At this moment, Lianxin exclaimed, feeling her face burning. She said to her clansmen, "Stop looking, focus on feeding your Crimson Heart Gu!"
The tribesmen suppressed their laughter and lowered their heads.
Lianxin composed herself, looked at Zard, and said coldly, "Since you didn't eat the Crimson Heart Gu, why did you pick flowers for me? Why didn't you run away? Why did you bring me food?"
Zard was taken aback by this question: "Because I like you."
Lianxin snorted coldly: "Sweet talk."
While the others were feeding the Crimson Heart Gu, Chen Jiazhang whispered to Zard again: "Since you don't have the Crimson Heart Gu in your body, what are you still doing here? Do you want to be turned into a golden corpse? I am your boss's senior master. If I am turned into a golden corpse, how will you explain it to your boss?"
Zard thought for a moment and said, "Now the Knights Organization already has Thunder Knights, Onmyoji Knights, and Preemptive Knights. Li Ke also has the backpack that can copy other people's abilities, so he can change jobs too. Everyone is starting to change jobs, don't you want to change jobs too?"
Chen Jiazhang was taken aback: "What job should I switch to?"
"They'll turn you into a golden corpse, and then you can become a Death Knight."
Chen Jiazhang: "?"
...
...
In the evening in City 5, the setting sun shines through the buildings, cutting them into beams of light of different shapes by the uneven buildings, making it look like a dream city.
Qing Chen sat in Qing Ji's beat-up pickup truck, gazing absently out the window: "After I've finished doing what I promised you here, I'll be leaving."
"Where to?" Qing Ji asked, puzzled.
"I'm going to kill people on the other side of the Forbidden Sea, and also see what their true strength is like," Qing Chen said.
Qing Ji: "Isn't that why we asked you to leave a few children behind?"
Qing Chen asked, "What exactly does the Qing family head want me to do this time? It can't really be just a blind date, can it? Such a powerful figure, like the emperor of the southwest in this world, why would he bother with such trivial matters as blind dates?"
"Is a blind date a trivial matter?" Qing Ji said dismissively, "That's because you underestimate your own position. Whether the imperial power has an heir or not has always been the most fundamental issue throughout history. You haven't settled into your role yet, which is why you think it's insignificant. If it were truly unimportant, do you think the old man would have given away two forbidden items at once?"
In fact, the person who truly made Qing Chen realize how terrifying the power of the conglomerate was was his blind date, Li Kerou.
The way the other party idolizes conglomerates and is even willing to stoop down to kiss the tip of power's shoe is the most realistic portrayal of ordinary people in this era.
However, this is precisely why Qingchen and his group want to change all of this.
Qing Ji continued, "However, the old man's purpose in bringing you back was indeed not just for blind dates. For example, he felt that tonight's banquet was very important and had been planning for it for several weeks."
"What's the theme of tonight's banquet?" Qing Chen asked, puzzled. "Is it to get me to meet those important figures from the Qing family?"
“Oh, that’s not that important,” Qing Ji said. “You’ll understand after the banquet.”
Qing Chen said, "Have you ever thought that I don't actually feel a sense of belonging to the Qing family? Before my brother left, he never said anything about me returning to the Qing family, nor did he ever think of me being tied to the Qing family."
Qing Ji suddenly said, "Although the old man is ruthless and not good at expressing himself, I hope you won't make too many judgments about him before you get to know him. Actually... he's not quite what people imagine."
"What do you mean?" Qing Chen asked, puzzled.
“We’ve arrived,” Qing Ji said.
Looking out the car at the magnificent Ginkgo Manor, Qingchen felt as if it were a city within a city, a country within a country.
Two mute servants greeted him with honest smiles at the door, and said in sign language: "The clothes are all ready, young master, you can go and change first."
Qing Chen asked Qing Ji, "What clothes should I change into?"
Qing Ji glanced at him: "You're not going to go to the banquet in this tracksuit, are you? Of course you'll have to change into formal attire, a suit or a tuxedo, you can choose for yourself."
