134: Chapter 134 The Wang Family's Ambushes

Meanwhile.

Fengling City, the Wang Family Estate.

In the innermost courtyard, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt as if it might start dripping.

The door to the intensive care unit finally opened. The attending physician walked out, removed his mask, and let out a long sigh.

"The situation has stabilized."

The several people waiting at the door breathed a collective sigh of relief. But the physician's next sentence caused everyone's hearts to sink again.

"However, Wang Zhuo's foundation has been severely damaged." His voice was soft, yet it struck everyone's hearts like a hammer. "The meridians in his body were eroded by the Ice Soul Spirit-Devouring Insects for too long, causing multiple ruptures. Although his life was saved, returning to his previous level... will be very difficult."

"What do you mean by 'very difficult'?" A middle-aged man stepped forward, his voice carrying suppressed fury. "Are you saying that from now on, Zhuo'er will..."

"That's not what I meant," the attending physician quickly explained. "Recovery is possible, but it will take time, a vast amount of resources, and the finest natural treasures. And even if he recovers, I'm afraid..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but everyone present understood.

Wang Zhuo, the genius hailed as the "Number One Under Starlight," might never return to his peak.

The middle-aged man's expression was as gloomy as the sky before a storm.

His name was Second Elder Wang Chong, the current head of the Wang Family and Wang Zhuo's father.

"Everyone, to the meeting room." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority.

The meeting room in the deepest part of the Wang Family Estate was brightly lit.

The heavy oak doors closed, sealing out all external sounds.

Around the long conference table sat over a dozen members of the Wang Family's core circle.

There were white-haired elders, direct descendants in their prime, and managers in charge of various industries. Every one of them was a prominent figure in Fengling City, yet they all sat in silence now, the oppressive atmosphere making it hard to breathe.

At the head of the table, Second Elder Wang Chong sat with a thick stack of documents before him. He didn't speak, simply pressing a button on the table.

A massive screen at the front of the meeting room lit up.

On the screen was a photograph of a young man.

Qin Ce.

Beside the photo, information was listed in dense detail—

[Qin Ce, Male, 18 years old. Native of Yuntai Town. Father: Qin Shouyi (Deceased, member of the Yuntai Town Guard, died in the line of duty). Mother: Su Wan (Commoner, worker at the Yuntai Town Garment Factory). Younger Sister: Qin Jian (7 years old, not yet awakened).]

[Graduated from Fengling City Second Beast Taming High School. Contracted Pet Beast "Qingluan" upon awakening (Species unknown, suspected Divine Beast bloodline). Skipped grades to enter the First Battle Academy's senior Elite Class. Within three months, his solo squad points rose from tenth to second place.]

[Conflict with Wang Yu, dueled Wu Zhou to seize a squad badge, frequent interactions with Jiang Ruowei (relationship under investigation). During the beast tide, applied for transfer to Yuntai Town; rejected by the Special Inspection Office, but later approved after direct intervention from the City Lord's Manor.]

[Beast Tide Achievements: Killed the Raven King (lethal blow), ranked first in military merit below Bronze Rank, cumulative kills of over five hundred fierce beasts (including over fifty above Silver Rank and one Gold Rank).]

[Current Reputation: Rising hero of Fengling City, representative figure of the commoner class. Attention Level: Extremely high.]

[Future Potential Assessment: Guaranteed Star-Glow Rank, potential to reach Bright Moon Level. Predicted probability of becoming City Lord: 15%.]

A deathly silence filled the meeting room.

Everyone stared at the 15% figure on the screen with complex expressions.

15%.

This number was far too high for a commoner.

Even within their Wang Family, very few besides the Family Head and Wang Zhuo could achieve such a rating.

Second Elder Wang Chong's voice broke the silence: "A commoner pariah has stolen Zhuo'er's glory."

His tone was calm, as if he were merely stating a fact. But everyone could hear the suppressed rage beneath that calm.

"If not for this pariah, Zhuo'er would have secured this glory. Combined with that 15% probability of becoming City Lord..." He paused. "Zhuo'er would have had a 60% chance of being elected as the new City Lord during the next transition."

A series of suppressed gasps echoed through the room.

60%.

That was within arm's reach.

Second Elder Wang Chong stood up and walked to the window, his back to the crowd.

Outside, the lights of Fengling City flickered in the night sky.

"In three years, the Federation's Heavenly Ranking will reopen." His voice was low, as if talking to himself. "If Zhuo'er could secure a rank on the Heavenly Ranking and become the City Lord, it would be a certainty."

