Free Web NovelChapter 461: Chapter 224: Killing with a Borrowed Knife (Part 3)
People are not plants, how can they be without feelings? The Shangguan Family had raised this impostor, Shangguan Ruiqi, for a hundred years. Even if there was no blood relation, there were still feelings involved. Despite their hatred, the Shangguan Family might, out of momentary compassion, spare Shangguan Ruiqi’s life and merely expel him from the family! However, Su Jiameng deeply understood that "if you do not eradicate the roots, the grass will grow again in spring," and naturally wouldn’t give the enemy a chance to catch their breath.
If you want the Shangguan Family to deal a fatal blow, no necessary condition can be missing.
First, the original legitimate eldest son was killed and replaced with an impostor, taken as genuine for a hundred years, leading them to be deceived in feelings.
Second, this impostor took the name of the eldest son and was even someone with mermaid lineage, while the Shangguan Family had a deep hatred towards the Mermaid Alliance. This point could also be exploited, and that girl Ling’er could be dealt with along the way.
Third, and most importantly, an impostor of unknown origin wanted to usurp the inheritance and all the foundations of the Shangguan Family, even secretly plotting sedition and supporting research harmful to the Alliance, harming countless innocent Alliance civilians!
The first two can be swayed by emotions to gain a glimmer of hope, but the last is a fatal blow!
The Shangguan Family’s position in Augustus was akin to that of the Gu Family in Xilena, both extremely loyal to the Alliance. They could tolerate some minor issues, but for a "traitor against the Alliance," they would kill without mercy, even if it were a close relative!
Changxi was a top expert in intelligence, and Su Jiameng had telekinesis as a trump card. During the brief encounter with Shangguan Ruiqi earlier, she had successfully locked onto him and easily infiltrated his intelligence database.
At this moment, the atmosphere between Shangguan Ruiqi and his brother was strange, resembling a tense standoff.
However, Shangguan Ruiqi was aggressive, while Shangguan Ruolin was retreating step by step.
The inheritance method of the Shangguan Family was somewhat similar to that of the Gu Family, both valuing "quality over quantity" in soldiers. In Shangguan Ruiqi’s generation, he was originally the only one, but over thirty years ago, their parents felt lonely and had another, Shangguan Ruolin.
If it were a girl, it wouldn’t matter, but Shangguan Ruiqi was male, and his talent was no weaker than his brother’s. The Shangguan Family revered strength, and who would inherit the family between the two depended on the final struggle. There would inevitably be a battle between them.
However, Shangguan Ruolin had a relatively cold temperament, with little enthusiasm for power, avoiding the fight for inheritance whenever possible. But his elder brother did not think so, always wary of his younger brother, though he did not do anything excessive...
Ten years ago, Shangguan Ruolin thought his brother, despite being wary of him, still remembered their brotherly bond.
Unfortunately, what happened ten years ago shattered Shangguan Ruolin’s illusions, making him face reality. From then on, he became more low-key, and his personality grew increasingly cold and solitary. Perhaps because the facade was torn down, this brother no longer hid his true nature, except for necessary performances in public, treating him coldly in private, just as now...
Listening to his brother’s words full of anger, Shangguan Ruolin found it monotonous. Just as Su Jiameng had thought before, this eldest son of the Shangguan Family truly intended to settle scores later. Why not act directly? It was only because, upon meeting Su Jiameng’s skills, he didn’t want to confront her head-on.
Thinking of this, Shangguan Ruolin smiled wryly inwardly. As a man, not having the courage to face a woman head-on was indeed shameful. In the past, Shangguan Ruolin would have turned a blind eye, pretending he hadn’t seen and let the other play with fire. But since this time the target was the woman Gu Ningxuan entrusted him to take care of, he naturally had to stop it.
"That person is very strong, and the woman standing by her side, named Zhu Mengtong, is the wife of Expedition Army Captain Liu Shiyi. Before retiring, she was also a very capable woman. If there’s any friendship between them, it might bring disaster upon us. It’s better to lay low for now and plan later." Liu Shiyi could be counted as a local tyrant on Qiming Star, while Shangguan Ruiqi was merely an outsider parachuted in, with all his connections in Augustus. Trying to assert dominance in Xilena might face resistance and setbacks.
Shangguan Ruiqi’s expression turned different from before, a sinister look that made people feel a new level of chill. As Zhu Mengtong said, Shangguan Ruiqi’s character was sinister, fiery, and wouldn’t tolerate the humiliating words from Su Jiameng before.
