At those words, the atmosphere in the conference room froze.
Some people's expressions changed.
But Chen Guangmao soon sneered.
"You actually believe news like that?"
"A newly awakened student, killing level-100 powerhouses?"
"Zhao Qiming, you're in charge of security. You should understand better than any of us what a level-100 powerhouse represents."
Someone beside him frowned.
"But something really did happen at Jiangcheng No. 1 High School yesterday."
"The Blood Wolf Association attacked, and all three level-100 powerhouses died in the end."
Chen Guangmao narrowed his eyes.
"They did die."
"But who can prove Lu Fang killed them with his own strength?"
"Who are Lu Tianxiong and Su Qingyu?"
"Would they really leave their son without any life-saving trump cards?"
"In my opinion, Lu Fang most likely managed to kill them because of a contingency his parents left behind."
"Perhaps it was a single-use forbidden artifact, a sealing scroll, or some kind of triggered killing move."
"With things like that, every use means one less."
"If Lu Fang himself really were that strong, do you think the five great academies would have done nothing?"
At those words, quite a few people fell into thought.
Seeing this, Chen Guangmao continued.
"For the past two days, I've had people watching for activity around the hillside villa district and the Class Center."
"So far, no one from any of the five great academies has approached Lu Fang."
"Not even an admissions officer from a first-rate university has shown up."
"What does that tell us?"
He sneered.
"It tells us the rumors out there have most likely been exaggerated."
Hearing that, much of their apprehension dissipated.
Indeed.
The five great academies couldn't possibly have misjudged him.
If Lu Fang really were as heaven-defying as the rumors claimed, how could no one have come?
Zhao Qiming was still somewhat uneasy.
"But what if?"
Chen Guangmao looked at him.
"What if what?"
"What if Lu Fang really does grow strong and comes to resent us?"
The conference room fell silent again for a moment.
Lin Man spoke calmly.
"That's why we aren't going to openly fall out with him right away."
"The first step is to talk."
"We'll go see Lu Fang together and explain the crisis the chamber of commerce is facing."
"We'll get him to agree to sacrifice some of our interests in exchange for outside protection."
"At the same time, we'll form an interim management committee to run the chamber of commerce on his behalf."
"In name, he'll remain the heir."
"In practice, the committee will hold the power."
Someone asked quietly.
"What if he refuses?"
Lin Man's gaze turned slightly cold.
"Then we use the chamber's rules."
"He has no management experience and no ability to fulfill his duties."
"We can convene a joint meeting of the senior executives and freeze some of his decision-making authority on the grounds of protecting the chamber's assets."
"If that still doesn't work, we'll have all the departments halt operations together."
"What could an eighteen-year-old possibly use to fight us?"
Chen Guangmao smiled.
"Director Lin is right."
"We aren't harming him."
"We're helping him preserve the business his parents left behind."
Those words sounded lofty and righteous.
But quite a few of those present understood.
Preserving the business was merely the pretext.
Their real purpose was to take advantage of Lu Tianxiong and Su Qingyu's absence to carve up the juicy prize that was the Fangfang Chamber of Commerce all over again.
Discussion continued in the conference room for a long time.
In the end, several core executives reached an agreement.
Chen Guangmao, Lin Man, Zhao Qiming, and several other veterans would visit the hillside villa district first thing the next morning to meet Lu Fang.
If Lu Fang knew what was good for him and agreed to their proposal, everything would be easy.
If he didn't...
Then they could only make this young heir understand what reality meant.
When the meeting ended.
Everyone rose and left one after another.
Standing at the conference room door, Chen Guangmao glanced back at the empty seat at the head of the table, and a meaningful smile slowly curled his lips.
"President Lu, President Su."
"The empire you built is too vast."
"A child can't hold on to it."
Early the next morning.
The hillside villa district.
Lu Fang came downstairs right on time.
Over the past two days, he had gone out at daybreak and returned late at night almost every day.
He was either grinding dungeons or on his way to grind dungeons.
From level 9 to level 58.
That leveling speed was enough to make every class holder in Jiang City question their life.
But the cost was equally apparent.
Even though Lu Fang's mental state remained stable, the old butler, Uncle Jiang, could still tell that the tension in him was growing heavier.
So there was an extra person at the breakfast table that morning.
Jiang Xia.
He sat across from Lu Fang, holding a piece of toast and trying hard to force a relaxed smile onto his face.
"Morning, Brother Fang."
Lu Fang glanced at him, then at Uncle Jiang, who looked somewhat awkward beside them, and immediately understood something.
He sat down and took a sip of milk.
"Uncle Jiang asked you to come?"
Jiang Xia gave a dry laugh.
"You figured that out already?"
Uncle Jiang coughed lightly and spoke in a low voice.
"Young master, you've been leaving early and returning late these past two days. I'm really rather worried."
"Jiang Xia grew up with you. There are some things he might be better suited to say than I am."
Jiang Xia immediately chimed in.
"Right, right."
He set his toast on the plate and looked earnestly at Lu Fang.
"Brother Fang, I know you've been under a lot of pressure lately, and I know what happened to your parents hit you hard."
"But you can't stay wound this tight forever."
"You've been grinding dungeons way too hard these past two days."
"How about taking half a day off today?"
Lu Fang said nothing, simply looking at him calmly.
That look left Jiang Xia feeling a little unsure of himself, but he braced himself and continued.
"We haven't properly celebrated since we awakened, anyway."
"Let's go out for a good meal."
"My treat!"
After saying that, he even thumped his chest, looking thoroughly magnanimous.
"I might not be as rich as you, but I can still afford to buy you a meal."
Lu Fang looked at Jiang Xia.
Then he looked at Uncle Jiang, who stood to one side with worry written all over his face.
A little warmth stirred in his heart.
Of course he understood what the two of them meant.
They weren't trying to hold him back.
They were simply afraid the news of his parents' disappearance would crush him.
Afraid he would bury all his emotions in the dungeons and end up pushing himself until something went wrong.
Lu Fang set down his glass, his voice much calmer.
"I'm fine."
Jiang Xia opened his mouth.
"Brother Fang..."
"I know what you're worried about."
Lu Fang looked at the two of them.
"But I'm clearheaded."
"I'm not running away, and I'm not going crazy."
"When I need to rest, I'll rest."
Uncle Jiang hesitated to speak.
Jiang Xia didn't know how to persuade him either.
Just then.
A housekeeper hurried into the dining room, looking somewhat hesitant.
"Young master, Butler Jiang."
"Several senior executives from the Fangfang Chamber of Commerce are here. They say they have important business and want to see the young master."
Uncle Jiang's expression shifted slightly.
What was bound to come had finally come.