The crisis of the bomb having been resolved, Zhao Yunhai continued to eat and drink as usual, his mood entirely unaffected.
In a hot pot restaurant, Zhao Yunhai was boiling tripe and thoroughly enjoying his meal.
"We encountered a bomb, and we're still just out here wandering around? Shouldn't we be calling the police at a time like this?"
Wang Fan looked at the hot pot, a meal he used to only be able to afford once every few months, and now he had no appetite at all.
After something like this happened, were these people too calm?
Even with deep connections, they didn't need to act as if nothing had happened.
It made him seem foolish.
"When you encounter things like this often enough, you'll realize that such trivial matters aren't worth mentioning."
Zhao Yunhai indifferently took a bite of tripe. "You probably know who I am."
"Fortune-telling easily offends the powerful. You can only survive if you stay by my side."
"I'm just a broke fortune-teller," Wang Fan said with a crestfallen face, close to tears.
"Fortune-telling is a valuable skill," Zhao Yunhai said, putting some tripe into the bowl for the young monk Wuchen. "Here, little monk, have some tripe. Tripe isn't meat."
"Amitabha."
The young monk had never had hot pot before. This was his first time, and his mouth was burning. He would often gasp for air.
It was as if he had discovered a new world; hot pot was tastier than fried chicken.
Clearly, the young monk Wuchen was also someone who grew tired of the old and loved the new.
"Calculate for me, where can I find my next girlfriend?"
Zhao Lesheng said with a chuckle.
"Okay, I'll calculate it for you."
"The QR code is here, ten thousand yuan per session."
Since he had no appetite anyway, Wang Fan decided to do some fortune-telling for him. However, payment was still required; that was a principle.
"Alright, alright, I've scanned it for you."
Zhao Lesheng was not short of money and immediately transferred the sum.
Wang Fan immediately performed a divination for Zhao Lesheng. However, he was startled by what he found.
Zhao Lesheng, feeling extremely uncomfortable under Wang Fan's meaningful gaze, frowned and said, "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't act like some high and mighty master."
"It's nothing much, just that I've calculated your next girlfriend, and she's actually your sister."
Wang Fan said with a gloating smile.
"A romantic sister? Not bad, not bad. Where is she?"
Zhao Lesheng's heart was ablaze, and he asked somewhat impatiently.
"I have to remind you, she's your half-sister. So don't get any other ideas."
Wang Fan hadn't expected the families of wealthy young masters to be so complicated.
"My sister?"
Zhao Lesheng's eyes widened. Had his mother been cuckolded?
Holy crap?
This was a big deal.
Zhao Yunhai smiled in surprise, and the four clan elders at the same table also revealed gossipy smiles.
"Your sister is currently at..."
Just as Wang Fan was about to mention the location, Zhao Lesheng quickly interrupted him, "Stop, don't say it yet."
"Let me take a moment, just a moment. My emotional capacity is a bit weak."
Zhao Lesheng clutched his heart. Another sister to compete with him for the family fortune. Why had he even asked?
He had spent ten thousand yuan only to find trouble for himself.
His father's philandering without proper protection was the cause. Now, a child had resulted from it.
"Alright." Wang Fan also wisely closed his mouth.
Seeing the distressed and conflicted look on Zhao Lesheng's face, Wang Fan felt much better. He then looked at the bubbling hot pot and his appetite returned.
Indeed, finding someone more miserable than oneself could make one happy.
This matter wasn't a big deal, but for the person involved, it was significant.
Illegitimate children were not uncommon in a large family like the Zhao clan.
"I will report this to my father. The family will not interfere with your personal affairs, but I will have my father notify your father."
"Let your father be prepared and avoid things escalating too much. You should try to reason with your mother."
Zhao Yunhai, having enjoyed some gossip, had a great appetite and ate another bowl of rice.
It was just an illegitimate daughter; there was no need to make a fuss.
"That's all we can do then."
Zhao Lesheng scratched his head, looking troubled.
...
"Bang!"
A loud slam on the table drew everyone's attention in the conference room.
"Zhao Yunhai, that brat, dared to... he dared to make a move against us directly."
A prominent figure from Qianzhou was furious, his heart filled with lingering fear.
Just moments ago, three old friends had completely departed from this world.
They had all died in the same way: a silent, natural death.
Was that possible?
It was absolutely impossible.
Yet, the forensic examiners had concluded natural causes, with no trace of foul play.
"And their reputations after death have been tarnished. When will we ever be able to stand up again?"
One of the prominent figures from Qianzhou with a guilty conscience sat in his seat, his face extremely grim.
He had already betrayed them and defected to the Zhao family.
He hadn't wanted to. He had never imagined that his own son would defect to the Zhao clan behind his back.
Betrayed by his own son, he had no choice but to defect under duress.
The Zhao clan had been silently placing people among them for so long without them realizing it.
Their plans against the Zhao clan were likely already on the Zhao family patriarch's desk.
He was not only unable to overthrow the Zhao clan but was also barely able to protect himself.
"Slander, it's sheer slander. They were upright and honest in life, yet they are now heaped with endless infamy in death. My heart aches."
"When will we be able to completely overthrow the Zhao clan? Even if we retreat and drive them out of Jiuzhou, that would be acceptable."
One prominent figure from Qianzhou, who had developed an obsession with opposing the Zhao clan, repeatedly pounded the table, venting his powerlessness.
After the deaths of these three old friends, news from Jiuzhou immediately exposed their illegal and disciplinary acts during their lives.
Their various crimes were enough to warrant them being shot countless times.
No one present was clean.
Who didn't have something to hide?
Ling Yun gave Lone Wolf a reassuring look and stepped forward, speaking loudly.
"Everyone, your actions against Zhao Yunhai have clearly failed."
"Good people don't live long, but wicked people last a thousand years."
"If we delay any longer, more people will die."
"We must strike first. Targeting Zhao Yunhai's companies is futile; it won't hit him where it hurts."
"Zhao Yunhai's weaknesses are all in Yanjing, and we have no foothold there at all."
"Therefore, we must directly eliminate Zhao Yunhai and ensure he remains in Qianzhou."
"This time, Lone Wolf and I will act together. Your people will cooperate with us to eliminate those around Zhao Yunhai."
"Zhao Yunhai has a lackey named Si Jinyan. This guy isn't very skilled, but the team he leads is made up of elite members."
"Your operations were disrupted by them."
"Whether it's with firearms or explosives, they must be eliminated."
"I believe you still have a force at your disposal. Once this force is unleashed, it will be a complete break with the Zhao clan."
"Don't forget, you already broke ties with the Zhao clan when you started dealing with them."
"Hesitating will only lead to you falling one by one into the Zhao clan's hands."
"Everyone, our success or failure depends on this."
Ling Yun spoke with fervor. Apart from one person with ulterior motives, everyone else felt the passion they had experienced in their youth.