The feast of cutting began with Shen Congdao!
Who else could it be, being the foremost of the peerless twenty-six young masters?
As Murong Mingyuan’s sharp cry echoed, Caruso immediately raised his hand. Two men, like wolves, barged in and dragged Shen Congdao out of the container.
Before he could even comprehend what was happening, he was pinned to a makeshift operating table.
They didn't even bother with anesthetic. The team doctor simply raised his scalpel.
Pain.
An indescribable, searing pain instantly jolted Shen Congdao awake, eliciting a shriek more desolate than any he had ever uttered, a sound that pierced the heavens.
The bloody ordeal of Young Master Shen served as an immediate awakening for the other twenty-five young masters.
They finally understood that Murong Mingyuan was not someone they could defile with impunity.
Their desire to witness the burning of ghost fires was precisely the sin that led to their brutal dismemberment.
They were terrified.
They fell to their knees, begging, wailing, struggling.
But it was utterly useless.
Any man who was not wearing trousers was dragged out by Caruso and his men, like dead dogs.
They lined up, waiting their turn on the operating table.
The large-scale cutting scene here attracted the attention of all off-duty team members, who flocked to watch.
Even the War Demon Hall sent two people to ascertain what was happening.
Li Qianfan, of course, mingled with the crowd.
Looking at those peerless scholars…
And then looking at Murong Mingyuan standing nearby as the “executioner,” Li Qianfan let out a wry smile.
Honestly speaking, he did agree with Murong Mingyuan’s actions.
After all, these fat pigs indeed behaved worse than beasts.
Being collectively dismembered was undoubtedly the most fitting punishment for them.
However, from an objective perspective…
Wasn't it also Rod deliberately allowing Murong Mingyuan to do this, thereby helping Li Qianfan (Dragon Ruins) accumulate animosity?
After all, Murong Mingyuan bore his mark; her current actions represented Li Qianfan's.
This, in turn, intensified the animosity between Li Qianfan and the thirteen great families.
Even if Li Qianfan exhausted all his ingenuity and risked his life to save these pigs, this incident would not only fail to earn him gratitude from the thirteen great families but would instead incur even more hatred!
This transaction was a complete loss.
Yet, Li Qianfan was powerless to stop what was happening.
"So be it. Even if I bring them back whole, the thirteen great families would at most offer a perfunctory thank you, and then treat me as they always do."
Having come to terms with it, Li Qianfan then looked at the two figures in black robes.
The black-robed figures were unkillable.
Li Qianfan now understood how the eighth and his companion had snapped Miller and his companion’s necks in front of Rod.
He also thought of the legendary Eastern Crisis.
And he recalled what Sister Wujiang had told him about dealing with such crises.
It was to smash their heads to a pulp with heavy objects!
Bullets couldn't kill them, but it didn't mean they could survive after their heads were smashed.
"What if I used a cleaver to chop off their heads directly?"
Li Qianfan pondered, "I refuse to believe they could survive that."
Inside container number nine, several cleavers were hung on the wall.
These were the handy weapons used by the members of Rod’s team for close combat.
Li Qianfan, his mind made up, no longer bothered to watch the cutting spectacle. He quietly withdrew from the crowd and returned to his dormitory.
He believed that.
After Murong Mingyuan had dismembered more than half of them, even a fool would ensure that all hostages would not run around like headless flies once the main battle commenced tomorrow.
She could also lead the eight guards who had not participated in becoming beasts and work together to protect the hostages.
Tonight.
Li Qianfan would take no action.
He had to create a certain illusion for Rod.
That is, after they abandoned the outer defense zone, the Snow Phantom, who had been killing people in the outer areas for two consecutive nights, had also disappeared.
This would make them let down their guard, mistakenly believing that as long as they held the inner defenses, they would be basically safe.
Moreover.
Rod had already released the news that the team’s mission was about to end!
The tension they had felt for the past few days would instinctively relax.
"Finally, I don't have to go out and bother myself tonight. I can finally have a good sleep."
Li Qianfan placed a cleaver by his pillow, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
The night grew darker.
At four in the morning.
When the world was quietest and humans most drowsy.
A white figure appeared before the warning sign of the eastern outer defense zone of Blackwater Forest.
It was Du Junlin.
She had been here for two days and had already rendezvoused with sixty Dark Blades ambushed several kilometers away.
She had also seen Jiao Yin driving east alone.
She also knew that the Snow Phantom was Li Qianfan playing a trick.
She also knew that the counter-attack was highly likely to happen tomorrow night!
This was because she had received news that the Rod family would initiate the fourth round of negotiations today (it was early morning at this point).
Regardless of the outcome of the negotiations, Li Qianfan, who was currently hidden within the Rod team's camp, would launch the counter-attack.
She had come alone tonight to quietly observe the battlefield situation.
