Lantern Sister is still very capable.

Chapter 169 Killing the Master

Jiang Guoqiang looked at the shrunken divine tree, then at Chu Deng standing to the side, and asked, "You mean you can communicate with it?"

“Yes.” Chu Deng nodded calmly. She used the leaves of the Fire Tree as an extension of the fire element when she detonated the metal ship, which allowed her to cause an explosion from such a distance. Since she couldn’t hide this matter anyway, she might as well lay it out on the table and leave the trouble to the people in the research department.

"What do you think of this situation?" Jiang Guoqiang asked Zhang Mingshen of the Guangdong Provincial Research Institute when he saw that Chu Deng was silent.

Zhang Mingshen, the director of the research institute, couldn't help but wipe the sweat from his forehead. "It might be a resonance between fire elements. There have been precedents of wood-type ability users being able to communicate with exotic plants. The specific reasons need further in-depth research."

Jiang Guoqiang looked at Chu Deng thoughtfully, recalling the crimson-gold explosion in the video. "Since you can communicate with the Divine Tree, then this transport mission will be entrusted to you."

"Where to transport it?" The reason Chu Deng had the Fire Tree shrink its main body was because she had heard about this. She wouldn't be staying in the Southeast Sea for long, so it wouldn't be good to leave the Fire Tree here as well.

"Beijing," Jiang Guoqiang replied, handing Chu Deng a card as he went. "After you update your ability level in Beijing, go to this place."

The black and gold card felt like steel, but was unusually soft. Chu Deng saw the words printed on it: "Beijing Longhu Assessment Base Address: No. 333 Hongxing Avenue, Yueyang District, Beijing".

"What will be assessed?" Chu Deng asked.

"You'll know when we get there," Jiang Guoqiang said, playing coy and shrouding the place in mystery.

Chu Deng silently put the card away. "When does the delivery mission begin?"

Jiang Guoqiang looked at the shrunken divine tree and remained silent for a moment. "The original plan was for a month later, when the research institute was figuring out how to move the divine tree without damaging it. Now, it's three days later. Besides you, there are two other people in the transport team. They will come to find you in three days."

"Hmm." Chu Deng nodded expressionlessly.

“The provincial competition has started recently, and your friends are also participating. I have already granted you online access so you can watch remotely,” Jiang Guoqiang said. “You’ve worked hard on this protective mission. These three days are your holiday, and the prize money has been deposited into your account. You did a great job, so get some rest.”

Chu Deng and Jiang Guoqiang locked eyes. Jiang Guoqiang nodded at her, and her heart suddenly felt a pang.

Chu Deng twitched her fingers, looked away, and said in a somewhat strained voice, "I couldn't save them."

The lone wolf from the apocalypse has never had much empathy. A fire at the Shangyuan Villa taught her restraint, and Pei Hanxing's disappearance taught her to cherish. But this time, she could have saved Bai Mei and Yusan, but because Jin Laicheng stopped her for a while, she lost two companions.

Jiang Guoqiang looked at the girl in front of him. Her eyes revealed a trace of guilt and a strong sense of resentment. He thought of Chu Deng's age and experience. Eighteen years old, the age of boundless youth, yet she had to throw herself into battle. In the end, it was also a failure of them, the adults.

“Having the ability but still being unable to save those around you is a bitter feeling that’s hard to swallow.” Jiang Guoqiang sighed and patted Chu Deng’s shoulder. “But that’s life. We are all just people after all, and there are always situations that are beyond our control. We can only learn from our mistakes and prevent them from happening again.”

Chu Deng thought of Jiang Guoqiang's daughter, Jiang Zheng. He had experienced the grief of losing his loved ones and became a level 5 expert, but his daughter died in the rear. Back then, Jiang Guoqiang felt thousands of times more guilty than she does now.

“There won’t be a next time,” Chu Deng suddenly said, her gaze fixed intently on Jiang Guoqiang. Jiang Guoqiang seemed to be frozen in place by her gaze, and even his breathing became a little lighter.

Jiang Zheng back then was just like her...

"Dad, there won't be a next time. I'm sure I can get first place!"

His stubborn daughter burst into tears because she didn't get first place. He tried to comfort her for a long time, but it was no use. In the end, the little girl sniffled, wiped away her tears, hiccuped, and looked at him firmly, saying...

Since then, Jiang Zheng has indeed been number one every year.

