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墨書 Inktalez
The Zhang Family was surprisingly accommodating. Song Bunan simply stated his purpose and was directly brought before the family head, who displayed warmth and hospitality, showing no concern that it was still before dawn. It was as if he had been waiting there for quite some time.
"You knew I was coming," Song Bunan said calmly, meeting the gaze of the Zhang Family Head. The man appeared younger than expected, with neatly combed black hair close to his scalp and black-framed glasses obscuring much of his face. Dressed in athletic wear, he looked to be in his forties. However, from what Song Bunan knew, this family head must have already surpassed his seventies.
The man chuckled at Song Bunan's words, his eyes hidden behind the glasses making it difficult to discern his expression. Leaning casually against the armrest of the armchair, he said lightly, "Curious about why I look so young, aren't you?"
Song Bunan remained silent, prompting the man to continue. "Everyone knows about your visit to the hospital. And I'm certain you're here for a child."
His words instantly made Song Bunan realize that their relationship with the laboratory was anything but ordinary. Xin Yi sat coldly in her seat, her hand already moving toward the weapon at her side. They were in a reception room, and aside from the person who had just brought tea, there were no other living souls around.
The man waved generously at Xin Yi, urging her to relax. "We've collaborated with Mighty Falcon too many times; our relationship is far better than with the laboratory. So there's no need for you to be on guard against me. I had already guessed you would come; it's just that my story is a bit long and will take up some of your time."
The Zhang Family came to Rongcheng to escape enemies. Fortunately, the debts left behind were wiped clean when they fled as a family. They established themselves in Rongcheng using their accumulated wealth, seeking a niche amidst several established family powers. What pleased them was that families in this city were quite accommodating and would not drive them out for suddenly wanting a share.
Thus, they coexisted peacefully for decades until shortly after the third family head took over the Zhang Family when the Gu Family encountered trouble. With the Gu Family disappearing overnight, they were forced to accept some matters previously controlled by them. The family head soon understood why they had been allowed to remain in Rongcheng as a family.
The intrigues among large families would never vanish due to superficial peace; all it took was a suitable opportunity amidst their covert rivalries for someone to seize it and strike decisively against their opponent. Their arrival provided other families with an opportunity regarding the Gu Family. He did not know the specifics, but it was clear that this burden would fall on them and Mighty Falcon.
People in the city speculated that their ambitions drove them to want to consume the Gu Family's wealth and business in order to strengthen their own family and gain the ability to compete with others. While they indeed possessed such resources now, it was not developing according to their own wishes.
Not only were they being guided along a path predetermined by other families, but they were also viewed as thorns in the side of what remained of the Gu Family. Even though only scattered members remained, they were doing everything possible to find ways to retaliate against them.
The first family selected by the laboratory was the Zhang Family.
"The person you rescued from Mang Mountain, Zhang Chengyun, is my nephew, and he is already dead." The man forced a bitter smile. "My father, the true head of the family, is now lying in bed, half-alive. My brother and sister-in-law couldn't bear the death of their only son and left Rongcheng. Now, aside from me and a few subordinates willing to stay, there’s no one left in the Zhang Family."
"As for the child you encountered, he is the posthumous son of my poor cousin. After he passed away, his newlywed wife went missing. We searched for a long time without any results until one day someone came to us claiming that the girl had given birth to my cousin's child, but she died in the laboratory while the child survived."
"We can't find anything. We have no leads about that laboratory that was destroyed yet still exists. Many people claim it’s shrouded in mystery, but we have no way to find any clues to bring our child back. Moreover, our operations have not ceased; the Zhang Family has been hollowed out. With no one left in the main family, joining us would only put us under the laboratory's watch. Over the years, this place has become increasingly desolate."
"There was originally a chance to obtain some clues; we even specifically asked Mighty Falcon to look into it and arrange a trade. Who would have thought that not only did the trade fail, but we also lost our last child in the process? So when I learned that the Jiang Family was going to take action against the laboratory first, I was very happy. I sincerely hoped you would succeed and find that child. If he is still alive, it would be better for him to be raised by a good family than to return to the Zhang Family."
"Now it seems you are quite impressive. Not only did you find him, but you also knew he belonged to my family. How wonderful..." The man's tone was calm and devoid of emotion as he spoke, but Song Bunan found his unusual composure strange, as if he were deliberately trying not to care about these matters. He seized upon what the man mentioned about that opportunity and asked what clues they had found at that time.
"Someone claimed to have seen a document detailing the core members of the laboratory. We needed their information, so we conducted extensive investigations and eventually Mighty Falcon found it. We agreed on a time and place for the trade." The man adjusted his glasses and looked at Song Bunan.
"You were deceived." Song Bunan licked his lips and took a sip of bitter tea. "That list has little to do with the laboratory members; at most, it contains a tiny bit of information."
"How do you know?" The man asked.
Song Bunan took a deep breath, straightened up, and replied, "Because I intercepted that item myself. It contained a list of Underworld Messengers in Rongcheng who could handle funerals; some indeed had dealings with the laboratory, but they are untraceable. I intercepted that briefcase before your meeting and left, but I didn't expect those events would unfold afterward."
Anger flashed in the man's eyes but was quickly masked by an intentional calmness. He nodded slightly and asked Song Bunan why he did that, receiving Song Bunan's most formal answer:
"That was just my job."
Stepping out of the Zhang Family residence, the sun was already bright, and the streets were bustling with life. Children with backpacks ran past them, while workers hurriedly made their way to their jobs.
Xin Yi glanced at the yawning Song Bunan and couldn't help but stifle a yawn himself. Considering the time they had woken up yesterday, they had been working for nearly thirty hours straight, with plenty of physically demanding activities in between.
"From the information relayed back from the Jiang Family, Shui Su and Xiao Mei are currently safe in the Gu Family Courtyard. The head of the family has already sent people over. Let's go catch some sleep first," Song Bunan suggested, appearing quite relaxed as he rubbed his dry, tired eyes and tried to sound cheerful.
Noticing his exhaustion, Xin Yi wrapped an arm around him, allowing him to lean against his shoulder for a moment's rest. He asked, "Why did you tell the Zhang Family Head that you took that box?"
"Just a habit," Song Bunan murmured as he closed his eyes against Xin Yi's chest, his voice slightly muffled. "Even if I die, I want them to understand clearly that this is..."
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