C24 The Big Pot Falls from the Sky

"What a family, the Wangs! What a character, Wang Xiaohua! Such cunning! Such acting! Such strategy!"

"I never imagined that I, Qin Xiao, a seasoned hunter, would be bested by a fledgling eagle!"

"Upon returning to base, keep a close watch on Wang Xiaohua at the Black Iron Tavern. Additionally, send someone to Ning City in the present world to monitor every move of the Wang family!"

"Yes, sir!"

With such suspicions, Qin Xiao naturally set his sights on the Wang family. As for a minor character like Zhang Lieh, he probably wouldn't give him a second thought.

The bitterness of losing an arm was etched into his very soul!

Given the current level of medical technology, although reattaching a severed arm comes at a steep cost, it's still possible. However, it would take at least a month.

This means that for the next month or so, Qin Xiao can forget about hunting Gene Life to enhance his strength, which might even jeopardize his participation in the Void Title Battle in three months.

If so, it would be a catastrophic setback for Qin Xiao.

At this moment, his animosity towards Wang Xiaohua and the entire Wang family was nothing short of towering.

Of course, Qin Xiao wasn't the only one targeting the Wang family at this time. They had made quite a few enemies.

The three major conglomerates, including the Yun and Chu families, had all quickly turned their thoughts to Wang Xiaohua and the Wang family.

Wang Xiaohua herself was merely a wealthy heiress, not particularly noteworthy. But the Wang family of Ning City was renowned.

The Void Realm is home to hundreds of bases, with Black Iron Base being just one among them.

While the Wang family may not be well-known at Black Iron Base, they are the leading family at Bronze Teeth Base, located in the extreme south of the Void Realm.

The Void Conferred Battle, held every five years, was fast approaching, and all the bases were in the final stages of preparation. It wouldn't be surprising if someone tried to play their cards at this juncture to weaken strong competitors and clear the path for their base's top contenders, a common occurrence in previous years.

The Black Iron Base had not been particularly strong in previous years.

This time, however, Yun Bing, Chu Feng, and Qin Xiao, the new generation trio, posed a threat to competitors from other bases.

It was quite understandable that someone would take action to clear a path for them.

The crux of the matter was that all information about the Purple Poison Forest had come from Wang Xiaohua. Naturally, she was the first person to come to mind if anything went wrong.

And thinking of her inevitably led to the Wang family, an unavoidable connection.

In fact, not only the Six Great Families but also many others at the base shared Qin Xiao's sentiments.

Their focus was entirely on Wang Xiaohua and the Wang family, completely overlooking Zhang Lieh, who had long vanished from the Combat Power Board.

This oversight provided Zhang Lieh with a valuable period of undisturbed development.

That evening, representatives of the Six Great Families rushed to the Black Iron Tavern almost immediately, intent on confronting Wang Xiaohua.

To their surprise, by the time they reached the Black Iron Tavern, Wang Xiaohua had already made an overnight return to the Modern Realm.

This turn of events effectively confirmed suspicions of her fleeing out of guilt, or perhaps that she had retreated after achieving her goals.

After all, she had previously claimed that once they entered the Purple Poison Forest and located Qin Xiaotian's remains, the truth would be clear to all.

Now, having returned from the Purple Poison Forest without finding the remains and having been severely outmaneuvered, they sought confrontation only to find that she had already fled.

Wasn't this the very definition of fleeing out of guilt?

Consequently, the Six Great Families swiftly activated their influence in the Modern Realm, keeping a close watch on every move of the Wang family in Ning City.

Even the elder Patriarchs began to take action upon hearing the news.

In Ning City, at the residence of Wang Jianxin, Wang Xiaohua gazed at her furious father like a criminal awaiting judgment.

"Xiaohua, you've been too impulsive. I warned you that boy was trouble and told you to stay away from him, but you just had to get involved. And now, look what's happened," her father scolded.

"Tell me the truth, Xiaohua, did you have any direct involvement in Qin Xiaotian's death?"

Wang Jianxin's brow was deeply furrowed, signaling his awareness of the gravity of the situation. His gaze was fixed on his daughter, scrutinizing every detail.

As a seasoned veteran, he even detected a whiff of danger, a sensation he hadn't felt in many years.

Through her tears, Wang Xiaohua pleaded, "Dad, Xiaotian is my boyfriend. How could I possibly have killed him? Don't you trust your own daughter?"

"I've told you, it was all Zhang Lieh's doing! He's the one who killed Xiaotian! He murdered everyone and stole our Soul Jade!"

"Everyone who went into the Purple Poison Forest, except for him and me, is dead. He spared me with ulterior motives, wanting to pin the blame on me!"

"Now he's even brought in an anonymous poster, claiming they saw me plotting against Xiaotian and the others, slinging mud nonstop. I've tried to clear my name, but those fools at the Black Iron Base just won't believe me."

"Dad, please help me figure out a way to clear this up. Otherwise, given the Qin family's stance, they're bound to come after me in the end!"

After hearing his daughter's outpouring, Wang Jianxin let out a sigh of relief. "Scared now, are you? What took you so long?"

