Chapter 557 The Fake Skin Finally Removed
With Elder Yan's arrival, it was as if nothing had happened. Everyone was cordial, and even Elder Lian, who had been stabbed, showed no emotion.
Everyone was waiting for Zi Yisheng, who had organized the meeting, to speak. At this moment, Ouyang handed him two documents.
"These are top orders issued within two days. One was personally issued by Elder Yan. Perhaps some people present today share my doubts, so I hope Elder Yan can explain."
Zi Yisheng slid the documents in his hand towards Elder Yan, hoping that all his guesses and investigations would be dispelled today.
Elder Yan took the documents and looked at them with a half-smile, then raised his eyes to meet Zi Yisheng's gaze.
"You brat, are you here to question me?"
"It can be understood that way. Even during our country's most difficult times, there was no talk of ceding territory. Did the order you issued consider the heroes who sacrificed?"
Everyone looked at Elder Yan. They could have conflicts amongst themselves, but they were only internal disputes. Once it involved territorial and sovereign issues, there was no room for compromise.
"If I say that this was not my order, would you believe me?"
Zi Yisheng smiled. He had truly given up. He truly believed that the person before him was a complete imposter.
"Ouyang, bring everyone who had access to Elder Yan's orders."
"Yes."
In fact, there was no need to arrest them. They had brought them the moment Elder Yan arrived at the conference hall.
A total of four people entered, including Elder Yan's secretary and his direct adjutant.
"Elder Yan, who issued the order using your name directly. This behavior can be met with a direct kill."
Elder Yan's gaze towards Zi Yisheng was sharp, like needles piercing.
"Are you forcing me?"
"How can I be forcing you? We are only finding the person behind the scheme to maintain stability."
Everyone present were old foxes. Many of them dejectedly lowered their eyelids.
"I just found out I no longer have the right to handle my subordinates privately."
"Elder Yan, there's no need to escalate it like this. We just need an explanation."
Ye Huaijin walked directly to Secretary He and held a gun to his head.
"Was the order issued through you?"
"No."
"And you?"
"No."
The same answer from the four people. Ye Huaijin smiled.
"This is the first time I've heard of Elder Yan issuing documents through someone other than you, and it managed to reach all of us. This makes the problem even more serious."
Zi Yisheng and Elder Yan hadn't paid attention to anyone else. In fact, both of them knew the truth at this moment, but no one revealed it.
At this moment, Zi Yisheng suddenly wanted to expose him on the spot, but he was afraid that the imposter, having spent over a decade, had already infiltrated many places.
He didn't even have full confidence in controlling Hong Yu Pavilion. It was too late for him to return.
"You should have handed this matter over to me."
"What if I don't agree?"
"You will."
He truly understood him thoroughly. He really wanted to know who was behind the mask and understood him to this extent.
Many people present tensed up, and some even wanted to escape immediately.
At this moment, Ye Huaijin walked to Elder Yan's side, bent down, and examined the other person's face.
"Elder Yan, does it feel stuffy wearing a mask for so long? How about I help you?"
As he spoke, he pressed one hand on the shoulder and the other reached under the neck to pull out the fake skin and tear it open. But as soon as he reached the chin, Ye Huaijin was repelled by a surge of energy, flying several meters away.
Fortunately, Ye Huaijin was prepared and channeled all his strength into his legs to brace himself.
"Cough, cough, cough."
Zi Yisheng's eyes were filled with worry, but he couldn't care about that anymore, as there was no turning back.
"Come, everyone, let's admire the true face of Elder Yan who has controlled you for over a decade."
In fact, as soon as the fake skin was pulled, some people had already become wary, and instantly, the people present split into two factions.
"Ye Huaijin, you are presumptuous."
Ye Huaijin, having finally recovered his breath, looked sarcastically at Lian Zhaozhen, who was shouting.
"So you knew everything. You were simply abetting evil. Where is the real Elder Yan?"
"Elder Yan" moved at this moment, slowly and personally removing the fake skin to reveal that old face.
