"Third Brother, you..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Bingzhang's body jolted violently, his gaze toward his younger brother filled with disbelief. Even Chen Zhenjun felt the same. Both as brothers and as uncle and nephew, they were all too aware of just how stubborn and overbearing Chen Yaohong, the third brother of the Chen Family, could be.

Elder Master Chen Bingzhang could swear on his seat of power that in his entire life, he had never heard the word 'please' come from his third brother's mouth. But now...

At this thought, Elder Master Chen Bingzhang pressed the butt of his cigarette into the ashtray and sighed. "Sigh... Third Brother, don't be like this."

He had been accustomed to his third brother's strong-willed and domineering nature for the better part of his life. To see him suddenly change like this was disconcerting. Even though there had been misunderstandings and conflicts between them, they were still blood brothers. How could he not feel distressed seeing his third brother in such a state?

"Sigh."

Elder Master Chen Yaohong couldn't help but let out a soft sigh as well. He walked over to the sofa on the other side, sat down, and pressed his own half-smoked cigarette into the ashtray. Only then did he speak, his voice slow. "The Old Patriarch was too autocratic back then; he ruined Zhenguo. So even if he feels regret now, it's meaningless. The estrangement and cracks in the hearts of that mother and son have taken deep root, and it's not something that can be remedied overnight. But no matter what, that boy is my grandson, Chen Yaohong's grandson. We are connected by blood. I can't let him go."

Upon hearing these words, both Elder Master Chen Bingzhang and Chen Zhenjun were taken aback.

From their current perspective, what Chen Zhenguo had done and the choices he had made back then were indeed cold and unsympathetic. But if they put themselves in his shoes, in his position at that time… who in the Old Chen Family would have dared to defy the Old Patriarch's wishes? The old man had been far too autocratic.

Either obey or be cast aside. If it were them, how would they have chosen?

At this thought, Elder Master Chen Bingzhang heaved a deep sigh and shook his head. "Third Brother, I understand what you mean. But perhaps things aren't as bad as you think. You're too close to the situation to see clearly."

"Too close to see clearly?"

Elder Master Chen Yaohong's white eyebrows knitted together. "The Liu Family has always been calm and composed, never one to fight or argue over matters big or small. For the past ten years, it's only been our Old Chen Family and the Sunx Family stirring up trouble, fighting openly and in secret. Now that the tiger has lost its teeth and claws, the lion is at its proudest. Who would dare to provoke it now? Even the smallest matter would be magnified many times over. Under such circumstances, would those old fossils from the Sunx Family really try to reason with an ignorant young wolf cub who doesn't know his place?"

"That may be true, but have you considered who had Chen Fei arrested?" Elder Master Chen Bingzhang murmured, speaking slowly.

"I heard the news came from the Central Guard Bureau?" Elder Master Chen Yaohong said, his brows furrowed.

"And who controls the Central Guard Bureau? Do I need to spell it out? Or do you really believe Old Master Xuu is unaware of this? Do you think the people at the Central Guard Bureau don't know that Chen Fei is Old Master Xuu's life-saving benefactor?" Elder Master Chen Bingzhang's weathered eyes glinted with insight.

"Dad, are you saying they did it on purpose?" Chen Zhenjun suddenly interjected.

"On purpose?" Elder Master Chen Yaohong looked astounded.

"Exactly." Elder Master Chen Bingzhang nodded, his gaze profound. "There is no better explanation. Old Master Xuu is a man of great sentiment and righteousness. Even if he were to have a falling out with your grandson, there would at least be some whispers, some rumors. It wouldn't happen so suddenly."

Hearing this, Elder Master Chen Yaohong's spirits lifted. He pondered for a long moment before finally shaking his head slightly. "If this is Old Master Xuu's intention, then there's no need to overthink it. With a giant bear like him in the picture, even the triumphant Sunx Family will have to think twice."

With this realization, he simply got up and left.

"It's late, get some sleep. Especially you, Zhenjun. A new appointee has to prove their mettle, so you must not be having an easy time lately." With that, Elder Master Chen Yaohong departed from the study.

Watching his third brother push the door open and leave it ajar, Elder Master Chen Bingzhang sighed deeply and shook his head. "Third Brother was like this back then, and now his son is the same. Oh, Old Patriarch, you truly hurt many people."

After a moment, he glanced at his own son and said slowly, "Let this conversation go no further than your ears."

"I know, Dad." Chen Zhenjun shook his head helplessly. He took a cigarette from the box on the coffee table, handed it to his father, and lit it for him. Then he casually pulled out one for himself and lit it.

