The Master Descends the Mountain: My Destined CEO

"Why don't we... wait and see? After all, the Patriarch's stance is very firm right now."

"Fine, let's wait a bit longer. If worst comes to worst, we'll just have to get Xiao Ming back in line! Gambling is a serious issue, but if he's managed properly, it's not the end of the world!"

But some members of the Xiao Family were still feeling uneasy.

"Back in the day, Xiao Ling... he was so brilliant and talented."

"We thought that since Xiao Ming is his son, he couldn't be that bad, but who would've thought..."

"I always felt he wasn't even a tenth of the man Xiao Ling was. I originally thought I was just being biased."

"Now it looks like it's true! He's no son of Xiao Ling... ultimately, he's just not good enough!"

Someone else suggested, "I just don't think this Xiao Ming is very reliable."

"I'm not saying we should give up on him completely, but what if... we find a substitute?"

"At the very least, we should have a backup plan. We can't bet everything on Xiao Ming. What if he doesn't live up to expectations? Wouldn't that drag us all down with him?"

"You're right, I think that's a good idea!"

"Then let's think, who could be the substitute? I remember there's another junior in the Xiao Family who's pretty good..."

The Xiao Family was already in chaos.

And chaos creates opportunities.

Every single detail of what was happening within the Xiao Family was passed on to Xiao Ye by Zhu Chen.

As he looked at Xiao Ye now, he was suddenly shocked.

'This aura of an Emperor... it's actually gotten even clearer!'

'As expected, the Xiao Family is just a stumbling block!'

'The day Xiao Ye takes down the Xiao Family will be the day he truly soars!'

'If he can't, then all his fortune will be obstructed.'

But Zhu Chen had confidence in Xiao Ye. How could someone with such courage and cunning possibly fail to overcome the Xiao Family?

'The people of the Xiao Family are all idiots!'

Zhu Chen's attitude became even more respectful. "Mr. Xiao, this is the news from the Xiao Family."

"That group who was originally loyal to Liu Loulan and had bet on Xiao Ming has now started looking for someone new."

"My plan has succeeded." Xiao Ye's goal was precisely to make them see that Xiao Ming is a good-for-nothing!

Only when they were sufficiently disappointed in Xiao Ming would they proceed to the next step of his plan.

"Next, pass this news to Liu Loulan. She's being tormented by poison right now. When she hears this on top of that, she'll definitely panic."

"The more anxious a person is, the more likely they are to make mistakes. The Xiao Family's internal strife is about to truly begin!"

Zhu Chen respectfully withdrew and then passed the message to Liu Loulan.

Just as expected, when Liu Loulan learned the news, she panicked.

For the past two days, she had been searching for a Divine Doctor. All kinds of physicians had come to see her, but all of them were helpless.

The only thing they could do was temporarily suppress the poison, but they couldn't extend her life by much.

Even living a few more days was considered a blessing.

Liu Loulan sat on her bed, gritting her teeth. She couldn't see anything, and the darkness only made her panic more!

"The Xiao Family belongs to my son! No one can take it away!"

"In your dreams! In your dreams!"

"Someone! Go find Number Two and have him kill those who are disloyal to me!"

"Patriarch, you can't! You can't do this! It could lead to a river of blood!"

More than half the family was now disloyal to Liu Loulan. If she killed them all, what would become of the family?

At that point, not only Liu Loulan, but even her personal retainers wouldn't survive. They would all become corpses for the Xiao Family to vent their anger on!

Liu Loulan took a deep breath, suppressing her rage. "You're right. Then we'll make an example of one of them!"

"Whoever suggested finding a replacement, kill them!"

"They swore lifelong loyalty to me, but the moment my health takes a small turn, they can't wait to jump ship!"

"Kill him! Kill him!"

「That night.」

The Xiao Family member who had proposed placing new bets died in his own bedroom.

He wasn't discovered until the next day.

They all knew it must have been Liu Loulan's doing!

The Xiao Family estate was full of hidden mechanisms and surrounded by bodyguards. An ordinary person could never get in!

And the only ones who could kill someone without triggering any alarms were the Death Warriors!

And those Death Warriors were all under Liu Loulan's command now!

When Xiao Ye heard the news, he immediately had his people inside the Xiao Family take action!

They didn't need to do anything; they just needed to talk.

"This Liu Loulan has gone completely insane! To actually murder someone in the old family estate!"

"Does she... plan to kill everyone who doesn't listen to her?"

"That Xiao Ming is not a worthy successor! Refusing to let him become Patriarch is for the good of the Xiao Family. We've done nothing wrong!"

With each person adding a word here and there, they inflamed the situation once again.

At this moment, the Xiao Family members following Xiao Ye's orders quickly found an opportunity to speak up. "I also believe Xiao Ming cannot be the Patriarch."

"The Xiao Family was already on a downward slope. Ever since Liu Loulan came to power, she hasn't done one good thing for the family; things have only gotten worse."

"As a woman, she has no talent for leadership whatsoever! And now, she wants to let her son ruin the Xiao Family!"

"If Xiao Ming really becomes the Patriarch, we'll be the first ones to suffer! Once the Xiao Family is no longer a Hidden Clan, we will lose far too much!"

At a time like this, the Xiao Family needed someone to turn the tide.

If they continued to be timid and hesitant like Liu Loulan, the Xiao Family's fall to the level of a first-rate family was already a certainty!

Because of Liu Loulan, the Xiao Family had become a cesspool of corruption. Countless people used their status to run amok outside.

It was only because of the Xiao Family's background that these matters were suppressed.

Once they were reduced to a first-rate family, they would surely face a crisis!

If it were only that, it might have been acceptable.

But most importantly, if they were no longer a Hidden Clan, think of all the things and benefits they would lose!

"You should all know what kinds of benefits we gained after becoming a Hidden Clan."

"If we lose that status, not only will we have to spit all those benefits back out, but the Xiao Family will inevitably face a crisis!"

"And when that time comes, we will be the ones to bear the brunt of it!"

Wasn't power and money what they had pursued their entire lives?

If the Xiao Family fell, all of that would be gone!

Even if a starved camel is still bigger than a horse, they weren't willing to accept it.

After all, how could those who have stood at the summit be content with being mere local squires?

As expected, this speech resonated with everyone.

The thought of their own interests being threatened was naturally something they couldn't accept.

"You're right! We can't let the Xiao Family fall!"

"Xiao Ming... cannot be the Patriarch!"

Those who had been loyal to Liu Loulan lost all their devotion at the thought of what the future might hold.

That thing—their loyalty—only existed as long as Liu Loulan provided them with benefits.

Once those benefits were gone, or if they might even suffer greater losses, not only would their loyalty vanish, it would transform into a sharp dagger aimed straight at Liu Loulan!