...
Jinghai City, Zone 1, Xu Family ancestral ho.
An unprecedentedly urgent family eting is being held here.
Fourteen chairs surround the round table, with the exception of one chair in the southeastern corner, the rest are occupied.
At this mont, the atmosphere is stifling and heavy.
The Xu Family mbers present all have gloomy expressions, with a persistent shadow hanging over their brows.
From ti to ti, they cast their eyes towards that lone empty chair.
It seems they are waiting for sothing.
Beep beep~
The communication device beeped a few tis.
The eldest of the Xu Family glanced at the ssage, and his face instantly showed a furious expression, his fists clenching with a cracking sound, as if a raging fire and murderous intent were burning in his heart!
"No need to wait, the third one is dead." He raised his head, gritting his teeth as he spoke to the crowd.
The vacant chair belonged to Xu Tanqing.
He was absent from the family eting, and he would never return.
"What about the goods?" An elder dressed in a luxurious robe slamd the table and asked sharply, "He’s dead, so be it, but what about the goods he was guarding?"
"The goods have been transferred." The eldest of the Xu Family shot the elder a cold glance, his tone unfriendly, "Uncle, my brother is dead, he is your own nephew, what do you an ’dead, so be it’? Think before you speak!"
"Hmph!"
Upon hearing that the goods were not exposed, the elder snorted coldly and sat back in his chair.
The other Xu Family mbers also sighed in relief, unable to suppress a sense of luck.
As for Xu Tanqing’s death, it seed not much of their concern.
Conflicts are universally existent.
Especially in a colossal entity like the Xu Family, its interior is not monolithic, there will always be conflicts of interest.
"A dignified Zone 3 representative, assassinated despite being heavily protected by hundreds of bodyguards? Truly useless waste, this matter should never have been entrusted to you!"
At the eleven o’clock direction of the round table, a tall man slapped the table, speaking with great dissatisfaction:
"With the election of the new Speaker imminent, and now he’s gone? What a squandering of so many family resources! I should have been the one elevated back then!"
It was apparent that he was angry and displeased.
The other Xu Family mbers in the room were also displeased, with strong opinions.
Over the years, the Xu Family had spent at least tens of billions to support Xu Tanqing’s rise to Speaker!
Massive promotions for votes, building political achievents and resus, smoothing relationships, establishing networks... It’s simply a bottomless pit, a major drain.
The Xu Family poured so much effort, finally arriving at the mont for reaping benefits.
You tell Xu Tanqing is gone?!
How can the various branches of the family be content? How can they be convinced?
"The dead can’t co back to life, the new Speaker position is beyond our Xu Family now."
On the other side, a lady said in a deep voice:
"Let’s not complicate things further, tily stop the loss. Dispose of the batch of goods imdiately, get out of the trouble as quickly as possible."
Trading elves were a business deal with life and family at risk!
However, the bigger the storm, the higher the price; as long as there’s enough profit, even head-risky matters are doable.
As long as it’s done covertly, processed cleanly, there won’t be any problem.
Originally, the Xu Family was the strongest family in Jinghai City, with several City Lords in the past.
But since the fifth generation, the family started to decline, going downhill.
Until today, let alone City Lords, the family hasn’t produced a single Speaker for three consecutive generations.
This ti, it was their best chance to restore the family glory!
The Xu Family had gone all in, placing all bets, exerting full strength to cultivate a Speaker, hoping for a revival, to once again shine bright in the past.
...but Xu Tanqing is dead now.
Just like that, he died!
His half-corpses shattered and scattered.
The other half of his corpses even got taken away by the assassin!
The family is dood to lose the Speaker position.
Efforts resulting in nothing.
Perhaps even Lu Xun and Zhang Xinghai didn’t anticipate, their coincidental encounter, randomly stirring up trouble, unexpectedly hit the Xu Family’s vulnerable spot.
It inflicted massive, imasurable losses on those big figures!
Years of painstaking work, destroyed overnight.
"Yes, let’s break off the trade, disengage imdiately."
Another Xu Family mber spoke, with a firm attitude:
"Within half an hour, destroy all those elves... no, destroy all those goods. Leave no evidence of cri."
"Makes sense, cut the loss in ti."
"Additionally, another batch of main materials is about to arrive in Jinghai, it’s also a big trouble. Contact the seller, return imdiately, the trade is canceled."
Many people voiced their agreent.
There’s no profit to reap at this mont, taking risks is aningless.
Those goods are ticking bombs, bringing storms, void of fish.
Therefore, they must be destroyed imdiately!
"Shut up!"
Suddenly, the eldest of the Xu Family shouted coldly, in an unquestionable tone, against the majority, decisively declaring:
"No destruction, plan proceeds as usual, continue the transaction!"
As the words fell, the eting room quieted instantly.
Before other Xu Family mbers could react.
Clap clap!
The eldest of the Xu Family clapped, speaking softly: "Co in."
Creak~
The door to the eting room opened.
Everyone instinctively turned their gaze, imdiately stunned, each showing a look of disbelief.
A man who looked exactly like Xu Tanqing walked in.
He was suit-clad, his height and body, appearance, hairstyle, gestures, and deanor were exactly the sa as Xu Tanqing!
"Hehe, greetings to the esteed mbers of the Xu Family!"
However, with just one sentence, the other party was exposed.
