Chapter 332: The Killer, Feng Xiu
Chapter 332: The Killer, Feng Xiu
18th of May.
On the very night that the Lu Family Ranch encountered issues, another significant incident took place.
A squad from the Demon Suppression Bureau, led by An Lan, was ambushed, resulting in An Lan's demise.
The assailant claimed to be Feng Xiu, one of the Five Great Envoys of the Zero Organization.
This sudden development caught many off guard.
However, they soon realized that this was just the beginning.
Not long after An Lan's death, another bloody incident occurred.
In the Southeast, the Jin, Li, Chen, and Huang families, all prominent post-disaster families, became targets.
These families had rapidly expanded their influence in various aspects of the Southeast region over the past hundred years.
The most notable figures from these families were the Jin brothers, Jin Lihai and Jin Lilai, who held positions of power in Zhenhai Tower.
With their authority, they even dared to provoke Li Wu.
Although both brothers faced consequences for their actions, the Jin family's connections with other families prevented their downfall, and the deaths had minimal impact on the family's influence.
They continued to exert control over their territory.
Jiang Yue Xing, despite his intentions, had been unable to act due to the intricate web of family connections.
However, on this day, someone took action, accomplishing what Jiang Yue Xing had been unable to do.
19th of May.
The Jin family massacre.
Feng Xiu, one of the Five Great Envoys of the Zero Organization, brutally murdered 18 members of the Jin family.
20th of May, the Li family massacre.
21st of May, the Chen and Huang family massacres.
Within three days, 77 individuals from the four major families of the Southeast were killed.
All victims had their necks crushed, and the words "Killer, Feng Xiu" were left at each crime scene.
Furthermore, the perpetrator, Feng Xiu, thoughtfully provided explanations for the killings, presenting evidence of the victims' crimes.
As the media reported these incidents, the public discovered that each victim was guilty and deserved their fate.
These reports shifted public perception, turning what was initially a terrifying attack into an act of justice.
The supposed villain became a hero in the eyes of the public.
Of course, this was merely the public's perspective.
In reality, anyone with a sound mind and some knowledge could easily guess the identity of the perpetrator.
On the evening of the 21st of May, the Alliance headquarters held a meeting to address the situation.
The meeting was chaired by Fei Yinghao, one of the 15 Elders of the Council of Elders.
Here, it is essential to introduce the Alliance.
The full name of the Alliance is the "Summoner Human Civilization Reconstruction Alliance."
The Alliance is comprised of 15 regions, each operating autonomously with limited inter-regional communication.
The only connection between these regions is the Council of Elders.
The first generation of the Council of Elders was established by 12 top-tier experts during the disaster, chosen for their strength and contributions in reclaiming human territories from summoned beasts.
These 12 experts formed the Council to unite various human factions.
With their power and charisma, they united hundreds of human factions into a single Alliance.
The Alliance, rather than a federation, maintains its identity as a coalition of diverse factions, not a unified nation.
Despite over a century of development, the Alliance still functions as a 'Frankenstein's monster' of the post-apocalyptic world.
Consequently, the Alliance exhibits numerous peculiarities.
The Summoner Center's hereditary system, Zhang Yunyi's control over the Southeast, and the absence of a president or premier in the Alliance are all examples of these oddities.
In Realm 1, the Alliance's operations are decentralized, with departments like the Education Bureau, Demon Suppression Bureau, and Government Bureau functioning independently, while the Council of Elders oversees and coordinates these departments.
Therefore, meetings involving multiple departments are typically chaired by an Elder from the Council.
For instance, today's meeting, initiated by the Demon Suppression Bureau and the Government Bureau, is one such example.
During the meeting, the first to express discontent was a representative from the Government Bureau.
The deputy director, unable to contain his frustration, exclaimed, "Well, well, well! Jiang Yue Xing, even in times like these, she dares to eliminate her rivals! I propose we arrest Jiang Yue Xing immediately!"
The Government Bureau's reaction was understandable, as they were determined to prevent the emergence of another Zhang Yunyi.
Jiang Yue Xing's rise to the position of Governor was undoubtedly facilitated by her connections.
The representative from the Education Bureau responded with a dismissive gesture, "Your accusation is unfair. The assailant is Feng Xiu of the Zero Organization, what does he have to do with Governor Jiang? If anyone is to blame, it's the Demon Suppression Bureau! The Southeast had already reported the Zero Organization, but the Bureau only dispatched a Master Rank squad, leading to this outcome."
The responsibility should fall on the Demon Suppression Bureau.
"Take responsibility!"
The Vice Minister of Government Affairs flew into a rage at these words, "What's this Zero Organization and Feng Xiu? When have you ever seen the Zero Organization commit crimes so mildly?
