At Lu Jing'an's words.
The most shocked was Lu Huaishan.
In Lu Huaishan's view.
His investigation had already been meticulous in every detail.
He even felt that the professional secret agents and spies probably couldn't have done much better.
But Lu Jing'an.
Had not only investigated the exact number of people.
He had even precisely identified what they looked like.
And tracked their movements.
Lying?
Making things up?
Lu Huaishan didn't think so. It wasn't possible.
Lu Jing'an's voice was steady, and his eyes held unwavering certainty.
Besides, when it came to a matter as grave as the family's survival.
He believed Lu Jing'an would never dare to lie.
Then how had Lu Jing'an investigated all this—and in greater detail than he had?
Lu Jing'an's voice continued.
Only this time, he wasn't talking about the Li Family.
"Second Uncle, you don't need to send any more silver to Huagui Street."
"That was a trap Lin Shouxin set for you."
At Lu Jing'an's words, Lu Huaichuan's expression turned grave.
"How do you know about what's happening on Huagui Street?"
Lu Jing'an smiled and said mysteriously, "Naturally, Lin Shouxin told me."
Lu Huaishan immediately turned to his second brother. "Second Brother, what arrangements did you make on Huagui Street? Why didn't I know?"
Since Lu Jing'an had already exposed it.
Lu Huaichuan didn't hide it anymore.
"When I was investigating the Lin Family's finances."
"I happened to learn something."
"Apparently, Lin Shouxin secretly kept a mistress on Huagui Street."
"She even gave him a son."
"I thought I'd make use of that information."
"So I paid someone to bribe the woman."
When he finished, Lu Huaichuan gritted his teeth. "I didn't expect her to dare deceive me."
Lu Huaichuan hadn't told anyone about this.
The fact that Lu Jing'an could bring it up.
Was enough to prove that all of Lu Jing'an's findings were genuine.
That was more than a little frightening.
As far as Lu Huaichuan knew.
In recent days, Lu Jing'an.
Had done nothing but beat people up and drink in brothels.
Yet the things Lu Jing'an had ultimately uncovered.
Outnumbered what they had found.
And were far more damning!
Lu Huaichuan didn't ask how Lu Jing'an had managed it.
Instead, he complained to him.
"You just watched your second uncle spend a fortune and get played for a fool, and you didn't even think to warn me."
Lu Jing'an smiled. "Second Uncle, if I'd exposed it too soon, you'd have grown cautious. Once you did, the Lin Family would have clammed up too. Only by letting them think they'd succeeded could we get them to show more of their hand."
Lu Huaichuan had only said it offhand.
Losing some money and face didn't matter much to him.
Now that it was confirmed all of Lu Jing'an's intelligence was true.
The question was how they should respond.
The gunmen from the Lin Family and the Li Family were nothing to worry about.
The real trouble was the experts the Li Family had brought with them.
The most important among them were the foreigner Lawrence and another mysterious Martial Cultivator.
But that was where the problem lay.
The Lu Family had originally thought there was only one Lawrence.
And Chen Xuan could deal with him directly.
Now there was another one.
A Martial Cultivator whose strength was in no way inferior to Lawrence's.
Setting aside whether Chen Xuan could face both men at once.
What if the two of them acted separately?
How would the Lu Family handle that?
They could throw money at the problem and hire another expert at the last minute.
It wasn't an impossible option.
But anyone found in such a hurry would have an unclear background and questionable loyalty.
And this battle would determine the Lu Family's fortunes for decades to come.
They couldn't afford to be careless in the slightest.
Just as Lu Huaiqian and the other two were arguing without reaching an agreement.
Lu Jing'an spoke again. "I can try taking on Lawrence."
"No!"
Lu Huaichuan and Lu Huaishan shouted their objections almost in unison.
Lu Huaiqian didn't say anything.
But his tightly furrowed brows and suddenly rigid posture.
Made his disapproval clear.
Lu Huaishan spoke with a grave expression.
"Lawrence's strength has definitely broken through the Blood Barrier."
"Jing'an, you've only been practicing martial arts for a short time. You probably haven't even entered the field yet. There's no way you can beat him!"
Lu Huaichuan added, "Jing'an, there's no room for discussion."
As he spoke, Lu Huaichuan kept glancing at his elder brother.
Urging him to speak up and stop Lu Jing'an.
Lu Huaiqian pondered briefly, then said to Lu Jing'an, "Tell us your plan."
Lu Jing'an nodded. "First, I need to correct Third Uncle on one point."
"I haven't been practicing martial arts for long, but I've already reached the Second Blood Transformation."
The three of them were all visibly shaken at Lu Jing'an's words.
They all knew.
What the Second Blood Transformation meant.
How long had Lu Jing'an been training with Chen Xuan?
A month, at most?
