CHAPTER 175: CHAPTER 173: [NOT A SINGLE GOOD PERSON IN THE FAMILY]

Chapter 173: Not a Single Good Person in the Family

The Guo Clan’s old patriarch was helped back to his room.

The old residence maintained a very traditional appearance; the room didn’t even have any household appliances. There was no air conditioning. However, water pipes buried underground in the walls carried pumped well water. Consequently, on this summer night, the patriarch’s room was as cool as spring.

The old man returned to his room, sat on the bed for a while, then, under someone’s care, undressed and lay down.

After the lights were out, he didn’t close his eyes. His heart was restless for a while before he began to think about the past.He remembered Guo Xiaowei as a child, cuddled in his arms, a chubby and plump bundle, and the image of him hugging his knees and calling him grandfather.

A sourness arose in his heart.

After coughing a few times, his aged spirit finally gave out, and he drifted into a drowsy state of semi-consciousness.

In the middle of the night, the Guo Clan’s old patriarch was awakened.

It was Steward Liu himself who roused him.

When the Guo Clan’s patriarch opened his eyes, he was momentarily disoriented. Recognizing his trusted steward, he suppressed his anger and asked in a deep voice, "What is it?"

The calmness on Steward Liu’s face was gone. His eye sockets filled with anxiety as he whispered, "Old Master, there’s been an accident!"

The old man’s body trembled. He lifted his eyelids to look at Steward Liu.

Steward Liu immediately understood and shook his head. "It’s not Xiaowei..."

Before the patriarch could let out a sigh of relief, the rest of the sentence followed, "...There’s been an accident at the mine!"

The Guo Clan owned several mines. The one closest to Xi’an was about a hundred kilometers away.

This particular mine’s jade deposits had actually been exhausted long ago. Most of the pits had been closed; some were turned into quarries, while a few produced small quantities of lower-quality miscellaneous jade for the low-end market.

But this place was still very important to the Guo Clan. Young clan members entering the workforce would often be rotated through here... as part of their training.

Whether for managing people or affairs, this place was the best training ground for the family’s recently groomed young members.

Once they were seasoned, they would be dispatched further northwest into the mountains to oversee the actual jade mines.

Those skilled in business would be transferred to the family’s jade sales company.

However, tonight, an incident occurred at this Guo Clan industrial mine, the one closest to Xi’an.

A mine pit had collapsed from an explosion.

Since it was the middle of the night, a rest period, the miners and workers were all asleep in their dormitories, so there were no casualties.

But the massive explosion jolted everyone awake.

"Pit Number Three completely collapsed," Steward Liu told the patriarch. "It was done using our mining area’s own explosives and detonators! They were usually stored securely in the warehouse and their use followed strict procedures.

But tonight, somehow, a batch vanished without a trace and then detonated in the mine!"

The patriarch’s expression had already changed.

"Old Master, let’s not panic yet... No one died or was injured; our opponent showed restraint," Steward Liu said cautiously. "The local authorities have been alerted. Although there were no casualties, and it won’t be reported as a mining disaster, we still can’t escape the blame for improper equipment management. This means a fine and rectification orders from the officials..."

The patriarch shook his head. "That’s not how this is calculated..."

His face darkened as he gritted his teeth and said bitterly, "Rivals... This is a demonstration! If they can sneak explosives into our mine today without anyone noticing, tomorrow they can throw them into our ancestral hall! Such a ruthless person, how on earth did they come into conflict with our Guo Clan!"

Saying this, the old man got out of bed and started walking out, not even taking his cane.

"No one sleeps tonight! Wait for the phone call! After making such a significant move, the rival will surely call soon!"

Chen Nuo was driving.

His clothes were caked with dust from the mine.

As he sat in the car, Chen Nuo coughed for a while.

His body hadn’t fully recovered, and each cough sent a heart-wrenching pain through his chest and abdomen.

