What would be a suitable price this time? Lying on his bed, Qi Ze tossed and turned, his mind preoccupied with this serious and pragmatic question. Ouyang Ye found a thin blanket and covered his naked waist, his expression somewhat awkward, "Young Master Qi, look, the entire Empire's populace is denouncing the Mu family. Mu Ran led the entire Mu clan in apologizing to the nation and donated their entire fortune. They deserve it! Let them run rampant! This time, the Mu family's reputation is utterly ruined."
"Utterly ruined? Far from it." Qi Ze sat up halfway and decided, "Forget it, let's discuss after we meet."
"Who are you meeting?" Ouyang Ye immediately became alert.
"A client."
"Be careful not to be controlled by others."
"I'll see how things go first." Qi Ze had a plan in mind, so he was not the least bit anxious. Seemingly hearing some unusual noise, he waved his arm, and an invisible barrier instantly enclosed the room. A water mirror appeared out of thin air, and two figures gradually became clear, shockingly Mu Ran and Mu Yun, the Mu family's leader, just after their press conference.
"What's going on?" Ouyang Ye gaped.
"As long as Mu Ran mentions my name, I can sense it." Qi Ze didn't explain what 'spiritual sense tracking' or 'round light technique' was, and said coldly, "Let's see what they're up to."
"Qi Ze again? Whenever Qi Ze is involved, disaster befalls our Mu family. We must eliminate this carbon-based lifeform!" The usually calm and graceful Mu Yun was almost beside himself with rage. He even had a heart attack that morning, preventing him from attending the press conference.
"What do you plan to do?" Mu Ran's pale and haggard face appeared on the water mirror.
Ouyang Ye muttered under his breath, "Bloody hell, whoever says Mu Ran is a gentleman, I'll have a go at them! He's no different from his brother, they both see human life as nothing."
"And to hesitate over eliminating a background-less carbon-based lifeform, how can he become the young patriarch? Not just him, isn't it the same for all of you? Ultimately, this is the arrogance that power brings." Qi Ze wasn't the least bit angry. If he were to switch places with Mu Ran, he would act faster and more ruthlessly.
In this world where the weak were prey to the strong, once one started climbing up, there would be mutual trampling. The end result was only one: either you die, or I live. The peak of the pyramid was that narrow space, yet everyone wanted a spot, how could that be possible? After the sect's destruction, Qi Ze's tender heart had completely hardened. He could refrain from harming others, but he couldn't let others harm him.
Ouyang Ye fell silent, clearly guessing that Young Master Qi's background was not simple, and he harbored many bitter memories. The reason he agreed with Mu Ran's approach was that he had once stood at the same height, right? What about his family then? Was it also in ruins like the Mu family?
Amidst his wild thoughts, Mu Yun spoke in a low voice, "What elaborate plan do we need to deal with a carbon-based lifeform? Just find a few people to get close to him and entice him to consume T powder. Once he's addicted, he'll find his own death, and no one can blame us, the Mu family."
"I'll arrange it right away." Mu Ran seemed to have shaken off his sorrow, nodded slightly, and left quickly, his eyes cold. To him, Qi Ze was just an existence to be erased, no need for excessive attention. He only needed to keep his eyes on the goal and walk forward without distraction.
After leaving the Mu family's old residence, he said to a confidant, "Mu Lun's death was suspicious; I must see that plaque for myself."
"But that's dangerous."
"It's fine. I heard the plaque doesn't harm the human body. Besides, I'll take precautions and not take unnecessary risks. The Mu family needs me, I know that."
"Alright, I'll figure out a way to get the plaque." The man was about to leave when Mu Ran added, "Find a few wild party-goers to get close to Qi Ze and get him addicted to T powder quickly."
"Should we record his grim withdrawal state and post it online? He's ruined the Mu's reputation, how can he get away with it? It would also be good for Young Master Yan to see what kind of creature he's wholeheartedly protecting." This confidant was clearly a person with his own ideas.
"As you wish." Mu Ran had little interest in these sordid matters; he just needed to ensure that he could complete the task his father had entrusted to him.
After exchanging a few more words, they parted ways, and the water mirror became blurry. Ouyang Ye was so furious his face turned green, gritting his teeth, "Damn it, if anyone dares to come, I'll turn them into mincemeat!"
But Qi Ze shook his head and sighed, "This Mu Yun is indeed as the legends say, both cruel and despicable. With such a leader, how could the Mu's not decline?" He wasn't worried about the T powder at all. His eyes flickered, and he decisively said, "The one who strikes first has the upper hand; the one who strikes second suffers. I might as well settle this once and for all and wipe out the Mu family."
