141: Unexpected incident (3.5K views, please support!)

Hours ago. Deep within the White Elephant Manor, Bahubali's private greenhouse was shielded from the noise of the outside world.

The scent of hookah smoke drifted in the air.

Broad green leaves belonged to flourishing Nicotiana rustica tobacco plants.

Due to the perfect lighting and humidity, the tobacco leaves were broad and soft, without any spots from excessive sun exposure, nor holes or damage caused by thrips.

A carpet was laid out on a patch of grass, holding a low table wrapped in a layer of gold.

Bahubali was practicing the "Great Hookah Technique," taking a deep breath and exhaling a stream of smoke that formed several continuous rings in the air. Such divine skill had almost reached the level of world destruction.

Behind him, an incredibly expensive tapestry depicted the god Shiva performing the Dance of Destruction.

Sanjay stood ramrod straight, like a javelin, praising Bahubali's divine skill and comparing him to Shiva.

A barely noticeable flicker of satisfaction crossed Bahubali's rough face.

After all, merely blowing a smoke ring was enough for people to praise him as the world-destroying Shiva. How could such power not be intoxicating?

"Sanjay," Bahubali whispered, his voice drowned in the smoke, yet only Sanjay could hear his own name carried on the ethereal breeze.

"Are there results from the investigation?"

"Yes, based on information from Young Master Aditya, verification has essentially pieced together Jasmine's intentions."

Sanjay bowed, keeping his voice low, but Bahubali was currently highly alert and could hear clearly.

"Six months ago, Jasmine began continuously selling off stock assets and real estate."

"Those assets were a 'fallback plan' that her mother had set up for her when she was young."

"These assets were worth a considerable amount, close to 90 million earth federation coin."

"Using the large amount of cash obtained from the sales, she began acquiring space exploration companies. Only after gaining the basic qualifications for space operations could she meet the minimum standard for investing in space mining companies via the 'Investment Review Committee.'"

"Following this, she acquired shares in Forward Eagle Integrated Mining Co., Ltd. in batches, eventually achieving full control."

"Based on current information, these steps cost approximately 82 million earth federation coin."

"Her funds should be exhausted, and her mother's account... let me put it this way: no one in the Terran Union can check her trust account at the Orbis Client Cooperative. And Alice, as I mentioned years ago, Alice cannot die!"

"Once she dies, the trust clause will be triggered, club's legitimate surface businesses will be taken over by the Obis People, and Jasmine will receive a large sum of money and protection from the Obis People."

"The only way to prevent this clause from being triggered is to change the ownership of club before Alice dies. This requires not only entering club's equity structure but also securing the support of two-thirds of the branch managers at the annual meeting."

"Jasmine wants to protect her mother and has been searching for better treatment methods for Alice. Because of this, she seems not to have sought help from Alice or embezzled money from Alice's accounts."

"This is our opportunity."

"We need Alice alive, we need to acquire more shares in club, and we need to win over those managers."

"Only in this way can our Garol Gang truly swallow club, suppress the Iron Hand Gang, and become the largest gang in District 03. And only in this way can your prestige be suitably displayed."

Sanjay's tone became increasingly exaggerated, as if he couldn't wait another second to heap on the flattery.

"Hmm. I understand." Bahubali exhaled a string of smoke rings, his lips smacking noisily.

"So, Jasmine wants to go legitimate, and not for the money..."

"Exactly," Sanjay said. "If it were just for the money, she could easily kill her mother. That wouldn't be difficult; the 'War Goddess' Noli, who is by Jasmine's side, should be able to execute it flawlessly."

"Hmph." Bahubali snorted. "If it were you, what would you do?"

Sweat immediately poured down Sanjay's face. Bahubali was not Bahubali's former name.

That was his father's name... the name he held before he was beheaded.

A cold light flashed in Sanjay's eyes. He held his breath, trying to keep his fingers from trembling, trying not to recall that night.

"I... I would kill my mother, just as I have already proven to you."

"Hmm." Bahubali took a drag from the hookah and recalled gruffly, "Thinking about it now, perhaps I went too far back then."

Sanjay knew perfectly well that Bahubali was testing his loyalty.

Recently, Vidyanand had been making continuous subtle moves, and rumors were spreading within the Garol Gang that Sanjay was getting close to him.

For him, these were very bad rumors. Even though Vidyanand was Bahubali's most admired eldest son, the relationship was inappropriate.

Bahubali saw all these subtle moves. He felt a mix of admiration and regret for his eldest son. Vidyanand was too naive in his thinking.

That was why Bahubali insisted on bringing up the past today, ripping open those old scars once more.

"That my daughter could serve your purpose was her honor," Sanjay bowed calmly.

Bahubali gave a noncommittal response. He said plainly, "In that case, this Jasmine truly intends to build a career. Go spread the word, especially among those on the street, and particularly club's branch managers."

"Make them 'feel' that a change is coming."

Sanjay nodded slightly. "Understood. My wording will be very... vague. The channels of dissemination will be varied, and absolutely no traces pointing back to us will be left."

"Hmph," Bahubali grunted a single syllable.

He added, "The most important thing is to make everyone, especially those around Jasmine, believe that the source of this news..."

He deliberately drew out the phrase: "Is that Engineer, Jiang Feng."