Chen Nuo roughly estimated that his current physical condition was worse than when he had first been reborn over half a year ago. It was even weaker than when he went to South Korea to battle the Descendants of the Sun.

However, in terms of spiritual power, there was absolutely no comparison.

In the car, Guo Xiaowei sat in the passenger seat.

Guo Weidong, already knocked unconscious by Chen Nuo, was sleeping in the second row.

The other two members of the Guo Family had also been knocked out by Chen Nuo and stuffed into the trunk.

This BMW, belonging to Guo Weidong, was slowly making its way back to Xi’an.

Guo Xiaowei had changed his pants, but he was still trembling with fear.

Chen Nuo, while driving, tossed a pack of cigarettes to the spoiled young master.

"Scared?"

"..."

"Don’t be. That old ancestor of yours will definitely trade you back. Of the four people from your family I’ve captured, even if the other three die, that old man will grit his teeth and rescue you, no matter the cost."

Guo Xiaowei trembled like a quail. "The... the Old Master usually spoils me. Whatever you want, the old man will give it! Just don’t harm me..."

"That’s correct," Chen Nuo said with a smile, glancing at the young man.

He had a fair complexion and was somewhat good-looking, but it was clear that an irregular lifestyle had taken its toll. His eyelids were swollen, and his movements lacked strength. It seemed that indulgence in wine, women, and wealth had drained the vitality from his still-young body.

In a word... this person was basically a pig raised by the Guo Clan. A pig without any abilities, without any value, but still kept.

According to the purchased information, this Guo Xiaowei was actually the one Chen Nuo valued most among the people he had captured.

He was also the most valuable bargaining chip.

Although he held no important positions in the Guo Clan, managed no businesses, and controlled no family resources, his entire life revolved around daily pleasures: frequenting nightclubs, heavy drinking, womanizing, street racing, living in a drunken stupor...

But because that old ancestor of the Guo Clan was particularly fond of him, nobody in the Guo Clan dared to say anything.

Actually, there was no need to say anything... As long as he didn’t compete for any family resources, such a large Guo Clan could easily afford to keep a useless person; it wasn’t a big deal.

But Guo Xiaowei remained a special existence.

This was somewhat discernible from the Guo Clan’s old ancestor’s almost pathological doting on him.

Especially... Guo Xiaowei had covertly slept with his own third cousin’s wife. When Chen Nuo captured him, this scoundrel was lying in his third cousin’s bed, embracing his sister-in-law.

This kind of thing was written in the documents... Chen Nuo didn’t believe the Guo Clan’s old ancestor was unaware of it.

Over the years, Guo Xiaowei had caused trouble outside, committing all sorts of nefarious deeds that led to catastrophe. It had always been the old Guo Clan ancestor who shielded him, even going to the lengths of spending money and using connections to settle his messes.

This, in fact, had caused considerable dissatisfaction within the Guo Clan, but due to the old ancestor’s long-standing imposing reputation, nobody dared to speak up.

Others thought that the Guo Clan’s old ancestor pitied Guo Xiaowei for having lost his father at a young age—his father, the old ancestor’s fourth son, had died young from illness.

Guo Xiaowei lost his father as a child and was raised by the old ancestor in the inner residence until he grew up. Hence, among the Guo Clan juniors, this privileged second-generation heir was especially favored by the old ancestor.

But the real situation... well...

"Rest assured, no matter the cost, that old man of yours will trade you back."

Chen Nuo even kindly lit a cigarette for the young man.

But what he said next was far from kind.

"’After all... when he was in his fifties, he slept with his own daughter-in-law, and that’s how you, this little whelp, came to be... He really did become a father in his old age! And besides, people tend to cherish their youngest the most,’ he said with a smile."

As Chen Nuo watched him with a smile, Guo Xiaowei was so frightened the cigarette fell from his hand!

His expression twisted, and he screamed, "You! Don’t talk nonsense!!!"

