Conspiring to Rebel

Searchlights illuminated the entire villa district, making it as bright as day.

Shen Fei stood at the main gates of the villa.

Lin Tian stood twenty meters away.

Between them was an open lawn.

Scattered across the lawn were the discarded weapons of the Dragon King Palace elites.

Black assault rifles, magazines, grenades, and tactical vests.

Thrown all over the ground.

Like the remains of a battlefield after a crushing defeat.

More than half of the nearly two thousand Dragon King Palace elites were already squatting on the ground, hands on their heads.

Regular army soldiers stepped forward one by one to search them, confiscate their weapons, and handcuff them.

The whole process was orderly.

As efficient as an assembly line.

No one resisted.

Not a single one.

Because overhead, the rockets of six armed helicopters were locked onto them.

Because from all directions, the muzzles of tens of thousands of regular army soldiers were pointing at them.

Because the heavy machine guns of two armored vehicles could plow this lawn into ruins at any moment.

No matter how arrogant the people of the Dragon King Palace were, they did not dare to arm-wrestle with the state machine.

But the Four Great Heavenly Kings were still standing.

Azure Dragon stood to Lin Tian's left, his whole body tense, his fists clenching so hard they cracked.

He was hesitating.

Fight? They could not win. The opposition was the regular army, with twenty times their firepower.

Run? They could not escape. Surrounded on all sides, with helicopters overhead.

Surrender? He was the head of the Four Great Heavenly Kings of the Dragon King Palace, having followed Lin Tian for ten years; he could not bring himself to say the word surrender.

White Tiger was also standing.

With a towering figure of 1.9 meters, a face full of fierce flesh, and bulging veins.

He was even more conflicted than Azure Dragon.

Because the 23 billion in overseas funds was under his management.

Gone.

The two thousand people here in the country were assembled with his help.

Soon to be gone too.

If their entire army was wiped out tonight, the Dragon King Palace would truly have nothing left.

Black Tortoise was invited down from the sniper position on the south side by the regular army.

All twelve snipers were disarmed.

He was escorted to the lawn, standing together with Azure Dragon and White Tiger.

Without saying a word.

His face was ashen.

Among the Four Heavenly Kings, only one person was not here.

Vermilion Bird.

He was in the communications command vehicle on the north side.

At this moment, Vermilion Bird was facing a difficult choice.

The back door of the communications vehicle had not yet been opened by the regular army.

He still had his last few seconds of freedom.

He could choose to destroy all the data in the communication equipment to protect the information security of the remaining members of the Dragon King Palace.

Or he could choose...

Vermilion Bird looked at the encrypted communication equipment in front of him.

The screen still displayed the operational plan for Operation Dragon Slayer and the domestic personnel roster of the Dragon King Palace.

His hand hovered over the destroy button.

He did not press it.

Because he was thinking about one thing.

A thing he had been thinking about for several days.

The overseas base was destroyed.

The 23 billion was gone.

The money used to short the Shen family had also gone down the drain.

Now the two thousand elites in the country were about to be completely wiped out.

The Dragon King Palace was finished.

Thoroughly finished.

And what was the cause of all this?

It was because Lin Tian, out of jealousy over a woman, recklessly wanted to go to war with Shen Fei.

Not for the Dragon King Palace.

Not for the hundred thousand soldiers.

It was for a woman.

Vermilion Bird had followed Lin Tian for ten years.

He had witnessed the entire process of the Dragon King Palace growing from nothing, from weak to strong.

A hundred thousand soldiers worshipped Lin Tian like a god.

But now, this god had squandered the foundation of a hundred thousand people for a woman who did not love him.

Vermilion Bird's hand moved away from the destroy button.

He opened the back door of the communications vehicle.

Outside stood four regular army soldiers, their guns all aimed at him.

Vermilion Bird raised his hands.

And walked down.

No resistance.

When he was escorted to the lawn, he passed by Lin Tian.

Lin Tian looked at him.

Vermilion Bird also looked at Lin Tian.

Then Vermilion Bird lowered his head.

Without speaking.

But Lin Tian read a word from his eyes.

Disappointment.

Vermilion Bird, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, was disappointed in him.

Lin Tian's mouth twitched.

He turned his head away, no longer looking at Vermilion Bird.

His gaze fell back on Shen Fei.

...

Shen Fei stood twenty meters away.

His hands in his pockets.

His shirt fluttering loudly in the wind from the helicopter rotors.

He looked at everything in front of him.

Nearly two thousand people squatting on the ground.

The Four Heavenly Kings escorted together.

Weapons piled up like a mountain.

And Lin Tian standing alone in the middle.

All by himself.