This "Xu Tanqing" had a fawning and ingratiating expression, constantly bowing and scraping to the bigwigs of the Xu Family as he entered, like a dog wagging its tail in plea.
"This is..."
Everyone was extrely astonished and finally reacted.
Impersonation!
The leader of the Xu Family actually planned to use a stand-in to impersonate Xu Tanqing in the Speaker election!
"Hmm~ looks like... it’s not impossible!" The second uncle of the Xu Family squinted his eyes, realizing that this plan indeed had feasibility.
Although a stand-in is ultimately a stand-in, not one of their own.
But with the Xu Family’s capability, they can definitely control it tightly.
Promoting a puppet council mber to position can equally achieve the Xu Family’s goal.
"Is this really feasible? How to pass the identity verification?" Soone raised doubts.
With current advanced technology, altering appearance, physical features, and even voice is very simple — a single surgery can solve it all.
They could even create a bio-robot indistinguishable from Xu Tanqing.
But running for Speaker is no small thing; various physical checkups and verifications are extrely detailed and cautious.
Even cloning Xu Tanqing would hardly pass, let alone a stand-in.
"Don’t worry, soone else will cover up the physical check," the Xu Family’s leader said lightly, "They are even more eager to complete this transaction, even more urgently!"
Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly understood.
If that bigwig is willing to step in, even a robot could pass the check-ups and run for election!
"No problem then, right?" The leader of the Xu Family surveyed around, assessing the people at the round table.
So decisively nodded in agreent, supporting this ergency plan, while others were still contemplating and weighing pros and cons, but eventually... all mbers of the Xu Family raised no objection.
"Then it’s decided, business as usual."
"Rest assured, two days later, obtaining the other main material, by then, all turmoil will subside."
The leader of the Xu Family smiled briefly, then swiftly reined in his smile, as a fierce gleam surged in his gaze:
"As for those two ants who killed my third brother, let them live for another two days, we’ll have ample ti to settle scores with them afterwards!!"
...
While the Xu Family’s ergency eting was held.
On the other side, Zone 25 of Jinghai City.
In a very hidden basent.
Creaaak—
A rotating door disguised as a bookshelf was pushed open, and the indoor sensor lights automatically turned on.
The light dispelled the darkness and illuminated the surroundings.
A "transparent man" soaked in water walked in, each step leaving a wet footprint on the floor.
Only the water-stained silhouette could be seen.
Very eerie!
Beep-beep~
Zhang Xinghai pressed several buttons on the small arm of his left hand.
The nano system of the optical camouflage suit automatically shut down, and he slowly exited stealth mode, gradually revealing body parts.
The nano cloak flowed like water, swiftly retracting and slipping into the buckle of his belt at the front.
"Whew~ this is it, an unused safe house, definitely won’t be found, brother, co in quickly."
He called over his shoulder.
"Wait a sec... coming in... damn it!"
A two-ter-six-tall humanoid beast with devilish muscles all over was trying hard to squeeze through the rotating door.
But his muscle dinsion was so great that even his forearm was thicker than an adult’s waist, simply unable to fit inside!
Lu Xun was also unable to expose his "Normal Form" and "Bone King Form" aliases in front of Zhang Xinghai.
Crunch!
He might as well extend his giant arm, grab the rotating door, dismantle it, and place it aside.
He barely squeezed into the safe house, but the ceiling was too low, forcing him to stoop, with the horns on his head almost grazing the ceiling.
Unable to tolerate it any longer, Lu Xun retorted:
"What kind of lousy place is this? You’re neither a Dwarf, a goblin, nor a Dwarf, couldn’t you have enlarged the space? Had I’d known, I wouldn’t have co with you!"
Zhang Xinghai: "..."
He was sowhat speechless, thinking dammit, is this about a small space? Obviously, it’s because your guy is too big!
"Where is the ’Super Healing Potion’ you ntioned just now?" Lu Xun plopped his large glute muscles onto the ground with a thud, then urged:
"Hurry, give so to apply."
After they escaped the headquarters building through the secret passage and left Zone 3 via the Ring River.
They should have gone their separate ways, but Zhang Xinghai proposed that Lu Xun should co to the safe house with him, claiming there’s extraordinarily powerful dicine and they could discuss the matter regarding the Xu Family and those Elves.
Lu Xun thought it over and agreed.
Because he was now covered in wounds, with over three hundred cuts and abrasions! Even more exaggerated than last ti.
Gun wounds, knife wounds, burns... riddled over his entire body, shocking to the sight.
Although in his Ghost God Form, Lu Xun’s Life Force was incredibly robust, losing several kilograms of blood still felt okay, with nothing particularly uncomfortable.
But once he reverted to Normal Form, he’d only have Level 3 Vitality, thus be affected.
So he still had to treat it.
Otherwise, upon returning ho, he’d scare his aunt!
His aunt had sharp eyes, definitely couldn’t be hidden from.
Lu Xun had just promised her not to stir up trouble again, but after a few days, he was again terribly wounded.
This ti, he absolutely couldn’t let his aunt find out!
Wait until the wounds heal before going back ho.
After weighing the situation, he decided to follow Zhang Xinghai.
He wasn’t afraid of the other having ill intentions, after all, Zhang Xinghai couldn’t beat him!
The other claid to have Super Healing Potion supplied by Iron Guard, which could heal swiftly.
With over three hundred wounds, so what?
Tomorrow he’d be a good-as-new man!
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