He whirled around to look at the back seat. Seeing Guo Weidong still unconscious, Guo Xiaowei sighed in relief, then turned back to stare at Chen Nuo in terror, lowering his voice, "You... don’t you spout such nonsense!"

Chen Nuo laughingly patted his cheek. "Don’t be scared. You’re too valuable; I won’t kill my hostage so easily."

Guo Xiaowei stammered, "You... you’re not afraid our family will call the police?"

Chen Nuo laughed and shook his head. "Your Guo Family has too many shady dealings; you won’t call the police. Besides, martial clans like yours have their own rules. Matters of the martial world are settled by the rules of the martial world; you won’t call the police."

If Chen Nuo had only kidnapped someone from the Guo Clan, then the Guo Clan might have considered calling the police and resolving the issue through official channels.

But that would definitely involve a period of deliberation and hesitation.

Martial clans, after all, have many skeletons in their closets.

But relying on just this wasn’t safe.

So, blowing up one of their mines was Chen Nuo’s way of demonstrating a more extreme approach!

The message was very clear then. I’m a desperado. Right now, it’s just kidnapping; no blood has been shed. If you report this to the police... as long as they can’t catch me, then people in your Guo Clan will start dying! If explosives and detonators can be buried in your mine, they can naturally also be thrown into the courtyard of the old Guo Clan mansion!

In a past life, Chen Yanluo had thrown grenades into the camp of a Great Commander of M Country just to intimidate him. Situations like this were all too familiar to him.

Dawn was just breaking.

When the truck stopped beside a desolate road, the cargo doors opened again.

The burly man from the northwest jumped into the cargo bay and once more gave Zhang Linsheng and Sun Keke water to drink.

This time, their treatment was slightly better; after being given water, they were even fed a few biscuits.

Zhang Linsheng and Sun Keke had been starving for nearly two days, so they didn’t hesitate and immediately began to eat the biscuits.

At this point, they were in their captors’ hands; there was no reason for their captors to tamper with the food.

What somewhat reassured Sun Keke was that these men handled things cleanly; while feeding her, they made no untoward moves.

Zhang Linsheng cursed and questioned them a few times, but they completely ignored him.

Sun Keke had stopped crying; she had cried all she could, and now her mind had surprisingly calmed down a bit.

However, the man who had given them water took the opportunity, while the truck was stopped by the roadside, to carefully check the ropes on Boss Guo.

The bindings on Boss Guo’s hands and feet were particularly solid, made of iron chains.

"Guo Qiang, don’t blame your brother for being ruthless. The old man ordered it; you must be brought back."

That burly Northwestern man, while the others ate, squatted at the back of the truck with the cargo door open for ventilation, and even lit a cigarette for Boss Guo—also known as Guo Qiang—and placed it between his lips.

Guo Qiang, though very weak, managed a couple of faint laughs.

"Mountain Tiger, you used to work for me. Alright, you still offer me a cigarette today; at least my saving your life in the past wasn’t in vain."

Mountain Tiger looked frustrated and clenched his teeth. "You said you wouldn’t bring this up."

"Why shouldn’t I?" Guo Qiang sneered. "I genuinely saved your life back then. You made a mistake, botched the job, and I stormed in alone to rescue you! Afterward, I even helped you cover it up so no one would know...

"And you think repaying me with a single cigarette today is enough?

"Excellent. You people with the surname Liu truly are no good.

"Your father, that old dog who follows that old bastard around, is not a good man.

"And you, his whelp, are just as heartless!"

Mountain Tiger’s face turned ugly. He snatched the cigarette from Guo Qiang’s mouth, threw it on the ground, and stomped it out, cursing, "You’re asking for trouble by refusing kindness!"

Guo Qiang laughed coldly. "What? Lost face? Conscience bothering you? Mountain Tiger! If you had a conscience, you wouldn’t treat me like this, and you certainly shouldn’t have treated the Fourth Young Miss that way! I heard that when you were beaten as a child, the Fourth Young Miss always protected you!"

