66: Chapter 71

Huo Qingxian opened her mouth, but the words stuck in her throat and she swallowed them back.

Her mind suddenly clicked, and she realized what Lin Bufan meant.

His words just now appeared to be about severing cooperation with Cox Hendry. But in reality, the target was those two Japanese people.

Lin Bufan wouldn't give the Japanese people the time of day. He even felt dirty just being associated with them.

As soon as he heard that the people standing next to Cox Hendry were Japanese, he turned hostile on the spot.

Cox Hendry stood there, stunned, unable to process what had happened for a long time.

He watched as Lin Bufan walked into the Hong Residence without looking back, his face full of confusion.

He couldn't understand why, when everything had been going so well, Lin Bufan had turned hostile so suddenly.

"Baka—" Before Cox Hendry could figure it out, the faces of the two Japanese, a man and a woman beside him, had turned completely dark.

As people from the Japanese intelligence system, they realized the moment Lin Bufan's expression changed.

This man held an enmity towards them, the Japanese, that was carved into his very bones.

Huo Qingxian followed behind Lin Bufan into the Hong Residence and finally couldn't help but ask, "Husband, you seem... to particularly hate those Japanese people?"

Lin Bufan sneered, "Hmph, those animals, do they even deserve to be called people?"

"They occupied the region outside the pass, created the Manchukuo, and propped up those useless people from the previous dynasty as puppets."

"The next step, I fear, is to swallow the entire Northeast, and perhaps even the entire Divine Land."

Huo Qingxian widened her eyes, her face full of shock, "The Japanese nation is but a tiny place; could they have such a huge appetite?"

It wasn't that she didn't believe Lin Bufan's judgment, but the words sounded too outrageous. A tiny island nation wanting to swallow the entire Divine Land? This was simply like telling a joke.

Huo Qingxian's first reaction was disbelief. If this were to spread, there probably wouldn't be many people in the entire Changsha city who would take it seriously.

But who could have foreseen that Lin Bufan's soul had traveled back from the future? Everything he had just said would happen in the coming years; not a single thing would be missed.

This was also why, when he heard that old thing Cox Hendry was actually getting mixed up with the Japanese, his expression changed on the spot.

Although the thousand-strong Security Regiment under his command had reached its current scale because Cox Hendry had indeed pulled strings and helped him obtain that batch of foreign equipment.

If this old fellow were simply doing business and letting him use his connections, Lin Bufan wouldn't mind. But since he had gotten involved with the Japanese Invaders, he shouldn't blame him for not giving him any face.

This had already crossed Lin Bufan's bottom line, something he absolutely could not tolerate. Those Japanese Invaders coming to Changsha city clearly meant to plant a nail here. How could Lin Bufan let them succeed!

He didn't have the ability to turn the world upside down. But given his current status and position, he absolutely could not agree to watch the Japanese reach their hands into Changsha city.

"Don't look down on those Japanese Invaders."

"The Japanese nation is just a palm-sized place, but if you look further ahead, counting back a few decades to when that old witch was still alive..."

"The ambition of these Japanese is huge, and with our Divine Land currently in such a chaotic mess, sooner or later we will have to fight them."

Speaking of this, Lin Bufan seemed to suddenly remember something, and his eyes brightened sharply. Then, the corners of his mouth curled up, and he said with a smile:

"If I remember correctly, our Great Buddha Zhang seems to have been harmed by these invaders..."

"His family members basically all died at the hands of the Japanese, and in the end, he fled to Changsha city..."

Lin Bufan was turning over thoughts about Zhang Qishan, this Fo Ye of the Nine Gates, in his mind.

Unknowingly, the two had already arrived at the entrance of the Hong Residence main hall. Looking up, he happened to meet Zhang Qishan's gaze, which was staring straight at him.

"Greetings, everyone." Lin Bufan stepped into the living room and cupped his hands to the circle of people sitting there.

The members of each family of the Nine Gates were all gathered here, not a single one missing.

"Fourth Master has arrived." "Greetings, Fourth Master." "Fourth Master, long time no see."

As soon as Lin Bufan spoke, everyone present stood up and returned the salute, even Second Master Hong stood up as well.

Immediately after, Second Master Hong hurriedly greeted Lin Bufan and his companion to sit down, thanking them repeatedly.

Something had happened in Second Master Hong's home, and all the families of the Nine Gates had rushed over to visit.

Regardless of what calculations these people had in their minds, Second Master Hong did not miss a single bit of the proper etiquette.

Lin Bufan had just sat down when he couldn't help but ask, "What exactly happened?"

At this moment, not only him, but the group of people sitting in the hall all had their eyes fixed on Second Master Hong. Everyone knew his wife had run into trouble, but no one knew exactly what had happened.

Second Master Hong, being watched by so many people, was silent for a moment, then sighed and said: "I am truly sorry to have troubled you all to make this trip for my wife's sake..."

"To tell you the truth, I don't even know what happened to that girl myself."

Having reached this point, he stopped holding back and recounted exactly what had happened to his wife, Ya Tou.

His wife had always been physically weak with a poor constitution. Since Second Master Hong had washed his hands of the business and stayed home with her every day, he had been using medicinal meals to nourish her vitality every few days.

Ya Tou's health had indeed improved day by day, and her complexion had visibly become much more ruddy.

