Li Banfeng stared at Bai Qiusheng in shock. Bai Qiusheng and the others stared back at him with the sa stunned expression. Beside them, the girl hurriedly covered her butt in shock.
How did I end up here?
Li Banfeng's first thought was that soone had taken the key and brought him to Blackstone Slope. He searched the entire factory building in a panic, but the key was nowhere to be found.
"Who ca here today?" Li Banfeng blurted out. In his panic, he could barely get the words out clearly. The key was one of the possessions he valued most.
"A lot of people ca by..." Bai Qiusheng said. He looked completely lost and had no idea how to answer. Only after Li Banfeng cald down a little did Bai Qiusheng finally understand what he was asking.
"Master Qi, let's find sowhere private to talk."
Li Banfeng's room in the rear building had been kept intact, and soone cleaned it regularly.
After entering the room, Bai Qiusheng said, "Master Qi, everyone who ca to the newspaper office today was soone we know. Even the models were regulars who have worked with us many tis before."
"No one returned from outside the area?"
"No. Master Qi, I spent the entire day taking photographs in the factory building. I can guarantee it."
Li Banfeng could not make sense of it.
If no outsiders ca here, then who brought the key here? Or was the key never brought over in the first place? Could it still be at Freewind Wharf?
But if that's true, then how did the Pocket Dwelling end up here? It's supposed to follow the key wherever it goes.
Maybe I should head back to the Pocket Dwelling first and see if sothing unusual happened inside.
Li Banfeng sent Bai Qiusheng away and was just about to go back to the Pocket Dwelling when he instinctively reached into his pants pocket. He fumbled around for quite a while, only to co up empty-handed.
I am panicking so bad that my brain stopped working. Without the key, how am I supposed to get back into the Pocket Dwelling?
Li Banfeng forced himself to stay calm as he tried to think through the cause of all this.
Li Banfeng forced himself to calm down and carefully sort through the situation. There were only two possibilities. Either soone had brought the key to Blackstone Slope, or it was still at Freewind Wharf.
He imdiately called Bai Qiusheng back. "Get a travel permit and buy a train ticket. I need to go back to Greenwater City right away."
Bai Qiusheng was stunned. "A ticket? Right now?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "The sooner, the better."
Bai Qiusheng did not dare waste any ti and hurried off to make the arrangents.
Li Banfeng added, "Make a list of everyone who entered the newspaper office today. Don't leave out a single person."
***
At seven that evening, nearly a hundred mbers of the Lu Family's main and branch families gathered at Lu Maoxian's estate, preparing to avenge him.
Monkey Qiu swept his gaze across the crowd, his brows gradually furrowing.
This many people answering Lu Maoxian's summons was well within his expectations. Lu Maoxian's influence was currently at its height, and the Lu Family had always operated this way.
What Monkey Qiu had not expected was for all of them to gather at the Lu Family's main residence.
Under normal circumstances, several key figures from the main family would remain at the main residence to make decisions and coordinate matters, while the others carried out their assigned duties elsewhere.
Yet this ti, everyone had been summoned to the main residence. With so many people gathered in one place, were they not worried about word getting out?
It seed the old bastard wanted more than simple revenge. He wanted to raise the banner.
External matters went to the Border Controller, while internal matters depended on the banners. Lu Maoxian clearly intended to seize full control of the Lu Family banner for his own branch.
If Lu Chunying had not been brought here today, the Lu Family's direct bloodline would not even have had a single representative present. If that were the case, Lu Maoxian would have gotten his way.
But even with Lu Chunying here, would Lu Maoxian actually acknowledge her?
Lu Maoxian's eldest son, Lu Dongtang, stood at the center of the hall and swept his gaze across the crowd, carrying himself with all the authority of the family head.
The goal of this gathering today was to avenge his father, so it was only natural for him to assu the role of the host. None of the other branches voiced any objection.
Lu Dongtang's gaze fell on Lu Chunying, and he deliberately asked, "Who's this girl?"
At his side, his younger brother Lu Donghui answered, "She's Big Brother's daughter, Lu Chunying."
Lu Dongtang naturally knew who Lu Chunying was. She had been acknowledged by Lu Dongliang's as his daughter, and everyone in the family had t her before. He asked the question on purpose to humiliate her.
"I didn't think a bastard daughter of a random woman would actually dare show her face here. Does the main branch not have anyone else left?" Lu Dongtang sneered.
Monkey Qiu frowned. Just as he was about to speak, Lu Chunying beat him to it. She looked straight at Lu Dongtang and said, "We ca today out of respect for your father and to avenge him. You have no right to point fingers at ."
Lu Dongtang's brows shot up. "Who do you think you are talking to?"
"To you!" Lu Chunying showed no trace of fear. "The fact that I am even willing to speak to you is already giving you face!"
