Light Fortress
Chapter 186 - 173 Reporter

Chapter 186: Chapter 173 Reporter

"There’s an Extraordinary Aura amiss in the reception room..."

Gu Shen, who had been monitoring the whole scene, suddenly furrowed his brow.

"Deep Sea, bring up the surveillance."

Deep Sea, which had maintained a constant connection, unexpectedly lost response at this moment and even the private communication channel went silent.

This situation was not unfamiliar to Gu Shen.

It was Chu Ling who helped him block the signals when he infiltrated the South Bay Building.

Previously, when he indirectly clashed with Xiao at the Freedom Hall, Gu Shen speculated that Xiao could use Deep Sea’s bugs for some private link. The moment Deep Sea lost control, Gu Shen reacted; he put on his hat and quickly left through the security passage to the reception room on the second floor. This place had the widest view, with Chi Huo monitoring the whole scene from the chandelier... yet it detected no sign of a strange Spiritual Aura.

Gu Shen aided his observation with his naked eye.

However, he did not see anything out of the ordinary—

"Hello, hello, hello—"

The voice came over the private channel; in the mere ten seconds it took for Gu Shen to ascend the stairs, the connection was restored.

"What just happened?"

Lu Nanjin frowned and looked up. She discreetly exchanged glances with Gu Shen on the first floor of the reception room and asked, frowning, "The private channel lost connection?"

"The connection with Deep Sea is unstable... I don’t think it’s an accident..." Gu Shen murmured his thoughts, "Even after a thorough investigation, it’s possible that Xiao has infiltrated the venue in some other way."

"The connection dropped just now, has Xiao made his move?" Lu Nanjin’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly.

"I didn’t capture any anomalies... but we can’t rule out that possibility..."

Gu Shen noticed that one person in the private channel had remained silent throughout, so he tentatively asked, "Teacher?"

The old man, far from the buzz of the reception room, had his hands spread out, sitting in a rear seat of the concert hall. Hearing Gu Shen’s voice, he slowly opened his eyes, his tone lazy as if waking up from a nap, "Relax... Network fluctuations and disconnections are common. If anything were to happen, it would have happened by now."

Nan Jin and Gu Shen looked at each other.

They chose to remain silent in unison.

If Xiao indeed had temporary control over Deep Sea... then without a doubt, the private channel was also unsafe.

"Xiao wouldn’t make a move at this time." Zhou Jiren looked at the grand curtains drawn together in front of the main hall and said lightly, "Nothing has started yet... The main event is yet to come."

...

...

"Regarding the matter of our cooperation... I think I’ve made myself very clear."

On the second floor of the reception room, in a private chamber.

Lu Nanzhi sat on the sofa and earnestly said, "Mr. Chen, I do indeed need the help of the South Bay, but this must be based on equal standing and mutual respect."

"Of course." Chen San replied amiably, "As long as you truly hold an opposing stance... then South Bay will fully support you in the upcoming election."

Speaking as a replacement candidate was fraught with great risk.

Lu Nanzhi knew that once she spoke out, there would be no turning back. Standing opposite Zhao Xilai came with tremendous risks... The man held countless trump cards, formidable in power, and if not for the Federation’s restraint, Chen San’s parachuting in to prop up the South Bay Faction would mean the balance within Da Du had long ceased to exist. Now, wishing to wrestle with Zhao Xilai, she had to rely on outside forces.

"Money, resources, manpower... Once we become allies, South Bay will put forth all its effort." Chen San sincerely said, "Regarding the case from ten years ago... I had already heard about it. Huazhi was originally yours, and from any perspective, reclaiming what was lost is justifiable."

What a heartwarming statement.

It’s a pity that this statement... would never have been heard from Chen San’s lips if she hadn’t been opposed to the Awakening Bill.

Lu Nanzhi spoke softly, "Regarding Huazhi and the past... I do intend to pursue it, but it may be different than what you imagine. I don’t harbor as much hatred towards the Zhao Family as you think."

"... Oh?" Chen San was somewhat surprised.

"My father’s greatest wish and aspiration were for Huazhi to gather the talented and elite of the Dadu District, pioneers who could push forward the progress of our times, and make a contribution to humanity..."

"Perhaps you think everything I’m doing is to retaliate against Zhao Xilai..."

Lu Nanzhi spoke softly, "But in reality, it isn’t. I simply hold a different stance, and that’s why I’ve taken a different path. It’s not out of a deliberate desire for revenge or bearing humiliation in wait for today’s counterattack."

"After my father passed away, there was no one more suitable than him to take over. And Huazhi did indeed thrive under his management, reaching the pinnacle of the world. In this respect, I owe him thanks."

Chen San’s expression was complex.

Even though he had done a lot of homework beforehand, he still felt he had underestimated the woman before him...

"Regarding the case at Lion Alley..." Chen San said quietly, "I’ve heard some rumors..."

"The perpetrator of the Lion Alley bloodbath hasn’t been found." Lu Nanzhi calmly said, "I have a multitude of anger and hatred in my heart for the killer who murdered my father. I know what the outside rumors are... they all think Zhao Xilai did it, right?"

Chen San remained silent.

Lu Cheng had a very close friendship with Zhao Xilai, deeply rooted with age, and in the board of directors of the Huazhi Building, Zhao Xilai also held the largest share of stocks next to Lu Cheng. Hence, after the Lion Alley bloodbath... he naturally became the owner of "Huazhi."

"I too was boiling with rage, wanting to find Zhao Xilai and take him down."