Through the monocular infrared telescope, Du Junlin could see nothing but white.
It was a white expanse covering traps, death, and despair!
Under the dark blue sky, drones drifted like ghosts from time to time.
Red lights blinked, resembling the eyes of death.
"I wonder if Qianfan has found those War Demon Hall people."
Du Junlin thought, glancing back towards the east.
How she wished the sun would rise quickly!
The sun rose.
This was ancient Hebron, far from the Blackwater Forest battlefield.
The stronghold of the Moses family.
It was also the negotiation site between Zhao Tingshan and the Rod family.
Currently.
The two sides had already completed three rounds of negotiations.
The first round of negotiations took place in the Black Forest, ending with Li Xiao's furious outburst, killing Luna on the spot, and showing his intention to turn hostile.
The next two rounds of negotiations were moved to the Moses family as an intermediary.
However, due to neither side willing to yield, no progress was made.
Today was the fourth round of negotiations.
And it was the final round!
Before the negotiations began, the Rod family issued a stern warning: "If the negotiation results do not comply with my wishes, then there will be no more negotiations in the future."
For this reason.
Zhao Tingshan was filled with anxiety.
From his heart, he would absolutely not compromise.
After all, those pigs from the thirteen great families, their presence or absence did not create much value. If they were gone, it would save a lot of quality resources, which was beneficial to the country and the people.
However, considering the overall situation in the Eastern Lands, a heavy price would have to be paid to redeem these pigs.
The Rod family's ultimatum had caused Zhao Tingshan to communicate non-stop with the country last night to discuss countermeasures.
There were no good countermeasures other than disregarding the safety of those pigs.
At ten o'clock local time.
The fourth round of negotiations officially began.
The lead negotiators were still Zhao Tingshan and Jessica of the Rod family.
The mediators remained Long Xu and the host, the Moses family.
The four parties entered successively.
It was a standard negotiation room.
Zhao Tingshan's side and Jessica's side sat opposite each other behind a table, about three meters apart.
The mediators sat in the center.
After both sides were seated, they saw the great patriarch of the Moses family, Alexander, walk in, laughing and talking in a low voice with someone.
Zhao Tingshan and Jessica both assumed this person could only be the Lord of Dragon Ruins.
No!
Upon seeing the girl in the black dress, with a visibly haggard and nervous complexion but bright eyes, both negotiation parties were stunned.
Who was this girl?
Almost instinctively, Jessica and Zhao Tingshan exchanged a quick glance.
"Mr. Zhao, Madam Rod."
Alexander walked behind the table and said with a smile, "Please allow me to introduce the lady beside me to everyone."
Everyone looked at the girl in the black dress.
"In fact, you must have seen her profile photo before. You just couldn't believe that she would represent the Dragon Ruins, Lord Li Long, as the witness for this negotiation."
Alexander said, "Her surname is Su, and her given name is Ziyu. She is also the wife of Mr. Li Qianfan, who is reportedly unfortunate and lost in Blackwater Forest."
Su Ziyu!
She was Li Qianfan's wife, Su Ziyu.
How could a newly appointed widow be put forward by Li Xiao to represent the Dragon Ruins, one of the four global powers, in such an important occasion?
Wasn't this ridiculous?!
This was Zhao Tingshan's most direct reaction.
Looking at Jessica.
After a moment of stunned silence, she sneered inwardly, but outwardly, she politely stood up and said, "Welcome, Ms. Su, to this negotiation."
Zhao Tingshan also stood up and gave a polite nod with a smile.
"Hello, Mr. Zhao. Hello, Madam Rod."
Su Ziyu, who was indeed nervous, quickly and formally greeted them both.
Jessica immediately challenged, "May I ask, Ms. Su, are you sure you can represent the Dragon Ruins?"
Looking at Jessica's piercing gaze, Su Ziyu's inner nervousness magically diminished significantly.
Her tone was indifferent, "I can represent the Dragon Ruins now, and I will be able to represent the Dragon Ruins in the future. May I ask, Madam Rod, are you satisfied with my answer?"
Hmph.
You, a mere widow, have quite a haughty tone.
It seems your father-in-law, Li, is giving you significant support.
Jessica sneered inwardly, a sense of unease she couldn't quite place gnawing at her.
It was precisely because Li's father-in-law had provided Su Ziyu with unbelievable support!
However.
Jessica hadn't realized where this discomfort was coming from.
After being rebuffed by Su Ziyu, she simply smiled and said, "Heh, of course, I am satisfied. I'm just wondering, Ms. Su, what are your views on this negotiation?"
"I represent the Dragon Ruins—"
Su Ziyu looked at Zhao Tingshan, sending a clear signal: "I hope the Eastern Lands will reject all unreasonable demands!"
——————
Happy New Year’s Day, everyone! Wishing you good health and prosperity in the new year!