"It really was stuffy. Old Lian, look at me, haven't I turned much paler from being suffocated?"
Upon seeing this face, many people who had been standing on "Elder Yan's" side now leaned towards Zi Yisheng.
"How could this happen? Where is the real Elder Yan?"
Lian Zhaozhen was also incredulous. He was Elder Yan's old friend and supporter, and they were all linked. But who could tell him why the person before him was fake?
"I don't know. I really don't know."
"You don't need to know. Since it's exposed, no one is leaving today. Those who replace you will appear soon, and everything will remain the same."
Zi Yisheng clenched his fists. His greatest fear had come to pass.
Ye Huaijin raised his gun, but Zi Yisheng stopped him, tightly gripping his hand.
Once the gun was fired, it would only be a signal to Elder Yan's people.
"Let me guess who you are?"
Zi Yisheng walked towards "Elder Yan" step by step, even pulling a chair to face him, leaving no more than thirty centimeters between them.
"Hahahaha, that's good. I know Yan Shengbai valued you the most. And after all these years, I still couldn't take you down. It shows how sharp you are."
"In fact, the Baili family controlled by Baili Qing has always been a mere pawn, a jumping clown. And you, the true head of the Baili family, Baili Qi, are the one controlling everything.
Your sons and grandsons are all stepping stones for you, only because you are the one who truly wants this position. Your goal is not just power."
"Baili Qi, how is that possible? Wasn't he dead many years ago?"
"That's because he possessed the eternal life that everyone in the world envied, but it seems he cannot remain ageless. Or rather, the longevity you possess is also incomplete. You should be sitting in this position to find a solution."
"Hahahaha, how can you be so smart? I'm almost reluctant to kill you."
"Don't. Please don't be reluctant, because if you are, you will be giving me a chance to recover. Because I can live much, much longer than you, who can't live much longer."
Baili Qi's already drooping eyelids narrowed so much that his eyeballs were hidden.
"You are deliberately provoking me!"
"Yes. Let me guess, you must not have the ability to repel me as you did just now. Playing with dark arts comes at a price."
"You don't believe what I've obtained?"
Ouyang spoke at this moment, still reading the report in a serious tone.
"In Yuanpu country, there is a dark art that can grant eternal life, but it requires their secret medicine, which is not passed down. However, the side effect of this secret medicine is the constant need to drink fresh blood and eat raw meat.
And they must take their secret medicine at intervals to maintain its effect. According to statistics, the longest-lived person in Yuanpu country lived to 167 years old, and there has been no one who has surpassed this number yet."
"Let me calculate your age. Are you one hundred and sixty? One hundred and sixty-four? Or one hundred and sixty-six? You're running out of time."
"You, how much do you know?"
Baili Qi, whose most cherished secret had been exposed, lost his composure.
"I know a lot. Didn't you know that my mother-in-law and the Bai family's businesses are spread all over the world? I happened to mention it a few days ago and obtained this information. Don't you think they are formidable?"
"You!"
Baili Qi took a deep breath and suddenly smiled.
"So what? At least you can't take me down now, because you and your group will die."
Lian Zhaozhen stumbled and fell to the ground, tears streaming down his old face.
"What did you do to Old Yan?"
"Hahahaha, he's dead. He died the first day I walked in here."
Zi Yisheng subtly glanced behind him, then adjusted his glasses.
"Ahhhh! I'm going to kill you! Baili Qi, you monster, I'm going to kill you!"
"Stop him."
Lian Zhaozhen scrambled up and lunged towards the conference table, but was pulled down by a group of people behind him.
"Why are you stopping me!"
Zi Yisheng ignored him and continued speaking.
"You urgently need to obtain the last batch of secret medicine, which is why you agreed to Hong Hai's request from Yuanpu country. I think they will soon tell you about the ultimate secret medicine that will allow you to live to two hundred, three hundred years, and you will trade pieces of territory for it."
"Beast! Traitor! Hanjian!"
