Feng Che, this Third Elder is trying to send a ssage to the Temple right now, wtwo's voice echoed in Feng Che's mind.
Let him, Feng Che replied. I've already compromised his device. The mont he hits 'send,' I have the final nail in his coffin.
"I... I apologize for my earlier rudeness," Jin said, his eyes darting around as he tried to play for ti. "I've worked for this family for years. My heart was in the right place. I'll return the funds! I'll help us through this!"
"Feng Che, maybe we should..." Yuan Xiong began, his soft heart wavering yet again.
Feng Che laughed, a sharp, cold sound. "Uncle, rember what I told you? 'Kindness does not command an army.' One pathetic plea and you're ready to forgive a traitor?"
"Look at your screens, Elders."
A notification chid on every elder's communicator. It was a copy of the ssage Jin had just sent:
Third Elder Jin to Temple Contact: Suspend the Gardenia operation. Shaymin has reappeared in Sky Form. Awaiting further instructions.
User Comments
0 comments from readers