Gu Jianlin stood behind him and said indifferently, "If you can defy the rules by abusing your authority, then I certainly won't kill you within the boundaries of the rules either. Since everyone's decided to break the rules, no one can blame anyone."
He raised his right hand high into the air!
"Xiao Gu, don't be impulsive!"
Chen Bojun knew this child's temperament all too well.
The moment the young man appeared, he knew something was bound to happen today, and no one could stop it.
But he had to try and make it seem like he was intervening.
"Gu Jianlin! Are you insane? You actually want to enforce a death sentence?"
The Profound Yin Saint stepped forward in large strides, now fully prepared to intervene. He absolutely could not let Minister Zhang die here because the members of Dusk, for some unknown reason, had shown up here. It was obviously a prison break. Chapters fırst released on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝓷𝓮𝓽
Minister Zhang must return alive to prove he wasn't colluding with the members of Dusk.
If he died, his innocence could never be proven.
"Xiao Gu, calm down—stay rational!"
Fu Qingxuan was visibly stunned, his face pale with fear—what he worried about was the safety of this child.
The golden Skeleton Giant roared furiously.
"No one should approach."
Gu Jianlin said coldly, "Or you'll bear the consequences."
Everyone instinctively stopped in their tracks. After all, he was the King of Qing's protégé, and this sort of respect was non-negotiable.
Especially when someone muttered, "Everyone be careful—Gu Jianlin seems to have an exceptionally beautiful wife, and her mastery of sword skill is unparalleled. No one knows when she might appear and slash you down!"
The crowd shuddered in fear. Those who had been through the battle on the snowy tundra knew firsthand how awe-inspiring and terrifying that girl had been.
Gu Jianlin smiled faintly, glancing down at the man beneath him. He said indifferently, "Minister Zhang, before you decided to carry out this mission, did you ever consider that this day would come?"
Zhang Xuzhi replied calmly, "Of course I did—I just didn't expect to fail."
Gu Jianlin silently gazed at the snowflakes falling from the sky.
"Do you know what kind of person your brother is?"
Zhang Xuzhi sneered, "A member of The Order of the Hidden?"
Gu Jianlin regarded him coldly, "Is that really beyond your belief?"
The answer was unexpected.
"Actually, I do believe it."
Zhang Xuzhi clenched his hands tightly, his voice lowered. "I know I'm not intelligent, and I understand where my talents lie. I've never been a particularly gifted individual, and naturally, I can't comprehend the world of geniuses. The King of Qing is a genius, and as his student, you're obviously a genius too. No one has ever dared to doubt your talent."
"As someone who can profile both the Kui Dragon Ancestor and Ghost Car Ancestor, you are undeniably an authority."
He paused briefly. "Your talent and character are no inferior to your father's. I've investigated your actions since joining the Ether Association and have witnessed your exploits in West Port. Without irrefutable evidence, you wouldn't kill innocents indiscriminately. And the King of Qing would never waste his energy on my insignificant brother—because it wouldn't serve any purpose."
After all, during the Bren Hill incident, Li Qingsong survived.
Why didn't the King of Qing kill Li Qingsong?
Because he acted forthrightly and was upright in character.
Even Saints, as powerful as they are, would have fared no better against the greatest historical Catastrophes—they'd be crushed with a mere slap.
Killing him held no significance.
The King of Qing didn't even bother to consider him, nor did he have any interest in Ether Association's factional struggles.
This was the only proof Councilman Zhang genuinely had issues.
Gu Jianlin said calmly, "Your brother is a member of The Order of the Hidden. His next step is controlling you—taking advantage of your advancement at this critical juncture to seize control over you. He was controlled long ago."
Zhang Xuzhi remained silent.
He suddenly chuckled, his laughter full of mockery. "But the problem is—I don't care."
Gu Jianlin stared at him coldly.
"I don't know what The Order of the Hidden is or what they're planning to do, and I couldn't care less. All I know is I've had only one brother since childhood, and we've grown up depending on each other. I don't care if he's under someone's control or what he might do in the future. As long as he doesn't bare his fangs at me, he will always be my brother."
Zhang Xuzhi kept his gaze lowered. "You so-called geniuses, high and mighty, naturally wouldn't care about things ."
Gu Jianlin remained silent for a moment. "You're right. But I'm going after The Order of the Hidden because they targeted my father—and they want to harm the people around me. Your brother works for The Order of the Hidden, so he must die."
It's not about positions or right and wrong.
Zhang Xuzhi sneered mockingly, "If I had another chance, perhaps I'd have acted earlier. But regrettably, even with Dusk present, I don't think they'll save me today. If you all don't die, I'll never rest in peace."
Gu Jianlin slowly lowered his right hand. "Then prepare for eternal rest."
For just one brief moment, the wind and snow seemed to coalesce into a golden, frigidly stoic visage.
An overwhelming pressure filled the heavens and earth.
Cold, sharp, merciless.
Rhein's consciousness projection manifested once again.
Yet before he could make a move—
Chen Bojun watched the scene unfold, feeling a subtle ache in his chest.
The Profound Yin Saint's vision darkened, as if the very world had collapsed.
Fu Qingxuan sucked in a sharp breath. "Truly ruthless."
Ying Changsheng had been merely observing initially, but seeing that massive face descend from the sky, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Is this really going to blow up? If I'm not mistaken, Vice President Lin Dong should also be lurking nearby."
Mu Qingyou whispered softly, "I'm not sure—where do you stand on this?"