After Meng Zhao had intensified the defensive strength around those close to him with feverish urgency, trouble struck the Meng Family.
More precisely, multiple Meng Family-owned businesses in Lingwu City were sabotaged.
First, Meng Zhao's sixteen Dragon Tooth Great Ships were set ablaze one dark, windy night by two sailors from the Meng Family fleet, using Three Yin Poison Fire.
Dense poisonous mist turned into sixteen straight columns of green smoke that shot into the heavens. The cargo stored within, worth twenty thousand taels of silver, was completely burned to ashes. The waters within a ten-li radius became a poisonous zone, all living things perished, and not a blade of grass grew.
Subsequent investigation revealed that these two sailors had been old hands in the Meng Family fleet even before Meng Zhao came to Lingwu City. They had married and had children in Lingwu City, and had been considered entirely trustworthy.
After committing this major crime, Zhou Hu discovered through his investigation that neither of them had originally wished to betray Meng Zhao. One had simply incurred enormous gambling debts and had his weakness seized by others. Blinded by greed, he had no choice but to comply.
The other had his son and mother seized by an unknown force. With his loved ones' lives hanging in the balance, he chose to betray Meng Zhao.
The former deserved death. As for the latter, it could only be said that fate toyed with him; his luck was poor, and he had been chosen.
Before this incident, both men's families had already left. Yet with a single order from Meng Zhao, within three days, all twelve members of the two families were captured and brought back to Lingwu City.
Without distinction, every last one was executed—from elders of sixty-seven to children of three.