Star Luo Empire, Imperial Palace, Imperial Study Room.
It was already dark, but the study was still brightly lit. A huge Star Crown Empire layout hung on the wall, and the candlelight danced on Dai Tianfeng's gloomy face, reflecting his frown and the cold anger in his eyes.
In his hand, he held a piece of top-secret information that had just been delivered through special channels as quickly as possible. His knuckles were slightly white from the force. The information was not long, but every word was like a knife, cutting through the calmness that the hero tried so hard to maintain.
"... The core layers of the Shrek Academy and Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect have initially determined that the disappearance of Zhao Wuji and others was caused by our country. Motive: to weaken Heaven Dou's future top power, attack Shrek's reputation, and cover up the 'Forgotten Gobi' secret investigation operation.
The main basis for suspicion: before and after the incident, His Majesty ordered to closely monitor the movements of the Soul Hunting team. Although the other party currently has no evidence, hostility and suspicion have arisen. Huo Wu has vowed revenge, and the voices of the war factions within the Shrek Academy and Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect have risen..."
"Absurd! Shameless!"
A low and suppressed roar was finally squeezed out of Dai Tianfeng's throat. He slammed the information onto the rosewood desk, making a muffled "bang" sound that made the candlelight sway violently. Several guards and chamberlains standing in the study held their breath for a moment and buried their heads even lower, wishing they could shrink into the shadows. His Majesty the Emperor rarely loses his composure like this, which shows his anger.
"Just because I ordered 'surveillance', it became irrefutable evidence that they suspected that I was the murderer?!" Dai Tianfeng stood up and paced back and forth in the study room, his steps heavy, as if stepping on everyone's hearts, "Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Beng, that inexperienced brat, in order to win over Shrek Academy and Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, in order to divert domestic conflicts, how dare you so blatantly frame me!"
He suddenly stopped and looked at the Minister of Military Aircraft and the Chief of Intelligence who were standing below with their hands hanging down, with equally solemn expressions. "How did I give the order at that time? Tell me again!"
The intelligence chief hurriedly stepped forward and bowed. "Back to Your Majesty, Your Majesty said that day: 'Closely monitor the movements of this team. Don't alert the enemy. Send extra manpower to continue investigating Forgotten Gobi. No clues will be missed!' I am accurate to every word and have recorded it in the record."
"It's just surveillance! It's just surveillance!" Dai Tianfeng's voice was filled with suppressed fury, "One team is led by Soul Douluo, and two people are Titled Douluo. Soul Douluo is accompanying him, and his target may be high-level Soul Beast. As Star Luo Emperor, I ordered surveillance, what's wrong with it? Isn't this a matter of course?!"
The Minister of Military Aircraft smiled bitterly and said, "Your Majesty, calm down. From the standpoint of Heaven Dou and Shrek, they have suffered heavy losses and are eager to find the culprit. Any suspicious clues will be magnified infinitely. In particular, we have an old grudge with Heaven Dou, and Forgotten Gobi's investigation... is indeed sensitive.
They use this as an excuse to pour dirty water on us, which can not only unite the internal forces, but also point the finger at our country, divert their domestic attention from the unstable rule of Xue Beng, and also use this to show their goodwill to Shrek and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, killing multiple birds with one stone."
"It's good to kill multiple birds with one stone!" Dai Tianfeng sneered again and again, with a cold light in his eyes, "Use me, Star Luo Empire, to make two talents who may become Titled Douluo in the future., the blood of a famous Soul Douluo and digital backbone Soul Master, to achieve his Xue Beng political goals? Does he think I am a fool?!"
"Your Majesty, there is something fishy about this matter." The intelligence chief added cautiously, "According to our secret reports around Sunset Forest, as well as repeated surveys of that area afterwards, the perpetrators were extremely powerful, and their methods were extremely clean and neat, almost erasing All traceable traces have been removed. There are only a handful of forces on the mainland that can do this. As for Heaven Dou, is there no doubt about the remnants of the Spirit Hall? Or... other forces within them?"
Dai Tianfeng took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He sat back on the large chair and tapped his fingers gently on the smooth tabletop, making a rhythmic tapping sound that was particularly clear in the silent study.
"Spirit Hall..." He muttered, "As you said, if the remnants of the Spirit Hall take action, either Thunderous Might will serve as a warning to others, or completely hide it without leaving any future troubles. Although the traces of this incident were cleaned up, the 'cleanness' was a bit deliberate, leaving behind a strange feeling of 'there is no three hundred taels of silver here.'"
He paused, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes. "As for the inside of Heaven Dou... Xue Beng seems to be firmly on the throne, but the internal factions are still complicated. Clear Sky Sect cannot escape from the world, and his attitude is ambiguous. Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Tied to the Shrek Academy, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is gradually declining... It seems that no party has such a strong motive and strength to offend Shrek and Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect at the same time, and put the blame on our country."
"Unless..." the Minister of Military Aircraft hesitated, "Unless the one who took action was neither Spirit Hall nor Heaven Dou, but... a third party? A force that we, not even Heaven Dou, had anticipated or ignored?"
"A third party?" Dai Tianfeng frowned more tightly and tapped his fingers on the table faster, "On the mainland, apart from these two empires, which other force has the strength to quietly eat up such an elite team? Do it so cleanly? Upper Three Sects is like a branch, Lower Four Sects is a mess, Sea God Island lives overseas... wait a minute, Sea God Island?"