Lu Dongtang flew into a rage and had just taken a step forward when he suddenly felt the veins on his forehead throbbing violently. A wave of dizziness struck him.
Am I really this angry? Surely not to this extent?
Lu Dongtang sensed that sothing was wrong and noticed Qiu Zhiheng staring at him coldly.
"What's the aning of this? You used an ability on ?" Lu Dongtang glared at Monkey Qiu through gritted teeth.
Qiu Zhiheng lit a cigarette and replied calmly, "Chunying is a young miss of the main branch. Mind your manners when you speak to her."
Lu Dongtang forcibly swallowed his anger. Whether it was cultivation or scheming, he was no match for Monkey Qiu.
He turned away and stared at Lu Yuanxin instead.
Lu Yuanxin was Lu Dongjun's son. Ever since Lu Dongjun caused that disaster years ago, Lu Yuanxin's life in the Lu Family had beco miserable. The family seized his property and treated him like dirt beneath their shoes. Even the outer family mbers stood taller than he did now.
The mont Lu Dongtang spotted him, his face twisted with disgust.
"Well, well," Lu Dongtang sneered. "Even you crawled over here? Who let you in?"
Lu Yuanxin imdiately lowered his head. His face turned red all the way to his ears as he muttered, "Aunt Dongchun asked to co..."
Lu Dongtang gave a sharp, mocking laugh.
"She told you to co, so you actually ca? You really don't know sha, do you? You still dare show your face in front of the family?"
Lu Yuanxin imdiately beca embarrassed and uncomfortable.
Back when Lu Dongjun still held power in the Lu Family, Lu Yuanxin had been a true young master of the main branch. He possessed talent, status, and more than enough dicinal pills. Even before he reached his mid-twenties, he had already stepped into level three as an Entomic Cultivator. He had been one of the Lu Family's brightest young talents.
Compared to others of his generation, Lu Yuanxin had never been lacking, whether in reputation or real ability. But that was the past. Now, all of it was gone.
Tonight, despite everything, he still ca for the sake of the Lu Family. Yet the mont he arrived, he was humiliated in front of everyone.
Lu Yuanxin turned to leave. Right then, Lu Chunying suddenly spoke.
"Why exactly did you call us here tonight?" she asked coldly as she stared at Lu Dongtang. "To avenge your father, or to make yourself look important? If you look down on us that much, then fine. We will leave."
Lu Dongtang's brows arched violently. This little girl's words were like sharp slaps landing one after another across his face.
And the worst part was that she was right. He was acting this way so that tonight's gathering would be his mont. He wanted prestige and respect. Unfortunately, he was the one being embarrassed in front of everyone.
Lu Dongtang's expression darkened as he strode straight toward Lu Chunying.
Monkey Qiu quietly flicked away his cigarette and watched from the side without moving. But the mont he stood there, it already felt like an invisible wall had appeared in front of Lu Chunying.
The atmosphere instantly tightened. Just as it seed the two sides were about to clash, footsteps sounded from upstairs.
Lu Dongchun slowly walked down the staircase and spoke calmly, "Brother, Father wants to see you."
With a face full of resentnt, Lu Dongtang went upstairs and entered Lu Maoxian's bedroom.
Lu Maoxian looked fairly healthy. His injuries had recovered by fifty to sixty percent, though his right hand had not grown back.
He was already old and had no desire to risk his life at the Three-Headed Fork. He planned to think of another solution in the future.
"Dongtang, I heard the main branch's girl ca?"
Lu Dongtang said grudgingly, "She's just so brat. Who knows where Lu Dongliang picked her up from and acknowledged her."
"Lu Chunying..." Lu Maoxian recalled who she was. "I thought Monkey Qiu would bring Zhang Huaiyi. I didn't expect him to bring that girl instead. Don't argue with her for now. In a situation like this, there's nothing to gain from insults, whether you win or lose."
Lu Dongtang gritted his teeth. "Father, that girl is truly shaless. She's just the daughter of so woman outside..."
Lu Maoxian glared at him. "Were you not listening to when I speak?"
Lu Dongtang did not dare continue. Lu Maoxian then asked, "Did Tan Fucheng co?"
"He did."
"He rarely shows himself in public. Are you sure you didn't mistake him?"
Lu Dongtang nodded. "So of our n have seen him before. He was standing right beside Ma Wu. There's no way we got it wrong."
Lu Maoxian sighed. "That little bastard stabbed in the back before, and now he still dares to step into my house. Looks like Monkey Qiu sent him here to back that girl up.
"And there's Ma Wu too. He's no ordinary figure either. It seems like the forces backing Lu Chunying are stronger than they appear."
Lowering his voice, Lu Dongtang said, "Instead of leaving trouble for the future, we might as well just...Lu Chunying."