But no one expected a mishap to occur early this morning. At that time, Ya Tou was in the backyard admiring flowers with Second Master Hong, and the two were chatting and laughing.

Suddenly, her face turned pale in a flash, she opened her mouth and spat out a mouthful of black blood, and she collapsed, remaining unconscious to this moment.

Every doctor and physician in the entire Changsha city who could be invited had been brought in, but after checking for a long time, not a single one could figure out the reason.

When Second Master Hong reached this point, his eyes flashed with sorrow and heaviness.

"Second Master, don't be too anxious. If there is anything you need our help with, just ask."

"Exactly, Second Master, being anxious is useless." "Since things are already like this, we should wait for the results from the doctors."

Just as Second Master Hong finished speaking, the people from the various families of the Nine Gates in the hall spoke up one after another to comfort him.

Second Master Hong felt as anxious as if he were being burned by fire, but he could only wait for the doctor's diagnosis.

Lin Bufan had asked his question and didn't say any more nonsense. For a time, the atmosphere in the entire hall was so stifling that it was hard to breathe.

Lin Bufan's gaze swept over Second Master Hong and Zhang Qishan, and he suddenly spoke: "Second Master, Fo Ye, I don't know if I should say something."

Upon hearing this, both looked at him and nodded, signaling him to continue.

"Fourth Master, speak your mind; there is no need for formalities."

Lin Bufan smiled and continued: "When I entered the door just now, I happened to run into Cox Hendry bringing two Japanese Invaders, claiming they wanted to visit the Second Master."

As soon as the words fell, Zhang Qishan's eyes instantly turned cold. But before he could reply, Lin Bufan added another sentence:

"According to the information I received, those two Japanese Invaders are likely spies sent from Japan."

"These Japanese Invaders have huge ambitions; first they occupy Manchuria, and the next step is the entire three Northeastern provinces."

"Once they swallow the Northeast, they will set their sights on the entire Divine Land."

Speaking of this, Lin Bufan looked around at the people in the hall, his gaze darkening: "I don't care what those Japanese Invaders want to do."

"But the Nine Gates are enough to guard Changsha city; it's not for outsiders to come and run wild."

At this time, one of the heads couldn't help but interject: "I heard that Cox Hendry is currently cooperating with Fourth Master and the Huo Family, right?"

Lin Bufan followed the sound and looked; the one speaking was Half-Section Li from the Nine Gates.

"That's right, previously Cox Hendry did have business dealings with the Lin Family and the Huo Family."

"However, before I stepped into the Hong Residence, I had already ordered all cooperation with Cox Hendry to be severed."

Once these words were spoken, the faces of everyone present changed. Especially Zhang Qishan, who knew better than anyone.

The thousand-strong Security Regiment under Lin Bufan's command had reached its current scale because Cox Hendry had contributed significantly. Even just those weapons and equipment were obtained by Lin Bufan thanks to Cox Hendry pulling strings.

But no one expected that just because Cox Hendry had hooked up with the Japanese Invaders, Lin Bufan would cut ties immediately, without leaving any room for negotiation.

"I, Lin Bufan, am not a person of much ability, but I have a scale in my heart for what should and shouldn't be done."

"If you want to do business with the Nine Gates, no problem."

"But if you are harboring other schemes, then I'm sorry."

After hearing this, Zhang Qishan seemed to finally understand that Lin Bufan truly despised that group of Japanese Invaders from the bottom of his heart.

Zhang Qishan stood up directly and decided on the spot: "Well said!"

"I raise both hands in support of Fourth Master's idea. Can't our Nine Gates people handle a mere Changsha?"

"Those Japanese devils want to take root here? No way! I, Zhang Qishan, will be the first to never let them rest!"

As he made his stance clear, the other heads present also followed suit one after another.

Especially the head of the Huo Family, Huo Sanniang, who was even more decisive: "I will order the cooperation with Cox Hendry to be stopped completely right now."

Although Cox Hendry's business had been growing larger and his appetite more greedy during this time, the Huo Family had also earned quite a bit.

But as soon as Lin Bufan spoke, Zhang Qishan made his stance clear, and with Huo Qingxian giving a look on the side, Huo Sanniang threw out the words on the spot—the business with Cox Hendry was severed completely.

Meanwhile, Cox Hendry was still in the dark. He always felt that as long as there was profit, whether it was the people of the Nine Gates or the Japanese devils, everyone could sit at the same table to discuss business.

But he never imagined that because he had hooked up with those devils, a single word from Lin Bufan would ruin all his cooperation with the Lin Family and the Huo Family.

Not only that, but as Lin Bufan, Zhang Qishan, and others stood up to express their stance, the chamber of commerce that Cox Hendry had just set up, as well as those Japanese spies who wanted to take advantage of the chaos to plant nails in Changsha, were likely to hit walls everywhere.

The plan hadn't even started, and it had already been smashed to pieces.

The remaining heads, seeing Zhang Qishan speak first, also nodded one after another in agreement.

Just as Lin Bufan said, if those Japanese devils dared to reach their hands into Changsha, they would just chop off their claws!

However, both Lin Bufan and Zhang Qishan knew clearly that since those devils had already sent people over, they certainly wouldn't just roll away with their tails between their legs.

Just as they were talking, a sound of footsteps came from outside. The few doctors who had previously gone to treat Second Master Hong's wife had all returned to the hall.