Chapter 114 - 114: 111. Don't ask, if you ask, the answer is omnipotent [2 updates]
Chapter 114: 111. Don’t ask, if you ask, the answer is omnipotent [2 updates]
“Trespassing into a private home, illegal abduction, take him away.”
The words were spoken lightly, yet they carried a chill.
That sent a shiver down one’s spine.
Old Master Zhong was startled and also looked over.
Then he realized that Ying Zijin had not come alone.
Outside the door, there were two young people in uniform.
This uniform felt familiar to Old Master Zhong, but he couldn’t recall where he had seen it before in that moment.
Upon hearing this, the two uniformed young men stepped inside, immediately immobilized Zhong Tianyun’s shoulders, and took him under control in an instant.
Zhong Tianyun panicked, struggling desperately: “What are you doing? Let go! Release me! Do you know this is illegal?!”
The two uniformed young men ignored him, instead looking at the girl, clearly waiting for her instruction.
“Thank you for your efforts.” Ying Zijin said indifferently, without even glancing at the panicked Zhong Tianyun, “Take him away.”
“Let go! Let go!” As he was escorted out of the Zhong Family’s old residence, Zhong Tianyun continued to roar, “Who are you? I’ll sue you! Let me go!”
After Zhong Tianyun was dragged away, Ying Zijin raised her leg and with one kick each, sent the bodyguards out of the door.
Then she turned her head to look at the several shareholders who had come with Zhong Tianyun.
Fearing they might also be kicked out, the shareholders dared not utter a word and hastily left.
Old Master Zhong silently picked up his reading glasses from the table and put them on.
He thought to himself that he needed to change his lenses, they were too useless, always missing his granddaughter’s impressive moves.
Zhong Zhiwan was still in a daze, and it took her a long time to come back to her senses.
At this moment, Steward Zhong, who had escaped the control of the bodyguards, came over.
The next instant, he knelt down directly in front of the girl, his voice choked with emotion: “Miss Cousin, I really can’t thank you enough, if it weren’t for you, it really, really…”
If Old Master Zhong had truly been taken away by Zhong Tianyun, even if his life remained, half of it would be gone.
This kind of thing was all too common in wealthy family power struggles.
Steward Zhong had grown up with Old Master Zhong and had once been saved by him, not quite brothers, but just as close as blood.
Yet in the situation that had just occurred, he was helpless to do anything, and even offering his own life in exchange for Old Master Zhong wasn’t of any interest to Zhong Tianyun.
“Steward Grandpa, please stand up,” Ying Zijin said softly as she bent down to help him, “It’s alright, it’s all over now.”
She naturally couldn’t be observing the future at all times, but if something important was about to happen to someone close to her, she would sense it.
The loss of the Treasure of the Emerald Chamber – Ten Directions Realm occurred seventeen days ago, just beyond her capacity to see into the past.
However, the Jade Pavilion’s manager only discovered it five days ago.
Because the Ten Directions Realm had always been kept in a separate, sealed room with multiple protections and would not be put on display unless there was a special occasion.
After finalizing the contract with that multinational company, they checked only once and didn’t look again.
After all, it had been fifty years and the Ten Directions Realm had always been well preserved, and the security system in place was currently high-level.
Who would have thought it would still be lost?
Steward Zhong, trembling, stood up, his voice still hoarse: “Miss Cousin, if you have any orders in the future, I am willing to put my old life on the line without any hesitation!”
Zhong Zhiwan was startled.
Steward Zhong was responsible for managing the Zhong Family’s old residence, but in reality, he was loyal only to Old Master Zhong.
He had never even spoken such words to her father.
“There won’t be any need for that,” Ying Zijin slightly shook her head, “It should be me protecting you.”
She paused for a moment, “Grandfather, I have something to tell you.”
Old Master Zhong nodded and glanced indifferently toward Zhong Zhiwan.
No emotion showed.
But the meaning was clear.
Lady Zhong and Zhong Zhiwan felt a chill in their hearts.
This was clearly the start of alienation.
Steward Zhong, a seventy-year-old man, had even come forward to intervene, yet they had done nothing.
Zhong Zhiwan felt aggrieved.
She didn’t want it to be like this, but she was powerless, unable to fight off those bodyguards.
Lady Zhong forced a smile, not daring to say more, and led Zhong Zhiwan away.
Their figures looked rather defeated.
Steward Zhong touched his balding head: “Master Zhong, you talk with Miss Cousin, I’ll go to the kitchen and prepare something to drink for you.”
After he left, only the grandparent and grandchild remained in the living room.
Old Master Zhong finally had the chance to probe: “Zijin, who were those two young men you brought with you?”
