Thousand Faces City.
The Ximen family's main residence was located in the very center of the city—a floating, ultra-high-rise building of blue and white that resembled a tower reaching to the heavens.
The reception room was on the eighty-eighth floor. Its four walls were made of white crystal engraved with runes, offering a panoramic view of the entire Thousand Faces City from within.
The head of the family, Ximen Aotian, sat on a sofa, his entire being radiating a dangerous, overwhelmingly domineering aura.
The butler stood behind him, his back ramrod straight, yet fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead.
The sense of oppression coming from Ximen Aotian was too strong. It wasn't that he was intentionally releasing it; it was simply the natural overflow of a powerful man's aura when he was in a foul mood, and it was nearly more than the butler could bear.
“Master, please restrain your grief and take care of your health,” the butler advised softly.
Ximen Aotian set his teacup down heavily, a smile appearing on his face. “Very good. I never thought the day would come when I would be the one burying my own child.”
He spoke in a peaceful tone, seemingly without anger, yet everyone in the room shuddered simultaneously.
Although the butler addressed him as 'Master,' Ximen Aotian looked very young. He was handsome and elegant, possessing a youthful vibe and a shota face.
His children, standing before him, all looked more mature than he did.
However, if anyone truly dared to treat him as a harmless youth, they would surely meet a very grisly end.
“Father, I have already sent people to capture the killer. I expect we will have him soon and uncover the truth behind the third brother’s murder.”
Ximen Qing stood beside the sofa, his voice steady and his expression composed. No trace of sorrow or schadenfreude could be seen on his face; he simply remained calm, doing what needed to be done.
Wang Ma had advised him to put on a show of grief before his old father to demonstrate their deep fraternal bond.
His wife, Liu Ruyan, however, had said there was no need for such childish tricks before the old man. Their siblings had already practically reached the point of open hostility; how could the old man not know? If his acting wasn't perfect and he tried to feign brotherly love, it would most likely backfire.
Ximen Qing ultimately took his wife’s advice and handled the aftermath for his third brother, Jiahao, in an open and proper manner.
Ximen Aotian gave his eldest son a brief glance, and Ximen Qing’s spine instantly stiffened.
“Can that group of trash under your command really catch the killer?” Ximen Aotian asked with a chuckle.
Ximen Qing’s expression remained unchanged. “My subordinates are indeed somewhat lacking, which is why I have already requested the Earth Three Immortals to take action personally.”
The room fell silent for a moment.
The people around them exchanged glances. The Earth Three Immortals were Ximen Aotian’s direct confidants, and their strength was top-tier within the entire Ximen family.
Once the Earth Three Immortals took action, they would absolutely show no favoritism to anyone while hunting and interrogating the killer.
The fact that Ximen Qing dared to invite the Earth Three Immortals proved that he wasn't afraid of an investigation. No one thought he would be stupid enough to shoot himself in the foot.
Therefore, the Third Young Master really hadn't been killed by the Eldest Master’s people.
So, who exactly was the person behind the scenes?
It couldn't possibly be that the killer had come to assassinate the Third Young Master all on his own, could it?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
There must be many factions involved behind the killer; there had to be layers of conspiracy!
Ximen Aotian leaned back against the sofa, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest. “Eldest, you hold all the advantages now. I assume you wouldn't be so foolish as to engage in a fight with the third brother where both sides lose.”
Ximen Qing felt his skin crawl.
He could vaguely hear another layer of meaning in his father’s words.
He wasn't the killer, but the killer’s goal in murdering the third brother might not have just been to eliminate him; it could also have been to make everyone think that he, Ximen Qing, had done it.
With Jiahao dead, the eldest son was the greatest beneficiary. Everyone’s eyes would be focused on him, and his every move would be magnified and scrutinized.
The killer was hiding in the shadows, watching him take the fall.
Ximen Aotian picked up his teacup and took another sip. “I’d like to see who is so bold as to dare murder my son!”
...
Liming City.
In the city government building, Long Jianguo sat behind her desk with the speakerphone on.
On the other end was a high-level official from the Bureau headquarters.
Headquarters had decided to take action against the Evil God. The lineup sent this time was incredibly luxurious, more ample and powerful than the forces used to shoot down the Evil God thirty years ago.
“Headquarters needs your cooperation to provide intelligence support within Liming City, logistical security, and to open the city’s defense system when necessary.”
Hearing the demands from the headquarters official, Long Jianguo closed her eyes as a headache came on. Her worst fear had come true—they were actually going to fight the Evil God inside the city.
The thought of many innocent citizens potentially being caught in the crossfire made her heart ache with unbearable pain.
Yet, she was powerless to stop it.
“Is there anything else you need me to do?”
The headquarters official listed several more specific requirements: “Lock down the area surrounding the Evil God, evacuate nearby residents, cut off the network and communication signals in that zone, and handle the scene cleanup and aftermath once the battle is over.”
Long Jianguo gritted her teeth and made a soft suggestion: “Could we not lure the Evil God out of the city first before finding a way to surround him?”
The official rejected her immediately. “No. This Evil God is cunning beyond imagination. We must catch him off guard.”
Long Jianguo was silent for a few seconds. “I will cooperate.”
The call ended.
The people from the Bureau headquarters arrived faster than Long Jianguo had anticipated.
But unfortunately, after a preliminary investigation by the Action Group, they discovered that the Evil God had vanished. Even the Evil God’s two pets were gone; there were only players inside Tulip Security Company.
“What the hell? We came all this way for nothing.”
“Did the Evil God pack up and run away early? Didn't they say he was arrogant?”
“He must have been scared after getting beaten back then. Now he wants to flee just from hearing headquarters’ name.”
“I was counting on this mission to rack up some merit...”
The members of the Action Group whispered among themselves, and the originally solemn and heavy atmosphere vanished instantly.
“Mayor Long, what exactly is going on?” the headquarters official demanded, holding her accountable.
Long Jianguo was baffled. “What do you mean, what’s going on?”
The official continued, “The Evil God is gone. Did you tip him off? You were afraid of a war starting inside Liming City, so you told the Evil God to run!”
Long Jianguo was instantly enraged. “Stop talking out of your damn ass! Would I do something that stupid? Is your brain full of shit? Everything coming out of your mouth is pure bullshit!”
The official countered, “Even if you didn't tip him off, you must have leaked the news!”
Long Jianguo slammed the table. “So what if the news leaked? You really think that Evil God is afraid of headquarters? He might be wishing you’d actively deliver yourselves to your deaths!”
The official shouted, “How dare you! You’re undermining our own morale while inflating theirs!”
Long Jianguo fired back, “#@&¢x...”
The two of them began passionately shouting at each other. At first, they could barely maintain a sense of decorum, but they gradually let themselves go, their insults shifting below the belt as they took turns cordially greeting each other’s ancestors.
The vulgarity of the language and the malice of the content practically redefined everyone’s understanding of them.
So, even great figures cursed like this?
They had thought that when such people swore, they would at least be a bit more elegant about it.
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