He turned around and looked at everyone present.

"We can't let Jiang Tianzong keep riding over our heads forever. Fengling City belongs to the people of Fengling. Our Wang Family has been rooted here for three generations; why should we let an outsider named Jiang suppress us?"

His voice grew louder: "Whether we can join the ranks of Federation-level families depends on this single chance. We must take the City Lord position and make all of Fengling City carry the name Wang—the Wang of our Wang Family!"

In the meeting room, everyone's eyes lit up.

Federal-level Family.

That was the promotion every local powerful clan dreamed of. Once they became a Federal-level Family, they would enter the Federation Council's field of vision, be able to mobilize higher-level resources, and obtain a ticket to a much broader world.

And the prerequisite for all of this was securing the position of Fengling City Lord.

Second Elder Wang Chong walked back to his seat and sat down, his gaze once again falling on Qin Ce's photo on the screen.

"Therefore, the most urgent task—" His voice turned cold. "—is to suppress this black sheep completely. We cannot allow this boy, who is already connected with the Jiang Family, to grow any further."

The atmosphere in the meeting room suddenly became sharp and fierce.

"I agree," said the first old man sitting to Second Elder Wang Chong's left.

He was the Great Elder of the Wang Family, Second Elder Wang Chong's uncle, and held a status second only to the Family Head.

"This Qin Ce has too much momentum right now. The commoners treat him like a hero, the military is full of praise for him, and even Jiang Tianzong has publicly singled him out for commendation. If he's allowed to receive all the rewards for graduating at the top of his class, a new commoner noble will truly rise."

"When that happens, and he joins forces with the Jiang Family, our advantages in the North will be eaten away bit by bit," another middle-aged man added.

"Then let's find a way to push him down," a young man sitting at the end of the table spoke up. "Arrange an accident to make him—"

"No," Second Elder Wang Chong interrupted him. "That's too stupid. He's currently Fengling City's hero; the whole city has their eyes on him. If an accident happens now, everyone will suspect us."

The young man shrank back and fell silent.

"Then we suppress him within the rules," the old man sitting to Second Elder Wang Chong's right spoke. He was the Second Elder of the Wang Family, in charge of the family's industries in the North, and Second Elder Wang Chong's cousin. "Arrange for his concessions to be in the North. On our turf, he won't be able to do anything he wants."

"That's a good idea," the Great Elder nodded. "His mines won't be able to ship goods, his hunting grounds will always have fierce beast riots, and his transport teams will constantly be attacked on the road. Over time, his industries will be ruined. A new noble without industrial support will collapse on his own within a few years."

"His official post should also be arranged in the North," another middle-aged man added. "In the northern military units, he won't be able to earn any military merit. If he can't be promoted, he'll remain a minor character forever."

Second Elder Wang Chong nodded slightly as he listened to these suggestions.

"But—" someone suddenly spoke up, their voice hesitant. "The right to choose his concessions and post lies with Qin Ce himself. If he doesn't choose the North, all these plans will fall through."

The meeting room fell silent for a moment.

Second Elder Wang Chong gave the person a cold look.

"Stupid."

Those two words were like a bucket of ice water being poured over them.

"Lure him with profit," Second Elder Wang Chong's voice was terrifyingly calm. "As long as the benefits we offer far exceed the other options, will he refuse to choose it?"

He stood up, walked to the screen, and pointed at Qin Ce's information.

"Born a commoner, poor for eighteen years. When a massive fortune is suddenly placed before him, what will he choose? The mines in the North produce three times more than those in the South. The hunting grounds in the North have twice the resources of those in the East. Positions in the North offer promotions twice as fast as those in the West."

He turned back and looked at everyone present.

"We give him the best concessions, the best post, and the best benefits in the North. Let him feel like he's getting a huge bargain."

He paused, his lips curling into a cold arc. "Once he chooses the North and arrives on our turf—that's when the real game begins."

In the meeting room, everyone wore smiles of knowing understanding.

"Arrange for our people to enter the Review Committee," Second Elder Wang Chong returned to his seat and sat down. "When he hesitates, increase the stakes. Keep adding until he stops hesitating."

"Yes, sir."

Second Elder Wang Chong's gaze fell once more on Qin Ce's photo on the screen, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Qin Ce... a mere pariah, thinks he's worthy of competing with Wang Zhuo?"

He turned off the screen, and the meeting room plunged into darkness.

"Meeting adjourned."

...