"Make them believe that Jiang Feng, who is about to be eliminated by Aditya, is a smooth-talker who deceived Jasmine, and furthermore, a loose-lipped fellow who can't wait to show off all her assets."

"Boss, your considerations are thorough. I will execute this immediately."

Sanjay offered no rebuttal. He bowed even more humbly, waiting for Bahubali's command.

"Very good." Bahubali finally nodded with satisfaction.

"This is the exact effect we want. Let those managers feel that this immature girl, Jasmine, is preparing to abandon the business her mother built and cast aside her old associates, all so she can run off with a kept man."

"Hmph hmph, betrayal... once that accusation sticks, no matter how powerful her methods, she won't be able to wash it clean."

"Go now, and handle this perfectly."

"Yes, Boss." Sanjay straightened up and prepared to withdraw.

Just as he was about to pass through the tobacco leaves... "Beep! Beep!"

A sharp, grating alert suddenly blared on Bahubali's wristband.

Bahubali, with an expression of displeasure, tapped open the screen. Sanjay also turned back to look.

In the center of the window, a line of bold red text captured all his attention.

[Shadow Hound Report, Urgent.]

[Fourth Young Master Aditya, died 16 minutes ago in "Tycho Dome Sector Nine," "Golden Tree Avenue."]

[Cause of Death: Shuttle sensor malfunction while transporting cleaning robots.]

[Public Security Bureau Report: Large amounts of illegal drugs detected in the deceased's body. The chain of evidence is complete, leading to the inference that drug overdose caused mental disorientation, resulting in him failing to notice the unexpectedly approaching shuttle.]

[Incident Classification: Accidental Death. No other victims involved in the accident. Economic loss: 500,000 earth federation coin, to be compensated by the City Fund.]

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

The hookah smoke in the air appeared to stop moving.

Sanjay's hand, gripping the doorknob, froze mid-air. He desperately wished he hadn't turned back to look.

Yet his face was so flushed, as if he had just been served by someone kneeling and had been cleaned up.

"Crash..." The hookah pipe tipped over, and the exquisite glass rolled away.

Cracks began to spread from the base. It shattered violently.

"Heh..." A short, utterly cold laugh burst from between Bahubali's teeth.

He didn't look at Sanjay. The roar inside him was like rolling thunder.

'Aditya, my youngest son.'

'He just discovered Jiang Feng meeting with Forward Eagle. I just ordered him to find an opportunity to eliminate that troublesome Engineer and then he could return to Earth. But right at this critical juncture... he died? Died in an accident?'

A name, carrying bone-chilling coldness, clearly surfaced in his mind.

Jiang Feng. That technical Engineer, that "kept man" protected by Jasmine.

'It was him!'

Bahubali's heart felt as if it were being fiercely squeezed by a cold iron hand.

Last time, upon Vidyanand's suggestion, he sent out the most elite Shadow Hound squad to monitor Jiang Feng's movements.

And the result? That squad vanished silently into the depths of the Iron Hand Gang's territory, like a drop of water falling into the desert.

Not a ripple was left. No sight of the living, no corpse of the dead!

At the time, he thought the Iron Hand Gang's rabid dogs had gotten lucky and stumbled upon them, or that there was a traitor internally... Thinking back now, it was a colossal joke!

'Shadow Hound... Aditya...'

These two threads, like two thorns dipped in poison, twisted frantically in Bahubali's mind.

They finally wrapped tightly around that one name—Jiang Feng!

'Anything involving this Jiang Feng is never fucking smooth!'

A cold shiver rapidly climbed up his spine.

"It was not an accident." Bahubali's voice was decisive, leaving no room for doubt.

His fist finally unclenched, but not in relaxation; instead, he fiercely snatched forward, his five fingers like hooks, tearing apart the light screen.

Bahubali slowly, extremely slowly, raised his head.

"Sanjay."

"The news I just asked you to spread..."

"It must be faster, denser. Let it take root and sprout like a plague in the ears of club's branch managers, making them uneasy day and night, making them absolutely certain of Jasmine's 'betrayal.'"

He paused, leaning slightly forward. A massive pressure, like a collapsing mountain, bore down on Sanjay.

"However, the target has changed."

Sanjay held his breath, waiting for the inevitable thunderbolt.

"I want Jiang Feng's head."

"And his family. Every single one of them is to be dealt with according to the old rules."

Bahubali's words were clear, like the declaration of a death sentence.

His eyes became incredibly profound: "Pay special 'attention' to those branch managers."

"Make them clearly see how Alice's heir, Jasmine, is pushing them into a pit of fire for the sake of a man!"

"Win them over. Promise them larger territories and greater shares of the profits!"

"Once Jasmine falls and club becomes our feast... her private soldier, Noli, will be unable to stand alone."

He slightly narrowed his eyes, which shone with a venomous, serpentine light.

"By then, crushing Jiang Feng, stripped of his protection, will be easier than stepping on an ant."

"He will die... a very ugly death."

Bahubali leaned back, looking at the sky outside the greenhouse.

"Go," he said finally.

His voice was deep, like muffled thunder rolling through the clouds: "Let me see the results. Let Jasmine... hear the death knell first."

Sanjay nodded slightly, suppressing the twitching corners of his mouth, and pushed the door open to leave.

"Click." He closed the door.