Mountain Tiger was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Alright, I know you’re trying to provoke me into revealing information... Let me tell you clearly, the Fourth Young Miss is fine. She was taken back and is confined in the old residence, but she’s unharmed."

Hearing this, Guo Qiang’s expression finally eased a little, and the mocking look on his face disappeared. He nodded. "Alright. Your words allow me to die in peace. I owe you for that."

After a pause, Guo Qiang said slowly, "The other two people you captured have nothing to do with my affairs. Let them go. They are innocent bystanders."

Mountain Tiger shook his head. "The Old Ancestor himself ordered your capture! These two were caught with you where you were hiding, so they are involved with you! I can’t trust what you’re saying."

Pausing, Mountain Tiger looked at Guo Qiang and said slowly, "If you really want to free these two... just hand over the item.

"Your elopement and the trouble you caused are all family matters. The Old Ancestor couldn’t catch you. And the Fourth Young Miss grew up in the inner residence; everyone turned a blind eye, so they let you off.

"Listen to me, Guo Qiang, hand over the item! Everything can be resolved. Your two friends can also go home."

Hearing this, Guo Qiang stared intently at Mountain Tiger, then shook his head and whispered, "The kid has grown up and learned how to sweet-talk people... Kid, don’t forget, you started out working under me, and I taught you many of the skills you have.

"You think you can fool me with such nonsense?

"If I really handed over that thing, would you let them go?

"If I really gave that thing back to that old bastard... my two friends would probably be thrown into a mine pit and buried alive immediately!

"That old scoundrel from your Guo Family would never let that item see the light of day—he wouldn’t dare risk it, not even if there was the slightest chance."

Mountain Tiger’s expression was strange, and he hesitated for a moment. "Brother Qiang... what exactly did you take from the Guo Family?"

"That’s a question you shouldn’t ask, and you shouldn’t know the answer! If your father found out you asked me this, he’d break your legs, do you understand?

"You are not worthy of knowing what that item is. So, for your own sake, don’t ask anymore!

"Forget you; even your father, to this day, doesn’t know what that thing really is."

Mountain Tiger said angrily, "I don’t believe it! In the entire old residence, my father is the one the Old Ancestor trusts most. The Guo Family has no secrets from him! If there are any secrets, the Old Ancestor would tell my father before anyone else!"

"Hahahahahaha!" Guo Qiang laughed loudly, then said in a chilling, dark tone, "You truly overestimate your father’s position and underestimate how vicious that old bastard of the Guo Clan is!

"Do you know, for that item, your Old Ancestor has already killed one of his own sons!

"What does your father count for! And what do you count for!"

After a pause, Guo Qiang said slowly, "Trust me, these two friends of mine genuinely know nothing. Let them go!

"You deliberately loosened our gags along the way; you must have been eavesdropping on our conversation in the truck.

"They really don’t know anything; they’re just innocent friends who got dragged into this because of me.

"Mountain Tiger, I’m cashing in the life I saved of yours for the lives of my two friends!"

Mountain Tiger remained silent, staring intently at Guo Qiang for a few moments before wordlessly turning and closing the iron door of the cargo bay.

Glancing at his three companions squatting by the roadside, wolfing down their boxed meals, Mountain Tiger looked away, walked a few steps further, then took out his phone and dialed a number.

When the call connected...

Mountain Tiger spoke in a complicated tone, whispering, "Couldn’t get it out of him... He won’t say."

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

"Find a place to interrogate him. This item of the Guo Family must be very important; otherwise, the old man wouldn’t go to such lengths."

After a pause, the voice on the other end of the phone added, "From now on, turn this phone off! If there’s an issue, I’ll call the other backup number. Don’t contact me unless I call you! Don’t contact anyone!"

Inside the old mansion, Steward Liu put away his phone and walked out of the rear courtyard.

