184: Remove the firewood from under the cauldron

Lu Ze did not answer him, only looking straight at the person in front of him, his expression composed.

After a while, Xiong Hao laughed, "Venerable Cheng, your disciple is quite interesting."

After speaking, he released Lu Ze and walked to Cheng Ran's side, saying, "Venerable Cheng, please."

Cheng Ran nodded and followed behind Xiong Hao, with Xiong Lu and Lu Ze also following closely, descending the platform together.

On the ground, a special car was waiting.

The car doors closed, carrying the group to the restaurant Xiong Hao had prepared in advance.

At the dinner table, the two Juniors naturally ate their own meals, while Xiong Hao and Cheng Ran had many things to discuss, which Lu Ze overheard.

It was all about the Rookie Competition, after all, it was a joint competition of the entire Huaxia Human Base, so naturally, some details needed to be discussed; it couldn't just start without planning.

After all the important matters were settled and three rounds of drinks had passed, Xiong Hao's face was flushed from drinking when he suddenly spoke, a little dizzily, "Venerable Cheng, regarding the nomination of your disciple for the Heavenly Soldier Project, you can't secretly blame this old man, hiccup, this old man was also, hiccup, forced into it."

Cheng Ran smiled faintly, putting down her chopsticks, "Senior Xiong, you speak as if we are strangers. Lu Ze indeed has the potential to enter the Heavenly Soldier Project, and besides, as the Municipal Demon Subduing Division Chief, you also have the obligation to recommend suitable personnel."

Upon hearing this, Xiong Hao chuckled, picked up his wine glass, and was about to toast Cheng Ran again.

Then, Cheng Ran's subsequent words slowly came out, "However, I think Senior Xiong might be too busy with daily affairs and pays less attention to things around him. The Heavenly Soldier Project is in urgent need of people, and I think Xiong Lu meets the conditions very well. Just a few days ago, I submitted Xiong Lu's name on behalf of Senior Xiong."

Xiong Hao's smile suddenly froze.

What did she say?!

She submitted Xiong Lu's name?!

Cheng Ran elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin, looking at Xiong Hao with a smile, "Senior Xiong, you don't have to thank me. This is what a Junior should do. Being able to contribute to the Heavenly Soldier Project is also the responsibility of these Juniors."

Xiong Hao couldn't even maintain a smile on his face.

He knew the details of the Heavenly Soldier Project very well. If one were selected for it, they might not be able to return home for decades, and their life or death would be unpredictable!

Xiong Hao had been provoked by Meng Yanxing at the time, and in a moment of hot-headedness, he submitted Lu Ze's name as a form of retaliation against Meng Yanxing.

However, he later regretted it when he remembered that Lu Ze had Cheng Ran as his master, but once a name was submitted, it couldn't be withdrawn.

This time, he used the occasion of Cheng Ran bringing Lu Ze here, ordered a table of food and drinks, and under the influence of alcohol, planned to smooth things over and let bygones be bygones with a laugh.

He didn't expect that Cheng Ran would pull such a move, cutting off the source of his power!

Now, he could only hope that with Xiong Lu's Aptitude, she wouldn't stand out among the candidates and would be kicked out!

Xiong Hao muttered to himself about the strong Rookie in various cities, not lacking Prodigies like Lu Ze. Counting them, it seemed Xiong Lu's Aptitude was indeed poor, so she shouldn't be selected, right?

Cheng Ran looked at Xiong Hao's barely maintained expression with a faint smile and continued, "I've also seen Xiong Lu, that child, she has a pure heart. So, I specially recommended her with my Venerable status. Xiong Lu should be kept."

Xiong Hao's last shred of hope was completely shattered with these words!

With a personal recommendation from a Venerable, Xiong Lu would be kept, both emotionally and logically.

Heavenly Soldier Project, Xiong Lu was a sure thing.

"Cheng... Venerable Cheng, that was really, quite fast."

"No, no, I'm just learning from the Senior."

Xiong Hao gritted his teeth and drank the wine in front of him, quickly composed himself, and with a drunken expression, said, "You two, this old man is truly drunk, so I'll be leaving first. Your accommodation has been arranged, and someone will take you to your respective rooms to rest shortly. Farewell."

Cheng Ran and Lu Ze stood up and watched Xiong Lu assist Xiong Hao out.

It wasn't until they were in the car that Xiong Hao's drunken demeanor vanished. The redness on his face from drinking slowly receded.

Xiong Lu, still oblivious to her grandfather's simmering anger, said with a smile, "Grandpa, guess what I got this time?"

Xiong Hao's eyes shifted to Xiong Lu. Her innocent, naive appearance made his heart soften.

"What did you get?"

"It's a Strange Fire! The second Strange Fire!"

Xiong Lu was very happy and immediately took out her hand, letting Xiong Hao examine the power within her body.

Xiong Hao placed his hand on Xiong Lu's wrist, and Spiritual Qi slowly entered her body, beginning to explore.

Xiong Lu still looked happy, "But I just don't know why, after this Strange Fire was subdued by me, it never comes out; it always hides inside my body. I tried everything in the Strange Fire Skill, but I can't move it!"

Xiong Hao withdrew his hand, looking at Xiong Lu with a somewhat inquisitive expression, "Why do you think you got the second Strange Fire?"

Xiong Lu explained what happened at the Battlefield Ruins, specifically emphasizing that she was the only one present who had the Strange Fire Skill, and after waking up, only she had the aura of a Strange Fire on her.

From this, it seemed that the Strange Fire must have been hers!

Listening to his granddaughter's simple words, Xiong Hao smiled.

"Little girl, you've been tricked."

"What?"

Xiong Hao looked at the flowing lights and dim road ahead, saying, "From the very beginning, you were set up. You were led to believe you obtained the Strange Fire, and others were made to believe you obtained the Strange Fire. This way, you became a target set up in front of everyone, and your existence perfectly covered up the person who truly wanted to hide themselves."

"Good grandchild, why don't you think back carefully, did you really use the Strange Fire Skill to subdue the Strange Fire?"

"It seems... no."

Xiong Lu had fainted the moment she entered that cave, and after waking up, she had the Strange Fire aura. During that time, she was unconscious and never used the Strange Fire Skill!

Xiong Lu's face turned slightly pale. So everything was fake; she hadn't gotten a second Strange Fire at all!

Then, she gained nothing in the Battlefield Ruins?!

"Think again, who benefited the most from you entering the Battlefield Ruins this time."

Xiong Hao's steady voice continued, and Xiong Lu recalled from the beginning, bit by bit, every single event, and the beneficiary pointed to one person!

That was — Lu Ze!

"It's Lu Ze!"

Xiong Lu's eyes narrowed, "Lu Ze benefited the most from me, even getting the Strange Fire Skill!"

"What?!"

Xiong Hao, who had just been calmly guiding her, was now also shocked.

"You gave the Strange Fire Skill to Lu Ze?!"