The Schemes and Intrigues of the Imperial Capital, Volume One: The Trump Card

"We've arrived, Father!"

"You did a great job, Xiao Xiao! Now all of you find a dark room and hide, and wait for my orders!"

"But Father, we..."

"I'll handle the rest from now on; you all stay out of it! Xing'er, you quickly take your sisters to safety; Victor will be attacking soon! Also, gather Gan Ming and Cheng'er!"

"Clear!"

Si Nan Zheng stood there, watching the hurried departure of his children and retainers, trying to imprint this scene deeply into his mind.

Fifty years have passed since he was born in this house. He knows every room, every piece of furniture, every secret passage. There are people here who watched him grow up, and people he watched grow up. In a daze, he seems to have returned to his childhood, to the time when he was learning knowledge and martial arts in the house. Back then, he was instilled with the idea of competition from a young age, constantly striving to become the Patriarch. After he became the Patriarch, he was busy with all kinds of complicated affairs and dealing with all kinds of people.

Si Nan Zheng a bitter laugh. Looking back on his life, he realized he had never had a single day of peace. His marriage to his wife was merely a political alliance, his relationships with his former brothers were nothing but treachery, his relationship with the family elders was simply that of superiors and subordinates, and even his own children had never truly been close to him...

What a failed life.

Si Nan Zheng forced himself to cheer up and strode quickly toward the central garden.

It's time to put an end to my failed life.

Today, the entire capital city is truly shaken.

The news that Victor Cleon was still alive and had killed the strongest member of the Si Nan Family spread throughout the capital in the blink of an eye.

The two powers that had stood side by side for a thousand years were completely reshuffled in a single day; it was all too sudden. Everyone was utterly shocked. Who could have imagined that the long-suppressed Cleon Family would stage such a complete comeback?

All the smaller factions affiliated with the Si Nan Family were thrown into a panic, completely leaderless. Meanwhile, the factions affiliated with the Cleon Family, having already received Tang's instructions, launched a massive purge throughout the city on this day, attacking all Si Nan Family properties and actively trying to win over those who were originally affiliated with the Si Nan Family. Those who refused were to be killed without mercy.

As for Victor, who was at the center of the conversation, he was currently soaring hundreds of meters in the air, flying at an astonishing speed towards the Si Nan Main Family. He had underestimated the strength of the Si Nan Family's children; he hadn't expected Si Nan Zheng to escape so quickly. This was indeed a mistake...

Looking down, one sees vast and imposing armies. These were originally the imperial Imperial Guard, but now, with the fall of the palace and the killing of Si Nan Liang, they are completely under the control of the Cleon Family.

"My people, follow me! Glory lies ahead, victory is within our grasp! I will lead the charge and conquer the Si Nan Family!!!"

Victor clenched his fist and roared downwards, receiving a deafening roar and cheers in response. The surging fighting spirit even changed the color of the sky. Everyone rushed forward, and the organizations loyal to the Si Nan Family that tried to stop them were no match for them. Before long, a green cloud appeared on the distant horizon, which was the giant bamboo forest surrounding the Si Nan Family!

With their target in sight, the army's morale soared, and their marching speed increased dramatically, while Victor, flying overhead, frowned.

Normally, the giant bamboo forest, though large, is only about the size of a city wall. But now, it's less like a city wall and more like a giant green cocoon. Each bamboo has grown to hundreds of meters tall, with its tops curving and connecting to form a large net that envelops the entire Si Nan Main Family.

"This is one of the Si Nan Family's defense mechanisms, and also a kind of barrier... I see, it's Si Nan Dan."

At the top of the giant green cocoon stood a burly man, dressed in a bright green robe, his beard fluttering in the wind. He was none other than Si Nan Dan, the Head Captain of the Guard Team!

"I've been waiting for you here since I received the message, Victor Cleon!"

"Wait for me? Looks like you've got a death wish."

"Whether you're tired of living or not isn't up to you. I won't let you pass."

"Utterly boring. You're nothing more than a stalling tool. You should know how long you can hold out against me."

