Chapter 133: Who Sent You?
Liu Loulan said slowly and deliberately, "Since I've called you all here at this hour, it is, of course, for something important."
"Settle down. Or are you so impatient to get back to your rooms with a beautiful woman in your arms?"
The men fell silent at her words.
Although Liu Loulan had been the one to give them those beautiful women, they didn't dare say anything more.
About another half hour passed.
The sound of urgent footsteps echoed from the long corridor outside the hall.
The man who had been in Jiangcheng appeared!
His face was filled with urgency. He rushed through the door and immediately fell to his knees. "Patriarch, something's happened!"
"I followed your orders and personally investigated the man caught up in the scandal with Ye Baiwei. As expected, I made a discovery!"
"Not only is his surname Xiao, but his appearance... is a strong match for the previous Patriarch! I am certain he is the long-lost young master of the Xiao Family!"
BANG!
A teacup shattered on the floor.
The expressions of everyone present changed dramatically in an instant.
Liu Loulan didn't speak, but her eyes gradually darkened. "Are you sure?"
The man remained kneeling. "I'm certain. It's the absolute truth! However, my investigation revealed that this Xiao Ye is a trained martial artist, so I didn't dare get close, fearing I would tip him off."
"I swear on my life, his resemblance to the previous Patriarch is uncanny!"
"To be absolutely sure, we'll need a DNA test, but I don't dare get near him. I await the Patriarch's orders!"
Liu Loulan took a deep breath and looked at the others. "You all know how Xiao Ling died. I don't need to say more."
"Better to kill the wrong person than let the right one escape. His eldest son disappeared back then, his fate unknown. But he was just an infant. Where could he have possibly gone? He must have been taken."
Liu Loulan held out her hand, and an observant maid next to her immediately placed a cup of hot tea in it.
She slowly used the lid to skim the tea leaves from the surface of the water.
"So, this Xiao Ye, whether he is Xiao Ling's son or not, absolutely cannot be allowed to live!"
"Otherwise, those old fossils will surely try to make him the Patriarch of the Xiao Family. When that time comes, all of your good days will be over!"
Hearing this, the men's faces all turned grim.
"That's right! He can't be allowed to live!"
"Forget the DNA test! It doesn't matter if he's the one or not, we have to kill him!"
"We should act quickly to prevent any complications."
Liu Loulan nodded, satisfied. "In that case, you will all send men."
"He may look young, but that doesn't mean he isn't capable."
"Do not underestimate the members of the Xiao Family. Their innate talent has always been exceptionally strong! They can easily reach the pinnacle of their chosen field!"
"Furthermore, he's a skilled fighter. To avoid any mishaps, send your best men!"
"Within three days, you must ensure this boy... dies without a whole corpse left behind!"
「Jiangcheng.」
Xiao Ye had also heard about the engagement.
But he wasn't angry. He and Lin Chuyue were a match made in heaven; whether they married sooner or later made no difference.
He was also well aware of Elder Lin's concerns.
Seeing that he wasn't angry, Lin Aoshan finally relaxed. "Xiaoye, don't you worry. Leave the engagement party to me!"
"I guarantee I'll give you two a grand and unforgettable engagement ceremony!"
Lin Chuyue was just coming downstairs and heard him. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, but she didn't say anything in the end.
'I've come to terms with it,' she thought. 'An engagement isn't a marriage. After we're engaged, I'll just do everything I can to stall.'
'Grandpa's health is what's most important. Even if my reputation takes a small hit, it's not a big deal.'
But as for Xiao Ye, there was no way Lin Chuyue was going to be pleasant to him!
'He's a scumbag. Letting him stay in the Lin Family is already a huge compromise on my part!'
「The next day.」
Lin Chuyue left for the office early.
Xiao Ye, with nothing to do, also left the Lin Family residence. He decided to take a walk in the nearby mountains to clear his head.
If he happened to come across an unexpected find, that would be even better.
He hadn't taken more than a few steps when he sensed something was off.
Xiao Ye's ears twitched, but he didn't break his stride.
Someone was tailing him. Their skills were exceptional; they'd left almost no openings.
If not for his exceptionally sharp senses, he never would have noticed!
Xiao Ye's expression remained neutral as he quickly made his way halfway up the mountain.
In a flash, he ducked to the side, his figure vanishing from the path.
The person following him reacted just as quickly. Realizing he'd been discovered, he abandoned all pretense of stealth and charged directly toward the spot where Xiao Ye had vanished.
The moment he stepped into the bushes, a hand clamped down on his neck like an iron vise, immobilizing him completely!
'Damn it!'
The assassin was shocked. 'I was careless!'
'I thought Xiao Ye was only slightly skilled, but his strength is monstrous! I can't even break free!'
The assassin's face twisted into a snarl. He violently raised his hand, stabbing at Xiao Ye's body!
Before the blow could land, there was a sharp CRACK as his arm was snapped.
Xiao Ye did the same to his other arm, then sent the man flying with a kick!
The assassin flew two meters before slamming hard against a thick tree trunk and sliding to the ground.
Xiao Ye walked over, his brow furrowed. "Who sent you?"
'This man's skill and speed are clearly extraordinary, and his tracking technique is impressive.'
'His hands are covered in calluses, and he has a short, compact build. He's clearly been training in martial arts since childhood.'
'I've never seen anyone like this, not even in South City, let alone in a small place like Jiangcheng.'
The names of several people he had offended flashed through Xiao Ye's mind: the Chen Family, the Ma Family...
'No, it's not them. They couldn't hire someone this skilled.'
'If I weren't so skilled, even a regular expert would have been a dead man by now!'
The assassin didn't answer, his body wracked with excruciating pain.
'I'm immobilized, and my hands are useless.'
'Today... there's no escape for me!'
The assassin was decisive. He bit down hard, crushing the poison capsule hidden in his mouth.
A moment later, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Xiao Ye's expression changed. He immediately shot his hand out and dislocated the man's jaw!
But it was too late. The poison had already seeped into the assassin's vital organs; he was beyond saving.
The assassin stared at him coldly as he died, showing no desire to live.
Xiao Ye let go, allowing the body to slump to the ground.
'Someone this skilled, and a professional who would commit suicide upon capture... Who is the mastermind behind this?'
'Could it be one of my master's old enemies?'
Xiao Ye couldn't figure it out, so he decided to stop thinking about it for now and headed back down the mountain.
Just as he reached the foot of the mountain, he leaped behind a tree trunk.
WHIZZ! WHIZZ!
Several bullets slammed into the spot where he had just been standing.
Xiao Ye's pupils constricted. 'A... sniper?'
Not daring to be careless, he immediately darted onto another path.
It was just over ten kilometers from here to the Lin Family's old residence.
Yet in that short distance, Xiao Ye endured four separate assassination attempts!