Chapter 529 - 396: Why Were the Traces of Qin Shi Huang Painstakingly Erased from the River of History?
"Mr. Chu, what are we going to do?"
Right now, Zheng Qifeng and his wife, Xiang Xiufang, were like caged animals.
Anxiety stalked their hearts, and every breath they took was thick with tension.
In stark contrast to the unshakable composure of Chu He and his companions,
they were like withered leaves in a gale, tossed about helplessly.
Their inner terror was written all over their faces.
After all, this whole affair was like a sharpened blade hanging directly over their family.
Every passing moment stretched their taut nerves closer to the breaking point,
making their desperation grow ever more intense.
Chu He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture as straight as a pine. His expression was as tranquil as a deep, undisturbed lake.
His gaze swept slowly over the group before settling on Zheng Bolan. "You’ve always had a deep interest in history, haven’t you? Could you help me gather some information on Qin Shi Huang and Xu Fu?"
"Well..."
A flicker of hesitation crossed Zheng Bolan’s face, his eyes filled with reluctance.
His lips trembled as he mumbled, "Of course I can,
it’s just that finding that kind of information is like looking for a needle in a haystack,
and what’s more, most of it is housed in Chiyoda City’s largest and most comprehensive library."
At the mere mention of the library,
he couldn’t help but picture the towering shelves and densely packed rows of books,
and a chill ran down his spine.
Though the fire of vengeance still burned within him,
the searing, unforgettable pain of the dagger piercing his flesh,
and the haunting, bone-deep fear that came with it, still clung to him like a nightmare.
’It was as if two little figures were warring inside his mind.’
’One urged him to be brave, find the information, and claim his revenge.’
’The other, cloaked in fear, kept warning him that the moment he left this temporary sanctuary,’
’and stepped back into the public eye, he could become a target for those assassins again.’
’If he were attacked again, his life would be forfeit.’
"I will have Yumizakura accompany you and provide close protection."
Seeing right through Zheng Bolan’s inner conflict, Chu He spoke calmly.
"No problem."
Yumizakura glided forward gracefully. With a slight nod and the hint of a smile, she accepted without hesitation.
Her smile was like the brightest spring sunshine, instantly scattering some of the gloom from Zheng Bolan’s heart.
"That’s great. That’s great."
Zheng Bolan felt as if he’d been thrown a lifeline.
His tense body instantly went slack, and an expression of profound relief washed over his face.
’To be honest, he had secretly hoped Chu He himself would accompany him.’
’In his eyes, Chu He was like an unshakable mountain; as long as he was near,’
’he would feel completely safe and secure.’
’Still, the astonishing power Yumizakura had just demonstrated’
’also gave him a measure of confidence for the trip ahead.’
’Besides, Yumizakura’s celestial beauty, like that of a goddess descended to the mortal realm,’
’meant that having such a lovely companion would at least be pleasant to look at.’
’It might even help ease his tension a little,’
’making his fear and anxiety feel a little less unbearable.’
After Zheng Bolan and Yumizakura had departed, Chu He turned to face Zheng Qifeng and his wife, Xiang Xiufang.
He let out a soft sigh. "I understand that you’re worried sick," he said gently,
"but in a situation like this, panicking won’t help."
"The White-Red Empire is dead set on acquiring this land."
"They place immense value on it. Since they want to secure their objective without a hitch,
they must have spent a great deal of time meticulously planning and preparing.
This isn’t something they put together overnight."
"If we act rashly now,
we’ll only put ourselves at a greater disadvantage. We have to remain calm and wait patiently for the right opportunity."
"Mr. Chu, do you already have your next steps planned out?"
Zheng Qifeng asked, probing cautiously.
"Yes, I do have the beginnings of a plan,
but things in this world are unpredictable. Plans often change."
Chu He replied succinctly.
"Could I perhaps know a little about it?"
Zheng Qifeng looked at Chu He with hopeful eyes. "Our family of four...
we’re just ordinary, unremarkable people in this vast world.
I had hoped to raise that good-for-nothing son of mine, Zheng Bolan, into someone respectable,
hoping he’d make something of himself,
but who knew the boy would be such a lost cause.
When he’s not burying his nose in those history books, he’s out all day carousing and fooling around. He has no discipline.
I’ve given up hope for him.
But for ordinary people like us,
it doesn’t matter how much money we have, or how clever our schemes are.
In the face of those who wield supernatural power, we’re no more than ants, so fragile we could be crushed in an instant.
They could snuff us out with a flick of their finger, and we wouldn’t even have a chance to fight back.
Truthfully, when this seemingly wonderful project landed in our lap,
I already had a faint feeling that something wasn’t right.
A pie that big doesn’t just fall out of the sky, especially not for outsiders like us.
But when the opportunity was presented to us so plainly,
we had no choice in the matter. We just had to bite the bullet and accept.
But your appearance, Mr. Chu, has been like a ray of light in the darkness.
It’s given me a reason to hope that we might survive this."