Ouyang Ye was startled, stammering, "Young... Young Master Qi, what are you planning? Ever since I met you, how many times have I been to the police station? You can count them on your fingers!"
"It's not that I like stirring up trouble, it's that others like stirring trouble for me." Qi Ze felt wronged but waved his hand impatiently, "Alright, go back to sleep. This time, the police won't come knocking. Don't worry."
How could Ouyang Ye possibly be at ease? Reluctantly, he returned to his room, not daring to close his eyes for the entire night. Indeed, in the wee hours of the night, another shocking event occurred in the capital, the Mu family's old residence exploded. A thick, black radioactive substance covered the entire blast site, causing the rescue team to hesitate before approaching.
The royal family immediately dispatched the military to evacuate the surrounding residents and hastily erected a cordon. Experts were testing radiation levels every five minutes and shaking their heads worriedly.
A netizen captured the explosion video first and transmitted it out, further expanding the situation. The military immediately stated that they would find the truth as soon as possible, and if necessary, evacuate some of the population.
Netizens gradually uploaded videos online, causing widespread panic in society. Many people bought tickets for the next ship to escape the capital. The Imperial Academy was close to the explosion site, and the sounds of police cars and ambulances coming and going could often be heard, enough to wake the dead.
Ouyang Ye jumped out of bed, intending to find Young Master Qi, but found that Yan Junyu had already tucked him under his arm and took him to the living room.
"Put me down, I can walk myself." Qi Ze kicked his legs.
"Walk where? Stay in the dorm properly." Yan Junyu took out a set of protective gear from the Interspatial Button, dressed him up tightly, and tapped on the transparent helmet, earnestly warning, "No matter what happens, don't take it off. A strong radioactive substance was discovered in the Mu family's old residence. If the situation worsens, I'll come back to fetch you immediately."
He held the boy's thin shoulders and solemnly said, "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you." Turning to face Ouyang Ye and Mo Tianlei, his gentle expression instantly turned stern, he scolded, "What are you waiting for? Did you forget the emergency drills? Quickly take out your protective gear and put it on!" After speaking, he took out a suit of his own clothes and hurriedly put it on.
"Wait, take this, it will keep you safe." Qi Ze stuffed a jade plaque into Yan Junyu's hand. This jade plaque was inscribed with a defensive formation that could withstand the attack of a Foundation Establishment period cultivator, which should be enough in the Imperial Star.
"Thanks." Yan Junyu's voice was a little hoarse as he put the jade plaque close to his body and left without looking back. He was afraid that if he looked at the boy one more time, he would abandon his duty and take him away without hesitation. He wanted him to live well, this feeling was so intense, so urgent.
"Stay safe!" Qi Ze politely advised, but saw the man's departure quicken.
"Young Master Qi, did you cause this? Is a biohazard coming? Is the second apocalypse upon us? What did you do?" Ouyang Ye was almost peeing his pants. At eighteen, he had never encountered such a big deal. What did a full lockdown of the Imperial Star mean? It meant the threat of national destruction was imminent!
"Panic for what, without the Gathering Array, the energy will dissipate soon." Qi Ze said in a low, inaudible voice. At the same time, Mo Tianlei had turned on the TV to watch news about the event.
How big this incident was could be seen from the broadcast frequency of the TV stations. It was almost unnecessary to search specifically; every time he switched channels, the smoke-filled Mu family's old residence would appear on the TV screen. Journalists, rescuers, firemen, police, and soldiers, all wearing heavy protective gear, were hesitant to approach the disaster site because even the most advanced protective gear could be penetrated by the rays of R-type ore. It was just that the time it took to penetrate was extended by hundreds of layers of isolation material.
A journalist described the scene in detail and speculated, "The military's investigation results are not out yet. But I received some inside information, apparently this explosion was caused by the Mu clan's young patriarch, Mu Ran. He bribed the staff of the radioactive source research institute and stole that R-type ore out. Such a violent explosion should have been caused by some experiment." At this point, he showed an angry expression, emphasizing word by word, "Arbitrarily invading a government-established research institute, arbitrarily taking important items, arbitrarily conducting dangerous experiments, and even disregarding the lives of the entire Empire, who gave the Mu family such power? And who gave them the opportunity? Is our Empire owned by the entire Huaxia nation or a certain family?"
Pointing the camera at the collapsed gate, he gritted his teeth, "We will continue to follow up on this incident, not let the truth be covered up, and not let the criminals get away! I may have been infected with R-rays, but it's okay, my work is meaningful, I'm willing to sacrifice everything for my country, for my people."
As soon as he finished speaking, several figures ran out from the thick black smoke. The bright lights shone on them, illuminating their ashen skin, skull-like cheeks, and knotted, thick veins in vivid detail. They charged into the crowd directly, stopped by a few police officers, and immediately fell to the ground, convulsing. That dying appearance didn't resemble humans, but rather zombies surviving in the end of the century.
