In the deathly silence, Qin Xiao calmly straightened his slightly disheveled collar, as if he had just dealt with a noisy fly.
He turned around, his gaze falling on Shi Wei and Elder Qian, whose faces were ashen and whose eyes held complex expressions.
"Gentlemen, now we can discuss the aftermath." His tone was as if he were presiding over a business meeting. "Your young master suffered a qi deviation during his cultivation and has lost his mind. As a concerned citizen, I intervened to stop him, preventing more serious casualties. Do you agree with this conclusion?"
Shi Wei's jaw muscles twitched violently twice.
agree?
How could he possibly agree!
Every word Qin Xiao said was true, but put together, it was the greatest humiliation to the Dragon King Palace!
"You..." Shi Wei was about to retort when Qin Xiao raised his hand to interrupt him.
"I suggest Elder Shi think carefully before speaking." Qin Xiao's tone remained calm, but the content carried an undisguised threat. "First, Ye Chen's current state is due to his own cultivation method and poor character. It has nothing to do with anyone else. Even if you make a scene to the ends of the earth, the truth will not be on your side."
"Secondly, he just attacked Elder Qian and almost killed Miss Feng. We are all witnesses to this. If this matter escalates, the Dragon King Palace may face questioning from the Phoenix Perch Society, as well as personal accountability from me."
"Third, and most importantly," Qin Xiao strolled to the window, looking at the bustling traffic below, "Do you want to take a crippled young master back and dispose of him quietly to save face for the Dragon King Palace, or do you want news like 'The Dragon King Palace's young master went mad because of a broken engagement and was called an idiot by his rival' to be on the front page of every underground organization tomorrow?"
Every word struck Shi Wei and Elder Qian like a heavy hammer blow.
They were angry, they were frustrated, but they couldn't refute it.
Qin Xiao's offer was the only, and least bad, option.
Just as Shi Wei was still struggling with his inner conflict, Feng Lingyi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.
She broke free from Shi Wei's support and stood up straight. Although her face was still pale, her eyes had regained their usual coldness and determination.
She walked to Qin Xiao's side and stood beside him, then looked at the two elders, her voice clear and firm.
"Elder Shi, Elder Qian. From this day forward, my engagement with Ye Chen, Feng Lingyi, is officially null and void. The Phoenix Perch Society will also terminate all cooperation with the Dragon King Palace in terms of marriage."
She paused for a moment, then made a decision that nearly stopped the hearts of the two elders.
"At the same time, in the name of the ninth generation president of the Phoenix Perch Society, I will form a top-level strategic alliance with Mr. Qin Xiao. His enemies are the enemies of the Phoenix Perch Society."
These words completely crushed the last shred of hope in Shi Wei's heart.
If Qin Xiao's threat was a sharp sword, then Feng Lingyi's statement was an unshakeable mountain.
To be an enemy of Qin Xiao is to be an enemy of the Phoenix Perch Society at the same time.
No matter how strong the Dragon King Palace is, it cannot withstand this level of confrontation without paying a price.
Moreover, they were in the wrong first.
Shi Wei stared intently at Qin Xiao and Feng Lingyi, his gaze seemingly intent on devouring them. After a long while, he squeezed out a few words through clenched teeth.
"...Okay, very good."
He waved his hand and ordered Elder Qian, "Take the young master with you, let's go!"
Elder Qian felt as if he had been granted a pardon and hurriedly stepped forward to carry Ye Chen, who was now as limp as mud.
Before leaving, Shi Wei took one last look at Qin Xiao, his eyes filled with such venom and murderous intent that they were almost tangible.
"The Dragon King has taken note of what happened today."
Upon hearing this, Qin Xiao smiled instead.
"I'll be waiting anytime. Remember to bring more people next time you come, otherwise there might not be enough for me to... chat with."
Shi Wei's body stiffened abruptly, and in the end, he didn't utter another harsh word. He left in a sorry state, carrying himself and a belly full of humiliation.
When the heavy door closed again, only Qin Xiao and Feng Lingyi remained in the room.
"You trust me that much?" Qin Xiao turned to look at her. "Aren't you afraid I'll sell you out?"
"Would you?" Feng Lingyi retorted, looking into Qin Xiao's eyes. "What good would it do you to sell me out? Keeping me around means you'd have the Phoenix Perch Society, which controls enormous wealth, as your best ally. You're a smart man, Qin Xiao."
"You're not stupid either." Qin Xiao smiled noncommittally.
The atmosphere between the two fell into a delicate balance.
Just then, Qin Xiao's phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID; it was an unfamiliar number.
"Hello?"
"Is this Qin Xiao?! This is Shen Xingling! From the Municipal Public Security Bureau's Major Crimes Unit!" A rapid-fire, clear female voice came from the other end of the phone, filled with anxiety.
Qin Xiao raised an eyebrow: "Officer Chen, what brings you here?"
"Stop talking nonsense! Do you know about the 'unfinished building trading market' in the south of the city? Something big has happened! A transnational criminal gang that we've been tracking for a long time was trading here tonight, and it turned into a double-cross, resulting in more than a dozen deaths! It's in complete chaos now, and we need someone with exceptional analytical skills to help us sort out the clues in complex situations. Our captain recommended you! You have ten minutes, come over right now!"
After saying that, the other party hung up the phone without waiting for Qin Xiao's reply.
Qin Xiao held his phone and glanced at Feng Lingyi with a hint of helplessness.
Feng Lingyi gave a knowing smile: "Go ahead, it seems your 'helpful citizen' identity is quite popular. I'll handle things here."
"Alright."
Qin Xiao wasn't being coy; Feng Lingyi needed her own space to process everything that had happened that day.
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