Xiao Zhan took in every change in their expressions. Knowing the heat was just right, he continued to press them in a tone that brooked no argument.
"To ensure nothing goes wrong, I must negotiate with Mittel alone. Both of you are distraught and agitated right now, utterly unsuited to a situation that demands absolute composure and negotiating skill. If you say the wrong thing and expose our hand, or let them seize on our weaknesses, you could ruin everything instead."
Harsh as those words were, they were undeniable facts. Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa both knew what state they were in. Anger and anxiety tangled in their chests, and neither could guarantee that he could calmly maneuver around the Mittel Family's people like that old fox Xiao Zhan.
At last, Jia Lie Bi drew a deep breath, as though making some momentous decision, then slapped his thigh and spoke through gritted teeth.
"Fine! Xiao Zhan, you handle the negotiations! Money is no object! As long as my son Jia Lie Ao comes back safe and sound, my Jia Lie Family... will gladly pay, even if it costs us our entire fortune!"
Beside him, Oba Pa nodded heavily as well. His face was filled with ruthless determination as he echoed hoarsely.
"Exactly! The same goes for my Ao Ba Family! Whatever the cost!"
While Xiao Zhan and the other clan heads were burning themselves out over their families' futures, trading false smiles and evasions with others, an entirely different scene unfolded in Xiao Yan's room. Unlike the oppressive gloom outside, a faint herbal fragrance and strange ripples of energy filled this space, lending it an unusual stillness and mystery.
Xiao Yan sat cross-legged on his bed, his eyes closed as he regulated his breathing and settled the agitation left