725: Chapter 725 The Conspiracy Begins!

USA, Manluodi Manor.

The night was as dark as ink, yet the lights inside the manor were glaringly bright.

In the magnificent hall, two rows of black-clad Bodyguards stood straight on both sides of the walls, eyes fixed forward, like statues without life.

In the center was an oval mahogany conference table with two glasses of whiskey on it.

At one end of the table sat a man in his early sixties.

He was tall, with deep blue eyes like ice lakes in winter, revealing an indescribable coldness and sinister intent.

He was the patriarch of the Manluodi Family, Cross Manluodi.

At the other end of the table sat another man, also over sixty.

He was bloated, with a round face and a bald head, his small eyes squinted into two slits, looking like a kind neighbor.

But those who knew him understood that when this seemingly harmless old man smiled, it usually meant someone was about to suffer.

He was the patriarch of the Gates Family, Bruce Gates.

The two sat facing each other.

For a long time, there was silence.

Cross broke the silence: "Your people didn't return either?"

Bruce squinted, fingers tapping lightly on the table.

"Not one, including an expert in the Tianyi Realm."

Cross closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Same here."

"Wolf Guard captain Mukier and twelve Wolf Guard elites have all lost contact."

"The last message received was that they had already entered the target's hotel."

"And then... there was no more."

He opened his eyes, a flash of killing intent in them.

"That man from the Dragon Kingdom is much more difficult to deal with than we imagined."

Bruce stopped tapping his fingers, his squinted eyes opening slightly.

"Not difficult."

"He is terrifying."

"A young man in his twenties, capable of wiping out so many of our experts in one night."

"In my long life, I have never seen such a person."

Cross was silent.

Bruce was right.

Their families had been operating in the USA for over a century; what storms had they not weathered?

What ruthless people had they not dealt with?

But they had truly never seen anyone like Ye Chen.

A lone person, without any background, without any backing, relying solely on his fists, had carved out a formidable reputation across the world.

The Nordic Saint Hall was destroyed by him.

The joint operation of the two major financial groups in the USA was countered by him.

Even the ancient, reclusive forces within the Dragon Kingdom were wary of him.

Such a person could no longer be described as just "difficult".

They had even heard...

The Ability User Bureau of the USA had failed as well; all their cyborgs had been killed, and only Black Widow had returned alive!

The reason she was able to survive was to deliver a message for Ye Chen...

Cross picked up the whiskey in front of him and downed it in one gulp.

The spicy liquor went down his throat, but it could not extinguish the raging fire of anger in his chest.

"Mukier had been with me for ten years."

"He had blocked bullets for me, killed for me, and done my dirtiest work."

"Now, he is dead."

"He died in South Korea, at the hands of that man from the Dragon Kingdom."

Bruce squinted, saying nothing.

Cross raised his head, his deep blue eyes filled with resentment.

"And my brother."

"He was killed by him in public on the soil of the USA."

"And I, as his brother, didn't even make a sound."

"Do you know what people outside are saying about our Manluodi Family?"

Bruce looked at him and said calmly: "What are they saying?"

"They say the Manluodi Family is old, finished, and can't even deal with a hick from the Dragon Kingdom."

Cross slammed his fist on the table.

"They are right."

"We are indeed old, indeed finished."

"But that is because we haven't been serious before."

He raised his head, a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes.

"This time, I am going to be serious."

"That bastard didn't even spare my grandson!"

"Just because of Euphemia from the Eagle Country!"

"He was my only grandson."

"The Gates Family has only had one heir per generation, and he was the only one in this generation."

"I sent him to the best schools in the USA, hired the best teachers, and gave him the best resources."

"I had planned that when I died, the Gates Family would be handed over to him."

"But now..."

His always-squinted eyes showed sadness for the first time.

"He is dead."

"The Gates Family line has ended."

The two old men looked at each other, seeing the same emotion in each other's eyes.

Anger.

Hatred.

And... unwillingness.

"That man from the Dragon Kingdom must die."

Cross gritted his teeth, "We will let everyone know the price of offending the Manluodi Family and the Gates Family."

Bruce nodded: "Not for revenge, but for the family's honor."

The two raised their glasses at the same time and clinked them.

"Cheers."

"Cheers."

The two downed their drinks.

