251: Let's die together

Chapter 251: Let's Die Together

Bai Family.

Bai Yunzong sat stiffly in the main hall, his face ashen.

Even now, he still seemed unable to accept the news of his son Bai Lei's death.

In the Datafication World, death means being datafied and disintegrated, disappearing.

No complete corpse!

He didn't see him one last time, there was no body, his son was just gone.

So, Bai Yunzong's feelings are understandable.

However, Bai Yunzong's actions and his current frantic, out-of-control state are not.

Actually, Bai Yunzong wasn't that brainless; as the head of the Bai Family, he managed to grow the family to its current scale not by luck.

Bai Yunzong still had some tricks up his sleeve.

It was just that when it came to his son Bai Lei's death, Bai Yunzong completely lost it.

Or rather, he knew the consequences would be severe, but he no longer cared. Without his son, the Bai Family wouldn't even have a reason to exist!

"Have the Bai Family's professionals assembled?" Bai Yunzong asked indifferently.

"They have assembled and are ready to depart at any moment," the butler beside him cautiously replied.

"That's good. The news should have reached the entire Imperial Capital by now, right?" Bai Yunzong continued to ask.

"Naturally, but..." the butler hesitated.

"Speak your mind. You know I don't like dawdling," Bai Yunzong said, frowning.

"Regarding Lu Ran, I've also heard some things. Isn't it too risky for us to make such a big show of it? It could cause a lot of trouble for the Bai Family," the butler said.

But what he was really thinking was...

This isn't just a lot of trouble; this is practically suicide!

"My Bai Family isn't just for show. A mere provisional member—I don't believe the Four Great Guilds will do anything to me," Bai Yunzong said with a sneer, his arrogance leaving some speechless.

"Then... alright." The butler said no more.

Given Bai Yunzong's current state, further words were useless.

They could only take it one step at a time.

"Have you found any news on Lu Ran? Where is he?" Bai Yunzong asked.

"He's still at the Tianfu Association. Lu Ran hasn't left the Tianfu Association since killing Young Master," the butler truthfully reported the investigation (investigation) findings.

"Hiding? So you see, if he were really that important to the Four Great Guilds, now that he's caused trouble, wouldn't he seek their protection instead of hiding in the Tianfu Association?" Bai Yunzong said, taking it for granted.

"..." The butler didn't know how to respond and remained silent.

"But he wouldn't really think the Tianfu Association can protect him, would he? Mobilize the troops, go to the Tianfu Association and demand him! I want to see if Shen Man of the Tianfu Association dares not hand over the person I, Bai Yunzong, want!" Bai Yunzong stood up and roared.

The butler, helpless, prepared to relay the order for the Bai Family to mobilize troops.

But before he could even step out the door...

Suddenly, someone stumbled in.

The butler's heart tightened, and he quickly stopped, asking, "Why are you so flustered? What happened? Just say it directly."

Clearly, he was following Bai Yunzong's character, letting his subordinates speak their minds.

The subordinate then said, "The Liu Family, the Liu Family has suddenly canceled all their business collaborations with us, even at the cost of losing a large amount of resources. All businesses that cooperated with our Bai Family are rapidly disassociating. At this rate, they will be completely disconnected from the Bai Family's enterprises within half an hour!"

Ah?

Bai Yunzong was stunned.

He opened his communicator and checked.

Only then did he see Liu Qinghe's cursing words.

"This damn Liu Qinghe, he must have a problem with his brain. At this critical juncture, instead of trying to protect his businesses, he's trying to cut ties with our Bai Family. Good, good, good, he will regret it! I want to see how the Liu Family, severely weakened by forcibly breaking off cooperation, will establish itself in the Imperial Capital in the future!" Bai Yunzong cursed, his beard bristling and eyes wide.

At this critical moment,

The Liu Family pulled such a move.

Although it was a heavy loss for the Liu Family, it was the same for the Bai Family!

What angered Bai Yunzong the most was that Liu Qinghe, a friend for many years, not only didn't help him in this matter but also actively tried to distance himself from the Bai Family, causing both sides to suffer significant losses.

It was practically a knife in the back to the Bai Family, self-inflicted harm to the tune of eight hundred, right when the Bai Family was already enraged!

Bai Yunzong had already held a grudge against the Liu Family.

But he didn't know that Liu Qinghe didn't care at all. Liu Qinghe now only wanted to preserve the Liu Family to the greatest extent possible and completely separate from the Bai Family!

"Forget it, don't worry about the Liu Family. Our businesses will also have problems without their cooperation. First, stabilize the situation, each business..." Bai Yunzong could still think about stabilizing the Bai Family's businesses at this point, which showed he still had some sense.

After all, that was the foundation of the Bai Family!

But no sooner had he finished speaking...

Another subordinate ran in.

This time, there was no need for urging; the subordinate directly shouted, "Bad news! The higher-ups, the higher-ups have dispatched a supervisory team to all our Bai Family's businesses for a thorough investigation. At the same time, a large amount of the Bai Family's funds have been frozen, and relevant personnel in various businesses have been controlled. We can no longer intervene."

Upon hearing this, a trace of panic finally appeared on Bai Yunzong's face.

The higher-ups dispatched a supervisory team?

As one of the great families in the Imperial Capital, Bai Yunzong knew very well what this meant.

It meant the state had intervened!

If they really investigated, which family's business foundation would be clean?

But why would the state suddenly intervene?

Could it be because of Lu Ran?

Gulp~

Bai Yunzong swallowed hard.

If it really was because of Lu Ran, and it even caused the state to directly intervene, then the problem was serious!

He also suddenly understood why Liu Qinghe and some others around him advised him not to trouble Lu Ran.

Could Lu Ran's backing be the state?!!

"How could this be? How could this be..." Bai Yunzong muttered.

Suddenly, he realized something.

He pondered, "So, the Liu Family's rapid disassociation from the Bai Family's businesses must have been because they got wind of this. Damn it, the Liu Family ran fast!"

He could understand the Liu Family's actions now.

With the higher-ups intervening, the Bai Family's problems were going to be troublesome!

If the Liu Family didn't break off their business cooperation with the Bai Family, they would be like ants on the same rope, dying together!

Although separating the businesses now caused great losses to the Liu Family, it was better than dying with the Bai Family!

The Bai Family... is finished...

"Mobilize the troops, immediately! Go to the Tianfu Association!" Bai Yunzong roared.

The Bai Family was already finished.

Regardless of whether Lu Ran's backing was the state or not, this grudge had to be avenged!

Or rather, at this point, the arrow was on the string and had to be shot!

Even if he didn't go after Lu Ran, there was no turning back.

The threat to kill Lu Ran had already been made. Who would believe him if he said he wouldn't kill him now?

He'd made a spectacle, he'd shown off, and now he wanted to slip away?

No way!

So, he'd gamble!

Kill Lu Ran as a scapegoat, at the cost of the entire Bai Family!

Although he now regretted releasing the news that he would kill Lu Ran, he had no other choice.

Unfortunately...

The ideal was beautiful, but reality was extremely cruel!

On the street outside the Bai Family's gates, teams of people were rapidly assembling!