174: Chapter 173 Liquidating the Zhou Family
Lin Feng leaned back in his chair and remained silent for a few seconds.
The lights in the meeting room shone on his face. His expression was calm, but his eyes were bright—not with excitement, but with the clarity of a well-considered decision.
Xiaoguang rolled over in his pocket.
Xiaojin yawned on his shoulder, half a Spirit Stone still dangling from its mouth.
"Two requirements."
He spoke.
The general leaned back and nodded.
"Speak."
"First, I want to go to the Void Corridor—the level fifty Dungeon."
Lin Feng's voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet meeting room, every word was like a nail driven into everyone's ears.
"My parents went missing in there six years ago. I want to go in and find them. That Dungeon is sealed, and ordinary Explorers can't enter. I need the state to grant me a slot."
The meeting room fell silent for a few seconds.
Secretary General Wang frowned and adjusted her glasses.
"The Void Corridor... that Dungeon is very special. It connects to the Void layers. Inside, there are not only monsters but also unstable spatial cracks and potential Void creatures. After your parents entered six years ago, they never came out. Several Explorer teams we sent in... met the same fate."
She paused, her tone becoming serious.
"The danger rating of this Dungeon is S-Rank. Although the level requirement is fifty, the actual danger far exceeds that of its Rank. If you want to go in, you must be fully prepared psychologically."
"I know,"
Lin Feng said.
"But I must go."
The general remained silent for a moment.
"Fine."
The general spoke, his voice low but firm.
"I will give you this slot. But there is one condition—you must guarantee that you will come back alive!"
Secretary General Wang opened her mouth to say something—according to Association regulations, approval for an S-Rank Dungeon requires a review by the headquarters, a process that takes at least half a month—but she looked at the general's expression and swallowed her words.
She knew that this man had already made his decision, and in Donghai City, no one could change it.
"The second requirement."
Lin Feng's voice grew lower and colder.
"I want to settle scores with the Zhou Family."
The temperature in the meeting room seemed to drop several degrees instantly.
The old air conditioner buzzing in the corner suddenly stopped, then restarted with an even louder hum.
The chandelier was still creaking as it swayed, light and shadow dancing across everyone's faces, flickering like their complex emotions at that moment.
The general's expression didn't change, as if he had long expected this request.
He merely leaned forward slightly, his finger tracing the rim of his teacup.
"The Zhou Family?"
His voice was calm, but every word carried weight.
"Be specific."
"Zhou Tianhao sent people to kill me three times. The first was at the entrance of a low-level Dungeon, where he hired the Blood Wolf Group to ambush me. The second was on the day my shop opened, when he hired urban management to shut it down. The third was the Baga Country assassin Inoue Nofuo, a level fifty-nine with an A-Rank Talent, who ambushed me inside the Orléans Instance."
Lin Feng's voice was calm, but there was killing intent in his eyes—not a wild, out-of-control intent, but one that had settled over time, turning into a deep, dark pool.
He counted them off one by one, each pause like a small hammer striking the table.
"I have the evidence, both witnesses and physical proof. I want the Zhou Family to pay with their lives."
The white-haired Deputy Director Zhou's teacup hit the table with a 'clack,' tea splashing out and leaving several dark brown stains on the documents.
He looked at Lin Feng as if he were looking at a madman.
He was from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and had spent his life in diplomacy, where the emphasis was always on 'harmony.'
But at this moment, he found that all his diplomatic wisdom was useless—because Lin Feng wasn't negotiating; he was passing sentence.
"The Zhou Family... that's an entire Family."
Deputy Director Zhou's voice was dry.
"The Zhou Family has been rooted in Donghai City for many years, with a network spanning both political and business circles. To settle scores with the Zhou Family, the scope of involvement is too broad."
"I know."
Lin Feng offered no further explanation, simply stating a fact.
Deputy Director Zhou wanted to say more, but the young woman surnamed Liu from the Ministry of State Security spoke first.
Her voice was light but clear—like a thin blade silently cutting into the heart of the matter.
"Regarding the Zhou Family, we in the Ministry of State Security have already gathered some evidence."
She opened the document in front of her, adjusted her non-existent glasses, and ran her finger across the paper.
"Besides the personal grudge between Zhou Tianhao and Lin Feng, the Zhou Family is also suspected of multiple serious illegal acts—collusion with foreign forces, smuggling restricted Materials, illegal manipulation of the Dungeon market, and attempting to leak our contestants' information during the Yanjiao Arena Tournament. Part of this evidence has already been verified, and we are digging deeper."
