Volume 1, Chapter 28: The Causes of Death of the Three War God Brothers

In the cozy boudoir, the two locked eyes, falling into an absurd silence. Only then did Long Yiran realize just how presumptuous her previous words had been. Flustered, she brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead, her face, still radiant with lingering charm, betraying a trace of embarrassment.

"Just now... I was merely worried for my daughter. Mr. Yan, I hope you understand. So... please just pretend I never said that."

Yan Fengjia smiled, waved his hand, and turned to leave. "You have three days. Think about how you’re going to explain the situation to your daughter; her condition cannot be delayed any longer."

This was no alarmist talk from Yan Fengjia. For an ordinary person to possess such a rare constitution, things could easily go wrong if it remained uncontrolled. However, one thing Yan Fengjia was certain of: the man who had gotten Long Yiran pregnant was no ordinary person. Across the vast lands of China, any martial artist possessing such bloodlines was a titan who commanded resources unimaginable to the common man. Only such a figure could make a woman like Long Yiran willing to submit and bear his child.

Of course, that had nothing to do with Yan Fengjia. His concern lay with the side effects caused by his own bloodline. His condition was not improving; in fact, as his strength grew, the Jiang family bloodline within him became increasingly potent and difficult to suppress. Why else had he shown absolutely no self-control during that absurd encounter with Qin Wanqiu the other day?

"Fengjia, are you alright?"

As soon as Yan Fengjia stepped out of the Long residence, he found Qin Wanqiu waiting in her Mercedes S-Class, having ignored his instruction to leave. She waited because the Qin family owed him.

Yan Fengjia offered a smile. "Sister Wanqiu, let’s go home. The matter is resolved."

"Oh, that’s good then." Qin Wanqiu wanted to ask more, but seeing the troubled look on his face, she swallowed her words.

Just then, his phone rang again. Yan Fengjia frowned after reading the message. The Mercedes pulled over to the side of the road, and he stepped out. "Sister-in-law, I have some urgent business. You go on ahead."

"Are you sure?" Qin Wanqiu looked at him, full of guilt.

"Yes."

After watching Qin Wanqiu drive away, a mysterious black Hongqi business car appeared ten minutes later. The driver, a rough-skinned man wearing sunglasses, glanced at Yan Fengjia and signaled for him to get in.

...

At the Intercontinental Hotel, the bodyguards at the entrance were of unknown origin, their eyes sharp and vigilant. It was clear that the person staying here was of great importance. As the Hongqi pulled up, a pair of polished leather shoes stepped out.

Yan Fengjia walked straight ahead, greeted by Zhao Kangnian, who had been waiting for a long time with a smiling face. "Mr. Yan, you’ve finally arrived. Come, come, my granddaughter is very busy with her official duties. I had to beg her for a long time before she could take a day off to come back."

Yan Fengjia didn't say much, merely observing the bodyguards with curiosity. Most were internal-energy martial artists, and their gazes suggested they belonged to the military.

"Mr. Yan," a woman in camouflage, with a healthy, tanned complexion, rose from her seat in the lobby with a smile. "I heard you are the mysterious new heir to the Junlin Group. The Junlin Group has been providing financial support to the military, which is the only reason I was able to get today off."

Yan Fengjia noticed two burly bodyguards standing beside Zhao Qing; as he entered, their piercing eyes had not left him for a second.

"Let's get straight to business," Yan Fengjia said, ignoring the handshake and sitting down.

Zhao Qing didn't seem to mind. She smiled and gave a look to her personal bodyguards. One of them spoke up: "Major, our duty is to protect your safety twenty-four hours a day. As for what you discuss, it is of no concern to us, and we will not disclose it."

"This..." Zhao Qing looked troubled. The two men belonged to a special Chinese agency, sent specifically to protect her due to her rank as a Major. Naturally, they were the strongest and most professional guards available.

Yan Fengjia tapped the sofa lightly. "It seems the cause of my three brothers' deaths is more complex than I imagined. No wonder my father couldn't even see their bodies before they were buried. Just tell me, it's fine."

Zhao Qing took a few deep breaths, her expression turning somber. "Mr. Yan, the cause of death for the three War Gods is classified as top secret for all of China. I just started investigating, and the military headquarters in the capital already sensed it and sent people to question me. Honestly, I didn't expect this matter to be so severe. What’s more, once the military learned of your identity, they immediately sent people to assist me."

"Get to the point," Yan Fengjia said, his index finger tapping the sofa with increasing frequency. He was suppressing his rage. His three brothers had once treated him with great kindness.

"The military headquarters believes the deaths of the three Yan War Gods are closely linked to an overseas organization. At the time, the three were on an extremely covert mission. Everything should have gone smoothly, but halfway through, they lost contact with the intelligence team simultaneously."

Yan Fengjia’s knuckles turned white, his chiseled face cold as ice.

"Then... when the reconnaissance team arrived, they... they had already sacrificed their lives. Your eldest brother’s body was left in only two halves."

"Boom!"

A surge of internal energy erupted from within Yan Fengjia. A fierce wind whipped up, and the pale tiles beneath his feet instantly cracked. The sudden disturbance caused the two bodyguards to react immediately, stepping in front of Zhao Qing as if facing a mortal threat.

Zhao Qing’s face paled, but she quickly recovered from the shock and spoke rapidly. "Afterward, their remains were returned to their respective military regions. But because the cause of death was so mysterious, headquarters decided not to allow their remains to be returned to their families until the investigation yielded results."

"They’ve been dead for months! Are you telling me there isn't a single clue? What is the military even doing?" Yan Fengjia’s thick black hair danced wildly, his eyes flashing like lightning.

"I am very sorry, but my authority ends here. A high-ranking official in the capital personally asked me to convey a message to you; this is the last thing I can tell you."

"Speak!"

"This assassination was meticulously planned, and the organization behind it is vast and mysterious. Although your eldest brother sacrificed himself, he managed to leave a key clue on the ground with his finger before he died."

"A single character: 'Xiao' (Owl)."

"Xiao?" Yan Fengjia had encountered many of the world’s top organizations back when he was at the Heavenly Palace Jiang family, but he had no impression of "Xiao."

"Yes. In any case, this is everything I know. Please, Mr. Yan, remain calm. The military will surely give you a satisfactory answer."

"That is enough." Yan Fengjia rose and left without a moment's hesitation.

Only after he had completely departed did the terrifying aura in the lobby slowly dissipate. One of the bodyguards let out a long breath, exclaiming, "His internal energy is immense. He is a top-tier expert who has mastered both internal and external arts. His strength must be infinitely close to that of a Grandmaster."

They were part of a special agency trained by the state, and those who reached the Grandmaster level were few and far between.

However, the other, more experienced bodyguard remained silent. After a long while, he said hoarsely, "I don't think so. I fear he has already reached the level of a Great Grandmaster."

But that was not what concerned Zhao Qing. She pulled her grandfather aside, her expression grave. "Grandfather, do not try to make contact with this man ever again."

Zhao Kangnian was confused. "Child, wasn't this a great opportunity? Why would you say that?"

Zhao Qing gave a wry smile. There were things she could not say in her position, and she dared not speculate on Yan Fengjia’s true identity. But to have a high-ranking official from the capital personally send a message, this man was clearly more than just the heir to the Junlin Group. There was a far more terrifying identity behind him.

Looking at the cracked tiles, she finally understood why those two guards had been assigned to her. Their presence was a response to Yan Fengjia. He was the most dangerous existence of all.