Translator: StarReader
“Where’s Zhuo Fan. I have crucial intelligence!”
In the Luo clan hall on Blackwind Mountain, Lei Yuting in all black, skipped over. She asked once she saw only Yan Fu was around, playing the assistant and handling resources.
Yan Fu pointed at the floor, “Go to the bunker. Steward Zhuo has been there for the past few days.”
“Thanks!” Lei Yuting waved.
Yan Fu asked before she got away, “Captain Lei, just what intelligence has got you so giddy?”
“Nothing much, just that the Regent Estate is on the move. Not to attack us, but our three allies. We have more time to prepare!”
“What?”
Yan Fu shouted, rushing over, “Is the information accurate? Let me see!”
Lei Yuting raised an eyebrow, “What’s got you in such a tizzy? Its got nothing to do with you. And this is for the steward’s eyes first. An assistant has no right to see it. “
Yan Fu paused and nodded.
It was one of Zhuo Fan’s rules to prevent a leak and maintain secrecy. Anyone caught breaking it would be in for a severe punishment.
Even with this rule, he was still worried, “Captain Lei, let’s go to Steward Zhuo. Even if you do report it, with me there as well, he’ll allow it.”
Lei Yuting nodded.
The two soon arrived at the bunker.
There were people everywhere. Luo clan’s guards with the Yun clan’s people made up for ten thousand heads, busying themselves in every corner of the cave according to the orders from the front.
That was where Zhuo Fan and Yun Shuang were.
He was ostensibly making an array, unknown as of yet to what end.
“Humph, Steward Zhuo, you sure are a good headhunter. Flirting and working at the same time, not missing a single second!” Lei Yuting saw the two close and jealousy reared its head.
Yun Shuang blushed and lowered her head.
Zhuo Fan only raised an eyebrow, “Miss Lei, what brings you here? You should be out there gathering intel!”
“Humph, I came here to report!”
Lei Yuting threw a jade slip, her tone cold at the lovely couple, “Steward Zhuo, how’s it going between you and miss Shuang’er? Any progress?”
“Be nice. Shuang’er is Yun clan’s Holy Maiden. We’re only discussing how to direct her people.” Zhuo Fan turned his attention to the jade slip.
Zhuo Fan’s cold attitude had her even more enraged. So she turned a broken smile to Yun Shuang, “Miss Shuang’er, let me give you a warning. Zhuo Fan is unreliable. He draws a pretty crowd, but he only sticks around for three months at most, taking the girl and all her possessions. Your sister here is a living witness and victim. So I warn you, as someone who has gone through this already, be on guard around the thieving Zhuo Fan.”
“So you are soft toward Steward Zhuo as well… I thought it’s only young miss Luo…” Shuang’er blinked her large innocent eyes.
Lei Yuting flushed, still holding her head high in stubbornness, “No way! Why would I look at him?”
“Yeah, you don’t like me, so don’t talk behind my back, ha-ha-ha…” Zhuo Fan opened his eyes and chuckled, “Regent Estate is finally moving, and against those houses. Not bad at all, just as I predicted.”
The others were stunned, [Why is he so happy if his allies are in the dumps?]
[If our allies cave, won’t we be without cover?]
Yan Fu grew frantic, “Steward Zhuo, when will Regent Estate strike? How will we assist?”
“Why would we assist?”
Zhuo Fan’s eyes flashed, “This is exactly what I want, for the Regent Estate to attack them. If I had to deal with them personally, besides making it awkward for me, it’ll be hard to get them on my side.”
[What?!]
Everyone was in complete shock.
Zhuo Fan had no intention of repelling the Regent Estate’s raid, but was thinking about how to integrate his allies.
Those houses were his support, with Veiled Dragon Pavilion being the very first. Selling them out like this and even turning on them would be a new low.
Zhuo Fan snickered at their thoughts, “You’re too naive. There’s no such thing as an everlasting friend in this world. Even if we beat Regent Estate and the rest back and crown ourselves kings, our alliance with the houses would have run its course and we’d have a conflict of interests. They’ll look at us as the new Regent Estate.
“It’s better to take this prime opportunity and deal with them, ending with a truly peaceful community. This is the way to go. Ain’t that right, miss Yun Shuang? “
Zhuo Fan snickered, “Doesn’t your clan always advocate salvation? That’s just what I’m doing.”
Yun Shuang mulled over his words. Zhuo Fan was as despicable as it got, but changing perspective, it would be for a noble cause, for the people’s future. She nodded.
