Chapter 29 0031: If you don't want the Fan family to be destroyed, do not harm him.

Lord Guo entered another reception room, where the head of the Fan family had come in person. Upon seeing him, Fan immediately stood and bowed deeply.

Lord Guo strode in with long steps and settled unceremoniously into the main seat, waving his hand for Fan to sit as well.

His gaze fell upon a delicate box on the tea table. Opening it and glancing inside, he let out a soft laugh. “Quite a generous gift. Your Fan family must have spent a fortune to obtain this Intermediate Body-Tempering Elixir, hm?”

“It certainly cost us no small effort,” Fan Congxia replied with a smile. “But it depends on the recipient. If it’s for you, Lord Guo, I only worry it’s not enough.”

Lord Guo set the elixir aside. “Speak. What brings you here?”

Fan Congxia’s expression sobered. “Three days ago, my grandson Fan Zhiming was murdered. After a thorough investigation, we have already identified the killer. With your approval, Lord, I will have him taken immediately.” As he spoke, Fan produced a dossier. “This man is the culprit.”

Lord Guo took the file and opened it. The moment his eyes landed on the photograph, he recognized the same name and face the Guild’s envoy had provided earlier that day. His eyes narrowed to slits as he cast a meaningful and complex glance at Fan Congxia, a glint of caution flickering across his features.

“What evidence do you have that he’s the one who killed your grandson?” Lord Guo asked, fixing Fan Congxia with a penetrating gaze.

Fan Congxia hadn’t expected such a question.

Since when did killing a nobody require justification?

He felt awkward, stumbling for words. “Lord, do I really need to justify this? He’s the most suspicious—the one with the strongest motive. You may not know, but my grandson played a part in getting him expelled from the academy. He absolutely killed my grandson for revenge. Isn’t that enough? And the last place my grandson was seen on surveillance was near the slums’ subway station. If he’d returned, he would have appeared again. Instead, he vanished into the slums. I checked—this kid’s registered address is in the slums. Who else could it be? Lord, does my Fan family really need incontrovertible evidence and fairness to kill a slum rat?”

“He cannot be killed!” Lord Guo’s voice was low and commanding.

“I know he can’t be killed!” Fan Congxia responded hurriedly. “That’s why I’m here to ask for your support. I know Lady Hou Manman of the Hou family has gotten close to him lately. If we act rashly, there’s no telling how the Hou family will respond. So I’ve come to you, Lord, for judgment.”

“The Hou family?” Lord Guo was visibly surprised. “Which Hou family?”

Fan Congxia hadn’t expected Lord Guo to be unaware. “From River City, of course. Surveillance from that day also captured Hou Manman and her attendants in the area. At first, I didn’t suspect this boy—my grandson had brought capable men, more than enough to handle him. But when I learned Hou Manman was near him, I realized her attendants must have eliminated my grandson and his men. As for why she would do so, there’s only one explanation: Hou Manman has an unusual relationship with Chu Yun. My grandson was simply unlucky to encounter her that day.”

He pleaded, “Lord, please uphold justice for the Fan family. I know the Hou family is untouchable, but Chu Yun is the real culprit—I must have his life.”

Fan Congxia’s words instantly put Lord Guo on high alert.

Why would the Hou family take an interest in Chu Yun?

What could they want?

“You’re saying Hou Manman is close to Chu Yun?”

“Yes. Her sudden transfer to Lan Feng Academy—how else would you explain it?” Fan Congxia replied.

River City wasn’t even under Lord Guo’s dominion, but belonged to another lord. Why would the Hou family approach Chu Yun?

Lord Guo narrowed his eyes, sensing a threat.

Were they trying to poach him?

If they wanted him dead, they wouldn’t bother sending Hou Manman.

There was only one answer: they aimed to lure Chu Yun away with beauty!

Lord Guo became alert. If Fan Congxia hadn’t brought this up today, he wouldn’t have realized that Chu Yun’s value had already been exposed!

This was a timely warning.

“You need not fear the Hou family,” Lord Guo declared.

Fan Congxia’s eyes lit up. “Then I’ll take the boy right away!”

“You must not touch him!” Lord Guo’s cold gaze swept over Fan Congxia, chilling him to his core.

“Why?” Fan Congxia demanded, confusion and anger rising. “If my Fan family swallows this, how can we stand tall in Watchman City? If even a slum rat dares trample on us, more will rise up in defiance! If I don’t kill him, there will be no end to the insolence!”

“You are not to touch him, and that is final!” Lord Guo’s voice was a thunderous rebuke.

Fan Congxia was enraged but dared not protest; his fleshy face twitched with suppressed anger.

“Take your gift and go.” Lord Guo gestured for Fan Congxia to retrieve his offering.

“Please, keep it.” Fan Congxia hesitated, thinking the Lord must be dissatisfied with his sincerity. If Lord Guo was to risk offending the Hou family, an Intermediate Body-Tempering Elixir was hardly enough. No wonder he was angry.

Immediately, Fan Congxia pulled a bank card from his sleeve and placed it on the table, smiling at Lord Guo. “Between the Fan family and Chu Yun, who is more important to you? If you let me kill him today, my Fan family will serve you with unwavering loyalty from this day forth! Rest assured, Lord, I’ve arranged for outsiders from another territory to handle the deed. The Hou family won’t be able to trace it back to us or to you. By now, Chu Yun should have already run into them—Hou Manman won’t be able to save him this time!”

“What did you say? He’s already run into those men?” Lord Guo’s expression changed instantly.

Fan Congxia smiled. “I simply didn’t want to trouble you or your guards with such matters, Lord, so I took the liberty of arranging an ambush on his way home. By now, they’ve probably crossed paths.”

Before he could finish, Lord Guo stormed out of the parlor and shouted to his guards, “Men! Go to the slums and rescue a youth named Chu Yun!”

Returning to the room, Lord Guo saw the elixir and bank card on the table. In a fury, he overturned the table and fixed Fan Congxia with a murderous glare. “Let me make this clear, Fan Congxia,” he said in a low, dangerous voice, “if anything happens to Chu Yun, your Fan family will be erased from Watchman City! You have no idea what you’re doing. Forget your grandson’s death—even if Chu Yun truly killed your grandson, between your Fan family and Chu Yun, I would still choose him!”

He had read the dossier delivered by the envoy and was well aware of the bullying Chu Yun endured. He spoke icily to Fan Congxia: “Do you think I’m blind to your grandson’s character? I know exactly why he went to the slums with his men. If you want to take action against anyone else, we can negotiate—even if it means confronting the Hou family directly. But this boy is not up for discussion! If you don’t want your Fan family wiped out, bury all your schemes now!”

Staring at Lord Guo’s murderous face, Fan Congxia was struck dumb. Especially when he heard the Lord’s warning that his entire family could be destroyed, he was so terrified he couldn’t utter a word.