Jiang Guoqiang felt a pang of sadness and almost burst into tears. He turned away and said the words he had once told his daughter, "I believe in you."

"I trusted you so much, yet you haven't even completed a single mission?!" Song Daoyuan rebuked angrily.

Lee Jae-suk wiped the spittle off his freshly made face, looking completely unconcerned.

"Uncle! Look at him, he doesn't take my words to heart at all!" Song Daoyuan angrily pointed at Lee Jae-seok and said to his uncle, Song Han-ying.

"Daoyuan, calm down. I've heard about this too. He fought three other ability users of the same level by himself and brought back two level-four crystal cores. He lost half his body, which is quite an achievement," Song Hanying said leisurely. "As for that Jin Laicheng, he couldn't even beat a newbie who just reached level four. He dragged our Little Stone down."

"Uncle! Your little stone couldn't beat that brat! And you've even made yourself look like him! Look at your behavior!" Speaking of this, Song Daoyuan became even angrier, turning to Li Zaishi and firing, "You've made yourself look like the enemy who killed Kim Rae-sung, and the Kim family is starting to cause trouble for our Song family. I'm about to participate in the election, do you know how much trouble you've caused me?! You'd better change your face right now!"

Lee Jae-suk touched his face. "I won't change."

"You!!" Song Daoyuan felt a sharp pain in his chest and couldn't speak.

"Ama, quickly pat the young master's back to calm him down," Song Hanying said. The butler beside him stepped forward, took out some medicine from Song Daoyuan's pocket, and sprayed it on Song Daoyuan.

"Alright, alright, if Little Stone doesn't want to exchange, then forget it. Does our Song family have to fear a declining family like the Jin family?" Song Hanying said impatiently. "Let's get rid of them as soon as possible."

It took Song Daoyuan a while to catch his breath before he calmed down. "Uncle, you haven't been in contact with him for a long time, so you don't know. The Jin family has latched onto Che Xuanya. That pretty boy Jin Zhenghuan has Che Xuanya completely under his control. It looks like the Jin family is about to rise to power. And Jin Zhenghuan's father is even going to compete with your nephew for the presidency!"

"Oh, is it that Kim Jung-hwan? The one who slept with Jiang Guoqiang's daughter?" A glint of shrewdness flashed in Song Hanying's eyes.

"it's him!"

"Alright, you don't need to worry about this anymore, I'll handle it. The presidency is definitely yours. Ama, see the guest out." Song Hanying made the final decision, and after having the housekeeper Ama escort her nephew out, she waved to Lee Jae-seok.

A hint of disgust flashed in Lee Jae-seok's eyes, but he still obediently walked over and knelt on one knee at Song Han-young's feet, "Dad."

Song Hanying pinched his cheek and exclaimed, "That little hairy boy is quite handsome." Then she said, "Little Stone, go and do something for me."

Lee Jae-suk turned his face away from the hand that was still pinching his cheek. "What is it?"

“Expose the fact that Kim Jung-hwan killed Jiang Guoqiang’s daughter back then,” Song Hanying said. “The culprit pulled a fast one back then, but your father happened to have some evidence, which I hid at the time. Go and retrieve it, post it on the dark web, make a big fuss, and bring the Kim family to ruin.”

“Yes,” Lee Jae-seok replied.

"By the way, remember to go to the clinic for your regular check-ups. Is your headache getting any better?" Song Hanying suddenly said.

"I feel much better, thank you for your concern, Dad."

“Although we met halfway through life, I truly consider you my own son. I have no children of my own, you are my only child. You can tell me anything that's on your mind.”

"Yes." Lee Jae-seok lowered his head and replied softly. "Dad, if there's nothing else, I'll go back and prepare."

“Okay, go ahead.” Song Hanying watched Lee Jae-seok leave the room and whispered to the housekeeper, Ama, “Check the chip in his brain tonight. I suspect he’s about to regain his memories. Replace it with the latest chip. He’s the best weapon I have right now.”

We can't let this knife turn against its master.

Song Han-young was removed from the center of power due to his injury, but the Song family was always able to stand up. It was never because of that fool Song Dao-yuan, but because of the technology in Song Han-young's hands—plastic surgery technology and chip technology. He wanted to squeeze the last bit of value out of Lee Jae-seok so that Lee Jae-seok could replace his dead son and be controlled by him for life.