Ultragenic Warlord

Chapter 206: Backing Down

Indeed, the Long clan wasn't the only clan to suffer in this manner. In Ning, the Wang clan was likewise surrounded by elites from the Blackwind Fort; in fact, because Zhang Lie and his dojo were both situated in Ning, there was a stronger military presence near the Wang clan.

Almost all the Wang assets were seized by the military in the blink of an eye. At the top floor of the Tianlin condominium in Ning, Wang Han was bowing to a black-clothed young man sitting in front of him. The man was Lin Yue, the team leader of one of the Blackwind Fort's field-operation teams, as well as a trusted aide to Su Feng.

"Team Leader Lin, may I ask what you're doing here?" Wang Han asked politely, realizing the delicacy of his situation.

"Clan Head Wang, are you sure you don't know why I'm here today?"

"No, Team Leader Lin, please explain yourself!"

.

"You don't know about the assassination attempt on Dojo Leader Zhang? According to verified sources, these assassins were sent by at least three factions. Do you claim to be innocent of this charge, Clan Head Wang?"

"A false accusation, Team Leader Lin! The Wang clan took no part in this! Surely you can't place the blame on the Wang clan out of mere conjecture alone?"

Lin Yue laughed. "Is that so?"

"I, Wang Han, swear on my cultivation and honor that the Wang clan truly wasn't involved! To be honest, the Wang clan did have a feud with Zhang Lie, but ever since Zhang Lie successfully founded his dojo and became the champion of the Void Cup, most of the Wang elders were unwilling to go against him any longer. Given his importance in discovering the existence of limit fragments, many in the clan support developing a friendlier relationship with him instead. A week ago, our clan halted all our plans against Zhang Lie and the Zenith Dojo," Wang Han admitted somewhat sorrowfully.

He had been invited—and had wanted!—to participate in the assassination attempt, but the clan had banded in vehement disagreement, forcing him to drop some of his unhatched plans against Zhang Lie. Although he was still upset, he was now immeasurably grateful to those elders who had objected and saved the Wang clan from deep trouble.

"Very well. Let this serve as a warning of what would happen if you chose to go against Zhang Lie, then," Lin Yue replied.

"Team Leader Lin, does that mean that Zhang Lie's being backed by the military now?"

"Don't try to pry for information. All I can tell you is to drop whatever feud the Wang clan has against him. He's not an existence the Wang clan can afford to offend—not even ten Wang clans! Believe me, this is for your own good!"

"Yes, Team Leader Lin, I understand!"

Lin Yue nodded, then turned to leave. "This meeting was a secret. I trust you won't publicize it," he added, walking out of the condominium.

Wang Han exhaled. The sooner he could let his enmity go, the better.

The Qin and Li clans, which harbored a deeper grudge against Zhang Lie, took the news rather badly. In the Li manor, the Li clan head sat with three black-clothed military officials, the atmosphere so tense it was almost palpable.

"What do you mean? Does the military intend to step into Li clan matters?" Clan Head Li pressed.

"To restrict, not to interfere," one of the military officials clarified. "If the Li clan persists in trying to interfere with Zhang Lie, it shall be destroyed. This is your final warning, Clan Head Li."

"Destroyed! Why?! Is a single first-realm hunter like Zhang Lie worth so much that you'd destroy the honored Li clan over it?" the Li clan head retorted.

"Justice? Clan Head Li, do you really wish to speak of justice? Your clan's initial disagreement with Zhang Lie grew out of your avarice—whence the justice? The Li clan's past accolades were a testament to your ancestors' skill and character, not the basis by which you can get away with bullying others! Indeed, if not for those accolades, we wouldn't be here today—the Li clan would simply have been annihilated from a distance. Come to your senses, Clan Head Li!"

"Very well. I understand. The Li clan will accede to the military's demands," Clan Head Li replied, taking a deep breath. Really, what other choice did he have? Once the military stepped in, the outcome was a foregone conclusion. The major clans knew the military's might best; they might have been able to get away with bullying smaller clans or individual hunters, but against the military...

Affairs played out in much the same manner in the Qin clan. In a single night, Zhang Lie's enmity with many of the major clans of China was wiped clean.

Indeed, they couldn't even dare plot and scheme against Zhang Lie secretly. The military was sure to continue surveillance on them, and if they were to discover anything, their clans would be destroyed in an instant. It seemed as though the military had truly become Zhang Lie's backer, and the gulf between them and Zhang Lie was widening day by day.

Once everything was settled, in one of Odinstadt's inns, Yan Long and Su Feng again met up for drinks. They groused and grumbled at the hunter for whom they had done so much, who had spent the entire day and night cultivating in preparation for the tournament, and had no idea what had happened in his name.