"That will be done, but there's no need to rush," Lu Maoxian replied in a calm expression. "We made such a grand display tonight because we intend to use Ling Miaoying to raise our family's banner. If we are going to take Lu Chunying's life, we have to pin that on Ling Miaoying.
"If we can avenge while also wiping out the main branch at the sa ti, then our banner will truly stand firm. Understand?"
***
Lu Dongtang strode back into the main hall and swept his gaze across the crowd.
"We invited everyone here tonight for one reason only! To uphold the Lu Family's banner and protect the Lu Family's honor!
"My father is the most senior elder in the entire Lu Family, yet that bastard Ling Miaoying dared to ambush him from the shadows! Tonight, this debt will be settled!"
Lu Dongtang's cousin, Lu Donggen, spoke. "Collecting the debt is one thing, but we should first figure out the situation properly. I have heard plenty about Ling Miaoying's sches and tricks. If we fight him on his own turf, I doubt we will gain any advantage."
"Everyone! Rest assured. We won't make a move on his turf. Tonight he's hosting the Border Controller for dinner at the Tower of Happy Returns. Once the banquet ends and he leaves the place, we will take him out on the road.
"This is my father's matter, so our branch will naturally take the lead. All I need from everyone here is a little support. Guard every road. Watch every exit. Don't let that bastard escape! Tonight! He must die!"
The atmosphere inside the hall quickly grew fiery. Voices rose one after another, and before long, the whole place was buzzing like a marketplace before a brawl.
Tan Fucheng leaned toward Ma Wu and lowered his voice. "Master Wu, just look at this ss. It's practically turned into so grand opera performance. Can this actually work? That old fellow really is staking everything just to raise his banner."
Ma Wu only smiled faintly and said nothing. His thoughts were sowhere else entirely.
Where did Old Qi go?
Before setting out tonight, he searched everywhere for Li Banfeng but could not find him.
Maybe that was for the best. Given the current situation, Old Qi was better off staying out of this ss.
***
Li Banfeng paced back and forth around Blackstone Slope so anxiously that he nearly wore a path into the ground.
Bai Qiusheng had already finished compiling the list. Everyone who entered the newspaper office today was soone familiar, and not a single outsider had shown up.
He searched the entire newspaper office over and over again, yet the key was nowhere to be found. At this point, Li Banfeng could only pray that the key was still at Freewind Wharf.
A little after eight o'clock, Little Chuan suddenly ca sprinting over. He was panting so hard he could barely catch his breath.
"Master Qi!" he gasped. "There's an express train heading to Greenwater Bay tonight!"
Li Banfeng's eyes imdiately lit up. "Good! Are there tickets?"
Little Chuan shook his head. "It's not a passenger train. It's a coal freight train. And it doesn't go to Greenwater City either. It only stops at the rail depot near the Greenwater Bay border."
"That's still fine!" Li Banfeng hurriedly asked, "When does it leave?"
"Five in the afternoon."
"Five in the after..."
Li Banfeng nearly jumped on the spot in anger as he shouted, "The damn train left hours ago! Why are you only telling now?!"
Little Chuan looked utterly wronged. "Master Qi, you asked to find a train today. This was the only one I could find."
Li Banfeng froze for a brief mont.
The train left at five in the afternoon. Maybe... maybe there is still ti to catch it!
Li Banfeng imdiately stood up to leave when Little Chuan suddenly called out behind him, "Master Qi! I managed to lower the projector price to two thousand. Want to take a look?"
"No ti!" Li Banfeng replied without even turning his head. "Push it down to fifteen hundred!"
Before Little Chuan could answer, Li Banfeng had already rushed out of the newspaper office and vanished into the night like a gust of wind.
***
Inside Yuezhou Third Hospital, the button on He Jiaqing's chest suddenly trembled slightly.
While He Haisheng was gone, He Jiaqing quietly pinched the button. Wan Jinxian's voice imdiately sounded beside his ear.
"Jiaqing, I received word that the Lu Family plans to seek revenge on Ling Miaoying tonight."
This was already within He Jiaqing's expectations. "It's fine. As long as Ling Miaoying stays hidden, the Lu Family won't find him."
"Ling Miaoying isn't hiding. He's hosting the Border Controller for dinner at the Tower of Happy Returns."
He Jiaqing frowned. "What does he want with the Border Controller?"
Before Wan Jinxian could explain further, He Jiaqing caught the sll of cigarette smoke.
He Haisheng is back.
He Jiaqing imdiately cut off the connection.
He Haisheng entered the hospital room. Originally, he only intended to check on He Jiaqing briefly before heading back to the hotel to rest. However, after standing beside the hospital bed for a mont, he noticed that one of the buttons on He Jiaqing's shirt was slightly loose.
Author's Note:
PS: Banfeng is about to chase after a train.
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