Twenty minutes later, Qingchen looked at himself in the mirror. The black suit fit him perfectly. The mute tailor beside him had a measuring tape hanging around his neck. He looked at his masterpiece with a smile and gestured: "Young Master's figure is perfect. It is my greatest honor to wear my clothes on Young Master."
This mute tailor was so adept at using sign language to flatter his master.
The Ginkgo Manor is already decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, as if to welcome a grand festival.
Qing Chen followed Qing Ji toward the banquet hall. The mute servants along the way smiled with extraordinary joy and sincerity when they saw him.
"Do they all know me?" Qingchen asked.
“Of course, and you hold a very high position in their hearts,” Qingji said. “The mute servants were all mute by the poison of the God Era. The moment you fought your way out of Base A02, you were destined to have a different position in their hearts.”
Stepping into the banquet hall, the sounds of music, conversation, and laughter mingled together, creating the atmosphere of a giant playground.
Qingchen suddenly noticed balloons pasted on the door, along with many slogans that read... Happy Birthday.
He stood there dumbfounded, while Qing Ji said from the side, "Today is your birthday in the inner world."
Qing Chen has two birthdays, but today in the inner world is his true birth date, while the one in the outer world is not.
The problem is, the Qing family went to such lengths to hold a banquet, and even invited all the generals and officials of the family head's faction to the Ginkgo Manor. The entire manor was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, all just to celebrate his birthday.
That's a bit outrageous.
Qingji said, "It was also the old man's regret that he didn't get to be with you. Although he didn't say anything, I know that regret has always been there. You went to the outer world at such a young age, so giving you a grand birthday celebration now is a way of making up for it."
Qing Chen was both amused and exasperated: "How can you guys be so childish?"
Is this something that concerns the head of the Qing family?!
Chapter 775, The Crown Prince Regent
"What do you want to do with this birthday party?" Qing Chen asked, puzzled.
"Why ask such a question?" Qing Ji asked calmly.
“Because I don’t quite believe that a cold and ruthless head of the Qing family would hold a birthday banquet without any purpose,” Qing Chen said. “Back then, when Shendai Yunhe captured me, after I drifted out of the underground river, someone was ordered by the family head to give me divine blood, but they still couldn’t save me. At that time, I realized that the reason why I tried to escape but failed one after another was that the head of the Qing family was secretly interfering and insisted on sending me to Base A02.”
Qingchen continued, "Of course, I later understood why he did it, and I did gain a lot. But from then on, I was destined to be less moved by a sudden birthday party."
Qing Ji thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps he just wanted to do this, and he doesn't need you to be moved."
"What about my birthday present?" Qingchen asked curiously. "Since you're having a birthday party, there should be a birthday present, right?"
“Your birthday present is that starting tomorrow, you will become the chairman of the board of directors of the Qing Group, and you will enjoy dividends from the family trust. You will receive up to 7.1 billion in dividends every year without doing anything, and you will also have the authority to manage this behemoth that is the Qing Group,” Qing Ji said. “Surprised?”
The Crown Prince will oversee the state!
The head of the Qing family is clearly trying to... transfer the power of the Qing family to me ahead of schedule!
The problem is that the Shadow Wars are not over yet, and the head of the Qing family is essentially declaring war on everyone who supports the Shadow Wars by doing this.
Qingchen asked doubtfully, "He was rushing to arrange blind dates for me, throwing birthday parties, and now he's even putting pressure on me to take my place... How is his health?"
He had previously heard his brother, Qingzhun, mention that the head of the Qing family was not a superhuman and that his health had always been poor.
The only explanation for their actions is that the head of the Qing family doesn't have much time left.
Qing Chen asked, "Why did you choose me to take this position?"
Qing Ji said, "Saving and managing City 10 was a test, and you have passed it. I hope you can take over everything as soon as possible so that I can continue to focus on my cultivation."
"So, for the remaining ten days or so, I'll be handling government affairs at the Qing family?" Qing Chen frowned and said, "I won't be tied to a position and die with regrets."
