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墨書 Inktalez
Xiang Nanyuan could turn hostile in an instant, and I understood him well. After all, he had grown up in luxury, never facing defiance from anyone. It was only natural for him to lose his temper at the slightest inconvenience.
This was merely a tactic in negotiation. Regardless of the circumstances, I could not frame Lu Xian.
I smiled calmly and said, "I’m afraid I cannot change my stance on this matter, Young Master. I don’t like playing with fire, and I certainly don’t want to gamble with my life."
I continued, "The support from Nan Hongmen is not the key reason for me to sit at the helm; the crucial factor is still Lu Ding Tian’s willingness and the opinions of Qing Gang’s many voices. If Nan Hongmen cannot help me create evidence that Lu Fei was killed by Lu Xian, then their assistance is truly dispensable."
After I finished speaking, Xiang Nanyuan furrowed his brow and stared intently at me. I must admit, even without uttering a word, his gaze alone could send chills down one’s spine. This had much to do with his identity; as the Eldest Young Master of the underworld, he had cultivated such an aura.
What have I not seen? I've encountered fiercer gazes than any beast's during my time with Jinshan Jiao. Would I fear him?
I smiled back at him.
After about ten seconds, Xiang Nanyuan also smiled and nodded. "Alright, you’re not bad. You understand that if this matter is mishandled, it will bring me great trouble as well. So we must deliberate carefully. Just wait; I will inform you once there’s news."
Xiang Nanyuan stood up, straightened his clothes, and left directly. This was business—clean and straightforward.
He was right; if this matter was not handled properly, it would indeed be a significant problem for him. Everyone knew that after Lu Fei's death, Lu Xian's status in Lu Ding Tian’s eyes would change drastically. If Lu Ding Tian discovered that Nan Hongmen had framed Lu Xian when he had nothing to do with Lu Fei's death, wouldn’t he turn to North Hongmen instead?
The moment the truth was revealed would be when Lu Ding Tian made his choice.
That was why Xiang Nanyuan had been so eager for me to fabricate evidence against Lu Xian; if anything went wrong, he could easily shift all the blame onto me.
Did he really think I could be so easily fooled?
I chuckled softly and left the teahouse. As soon as I returned home, I received a call from Lu Ding Tian asking me to come over.
If I were with Xiang Nanyuan, Lu Ding Tian would never have called me over. He must have learned about my meeting with Xiang Nanyuan, which indicated something important: someone might be following me—Lu Ding Tian’s people.
"Alright, I'll be there shortly."
I replied and immediately headed to Lu Ding Tian’s house. Whether or not he sent someone to follow me didn’t concern me much; after all, there were no allies around me at the moment. I wouldn’t be working with anyone else either, so I wasn’t worried about what Lu Ding Tian might discover.
Except for Zheng Yu in the capital, no one knew my identity. Even if he sent someone to track me down, they wouldn’t uncover anything.
Before long, I arrived at Lu Ding Tian’s house. He hadn’t been sleeping well these past few days and looked exhausted.
"Xiao Yan," he said, "you’ve done well considering your brother's passing. My mind has been wandering lately; I completely forgot to remind you how you should proceed."
Lu Ding Tian took a sip of tea and then set the cup down on the table before speaking to me.
I smiled back and replied, "It’s only right; I should worry for my father."
I also knew that Xiang Nanyuan must have said something to him regarding our conversation.
Lu Ding Tian spoke again, his gaze piercing as he fixed it on me.
Yes, he wanted to support me as the leader of Qing Gang on behalf of Nan Hongmen. I nodded; there was no need to hide this. Even if I lied, Lu Ding Tian wouldn’t believe me—he surely understood Nan Hongmen's intentions perfectly.
Lu Ding Tian nodded in satisfaction and said, "Well, you are quite honest. So what do you think?" Although he asked me, I knew exactly what answer he was looking for.
I was self-aware enough to realize that I didn’t want that position. It seemed meaningless to me. I felt content with my current situation; if it weren’t for your request to help balance the relationship between Qing Gang and Hongmen, I truly wouldn’t want to get involved in these matters.
I said helplessly, knowing that what Lu Ding Tian most wanted to hear was exactly what I just said. He had never intended to pass the position to someone like me, whom he had only met a few months ago.
"Yes, I know your character. It’s also a bit of a burden for you," Lu Ding Tian nodded and sighed as if he understood me well. In truth, my demeanor had always been carefree and unambitious around the Lu family.
"Not a burden," I replied casually, and then Lu Ding Tian continued, "Do you think your elder brother's situation really has anything to do with Brother Two?"
