Starforce Warriors

Chapter 263: Bright Future

At the Ye family ancestral residence.

A small banquet was underway. Ye Guanzhen sat at the head of the table. To his right, seated in the place of highest honor, was an elderly man with a lean face and black beard. This man was Gu Juechen, the head of the first branch of the Gu family.

On his left sat another esteemed guest, a slightly plump man who appeared to be in his thirties with a pale, beardless face. A faint smile lingered on his face, giving him the appearance of a serene Laughing Buddha. He was none other than Wu Fohai, the newly appointed inspector of Liuhe Base City.

Twenty of Liuhe Base City’s most prominent figures were seated around the table. They included Du Longshan, the head of the Du family; Nie Sheng, the former chief of the police department; and the patriarchs of the Mu, Zhou, and Qi families.

At the farthest seat on the right sat a scholarly young man in white robes. His hooked nose and unnaturally pale face gave him an eerie look. This was none other than Shangguan Tianyu, the master of Tianyu Palace. Though he appeared to be in his twenties, he was nearing sixty. Due to the unique cultivation techniques of Tianyu Palace, he had mastered the art of preserving his youthful appearance.

In the center of the hall, four young and beautiful dancers, dressed in light, gauzy dresses, twirled gracefully to elegant music. Their movements were ethereal, like celestial beings drifting among the clouds, yet the glimpse of pale arms and legs gave their performance a subtle air of seduction.

"Master Shangguan, your actions were swift and efficient, as expected," Ye Guanzhen said, raising his glass. "I toast to you; this matter was handled beautifully."

Shangguan Tianyu stood, raised his glass in return, and laughed heartily. "The Ye family’s matters are Tianyu Palace's matters. It’s only a matter of course to give Brother Ye’s matters my full effort."

“Haha, well said,” Ye Guanzhen laughed heartily.

That little policewoman wasn’t someone worth fearing, no matter what little backing she had. But she had repeatedly opposed the Ye family and ruined his plans. How could he possibly let her live any longer?

If he didn’t eliminate her, wouldn’t outsiders think that the Ye family could be easily bullied? Tan Zhenwei might want to promote her, but Ye Guanzhen was determined to kill her. It all depended on which side moved faster. After the Duxing Hospital incident, Ye Guanzhen had withdrawn from the public eye. Outwardly, he no longer appeared in the city’s media or public spaces, but in reality, retreating to the shadows had made it even easier for him to control and plan everything.

“That little wretch had a close relationship with Li Xiaofei. Won’t Li Xiaofei fly into a rage when he learns about her death?” Du Longshan said gleefully. “That brat is impulsive and prone to losing control. We’ve laid the trap perfectly, and he’ll walk right into it. Haha, it will soon be the end of him.”

Ye Guanzhen nodded in agreement and then turned to Nie Sheng, asking, “How are things on the police department’s side?”

Nie Sheng grinned, “Rest assured, Young Master Ye. I’ve already contacted the loyal insiders I planted there. The case has been fully closed. The few who weren’t cooperative have been cowed by the Ye family’s reputation and are now much more obedient. Though I’ve been removed from my position, the police department is still filled with my people.”

Ye Guanzhen said, "Good. You’ve done well, and it seems you’ve earned the Ye family’s support over the years."

Money and women could corrupt anything. Over the years, the Ye family had covertly expanded its influence, with the help of Nie Sheng, by corrupting countless officials.

That fool, Tan Zhenwei, didn’t want to get rich himself and even had the nerve to block everyone else’s paths to wealth. He preached ideals every day, but how many people were truly willing to sincerely follow him?

The banquet grew livelier.

Ye Guanzhen turned to his left and smiled. "Old friend, how is the investigation into the identity of Your Grandpa going? Is it really Li Xiaofei’s account?"

The newly appointed inspector, Wu Fohai, shook his head. "The identity of Your Grandpa has been elevated to ultra-SS level. My current clearance is no longer enough to access the details."

Ye Guanzhen was momentarily stunned. "How could that be?"

