Chapter Seventy-Two: Responding to the Crisis

Chapter 72: Facing the Crisis

That night, Xia Zheng hurriedly took Nalan Sheng, Meng Hu, Claire, and Zhang Ziqi back to Bolante City by intercity train. Instead of returning home first, he went straight to the company. He then asked Carlisle to call Chu Yan and inform him of everything, while Xia Zheng himself rushed home to bring his parents back to the company.

“Mom, Dad, I’m afraid you’ll have to put up with some inconvenience for a while. I’ve made some enemies outside,” Xia Zheng explained, glossing over the details and omitting the fact that he’d killed someone—knowledge he knew his parents could never accept.

He simply told them that he had offended a noble family in business and feared reprisal, so they needed to leave for a while. After a moment of silence, his parents asked for more details, mainly whether the situation was serious and if it could be settled with money. After all, their family now had some wealth. Xia Zheng shook his head. “This isn’t about money. It can’t be settled that way.”

Though reluctant to leave their home, his parents didn’t blame their son. They didn’t fully understand what kind of “business” Xia Zheng was involved in, but stories of commoners offending noble families were not uncommon—and usually ended badly for the commoners, sometimes with their disappearance.

His parents quickly made arrangements, took leave from their companies and workplaces, and entrusted their home to neighbors and the community council, then followed Xia Zheng to the Tianren Battle Team base.

By now, Xia Zheng already owned a small, detached villa. When his parents arrived, carrying their bags, the door was opened by a refined and elegant young woman, who appeared a few years younger than their son.

“These must be… Uncle and Aunt?” Nalan Sheng glanced at Xia Zheng, realized the situation, and immediately stepped aside to let them in.

Inside, Meng Hu was tidying up the living room. Upon seeing Xia Zheng’s parents, she threw her arms around them and, like a daughter, began to affectionately complain and confide in them.

With Meng Hu and Nalan Sheng’s lively presence, the parents’ feelings of sadness at leaving home quickly faded, replaced by curiosity about their temporary new home.

Compared to their old, dilapidated apartment, Xia Zheng’s villa was a vast improvement. Only when they learned the house actually belonged to the company, not their son himself, did they calm down and decide things weren’t too outrageous after all.

Xia Zheng introduced Nalan Sheng, and his parents realized this young woman was their son’s beloved. Though they had once opposed their relationship, Nalan Sheng’s gentle nature and lack of arrogance quickly won them over.

After exchanging a knowing glance with Nalan Sheng, Xia Zheng went upstairs to begin strategizing how to handle the looming crisis.

The next morning, he called Old Master Shentu and explained everything. Then he said,

“Grandpa Shentu, I know I may have been reckless and impulsive this time, but I have no regrets. A true man must act with a clear conscience. If I can’t even protect those close to me, how can I talk about accomplishing anything great? Of course, I’m not saying I’m always right. But faced with the same situation again, I would make the same choice.”

Shentu Yue had just finished taking his medicine. After listening, he dismissed his attendants and said,

“Ah Zheng, I’ve been keeping an eye on this matter. Have you considered the consequences?”

“Yes, Grandpa Shentu. I’ve thought of the worst-case scenario. If necessary, I will hide my family and friends in a secret place and then hunt down the Hoffman family myself. I know they have numbers, but true elites are always few. I have confidence in my potential. As long as I don’t fall, the final victory will be mine. The Federation and the military won’t stand by idly either.”

Xia Zheng spoke with absolute confidence. He did indeed have a secret place: an ancient cultivator’s sanctuary that only he knew of. Its defenses were formidable; unless the Hoffman family mobilized the full power of the military, they couldn’t hope to breach it. And for a declining noble house with little real strength, Xia Zheng doubted they could summon such resources—if they had that much influence, they wouldn’t have to lower themselves to marry their heirs into the northern Nalan family.

Shentu Yue couldn’t guess the source of Xia Zheng’s confidence, but he sensed the young man’s sincerity and composure. “The Shentu family does not need to bow to the Hoffman family,” said the old man. “But you must know that the Shentu family isn’t mine alone. As my health declines, so does my control over the clan. I can only help you within limits—most of this you’ll have to handle yourself. Do you understand?”

“Thank you, Grandpa Shentu. That’s all I need. As long as they don’t dare act openly, I’m not afraid of anything else.” After hanging up, Xia Zheng felt satisfied with this response. He was, after all, merely a guest of the Shentu family, granted privileges only through Old Master Shentu’s favor. He couldn’t expect unconditional support.