After Representative Liu finished speaking, the meeting room fell silent again for a few seconds.
Zhao Gang leaned back, secretly marveling—the people from the Ministry of State Security were truly ruthless; they either didn't move at all, or they struck from all sides.
He glanced at Lin Feng and saw that his expression hadn't changed, but he could feel the fire in the youth's eyes burning even brighter.
Secretary General Wang was silent for a while before she spoke.
Her tone was no longer the formal seriousness from before, but carried a hint of coldness.
"If that is truly the case, the Zhou Family is not just your enemy. The things they have done have already violated federal law and the bottom line of the Explorer Association."
The general leaned back and was silent for a long time.
The night wind outside made the plane tree leaves rustle, waving under the streetlights like countless green palms.
No one spoke in the meeting room; everyone was waiting for his decision.
He picked up his teacup and took a sip—the tea was already cold, but he didn't care.
He looked at Lin Feng, a complex expression appearing on his aged face.
There was relief—this young man had suffered so much and endured so many grievances, and finally, he could seek justice.
There was reflection—how difficult the path must have been for an F-Rank Talent boy, from being looked down upon by everyone to standing here today making demands; only he himself knew.
And there was a trace of heartache—he was only sixteen, yet he already bore so much.
"The evidence against the Zhou Family is conclusive."
The general placed the teacup on the table, his voice low and powerful.
"They have not only bullied you but also colluded with foreign forces and endangered national security. This evidence has already been submitted by the Ministry of State Security. See for yourself."
He pushed the document toward Lin Feng.
Lin Feng picked it up and flipped through a few pages—it was densely packed with the Zhou Family's crimes over the years, each one shocking.
Colluding with Baga Country spies, smuggling restricted Materials, manipulating the market, bribing officials, and even attempting to steal intelligence from the Taixu Dojo.
"Therefore, your request—"
The general looked at Lin Feng, a hint of a smile in his eyes.
"The state has approved it."
Lin Feng looked up.
"The Zhou Family is yours to deal with."
The general said each word with emphasis.
"The state not only agrees but will also support you. The military and security forces will cooperate with your actions, but you will be the main force of the liquidation. We will provide peripheral support, but you will handle the specific settling of scores yourself. This is your grudge and your justice. You can go ahead boldly without fear of anyone or any power. The state—will protect you."
The lights in the meeting room seemed to brighten at that moment.
The chandelier that had been knocked askew now emitted a warm, soft yellow light, shining on everyone's faces.
Zhao Gang's grin stretched to his ears, revealing two rows of large white teeth.
Su Xue's lips were pressed into a line, but a closer look revealed a glint in the corner of her eyes.
Staff Officer Zhao pushed his glasses; the reflection hid his expression, but his hands were trembling slightly—not from nervousness, but from excitement.
Even the two Ministry of State Security representatives, who had remained serious throughout, gave a slight nod.
Lin Feng didn't speak.
He stood there, holding the document, looking down at the dense text.
The words were a bit blurry under the lights, but he saw them clearly—every crime, every blood debt, was unmistakable.
He remembered Wang Hao's mocking face.
He remembered the dusk when the Blood Wolf Group cornered him in the alley.
He remembered the cold sting when Inoue Nofuo's short sword pierced his back.
He also remembered the day of the Awakening ceremony, when everyone laughed at him for being an F-Rank Talent trash.
He remembered the contemptuous look of the female receptionist in the Explorer Hall.
He remembered the bright red seal pasted on the rolling door the day his shop was shut down.
He remembered it all.
Every debt was etched in his heart.
Now, it was time to pay.
"Thank you."
His voice was slightly raspy but steady.
The general waved his hand.
"This is what you deserve. You don't need to thank anyone—it was you who fought for this justice with your own fists."
Lin Feng put the document back and smiled.
The smile was faint, with little curve, but everyone could feel it—it was a smile of relief, coming from the heart.
"I'll go back tomorrow,"
He said.
The general nodded.
"Fine, just go and do it! I'll have people secretly protect you!"
Lin Feng did not refuse.
After all, facing the acting head of the Zhou Family would be somewhat taxing for Lin Feng.
However, the essence of this matter was no longer a personal grudge; it was a public trial for those who endangered national security.
Then the meeting adjourned. Lin Feng prepared to go back and rest!