Wu Fohai smiled faintly. "Li Zhoumin, despite his transfer to the Northwest Headquarters, isn’t without his backers. And this wasn’t a demotion; it was a promotion. According to protocol, before he left, he encrypted the information of six accounts in Liuhe Base City’s light-network world. As his successor, I don’t have the authority to access them. So, the true identity of Your Grandpa is destined to remain a mystery."

Ye Guanzhen felt a deep sense of frustration. The Duxing Hospital incident had largely been derailed because of Your Grandpa, who had bypassed the media blackout and ultimately led to the collapse of their last line of defense. Ye Guanzhen had long wanted to eliminate Your Grandpa, but without knowing the true identity behind the account, he had no way to act.

He had hoped that once his old friend Wu Fohai took up the role of inspector, he could uncover everything. But it still remained out of reach.

"But, I don’t think Your Grandpa is Li Xiaofei," Wu Fohai continued. "I’ve tracked down Li Xiaofei’s own account. He’s been actively interacting and sparring with other star players from various high schools on the light-network."

Ye Guanzhen nodded thoughtfully.

"If Li Xiaofei truly loses his temper and acts out, then it will be up to you, Brother Wu, to deal with that brat," he said, addressing Wu Fohai in front of all the guests.

Wu Fohai, still smiling, nodded. "Rest assured. As an inspector, I won’t allow such a reckless youth to run rampant. I highly doubt he’ll dare to defy the Star Council."

With that, everyone felt more at ease. A super-skilled fighter could indeed make even powerful families nervous. But the Star Council was specifically designed to handle such individuals. Even if Wu Fohai couldn’t personally subdue Li Xiaofei, the fact that he represented the Star Council meant that defying him would be equivalent to opposing the council itself.

It didn’t matter if someone was a Five Spirits Realm expert or even a Golden Body Realm or Dao Union Realm expert. They wouldn’t escape unscathed if they were forced to appear in front of the Star Council’s tribunal. The council’s judgments were no laughing matter.

"Uncle Gu, has Tan Zhenwei responded?" Ye Guanzhen turned to Gu Juechen.

Gu Juechen had a neutral expression as he replied, "He said that Li Xiaofei refused to become a vassal of the Gu family."

"As expected," Ye Guanzhen smirked. "A young man who has achieved success so early is bound to be arrogant."

"I once offered my heart to the bright moon, but the moonlight shone only on a ditch," Gu Juechen said regretfully. "A seventeen-year-old with the strength of the Five Spirits Realm; his talent is indeed astonishing. If he had agreed to become a vassal to atone for his sins, I would’ve forgiven him. Losing two sons doesn’t matter much to me. But unfortunately... Li Xiaofei has missed his last chance to live."

Large families always put profit first. Losing two sons in exchange for a young man with the strength of an expert at the Five Spirits Realm was undoubtedly a lucrative deal.

Gu Juechen added, "Tan Zhenwei is determined to protect Li Xiaofei this time and has offered some tempting conditions."

"Haha, don’t worry, Uncle Gu," Ye Guanzhen laughed generously. "Whatever conditions a fallen city leader can offer, my Ye family can easily double them for you. Once our Eye of the Northwest plan succeeds, the profits will be in the hundreds of billions."

Gu Juechen nodded calmly. "You’re right. I’ll send you the list of conditions Tan Zhenwei proposed via LightChat."

Ye Guanzhen responded enthusiastically, "Rest assured, I’ll double everything."

But in his heart, he thought to himself that the Gu family was indeed in decline if they were constantly making excessive demands.

Soon, the dance performance ended.

Ye Guanzhen raised his glass and stood up. "Liuhe Base City is due for a transformation. From now on, this city will belong to our noble families. Let us all drink to celebrate the dawn of a prosperous new era."

The guests stood, raising their glasses and drinking in celebration.

Ye Guanzhen turned to Shangguan Tianyu and said, "Master Shangguan, return to your gang at once. Follow the plan and be fully prepared. Knowing Li Xiaofei's impulsive nature, he will likely come after you. Be cautious in dealing with him."

"Haha, don't worry, Brother Ye," Shangguan Tianyu patted his chest confidently. "Li Xiaofei is of no concern. So far, he has only killed minor figures. My Tianyu Palace is the number one gang in Liuhe Base City. If he dares to come, we’ll make sure he never leaves."