Why are you asking me this question? It was a bit awkward for me to answer. I hadn’t even mentioned that I didn’t want to investigate Brother Two anymore; given the current circumstances, it felt inappropriate for me to pursue this matter.
I hesitated before speaking; of course, I was just being polite. I knew Lu Ding Tian’s character—he would never fully trust anyone, not even his own children, Lu Fei or Lu Xian, let alone me.
He would have me investigate while secretly arranging for others to look into it as well, possibly checking on me too to see if I would betray Lu Xian.
"It’s nothing. Just take your investigation seriously. As for Lu Yan, you should know that once you find something out, don’t tell anyone first—tell me first, understand?" Lu Ding Tian said earnestly.
Tell him first? My earlier judgment was correct; even if it turned out that Lu Xian killed Lu Fei, Lu Ding Tian still seemed inclined to have Lu Xian succeed him. If others in Qing Gang or people from Nan Hongmen found out about this, it would surely escalate into a big issue.
In the underworld, loyalty is paramount. If there were solid evidence proving that Lu Xian killed Lu Fei and this became public knowledge, no matter how much Lu Ding Tian wanted Lu Xian to succeed him, it would be impossible.
"Alright, I understand," I nodded. I certainly wouldn’t act recklessly.
"Good that you understand. Xiao Yan, since you were little and I've not been by your side, anything you lack will be compensated for you. Remember, don’t covet what isn’t yours; maintaining your current mindset is what will keep you safe and happy. That position is truly not easy to hold."
Lu Ding Tian smiled as he patted my shoulder before standing up and heading upstairs.
This was the first time he had threatened me! It seemed I had overestimated my own status while underestimating how much weight Lu Xian held in Lu Ding Tian's eyes—after all, Lu Xian was raised by him.
After leaving Lu Ding Tian's house, I returned home. The listening devices belonging to Lu Fei were still there. Although Lu Fei had died, I still didn’t dare call Zheng Yu from my house.
No one knows if Lu Fei is eavesdropping on me or if it’s Lu Ding Tian's intention. If it is indeed Lu Ding Tian's doing, then this listening device can be used in the same way. To avoid raising any suspicions from Lu Ding Tian, I decided not to dismantle these devices and continued to communicate with Zheng Yu through text messages as before.
I inquired about the situation at Tian Ye Group, and Zheng Yu informed me that things were still the same as usual. The headquarters of Qing Gang Law Enforcement Hall frequently devised ways to undermine Tian Ye Group's power, while Du Tao was secretly developing his own strength.
I also asked about Lu Ying, and Zheng Yu told me that Lu Ying was recovering well at home and had calmed down significantly, so I shouldn’t worry.
Then Zheng Yu shared some explosive news with me: Linna had returned to the country! The police had been monitoring Linna’s life, and just that morning, she had come back to Kyoto!
This left me stunned. I had thought Linna was tired of this life and had given up her desire for revenge, never to return. Why had she come back?
It had been a long time since I last saw Linna. I wondered how she was doing now and if she missed me at all.
Shortly after, Zheng Yu revealed another piece of news: Linna had gone to find Du Tao! And she intended to kill him!
This nearly sent me into a frenzy! How could Linna dare to confront Du Tao? After Du Tao took over Tian Ye Group, he had hidden his identity and hadn’t accepted any interviews. It must have been a coincidence that Linna learned that the current owner of Tian Ye Group was her father’s adopted son, her childhood friend, which led her to deduce that Du Tao was the one responsible for her father’s demise!
So Linna sought revenge against Du Tao! It was too impulsive!
I quickly asked about Linna’s current situation. Initially, Du Tao hadn’t killed Linna; he had deceived her and let her go. Now, Du Tao probably wouldn’t harm her either.
Zheng Yu told me that shortly after Linna found Du Tao, she was arrested by the police and taken back to the station. She was currently being detained on charges of attempted murder, but in reality, they were protecting her from making any rash decisions.
The police’s actions were quite reliable in this regard. I could imagine Linna’s anger; given her personality, she would definitely act impulsively. If she were locked up in a holding cell at the police station, I would feel much more at ease.
Then Zheng Yu asked if I wanted to bail Linna out and speak with her myself.
I understood what Zheng Yu meant; he wanted me to meet Linna as Xiang Dong and clarify the situation. As my good brother, he didn’t want to see me miss out on my beloved woman.
I declined. Right now, I was still in a very dangerous situation; perhaps one day it would all blow up in my face and I could end up dead. I knew Linna too well—if she learned the truth about these matters, she definitely wouldn’t leave again. I didn’t want her to get caught up in this dangerous web.
So for now, it would be best for her to stay in that holding cell for a while longer.
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