As the family that controlled eighty percent of the black market business in the entire safe zone, the Zhao family's strongholds were scattered everywhere.
What they focused on and managed the most, however, was Zone 7, the area where South Glory University was located.
The reason the Zhao family mainly operated in Zone 7 was simple. All the other lower numbered zones had already been taken over by other forces.
The core building of the Zhao family in Zone 7 was the Tengfei Construction Company Headquarters, located on the edge of Zone 7.
It was a three story square building, with over a thousand people openly working there.
But the three floors of this headquarters building did not involve the Zhao family's core business at all.
The people who truly controlled the winds and tides of the Zhao family were all on the little known three underground levels beneath the building.
Zhao Longteng's real office was on the third underground level.
Only two kinds of people could enter this office.
The Zhao family's absolute confidants, and members of the Zhao family.
The layout of the office at the moment consisted of only a heavy wooden desk and three rows of sofas, together forming a "mouth" shaped arrangement.
Zhao Longteng sat behind the desk, while Zhao Sifang stood at his side.
All three rows of sofas were filled with people, and in the middle of each row sat an elderly man.
Aside from these people, there was also one person standing alone in a corner.
They all shared one thing in common. Their surname was Zhao.
Everyone chatted and laughed, exchanging polite conversation as relatives.
When they finally ran out of things to talk about, an elderly man with graying hair on the left sofa looked at Zhao Longteng and asked in a trembling voice, "Longteng, you called everyone together today. What is it for?"
As soon as the old man spoke, the others also stopped their superficial chatter and all looked toward Zhao Longteng.
Zhao Longteng smiled, "Second Uncle, it's rare for everyone to meet. Let's chat a bit more."
The old man shook his head, "These old bones of mine have trouble just walking every day, let alone chatting. After all that random talk just now, my head is buzzing. Longteng, if you have something to say, say it quickly. If I wait any longer, Second Uncle might faint right here."
The bald old man on the middle sofa nodded as well, "That's right. Second Brother is right. We can't compare to you young people, strong and sturdy. Sitting in this underground room, my chest already feels tight. Longteng, just say what you need to say."
Zhao Longteng smiled again, "Second Uncle, Third Uncle, you're both sequence ability users. How can you not handle sitting for a bit?"
The old man with a cane on the right sofa also echoed, "Second Brother and Third Brother suffered quite a bit when they were young. Even after awakening their sequences, some old ailments never healed. Fengjun should have told you about these things already. Longteng, let's finish quickly and each go home."
Zhao Longteng stood up with a smile, "Since Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and Fourth Uncle all say so, I won't waste words."
"Who leaked the news that the Zhao family was forming a sequence force?"
Before Zhao Longteng's words had even finished, everyone's expressions changed.
The most shocked of all was Zhao Sifang standing beside him.
'Since when is the Zhao family going to form a sequence force?'
From beginning to end, Zhao Sifang had been kept completely in the dark about this.
He looked toward the others present. They all seemed to have known about it long ago.
Zhao Sifang was full of doubts, but he did not ask his father on the spot.
Toward the Zhao family relatives, Zhao Longteng had always deliberately kept him distant, and Zhao Sifang had long kept his guard up.
He could see clearly that the current situation was his father and himself standing against this whole group of relatives.
He did not know what Zhao Longteng's plan was, but at this moment he absolutely could not drag his father down.
Just as shocked as Zhao Sifang was Zhao Longju, who stood in the corner.
He also knew nothing about this.
But he quickly put away his confusion, frowned slightly, and continued to stand quietly to the side.
The bald old man said displeased, "Longteng, what are you talking about? Everyone here is family. Who would tell outsiders about this?"
The others chimed in noisily.
"Yeah, who would turn their elbow outward?"
"Big Cousin, we all share the surname Zhao. How could we do something like that? Could it be that your secretary had a problem?"
Zhao Longteng swept his gaze across the three rows of sofas and the clamoring crowd calling out their innocence, and smiled with contempt.
"Looks like all three of your branches were involved."
"Sigh!"
Zhao Longteng shook his head.
"Eating my food, taking my things, and still wanting to snatch from me. People really are insatiably greedy," Zhao Longteng gave a self mocking smile, "Then again, who isn't greedy? I'm greedy too."
As soon as the others heard this, they exploded.
"Longteng, what do you mean by that?"
"Are you trying to pin false charges on us?"
"We're Zhao family. How could we do something like this!"
Zhao Longteng remained silent.
He simply looked at them.
But the winding scar on his head and the pressure of his presence made everyone feel a chill run through them.
Gradually, all arguments stopped, and everyone looked quietly at Zhao Longteng.
Zhao Longteng said leisurely, "Sifang."
"Father."
"These people all have guilty consciences. They sold out your father and your Second Uncle. Can you see it?"
"I can."
"Mm, very good. Worthy of being my son," Zhao Longteng smiled in satisfaction, "They have guilty consciences, but they still all showed up today and dared to come see me. Do you know why?"
"I don't."
"Because I called you here too."
"Me?"
Zhao Longteng looked at Zhao Sifang, "They all know I've always protected you well. I wanted you to lead the effort to whitewash the Zhao family and not let you see its dirty side. So—"
"When I called you here, they believed that today I couldn't possibly tear things apart and make a move. So they judged that their act of eating from within and betraying us hadn't been exposed yet, and they swaggered in."
Zhao Longteng bared his teeth in a grin, "Today's lesson is called 'all warfare is deception.' Learn it well."
Zhao Sifang's eyes widened, "Father, you don't mean—"
Hearing Zhao Longteng say this, all the Zhao family members present were completely stunned.
Zhao Longteng was right.
Every single one of them had a guilty conscience.
The reason everyone agreed to come today was precisely because they knew Zhao Sifang would be here, and knew Zhao Longteng would not use lethal force in front of Zhao Sifang.
But now, Zhao Longteng had always acted ruthlessly and decisively, never dragging things out.
Someone immediately realized that Zhao Longteng intended to kill everyone here.
They immediately tried to activate their sequence abilities to fight to the death.
But they discovered that their sequence abilities could not be used at all.
Zhao Longteng glanced at them again and said calmly, "After coming here, you still want to fight me?"
When everyone heard this, they immediately ran toward the door. Even the old man with the cane threw it aside and ran as fast as he could.
Hng!
At that moment, a streak of red light flashed by. The people charging at the front were cut in half at the waist and fell to the ground, dead.
The white haired old man cried out in shock, "Zhao Longju! How can you use your sequence ability?"
Zhao Longju looked at Zhao Longteng with a complicated expression, "Thank you, Big Cousin, for trusting me."
Zhao Longteng nodded.
Without another word, Zhao Longju raised his hand and began killing.
Hng! Hng! Hng!
A short while later, Zhao Longju stood amid piles of corpses and pools of blood. He took two deep breaths to steady himself, then bowed again toward Zhao Longteng.
"Big Cousin, it's done."
Zhao Longteng laughed loudly, "From now on, don't call me Big Cousin anymore. Like Longfei, just call me Big Brother."
"Yes, Big Brother!"
Zhao Longteng then patted Zhao Sifang, who was standing there dumbfounded, "Call him Fourth Uncle."
Zhao Sifang pulled his gaze back from the relatives scattered all over the floor and looked at the broad faced, burly man covered in blood.
"Fourth… Fourth Uncle."
[T/N: SUBARASHI! *With Llyod's menacing face*]
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