After some thought, Xia Zheng made another call.

“So you finally remembered to reach out to me?” The old man’s voice was tinged with annoyance, but Xia Zheng felt relieved. If the elder had sounded too polite, he would have said nothing about the situation.

General Song Xinghui set aside his farming tools, took the towel handed to him by his attendant, wiped his face, and sat down on a lounge chair.

“I didn’t want to trouble you, sir, so…” Xia Zheng began tentatively.

“Trouble, my foot!” Song Xinghui snapped. “You only come to me when it’s too late for anyone else to help, is that it?”

“Heh heh…” Xia Zheng grinned, knowing that youth had its advantages—no one would accuse him of cunning.

After a few more good-natured scoldings, Song Xinghui’s tone shifted to seriousness. “You were rather ruthless this time, killing three A-rank espers. If this is proven, the Federation and the military might not let you off.”

“How could that be, sir? I never did those things. They have no proof,” Xia Zheng replied, lying with a straight face.

Song Xinghui was momentarily speechless, realizing that the once naïve boy had matured—and become far more slippery.

“Good. Remember to answer the same way if anyone else asks,” Song Xinghui chuckled.

Xia Zheng laughed again, then asked, “Grandpa Song, may I ask—what’s the usual way such matters are dealt with?”

“You mean how conflicts between commoners and nobles are resolved?” Song Xinghui asked.

“No, I mean how grudges between espers are settled,” Xia Zheng clarified.

“Oh? Interesting.” Song Xinghui immediately understood: Xia Zheng wanted his feud with the Hoffman family to be seen as a conflict between espers, not a social or political one—thus resolved by the code of their kind.

If the conflict were framed as commoner versus noble, the consequences could spiral, with the media stirring up trouble and sparking widespread class antagonism across the Federation—something no one wanted. But if it was simply an issue between espers, the solution was straightforward: let strength decide, and keep ordinary people out of it.

“So you want the military to suppress the incident and let you settle it as espers do?” Song Xinghui pressed.

Xia Zheng confirmed, “That’s right. Would that be in the military’s interest?”

“You sly fox,” Song Xinghui laughed. Xia Zheng had deftly shifted the burden to the military. But it was a clever move: to maintain stability, the military would prefer to keep things quiet, especially since no one wanted an open conflict between commoners and nobles. The military was also uninterested in wasting resources on a declining house like the Hoffmans. Rising stars like Xia Zheng were the ones they truly wanted to protect.

This was precisely why Xia Zheng dared offend the Hoffmans; had it been a family like the Shentu clan, he would have chosen compromise. Survival sometimes requires patience—Xia Zheng understood that, but he wouldn’t compromise for just anyone.

Since his power and reputation weren’t yet fully established, he needed to “borrow influence.”

“Kid, I can help you. The military can take the blame for this. But don’t think you’ll get something for nothing—you’ll have to pay a price,” Song Xinghui said, increasingly pleased with Xia Zheng’s combination of brains and brawn.

Xia Zheng asked, “What sort of test do you have in mind, Grandpa Song?”

After a brief silence, the old general asked, “Do you dare venture into Evernight City now?”

Xia Zheng understood his intention and replied, “I was planning to. But my company boss requires me to compete in the First Esper Tournament and reach the quarterfinals before heading to Evernight City.”

“Oh? Chu Yan has a sharp eye… So, do you have confidence?” Song Xinghui asked, laughing.

“I’m definitely going, Grandpa Song. It’s been my dream,” Xia Zheng replied.

“Good. With that, I’ll help you,” Song Xinghui said, satisfied. They chatted for a bit longer before hanging up.

Setting down his phone, Xia Zheng rubbed his temples wearily and closed his eyes, only to feel a pair of gentle hands begin to massage his temples.

“Sorry. Because of me, you have to stay here and put up with this,” Xia Zheng said, stroking her smooth wrist, already guessing who it was.

“Don’t worry about me, brother. You did the right thing. I’d have done the same,” Nalan Sheng comforted him. “Brother, if you like, I could ask my grandfather and father to help. The Nalan family still has some influence in the imperial capital.”

“No, Sheng’er, don’t trouble them. I have enough strength and connections to handle this. I promised I’d win you with my own abilities. I want the Nalan family to see what I can do. Trust me—I can do it.”

Xia Zheng pulled Nalan Sheng onto his lap. The girl wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his...