Light Fortress
Chapter 375 - 61: Pawns and Players

Chapter 375: Chapter 61: Pawns and Players

After a short while,

the medical staff from the Gu family arrived, picked up the challenger, and took him away.

The villa area finally quieted down.

"Brother Gu, I’m impressed,"

Two groups stood on two rooftops, basking in the sunshine. Luo Yu smiled and said, "I initially thought these troubles would give you a headache for quite some time."

"Indeed, they did."

As Gu Shen sat on the rooftop watching Shen Li leave, he also smiled, "But I was pretty lucky... I encountered Shen Li."

The luck wasn’t bad.

Gu Shen wasn’t being modest... He was well aware that if Shen Li hadn’t come to challenge him, he really had no other options but to hide from these guys; otherwise, fighting them one by one wouldn’t be as simple as today.

Finding out the low-level instigators acting behind the scenes was meaningless.

Were they afraid of getting beaten?

No, they were afraid of getting beaten and gaining nothing from it!

If he were to act personally... even if this group got beaten up, they would still blow the matter up, just so they could later go to Han Dang to demand a "treasure"; but if it were Shen Li, it would be different.

It wasn’t just because the Iron Eaters are heavy-handed, it was also because fighting with Shen Li, as opposed to fighting with himself, was a completely different matter.

With Shen Li blocking the battles for Gu Shen, the challengers would only decrease in number.

If an S-class would confront them personally.

The number of opponents would only increase!

"You’ve mastered ’Spring Breathing’... How do you feel?" Gu Nanfeng asked with a smile.

"This breathing technique is top-notch." Gu Shen said seriously, "In just one day... my spiritual power has undergone a tremendous change."

One must admit.

Some people are truly genius.

Even after eight years of experiencing the North Continent and witnessing countless talents emerging from Blood Fire... Gu Nanfeng had to admit that in the realm of ’Dream’ and ’Spirit,’ no one could compare to the potential Gu Shen showed.

The moment Gu Shen entered the Spiritual Sensing Range of Lan Qie, Gu Nanfeng sensed the change in the young man’s spiritual power, which had become more cohesive and much stronger than the day before.

Partially, it was because Gu Shen had consolidated his own "New World."

And another part was because he was assimilating the essence of Divine Temple Mountain.

"I heard all about last night’s affairs."

Gu Nanfeng gently flicked the document, and as he let go, a gust of wind blew past.

The papers from these documents were whipped up by the wind in a mess.

Yet when they finally drifted to the Spring Rain Temple rooftop, they were neatly stacked, none missing, and swooped into Gu Shen’s palm.

Gu Shen glanced at them.

He couldn’t help but chuckle.

Last night, the only major family that didn’t show face was the Gu family, but in reality, the Gu family had been watching every move he made... Gu Shen was now curious about how many Wind Eyes covered Changye’s sky, and how many people had the authority to manipulate the Wind Eyes.

The Judgement Institute, the prison, the command center, and the Federation Security Committee, should all have the authority to use Wind Eyes.

And among the five major families, it seemed only the Gu family and the Bai family could manipulate Wind Eyes?

As for the Gong Mu and Li families... from last night’s meeting, it seemed they didn’t have the energy.

"By the way..."

Gu Shen put away the documents and asked with a smile, "The welcoming banquet prepared by the Gu family last night must have been lively, right?"

The Gu family didn’t attend, naturally, they had their reasons.

It wasn’t because of "pride" or arrogance.

But because the Gu family... had more important matters, as the future family head, who had been away for eight years, had finally returned to Changye. It was likely that both old and new factions were present.

"Lively."

Gu Nanfeng shook his head with a smile, looking towards Luo Yu, he said lightly, "But... it’s all fake."

...

...

The Gu family’s villa area in the northern suburbs of Changye is quite secluded.

But behind a few small villas, backing onto a small mountain, last night a heavy snow had fallen, covering the mountain path with a layer of white. In the distance, the faint sound of flowing water could be heard. Fatty Luo was indeed a clever individual; since the Young Master moved in, he had manipulated several seals to maintain the "temperature" around the villa area, preventing the snow from melting and keeping the mountain scenery from being too bleak.

Gu Shen and Gu Nanfeng walked alone on the mountain path.

This was their first time truly being alone together.

"Although Wind Eyes can see where you went, who you met... Wind Eyes can’t hear what you said to them."

"So that document only marked your whereabouts."

"Is this supposed to comfort me?" Gu Shen chuckled, "I know about the existence of ’Earth Worms’ too..."

Wind Eyes are for seeing.

And Earth Worms are for listening.

Gu Nanfeng chuckled dryly, "There are no secrets within Snow Forbidden City... I suppose that’s something we both know."

"Actually, isn’t it the same everywhere?"

He suddenly added, "As long as it’s connected to Deep Sea, there will be no secrets... We are billions of ants, wherever we go, there will be traces. The Federation has a thousand ways to know what we do every day, what we say."

Gu Shen looked slowly towards Gu Nanfeng.

This future head of the Gu family... with a casual tone, asked with a smile, "This is quite a sad realization, isn’t it?"

Gu Shen slowly lifted his head.

This scene, in fact, was also being watched by the Wind Eyes.

However... like Uncle Gao, when one’s power is strong enough, it’s possible to "blind" those annoying eyes in the sky watching oneself.

