Chapter 234: 234 Xie Lingyan, must die_1
Something’s gone wrong. That was Xie Lingyan’s first thought.
He had received a call for help from the City Bai branch. When he learned that his niece had personally gone to City Bai, for some reason, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
He told himself, Don’t panic.
He reassured himself. I’ve been very careful. No one knows I’m involved in those affairs.
Years ago, he had wanted to enter the Mount Flower enterprise. As a member of the Xie Family who had never before had contact with the nobility’s businesses, how could he make those lofty people obediently follow his orders?
He had resorted to crooked schemes.
Through this, he had controlled many people and pulled together quite a network of relationships.
This network still existed, though Hua Zhuo had destroyed a part of it. Considering that the Jimo Family would not tolerate such matters, he had always been very cautious and never displayed these connections openly.
Otherwise, how could a mediocre man like me control so many industries?
Hua Zhuo doesn’t understand my painstaking efforts, and Wen Jiang is just the same! What a pair of despicable, colluding wretches!
But Hua Zhuo calling the police to arrest Yin Zhiqi still made his heart pound.
Have those two gone mad? Directly confronting the Yin Family—do they want to cause a city-wide uproar?!
"Master."
The butler came in, his expression slightly uneasy, "Your... niece, Miss Wen Jiang, has arrived."
SNAP. Xie Lingyan’s phone nearly dropped from his palm, as if his soul had left him. "Who did you say has come?"
The butler bowed his head and repeated, "Miss Wen Jiang."
As his words fell, a tall girl appeared from behind the butler, wearing a radiant smile. "Uncle, it’s my first time visiting. I hope you’ve been well."
Her voice even carried a hint of pleasure; the more intimately she addressed him, the stiffer Xie Lingyan’s back became.
Wen Jiang has never visited the Xie Family. She even forbade us from visiting the Jimo Family. Why on earth would she come here personally now?
Xie Lingyan’s smile was uglier than a grimace. "Wen... Wen Jiang, what brings you here? Weren’t you supposed to be training?"
This was the excuse Hua Zhuo had given to the public.
The butler retreated, leaving only Xie Lingyan and Wen Jiang in the hall.
She looked around, clicking her tongue. "Uncle, your residence is almost as luxurious as the Jimo Family’s. The Jimo Family was granted a piece of land in Imperial City due to their special status. A villa this large, on such a vast area—it must have been expensive to buy. It seems that after so many years with the Jimo Family, you’ve really raked in a tidy sum."
Wen Jiang’s blunt words made Xie Lingyan’s complexion grow increasingly stiff. "Now, now, what are you saying? To the Jimo Family, this is all just spare change, isn’t it? Uncle worked hard for many years to acquire this property; it’s nothing compared to the Jimo Family’s holdings."
Wen Jiang suddenly shifted the topic. "Do you know that Yin Zhiqi has been arrested?"
"..." Xie Lingyan forced his expression back to normal. "I heard. It was in the news today. They say he got into some trouble? So young... who knows what he did. For a child of the Yin Family to fall to such a state... how heartbreaking."
Hua Zhuo knew this incident was going to blow up, so from the start, she hadn’t given the Yin Family a heads-up. The media directly reported the guards taking Yin Zhiqi away.
"You don’t know him?"
Xie Lingyan feigned surprise. "Of course not. How would I know him?"
But the next second, Wen Jiang stretched out her hand. A faint light emitted from her palm, and Xie Lingyan instantly let out an agonized howl.
It was as if his forehead had exploded. A rapid slideshow of his past began to play uncontrollably before his eyes, recalling everything he had done, the people he had manipulated, scene after scene, all crystal clear.
Wen Jiang stopped very quickly.
She knew. I haven’t wronged him.
She already had concrete evidence before coming and had used the Soul Searching Technique—a Spell that could be harmful, with severe cases resulting in dementia.
She had acted swiftly. By this time, however, Xie Lingyan was already covered in cold sweat, trembling non-stop, his mind in a haze. The aftereffects of the Soul Search were like a severe headache, causing him to shiver from the slightest movement. He was so drained that he didn’t have the energy to even think about how to talk in circles with Wen Jiang.
He looked up in terror. "What have you... what have you done to me?!"
Why am I suddenly reliving my past actions uncontrollably? It’s as clear as if I’m doing them all over again!
But his panic turned into tangible fear under Wen Jiang’s icy gaze.
"Jimo Xiao is an upright person, and he hasn’t treated you poorly," Wen Jiang’s lips parted slightly. "When you were doing those things, didn’t you feel even a shred of guilt towards the Jimo Family? Oh... perhaps that’s a redundant question. How could someone like you feel an emotion like guilt?"
Xie Lingyan’s eyes bulged, bloodshot. He still wanted to argue. "Wen Jiang, I really don’t know what you’re talking about!"
"Mount Flower has caused such a huge incident; naturally, someone must take responsibility for it all." Wen Jiang stared at him coldly. "You are the main culprit. So, it’s quite normal for you to commit suicide out of fear of your crimes, isn’t it?"
Xie Lingyan’s cheeks twitched uncontrollably. "Are you kidding?"
Wen Jiang didn’t waste words on him. "If you’re sent to prison, I can’t guarantee how you’ll die there. The Xie Family will be ruined. Your son, your wife, your mother—everything they gained through the Jimo Family, I will take it all back. Alternatively, you take responsibility for everything and leave behind a suicide note with a full confession and your accusations. Choose one."
Her eyes narrowed, her killing intent palpable. "The second option is the dignity I’m offering you."
Startled by the murderous intent in her words, Xie Lingyan collapsed onto the ground, as if all strength had drained from him.
He realized, She isn’t joking.
She was an A-Level Spirit Card Master, hailed as the strongest combat genius. An ordinary person like him stood no chance of escaping her grasp.
Xie Lingyan started shivering from fright, genuine tears streaming down his face. "Wen Jiang, you can’t do this! I’m your uncle! I’m your deceased mother’s only brother in this world!"
He tried to play the family card.
Wen Jiang let out a derisive laugh. "I also have my deceased mother’s only mother in this world, and a bunch of cousins who’ve done nothing but take advantage of our blood ties. Do you think you’re unique?"
"..."
Xie Lingyan realized she was truly cold and ruthless.
With such a person, playing the family card was useless.
Wen Jiang delivered the final blow. "If not for yourself, at least think of the other members of the Xie Family. Do you want your children to be shunned and condemned by everyone for the rest of their lives? If you don’t die, I can guarantee that will happen."
Did a person like Xie Lingyan possess family affection?
Yes, perhaps not much.
But it was enough to make him consider many things.
He could struggle desperately for his own life, but Wen Jiang would absolutely not let him live to see the day of his trial.
Xie Lingyan had to die.