Light Fortress
Chapter 240 - 216: Lion Alley Night (Part I)

Chapter 240: 216: Lion Alley Night (Part I)

"""

The sound of crying in the hospital ward was sporadic, and it was hard to imagine that it came from a man.

It sounded... so pathetic.

The old man calmly watched his son.

There was no disappointment in his eyes.

Without hope, there would not be disappointment.

"I... don’t want to go to the North Continent..."

Zhao Qi lifted his head, tears streaming down, and pleaded, "I want to stay in Dadu..."

Zhao Xilai’s expression did not change at all, he just quietly connected the incoming call.

"Hello,"

The voice on the other end trembled.

"Hello... Congressman, it’s me."

It was Liu Yi’s voice.

"I am now... in Madam’s courtyard. But the situation might not be quite as you expected."

Before Liu Yi’s neck hung an unsheathed silver knife, held by Nan Jin, who stood there with a cold expression, pressing against her back. The leaves of the banyan tree in the old courtyard rustled, with no other sound.

In the courtyard, Madam sipped tea, Song Ci and Gu Shen stood quietly on either side.

Liu Yi could feel the chilling glint of the silver knife near her neck... When Nan Jin left Dadu, she was just a little girl; now, ten years later, she had become a prominent figure among the younger generation of the Judgement Institute.

The knife’s faint threat made Liu Yi’s scalp tingle.

"Really?"

There was not much surprise on the call.

Zhao Xilai spoke softly, "You entered Lu Nanzhi’s courtyard, that’s already quite good."

Liu Yi gave a bitter smile, just about to speak.

"I guess there is a knife at your neck right now," Zhao Xilai said lightly, "It’s the knife of the little girl, Nan Jin."

This voice echoed in the courtyard.

Madam’s posture while drinking tea remained unchanged, Song Ci and Gu Shen exchanged a glance.

Nan Jin snorted coldly, gripping the knife more tightly.

Liu Yi felt the knife’s edge near her neck grow even colder, while Zhao Xilai, far away on the other side of Dadu, gently said, "At the last ball, I didn’t get a chance to say hello... It’s been ten years, how have you been?"

"Thanks to you. These ten years... have been fulfilling," Nan Jin said coldly.

"This knife should be at my neck," Zhao Xilai said indifferently, "Liu Yi is just following orders, there’s no need to make it hard for her... Why not let her go?"

"Just at the time of the congressman’s transition, at this critical juncture... sending a Transcendent to invade the courtyard, what are you trying to do? Do you really think we are fools and cannot guess?"

Song Ci stepped forward, coming to the communication device, and said, "Mr. Zhao, it’s not appropriate to just lightly say let her go at this time, right?"

"Liu Yi did not come to kill anyone..."

The old man paused and said, "I had another talk with Light City from the West Continent, the Lin Family from the North Continent. Regarding the law amendments... I have a new idea."

Madam calmly said, "You cannot make concessions."

"The Zhao Family cannot make concessions," Zhao Xilai said slowly, "My reputation, my promises, the countless subordinates behind me, and the great tower flying the grand banner... do not allow me to make concessions. However, in this negotiation, Light City and the Lin Family are willing to give the banner more time."

"More... time?"

"The law amendment can be postponed, again and again. This is the greatest concession I can offer, and I am still willing to reach this deal with you under the previous conditions..."

The word "deal" sounded icy cold.

"But the premise is, you no longer express strong opposition. You can declare neutrality like Changye City, abstain from voting. The draft of changing your stance... I’ve prepared it for you too." Zhao Xilai covered his lips, coughing forcefully, he pressed down his cough, trying to muster up his energy as much as possible so the other side of the call would not notice his weakness.

Change stance?

From opposition to neutrality...

It sounded absurd, but in reality, it was entirely feasible. In the matter of a major law amendment and important voting, any congressman has the right to go through more "careful" thinking, and make a more "prudent" decision.

Moreover, Madam no longer needed a stance to fight for her own interests. The competition for the alternate councilman was already without suspense.

"I refuse."

Still, without a hint of hesitation, Lu Nanzhi flatly refused.

"If you sent someone just to say this, I am really disappointed," Madam said slowly, "By the end of this week, I will take over as the third council member of Dadu District. My stance will not change."

"..."

More than just silence came from the other end of the line.

There was also an elderly, long, and helpless sigh.

"I sent Liu Yi to this courtyard because... the ’Angel Envoy’ from Central Continent has already arrived in Dadu District. The ’Angel Envoy’ from the Wine God of the Source Tower issued a final ultimatum this morning," Zhao Xilai said hoarsely, "The final three days... If the banner cannot make you change your stance, he will use his own means to end all this."

Madam’s hand, which was drinking tea, froze in the air.

"In fact... from my understanding of the ’Angel Envoy,’ they will never really wait three days. Once the banner takes no action, they might immediately make a move, which is why I sent Liu Yi," Zhao Xilai said solemnly, "The old town is a rare and ancient area for the ’Heavenly Eye,’ they might have already come."

"Even if there is a ’Heavenly Eye’ it would be useless. They cannot capture the ’Angel Envoy’s’ trace... Those people are extra-legal phantoms allowed by the Federation Government." Liu Yi extended two fingers, lightly pressing against Nan Jin’s knife blade, pushing it away carefully, she said cautiously, "Maybe not far from this courtyard, the ’Angel Envoy’ is watching us."

This sentence made everyone present break out in a cold sweat.

"’Angel Envoy’... What is that?"

It was the first time Song Ci had heard of this thing’s existence. The Sincere Heart Association helped the two council members deal with the intricate disputes of the underground Transcendent world, but it did not include events like the collapse of order. The rumors about the dark spot and related matters were currently only circulated among the upper echelons of officially established institutions.

Nan Jin released the knife.

Liu Yi breathed a sigh of relief, she quickly backed away from Nan Jin, leaning against the courtyard door, she said, "You don’t need to know what the ’Angel Envoy’ is, you just need to remember... this is not something we can fight against."

"Oh... is it really as powerful as you say?"

Song Ci rubbed his temples, his intuition was extremely keen.

"No wonder I always felt something was wrong, something was watching me."

From dusk till now, he felt a shadow in his heart, pressing it faintly.

The old banyan tree in the courtyard of Lion Alley was shining with golden light.

More than half of the lantern’s core was still there, but the flame began to flicker intensely, as if something was accelerating the lantern’s burning...

This was an item that blocked spiritual perception.

When spiritual power tried to peep into the courtyard, this lantern would burn itself to resist the invasion, and also serve as a warning.

What did it mean for the lantern flame to flicker so violently?

Liu Yi’s expression turned somewhat unsightly.

"Congressman..."

As a Spiritual Transcendent herself, Liu Yi vaguely felt the danger, but the conversation could not continue. The communication signal seemed to be interfered with and was forcibly cut off.

"""