After Liu Qing finished saying “Joint Strangling,” he gritted his teeth and clenched his fist tightly, as if trying to crush something to pieces.
“Have the Huang and Li families make the move?” After a long silence, an elderly director spoke up. “They aren't likely to listen to our arrangements.”
“Arrangements?” Liu Qing glanced at the director. “You've got it backward.”
“It's not me going to them to make a move.”
“The ones who first said they wanted to get rid of Bai Feifei were the Huang and Li families. They were the ones who approached me first.”
“Those two families have wanted that woman dead for a long time. Their grudge goes back further than ours.” Liu Qing lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.
“With Bai Feifei alive, their prestige takes a massive hit. They already approached me back when she first started targeting the potions.”
He exhaled a cloud of smoke, his voice dropping a bit. “They wanted her dead back then, but I was the one who refused first. A little girl from the Outer City couldn't possibly overturn the heavens. Who would have thought...”
He paused, the smile on his face stiffening slightly.
“Who would have thought she actually would overturn the heavens...”
Another director nodded and said, “In that case, bringing the two major families on board makes a lot more sense.”
“But is the City Lord really hinting for you to kill her... If you've misread him, that would be a huge embarrassment.”
“Especially since I heard Bai Feifei has some other special background.”
“A background is only useful if she's alive! No one in this world will risk their lives for a dead person!” Liu Qing said decisively.
“Besides, this time, we don't actually need to hide our actions all that much...”
His gaze swept across everyone present.
“Everyone, have you not realized who we are now?”
“This is United Pharmaceuticals' defining battle!”
His voice suddenly rose, carrying an inspiring, rallying power.
“The order of Dawn City begins to change today, because we have arrived!”
The air in the meeting room buzzed with the resonance of his voice.
“How many years have the major families stood high and mighty? How many years has the Scavenger system been set in stone? Right now, we are the only ones who can produce the potion that grants people Word Souls.”
“We no longer need to care about what those five families think. We are the Sixth Great Family! No, even stronger than that—we will be the greatest power in Dawn City.”
“We will change this world!”
Liu Qing's chest heaved violently as he passionately declared his blueprint for the future.
“If Bai Feifei dies, will people suspect we did it? Will they think it's a deliberate frame-up?”
“It doesn't matter! As long as it looks passable on the surface, that's enough. We want Dawn City to know that we are not to be trifled with. They must fear us just as they fear the five major families!”
His emotions finally calmed down a bit, and he sat back down.
“I've already found the specific candidates. They say Edgerunners can't be bought, but we happen to hold what they want most.”
“This time, Bai Feifei must die on her way to the venue.”
A long silence fell over the meeting room. Under the spell of Liu Qing's instigation, many people's breathing grew heavy.
“The Voting Assembly is in five days,” someone said, their voice hoarse. “Since we're going to act, we had better prepare quickly.”
“Perfect!” Liu Qing nodded.
...
—The day of the Voting Assembly.
The morning light shone on Dawn City's old signal tower, reflecting a dull metallic luster.
This day was a familiar one to the residents of the Inner City. The Voting Assembly's proceedings would be broadcast live throughout Dawn City.
Although the Voting Assembly was a grand event and the most important matter in the Inner City, its procedures were usually cliché, and the topics mostly consisted of bickering between various factions.
For the other residents of Dawn City, it wasn't something they absolutely had to watch.
But this time was different.
With the involvement of the ultimate king of engagement, Bai Feifei, most of the public wanted to see how things would play out.
They treated it like an entertainment show. This kind of head-on clash, completely out in the open without any hidden undercurrents, was incredibly thrilling.
So over the past few days, many people in the streets and alleys had been keeping busy.
“Hey, does your signal receiver still work? Why is my screen full of static?”
A middle-aged man squatted under his eaves, forcefully slapping a rusted iron box.
“I don't know. These broadcasts only happen during the Voting Assembly. Who pays attention to them normally?”
“If I didn't want to see how Bai Feifei plans to argue with the pharmaceutical companies this time, I don't think I'd ever touch this equipment.”
Various signal receiving devices were dug out once again.
This was the first time in Dawn City's history that a representative with sinner status had triggered such a ratings surge.
But while the entire city waited to see this “King of Engagement,” Bai Feifei's surroundings were remarkably desolate.
Her name was the center of attention, yet she was completely alone.
Her room was very quiet.
On the day of the Voting Assembly, the academy was closed. All activities were forced to a halt, and there was nothing happening at the school, let alone anyone looking for her.
“No contact with outsiders.” This order wasn't just meant for her.
It was also a warning to everyone else not to associate with this dangerous individual.
Therefore, on this morning before her departure, no one came to see her off. Even the media reporters weren't gathered around the academy.
Holding her phone, Bai Feifei stood at the school gate, looking at the map.
“You seem a bit nervous?” Xu Mo's lazy voice echoed in her mind.
Bai Feifei's lips twitched as she retorted, in a rare moment of bickering.
“I am a little nervous, mostly because it's hard to predict what you plan to do with my body this time.”
“I feel like my reputation still has plenty of room to sink in your hands.”
“What kind of talk is that?” Xu Mo's voice sounded slightly displeased. “I'm usually very passive, alright? To spare your feelings, I've been acting purely in self-defense for how long now?”
Bai Feifei: ...
She was speechless. However, this time, she was mentally prepared for what she had to face.
She didn't know what the situation would be at the Voting Assembly. First of all, the Huang and Li families would absolutely never side with her.
Furthermore, despite being such a unique participant, no one had come to pick her up. She actually had to walk there on her own!
There was no one on the road either. Dawn City was eerily quiet today.
All these illogical details gave her a feeling that everyone seemed to know something big was likely about to happen.
Just then, her communicator vibrated. A new contact message appeared on her phone.
She picked it up and glanced at it. A text message popped up on the screen, sent by Ye Yu.
“My dad is the Ye family representative. I'm attending as an observer with my family. Waiting for you.”
“My father has promised that our Ye family will support you this time!”
Bai Feifei's eyelashes fluttered slightly.
Coincidentally, a second text message popped up.
“Something feels off. United Pharmaceuticals' recent statements have been extremely aggressive.”
“Be very careful on your way here!”
This message was sent by Wan Qianhong.
Rate on N.U.