The psychological quality of the police and military was very strong, yet they broke out in a cold sweat at this sight. If the situation continued to escalate, would there be widespread death in the Imperial Star? This was the political center of the Empire, if it was destroyed, what would the consequences be?
Considering the worst-case scenario, the military immediately evacuated some important leaders and also expanded the evacuation area. This was destined to be a sleepless night, a night of destruction. Of course, the destruction was limited to the Mu family.
The public, who had previously been lenient with the Mu family due to Master Mu Feixing's influence, now wished to strangle them with their own hands.
"They are a bunch of pests! R-type ore was brought into the Imperial Star by Mu Lun, and after we finally handled it, Mu Ran stole it out again and caused such a violent explosion! If the Imperial Star is destroyed because of this, the Mu family will be eternal sinners! Mu Lun should be dug up and whipped, Mu Ran should be dragged out and tortured to death! I will never forgive them, never!"
"Mu Ran, die, die, die, die! My son was just born less than three months ago. If he's infected with R-rays, I'll drag Mu Ran to hell with me!"
"I live near the Mu family's old residence, I feel itchy all over, am I about to mutate? I'm only sixteen, I don't want to die!"
"The Mu family is indeed a tumor of the Empire! If the military had decided to remove them sooner, there wouldn't have been this disaster! I'm already at Dragon Bay Port, preparing to leave the Imperial Star. It's crowded here, and tickets are hard to come by. Those who want to leave should act quickly. Whether it's a high-level planet or a low-level planet, even a primitive planet, as long as it's far from R-rays, I'm willing to go anywhere. I don't want to die, at least not as a sacrifice for those trash of the Mu family."
"You won't get away, Dragon Bay Port has been controlled by the military. They have to evacuate certain nobles first, us commoners will be left behind as cannon fodder."
"Again, the nobility! It's these damn privileged classes that caused today's disaster, they should die first! Why should the public be their cannon fodder."
"Not all nobles are as greedy as the Mu family, deserving of death. I saw Yan Junyu and Old Marshal Yan didn't leave. They're evacuating the crowd at the explosion site and sent people to rescue survivors in the center of the explosion." The netizen attached a video, and the stern faces of Yan Junyu and Old Marshal Yan appeared on the screen.
The public felt slightly at ease and persuaded, "What rescue, let the Mu family die!"
The demands for the Mu family to die to atone for their sins flooded the media. The foundations that Mu Feixing laid for the Mu family finally collapsed at this moment. The former savior was now a synonym for shame and sin.
Mo Tianlei watched the TV and shook his head, sighing, "I used to have a good impression of Mu Ran. He was born well but not arrogant; smart but not showy; and loved to do charity work, a person with depth. But now it seems these halos were just a disguise. Knowing that R-type ore is such a dangerous item, he still bribed the staff to steal it out. Did he not consider the consequences?"
"Not that he didn't consider the consequences, but he was too confident in himself." Qi Ze spoke softly.
"Not too confident in himself, but tired of living. This time, all the Mu family's direct line died. The patriarch, young patriarch, elders, none escaped. The remaining collateral branches, affected by this incident, will undoubtedly be disgraced and vilified forever. It's impossible for them to rise again in the short term. The Mu family has fallen, really fallen."
Ouyang Ye clicked his tongue and shook his head. Before coming to the Imperial Star, he was worried that Young Master Qi would be harmed by the Mu family. Now he knew how foolish and unnecessary that thought was. The Mu family had no shortage of harmful means, but compared to the mysterious and unpredictable Young Master Qi, they were on a kindergarten level.
Without mentioning the distant past, he still hadn't figured out how the Mu family's old residence had exploded. Just that small plaque? It couldn't be.
"Fell so quickly! When I received the admission notice, I was still thinking of going to the Mu family's flagship store to buy a T12 mecha, but in less than a month, the Mu family is completely wiped out." Mo Tianlei looked somewhat dazed.
"T12 will be available in other military stores later." Ouyang Ye comforted him.
"Yes, it should be mass-produced. Hey? The Mecha Manufacturing Department posted a notice of indefinite suspension of classes. A dozen professors in their department died, how tragic!" Mo Tianlei was a good student, and in the face of life and death, he still paid attention to school information.
"Only the Mu professors are on a break, it has nothing to do with us." Ouyang Ye shrugged indifferently.
Qi Ze had no interest in these messages; instead, he stared at an unremarkable press release for a long time. As soon as the Mu family exploded, Old Marshal Yan led the army to surround the Mu Research Institute. Was this to investigate the truth or to snatch the data left by Mu Feixing? The Yan family was indeed a duplicitous family, and their response was quick enough. Only, I wonder if Mu Ran left important data in the research institute. There probably was, that was his workplace after all.