Even if Chen Xuan had taught him everything he knew and the Lu Family had been willing to spend freely.
Reaching the Second Blood Transformation in a month was still astonishing.
Lu Jing'an had absolutely no foundation in martial arts from childhood.
They knew that better than anyone.
"Jing'an, you've really reached the Second Blood Transformation!?" Lu Huaishan's voice was full of shock and disbelief.
Lu Jing'an nodded. "You can ask Uncle Xuan to confirm it."
"Y-you trained this fast? How?"
Lu Jing'an repeated the explanation he'd given Chen Xuan earlier to the three of them.
"Uncle Xuan said I might have a natural talent for martial arts."
"I just spent the last few years chasing pleasure and let that pearl gather dust."
"Now I've found my way back."
"My talent has finally been allowed to shine again."
Since Chen Xuan had said it, the three of them had no reason to doubt it.
But Lu Jing'an still needed to explain how he planned to handle Lawrence.
Even now that Lu Jing'an had reached the Second Blood Transformation.
He still had no chance against Lawrence.
Lu Jing'an continued, "The strongest thing Western Martial Cultivators have is Battle Qi."
"And Battle Qi depends on emotion and seizing the initiative."
"As long as I keep his emotions from flaring up and stop him from taking the initiative."
"Then I've already won half the battle."
After a pause, Lu Jing'an added.
"Of course, I don't plan to meet him head-on."
"I'll need a squad."
"They must be excellent shots."
"Also, I never intended to kill Lawrence."
"I only need to buy enough time for Uncle Xuan to arrive."
After hearing Lu Jing'an's plan.
They still thought it was too risky.
Candlelight swayed in the room, stretching the four men's shadows long across the walls.
After that, they hammered out the details of the operation.
Only when the sky began to lighten and the eastern horizon turned pale.
Did they finally finish their preparations.
Over the next several days.
All of Yinshan County was swept up in the clamor.
Of the Li Family's wedding.
The main roads had already been renovated.
The residents along them had been rewarded with silver dollars.
Every household hung bright red lanterns beneath its eaves.
Even the roadside trees were wrapped in layers of red silk, winding like crimson dragons from afar.
Yinshan County might not even see such lavish festivities at New Year.
The Lin Family had been enjoying the limelight these past few days.
Lin Shouxin wore a smile from morning to night, the creases at the corners of his eyes seeming deeper than usual.
Visitors bearing gifts arrived at the Lin Family's door in an endless stream.
Every one of them had come to curry favor with the Lin Family.
Anyone could see it now.
The Lu Family intended to swallow their pride and accept what had happened.
And in their eyes, that marked the beginning of the Lu Family's decline.
Those who were well-informed.
Had already heard rumors that the three counties would be merged.
The Lu Family's current retreat was tantamount to abandoning the contest for the county magistrate's seat.
Giving up a high position was understandable, since the Lu Family's roots were still shallow.
But now the Li Family had practically climbed onto their heads, and the Lu Family still swallowed their anger.
Before long, it might be hard to say whether Yinshan County belonged to the Li Family or the Lu Family.
Building a good relationship with the Lin Family first was surely the right move.
Those who had taken the initiative to befriend the Lin Family.
Naturally, the Lu Family had recorded every last one of them.
It simply wasn't time to settle accounts yet.
The days passed, one after another.
Before long, the auspicious day the Lin Family and the Li Family had agreed upon arrived.
The first day of the tenth month!
The almanac read: auspicious for weddings, burials, digging graves, and relocating tombs.
The sky had yet to grow fully light, but the Lin Family residence was already blazing with lanterns, bustling with figures.
Today was the day the Lin Family would climb to new heights by attaching themselves to a powerful family.
It was also the beginning of the Lin Family's rise.
The Li Family's young master would personally come from Xiaoshan County to escort the bride.
What a great honor.
From this day onward, the Lin Family's standing would be utterly transformed.
The Lin Family had risen early.
So had many households in Yinshan County, whose windows swung open one after another.
Some stood on their doorsteps, waiting to witness this rare spectacle.
Along both sides of the street, even the beggars had claimed their spots early.
They waited eagerly for the reward money the Lin Family and the Li Family would scatter.
But the reward money never came.
Instead, squads of Security Station officers arrived, armed to the teeth.
They hurried down the long street, clearing it as they went and shouting at people to move along.
If anyone was even a little slow to react, a rifle butt came crashing into them without mercy.
In less than the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, the entire street had fallen silent.
But the Security Station officers didn't stop.
They continued hurrying toward the Lin Mansion.
Their orderly footsteps pounded against the bluestone paving with a heavy thud.
Every step carried a fierce, bone-chilling air of murder.
At the far end of the long street, the red silk in front of the Lin Mansion fluttered gently in the morning breeze, like a splash of blood.
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