Shen Fei took something out of his pocket.

A USB drive.

Silver, the size of a thumb.

He took two steps toward the military commander and handed the USB drive over.

Inside this is the complete domestic organizational structure and personnel roster of the Dragon King Palace.

Twelve thousand three hundred and seventy-one people.

Including the two thousand people present tonight, as well as the remaining members scattered across the country.

Everyone's name, original military unit designation, retirement date, address, contact information, and position in the Dragon King Palace are all in here.

Please verify them one by one.

The commander took the USB drive and nodded with a solemn expression.

Rest assured, Young Master Shen.

Lin Tian heard this sentence.

He heard every single word clearly.

Twelve thousand three hundred and seventy-one people.

The complete roster.

All in that USB drive.

This roster was the core secret of the Dragon King Palace!

Besides him and Vermilion Bird, no third person knew the complete list!

How did Shen Fei get it!

Lin Tian's pupils trembled!

He sharply turned his head to look at Vermilion Bird.

Vermilion Bird was squatting on the ground, hands on his head, not looking at him.

Did Vermilion Bird leak it?

No.

Impossible.

Vermilion Bird had followed him for ten years, utterly loyal; he could not possibly betray him.

Besides, Vermilion Bird was just in the communications vehicle and had no chance to contact Shen Fei at all.

Then how was the roster leaked?

Lin Tian's brain raced.

Then he remembered something.

When they shorted the Shen family's stock, Shen Fei did not defend the market, allowing them to smash the prices.

At the time, he thought Shen Fei was powerless to fight back.

Only later did he realize that Shen Fei was fishing.

Following the channel of the short-selling funds, tracing backwards, and unearthing the Dragon King Palace's entire overseas financial system.

And this domestic roster was obtained in the exact same way!

Shen Fei's hackers not only infiltrated the overseas financial system but also penetrated the domestic communication network!

He intercepted all of the Dragon King Palace's encrypted communications!

Including the personnel roster shared in the public channel of the Four Heavenly Kings!

Including the complete operational plan of Operation Dragon Slayer!

Everything!

From the very beginning, Shen Fei saw it all clearly!

Every step of his deployment, every command, every troop movement, Shen Fei knew everything!

He thought he was launching a surprise attack.

In reality, he was walking into a pre-dug grave.

Lin Tian's knees went slightly weak.

But he gritted his teeth and steadied himself.

He was the Asura Dragon King.

Even if he died standing, he would not live kneeling.

Shen Fei.

Lin Tian's voice squeezed through his teeth.

Hoarse.

Deep.

Like dull iron dragging across a whetstone.

Shen Fei looked at him.

You won.

Lin Tian's mouth was crooked, that habitual sneer still hanging on his face.

But that smile no longer had any force.

Like the final reflection on a mirror about to shatter.

But do not think this is the end.

Lin Tian gripped the dagger at his waist tightly.

The Dragon King Palace can be gone.

A hundred thousand soldiers can scatter.

But I, Lin Tian...

His body suddenly tensed!

The aura of a peak Grandmaster erupted without reservation!

A visible wave of air expanded outward from him as the center!

The surrounding regular army soldiers turned pale, overwhelmed by this imposing aura!

Some instinctively took a step back!

Lin Tian's killing intent was like a materialized blade, stabbing straight toward Shen Fei!

"I can still kill you!"

He drew his dagger!

The pitch-black blade did not reflect the light of the searchlights; it looked like a frozen bolt of black lightning!

A full-force strike from a Peak Grandmaster!

He wanted to kill Shen Fei before being captured!

Even if he was destined to die tonight, he would drag Shen Fei down to hell with him!

Lin Tian's figure shot forward explosively!

His speed was pushed to the absolute limit!

In the eyes of ordinary people, he was nothing but a black afterimage!

A distance of twenty meters took him less than a second!

The military commander's expression changed drastically!

"Fire!"

But it was already too late!

The speed of a Peak Grandmaster was not something bullets could match!

Lin Tian's dagger thrust straight at Shen Fei's throat!

Five meters away!

Three meters!

One meter!

Lin Tian could already see Shen Fei's pupils.

There was no fear in those pupils.

No panic.

Only a calmness that sent a chill to the bottom of his heart.

Why?

Why didn't he even blink when facing the fatal strike of a Peak Grandmaster?

In the next second, Lin Tian got his answer.

Shen Fei moved.

He merely raised a hand.

As casually as swatting a fly.

His palm slapped accurately against Lin Tian's wrist.

Smack!

A crisp sound rang out!

Lin Tian only felt an irresistible, massive force transmit through his wrist!

His entire arm instantly lost control!