“You can also cultivate your own think tank. With a strong enough think tank, you can naturally become a hands-off manager,” Qing Ji said. “All you need to do is conquer the wolf pack and become the new wolf king. The various factions under the patriarch are all business and political elites. To conquer them, you need more than just force.”
“City 5 is thousands of kilometers away from City 10. Where am I supposed to find a think tank?” Qing Chen said. “What if I don’t accept?”
“You’re a smart man, so you’ll naturally understand that with the help of the Qing family, your goals will be easier to achieve,” Qing Ji said. “If you don’t want to accept it, then leave. Nobody’s stopping you. When the Qing family is taken over by someone else, this behemoth will always be your enemy.”
At this moment, the banquet hall doors were closed, and Qing Chen stood outside.
Inside, there was a commotion; outside, Qing Ji waited for Qing Chen to make a decision.
“If you decide to become the chairman of the board, then walk in; if you don’t want to, then turn around and leave,” Qing Ji said calmly.
Qingchen pondered for two seconds and walked forward, while the mute servants chuckled and helped him push open the door.
In the banquet hall, all eyes were on them, and the discussion abruptly ceased.
Everyone watched him silently as this young man, wearing a suit for the first time, walked in with an upright posture.
At this moment, Qing Chen is the protagonist in everyone's heart.
Bang bang bang! Fireworks exploded in the hands of the mute servants, and only then did the discussion inside begin to boil again.
...
...
At the border control gate of City 5, an official looked at the three people in front of him and asked the young man in the white hunting robe with suspicion, "You three are from the Kamishiro Foundation, right? I've seen you on TV... Oh, right, you're Kamishiro Unra, that young master!"
As they spoke, the metal storm hanging upside down on the dome of the entire immigration gate slowly began to rotate, locking onto Yunluo, Yunxiu, and Kongyu.
But then, Kamishiro Unra said with a smile, "We've already betrayed the Kamishiro Foundation!"
The official was taken aback. Was this something he should be hearing? "What brings you to City 5? I can't just approve your visas haphazardly."
Kamishiro Yunra put her hands inside the sleeves of her hunting robe and thought for a moment: "Hey, could you call Ginkgo Manor for me and say that Qingchen's good friend Kamishiro Yunra has come... Of course, I don't know if that will work."
The border management official said speechlessly, "Does Ginkgo Manor even belong to someone of my rank? Why don't you wait here while I report it up the chain of command, and then decide whether to let you pass after the leader's approval?"
However, at that moment, a black convoy drove up. Upon seeing the familiar license plate, the official immediately abandoned the three men and rushed to the car, saluting respectfully: "Sir, you can use the fast lane; you don't need to go through this gate."
A mute servant got out of the car and typed on the LCD screen: "The boss sent me to pick up these three people and take them to Ginkgo Manor. You can let them through."
As he spoke, the mute servant also showed the electronic beacon stored in the LCD screen, which was connected to the verification system at the immigration gate.
Once it was confirmed that he was indeed a mute servant, the immigration officials immediately allowed him to pass.
Shindai Yunlu watched this scene with curiosity: "Hmm, it seems like someone knew we were coming in advance? Let's see where they're taking us. Maybe they'll hold a grand and enthusiastic welcome ceremony."
He then gestured to the mute servant, asking, "Where are we going?"
The mute servant was taken aback. He hadn't expected the person he was supposed to meet to know sign language. Instantly, his goodwill towards this guest increased: "Ginkgo Manor, today is my young master's birthday banquet."
"Wow," exclaimed Kamishiro Yunra, "We've arrived just in time!"
...
...
In the banquet hall, Qing Chen refused all drinks and food. He silently looked around, and no one dared to bother him before he started talking to anyone.
There was only one person in the hall, gazing at him with deep affection. When his gaze fell upon her…
Li Kerou!
Looking at Li Kerou's expression, Qing Chen felt a sense of unease. Why was she at Ginkgo Manor?