Book 3: Clear River in Turmoil - 155: Display of Loyalty 2
Actually, as soon as Chen Wenhui appeared, Lin Fengtang knew what Su Chen was talking about when he mentioned a show of loyalty.
Chen Wenhui was Wang Peiyuan’s nephew. Even though he didn’t have the Wang Clan’s bloodline, his ties with the Wang Clan ran quite deep. Touching Chen Wenhui was equivalent to provoking the entire Wang Clan.
Su Chen’s request for this display of loyalty was basically forcing Lin Fengtang into a dead end – he wouldn’t relent just because of a single sentence of surrender from Lin Fengtang. He needed to push Lin Fengtang to a point where there was nowhere else for him to go.
The people from the Origin Bureau were actually there to force the Lin Clan into action.
Lin Fengtang was very clear that if he didn’t agree, the people from the Origin Bureau would slaughter their way over.
If the members of the Long Clear Gang and Evil Tiger Gang all had the Hemolytic Totem, then martial artists of the Origin Bureau might also have it, and an improved version at that.
But could he change sides so quickly?
Lin Fengtang was a bit reluctant to do so.
He glanced at Su Chen, only to find that Su Chen was also looking at him.
A smile hung on his lips, but his eyes were filled with killing intent. Origin Energy danced around his fingertips.
Lin Fengtang knew it wasn’t good to act like an idiot. He could only stammer, “Chen Wenhui is here to save me. If I attack him, it’s too......”
“He’s not trying to save you specifically, but rather this defunct alliance. The Wei Clan and Shen Clan have both backed out, the Long Clan has surrendered, He Wuqian is dead, and so is Xiong Tianyue. If he doesn’t save you, then this alliance will fragment immediately.”
“What did you say? Xiong Tianyue is dead? The Long Clan has surrendered?” Lin Fengtang was shocked.
Su Chen had charged straight at the Lin Clan after killing Xiong Tianyue. At that moment, the other clans might have already received the news, but the Lin Clan had been totally unaware because they had been locked up in this situation. News of the Long Clan’s surrender was yet another serious blow to Lin Fengtang’s mental state.
As if Su Chen felt that it wasn’t enough, a figure could be spotted not far from Su Chen. It was Long Qingjiang! However, he was hiding himself amongst a group of people. If one didn’t pay attention, he was almost impossible to spot.
The shock Lin Fengtian felt was incapable of growing further. Su Chen continued, “See, I don’t necessarily need you to do this. There are many people waiting in line behind you. You are not the first ones to surrender, and if the Long Clan also steals away the first opportunity to demonstrate their loyalty, that wouldn’t be too good. As such, the opportunity falls to you. If you aren’t willing to do even this ... do you know what a dog eats if it can’t find any food?”
Su Chen leaned in and slowly said in Lin Fengtang’s ear, “Either it eats feces, or it dies!”
These words were like a sharp stab to Lin Fengtang’s heart.
He wanted to explode with anger, wanted to be indignant and filled with bloodlust like a real man and denounce Su Chen to his face.
However, a human being was still a human being. If even ants strove to survive, how much more would a human do the same?
As he stared at Su Chen, he found that he could not say anything.
An “I don’t care whether you all die” was enough to topple his resolve.
He helplessly nodded.
“Then go,” Su Chen said. “Don’t waste any more of my time.”
Lin Fengtang let out a long sigh. He shut his eyes, then said, “Men of the Lin Clan, follow me. Attack!”
Chen Wenhui was still fighting Wang Wenxin and Guo Long. Even though he was fighting a two-on-one battle, he still held the advantage. His fists were filled with incredible momentum, forcing his two opponents to retreat time and time again.
When the people from the Lin Clan charged over, Chen Wenhui thought that they were coming to help him out. He yelled, “Don’t come over in case Su Chen ambushes you!”
The only response he got, however, was a furious assault from the Lin Clan’s members.
Chen Wenhui let out a tragic cry. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
What was going on?
How could this be?
“Lin Fengtang, what are you doing?” Chen Wenhui couldn’t stop himself from yelling.
“I......” Lin Fengtang wanted to apologize, but he didn’t say anything in the end.
Regardless of what was happening, he was still a clan elder.
As an elder, what was most important wasn’t how much he schemed but how decisive he was in a critical moment.
Since he had made a decision, he wouldn’t regret it and wouldn’t think too much about it. Otherwise, his followers would be indecisive, and his subordinates would be unhappy with him, damaging the effectiveness of what his actions. As such, he needed to be decisive.
This was why Lin Fengtang only got one word out before changing his tone.
He responded, “Nothing. I am just borrowing your head to build a foundation for the Lin Clan!”