Qi Ze shook his head, becoming more wary of the Yan family.
At that moment, the journalist's excited voice came from the screen, "The military has rescued a survivor, it's Mu Ran! Yes, it's Mu Ran! Let's zoom in the camera and see his condition. He doesn't seem to have suffered serious injuries, and there are no symptoms of radiation infection on his body. God, this is incredible!"
Qi Ze suddenly raised his head to look at the TV, his eyes flashing. Being at the center of the explosion, Mu Ran couldn't have been unscathed, yet the camera faithfully recorded his current state. He was just unconscious, his face unmarked, with no symptoms of demonic energy invasion, his expression could even be described as peaceful. Compared to the charred corpses laid out next to him, he seemed to come from another world.
"This is impossible!" Qi Ze finally began to take a proper look at this native of the Black Eye Galaxy. In such a place rich in spiritual energy and violent energy, a small Gathering Array only needed to be set up, and the energy gathered would be unimaginably abundant. What's the big deal about blowing up a 3S-level mental ability user? Even if it were Divided Soul or Body Fusion stage great abilities, several would have to fall.
"Let's go to the hospital and take a look." Qi Ze couldn't stay any longer. Just as Mu Ran insisted on figuring out how Mu Lun died, he had to find out why Mu Ran survived.
"Go now?" Ouyang Ye opened his smartbrain and said, "Shouldn't I ask Yan Junyu first? Everywhere is under lockdown, we probably can't get out, right?"
"Ask him." Qi Ze waved his hand to urge.
Yan Junyu indeed didn't let them go out and said that robots would deliver daily necessities and food.
"How long will the lockdown last?" Qi Ze frowned.
"I don't know at the moment. Stay obediently in the dormitory, don't be afraid. The experts said that this radioactive substance is dispersing on its own and hasn't caused too much pollution to the surrounding environment."
"How is Mu Ran?" Qi Ze probed.
"He wasn't injured, not infected, just fainted." Yan Junyu showed a confused look, clearly also finding this matter unbelievable.
"Where was he during the explosion?"
"At the epicenter of the explosion."
"Still nothing..." Qi Ze rubbed his chin and pondered, "When the lockdown is lifted, can you take me to see him?"
"Of course. Stay obediently in the dormitory, don't run around, and don't take off your protective gear." Yan Junyu repeatedly advised the young man, hanging up only after getting a clear answer from him.
But in the next second, Qi Ze took off the heavy protective gear, murmuring, "I'm suffocated, who invented this thing?"
Mo Tianlei opened his eyes wide, deeply admiring Qi Ze's fearless spirit.
The Black Thorns Manor in the suburbs was also affected to a certain extent. Patrol airships occasionally crossed the sky. The middle-aged man named A'kui and the young man named A'feng, both in protective gear, stood by the window looking out. But aside from the heavy night and twinkling stars, they saw nothing.
"Do you think this explosion was an accident or intentional?" A'kui spoke in a low voice.
"I don't know." A'feng shook his head, sighing, "I said yesterday that the Mu family wouldn't fall so quickly, but today they were destroyed. When Mu Ran wakes up, he will face the harshest trial. No one will forgive him, and no one will defend him. He'd be better off dead than alive."
"Is that so?" Erebus maneuvered the wheelchair over and sneered, "The death penalty, one injection, and you know nothing, what a blissful end?"
A'kui and A'feng fell into silence together, wanting to comfort but finding all words so pale when they opened their mouths. Without a healthy body, only endless torture and nightmares, it would be better to die than to live like this.
Erebus flipped through the news page by page and sneered, "The once savior-like Mu family ended up being the eternal sinners of the Empire. This ending is full of irony and dramatic conflict. Unfortunately, I thought I would eventually face the Mu family, but I didn't expect them to be so easily destroyed."
Sensing that the boss's mood was a bit off, A'kui and A'feng didn't dare to speak.
Erebus was silent for a moment, then took out a few crystal-clear dark brown gems from his pocket and instructed, "Find a designer to design a piece of jewelry for me."
"This is the shell of the two tortoises from yesterday? So fast?" A'kui's eyes bulged. A'feng was clueless but also knew the rarity of organic gems.
Erebus finally showed a genuine smile and said with a hidden meaning, "Ten years, is that fast?" For others, ten years might be hard to bear, but for him, it was just a blink of an eye. Such a miraculous manufacturing technique actually existed in reality, if in the past, he would have scoffed at it. But now, he slowly began to believe - as long as you embrace hope and dare to try, miracles will happen in the human world.