The reception room was quiet. The three people looked at each other, and the atmosphere was a little strange.

What's going on?

"What, what should we do?" The Chancellor of the Exchequer swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on the Inspector General.

"I don't know!" The chief inspector looked bewildered. "Sir, what should we do now?"

The sudden appearance of the other party caught the three off guard. Marquis Ferlinan was also dumbfounded. He had just been racking his brains about how to find an opportunity to get rid of the other party, and now they had delivered themselves right to his doorstep.

"How about I notify the patrol team to surround this place..." The chief inspector realized he had misspoke halfway through his sentence and didn't continue.

It's amazing that he even thought of having the police surround the Marquis's mansion. Putting aside the negative impact, the Marquis's mansion is not without its own private armed forces, and it's not the police's place to cause trouble.

“He must not die here.” After a moment of contemplation, the Marquis Ferlinan couldn’t help but admire the man’s courage.

The most dangerous place is the safest place. If you want to kill him, he will walk right into the line of fire in broad daylight. Not only can you not do anything, but you also have to ensure his safety.

If he were to die at Monte Cristo, who knows what contingency plans Prince Reinhardt and Marquis Charles might have made, or perhaps they had set a trap for him to fall into.

Just in case, to avoid these uncontrollable risks, the other party can die anywhere, but not here.

“I’ll go and meet him.” Marquis Ferlinan stood up, preparing to meet the major general commander of the 358th Regiment.

"My lord, shall we excuse ourselves for a moment?" the finance minister asked hastily, standing up immediately.

“No need, you can wait here, I’ll be right back.” After saying that, Marquis Ferlinan instructed his steward to bring in the major general from outside.

"Sir! This man doesn't act according to common sense. You must not risk going alone!" The chief patrol officer stood up anxiously to remind him. He remembered clearly how his predecessor had died.

"Wait a minute." Marquis Ferlinan called out to the steward after a moment's thought upon hearing the reminder.

"Does the master have any further instructions?" the steward asked, running back again.

"Take the guest to the garden; I'll wait for him there." The Marquis Ferlinan then added, "Before that, go and fetch Captain Luke. Tell him I need to see him, immediately!"

"Yes!" the butler replied, then quickly jogged off to find Luke, the captain of security at Monte Cristo.

Outside the Christ the Redeemer estate.

Zhang Fan paced back and forth in front of the gate. He had been there for half an hour and was still unable to get in.

But he wasn't in a hurry, so he simply stood at the door and started enjoying the scenery.

Monte Cristo is a wonderful place, which reminded Zhang Fan of the Summer Palace in China.

Located just 10 kilometers from Adelaide, the capital of the Kingdom of Laine, this mountain is neither high nor large, but it is the only mountain peak within a 100-mile radius of Adelaide's plains, making it a popular weekend getaway for locals.

The Marquis de Félinan's Palace is built on a hillside, occupying the entire summit of Monte Cristo and turning it into a private estate. Outsiders can only visit the hillside. Alternatively, while enjoying the cool air at the foot of the mountain, one can gaze up at this magnificent building that blends seamlessly into the mountainside, a truly refreshing experience.

Zhang Fan is standing in front of the villa, not to escape the summer heat, especially since it is already autumn and the weather is not hot. He is here to set a fire as instructed by Erwin.

"General Zhang, my master requests your presence." A butler stood by the gate and waved to Zhang Fan.

"I'm so sorry, my master has other official business to attend to, so he has neglected our guests. He asked me to convey his apologies to the general." The butler said respectfully as he led Zhang Fan forward.

"It's nothing, Your Excellency Marquis, you're too kind," Zhang Fan said with a smile. "I came uninvited, and I should be the one apologizing."

Zhang Fan followed the butler forward, only to find that the butler did not stop along the way, passing through several courtyards without stopping, and continued to walk deeper into the villa.

A mansion's reception area for guests is usually in the front hall; it shouldn't be this deep inside. It seems the other party has put a lot of thought into receiving me.

Zhang Fan walked along with a smile, only asking the housekeeper the names of the rare saplings around him, looking quite content on his autumn outing.

Zhang Fan walked all the way to the garden in the backyard of the villa and saw a table set up on the grass not far ahead. An elderly man in his sixties was sitting in a chair next to it, reading a newspaper.

"Master, General Zhang has arrived," the butler said respectfully as he approached the old man.

"Go down," Marquis Ferlinan said with a smile and a wave of his hand. "Someone, bring tea."

The servant standing nearby immediately stepped forward and filled the teacup opposite the Marquis Ferlinan.

“Zhang Fan, commander of the 358th Regiment of the Ryan National Army stationed in Benghazi, greets Your Excellency the Marquis.” Zhang Fan walked to the table and saluted.

"Sit, sit." Marquis Ferlinan chuckled, his eyes scanning Zhang Fan up and down as he nodded repeatedly. "Good, good."

"General Zhang is truly a young hero. In my life, I have judged countless people, but there is only one in ten thousand with the physique of General Zhang."

"You flatter me, Your Excellency." Zhang Fan sat down opposite Marquis Ferlinan and said with a smile, "My success today is entirely due to luck, and I am unworthy of the title 'young hero'."

“General Zhang is too modest,” Marquis Ferlinan suddenly said with a hearty laugh. “How could someone like General Zhang, who has fought his way up from the battlefield, rely solely on luck? A person’s military achievements may be faked, but the blood on their body cannot be faked.”

"Oh?" Zhang Fan reached out and sniffed his sleeve, looking puzzled. "This uniform is newly issued, how come it smells of blood?"

“General Zhang can’t smell it, but I can,” Marquis Ferlinan said with a smile. “After all, there’s the blood of my subordinates who have followed me for many years on it. I’m quite familiar with this smell, hehehe…”

Marquis Ferlinan's words had a hidden meaning.

"Is that so?" Zhang Fan laughed as well. "The ones I killed were all heinous criminals. Among them were those who forced women into prostitution, those who manufactured and transported drugs, and those who disregarded military discipline. I wonder which one Your Excellency is referring to?"

"Hahaha—" Marquis Ferlinan burst into laughter, "Interesting, interesting, talking to General Zhang is truly interesting!"

“They all deserve to die.” Marquis Ferlinan raised his teacup. “Let’s toast the general with tea instead of wine!”

Before Zhang Fan could even raise his teacup, the Marquis Ferlinan had already downed the tea in one gulp.

"General, you have rid the people of this scourge; I am eternally grateful!"

Swoosh—

clatter!

Zhang Fan caught the cup that was thrown into the air with one hand.

"It's not that bad, it's not that bad." Zhang Fan shook his head helplessly, with a wry smile on his face.

The Marquis Ferlinan, sitting opposite, was stunned and didn't know how to react. The male servant standing next to him swayed slightly, but then refrained from moving, also looking bewildered.

The cup did not fall onto the marble floor next to it as expected.

Zhang Fan placed the cup back on the table, picked up the teapot, filled the cup, and then gently pushed it towards the Marquis Ferlinan with his finger.

"Sir, please have some tea."

Ferlinan sat there, staring quietly at the teacup in front of him for a long time. Finally, he glanced at Zhang Fan and smiled.

"Truly a young hero." Marquis Ferlinan picked up his cup, took a sip of tea, and slowly savored the taste. "I wonder what brings General Zhang to this old man?"