They even distinguish between whether it's a matter of life and death and provide evidence?
This is clearly a move to eliminate dissent!"
Jiang Yue Xing had already been brazen about it, and this matter could not be left unaddressed. It must be severely punished!
"If not, today it's Jiang Yue Xing, and tomorrow it'll be Li Yue Xing. If every province does this, will the Alliance still function?"
"You know they've prepared the evidence.
Even the terrifying Zero Organization values evidence, and you, as the Vice Minister of the Alliance, are quick to make baseless accusations?
If you want to frame them, you should at least forge some evidence first, right?"
"You're slandering me!"
"You're the one slandering!"
...
The Vice Minister of Government Affairs and the spokesperson for the Education Bureau argued back and forth, each word a delight to their ears.
Initially, both sides had reasonable and well-founded arguments, but soon their exchange turned into a quarrel akin to that of neighborhood grandmothers, and they almost came to blows.
From the situation, it seemed that the Education Bureau had the upper hand.
In a 16-9-1-bar-1-look-no-mistake version!
The Government Affairs Bureau lacked solid evidence, but this matter involved core interests, and they wouldn't easily back down without it.
As the two sides argued to the point of physical confrontation, Fei Yinghao, the first among the Twelve Elders, banged the table.
"Enough, enough, what's there to argue about? It's not that big of a deal.
Zhou An, this is a matter for the Demon Suppression Bureau. I'm entrusting this to you. Go to Jiangnan yourself, and I'll give you five days. Whether it's a real demon or a fake one, I want an explanation. That's it. Meeting dismissed!"
As one of the Twelve Elders, Fei Yinghao had this much authority.
"Yes, sir!"
Zhou An, the Deputy Director of the Demon Suppression Bureau, nodded in agreement.
With Zhou An's nod, the meeting came to an end.
The outcome of this meeting quickly spread through various channels.
This news brought joy to some and worry to others.
Jiang Yue Xing was the type to feel both joy and worry.
He was glad that Zhou An was coming, as the threat from the Zero Organization should be resolved, or at least alleviated. But he was concerned about how to handle those lives.
Although this matter wasn't his doing, he had a vague idea of who was responsible.
And Zhou An from the Demon Suppression Bureau wasn't someone to be fooled easily. If he started investigating, it might be challenging to keep it hidden, and if any clues were found, it would be very troublesome.
...
At the same time, in a certain estate in Jiangnan.
"Has he finally lost his patience? This move is brilliant. With this, those guys won't be able to sit still, and soon, someone will likely come down here."
Feng Xiu, standing by the window, held a cup of wine and took a small sip, a mischievous smile on his lips, "However, I wonder if he's considered that the person he's bringing might also be here to deal with him?"
Feng Xiu wasn't saying this because he knew the identity of the person coming.
But one thing was clear to him.
The effort to deal with Lu Wu, or rather, Lu Hai Kong, wasn't just his doing.
Nor was it solely the work of the person who had joined forces with him.
Countless forces were at play, and it felt like the heavens and earth were lending their strength.
This was mainly because Lu Hai Kong had made quite a few enemies.
In his heyday, this guy was even more arrogant than Lu Wu.
Countless people had been oppressed and bullied by him, and many had been deceived by this scoundrel.
The emotional debts and grudges were countless.
These people had gone into hiding when Lu Wu disappeared, but now, with Lu Wu becoming more active, his identity as Lu Hai Kong's son was becoming more apparent. Many who couldn't find Lu Hai Kong were directing their hatred towards Lu Wu.
Imagine, a character from decades ago who stole someone's wife and beat up his father suddenly had a son appear after decades of silence, and this son seemed even more outstanding than his father.
After finally escaping the fear of being dominated by Lu Hai Kong, now there's Lu Wu to deal with. Who could bear this? Of course, those people wouldn't dare to take action themselves.
But now, someone is charging ahead.
With someone taking the lead, they can naturally hide behind and seek revenge.
Regarding Zhou An, Feng Xiu's guess was spot on.
Soon after making this judgment, someone delivered an intelligence report to Feng Xiu.
The report clarified the grudge between Zhou An and Lu Hai Kong.
This guy had a real bone to pick with Lu Hai Kong.
He was the one whose childhood sweetheart, fiancee, and sister had all been deceived by Lu Hai Kong.
For decades, his hatred for Lu Hai Kong had seeped into his bones.
The Demon Suppression Bureau's failure to send strong agents to resolve the issue promptly was partly due to his behind-the-scenes interference.
Now that he was coming in person, the chances of him not causing trouble for Lu Wu were slim.
"It seems this hope may turn into despair!"
Looking at the intelligence report, Feng Xiu's lips curved upwards.
(End of Chapter)
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