Chapter 754 - 703: Presumptuous! (3)
"A single general’s victory is built on ten thousand bones. Under the rule of kings, vengeful spirits are a constant companion! Don’t you understand this principle, Master Hua?"
Facing Hua Xiaotian, Wang Anshi gritted his teeth and continued, "Indeed, there’s no denying this is an insane plan! But tell me, Master Hua, do we have any other choice? Gamble that Qin Fan won’t settle the score when he returns? Bet that he won’t harbor a grudge over this backstabbing plot? If he decides to seek revenge for the slightest grievance, who can bear the consequences? And one more thing, Master Hua, if he really does retaliate, you will be the first to fall! Have you no concern for your own safety?"
"If Qin Fan wants my life for betraying him, then I, Hua Xiaotian, will wash my neck and offer it up willingly! After all, I owe him. Without him, I could never have broken through the Transformation Realm to reach the Gang Realm. Without him, during those days in Japan, ten thousand lives wouldn’t have been enough to save me! For the greater good, I betrayed him once, and my conscience has been tormenting me ever since! As you all say, he poses a great threat, but from start to finish, what has he actually threatened? Are you all so eager to see an unrivaled, heaven-defying prodigy perish? Fortune and disaster hinge on a single moment. I refuse to let you turn Huaxia’s good fortune into a catastrophe! Whether for the greater good or for personal reasons, I oppose your ignorant, insane madness! This will be a disaster—a historic, catastrophic turning point! I’ll say it plainly: if you carry out this foolish plan, you will become traitors to the nation!"
As he finished, the rarely emotional Hua Xiaotian could no longer contain his fury and began to roar, showing no restraint despite the high status of the men before him. He was tired, exhausted to the brink of a mental breakdown.
"Insolence!"
The moment Hua Xiaotian’s words fell, three of the elders slammed their hands on the conference table and bellowed in unison. If Hua Xiaotian could disregard their status and speak such treason, they certainly wouldn’t tolerate it because of his.
Insolence? Hearing the word, Hua Xiaotian gave them a mocking sneer and shook his head in derision.
"Heh..." That was his final word on the matter. With that, he turned and walked straight out of the room.
The few men left in the conference room, their faces either stoic or seething with fury, watched him leave after his derisive laugh. Only after Hua Xiaotian’s figure had completely vanished did Old Li roar again, "Look at him! Just look! This is what people from the Martial Arts World are like! They don’t even have the most basic respect for the Forbidden City! And to think he, Hua Xiaotian, is the Guardian Institute Director, yet he uses his glib tongue to defend that menace! What does that make the Forbidden City!"
"Enough!" At this, Wang Anshi, his expression darker than ever, also slammed his hand on the table.
"Old Wang, let’s vote," Old Jiang said slowly after a pause. "Qin Fan must be eliminated! This is our best chance!"
"Vote on what?" Wang Anshi retorted.
"Uh...!" Hearing this, the other elders froze. What does he mean? Is he playing dumb, or is he canceling the plan?
Before they could say another word, Wang Anshi sighed softly to himself. "Let’s put an end to this," he said. "After Qin Fan returns, I will find time to meet with him. Master Hua is right. We cannot turn what should be Huaxia’s good fortune into a disaster. Perhaps we were wrong from the very beginning. If Qin Fan wants an explanation, then we’ll give him one!"
With that, Wang Anshi rose from his chair, seeming to age a great deal in that single instant.
"Old Wang!" cried the other elders in unison, completely baffled by his sudden reversal.
"Say no more. My mind is made up! So be it," Wang Anshi said, raising a hand to silence them. "Perhaps I won’t accomplish any great feats, but I want to do everything in my power to avoid becoming a sinner. Master Hua’s words deeply affected me. From the start, we viewed this whole affair with prejudice. We were wrong... so wrong."
After his self-deprecating words, Wang Anshi, his resolve now firm, walked out of the conference room.
「Ten thousand meters up in the sky, on a flight bound for Huaxia.」
"Move your filthy trotters! You’re blocking my way!" Su Aiyu, who had been stewing in turmoil for hours, unbuckled her seatbelt, stood up, and snapped at the person next to her.
Not bothering to stoop to her level, Qin Fan simply retracted his legs with a cold huff.
Only then did Su Aiyu begin to walk down the aisle. As she passed, however, she deliberately and provocatively kicked her foot out, aiming to strike his.
SMACK!
The impact, however, failed to elicit any reaction from Qin Fan. Instead, it sent her stumbling forward, and she nearly fell flat on her face. Fortunately, her reflexes kicked in, and she grabbed onto a nearby seat at the last second, sparing herself the humiliation.
"Stop your little tricks. Remember, pitiable people often have a despicable side," Qin Fan said calmly, his eyes still covered by his eye mask.
"You son of a bitch," Su Aiyu hissed, gritting her teeth and fighting the urge to beat him senseless. "You’d better pray you never fall into my hands! If you do, I’ll show you what ’pitiable’ and ’despicable’ really mean!"
In response, Qin Fan just shook his head noncommittally and didn’t bother to reply. She was destined to be nothing more than a passerby in his life, and he couldn’t be bothered to waste any more words on her.
Receiving no reply, Su Aiyu felt as if she’d landed a full-force punch on a wad of cotton. Giving up in frustration, she turned and headed for the restroom.
"Oh, no! No! No! No!"
Shortly after Su Aiyu walked toward the restroom, a series of miserable howls echoed through the cabin. Just outside the door, she was raining furious punches and kicks on a Caucasian man. Within moments, amidst the pitiful cries, the man was rolling on the floor, his face bruised and swollen.
"Did that feel good? Did you enjoy that, huh? Go to hell!" she raged, her slender leg sweeping viciously toward the man’s groin. "You really picked the wrong person to mess with today!"
"Help me! Help me! Help me!" the man screamed in agony. He was so overwhelmed by the brutal assault that he couldn’t even find the strength to struggle or fight back.
If he could have a do-over, he would never have flashed that "charming" wink at the Huaxia woman. But there were no do-overs, and he never could have imagined she was setting a trap. When she had responded to his alluring gaze with a bewitching wink and a mysterious smile, he thought his charm had broken through her reserve. But the nightmare began the moment his paw touched her. She had instantly countered with a martial arts throw that slammed him to the ground and then began this merciless beating, leaving him utterly defenseless.