“Something has happened, causing you such panic?”
“You are a principal officer of the Northern Tiger, not some insignificant figure.”
Lin Zeyuan said slowly, a hint of disdain appearing on his lips, completely disregarding the other’s words.
With the Northern Tiger revealed, there were very few people who could suppress him now.
“A detachment has arrived from outside.”
Lin Zeyuan waved his hand dismissively, “Let them come.”
“The Imperial Guards.”
Lin Zeyuan: “……”
Zhou Zheng: “……”
The Zhou family members froze in place, disbelief etched on their faces.
Zhou Zheng’s gaze fell upon Lin Zeyuan, who shook his head.
At his level, he could not yet reach the caliber of the Imperial Guards.
Even if his and Zhou Zheng’s statuses were combined, they could not frequently command the Imperial Guards; it was simply impossible.
Suddenly, Zhou Zheng’s gaze landed on Ye Longlin, his breathing quickening.
“You just said, you’d capture my fiancée, you try?”
Ye Longlin had lost patience. His stomach was empty, making him anxious to leave and go eat.
The information conveyed by this sentence was too obvious, causing the bodies of those present to tremble, their expressions shifting repeatedly.
None of them believed that Ye Longlin could access such circles. Their preconceptions had led them to believe Ye Longlin was merely an ordinary colonel, nothing more.
Could it be that what was happening now was not his doing?
At the same time, Xiao Zhan, who had already gone ahead, appeared at the doorway. He was clad in a high-ranking officer’s uniform, a saber at his waist, and a pistol on the other side.
His insignia, displayed on his chest and shoulders, shone under the lights.
Upon seeing Xiao Zhan, Zhou Zheng’s expression turned solemn, his eyes filled with dread. He still could not comprehend how this matter today could have caused Xiao Zhan to personally appear, bringing the Imperial Guards with him.
The most astonishing was Lin Zeyuan.
He knew very well what the Imperial Guards represented, and he also knew who was behind them. Upon seeing Xiao Zhan, the light in his eyes almost vanished, leaving him utterly devoid of spirit.
While Zhou Zheng was still contemplating how to address the man, he saw Xiao Zhan standing respectfully beside Ye Longlin. Xiao Zhan bowed sixty degrees and said with utmost reverence, “Imperial Guard Commander Xiao Zhan, greetings to the Heavenly King.”
Hearing the other’s address, Lin Zeyuan’s legs went weak, and he immediately knelt down, his eyes wide, utterly unable to believe what he had heard.
Even the retired Zhou Zheng couldn't help but gasp at that moment, his pupils dilating instantly.
Zhou Fengya was even more stunned, her eyes vacant and disbelieving.
How could it be? How could he be the legendary Heavenly King? It was impossible, absolutely impossible.
This face, so young.
How could someone ascend to the position of Heavenly King at such a young age? That was the commander of the three armies.
How many battles would one have to fight, how many merits would one have to earn to reach such a pinnacle, such a position of immense power?
“Grandpa…”
Zhou Fengya panicked and instinctively reached out to grab Zhou Zheng’s clothes for protection. But Zhou Zheng, having already recovered, gently pushed her hand away and stood aside, silent, his expression extremely complex.
Earlier, his son and Ye Guohui, in a drunken conversation, had agreed to a betrothal. However, it never materialized, which had also brought relief to many.
Because shortly after that, the Ye family encountered a catastrophe, leading to the current situation.
“Brother Lin…”
At this moment, Zhou Fengya was like a drowning person, desperately trying to grasp any floating object. However, there was nothing around her to hold onto.
Lin Zeyuan was already in a precarious situation, let alone being able to help her.
Zhou Fengya had always considered herself superior, looking down on others as ants. But in the end, she herself was the ant. She was unwilling to believe such a turn of events, yet she had to accept it.
Zhou Guofang’s expression was also grim. Meeting his daughter’s gaze, Zhou Guofang cruelly averted his eyes elsewhere.
There was no other way; an arm could not twist a thigh. He was powerless.
Such a supreme existence. Let alone the Zhou family, even the ten great families would have to carefully consider whether they could stand against him if they provoked him.
With no one to rely on, Zhou Fengya completely collapsed.
She looked around helplessly, but no one was willing to step forward at this critical moment.
“Ye Longlin, I…”
With a bang, Zhou Fengya knelt before Ye Longlin. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Ye Longlin interrupted her.
“I want you dead, that’s all.”
As the words fell, Zhou Fengya’s face instantly turned pale, devoid of any color.
At this moment, Xiao Zhan also took a step forward, his voice icy, “The Heavenly King’s wife, the Elder’s granddaughter, treated as an item by your Zhou family juniors and given to the Zheng family; she deserves to be executed!”
Like a furious Vajra, Xiao Zhan drew his saber, a vast killing intent engulfing the scene.
Upon seeing this, Zhou Fengya was petrified and retreated towards Lin Zeyuan.
“Brother Lin, save me, save me, I am your fiancée.”
However, Xiao Zhan let out a cold snort, stepped forward, grabbed her hair, placed his saber at her throat, and instantly slit her throat.
“Lin, Lin…”
Zhou Fengya, her pupils dilating, tried to reach for Lin Zeyuan. But Lin Zeyuan, as if seeing something terrifying, began to retreat. Ultimately, their group could only watch as Zhou Fengya lay in a pool of blood, her life extinguished.
Having finished his task, Xiao Zhan looked at Zhou Guofang, Zhou Zheng, and Lin Zeyuan, and casually asked, “Do you wish to annihilate the Zhou family? The Second Elder has issued an order to kill all those involved in this matter. If the Heavenly King commands it, your subordinate guarantees that by 5 PM this afternoon, the Zhou family will be no more, and you will never hear of the Zhou family’s affairs in the capital again.”
As soon as these words were uttered, the three present swallowed hard, their expressions filled with dread as they looked at Ye Longlin.
The weight of this statement was too immense for them to dare to respond casually.
Ye Longlin shook his head slightly, “No need.”
After speaking, Ye Longlin stood up and left.
“This matter ends here. The Zhou family can be considered old acquaintances of my father. There is no need for their annihilation.”
Looking in the direction Ye Longlin departed, Xiao Zhan nodded, cast a deep glance at him, and led his men away.
In the living room, Lin Zeyuan’s eyes were glazed over. After a long while, he finally came to his senses, silent, and left.
With such an incident, the Imperial Guards would surely report it. His path to promotion had essentially ended here, and he would not be promoted. He might even be demoted because of this.
As for the Zhou family, they had misjudged the situation, lost their daughter, and thoroughly offended Ye Longlin.
“What is destined to be will be, and what is not destined for you, do not force it.”