"..."

"The Si Nan Family's defeat is inevitable. No matter how hard you try, the outcome won't change. Why throw your life away in vain? The Cleon Family needs someone like you..."

"... Oh."

Si Nan Dan chuckled, his eyes narrowing slightly beneath his thick eyebrows, revealing a disdainful expression.

"Back in the old days, our guard unit has been managing the area for hundreds of years. This place is both my home and my destiny! You—don't even think about setting foot here! Bamboo Leaf Waterfall!!!"

With a series of loud, Si Nan Dan sounds, all the giant bamboos moved without wind, and hundreds of millions of bamboo leaves emitted a green light, detached from the bamboo stalks, and gathered into a green waterfall that was a thousand meters long, which fell towards Victor!

"The power and visual effects are passable—" Victor didn't even blink as he watched the waterfall cascading down his head, "--but it's far from enough to deal with me! Wind Burial Flame!!!"

The wind and fire elements drew a huge circle with a diameter of 100 meters above Victor's head. As soon as the circle was formed, an incomparably dazzling flame shot into the sky, instantly forming a super-large fire pillar with a diameter of 100 meters under the amplification of the hurricane! Like a volcanic eruption, the magnificent fire pillar shot straight into the sky and collided heavily with the falling Bamboo Leaf Waterfall!

In that instant, a deafening explosion could be heard throughout half the capital! Faced with the raging pillar of fire, the azure light only lasted a few seconds before collapsing and disintegrating into bamboo leaves that filled the sky. The bamboo leaves were ignited as soon as they came into contact with the embers left in the air, and the bamboo leaves burned fiercely, with gray-black smoke obscuring the entire sky!

"This cigarette—wait, could it be!?"

The surroundings were shrouded in smoke, completely obscuring Victor's vision, making it impossible for him to see what was happening around him!

"The Wind Sweeps Away Clouds!"

Centered on him, concentric whirlwinds swept in all directions, threatening to disperse the billowing smoke.

"Die!!! The Ten Thousand Bamboo Piercing Heart Burial!!!!"

The smoke had barely cleared when tens of thousands of giant bamboo stalks emitting a dazzling green light were already close at hand! The giant bamboo stalks that had grown around the Si Nan Family for hundreds of years all flew into the sky, transforming into fierce and ferocious giant spears that pierced towards Victor's heart!

"Mysterious Ice Shield!"

Several thick ice shields enveloped Victor, emanating a chilling aura, as if they were ancient ice formed in an extremely cold land!

Boom! Boom boom boom boom boom!!!

Tens of thousands of giant bamboos collided with the ice shield one after another, each impact carrying an overwhelming force! Even Victor's proud Xuanbing Shield could not withstand it, and cracks appeared on its surface. The cracks multiplied until it finally shattered into ice shards with a crack!

"Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! The strongest member of the Cleon Family is nothing more than this! Have you thought of your last words?"

From afar came Si Nan Dan's loud laughter, and a new batch of giant bamboo immediately followed, launching an even fiercer attack.

"Hmph, so smug already? A junior is still a junior..."

Sizzle, sizzle--

Victor unleashed dazzling arcs of lightning from his hands, the sparks intertwining and being compressed by him. Finally, a sphere of light the size of a ping-pong ball formed between his palms, emitting an extremely blinding white light!

"Thunder Emperor Blast!!"

Boom!!!!!!!!!

The compressed sphere of light exploded instantly, unleashing a devastating bolt of lightning that swept across the sky. The tens of thousands of giant bamboos that had been unstoppable just moments before shattered upon contact, leaving not even a trace! After sweeping away all the giant bamboos, the lightning did not disappear immediately but automatically gathered together, transforming into a Lightning Dragon that coiled around Victor, releasing its immense divine might!

"See that, junior? This is true power! Apart from Nagamasa, no one in the entire country is qualified to challenge me!"

