Light Fortress
Chapter 172 - 159 Thieves of the Banner

Chapter 172: Chapter 159 Thieves of the Banner

"Nan Jin’s speech during the council election had a very serious impact on the advancement of the Awakening Bill..."

"West Continent Light City plans to withdraw its funding from Huazhi for the Awakening Bill."

"The Lin Family from the Northern Fortress also contacted the office."

Luoying Path.

An old man and a young one.

Cui Zhongcheng pushed the wheelchair and whispered, "The phone lines on the top floor of Huazhi have been overloaded. They all express the same thing; they want to withdraw from the ’New World’ cooperation and have serious reservations about the bill’s competitiveness."

"Though you really don’t want to hear this, I must say... the current situation is very unfavorable for us."

Zhao Xilai appeared to be asleep, sitting quietly in the wheelchair, silently listening.

"Looking back now, the meeting at Freedom Hall was a decoy... Nan Jin deceived both you and me. Until she stepped onto the stage, everyone believed the three alternate candidates from South Bay withdrawing their candidacy was a compromise."

Mr. Xiao Cui said, "Retreat and gather strength. This was a clean and decisive strike."

It had to be said.

This strike was beautiful.

And... very painful!

After the council election process, the public election group of the East Continent Council would give a unified vote result... Actually, the result of this election no longer needed to be tallied; only Nan Jin remained.

And the time left for the bill’s supporters was running out.

Once Nan Jin took office, the final vote that would overthrow the bill would be cast...

"The unified vote result from the public election group will take one week. Nan Jin formally taking the council seat will take one week. At most, we have two weeks." Cui Zhongcheng said slowly, "If we can persuade her to change her vote in these two weeks, the bill can still pass."

"Temporary defecting is not a big deal."

Zhao Xilai extended a hand, signaling Cui Zhongcheng to stop pushing.

They stood in the middle of the leaf-covered path.

The old man watched as a withered leaf slowly fell, "In past struggles... being deceived and betrayed are common occurrences, and I have long been used to it. When such situations arise, there’s no need to be anxious, as there’s always room for negotiation, no more than making some concessions. As long as enough interests are given, the other party will willingly submit again."

"But this time... it’s different..."

Zhao Xilai caught the withered leaf with his palm and smiled, "Who else can offer more to Nan Jin than I have?"

Cui Zhongcheng opened his mouth but remained silent.

"I—I gave her all of Huazhi’s future—"

Zhao Xilai’s voice gradually faded, "Perhaps because as my life is nearing its end, I always unconsciously recall past events, and my emotions become more sentimental... I have always regarded her as my own daughter... and always expected her to take over this vast enterprise..."

"The fledgling spreads its wings and flies high."

"Now, she has grown up and become the ’lady’ of Da Du."

Zhao Xilai smiled contentedly, "But at the final moment of ’inheritance,’ such a thing happened..."

"Xiao Cui, do you think I haven’t treated her well enough?"

"..."

Cui Zhongcheng remained silent for a long time.

He was not one to lie.

"Sir Councilor, you have treated her as your own... everyone can see that." Mr. Xiao Cui said slowly, "But her father is Lu Cheng."

Zhao Xilai seemed momentarily disoriented.

He slowly clasped his hands, the withered leaf crushed in his palms with a crisp and dry sound.

"Lu... Cheng..."

Zhao Xilai lowered his head and mocked himself, "It’s been so long since I’ve heard that name... It used to be the name of my best old friend, and now I feel strange hearing it..."

"Turns out you want to remind me that Huazhi should have been hers in the first place..."

The old man’s tone carried no anger, just a light wistfulness.

"Indeed."

Zhao Xilai smiled, "If she had buried her hatred over these years, every time she saw me, she should have felt like she was looking at a thief; I stole Lu Cheng’s property, dreams, everything."

"The bionic pods underground in Huazhi, the gene laboratories, countless design manuscripts, those grand, magnificent, and awe-inspiring ideas and concepts, those inventions and creations that made Huazhi famous across the Five Continents... I stole them all."

"Every time people were astonished by Huazhi and proud of it, the one enjoying all this praise was not her father but a thief like me."

The old man muttered.

"Lu Cheng died, dying in obscurity and buried on a small hill in the old town. All these years, I have pretended not to know the location of that grave, pretending to forget everything about this old friend."

"Do you know why?"

Cui Zhongcheng looked at the old man muttering dreamily and shook his head.

"Because... for the name Lu Cheng... no ending is better than dying in obscurity."

The old man raised his head, releasing his palm, and fragments of the withered leaf fell.

"A madman who tried to subvert the world order, being able to die with dignity and leave behind a pristine name, is already a luxury."

Cui Zhongcheng furrowed his eyebrows.

"Lu Nanjin also returned to Da Du. Clearly... she came back to seek revenge on me," Zhao Xilai said softly, "I had anticipated this day for a long time, just didn’t expect it to come so soon..."

Ten years passed in a blink.

"What exactly happened in the Lion Alley case back then?" Cui Zhongcheng asked slowly.

He got no response.

"Does it still matter what happened in Lion Alley back then? The outcome is already decided, Lu Cheng died in that alley."

Zhao Xilai said indifferently, "If they believe the Lion Alley case was my doing, then... let them believe it..."

Cui Zhongcheng knew.

After Lu Cheng’s death, Huazhi underwent a major reshuffle.

During that time, he left Da Teng Academy, joined the Zhao Family, and experienced battle after battle... cleansing old subordinates and nurturing new confidants anew; Zhao Xilai took several years to completely destroy and rebuild Lu Cheng’s efforts.

Everything on this land, except for the banner being old, was new.

"You just said... two more weeks?"

"Two weeks’ time is enough." The old man closed his eyes, dispelling the faint sorrow and agedness from his face. He held his breath and said coldly, "Inform Light City and the Lin Family that regarding the Awakening Bill’s promotion, Huazhi will definitely secure it."

"Yes."

Cui Zhongcheng looked at the aged, exhausted, old lion.

Only two weeks left... was this the final battle?

"Take me to meet Nanzhi." Zhao Xilai slowly opened his eyes, the previously harsh air gradually dissipating as his eyes opened.

He said softly, "I don’t want to provoke a war... this matter should have a gentler resolution. If we meet, everything can still be negotiated."

...

...

(Only one Chapter tonight.)