Lu Nanzhi’s eyelids drooped, "Because... everyone hopes he’s the murderer, including me."

Chen San didn’t expect terms like "take down" to come from Lu Nanzhi’s lips... but he quickly adjusted, realizing that she was not an ordinary woman; her actions and methods were closer to that of a man.

"That’s why the arranged marriage came into being... To me, the word ’marriage’ has no meaning. I was aiming to get close to, and then take down, Zhao Xilai when I chose that engagement," Lu Nanzhi stated indifferently. "It was a childhood betrothal set a long time ago. Later, everyone opposed it, except for the Zhao Family. They had no reason to oppose it."

Chen San’s face took on a strange expression.

Indeed... who could refuse a woman like Lu Nanzhi?

On the other hand, it must be said that Zhao Qi is nothing but a pile of worthless mud, a pile of dog shit that can’t be plastered to the wall.

To this day, Chen San is still unwilling to accept that his wife and Zhao Qi are nominally husband and wife... These two are simply, intolerably mismatched.

"If Zhao Xilai refuses this arranged marriage, then there’ll be no need to wait for the investigation into the true culprit of the Lion Alley incident. No matter what the truth is, I will definitely pin the blame on him, set my sights on him, and try every means to take him down," Lu Nanzhi murmured softly, "But after entering Huazhi... that’s when the real pain begins, because if one truly seeks the truth, one may discover..."

"The truth... often differs from what everyone expects..."

Chen San knew that only after the marriage alliance with the Zhao Family did the title "Madame" slowly start to reverberate throughout Da Du... If Zhao Xilai were truly the mastermind behind Lion Alley, any slip in these ten years would not have escaped Lu Nanzhi’s determined, skilled grip, and the situation would never have unfolded as it had today.

It can only be said that these past ten years of interaction

Made Lu Nanzhi reluctantly accept a truth... The biggest beneficiary of Lion Alley was not the mastermind behind it.

...

...

While everyone’s attention was drawn to the ballroom, someone sneaked up to the second floor.

Jiang Wan was carrying her dress, secretly leaving the noisy reception room and heading towards the second floor. Wearing such a grand gown was really troublesome... it was not conducive to moving freely.

A miniature pinhole camera was embedded in her pendant, recording the current scene in real time.

Though she hailed from a top-tier, famous family in Da Du.

She harbored a rebellious spirit and longing for freedom within her... Hiding her real identity, she willingly became an obscure reporter at the Dadu Evening News.

The last investigation in the old city district had ended in an accident, unresolved...

But this time, the opportunity arose again... Her colleagues at the newspaper, lacking invitations, could only interview people outside the hall, trying to scoop up some news.

But she was different.

Who would have thought that within the ranks of meagerly paid 996 journalists, there would be a wealthy princess with an invitation to the Freedom Ball?

After entering the reception room, Jiang Wan’s gaze fixed on Zhao Qi, but unlike the women who sought association for social climbing, she captured something anomalous with her sharp journalistic instincts... This playboy, who always featured as the center of attention in the Evening News yearly, had merely exchanged a few hasty pleasantries with acquaintances before rushing out of the reception room.

And he seemed anxious, too?

Where was he going?

Jiang Wan followed quietly and upon reaching the second floor, she noticed Zhao Qi seemed to be hesitating in front of a door.

...

...

The conversation was coming to an end.

Chen San stood up and shook hands with the madame.

"Let’s end today’s conversation here. I hope for a pleasant collaboration in the future," he said.

The madame nodded and replied offhandedly, "A pleasant collaboration... Give my regards to Ye Ningqiu."

If it hadn’t been for the meeting at Freedom Hall, where Ye Ningqiu willingly gave up the election to bet on a surprise attack, there wouldn’t have been such an effective ambush, nor would there have been the opportunity for both parties to sit down for a serious, in-depth discussion.

Chen San was about to speak with a smile when he suddenly looked towards the door.

There were faint footsteps outside—

"Who’s there?"

He frowned.

Someone slowly knocked on the door.

"It’s me, Zhao Qi."

Hearing Zhao Qi’s voice, Chen San relaxed a little.

In a way, Zhao Qi could be considered a partner of his.

To Chen San, Zhao Qi was a person he needed to draw in and maintain good relations with. The tenser the relationship between South Bay and Huazhi, the more he needed to stay on good terms with Zhao Qi...

Therefore, when Chen San learned Zhao Qi was looking to conduct some business, he immediately sent his nephew to make contact.

The difficult struggle between South Bay and Huazhi had one silver lining—the future heir of Huazhi was a good-for-nothing.

That was contingent on Zhao Xilai not changing his will—

Now that the will had been withdrawn, many people in South Bay lamented, and Chen San was no exception.

Chen San stood up to open the door and when he saw Zhao Qi, he was taken aback for a moment and asked with concern, "Mr. Zhao... why does your face look a bit swollen?"

"It’s nothing, just some swelling from sleeping too long..."

Zhao Qi laughed it off. He had always had a good impression of Chen San because during some of the difficult moments when his finances were strained, South Bay had given him quite a bit of help... He found it very hard to dislike this member of parliament.

"I want to have a chat with... her."

Zhao Qi stood at the door, not entering, for he still found it impossible to call out Lu Nanzhi’s title.

To call her by her full name... felt too detached.

And anything more intimate... like wife or Nanzhi, was simply not a title he had the right to use.

Chen San patted Mr. Zhao’s shoulder with a friendly smile and stepped aside to make way.