Chapter 1973 The Price Of Power (3)
?BOOM!
A guttural roar ripped through the air, followed by a blinding flash of orange that momentarily turned the gorgeous villa into an inferno. Glass shattered everywhere, the tinkling a death knell for the manor's tranquility.
The impact hurled the Crimson Guard members backward, crashing heavily to the ground. Their heads buzzed, and the acrid scent of sulfur stung their nostrils.
Through the smoke and haze, they saw the villa engulfed in raging flames. Confused glances were exchanged subconsciously. How had the bombs detonated?
Meanwhile, Nantian Fengyu flung herself considerably, keeping the camera trained on the explosive scene. A pained scream erupted from her lips, "Ahhhhhhhh!"
Nantian Fengyu landed with a thud, shaking the camera dramatically. The chat went silent momentarily before a deluge of comments flooded the screen.
[No! Sister Phoenix!]
[Ah? What should we do?]
[Are you alright, Sister Phoenix?]
[Holy molly! Is this real?]
[Number 1 Shanghai Handsome Man gifted you 10x Universe!]
[Number 1 Shanghai Handsome Man: the ambulance is on the way, Sister Phoenix. You must hold on!]
"Thank you for the gifts!" Nantian Fengyu grinned, then shrieked, "Ahhh! It hurts so much!"
[Oh, no. Sister Phoenix's junior brother…]
[I don't think he can survive.]
[It's fine, as long as Sister Phoenix is alive.]
High above, Yun Lintian and his companions observed the explosion with a detached calmness.
"Good thing you're a cultivator, Boss," Lei Hao sighed softly. "Though losing your villa is a shame."
"No worries," Yun Lintian offered a faint smile.
Lynn chuckled lightly as she watched Nantian Fengyu's theatrics on the screen. "Your fifth sister should consider acting. Looks like she's not keen on leaving Earth anymore."
Yun Lintian shook his head helplessly. This was his first time seeing his sister enjoying herself so thoroughly.
"What's the next move, Boss?" Lei Hao inquired.
Yun Lintian glanced towards Beijing with a knowing smile. "We wait. Someone's putting on quite the performance."
"Crimson Zero, do you hear me? What the hell is happening?" Qu Yin barked into the communicator, his voice laced with urgency.
A rough voice crackled back from the tablet. "We have no idea, sir. We hadn't even touched the detonator."
Qu Yin's mind churned. A horrifying realization dawned on him. Someone had interfered.
"Yun Lintian," he spat out the name, his voice tight with suspicion. "Can you confirm the target's status?"
"No, sir," the strongman responded. "However, we confirmed the target was inside before the explosion. Unless he can fly, I don't think he could escape."
"Understood. Withdraw now," Qu Yin said, hanging up the phone.
Though certain Yun Lintian must be dead from the explosion, unease gnawed at him. There had to be an explanation behind the sudden explosion.
"What's happening?" Zhu Tianlong emerged from a room, catching the tail end of Qu Yin's conversation.
"Sir, the target was bombed, but his status is unconfirmed," Qu Yin replied quickly.
Zhu Tianlong's face darkened. "Didn't I tell you to abort the mission?"
"The Crimson Guard was about to retreat, but the explosion occurred unexpectedly. Perhaps they mishandled the bombs," Qu Yin offered unconfidently.
"Mishandied the bombs?" Zhu Tianlong roared. "They're the elites among elites! How could they make such a blunder?"
Qu Yin's lips twitched, unable to offer an explanation.
Zhu Tianlong took a deep breath. "Come with me to headquarters."
"Yes," Qu Yin responded, following Zhu Tianlong to the parking lot.
However, the elevator doors revealed a throng of reporters and civilians. Before they could react, the crowd surged forward, blocking the elevator.
"Sir, did you authorize the Crimson Guard's attack on Dr. Yun Lintian?"
"Minister Zhu, can you clarify the operation's motive?"
"Is it true the Crimson Guard attacked a civilian's property under the guise of national security?"
"Sir..."
Zhu Tianlong was bombarded by questions, the sheer volume making his ears ring.
"Where's security?" Qu Yin snarled, trying to hold the crowd back. "Everyone, leave now! Do you know the consequences of confronting a governor?"
"We're not afraid. We have the right to the truth!"
"Yes! Tell us what's happening!"
"Why attack Sister Phoenix's junior brother?"
"That's right. What did he do wrong?"
Qu Yin's outburst only fueled the crowd's anger. Most were die-
hard fans of Sister Phoenix and wouldn't back down until the truth was revealed.
Zhu Tianlong observed the chaos coldly. Someone was playing him. But who? Li Zong? Yun Lintian? Or perhaps another enemy entirely?
"Everyone, please calm down." Zhu Tianlong raised his hand, speaking slowly. "I understand your concerns. However, blocking me here won't provide any answers."
"In fact, I'm also trying to understand the situation. As far as I know, the Crimson Guard wasn't on a mission today. I don't know why everyone believes they were involved."
The crowd quieted slightly.
"Sir, are you suggesting these weren't Crimson Guard soldiers?" a beautiful reporter inquired.
Zhu Tianlong responded calmly. "The video quality is poor, making identification difficult. Additionally, the supposed classified document displayed by the streamer does not resemble actual government documents. I suspect it may be a forgery."
"Nonsense! Why would Sister Phoenix lie?"
"Yes! Sister Phoenix has no reason to deceive us!"
Nantian Fengyu's fans reacted passionately. How could they tolerate accusations against their favorite streamer?
Zhu Tianlong met their gaze calmly. "We'll find out the truth when we invite her in for questioning."
He scanned the crowd. "Now, if you please, step aside so I can expedite the truth-finding process."
The reporters and others subconsciously parted, allowing Zhu Tianlong passage.
"Thank you. Please await further news." Zhu Tianlong said calmly before exiting with Qu Yin. They boarded a car and departed.
The reporters exchanged glances and quickly dispersed. However, they didn't forget to publish the content on their respective media outlets.
***
Outside the villa, the Crimson Guard members swiftly cleared away any evidence of their presence and prepared to retreat in their van.
However, before they could climb in, a brick sailed through the air, smacking them on the head and rendering them unconscious.
In the distance, Nantian Fengyu blew the dust off her hand with a satisfied smirk. "Perfect combo,"
She then raised her phone, panning the camera over the unconscious Crimson Guard members.
"Everyone, look!" she said, her voice feigning a tremor. "They're knocked out cold! What should I do? I'm so scared." Her voice trembled convincingly. "I... I think I'll go check on them."
Comments flooded the chat:
[Don't go, Sister Phoenix! It's too dangerous!]
[Go for it, Sister Phoenix! Get a good look at their faces!]
[We need to find out who these guys are!]
"A-alright," Nantian Fengyu stammered, slowly approaching the figures on the ground.
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