Lei Yuting remained silent. Only Yan Fu was fretful, “Steward Zhuo, y-you really don’t care about them?”
“How can I not? Am I not taking them all in with open arms instead of wiping them out? I do have a modicum of conscience, you know.” Grinning, Zhuo Fan paused, “Here’s how it’s going to play out. Going by the intel, Regent Estate will act in three months so we’ll notify our allies two months later. Without any preparation, their thousand year legacy won’t save them, though they can still flee.
“Leaves us as the only option to turn to. And since they’ll be in our house, they’ll know to keep their heads down. We’ll use this chance to integrate them while making them eternally grateful for our help. That’s just how good I am, doing them a favor. Now ain’t that a twofer!”
[Rotten!]
Everyone revolted. They were sickened by his methods, yet bowed in respect. Such a heartless move could only come from the bottom of a blackened blood pump of a demon like Zhuo Fan.
Watching the world aflame and swooping in to reap the spoils, that was his style alright.
He would profit and earn fame, more devious and sly than a fox could ever be. Killing their whole house yet the victims would be ever grateful? That was only something a conscience-free lowlife scum who felt no remorse about snuffing out a human life would do.
But this was the only way for the Luo clan to come out as the biggest winner.
Though Yan Fu was morose after hearing the plan.
Zhuo Fan asked, “Yan Fu, why the long face? With your usual self, you’d never care about the next person.”
“Steward Zhuo, could you please save Drifting Flowers Edifices? Dandan…” Yan Fu hesitated.
[The brat must be head over heels.] This thought led him to a more worrying one.
“Nice, I approve of a man like you. You stand up for that woman in times of danger. Not like a certain unmentionable someone, so callous and scheming even after spending time with their Edifice Lord.”
Lei Yuting slapped Yan Fu’s back in praise, sneaking a glance at Zhuo Fan.
Zhuo Fan frowned, then shut his eyes. After a sigh, he left.
His voice traveled to the shocked ears of everyone, “Send word to Drifting Flowers Edifices. Tell them to evacuate to Luo clan. As for the other two houses, two months later.”
“T-thank you, Steward Zhuo!”
Yan Fu perked up and left happy.
Lei Yuting watched Zhuo Fan’s lonely back, then gave Yun Shuang one last word of sincere advice, “Miss Shuang’er, give up while you have no feelings for him. His heart belongs to someone else.”
Yun Shuang was puzzled.
Lei Yuting sighed, “I know him to be a principled man of strength and decisiveness that won’t change no matter what. The only two times he has lost himself was in Beast King Mountain, over Ning’er, and now. I reckon it’s over the Drifting Flowers Edifices’ Edifice Lord.”
Sighing, Lei Yuting left, “As I cannot move that man, I will give up…”
Yun Shuang shuddered.
She was an ascetic Holy Maiden with her mind solely focused on the future. But now, she has sunk into perplexity…
As Zhuo Fan left the bunker, he went deeper into the forest, sullen.
A blue robed person popped up in front of him, Vicious Pill King Yan Song.
“Elder Yan, what is it?” Zhuo Fan glanced.
Yan Song was flushed from worry, “Steward Zhuo, I heard you’ve let them use 6th-grade ingredients to make 3rd-grade pills.
“Yes, won’t it raise their success rate?” Zhuo Fan nodded.
Yan Song’s heart was bleeding, “But Steward Zhuo, isn’t that a waste?”
Zhuo Fan grinned, “Elder Yan, here’s the thing. In half a year, I plan on seeing a hundred thousand 3rd-grade pills, the Spirit Melding Pill. After so many years of being in your care, that batch of hundreds of people can only make a 3rd-grade pill at best, with a low chance of success as well. To get a hundred thousand pills, I can only use high-grade ingredients to boost the odds.”
“But isn’t it still a waste?” Yan Song was an alchemist and felt pain seeing them go like that.
Zhuo Fan mocked, his eyebrow high, “It’s fine, we’re rich.”
Zhuo Fan left suddenly and came back with the biggest haul of the century. And the original plan to bake ten thousand pills was upped to a hundred thousand.
It not only meant more work for them, but it had an even lower chance of success, so Zhuo Fan compensated with riches.
No matter how much Yan Song cherished every leaf and petal, he had to accept it, going back slumped and depressed.
Zhuo Fan’s voice was heard from afar, “Oh, Elder Yan, tell Elder Li and the others to gather. We’re leaving for Hell Valley soon. And those Profound Heaven fakers, have them come as well.”
Zhuo Fan’s eyes glinted as his mouth curled in a twisted snicker…