"Dad, is this situation really as simple as you make it sound? Even if it is Old Master Xuu... the boy is already being held by the Central Guard Bureau. If the Old Sunx Family gets the Dragon Group to demand his release, will the Central Guard Bureau refuse?" Chen Zhenjun took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled a thick plume of smoke, a sense of unease still lingering in his heart.

He couldn't shake the feeling that his third uncle's worries were justified. After all, when a person's ambitions are infinitely magnified, some things can no longer be judged by common sense. The Sunx Family was at the height of its arrogance and power. Anyone who crossed them now would be poking a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest touch.

"Stop worrying needlessly. Old Master Xuu never fights a battle he isn't certain of winning. Even when facing that man from the Sunx Family, he has never lost. Not even once. That is the real reason the Xuu Family, though still outside the circle of the Red Nobility, is deeply feared by us Three Great Clans. No one has ever tried to outsmart Old Master Xuu and won."

As his father said this, Chen Zhenjun couldn't help but let out a soft gasp of alarm. This was information known only to the highest echelons of the Republic, past and present. If his father hadn't told him just now, he would have had no idea. With these words, Chen Zhenjun understood that he probably didn't need to worry about Chen Fei anymore. After all, Old Master Xuu operated on a level far beyond his own, far beyond the entire Chen Family as it stood today. Still... to have never lost, not even once? That sounded too incredible to be true, didn't it?

「Meanwhile, in the mansion of the Old Sunx Family in Forty-Nine City.」

Several gray-haired elders were gathered in a conference room on the top floor. Their faces were either gloomy, expressionless, or cold, creating an extremely oppressive atmosphere in the room.

BANG!

Suddenly, an elder with liver spots on his face slammed his teacup onto the table. He swept a somber gaze over everyone present and said slowly, "Why the silence? Speak up. How should we deal with that ignorant brat?" This elder was none other than Sunx Long's grandfather, Sunx Qinian.

"What else are we to do but wait?" a mocking voice replied. "Second Brother, isn't everyone waiting for you to have your say? After all, he was *your* worthless grandson who died, not ours."

"Old Four, what do you mean by that?" Sunx Qinian shot to his feet, slamming a fist on the table. "My grandson was assassinated, and you're happy about it?" he roared at the speaker—his own younger brother, the fourth of their generation. Even for blood brothers, disputes were common in the circles of powerful families, and these two were clearly not on good terms.

"I wouldn't dare," the man called Old Four sneered. "But then again, Second Brother, you have plenty of grandsons. Losing one is no big deal, is it? Was it really necessary to call us all here with such fanfare?"

"You..." Sunx Qinian's expression turned ugly.

"Enough! What's all the arguing about?" an impatient, authoritative voice cut in. The speaker, an expressionless elder in the seat of honor, swept his gaze over the room. "Every time you two meet, it's the same bickering. Don't you ever get tired of it? Old Four, that incident was a long time ago. Can't you let it go?"

"Let it go?" Old Four's reaction was unexpectedly fierce. "Big Brother, do you think something like that is so easy to let go of? If he weren't my own brother," he snarled, his expression ferocious, "I'd cut his head off right now and offer it at Xinyi's grave!"

Sunx Qinian retorted with disdain, "It was just a woman. With the Sunx Family's status, what kind of woman can't we find?" So what if I accidentally killed her back then? He's making a mountain out of a molehill.

"'Just a woman'?" Old Four sneered back. "Of course, an old beast like you would think that way. In that case, there's no point in having this meeting. He has plenty of grandsons. So what if one is dead? We should at least wait until *all* of them are gone before we discuss it."

Ignoring Sunx Qinian's furious expression, the man known as Old Four rose from his seat, ready to leave.

"Old Four, sit down." The elder in the main seat spoke again, his voice cold and his brow furrowed. "You've said your piece. Don't go too far."

"Hmph!" Old Four snorted. Though visibly reluctant, he sat back down.

Seeing this, the elder in the seat of honor let his gaze sweep around the room again, finally landing on the man at the far end of the table who had been observing the scene in cold silence. "Old Five," he said blandly, "let's hear your opinion."

"Me?" The elder smiled with a hint of surprise and said casually, "Judging by Second Brother's mood, he certainly doesn't intend to let this slide, does he? If that's the case, do you want me to go to the Central Guard Bureau and demand they hand over the suspect? After all, one of the dead was a member of our Sunx Family. It would be justifiable for our Dragon Group to make the request."

This elder, it turned out, was a leader within the Dragon Group.

"But..." Upon hearing this, the elder in the main seat frowned, his white eyebrows knitting together. "I feel something isn't quite right here," he said, his tone uncertain.

"Not right? What isn't right?" Sunx Qinian couldn't help but ask.

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