He then shook his head again. "Impossible. Sea God Island is independent of the world. Its sphere of influence is limited to the ocean. It rarely gets involved in mainland affairs, and it will not go deep into Sunset Forest to hunt down Shrek Academy's people for no reason. There is insufficient motivation."
Silence fell in the study again. The candlelight crackled, reflecting the uncertain face of Dai Tianfeng. The anger of being wronged, doubts about the mastermind behind the scenes, and worries about the possible deterioration of the situation were intertwined in his heart.
After a long time, Dai Tianfeng slowly spoke, and his voice had regained the coldness and calmness of the emperor, but the murderous meaning in it was even more heart-stopping than the rage just now. "No matter who the murderer is, now this basin of dirty water has been poured firmly on my head, Star Luo Empire.
Shrek Academy, especially Huo Wu who just lost her husband and brother, Liu Erlong who protects others, and Star Luo Empire who is already hostile to me Some Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect senior officials will never give up. Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Beng children will definitely use this to make a big fuss, put pressure on the border and criticize it internationally."
"Your Majesty, how should we respond?" the Minister of Military Aircraft asked.
"Response?" The corners of Dai Tianfeng's mouth raised a cold arc, "Don't they want evidence? We can't produce evidence to prove our innocence, and they can't produce irrefutable evidence that identifies us as the murderer! It's not that easy to pour this dirty water on my head!"
His eyes were like lightning, and he swept over the two important ministers. "First, immediately activate all our high-level secret lines in Heaven Dou, and investigate at all costs! Find out for me, before and after Zhao Wuji and their disappearance, what other suspicious forces appeared near Sunset Forest, what abnormal Soul Power fluctuations were there, no clues can be missed!"
"Second, strengthen the defense at the border, especially in the direction of the Balak Kingdom. The loose pine is open and the secret is tight, and the outer pine is tight and the inner is tight. If Heaven Dou dares to take the opportunity to provoke, he will be beaten back by me! But you must grasp the scale and do not take the initiative to expand the incident, but we will never tolerate any infringement!"
"Third," Dai Tianfeng's voice was lowered a bit, with a hint of iron-bloodedness and determination, "'Forgotten Gobi's' exploration must not stop, but must be accelerated! Invest more resources and deploy stronger manpower! Both If someone wants to use this incident to divert attention and cover up their actions in the Gobi, then we have to dig it up! I want to see what secrets are hidden there, which is worthy of someone going to such a big fight and committing such a murderous crime to put the blame on me!"
"Fourth," he looked at the intelligence chief, "Closely monitor all the movements of the Heaven Dou Empire, Shrek Academy, Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Especially that Huo Wu, and Liu Erlong. If they have irrational acts of revenge... if necessary, they can take 'extraordinary measures', but they must be clean and tidy, and no clues can be left behind! As for Xue Beng..."
Dai Tianfeng's eyes flashed coldly. "Don't he like to play with fire? Find an opportunity to add some firewood to him. Doesn't he suspect that I am doing something in the Gobi? Then let him 'know' more clearly, but let him guess what is true or false, what is true or false, and let him guess, and go away the headache!"
"Yes! Your Majesty is wise!" The Minister of Military Aircraft and the Chief of Intelligence both bowed and accepted the order. Feeling the unabashed killing and counterattack in His Majesty's words, they felt awe-inspiring. Star Luo Empire has never been a soft persimmon that can be manipulated by others. This sudden frame-up will not only not make the empire retreat, but may anger the sleeping Lion and reveal even sharper fangs.
"In addition," Dai Tianfeng finally added, with a hint of mockery in his tone, "I also sent a formal and stern note to the Shrek Academy and Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Question their unfounded suspicion and slander of our country, and require them to provide conclusive evidence. Otherwise, they must publicly clarify and clear my name, Star Luo Empire! At the same time, in my name, I would like to express my 'regret' for the unfortunate death of Zhao Wuji, Feng Xiaotian and others."
"Your Majesty, this..." The Minister of Military and Aircraft hesitated, which was tantamount to adding fuel to the fire.
"Follow it." Dai Tianfeng interrupted with a wave of his hand, his eyes cold, "Since they dare to doubt and splash dirty water, they will have to bear the price of backlash. I want them to know that Star Luo Empire's dignity cannot be trampled on. Even if this basin of dirty water cannot be washed clean for a while, I will drag the person who splashed the water into the water and turn the world upside down!"
"According to the order!"
Watching the two important ministers leave in a hurry, Dai Tianfeng stood alone in front of the huge empire territory, staring deeply at the location of Sunset Forest and Forgotten Gobi.
"We didn't do it..." He whispered to himself, as if he was convincing himself, and as if he was questioning his hidden opponent, "But if it wasn't us, it wasn't Spirit Hall, and Heaven Dou doesn't have such motivation and ability... Then who is it? Who is secretly promoting all this? What is the purpose?"
He had a strong premonition that the disappearance of Zhao Wuji and others was probably just the tip of the iceberg. A wider and more dangerous undercurrent was raging beneath the continent. And Star Luo Empire had been pushed to the forefront by an invisible hand.
"No matter who you are, you want to use me Star Luo Empire as a knife and a scapegoat..." Dai Tianfeng's hand slowly tightened the hilt of the sword at his waist, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes, "You must be prepared to be backlashed by this knife and torn to pieces by this Lion!"