The dagger flew out of his grasp!

It spun into the air!

Then, Shen Fei's other hand reached out from his pants pocket.

With a light pinch of two fingers.

He caught the dagger flying in mid-air.

Steady and secure.

Completely motionless.

It was as easy as catching a chopstick.

The entire scene fell dead silent!

The military commander's gun froze halfway up!

The regular army soldiers' eyes widened!

The pupils of the Four Heavenly Kings trembled simultaneously!

Lin Tian's body stiffened in front of Shen Fei.

His mouth hung slightly open.

His eyes were filled with disbelief.

He was a Peak Grandmaster!

A full-force strike!

Swatted away by Shen Fei with one hand?!

And his dagger caught by two fingers of the other hand?!

How was this possible!

Unless...

Shen Fei's strength was above his!

Not just a little bit!

But a crushing difference!

At the very least...

A Great Grandmaster!

A massive thunderbolt exploded in Lin Tian's mind!

Great Grandmaster!

Shen Fei was a martial arts Great Grandmaster!

Someone who was just an ordinary rich kid a month ago was now a martial arts Great Grandmaster!

How could that be!

Absolutely impossible!

But the truth was right in front of him.

His full-force strike had been flicked away.

Like flicking away a grasshopper.

Shen Fei held the pitch-black dagger in his hand.

He twirled it between his fingers.

"Good knife."

He looked down at the edge of the blade.

"It must have killed quite a few people."

Then he tossed it casually.

The dagger flew out!

It stabbed straight into the grass three meters away!

The hilt was still quivering slightly!

Shen Fei looked at Lin Tian.

Lin Tian stood before him, his arm hanging by his side, looking as if all his strength had been drained.

Not physical strength.

But mental strength.

As a Peak Grandmaster, he was like a child in front of Shen Fei.

"Lin Tian."

Shen Fei's voice was not loud.

"The roster of your hundred thousand soldiers is in that USB drive."

"Your overseas assets, twenty-three billion, have been frozen."

"Your two thousand elites are squatting behind you."

"Your Four Heavenly Kings are going to prison with you."

"What else do you have?"

The corners of Lin Tian's mouth twitched twice.

He wanted to smile.

He wanted to give his signature crooked smirk like before.

But he couldn't smile anymore.

Because every word Shen Fei said was the truth.

He had nothing left.

Right at this moment.

The front door of the villa opened again.

A person walked out.

Not Ling Shuang.

Not Ling Xue.

It was Lin Ruobing.

She had been awakened by the commotion outside.

The roar of the helicopters, the glare of the searchlights, the shouting from the military loudspeakers.

She rushed out wrapped in a coat.

Then she saw everything in front of her.

Weapons scattered all over the ground.

Men in black squatting on the floor.

Armored vehicles.

Helicopters.

The regular army.

And the man standing in the middle of the lawn.

Wearing a black combat suit.

The dagger sheath at his waist was empty.

His face was resolute and cold.

The right corner of his mouth was slightly crooked.

Lin Tian.

Her husband.

Lin Ruobing's brain short-circuited in that instant.

The man who wore an old gray sweater to water the flowers.

The man who served tea, poured water, washed dishes, and cooked.

The man who didn't even fight back when slapped by Lin Hao.

Brought nearly two thousand heavily armed soldiers to attack Shen Fei's villa?

Her useless husband of three years was the mastermind behind all this?

Lin Ruobing's legs gave way, and she grabbed the doorframe for support.

She looked at Lin Tian.

Lin Tian also saw her.

Their eyes met in the intense light of the searchlights.

Lin Tian's expression changed.

All the killing intent, anger, and madness completely retracted the moment he saw Lin Ruobing.

They were replaced by something too complex to describe.

There was guilt.

There was unwillingness.

There was longing.

And there was a very faint softness, as if he were begging.

"Ruobing..."

His lips moved.

His voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.

Lin Ruobing looked at him.

She looked for three seconds.

Then she looked away.

She turned to Shen Fei.

The moment her gaze fell on Shen Fei, her entire expression changed.

It was no longer shock and fear.

But a relieved sense of security.

She let go of the doorframe and walked briskly toward Shen Fei.

She stopped beside him and stood still.

She didn't say a word.

But her positioning explained everything.

She chose Shen Fei.

Between her husband and Shen Fei.

She chose Shen Fei.

Right in front of everyone.

Lin Tian saw this scene.

The last bit of expression on his face shattered.

Like a pane of glass hit by a hammer.

Starting from the center, the cracks spread outward, and then the entire glass shattered with a crash.

"Ruobing..."

He called out again.

His voice was completely hoarse.

Lin Ruobing didn't look back.

