Hearing Bai Zhi's words, Fang Ze nodded.
Bai Zhi said, "Then you should also remember what I just mentioned, that this noble family was disowned by the federation twelve years ago due to the 'Golden Sparrow Flower Incident,' right?"
Fang Ze nodded again.
Then he added, "Yes. Moreover, you mentioned that the main instigator of the incident was the current Chairperson of the Xida State Council, He Weidao."
Bai Zhi nodded and then said, "Correct. Yes."
"However, what I didn't say is that the Jiang Family exerted a lot of effort in this incident."
"Or rather, it was precisely because of their betrayal that He Weidao was able to bring down a noble family so easily."
"And such a large noble family couldn't possibly lack forces loyal to them."
"Thus, after the 'Golden Sparrow Flower Incident,' the forces loyal to their family all moved from the open to the shadows. They began to retaliate against He Weidao and the Jiang Family."
"Over the past decade or so, that power has planned dozens of assassinations against the progeny of the Jiang Family and succeeded numerous times."
"So, if you can find them and cooperate somehow... perhaps they can also help you attract a lot of attention."
Hearing Bai Zhi's words, Fang Ze couldn't help but become interested in this force and the Si Family.
He couldn't help asking, "What exactly is the situation with the Si Family? And what exactly was that 'Golden Sparrow Flower Incident'?"
Bai Zhi pondered for a moment and said, "I'm not really clear about the Golden Sparrow Flower Incident. Even Grandfather avoids discussing it deeply."
"As for the Si Family..."
She thought again and then said,
"The Si Family is actually different from our Jiang and Bai families."
"Their ancestor, back in Xida Country, was just an ordinary school officer. But during the great disaster fifty years ago, he distinguished himself in battle, steadily climbed the ranks, and was eventually knighted by the federation."
"He's one of the few people who rose to nobility not because of their previous status."
"Back then, the Jiang Family was envious of their influence in the federal Defense Team, plus the old man of the Si Family died early, so they dared to make a move."
"At that time, it's said that not a single direct blood relative of the Si Family survived. The collateral relatives either changed their surnames or names. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter."
Thinking about it, Bai Zhi then said, "Additionally, their family's Awakening Ability is very interesting. It seems to be called 'Darkness.'"
"It is a very powerful domain-type Awakening Ability."
"Wherever it reaches, everything becomes dark. Within the darkness, it can animate any object, creature, turning them into its own dark soldiers."
"Or, it can fuse the darkness with soldiers, enhancing their strength so that one can take on ten, or a hundred."
"Thus, a member of the Si Family alone constitutes an army."
"It is said that if this Awakening Ability is constantly enhanced to the Yang Transformation stage, it can become permanently effective."
"Some low-tier shadow and darkness type Disaster Creatures were indeed created by this ability."
Fang Ze was stunned for a moment.
Then he said, "Like... the Shadow Warrior?"
Bai Zhi quickly nodded, "Exactly, exactly. That was allegedly created by the old man of the Si Family over fifty years ago. It just wasn't called the Shadow Warrior back then; it was known as Dark Soldier."
In that moment, Fang Ze felt his head buzzing.
Had he... perhaps learned something?
Darkness? Shadow Warrior? Si Family...
So... Si Miaomiao's full name is Si Miaomiao?
Is she a descendant of the Si Family?
Thinking of this, Fang Ze recalled again.
It seemed that in the original host's memory, she indeed arrived in the slums of Qingshan City around twelve or thirteen years ago...
Considering her age, it also matched perfectly.
Realizing this, Fang Ze snapped back to reality and asked, "Is that ability exclusive to the direct line of the Si Family?
Bai Zhi thought for a moment and said, "Not exactly. Some of the closer collateral branches should also be able to awaken it."
"However, as you know, bloodlines have varying degrees of closeness, so it's very difficult for collateral branches to awaken, and their enhancement would also be exceptionally slow."
Hearing Bai Zhi's words and thinking of Miaomiao's rapidly advancing Awakening Ability and the huge reward offered by the Investigation Division, Fang Ze roughly understood...
It seemed Miaomiao was definitely a closely related descendant of the Si Family. Subsequently, due to the disaster, she fled to the slums of Qingshan City and lived under a pseudonym...
Thinking of this, Fang Ze suddenly felt... that he really did have ties with these anti-Jiang Family forces.
It seemed... Jiang Cheng was destined to fall into his hands...
However... should he also warn Miaomiao to avoid using her Awakening Ability excessively in public?
Otherwise, they might not have found their allies yet, and the Jiang Family might already be on to them...
Afterward, Fang Ze talked with Bai Zhi for a while longer about the Jiang Family and their enemies, then ended the conversation.
Upon leaving Bai Zhi's office, Fang Ze walked out, deep in thought.
Whether it was the Bai Family's forces, the State Security Bureau, or the elite of the Commoner Faction, or even the remnants of the Si Family, they were all external forces at the end of the day.
They could only be borrowed temporarily, not relied upon.
Jiang Cheng often spoke boastfully, but he got two things right.
First, this world respects strength above all else.
Second, even for nobles, the maintenance of their current privileges is not because of their past contributions, but because of their strength.
The Jiang Family's strength was the strongest, so despite the onslaught from the Commoner Faction and the federation's suppression, they still held half of Xida State.