Members of the Guo Clan were sprinkling water and sweeping the corridor. Steward Liu said nothing as he passed, merely lifting the hem of his trousers to avoid getting them wet.

He crossed the corridor and the courtyard gate. As he approached the main hall, Steward Liu slowed his pace, composed himself, took a deep breath, regulated his breathing, and then jogged with small, quick steps into the main hall.

"Master, Mountain Tiger called. He said the truck broke down and is stuck on the road. He’ll be late."

Chen Nuo was having breakfast.

On a relatively narrow street in Xi’an stood a simple breakfast stall. The owner had a cart with a stove, on which a pot of lamb soup simmered.

The lamb slices weren’t too thin and were cooked until very tender, served with a piece of flatbread.

Chen Nuo didn’t tear the flatbread into pieces and toss it into the lamb soup like the locals. Instead, he ate by taking bites directly from the flatbread, alternating with spoonfuls of soup.

In fact, he wasn’t in the mood to eat. Both his girlfriend and Brother Haonan were still missing.

But Chen Nuo knew he had to eat. His body had suffered immense trauma and needed to recover, to replenish with food and energy.

The scalding lamb soup entered his stomach, seeming to soothe and settle it.

Chen Nuo finished the lamb soup, casually tossed the remaining third of the flatbread into the bowl, stood up, paid, and left.

The car was parked on the roadside. The four members of the Guo Family Chen Nuo had captured were all unconscious inside. It was in a designated parking spot, so no one was likely to come and inquire. When Chen Nuo returned, he quietly opened the car door, got in, and leaned back in the seat to catch his breath for a few moments.

After finishing his work at the mine last night, he hadn’t called immediately but had deliberately waited until daylight.

Now, he held four members of the Guo Clan hostage, including the old ancestor’s youngest son—a secret that the old man cherished to the bone.

So, Chen Nuo thought that letting the Guo Clan stew for a while was the right choice. People only become more generous when they are anxious and their emotions reach a certain level of agitation. Only then would the chips in his hand become more valuable.

Picking up his phone, he didn’t immediately call the Guo Family.

Instead, Chen Nuo dialed another number.

Soon, Brother Lei’s voice came through.

"Where are you?"

There was some background noise on Brother Lei’s end, but his voice was clear. "Almost in Xi’an. I should be entering the city in about... half an hour."

"Good." Chen Nuo nodded. "I’ll send you a text message in a bit. Do as I instruct in the message."

"Alright!" Brother Lei agreed readily.

After hanging up, Chen Nuo closed his eyes and rested for a while.

Rescuing Sun Keke and Zhang Linsheng was naturally of utmost importance. But having rescued them, of course, the matter couldn’t end just like that!

Chen Nuo dialed the Guo Family’s number.

This time, Steward Liu answered the call again.

But Chen Nuo didn’t intend to waste words with him. "Let your old patriarch answer the phone."

"Alright, please wait a moment," Steward Liu replied.

A few seconds later, an old voice came through. "I am the head of the Guo Family, you..."

Without letting the other party finish, Chen Nuo interrupted him directly, his voice cold, "Don’t worry, your son is doing fine. He’s still sleeping, completely unharmed."

"..." There was a pause on the other end. The Guo Clan’s old patriarch said coldly, "You must be mistaken. Guo Weidong is my nephew, not my son."

Chen Nuo smiled. "I’m talking about Guo Xiaowei."

The impact of these words left the Guo Clan’s old patriarch on the other end silent for a long while, his breathing growing heavy.

Chen Nuo spoke slowly, his tone calm, his speech measured, articulating every word with clarity:

"Your youngest son is still fine for now. However, if our conversation doesn’t satisfy me, I plan to cut off one of his hands to liven things up.

"So, for the remainder of our discussion, you’d better ensure I’m in a good mood and satisfied.

"Am I making myself clear enough?"

Chen Nuo held the phone, his tone deceptively gentle.