She stood beside Shen Fei.

Completely motionless.

A series of prompts quietly popped up on the system panel in Shen Fei's field of vision.

[Lin Ruobing has made a clear choice between Lin Tian and the Host!]

[The core female lead has completely broken away from the Son of Fortune!]

[Lin Ruobing's affection for the Host: 61 -> 78 (Trust + Reliance + Infatuation)]

[Lin Ruobing's affection for Lin Tian: 19 -> 3 (Fear + Disgust + Estrangement)]

[Fortune Plunder takes massive effect!]

[Lin Tian's Fortune Value: -1500!]

[Current Lin Tian Fortune Value: 9600 -> 8100]

Shen Fei didn't look at the panel.

He glanced at Lin Ruobing beside him.

Her face was very pale, and her lips were trembling slightly.

But she stood very steadily.

She didn't hide behind him.

Instead, she stood shoulder to shoulder with him.

Shen Fei said a word to her.

His voice was very soft, only for her to hear.

"It's alright now."

"Go back inside. It's cold out here."

Lin Ruobing's nose tingled with emotion.

She nodded.

She turned around and walked back to the villa.

The moment she stepped through the door, she looked back at Shen Fei.

Just one glance.

Then the door closed.

On the lawn.

Lin Tian looked at the closed door.

He looked for a long time.

Then he closed his eyes.

The military commander walked up.

"Lin Tian, you are suspected of organizing an armed rebellion, illegally possessing firearms, and gathering a crowd to disrupt public order, among other charges. You are now under arrest according to the law."

Two soldiers stepped forward.

They twisted Lin Tian's arms behind his back.

Click.

The handcuffs locked in place.

The cold metal pressed against his skin.

Lin Tian did not resist.

He just stood there, his eyes closed.

Like a statue that had lost its soul.

The soldiers escorted him toward the military truck.

As he passed by Shen Fei, Lin Tian paused.

He opened his eyes.

He looked at Shen Fei.

Shen Fei looked back at him.

The two locked eyes for about two seconds.

Then, Lin Tian's lips moved.

His voice was as low as a mosquito's buzz.

But Shen Fei heard it.

"She never used to smile."

"In the three years she was with me, she never smiled once."

"But with you, she smiled."

After saying this, Lin Tian closed his eyes.

He was shoved onto the military truck.

The doors closed.

The engines started.

The convoy slowly drove out of the villa district.

Nearly two thousand elites of the Dragon King Palace were all taken away.

The Four Heavenly Kings were all arrested.

All weapons were confiscated.

The armored vehicles withdrew one by one.

The helicopters flew off one by one.

The searchlights went out one by one.

The villa district plunged back into darkness and silence.

As if nothing had ever happened.

Only the trampled boot marks on the lawn and the blasted gaps in the walls proved that a war had indeed almost broken out here tonight.

Shen Fei stood on the lawn.

Alone.

The night wind fluttered his shirt.

He looked down at the pitch-black dagger stuck in the grass.

He bent over and pulled it out.

He weighed it in his hand.

Then he casually tossed it into a nearby trash can.

He turned and walked back into the villa.

Closed the door.

Locked it.

Entered the study.

The data on his system panel was quietly jumping.

[The domestic forces of the Dragon King Palace have been completely annihilated!]

[The Four Heavenly Kings have been arrested!]

[1,963 elites have surrendered their weapons!]

[The domestic personnel roster has been handed over to the military, and a nationwide purge is about to begin!]

[Lin Tian's Destiny Points continue to plummet!]

[Current Destiny Points for Lin Tian: 8100 -> 5200]

5200.

From 15000 down to 5200.

Nearly two-thirds were gone.

Shen Fei closed the panel.

He did not plan to end it all tonight.

Lin Tian was now in the hands of the military.

The necessary legal procedures had to be followed.

The things that needed investigating had to be investigated.

It could not be rushed.

He stood up and walked out of the study.

The hallway was perfectly quiet.

As he passed the guest room door, he heard a sound coming from inside.

Very light.

Very faint.

It was Lin Ruobing crying.

A muffled sobbing, pressed into a pillow.

Shen Fei stood at the door for two seconds.

He did not knock.

He turned and walked away.

Some things did not need comforting.

She would be fine once she finished crying.

He returned to his own bedroom.

Lay down.

Closed his eyes.

Thirty seconds later, his breathing steadied.

He fell asleep.

Outside the window, Jinling sank deep into the night.

The storm had passed.

Everything returned to peace.

But beneath this peace, it felt as though an even greater storm was brewing.

Because although the Dragon King was now in a cage.

Lin Tian's heart was definitely not completely dead yet.