Chapter 308: The Empty House
Everyone was deeply disappointed, as they had all hoped Qin Tuo would become the Alliance Leader of the Martial Artist Alliance.
Clinging to a sliver of hope, Huang Zhen pressed on:
"Mr. Qin, if you don’t take the position of Alliance Leader, who else is qualified?"
Everyone present quickly nodded in agreement.
But Qin Tuo just glanced to the side and smiled faintly.
"I think Miss Qiangwei would be a perfectly suitable choice for the Martial Artist Alliance’s leader, don’t you?"
Upon hearing this, Qiangwei’s face filled with shock, and she instinctively moved to refuse.
However, just as she opened her mouth, Qin Tuo shot her a look, stopping her in her tracks.
Understanding the meaning in Qin Tuo’s eyes, Qiangwei immediately shut her mouth.
Huang Zhen, however, furrowed his brows slightly, clearly displeased.
The others present also adopted thoughtful expressions.
Seeing this, Qin Tuo cleared his throat.
"If Miss Qiangwei becomes the Alliance Leader of the Martial Artist Alliance, I believe it would be a well-deserved title. I fully support her taking the position!"
Qin Tuo deliberately stated his position, intending to win support for Qiangwei.
Sure enough, after Qin Tuo made himself so clear, Huang Zhen knew he had to follow suit and declare his own stance.
Thus, Huang Zhen nodded and said with a smile:
"Mr. Qin is right. Now that Liao Feiying is dead and Guan Zhengtian will likely be crippled, only Miss Qiangwei and I are left of the four leaders. I admit that I am not Miss Qiangwei’s equal, so of course, the position of Alliance Leader can only be ceded to her."
Hearing this, Qin Tuo revealed a satisfied smile. ’This Huang Zhen may be a sly old fox,’ he thought, ’but he sure knows how to play along!’
Beside them, Qiangwei quickly adopted a dignified posture, doing her best to step into the role of the Martial Artist Alliance’s Alliance Leader.
From that moment on, the Provincial City’s Martial Artist Alliance officially had a new Alliance Leader, and Qiangwei became the figurehead of the entire Provincial City’s Martial Arts Realm.
However, behind them, Long Wu watched Qiangwei’s back in silence, a hint of sorrow in his eyes.
He knew that the distance between himself and Qiangwei had just grown even greater.
Suddenly, Huang Zhen started laying on the flattery again.
"Mr. Qin, I just saw you kill that mysterious Warlock without breaking a sweat, and then you killed Liao Feiying right after. Such skill makes me incredibly envious!"
Qin Tuo just chuckled and replied casually:
"Not at all, Mr. Huang. You’re too kind."
Huang Zhen’s eyes lit up, and he decided to press his advantage.
"Mr. Qin, I greatly admire your skills. I was just wondering if I might be so fortunate as to receive a few pointers from you?"
Seeing how cooperative Huang Zhen had just been, Qin Tuo didn’t refuse.
He nodded and said:
"Alright. When I have time, I can give you some pointers."
Huang Zhen was overjoyed. He knew that with Qin Tuo’s level of power, just a few pointers would likely lead to a massive improvement for him.
However, Huang Zhen had no time at the moment. Liao Feiying was freshly dead and Guan Zhengtian had been crippled. The situation among the four great families had changed drastically, and he needed to hurry back to manage his family’s affairs and deal with the many coming changes.
So, Huang Zhen said regretfully:
"Mr. Qin, in that case, it’s settled. I will personally invite you to my home another day!"
Qin Tuo nodded without saying much.
Then, Huang Zhen turned and left with the rest of the Huang Family.
Watching Huang Zhen’s retreating back, Qin Tuo suddenly had a strange thought.
He couldn’t help but feel that while Huang Zhen spoke courteously, he seemed incredibly calculating. ’Or maybe it’s just my imagination,’ he mused.
Seeing that matters were concluded, Huo Jianqiang prepared to take his leave.
"Mr. Qin, please be careful. I’ll be going now..."
After saying that, he bade farewell to the others and departed.
Ouyang Feifei, however, chose to stay behind to keep her best friend, Chen Manni, company.
Just then, Qiangwei made a suggestion:
"Mr. Qin, why don’t we head over to the Liao Family estate? After all, with Liao Feiying dead, those other guys are probably getting ready to carve up the family assets. We’ll lose out if we’re late."
Qin Tuo couldn’t help but smile. ’Qiangwei really is a practical woman,’ he thought. ’All she thinks about is how to squeeze out more benefits.’
Thus, Qin Tuo nodded, and they all headed toward the Liao Family estate together.
In the car, Chen Manni and Ouyang Feifei lacked their usual liveliness. They both looked as if they were still shaken by lingering fear.
Qin Tuo noticed this and couldn’t help but ask.
"Oh? What’s wrong with you two? Why so quiet? I’m not used to this!"
Ouyang Feifei snapped back:
"Stop with the sarcastic comments, Qin Tuo. Can’t you see we’re in a bad mood?"
Now Qin Tuo was even more puzzled.
"Well, go on and tell me. Who upset you this time?"
Chen Manni finally shook her head and said seriously:
"What else could it be, Qin Tuo? It was those ghosts that Master Wu Jing released earlier. They were just too terrifying! Even now, thinking about it sends a chill down my spine!"
Only then did Qin Tuo realize they had been frightened by the resentful spirits Master Wu Jing had unleashed.
He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He said:
"Manni, didn’t I remember you saying you really wanted to see a ghost? How come you’re so scared now that you finally got the chance?"
Chen Manni shot Qin Tuo a fierce glare and retorted irritably:
"How is that my fault? How was I supposed to know ghosts were that terrifying?"
Beside her, Ouyang Feifei nodded in agreement.
"Mhm, ghosts are definitely terrifying. Even I got the creeps, so of course Manni would be scared."
At this, even Long Wu, who was driving, had to struggle to hold back his laughter, while Qin Tuo just burst out laughing.
Seeing Qin Tuo laughing at them, both Chen Manni and Ouyang Feifei shot him a fierce glare.
Qin Tuo stifled his laughter, patting Chen Manni on the head and said dotingly:
"Don’t be afraid, Manni. As long as I’m here, I can handle any little ghost that comes our way. I’ll never let them hurt you!"
Feeling Qin Tuo’s concern, Chen Manni’s heart instantly calmed down, and a sweet feeling blossomed within her.
Seeing this scene, Ouyang Feifei felt a complicated mix of emotions.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the Liao Family estate.
By now, upon hearing of Liao Feiying’s death, every member of the Liao Family had fled, leaving no one behind.
Thus, the grand mansion before them had become an empty house.
As the group arrived at the courtyard gate, they could see that the place was utterly deserted, exuding an air of desolation.
Chen Manni couldn’t help but hug her arms, saying fearfully:
"How can such a huge house not have a single living soul in it?"
Qin Tuo patted her shoulder, reassuring her not to be afraid.