Surrounded by thunder dragons, Victor stood tall in the sky. In his hands, the four elements of thunder, fire, ice, and wind were like obedient children; but the moment they left his grasp, they instantly transformed into invincible and ferocious divine weapons! There are already very few superhumans in the world who can control four or even more elements, and to be able to use all four elements to such an extreme degree, there is probably only one person in the world: Victor!

"Now pay the price for your recklessness. To die protecting the Si Nan Family, as a loyal subject, you have died a worthy death..."

With a gentle downward press of his hand, the Thunder Dragon roared and charged downwards, landing right where the dumbfounded Si Nan Dan.

"Is this all the resistance the Si Nan Family has to offer...?"

The bamboo surrounding the Si Nan Main Family's residence had vanished completely, the once-sturdy outer walls had been blasted flat, and even the main halls near the main gate had been reduced to charred ruins.

The Si Nan Dan had been reduced to charcoal.

However, no other bodies were found. Had Si Nan Zheng already evacuated everyone, abandoning their home and fleeing? Or had everyone hidden in air-raid shelters or similar places? Whatever the reason, the Si Nan Family was only one step away from falling, and now it was impossible for the Si Nan Family to put up any decent resistance...

"In that case, let's destroy this entire area... Everyone, retreat at least ten miles!"

"Yes, sir!!!!!"

Upon hearing Victor's command, the troops on the ground, their faces filled with fervor, immediately responded. Having witnessed this glorious moment, they were ecstatic.

Victor raised his hands to the sky, and the clear sky immediately darkened, accompanied by flashes of lightning and the sound of thunder.

"Thunder, Fire, Ice, Wind - The Four Saint Heavenly Prison!!!"

Blinding lightning struck down from the heavens, and crimson fireballs, like meteorites, fell alongside countless giant ice spikes. At the same time, four tornadoes appeared in the four cardinal directions, constantly squeezing and colliding!

"Is that enough...? The Si Nan Family, which has stood for a thousand years, must go before the new can come, so let it disappear for a while!"

However--

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The four elements bombarded the Si Nan family in succession, but they did not cause any damage to the Si Nan Main Family —to be precise, they were all blocked!

A massive golden force field suddenly appeared above the Si Nan Family, forming a semi-circular membrane that enveloped the entire Si Nan Main Family! The membrane was covered with dazzling liquid gold threads, shimmering and constantly flowing! These threads sometimes formed obscure and incomprehensible runes, and sometimes complex images, ever-changing and utterly mysterious!

Only then did Victor feel an incredibly terrifying pressure, engulfing him like a vast ocean! There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to escape! He suddenly had a strange feeling—his past, present, future, and thoughts had all been seen through by someone!

Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble!!!!!!!!!!!

The ground began to shake violently, like an earthquake. The ground in the central courtyard of the Si Nan Main Family compound suddenly collapsed, and four extremely important buildings, including the Patriarch's residence and the intelligence center, simultaneously sank underground! The giant crater formed by the collapse resembled the gaping maw of a monster, and it continued to expand. In the blink of an eye, the entire central courtyard had become a giant void!

"What happened!?"

Victor was utterly horrified. He had never heard of or even imagined that the Si Nan Family's underground residence contained such a place!

Flying above the cavern, even Victor was shaken to his core—he never imagined that the Si Nan Family possessed such a vast underground space! Enough to hold several colossal palaces!

Sparkling--

In the dark void, a point of golden light shone brightly. Just as Victor was about to approach, the golden light suddenly intensified, and a torrent of light immediately filled the void, piercing the clouds and reaching the universe!

A man's figure emerged from the golden light—it was Si Nan Zheng! He stood on empty air, his entire body radiating golden light, but this light did not originate from him...

Si Nan Zheng held something in his hands, cradling it protectively.

It seemed to be a tiny compass radiating dazzling golden light.

Mysterious symbols appeared and disappeared on the compass, shimmering gold flowed across the base, and dazzling dust danced around it.

That kind of beauty.

And yet, it remained shrouded in mystery.

This is one of the essential materials for constructing the World Crossing Gate, the Divine Artifact — the Gleaming Gold South-Pointing Compass!