Only the four secretaries remained expressionless. Ouyang, with his bulging belly, confronted them.
"Well said. Without me, this traitor, would this country be where it is today? Look at the current national strength and economy, which aspect of development wasn't achieved by me?"
"Baili Qi, I have to admit I'm inferior to you in terms of thick skin. But your skin is indeed about to fall off."
Zi Yisheng was waiting, stalling for time. This was his only chance.
"Kid, don't provoke me further."
"You won't kill me now, because you need me too much. Without me, you are nothing."
Baili Qi's old face suddenly leaned close to Zi Yisheng's face, and he said word by word.
"I will turn you into a human pig, and every day you will watch me live to three hundred years old. And you will have to use your brain for me.
Do you know why? Because if you disobey, I will punish your wife and children. It won't be long before they appear here."
Zi Yisheng clenched his fists. His wife had a trump card. Yes, his wife had a trump card.
"Is that so? You can try."
With a thud, someone collapsed. Then the next.
"What's happening?"
When Secretary He also collapsed, Baili Qi stood up. But as soon as he stood, he felt dizzy.
"You, it's you!"
"Yes, it's me."
Zi Yisheng shook his jacket. Upon closer inspection, quite a bit of powder fell off. He smiled with satisfaction, looking at a small crawling worm in the corner.
"You poisoned me?"
"Wrong. I poisoned everyone in Hong Yu Pavilion. And various kinds of poisons, so many that I myself don't know what they are."
"How are you fine?"
"How could I be fine? I've just been maintaining my composure. Unlike you, who got so agitated."
Baili Qi was knowledgeable. He quickly bit his wrist open, letting the blood flow.
"It's useless. Only my wife can detoxify these poisons, and even then, it's not always successful."
Ouyang was speechless. He was barely managing to stand at the moment, thinking he would get the antidote soon, only to realize that his wife had to personally experiment.
Zi Yisheng was even more ruthless. He took out more medicinal powder from his pocket, which his wife insisted he carry, and sprinkled it all over Baili Qi.
"Mixed together like this, my wife will have even less idea how to detoxify it."
"You are despicable! Aren't you poisoned too?"
"Yes, and my wife will definitely save me first."
"Hmph, then let's see who she saves first after she's captured."
Baili Qi was confident, and Zi Yisheng was confident now, because the old monster hadn't realized that one person was missing from the room yet.
Hong Yu Pavilion remained in a stalemate, while outside, even the entire Ming City was in turmoil.
Outside Ye Shenggge's house, gunshots continued to ring out. The children held back tears.
"Don't be afraid, it will be resolved soon."
In fact, she had only received the news less than half an hour ago. She had rearranged the entire house.
Ye Mu'en, who hadn't set out yet, had surrounded the place the moment his father sent the message.
Ordinary people in Ming City hid in their homes and factories, still not understanding why it had suddenly become chaotic.
In fact, other places were also spreading chaos. The gunshots in Ming City were a signal.
It showed how much Baili Qi had infiltrated, but the hidden vermin of many years also emerged at this time, no longer needing to be sought out.
Ye Huaijin finished his last phone call. The nationwide battle had begun.
Outside, real gunfire raged, while inside, they endured the pain of poison and psychological warfare.
Ye Shenggge comforted the children and entered the space to continue making medicine. However, this time, it wasn't poison, but an antidote for the "hodgepodge."
Her suggestion that night led her husband to not only obtain a lot of medicine but also her new pet, a bug that loved chocolate chips. It was something someone had sent from Mi Province.
This was also thanks to Teacher Han, whom she had only met once. Perhaps Han Yuyan had told him something, and for years, he had sent her curious items related to poisons and medicines via cargo ship.
That night, she had said that as long as she sprinkled chocolate chips in the conference room upon entering Hong Yu Pavilion, the little pet, starved for three days, would eat while releasing poison.
This little pet, which she had raised for three years, was going on its first mission, but she believed in its abilities. She had tested it once, and it could incapacitate five hundred chickens, which could be equivalent to one or two people.