As he spoke, he charged forward as fast as lightning.
His Silver Moonlight Falcon Bloodline was activated, increasing his speed by a ridiculous amount.
His trembling hands unleashed a moonlight projectile that shot at Wang Wenxin.
Chen Wenhui didn’t even have time to curse as he flew back to dodge. Wang Wenxin and Guo Long closed in and attacked ferociously, not giving him any opportunity to escape.
“Bastard!” Chen Wenhui was infuriated. Vines began to sprout from his body like mad, as if he were a massive tree trunk.
However, even if he was powerful, so were his opponents.
Wang Wenxin waved his hand and said, “Go!”
Those two hundred martial artists once again unleashed a flurry of fireballs.
No matter how powerful the Young Tree Nymph was, it couldn’t possibly withstand two hundred fireballs. It was battered around violently, causing Chen Wenhui to howl loudly and withdrew the vines. Thankfully, at that moment a constable from the Investigations Bureau charged forward, forcefully enduring the attacks from Wang Wenxin and the others.
“Sir, the Lin Clan has betrayed us! Quick, let’s get out of here!” the constable yelled.
Chen Wenhui quickly surveyed the situation. The Clear River Gang and Lin Clan already held the absolute advantage and were massacring his subordinates.
He felt a pain in his heart and could only yell, “Let’s leave!”
“Leave? Do you think you can?” Su Chen smiled gently.
He had purposefully led Chen Wenhui here in order to finish him off here. How could he let Chen Wenhui get away?
He jabbed with his finger. A column of fire shot into the sky.
As he watched the column of fire surge into the air, Chen Wenhui was stunned. Just as he was wondering what it was exactly, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back.
“AH!” he howled as he shoved his palm behind him. His ambusher tumbled back into the group of people.
Chen Wenhui had identified the person who had attacked him. He screeched, “Peng Bin, it’s you!”
The person who had ambushed him was the constable that he trusted the most.
Peng Bin said emotionlessly, “City Lord An sends his regards...... still not attacking!?”
As he yelled out, more tragic cries immediately sounded out.
Ten or so constables suddenly turned hostile and began to attack those on their own side.
The people from the Investigations Bureau were already in dire straits. With this vicious betrayal, they were unable to hold on and their formation instantly collapsed.
Upon seeing this scene, Chen Wenhui was both shocked and infuriated. He spat out a mouthful of blood.
Chen Wenhui’s group had sustained quite a few losses when they were attacking the Spirit Race individual. Thus, An Siyuan and Su Chen afterwards had taken advantage of the opportunity to throw a few grains of sand into the Investigations Bureau and insert their own people.
Even though Chen Wenhui had done his best to try and weed them out, eliminating quite a few outsiders, a few people had tenaciously remained.
Chen Wenhui also knew that many of his subordinates were untrustworthy, so he had specifically taken care not to bring along anyone that he didn’t trust. However, he hadn’t expected that he would be betrayed by so many people, and especially didn’t expect that even Peng Bin would sell him out.
He finally realized that Su Chen’s goal was never to deal with the Lin Clan but rather to deal with himself.
The blade strike he took to his back had cut to the bone, almost slicing through him. In addition, the blade had been soaked with poison that was currently attacking his heart and eating away at his body.
He was totally surrounded by enemies. At that moment, Chen Wenhui had nowhere left to go.
Even under these kinds of circumstances, Chen Wenhui unexpectedly began to exude the aura that a powerful expert should have.
He laughed ferociously, “Want to kill me? You’ll need to pay quite a price!”
He tilted his head back and howled, vines surging out from his body again. This time, however, these vines seemed to be made of blood and flesh, as if his muscles and blood vessels were all being set free from his body. They were like countless snakes swallowing up everything in all directions.
The frighteningly dense wave of bloody vines made it impossible for people to advance. A few Origin Qi Scholars and martial artists couldn’t dodge in time and were swept up, then immediately torn to pieces.
At that moment, Chen Wenhui had brought his full power to bear, demonstrating his frightening strength. Hundreds of martial artists and tens of Origin Qi Scholars were present, yet none of them dared to get close to him.
Even Su Chen couldn’t help but sigh, “How courageous.”
However, even the most courageous person would eventually meet their end.
A streak of silvery light penetrated all of the defenses it encountered until it slammed into Chen Wenhui’s body.
“Pu!”
Chen Wenhui spat out a mouthful of blood. All of his momentum suddenly came to a screeching halt.
He stared at Lin Fengtian and muttered, “You......”
Lin Fengtian lowered his head wordlessly.
In the end, he had completed his display of loyalty.