“`
He looked at the two young men; they were quite handsome and spirited.
Perhaps there might be a chance to make use of them?
Anyway, they were better than that smelly brat from the Fu Family; his face looked too good, a source of trouble.
“From the Yi Character Team,” Ying Zijin stretched lazily and yawned, “A bet’s a bet, I’ll be borrowing them.”
Old Master Zhong was momentarily stunned, then suddenly remembered and exclaimed, “The one from the capital?”
Ying Zijin hummed in acknowledgment, picking a grape from the fruit plate on the table.
This certain answer split Old Master Zhong’s heart open.
In fact, besides the wealthy families of the capital, the noble circles of other cities were also under the control of the Yi Character Team.
But the Yi Character Team was indeed too mysterious, such that even among the wealthy, unless one was a ruler, they hadn’t even heard of it.
Anyone who could enter the Yi Character Team was definitely among the best of the younger generation in the capital.
Moreover, the Yi Character Team had a very unusual connection with the International Bureau of Investigation (IBI).
His granddaughter could actually borrow people from the Yi Character Team?
Old Master Zhong pinched his thigh hard, grimacing with the pain, then confirmed he wasn’t dreaming.
After the shock passed, his expression turned serious, and he spoke earnestly, “Zijin, don’t tell the Ying Family about this.”
He had seen the true nature of the Ying Family these days.
Once Old Master Ying passed away, the Ying Family was completely driven by profit, not by people.
Lineage and familial affection meant nothing in the eyes of the Ying Family.
“Don’t worry, Grandpa,” Ying Zijin reassured him, “I have it under control.”
“As long as you’re aware, I was just worried about the ‘what ifs’,” Old Master Zhong relaxed, he pondered and frowned, “However, the loss of the Ten Directions Realm is indeed troublesome.”
If there was no signed agreement, there might still be room for withdrawal.
The real problem was that they had already signed the deal with that multinational company; tomorrow was the delivery day.
But until now, the Ten Directions Realm still hadn’t been found.
“Zijin, don’t worry about this matter,” Old Master Zhong sighed, “This is Zhong Corporation’s trouble, and it has nothing to do with you; you’re in poor health, you should rest more.”
Ying Zijin pondered, “Grandpa, are you going to call a shareholders’ meeting?”
“Exactly,” Old Master Zhong said with a grim expression, “Zhong Tianyun is only one of them; he’s impatient, couldn’t hold back. Like him, there are quite a few in Zhong Corporation.”
There must be many others waiting for this opportunity to try and seize power.
Zhong Tianyun was truly foolish to believe that by controlling Old Master Zhong, he could take over Zhong Corporation.
Little did he know, he would instead be used by others vying for power.
“I have nowhere to go today,” Ying Zijin thought for a moment, “Grandpa, do you mind if I tag along?”
**
Three o’clock in the afternoon.
Zhong Corporation.
Inside the conference room, the shareholders had all taken their seats, including the few who had followed Zhong Tianyun to Zhong’s residence earlier.
The shareholders, who initially did not know the Ten Directions Realm was lost, had changed their expressions after hearing the news.
“Wasn’t the Ten Directions Realm protected by the most advanced security system? How could it be lost?”
“That’s not important; what matters is, why are we only being told now?”
“Now we’re in a fine mess, Mr. Eugene will come to the company to inspect the goods tomorrow. With the Ten Directions Realm missing, what are we going to show him for inspection?”
Old Master Zhong coughed, commanding with his presence, “Silence!”
The voices died down.
One of the shareholders, with a grim face, spoke, “Director Zhong, do we have any leads on the Ten Directions Realm’s whereabouts?”
“Someone has already been sent to search for it,” Old Master Zhong said indifferently, “The reason I’ve called you here at this time is to discuss tomorrow’s matter.”
In such a short time, it was certain that they couldn’t find the Ten Directions Realm; there had to be a way to delay, while also ensuring the foundation of Zhong Corporation wasn’t shaken.
Hearing this, the shareholders looked at each other and then fell silent.
After a long pause, one shareholder suggested, “Why don’t we ask for help from the other three families?”
Voices of objection rose immediately, “What a joke, it’d be nice if they wouldn’t interfere. Why would they help us?”
The competition among the Four major noble families was fierce.
That’s why strategic alliances through marriage were used to stabilize relationships, but those were just temporary measures.
At this moment, a middle-aged shareholder, frowning, said, “Uncle Zhong, no offense, but how can we let outsiders attend such a high-level meeting?”
He looked at the girl standing next to Old Master Zhong, clearly displeased, “She doesn’t understand anyway, what can she do besides causing chaos here?”
Could she find the Ten Directions Realm? Or could she carve it?