Chapter 489 - 341: Preparing to Depart

Chapter 489: Chapter 341: Preparing to Depart

After Wu Liangchen left, the smile on Tian Kun’s face faded away, eventually replaced by a sigh.

Just then, Tian Zhong Mountain walked in. He said nothing, merely standing respectfully to one side.

Tian Kun picked up the already lukewarm tea and took a light sip.

"You saw him off?"

"Yes, Father. He’s gone," Tian Zhong Mountain replied.

"Did he say anything to you before he left?"

"No, nothing at all."

At this, Tian Zhong Mountain hesitated for a moment before gritting his teeth. "I even tried to persuade him, but he just smiled at me, then left without a backward glance."

"He’s quite a figure. It’s a shame he won’t work for us! Oh well. Since we couldn’t recruit him, forging a bond of goodwill is the next best thing." At this, Tian Kun looked at his second son and said,

"You must remember this: anyone who wishes to accomplish great things must not only know how to use people, but more importantly, know how to judge their character and how to interact with different kinds of people."

"Some people you can use, commanding them as you would your own limbs. Others you can make into allies for mutual benefit. But some people..."

"While you may not be able to recruit them, you must never, ever offend them."

Tian Zhong Mountain appeared lost in thought. "So Wu Liangchen belongs to that last group?"

"Correct. The man is a sharp sword. If you can’t wield it, don’t force your grip, or you’ll only cut yourself."

"My gift of gold and my warning today were gestures of goodwill. This way, even though we can’t bring him under our banner, as long as he doesn’t make an enemy of the Tian family, we needn’t concern ourselves with him."

"Make more friends and fewer enemies. That is the essence of the way of the Patriarch."

Tian Zhong Mountain listened with his head bowed, taking his father’s every teaching to heart.

He knew this was his father teaching him by word and deed—a rare opportunity that he certainly wouldn’t miss.

"Go on, then. Even though we’ve absorbed the Sun family’s businesses, there’s still a lot of follow-up work. I’m leaving it all in your hands."

"Understood!" Tian Zhong Mountain bowed, then withdrew from the room.

He hadn’t gone far when, at a corner in the hallway, he ran into his older brother, Tian Junxi.

He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, a cold expression on his face.

Upon seeing him, Tian Zhong Mountain remained just as expressionless and walked straight past.

The two brothers brushed past each other, their eyes filled with mutual wariness and apprehension.

This signaled that the two had completely dropped the facade. The struggle for the position of the Tian family’s Patriarch... had just reached a fever pitch.

Inside the abandoned factory, the cold air hung heavy with the smell of rusted metal and dust.

Sunlight streamed through the cracks of a broken window, casting mottled bands of light across the floor.

Wu Liangchen stood in the center of the factory. The lingering scent of battle still clung to him; though he had changed into clean clothes, his incisive aura had not dissipated.

He had just finished his meeting with Tian Kun and had made his decision.

Song Ling’Er sat on a relatively clean old tire in the corner, an uneasy look on her face.

"Ling’Er!" Wu Liangchen said suddenly.

Song Ling’Er shuddered, replying almost instinctively, "Hm?"

Wu Liangchen turned, looking at the girl’s pale yet stubborn face. "I’m planning to leave Qing Province."

"I’ll go with you!" The moment Wu Liangchen finished speaking, Song Ling’Er declared without the slightest hesitation.

She didn’t even ask where he planned on going.

In truth, to Song Ling’Er, Wu Liangchen was her only anchor. Wherever he went, she would go.

It was the most natural thing in the world, not even requiring a second thought.

Wu Liangchen fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.

But his silence made Song Ling’Er start to panic.

"Big Brother Wu, my marksmanship has improved! I’m not a liability anymore. I can help you with a lot of things, so please, I’m begging you, don’t abandon me..." Her voice was laced with a desperate plea, one that humbled itself to the dust.

Wu Liangchen smiled, reaching out to pinch her nose. "What are you thinking? How could I ever abandon you? I was just considering our next steps."

Only then did Song Ling’Er let out a long sigh of relief. She lowered her head and went back to assembling her ammunition.

Every qualified marksman has precise standards for their ammunition, so learning to assemble your own is essential.

Watching her as she worked, Wu Liangchen shook his head with a soft chuckle.

If saving this girl had been a thoughtless act on his part, it was now yielding an unexpected return.

He could clearly sense that after the battle at the Sun Family Building, she had undergone a complete metamorphosis.

She might not be able to truly help him, but at least, just as she’d said, she was no longer a liability.

Today’s meeting with Tian Kun had certainly given Wu Liangchen much to think about.

’Now that my business in Qing Province is finished, it’s really time for me to go.’

’It isn’t because of Tian Kun’s warning, nor is it out of fear of the great families’ resentment. It’s because I want to explore this world’s deeper secrets.’

’I’ve discovered that the social fabric of this Alliance is simply warped. Technology is highly advanced, yet in many ways, it’s weighed down by severe vestiges of the past.’

’It feels like some kind of freak, forcibly spawned.’

’On top of that, the mists shrouding the various small worlds are also deeply suspicious. They don’t seem natural; in fact, they seem man-made.’

’And if I want to find the answers to these secrets, there’s only one place to go: the Alliance capital, Zhongjing!’

At this thought, Wu Liangchen opened his personal terminal, pulled up the email address the café owner had left him that day, and sent a short email.