Chapter 118: This Is a Trap

"We don't have that."

Although he didn't know what Liu Qianqian meant by "that," Qin Xuan answered with absolute certainty. Clearly, aside from coughing up a few dozen taels of blood that afternoon, it seemed nothing else had happened.

"Are you sure?" Liu Qianqian remained sullen. "Tell me, do you know what the trial my master assigned to me is?"

"What is it?" Qin Xuan was a bit curious.

"It's... hmph, I'm not telling you."

Liu Qianqian ran off in a huff.

Qin Xuan looked at her retreating back, feeling baffled. He wondered what was wrong with this girl. Had watching Korean dramas all day rotted her brain?

Sigh, those Korean things were truly harmful; that seemed to be the only explanation for now.

...

The weather cleared up, the military training continued, and time flowed on.

Ever since Li Shihao kicked the bucket, Qin Xuan's life had become much more peaceful. The Li family, however, was in dire straits. Not only had Li Shihao been scared to death, but the combined assault from the Zhao and Su families—attacking on economic, media, and policy fronts—had pushed the family to the brink.

A few days later, the Jinling Li family's influence collapsed entirely, shocking the whole nation.

Even forces as far away as Yanjing turned their gaze toward this situation. The Wang family was a premier clan in Yanjing. The family patriarch was a founding father who had survived the war years, holding immense power and influence within the central government.

On the surface, there were only two families in all of China capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Wangs, and one of them had been crushed years ago—that was the Wang family’s proudest victory.

At this moment, in the Wang family hall, one man sat while another stood. Several ancient paintings hung on the surrounding walls, showcasing the patriarch's penchant for such things.

The man seated was middle-aged. As he sipped tea, he asked indifferently, "Zixi, the Jinling Municipal Committee Secretary, Li Tianze, has stepped down. What is your take on this?"

Standing before him was a young man in his early twenties—Wang Zixi, the most dazzling talent of the Wang family's younger generation.

"Father, I believe this is a trap."

"Oh? What kind of trap is it?" The middle-aged man’s expression remained calm.

Wang Zixi analyzed, "The downfall of Li Tianze cannot be discussed in isolation. The bankruptcy of the Li consortium, combined with the collapse of the Li family’s loan company that has caused such an uproar in Jinling—all of this must be analyzed together. The fact that the Li family collapsed in such a short time only proves one thing: they lacked a greater backing. Big fish eat little fish, and little fish eat shrimp; that is the trap I am referring to. Father, our Wang family is no stranger to this trap either, but we are different from the Jinling Li family. The Li family was buried in a pit dug by others, whereas we have the power to dig pits for others."

The middle-aged man nodded calmly. "Well said. And what do you make of Li Shihao’s death?"

Wang Zixi smiled. "That, too, is a trap."

"Oh? And what kind of trap is that?" The middle-aged man became slightly curious.

"Perhaps it is only a small trap, but it could also be a world-shaking one," Wang Zixi said with a solemn expression. "I carefully studied the information sent from Jinling and discovered a suspicious point."

"Speak."

"Li Shihao was scared to death; many doctors have verified this. As a member of the Jinling elite, ordinary things could never scare him to death. Something extraordinary must have happened that day. The testimony from that person named Hua Tianjiao claims she was knocked unconscious by someone before Li Shihao died. I believe that is the key. I specifically sent people to gather information, and all signs indicate that the person is connected to the cultivation world. More importantly, his name is Qin Xuan."

The middle-aged man took a sip of tea, his eyes filled with appreciation as he said, "Zixi, your observation is excellent. I think this matter can be left for you to handle. As you said, this could very well turn into a massive, earth-shattering trap."

Wang Zixi smiled again. "You flatter me, Father. But the situation is still unclear, and it requires deeper investigation. By the way, Father, someone from Jinling came to me for help yesterday. I didn't give an answer yet, as it wasn't convenient."

"Oh? Who is it?" The middle-aged man asked while sipping his tea.

Speaking of this, Wang Zixi deliberately lowered his voice. "The patriarch's illegitimate daughter married and had a child in Jinling. They seem to have been caught up in the fallout of the Li family’s collapse. I looked into it; the boy's name is Wang Xiang, and he is currently in the same school as Qin Xuan. Why not protect him and have him focus on gathering information on Qin Xuan?"

"Fine."

The middle-aged man nodded. "Zixi, you don't need to report such matters to me in the future. As long as you feel it is right, proceed."

Wang Zixi’s face lit up. Did this not mean his power within the Wang family had grown even greater? It seemed his father truly had intentions of handing the entire family over to him to manage.

"Yes, I understand."

With that, Wang Zixi happily retreated to contact Wang Xiang.

The middle-aged man continued to sit and sip his tea, his face revealing nothing of his thoughts. Like the old fox he was, he would not easily reveal his mind, even before his own son.

"Qin Xuan? Heh."

The middle-aged man murmured softly as he took a sip of tea.

...

While the winds and clouds swirled in Jinling, Qin Xuan’s life remained calm. The two-week military training finally came to an official end that afternoon.

"Hey, girl, come here."

On the path from the sports field to the school gate, Qin Xuan continued to tease Liu Qianqian.

Liu Qianqian was walking with Dongfang Qingwan. Hearing him, she looked over, very vigilant. "What for?"

Hearing her question, Qin Xuan chuckled. "You’re asking me what for? For doing it!"

"Go to hell! You big pervert!"

Liu Qianqian looked at him with utter disdain, pulling Dongfang Qingwan away.

Qin Xuan scratched his head. Recently, he felt Liu Qianqian had been acting strangely. He didn't know which wire had gotten crossed, but she kept stealing "resentful" glances at him, making him feel embarrassed.

When he asked, she wouldn't talk, so Qin Xuan could only guess: Was she jealous because of the day he spent with Su Muqing?

If that were the case, the girl must have downed several bottles of vinegar lately, because Su Muqing had been seeking him out every chance she got, and to outsiders, it certainly looked like a fiery affair...

So, whenever he had the chance, Qin Xuan would tease Liu Qianqian to soothe her wounded heart.

Just then, Dongfang Qingwan suddenly beckoned to him, her smile as bright as a flower. "Qin Xuan, come over here."

The tone was exactly the same as the one Qin Xuan had used on Liu Qianqian just moments ago.

Qin Xuan realized instantly: this girl wanted to help Liu Qianqian take revenge. Lately, Dongfang Qingwan had been sticking with Liu Qianqian, becoming much livelier and more outgoing than before, and she had even joined forces with her.

"What for?"

Qin Xuan asked with a smile, thinking it would be hilarious if she replied with "for doing it."