National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

"All the relevant documents have been compiled and placed in this folder. One of the individuals has quite a history with you, Mr. Chu."

With that, she lightly stepped on the accelerator, and the car pulled away from the curb, merging smoothly into the endless stream of traffic.

Chu He nodded slightly and reached for the folder.

Upon opening it, he saw four photographs lying on top.

The people in the photographs were presumably the key figures from the four great families Liu Yuzhu had mentioned.

The first photograph showed a middle-aged man with his hair slicked back neatly.

He had a square, chiseled face with sharp, well-defined features. His expression was stern, possessing an air of authority without needing to show anger.

He wore a well-tailored suit that was pressed and looked brand new,

which further accentuated his distinguished air.

One could tell just from his eyes and the contours of his face

that he must have been a handsome and dashing man in his youth.

His name was clearly printed below the photo: Lai Jingyuan.

"So the one with the connection to me is Lai Yu Yao’s father, Lai Jingyuan?"

Chu He asked, holding the photograph and turning to look at Liu Yuzhu with a questioning gaze.

"That’s right."

Liu Yuzhu kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead and replied steadily, "The family supporting Lai Yu Yao is one of the four most renowned great families in the Great Xia Empire.

Her father, Lai Jingyuan, is the director of the Defense Department headquarters. He’s a man of high status and immense power,

and holds a pivotal position in the Empire’s military defense system.

The Lai Family’s sphere of influence is vast.

Their interests encompass over fifty percent of the Great Xia Empire’s key sectors,

and every single one is a highly profitable, lucrative industry.

You’ll find their presence in critical fields like energy, finance, and technology."

Liu Yuzhu paused for a moment before continuing, "The other three great families are the Murong Clan, the Li Family, and the Zhao Family.

The Murong Clan, in particular, is one to watch.

Lai Yu Yao’s stepmother is from the Murong Clan, and the one attending today’s meeting,

is Murong Xiang, the man responsible for the Great Xia Empire’s financial affairs.

He’s Lai Yu Yao’s stepmother’s biological brother.

The man is domineering and fiercely protective of his own.

Once, just because Lai Yu Yao accidentally splashed a cup of water on her stepmother, Murong Xiang flew into a rage

and threatened to cripple Lai Yu Yao on the spot, showing absolutely no mercy.

As her father, Lai Jingyuan obviously wouldn’t stand by and do nothing,

so he chose to confront Murong Xiang directly. The incident caused a major falling-out between them, and their relationship has been extremely tense ever since."

As Chu He listened to Liu Yuzhu’s account,

he carefully reviewed the documents in his hands,

gradually getting a solid grasp of the situation with the four great families.

He knew this meeting was bound to be a turbulent confrontation, full of hidden currents and challenges,

and that he had to be thoroughly prepared to take the initiative in this game of power.

Just as Chu He was about finished reviewing the files,

the car, driven by Liu Yuzhu, slowly approached the meeting venue.

It was a magnificent, imposing building,

surrounded inside and out by a heavy security presence.

Numerous Martial Artists in black suits, sunglasses, and earpieces patrolled like grim statues,

patrolling the perimeter. Their steps were synchronized, their gazes sharp and vigilant.

The slightest disturbance would not escape their notice.

The moment Chu He casually stepped out of the car,

it was as if a brilliant star had suddenly descended to earth,

instantly drawing the eyes of nearly everyone present.

This was especially true for the Martial Artists on security detail.

Their professional training normally allowed them to remain as calm as still water, no matter the situation,

but now, ripples of emotion disturbed their composure.

After all, the man standing before them was the strongest expert on Blue Star,

the one legendary man on the entire planet who had cultivated his Martial Arts to the absolute pinnacle.

To every person who practiced Martial Arts,

Chu He was like an unreachable summit,

an object of both their reverence and ambition.

How could they possibly remain calm and composed, now that they could witness his legendary presence with their own eyes?

"Mr. Chu, everyone from the four great families has arrived."

Liu Yuzhu followed gracefully behind Chu He.

She gently handed the car key to one of the security personnel.

The guard took the key, nodded respectfully, and went to park the car.

"Then let’s head in."

The corners of Chu He’s mouth curved up slightly,

revealing a faint, inscrutable smile that seemed to carry some hidden meaning.

Gao Liceng, who was beside them, was beaming with excitement,

as if she were heading to a massive party.

As it turned out, on the way there,

Chu He had specifically instructed Liu Yuzhu to drive slowly, circling the main roads of the Royal City several times,

deliberately wasting time so they would be late for the meeting.

Both Liu Yuzhu and Gao Liceng understood perfectly well

that Chu He was doing this on purpose.

His goal was to annoy the members of the four great families,

so that when they inevitably lost their patience and used his tardiness as a pretext to attack,

Chu He would have the perfect excuse to strike back.

This way, the meeting was guaranteed to be as dramatic as a spectacular play,

full of twists and turns.

Gao Liceng, in particular, followed along excitedly, full of anticipation.

Her mind was already running wild,

fantasizing about how thrilling the coming scenes would be, as if they were already unfolding vividly right before her eyes.

When the three of them entered the venue, they saw that in the center of the vast conference room

sat an antique-style round table.

The table, exquisitely crafted from the finest wood, gave off the faint scent of ink,

and it perfectly complemented the high-end, dignified atmosphere of the conference room,

like a priceless work of art, silently speaking to its long and luxurious history.

Seated at the head of the round conference table

was none other than Her Majesty the Queen of the Great Xia Empire, Lu Yinxing.

She was like a lustrous pearl, radiating a noble and majestic aura that made it difficult for others to look at her directly.

On her left and right sat four middle-aged men,

each one representing the highest echelons of power in the Great Xia Empire,

and displaying the fearsome authority of the four great families.

As Chu He, Gao Liceng, and Liu Yuzhu walked in,

the atmosphere in the room instantly grew tense.

A moment later, someone let out a heavy, displeased snort.

The sound cracked through the silent room like a clap of thunder.

Then, a passive-aggressive voice spoke up. "Mr. Chu, you may be the strongest expert on Blue Star,

and the pillar of our Great Xia Empire’s Martial Arts,

but that doesn’t give you the right to be so arrogant, does it?"

The speaker was a lean, wiry middle-aged man.

He had an aquiline nose, sharp as a hawk’s beak, and the rims of his eyes were slightly red,

as if he had just been stewing in a fit of rage.

His tone was caustic, and his expression was a smirk that wasn’t quite a smile.

He gave off an incredibly sinister impression,

like a venomous snake hidden in the shadows, flicking its tongue and waiting for the right moment to strike.