Even if the Federation knew, there wasn’t much they could say about it.

The fist is the biggest reason in Changye City.

If one believes this reason doesn’t hold.

It’s simple... it’s just that your fist isn’t hard enough.

"The reason we chose to talk here... is because there were precautions taken during its construction, there’s at least a bit of privacy available here." Gu Nanfeng gently tapped his wooden staff, a faint glow seeping out from between the trees.

There are ’Lanterns’ covering the houses in Da Du.

This villa area has similar devices too.

Besides that, add... the release of "Lan Qie’s" domain!

Gu Shen felt gusts of disordered wind sweeping over his head.

The "Wind Eyes" responsible for surveillance in the dome could only capture a swirling, chaotic airflow.

"Is this considered... a belated conversation from the Gu family?"

Seeing the spectacle, Gu Shen could not help but laugh; he remembered the scene from yesterday when those four families had summoned him for a discussion.

Indeed, this was the grand finale.

Better late than never.

He also knew... that a conversation about "himself" was inevitable with the Gu family sooner or later.

"It’s not that serious."

Nanfeng shook his head and said with a self-mocking smile, "After all... I probably don’t count as a Gu family member in the literal sense anymore."

Gu Shen was somewhat puzzled.

"You’re the same, and so am I. We came to Changye to stop the ’bill’."

He bluntly said, "The Awakening Bill cannot be passed in East Continent; as for other continents... my influence doesn’t extend that far, and I can’t manage them even if I wanted to. But at my own doorstep, I always have to try."

Gu Shen knew... it was probably last night’s dinner that had gone awry.

"To be honest, I felt very constrained during last night’s dinner."

Nanfeng said indifferently, "Both old and new factions were present... but rather than a welcoming meal, it felt more like two groups reacquainting and recounting old times, with everything happening being irrelevant to me."

That was the reason for his earlier self-mockery.

The lofty Young Master of the Gu family... returning to Changye only to be left with an empty title.

The only ones willing to serve him were the "Fatty Luo" who clung to old affections; others had never experienced the so-called authority of the Young Master.

That Brother Nanfeng didn’t view him as an outsider was truly evident in his willingness to share this news.

Gu Shen softly said, "It’s to be expected."

After leaving Changye for eight years.

Trying to return and assume the role of "Family Head" without showing off his powers, how could the Gu family’s original rulers easily concede and submit?

"I don’t care about the title of Family Head."

Nanfeng slowly stated, "What concerns me is negotiating the bill... but now the interesting part is, if I don’t care about the title of ’Family Head,’ then there’s no way I can have a say in the negotiations."

This was indeed interesting.

But also very true.

"What has Brother Nanfeng decided to do?"

"Actually, I have some old friends in North Continent..." Nanfeng said with a light laugh, "But when I left, I rejected many kind gestures and pleas, so this time returning, I’m not planning to utilize the connections from North Continent."

He didn’t tell Gu Shen exactly what status and influence he held in North Continent.

His file CN021 was highly classified.

But Gu Shen understood... the "determination" behind Nanfeng’s words.

In North Continent, he was the capable subordinate of the Rust Bone General, a prominent leader in any fortress.

And back to his homeland.

Nanfeng had discarded all that North Continent had once honored him with.

Since he chose to leave.

Then... he must resolve the issues in his own way.

"I may need some help."

Nanfeng looked at Gu Shen and said seriously, "The aid of Spring Breathing."

At this moment, Gu Shen faintly realized.

The first stop of Nanfeng’s return was not Changye, but "Da Du"... possibly because he had already anticipated today’s situation when he returned home earlier.

Fighting alone.

One must have teammates.

And Spring Breathing... was the most reliable and strongest ally one could find in East Continent.

Due to his pivotal role in turning the tide during the Angel Envoy conflict, Nanfeng had already built a substantial trust relationship with Lu Nan Jin; with the negotiations up north about the bill, Spring Breathing had no reason not to support it.

With Nanfeng’s return to Changye, he brought three people.

Gu Shen, Lu Nan Jin, and Xing Yun.

None of these three were mere ordinary individuals.

Take Gu Shen, the least conspicuous of them all... on the surface, he was a Judgement Envoy of the Judgement Institute, but in reality, those who understood the whole picture and knew what this S-ranked individual had experienced after being positioned in Da Du were very clear.

In a sense, Gu Shen was a significant chess piece for Spring Breathing.

His every word and action were related to Spring Breathing.

The "Mrs. Lu" was monitoring the movements in Changye from a thousand miles away.

"How do you want Spring Breathing to help?" Gu Shen squinted his eyes and asked.

"I need Spring Breathing to stand behind me," Nanfeng stated earnestly.

"What do you mean by standing out?"

"Actually, it’s simple... Spring Breathing is far, yet also near."

Nanfeng calmly stated, "In Changye, you, she, and he... are Spring Breathing."

He took a deep breath and asked, "Can you convince Mrs. Lu of this?"

Gu Shen smiled.

He clearly understood Nanfeng’s intention.

Three "young people" who had traveled from Da Du were like three extending hands of Spring Breathing.

Potential, economy, technology.

Many influential figures in Changye certainly viewed themselves as chess pieces.

Heavy chess pieces.

But they would never know...

They were not chess pieces.

But chess players.

"No problem," Gu Shen said slowly. "Spring Breathing will stand behind you."