Ch. 41 - Death of Situ Yuntian

“Please give your order, Young Master,” Dark Thirteen said after a brief pause. “The head of the Situ Clan, Situ Yuntian,” Xu Zimo said softly. Dark Thirteen was briefly stunned, then slowly nodded. His figure vanished from the room without a trace. Xu Zimo looked around the now quiet room, raising his eyes toward the full moon emerging from behind the clouds. “A pity. What I needed was a lapdog of a clan... but you just had too many of your own ideas.” … In the inner courtyard of the Situ Clan estate, Situ Yuntian had just undressed, still lost in thought about the events of the day. He couldn’t shake the feeling that things wouldn’t end so easily. Xu Zimo’s attitude had been too elusive to read. Just then, a sudden gust of wind blew through, extinguishing the lanterns in the room. Situ Yuntian’s eyes narrowed as a dark figure appeared silently at the window. He hadn't sensed a thing until now. A suffocating Desolate Meridian Realm aura filled the room. The bed curtains swayed gently in the breeze. “Who are you?” Situ Yuntian took a deep breath. His own True Meridian Realm energy began to rise in response. He could feel the killing intent. His heart was pounding faster than usual. The pressure in the room thickened like a fog. The black-clad figure slightly raised his blade, his form blurring into an afterimage mid-air. Situ Yuntian’s pupils contracted. He was shocked and had no time to react before a chill swept over his body. Looking down, he saw that his waist had been cleanly sliced through, his body was cut in two. He tried to raise his head again to face the assassin but couldn’t utter a word. Blood gushed from his mouth, and he collapsed lifelessly to the floor. … Back at Riverfront Restaurant, Dark Thirteen reported back to Xu Zimo, who nodded slightly. “Since he’s dead,” Xu Zimo said calmly, “someone needs to take the fall.” “What do you mean, Young Master?” Dark Thirteen asked, confused. “The three elders of the Situ Clan are a good choice,” Xu Zimo said to himself. “But why would they be willing to take the blame?” Dark Thirteen asked. “Everyone lives for something, wealth, power, lust, strength,” Xu Zimo replied with a smile. “I understand,” Dark Thirteen nodded, bowed, and vanished again. … The night passed quietly. But by morning, a heavy gloom had fallen over the entire Situ estate. Situ Yuntian was dead. The death of this Imperial Gate City powerhouse shocked many. The whole family was in mourning. Situ Yuntian had three sons. Counting Situ Yunqing, there were four children in total. As Xu Zimo, Lin Ruhu, and Little Gui entered the estate, they saw a crowd surrounding a stretcher, wailing in grief. Situ Yuntian’s body had been stitched back together and wrapped in white cloth. “Father, I swear I will find your killer and bring justice to your soul in the heavens!” declared Situ Bo, the eldest son, through gritted teeth. Situ Yunqing knelt to the side, scanning everyone’s face for any clue, trying to read their expressions. Then her gaze shifted to the body on the stretcher. Although they hadn’t known each other long, Situ Yuntian had shown her nothing but affection since her return. At first, she had been distant, resentful of the years he hadn’t been there for her and her mother. But that was the emotional pride of a young girl. Deep down, she had already accepted him as her father. Now, seeing him lie before her, bloodied and lifeless, she couldn’t help but feel deeply saddened. … Xu Zimo stepped through the crowd, knelt beside the body, and sighed with sorrow. “Brother Yuntian, though we only met once, as the saying goes, ‘Heroes recognize each other, no matter their origins.’ I had hoped to talk with you more about life, but just one night later… and we’re already separated by death. Good men die young, fate truly toys with us.” “Senior Brother, don’t be too upset. The dead can’t come back,” Little Gui said, trying to console him. “I know that... I do. But it’s a tragedy all the same,” Xu Zimo replied, eyes filled with emotion. He turned to Situ Yunqing, who was weeping quietly, and said gently, “Don’t be too heartbroken. What matters now is finding the killer and avenging your father.” Situ Yunqing slowly nodded, then looked at Xu Zimo with hope. “I know you’re a man of great ability. Can you help me?” No matter how powerful she might become in the future, right now Situ Yunqing was just a vulnerable young woman, alone, with no influence or support. It was unrealistic for her to find the killer on her own. “It’s not that I don’t want to help,” Xu Zimo replied, feigning hesitation. “But this is your family’s internal matter. If I interfere as an outsider, it could lead to rumors.” Situ Yunqing fell silent, unsure of what to say. “You should arrange your father’s funeral quickly,” Xu Zimo added. “While I can’t step in directly, I’ll keep an eye out from the shadows.” With those words, he led Lin Ruhu and Little Gui away. … “Brother Zimo, are you planning to take over the Situ Clan?” Lin Ruhu asked curiously on the way back. “You noticed?” Xu Zimo chuckled. “Not entirely sure. Just seemed like you were overly concerned about them,” Lin Ruhu replied. “You’re not wrong,” Xu Zimo said with a smile. “But it’s not time yet. The fire isn’t big enough.” “What should we do?” Little Gui asked. “Go to the Wang and Wan Clans. Tell them to unite and put pressure on the Situ Clan's businesses,” Xu Zimo instructed Lin Ruhu. These two families were the only ones in Imperial Gate City capable of competing with the Situ Clan. Now that Situ Yuntian was gone, they’d surely be eyeing that power vacuum. “Little Gui, go stir up trouble among Situ Yuntian’s three sons. Get them to fight each other for the family head position,” Xu Zimo ordered. “Don’t worry, Young Master. I’ll make sure the entire Situ Clan plunges into chaos,” Little Gui said confidently. “And when everything is beyond their control, that’s when I’ll step in and clean it up,” Xu Zimo said slowly. “I want Situ Yunqing to join my faction willingly.” “Brother Zimo, wouldn’t it be easier to just storm in and take over? Why make it so complicated?” Lin Ruhu asked, confused. “You’re missing the point,” Xu Zimo smiled. “We may be the baddies, but we’re not dumb. I don’t just want Situ Yunqing as a person, I want her loyalty. Her heart. And the Situ Clan is a perfect stepping stone. Also, Dark Thirteen, go to Skysword City and find Vastsky. Bring him here.”