Just as the glasses were set down, a hurried sound of footsteps came from outside the hall.

A middle-aged man who looked like a butler walked in quickly and whispered in Cross's ear: "Patriarch, someone is here to see you!"

Cross's brow furrowed sharply.

"Who is it?"

The butler replied respectfully: "He says he is from the Kunlun Ruins and is an elder of the Ghost Sect."

Cross and Bruce looked at each other.

Kunlun Ruins.

Ghost Sect.

These two terms were not unfamiliar in their circle of top financial groups.

They were mysterious forces that transcended the secular world, existences that even these financial groups dared not easily provoke.

"Invite him in."

Cross said in a deep voice.

The butler turned and walked out.

A moment later, an old man wearing a black robe walked in.

The old man was thin, with a withered face, but he moved like a falling leaf, drifting lightly to the conference table.

"Two patriarchs, I am an elder of the Ghost Sect, Gui Qianqiu."

Cross stood up and bowed slightly: "Elder Gui, I have long heard of you."

Bruce also stood up and bowed similarly.

Gui Qianqiu waved his hand, not standing on ceremony, and sat directly in a chair.

"Two patriarchs, I have come today for that Ye Chen."

Cross's eyes narrowed: "Elder Gui also knows Ye Chen?"

Gui Qianqiu sneered.

"More than just know."

"My Ghost Sect, along with the other eight forces among the One Clan, Three Sects, Five Gates, all have a grudge against him."

"At the Dragon Kingdom's Martial Arts Tournament, he slapped the faces of our Nine Great Forces in front of all the heroes in the world."

"We will not let this debt go just like that."

Bruce's small eyes opened slightly: "So Elder Gui means..."

"Join forces."

Gui Qianqiu said concisely, "Our Nine Great Forces, plus you two financial groups, will deal with Ye Chen together."

Cross was silent.

Join forces?

Indeed.

They should find someone to join forces with.

That young man, Ye Chen, was indeed not something their single family could deal with.

Bruce was the same.

Together, both of them were still not his match.

But if the Nine Great Forces from the Kunlun Ruins were added...

That would be different.

"How to join forces?" Cross asked.

Gui Qianqiu's mouth curved slightly, revealing a sinister smile.

"Very simple."

"We will jointly host a World Martial Arts Tournament."

"Invite all major forces and sects from around the world to participate."

"The winner can obtain a bronze key."

Cross's brow furrowed: "A bronze key?"

"That's right."

Gui Qianqiu nodded.

"According to our intelligence, Ye Chen currently has three bronze keys."

"He must be looking for the remaining ones."

"If we use a bronze key as bait, he will definitely come."

They didn't have a key.

But they could fabricate one.

If Ye Chen took the bait...

A gleam flashed in Bruce's eyes: "You mean, lure Ye Chen into the tournament, and then..."

"And then?"

Gui Qianqiu's smile became even colder.

"Then our Nine Great Forces will join hands and kill him fair and square at the tournament."

"At that time, with all the heroes of the world watching, no one will say we are bullying the few with the many."

"They will only say that Ye Chen was not skilled enough and deserved to die."

Exactly!

This was the plot of their Nine Great Forces.

The Xuanyuan Family had intervened in the matter between Ye Chen and them, and they were wary of the Xuanyuan Family.

But once Ye Chen was killed in a world-class tournament, no matter how much the Xuanyuan Family protected their own, it would be useless!

Cross and Bruce looked at each other, and both saw agreement in the other's eyes.

This plan was feasible.

"But..."

Bruce spoke suddenly, "Will Ye Chen fall for it?"

Gui Qianqiu snorted coldly.

"He will definitely come."

"After all..."

"He already has three in his hands!"

"Even if he knows it's fake, he will risk it!"

Cross's fingers tapped lightly on the table: "Then where will the tournament be held?"

Gui Qianqiu thought for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"Antarctica."

"Why choose Antarctica?" Bruce asked.

Gui Qianqiu explained.

"Because Antarctica is not on any country's territory, has no laws, and no interference from other forces."

"Moreover, the environment is harsh, and ordinary people simply cannot go there."

"Taking action there will not attract the attention of international public opinion."

"Even if Ye Chen dies, it can be said that he died in the extreme environment of Antarctica, and it has nothing to do with anyone."