Chapter 495 - 494: Covert Struggle

Chapter 495: Chapter 494: Covert Struggle

"Young Friend Qin beat up that Lann Qi?"

Inside the City Lord’s Mansion, Mo Bokong looked at Qin Ya with some surprise. He wasn’t amazed that Qin Ya could handle Lann Qi; in fact, he was entirely unsurprised. From his perspective, while Qin Ya was young, his strength had already far surpassed the imagination of his peers. He was simply an existence that defied all logic.

What surprised him was that Qin Ya had caused such a ruckus after being out for just one trip.

"Are the injuries serious?" Mo Bokong asked.

"He won’t die," Qin Ya said with a faint smile. ’To me, injuries of that degree are nothing. I was already holding back.’

Mo Bokong mulled it over for a moment before saying, "I’ll handle this."

Meanwhile, the entire Lann Family was shrouded in gloom.

"Did you hear? The Crown Prince was carried back just now."

"I heard too. He was beaten so miserably."

"Tsk, tsk. I heard his bones were shattered and his meridians severed. The Patriarch had to use a Pseudo-Spiritual Pill just to heal him. I really wonder who he pissed off."

"With his personality, he could have provoked anyone."

"If he didn’t have such great Talent, the Patriarch would have beaten him to death long ago."

In the great hall of the Lann Family.

"Speak. Explain everything, from start to finish!" The current Patriarch of the Lann Family, Lann Sheng, said to the now-healed Lann Qi. His face was dark, his tone frigid.

Lann Qi, who was usually arrogant and used his status as the Lann Family’s Crown Prince to run rampant, felt his heart tremble before the current Patriarch. Shedding his usual flippant demeanor, he recounted the entire incident from beginning to end.

After hearing the full story, if the person standing before him weren’t the family’s Crown Prince, Lann Sheng would have had the impulse to strike him dead with a single slap. A vast True Intent instantly enveloped the hall, and Lann Qi’s face turned deathly pale in an instant.

"Lann Qi, I can look the other way when you bully those Martial Artists with no backing, but you actually dared to make a move on the City Lord’s Personal Guard! Are you so used to your arrogance that you’ve completely lost all sense of law and order?!"

"I was wrong," Lann Qi trembled and dropped to his knees at once.

"Hmph! Get out of my sight! Three months of confinement and reflection!"

After Lann Qi left, the Elders looked toward Lann Sheng. One of them spoke up, "Patriarch, while the Crown Prince was in the wrong, are we really going to let this matter slide?"

"If word of this gets out, how can the Lann Family maintain its reputation in Qingkong City?"

Lann Sheng considered this for a moment before saying, "Lann Yu, you will accompany me to the City Lord’s Mansion. I want to see for myself just who this youth is that defeated Lann Qi in a single blow."

A middle-aged man in white robes cupped his hands. "Yes."

The two hurried on their way and soon arrived at the City Lord’s Mansion.

Just as they reached the City Lord’s Mansion, two figures—one in black, one in white—rushed out to meet them. They were none other than Mo Bokong’s most trusted subordinates, the two Guard Commanders of the City Lord’s Mansion: Black Dragon and White Wolf!

Black Dragon said coldly, "The City Lord has been waiting. This way, you two."

"Our thanks," Lann Sheng replied, his tone just as stiff.

The two men were led to the council hall, where they saw Mo Bokong sitting at a desk, attending to official matters. As soon as he saw them, he rose with a broad smile to welcome them.

"Ha, you’ve both arrived."

"City Lord, let’s not beat around the bush. How do you propose we handle the matter of Lann Qi being severely injured by your Personal Guard and some unknown youth?"

Lann Sheng’s tone was stiff and utterly impolite.

Seeing this, Mo Bokong merely gave a faint smile. "Patriarch Lann, there’s no need to be so angry. If we’re to get to the bottom of this, it’s not yet clear who was truly at fault."

"Oh? So the City Lord intends to protect that boy?"

Mo Bokong replied, "Crown Prince Lann Qi was the one at fault from the beginning. Young Friend Qin and my Personal Guard were simply acting in self-defense. Where is the error in that?"

"So the Crown Prince of my Lann Family was just beaten for nothing?"

"Of course not," Mo Bokong said with a light smile. "I hear Crown Prince Lann Qi is a romantic at heart, so I have already prepared some lovely ladies for him."

He clapped his hands. Immediately, several women of Upper Class beauty emerged from behind him. There were slender ones and curvy ones, each with their own unique charm. Mo Bokong announced, "I personally selected each of them from Tingchao Pavilion! Whether it’s playing the zither, dancing, or the art of pleasing a man, they are among the most skilled women in the world!!"

By now, the expressions on Lann Sheng and Lann Yu’s faces were indescribably foul. The charming, beautiful women before them inspired no affection; on the contrary, they wanted nothing more than to strike them all dead with a single palm. To them, the status of these women was simply too debased!

Tingchao Pavilion... it was the largest Brothel in Qingkong City!

These women were all from a brothel! To send prostitutes as an apology to a dignified Martial Arts Family... what kind of fucking insult was this?!

"Mo Bokong, are you insulting me? Are you insulting the Lann Family?"

Lann Sheng’s voice was low, like a Fierce Beast pushed to the brink of rage.

But Mo Bokong paid him no mind, still smiling faintly. "How could that be? I happen to know that Crown Prince Lann Qi is a frequent patron of Tingchao Pavilion. An apology gift, of course, should be tailored to the recipient’s preferences. Wouldn’t you agree?"

"This is a gift my Lann Family cannot afford to accept," Lann Sheng said in a low voice.

At the same time, a vast True Intent began to fill the hall. A heavy, tense atmosphere grew, making it seem as if a duel to the death was about to erupt at any second.

In an instant, Black Dragon and White Wolf were behind Mo Bokong. Their masked faces betrayed no emotion, but their eyes were exceptionally sharp!

"Oh? Does Patriarch Lann wish to spar?" Mo Bokong said lightly, the corners of his lips curling up. "How unfortunate. This City Lord was recently ambushed by a villain while traveling abroad. I’m currently injured, so it would be unwise for me to fight."

These words were like a bucket of cold water dumped on the flames of Lann Sheng’s anger. He retracted his aura and asked in a nonchalant tone, "Oh? And what kind of villain could possibly manage to injure our City Lord?"

Mo Bokong replied, "The Jinlin City Lord."

Lann Sheng’s eyes narrowed. He then asked, "And how are the City Lord’s injuries now? My Lann Family happens to have a few Spirit Pills. Would you like me to have them sent over?"

"Heh, no need to trouble yourself," Mo Bokong said lightly. "Fortunately, someone arrived in time to save this City Lord. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable."

"Who?" A hint of hidden killing intent flashed in Lann Sheng’s eyes.

"Heh, there’s no need to reveal that."

Lann Sheng gave Mo Bokong a long, hard look. "Since the City Lord is injured, I will not disturb you any longer. This matter ends here."

"And this apology gift?" Mo Bokong asked, gesturing to the group of women behind him.

Lann Sheng snorted. "The City Lord can enjoy them himself."

As he watched the two of them depart, an inscrutable light flickered in Mo Bokong’s eyes. He chuckled softly to himself. ’Lann Sheng, when will you finally make your move?’

At that moment, White Wolf stepped forward. "City Lord, what are your orders? Should we activate our hidden agents within the Four Great Noble Families?"

"Not for now. Let’s wait and see how things develop."