"You always expect your dad to clean up your messes. One day, I'll be too old to do it, and then you'll really be in trouble!"

"If this has nothing to do with you, why the panic? You're just giving people ammunition against you."

"And as for the Qin family, you don't need to be overly scared. If you're truly innocent, I'll make sure you don't suffer any injustice."

"Proving your innocence should be enough, but talking won't help anymore. The moment you and Zhang Lieh returned to the base together, the question of innocence was already out the window."

"The more you say, the guiltier you look. Unfortunately, your background puts you at a disadvantage here."

Wang Xiaohua found solace in her father's words. "Dad, what do we do now? I was the one who buried Brother Xiaotian's body!"

"That's why I've already spread the word at the base. If they find the body, it'll prove I'm not lying. That should clear my name, right?"

"Xiaohua, you're still too naive. I've already told you, in this situation, you'll never be able to clear your name. The suspicion on you will always be greater than on Zhang Lieh."

"Because you were born into the Wang family, and compared to Zhang Lieh, you're the strong one, he's the weak one. In this world, people only believe that the strong dominate the weak."

"But you don't need to be too scared. After all, you're a member of the Wang family. Even if you were involved, the Qin family alone couldn't touch you."

"Even though I don't hold much status within our family, I'm still a third-generation Wang. The family absolutely won't let us be bullied without cause."

"I'll contact your third uncle and ask him to clear this up. This should all blow over soon."

Wang Xiaohua replied with joy, "Really? That's wonderful, Dad. Please send a message to Third Uncle right away."

"Qin Xiao is terrifying, and the people at the base are even worse. They're still camped outside my hotel room. I'm so frightened, I don't even dare to step out of my room."

"It's driving me crazy!"

Wang Jianxin didn't overthink it. After a brief moment of contemplation, he was convinced that contacting the third uncle was the best solution.

However, just as he was about to use the Holo-Brain to reach out to Patriarch Wang Han, the Holo-Brain at home chimed in.

On the screen was a call from Patriarch Wang Han himself.

This unexpected call made Wang Jianxin's heart lurch, sensing that something was off.

Nonetheless, he couldn't ignore a call from the Patriarch. He immediately pressed the answer button.

The next moment, the room's Holo-Brain projector activated, and a middle-aged man with a stern expression appeared.

"Patriarch!"

"Third Uncle!"

Wang Jianxin and Wang Xiaohua immediately greeted him, their actions and tone filled with utmost respect.

"Wang Jianxin, what on earth are you thinking? Are you trying to bring down the Wang family?"

"In ten minutes, the family elders will arrive to collect Wang Xiaohua. Hand her over to the family for handling, immediately!"

Wang Han completely disregarded their courteous greetings, berating Wang Jianxin so fiercely that he was left utterly dumbfounded.

Upon realizing the gravity of the situation, Wang Jianxin paused momentarily before speaking again.

"Head of the family... Third Brother, as you know, Xiaohua is my only daughter. I understand you need to take her, but at the very least, you owe me an explanation of what's going on."

Wang Jianxin's fondness for Xiaohua was undeniable, and even in this critical moment, he showed no signs of relenting.

"What are you talking about? You're asking me? I should be the one asking you and your daughter!"

Wang Han's bellowing voice resonated from the screen, and both Wang Jianxin and Xiaohua could feel his rage through the digital barrier.

"Just now, Qin Chongming, Zhou Tianqi, Yun Yi, Chu Tiannan, Li Qing, and Zhao You all called me, offering their congratulations in a rather sarcastic tone."

"They lauded my supposed shrewd tactics, and the Wang family for producing a once-in-a-generation strategic mastermind. But they also hinted that we shouldn't get too greedy."

"Killing a Gene Life, taking down Zhou Qian, crippling Qin Xiao, and even stirring up a storm within the Black Iron Base—what's all this about?"

"I'm dying to know what on earth is happening!"

"Have Xiaohua get ready and come to the ancestral home immediately to give a full explanation. If not, the family may no longer be able to shield her."

"As of now, the Six Great Families have begun to keep a very close eye on us."

Wang Han's words hit Wang Jianxin and his daughter like a bombshell.

Without waiting for a response, the communication was abruptly cut off.

Clearly, the message was simple: stay put and the family might just be able to protect them.

At this moment, even Wang Jianxin couldn't hide his panic.

"Xiaohua, you need to tell me exactly what's happening!" he demanded, his voice raised almost to a shout.

"Dad, I swear, I don't know anything!" Xiaohua sobbed.

"Super creatures? Zhou Qian? Qin Xiao's arm? I'm clueless. I only showed them the way to the Purple Poison Forest!"

"It wasn't me! How could I possibly do such things? You know me, Dad. How could Xiaohua ever be capable of that?"

"It has to be Zhang Lieh! He's behind all this! He's out for revenge—he wants to destroy us!"

"It's him! It's definitely him!"

Wang Xiaohua, once so full of arrogance, was now utterly hysterical.

But it was all too late. Having come this far, even if Wang Xiaohua managed to survive, her future was destined to be nothing but grim.